"It seems… I couldn't make it after all. Sigh. Still… the fact that I managed to escape them was nothing short of a miracle."
"Waaah…"
"Ooh, as expected from my child! Such a loud cry. Smile.Forgive me… I can't protect you anymore, my little one.But I hope that someday, you'll shake the heavens once more… just like your mother. Licks the baby's cheek, smiling softly."
The blood-soaked black-furred beast hid the baby inside a hollow of an old tree. After covering the opening with dry leaves, he hurried away.
Three Years Later
One of the Spirit Hall Elders, Yue Guan, was flying above the Star Dou Forest.Despite being a Super Douluo known as Chrysanthemum Douluo, he still avoided this forest whenever possible.But this time, the Supreme Pontiff had ordered him to find a suitable spirit beast for Hu Liena.
"Hmm… it's already been three hours, and all I've seen are ugly beasts. Sigh."
Yue Guan landed to take a short rest—when a beast's wailing caught his attention.At first he ignored it, assuming it was just an injured animal.But after five minutes of nonstop crying, his curiosity won.
Following the sound, he found a small bird-like beast… and a small child.The child was hugging the beast while the beast desperately tried to escape.Though only four or five years old, the child was still far stronger than a normal child because a beast still a beast and imposible for a child to play with beast without getting hurt.
Yue Guan stared, baffled. After a moment of thought, he decided to bring the child back to Spirit Hall and investigate his identity.
As he approached, Yue Guan realized the child wasn't hugging the beast out of affection—he was biting the beast's neck.Unfortunately, the boy's teeth weren't strong enough to pierce it.
"Don't bite that! It's filthy!"
Yue Guan pulled the beast away, letting it flee.The child looked at him, confused… then began growling.
Despite the dirt covering him, Yue Guan could see the child was unbelievably beautiful—like a tiny deity.Long black hair, snow-white skin, deep red eyes… an impossibly perfect face.
Yue Guan quickly picked him up and wiped him clean.Even though the child kept growling and scratching him, Yue Guan hummed happily—right until he noticed the child's "elephant."
"Impossible! A boy prettier than Her Majesty herself! Gasp.Wait—gender doesn't matter! Beauty is absolute!From today, I shall call you Xue Li, my beautiful little snow! Laughs."
After making sure Xue Li was clean, Yue Guan pulled bread from his storage and shoved it into the boy's mouth to silence him.He abandoned his mission completely and flew straight back to Spirit City.
It took five hours to reach Spirit City.Instead of going directly to the Supreme Pontiff, Yue Guan stopped at a clothing shop.
-------
Shopkeeper: "Sir, how about these clothes?"
Yue Guan: "Hmm… too plain! Bring me all the luxurious dresses!"
Shopkeeper: "Y-yes, sir!"
Two hours and an enormous amount of money later, Yue Guan and Xue Li became the talk of the city.A flashy man in a feminine robe and heavy makeup… carrying an impossibly beautiful "little princess."
Everyone who saw Xue Li felt their hearts skip.If he weren't munching bread like a squirrel, they would have called him a heavenly maiden on the spot.
Yue Guan walked slowly toward the Spirit Temple, wanting to show off Xue Li. People stopped what they were doing and stepped aside. The bustling market suddenly fell into silence.Some even dropped to their knees as he passed.
(Heh! Look at them! None can withstand Xue'er beauty!)
Spirit Temple
Bibi Dong was listening to Gui Mei's report on the throne. Both she and Gui Mei had sensed Yue Guan's return hours ago, but something about his erratic movements worried them.
Gui Mei: "Your Majesty, please allow me to go check. Something feels wrong."
Bibi Dong: "Go."
Gui Mei: "Yes, Your Majesty."
Gui Mei sped out.Upon reaching the marketplace, he grew even more anxious—the entire street was silent and filled with kneeling people.
Then he saw him. A flamboyant man walking slowly, carrying a "girl."
Gui Mei: "What kind of nonsense is he—?! Yue Guan!! You—"
He rushed over, ready to slap Yue Guan—but froze the moment he saw Xue Li's face.
Perfect. Pure. Beautiful. Majestic. Gui Mei felt his soul trembling, his heartbeat running wild.
Yue Guan: "Oh? Mei-Mei, did you come to pick me up? Smile."
Gui Mei: "Gasp. (Bad! I almost lost myself! What terrifying beauty!) Yue Guan, you flashy idiot! Her Majesty sent you on an important mission—why did you kidnap this princess?!"
Yue Guan: "Eh—wa—"
Gui Mei silenced him with black smoke and teleported the three of them straight to Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong didn't bother opening her eyes at first—they were always quarreling anyway. But she froze the moment she sensed the child's presence.
When she opened her eyes and saw Xue Li, she stopped breathing.
Perfect.Not even her reflection surpassed this child.
Her dead, frozen heart… beat again. Inside her heart, a maternal love start to bloom slowly.
Before she could speak, Xue Li threw his bread at Gui Mei and slapped Yue Guan's mouth.
Bibi Dong: "…"
Yue Guan: "Xue'er, don't get angry! Forgive your grandpa! Mei-Mei, apologize to her! Look what your mouth caused!"
Bibi Dong & Gui Mei: (It was your mouth that has been hit…)
Gui Mei: "Please forgive my rudeness, little princess… (Why am I apologizing?! )"
Bibi Dong: "Cough. Yue Guan, who is this little prin—girl?"
Yue Guan explained happily how he found Xue Li, proudly declaring he had already decided to adopt her. Gui Mei accused him of lying; Yue Guan insisted; Bibi Dong silenced them.
Bibi Dong: "Enough. Yue Guan, do you intend to raise her?
"Yue Guan: "Yes, Your Majesty! Please—"
Before he could finish, Xue Li walked toward the throne.No one dared stop him—his beauty had already conquered them.
He stared at Bibi Dong for a moment. Seeing she wasn't hostile, he crawled under the throne and curled up, falling asleep—a habit from years of living inside a tree hollow.
Bibi Dong froze. Something inside her bloomed—like a long-dead flower touched by spring. She smiled faintly… unnoticed by anyone.
Bibi Dong: "Very well. She'll be my second disciple and live with me."
She picked up Xue Li and left immediately.
Yue Guan: "Gasp Eeh?! Xue'er!! Don't leave me!! Collapses. Mei-Mei! Your Highness kidnapped my granddaughter!!"
Gui Mei: "…"