Chapter 130: How Did You Meet?
"This is great! If I can find the Undying Divine Spring and bring it back, I'll be allowed into the Scripture Repository of the Heaven-Mending Pavilion. I can study all kinds of ancient texts and divine techniques, and finally refine the Heavenrend Myriadfold Array."
Shi Hao was ecstatic. His attitude toward Yun Xi softened considerably. This female Ferocious Beast wasn't so annoying after all—maybe not just another mooching tagalong.
For years now, Shi Hao had been working on deciphering the Heavenrend Myriadfold Array, the grand formation based on Shi Yi's original concepts. It wasn't just to fulfill his brother's trust—it was also his own obsession. He wanted to reach the peak of both inscription arts and formation mastery. This formation was a necessary step.
But like Shi Yi, he was realistic. The complete Heavenrend Myriadfold Array was too complex, far beyond his current reach.
So he took the same path as Shi Yi.
He was focusing on a smaller prototype—a Minor Heavenrend Array, a formation nested within a greater one. It could evolve over time. For now, the goal was to solidify the foundation.
"Don't celebrate too early," Yun Xi interrupted, a splash of cold water on his enthusiasm. "The Undying Divine Spring isn't some trinket lying around. Plenty of Pure-Blooded Ferocious Beasts know where it is too."
But her words didn't dampen Shi Hao's spirits one bit. He thumped his chest and grinned.
"Female Beast, listen carefully. In the Hundred-Fractured Mountains, the only treasures we don't have are the ones we haven't found yet—not the ones we can't take."
This wasn't arrogance for arrogance's sake. Shi Hao wasn't a delusional braggart.
The Hundred-Fractured Mountains were a treasure trove for cultivators in the Cave Heaven Realm. Due to the eighteen-year age limit, even the descendants of Pure-Blooded Ferocious Beasts couldn't break past Cave Heaven in this world yet.
At the moment, Shi Hao himself was at peak Spirit Transformation. If not for his obsession with refining the Heavenrend Myriadfold Array, he might already have stepped into the Inscription Realm.
Shi Yi? He was a walking anomaly when it came to formation arts. Just unfair.
Honestly—who could rival these two brothers among both the Human Clans and Ferocious Beasts in this region?
He wouldn't boast publicly, but within these mountains? He'd say it loud: If the two of them wanted something, they'd get it.
"That's enough, really," Shi Yi groaned. His brother's mouth ran faster than his brain sometimes. "You don't need to shout to the heavens. Try learning the word 'restraint' sometime."
"Did you hear that? My brother said it. We've already surpassed everyone here," Shi Hao replied proudly, puffing out his chest like a rooster in battle stance.
He was unapologetically arrogant. Shi Hao, in two characters, spelled unruly confidence.
Back then, Shi Hao hadn't suffered any devastating losses. His view of the world was simple: Shi Yi was the boss, he was the second-in-command, and with the two of them, nothing was impossible.
Even the scandal around the Wu King Manor and the cursed title Scarred Star hadn't really knocked him down. During his years at the Heaven-Mending Pavilion, his youthful confidence had bounced right back.
And what was youthful confidence?
It was that childlike fearlessness, the kind Shi Hao had when he was still a mischief-maker running through Shi Village.
"I told you to shut it. Don't act so rashly all the time—do you not get it?" Shi Yi flicked his sleeve.
The Starry Sky Array shimmered into existence—and just as suddenly, a meteorite appeared and smashed down from the heavens, slamming Shi Hao into a crater.
Luckily, his skull was as thick as ever. Within moments, he crawled out of the rubble, brushing dust off his shoulders.
"Brother, you're too uptight. If a young man isn't bold and wild, is he really young?"
Shi Hao didn't take the warning seriously. To him, being overconfident was practically a virtue.
And sure enough…
A few days later, in a venomous swamp, the Nine-Headed Golden Lion found itself yanked from the muck by none other than Shi Hao, and its heart filled with a mixture of horror and disbelief.
"Human youth, you go too far!" the Nine-Headed Golden Lion roared.
Back during their battle in the plains, Shi Hao had let it go—he respected its grit and refusal to beg. But who would've thought he'd come back to dig it out of a filthy swamp?
"You're too filthy to even ride now. I'm starting to lose interest in keeping you as a mount," Shi Hao scowled.
The Nine-Headed Golden Lion had done everything it could to disappear, but even buried beneath toxic mud, it wasn't safe from this devil incarnate.
"I'm the grandson of the Nine-Spirit King! If you humiliate me again, don't blame me for the storm that follows once we leave this pocket world!" it roared, golden mane bristling.
"Cute. If I don't deal with you now, are you going to run off crying to your grandpa later?" Shi Hao shot back.
"You—!" The lion was so furious it nearly passed out.
"Little cub, let me beat you fair and square until you want to become my mount. That way, you'll follow me willingly, and won't tattle later."
Shi Hao smiled like he was doing it a favor. The lion nearly fainted in rage.
"You're crossing the line! I'll fight you to the death!" it snarled.
"If you lose, you become my ride. No whining afterward," Shi Hao cracked his knuckles and charged in.
Meanwhile, under the open sky, amidst clouds and golden sunlight, the group from the Heaven-Mending Pavilion and Shi Village were gathered on a massive scroll, drifting mid-air.
Yun Xi, Hu Niu, Princess Huo Ling'er of the Fire Nation, and Yu Zimo sat in a row. Shi Yi was seated between Huo Ling'er and Yu Zimo. Nearby, a giant gourd floated serenely.
They were comparing notes—sharing their brushes with danger and chance encounters over the past few days.
Their main focus? The Undying Divine Spring.
But in the process, they stumbled upon a rather pitiful sight: the Nine-Headed Golden Lion, freshly yanked from swamp filth by Shi Hao after its previous defeat.
"You helped him track down the Nine-Headed Golden Lion?" Shi Yi asked, slightly confused. He knew Huo Ling'er and Shi Hao didn't exactly see eye to eye.
"I didn't mean to! He kept calling me sister-in-law!" Huo Ling'er huffed.
She didn't mention that she'd been testing the Little Wolf God's tracking ability—and it turned out to be absurdly effective. Not even the Lion buried in swamp mud could escape it.
That was no surprise, though.
Over the past few days, they'd confirmed that the Little Wolf God was undoubtedly of divine bloodline. Once fully grown, it would be an apex Ferocious Beast.
"What's your name?"
"Yun Xi."
"How did you two meet?"
"Just recently."
"You're a Ferocious Beast. He's human. The two of you are incompatible."
"You misunderstand," Yun Xi replied calmly. "I only wish to explore the Dao with the Holy Child."
Hu Niu gave her a once-over. She clearly wasn't impressed.
"Explore the Dao? What does that even mean?" she scoffed.
Yun Xi shook her head. "It seems you don't understand him."
"Oh, I understand him just fine. He likes women who are full and curvy, with real presence. You? He wouldn't look twice," Hu Niu snapped, full of disdain.
"You're mistaken. This has nothing to do with gender. It's about Daoist exploration," Yun Xi said, her face unreadable.
Still, a flicker of doubt crept into her mind. Was she too thin? Did she eat too little? Not... moist enough?
No. She'd have to eat more in the future. She couldn't afford to lose out to that voluptuous Huo Ling'er.