My Journey to Immortality Begins with Hunting

Yet Li Yuan's own ancestral seal didn't sit in his heart; he had no idea how his fourth rank would come, except that it too had to be forged in war. The battle would need the right moment and the right ground, preferably one that left no troublesome aftermath.

For now, the lure of weaving his forces together interested him far more since it promised an immediate, tangible rise in strength. His ambitions had outgrown the cultivation of shadow blood; he was actively pursuing the power granted by the Yang itself. In his eyes, Yang energy was an entirely separate power system, another pillar of force, much as a ghost was its own domain.

Thoughts flashed past. He flicked the blade, stretched, drew three slow breaths, let the contained energies seep harmlessly away, and stepped into the manor.

"Master!"

"Master!"

The maids Zhu and Mei beamed at Li Yuan. Both girls were fully grown women now while their master remained forever the young man.

When they shared a quilt, the maids never felt short-changed; if anything, each wished she could lie with the young master every single night.

Li Yuan asked, "Where's Xue Ning?"

"She's in the Green Bamboo Pavilion," Xiao Zhu replied. "She's dealing with urgent memos the Flying Nimbus Group just sent over."

"Who runs the Flying Nimbus Group these days?"

"Qian Da, Zhou Jia, and a handful of people Madam says will never betray us."

Apart from Qian Da and Zhou Jia, Li Yuan knew the other people who would never betray them were bound with human skin manacles.

Xiao Zhu went on, "The outside powers have stopped pressing the Flying Nimbus Group. Word is we've reached an unspoken non-aggression pact."

Li Yuan nodded and walked to a quiet study surrounded by winter bamboo. Not wishing to mar the pristine snow, he stepped once and landed at the door, knocked softly, and called, "Xue Ning?"

"Come in, dearest."

The door opened; pine-scented warmth spilled out from the brazier. He slipped inside and shut the room tight.

"I have to leave for the Western Extremes," he said.

Xue Ning smiled. "I keep wondering whether Ping'an will get a little brother or sister. Whatever comes, the child will be pale, chubby, red-eyed, and beautiful."

A shadow crossed his face as something occurred to him. He changed the subject and said, "Grind me some ink. I need to write to Yao Jue."

"Hmm?" She paused in surprise.

"The Central Plains grow messier by the day," he explained. "If war explodes overnight, I want Yao Jue to know I'm alive, and to bring Ping'an, Cui Huayin, Jing Shuixiang, all of them, to Cloudpeak Province when the moment turns critical."

"You think of everything," she said softly, then burst into laughter. "Rumor says Ping'an is pretty popular with the girls these days. Who knows? Perhaps that rascal has already given us a grandchild. If so, I'll quit the Flying Nimbus Group and dote on the baby myself."

Pen scratching across paper, Li Yuan answered, "If Ping'anhasfound a girl, married or not, I'll ask Yao Jue to bring her too. And how about letting Sheng'er apprentice under you? She spends her days parading as a little saintess, getting naughtier by the hour, but she's beginning to understand the mortal world. She could take the Flying Nimbus Group's reins once you step back."

He paused, then added, "There's a small town behind your estate. I'll send the Tang Sect disciples to help run it and relocate 50 households there, new families from Cloudpeak Province. Their children are newborns; have Nian Nian hire solid tutors. I'll ship over a copy of the Nine Suns Martial Arts as well. Raise them at your side until they feel this place is home."

"They're Ice Folk, aren't they?" Xue Ning asked.

Li Yuan nodded. "Yes, but they belong to Cloudpeak Province too. Those children will grow into sixth rank warriors. With that many sixth ranks on hand, you or Sheng'er can keep the Flying Nimbus Group steady. Most common ghost items are useless against sixth ranks."

She looked uneasy. "Won't that break the rules? You said they had to blend in with the Nine Flames, live in the frozen tundra or in Splinterholt, Eightlinks, or Fallenwood."

"I made the rules," he said simply. "If they no longer serve us, why did I spend so much effort uniting the tribes, marrying into them, and teaching them martial arts? Just raise the children well."

Xue Ning laughed. "Don't worry, your wife can manage people."

Li Yuan finished the letter, shook it dry, and laid it on the desk. "Send this through Wang Heran, Si Fengru, or Wang Linji, whoever can get it into Yao Jue's hands."

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Half a month later.

In a tent within the Trueflame Tribe, a huge baby boy was born.

The midwife had barely lifted him when she yelped. The child was scalding hot, like a kettle at full boil, yet he bawled out loudly, perfectly healthy.

Li Yuan snatched the infant from her trembling hands and nearly dropped him. The heat was real.

A glance at the baby's stats left him speechless. The combat power was 700 at birth.

This was no ordinary child; it was a monster in human skin.

And the baby adored him. Of all the people in the tent, the boy clung only to Li Yuan's neck, wailing and nuzzling as though he'd finally found home.

Li Yuan's smile widened. He sat by the bedside and held the newborn where Snow, still exhausted from the delivery, could see him clearly.

"Give our son a name, darling."

"A life of blazing glory and radiance… Let him be called Jen'gal Naran."

"Naran, the Sun… My child is Jen'gal Naran." Joy flooded her face; every drop of tenderness poured into the tiny boy before her.

Li Yuan carried the baby off to bathe him. By the time he finished, the tub of pleasantly warm water was at a rolling boil—steam coiling into the rafters, astonishment written on every midwife's face.

Just then, a new commotion rose outside.

A tide of white direwolves swept in, bearing a woman of austere beauty. Her snow-white cloak snapped in the wind; the Nine Flames erupted in cheers.

"Wolfmother!"

The Wolfmother dismounted, dipped her head to Li Yuan, then lifted the infant's wrist to her nose and inhaled.

"Child, the wolf pack blesses you. You were born in honor. You will be friend to every great wolf upon this tundra."

More noise followed as the other eight tribe chieftains arrived in person.

The White Stag Tribe's new chieftain stared at the boy. Her name was Bug'aar Saimaa, and she was appointed after the death of Bug'aar Bayantai.

Though she, like the others, could not read the child's stats the way Li Yuan could, the difference was palpable. Wolves had nursed the baby even in the womb; power radiated from him.

Saimaa suddenly cried out, "A child of the Sun, born for glory! This is Heaven's gift to our people. Rejoice and dance!"

Her words were infectious; her fellow tribesmen roared their agreement.

Child of the Sun…Khor'eer Hudor let a fleeting shadow of displeasure cross his eyes, but a glance at the Khagan's Axe not far away made him bury the envy and join the celebration.

That night, the tribes hosted a festival. Circles of warriors hand-in-hand around a towering bonfire, all to welcome one newborn.