The weeks passed in the Huo Clan with deliberate slowness, each day bringing new signs that Huo Rong was no ordinary child. The black jade crib was already completely cracked and needed to be replaced every few days. Stronger containment formations were installed around the nursery, now guarded by two guards at Qi Condensation Stage level 5. The air inside the room was always warm, laden with a subtle smell of sulfur and molten stone.
Huo Rong, now just over a month old, could already hold his body upright for short periods when placed in a sitting position. His deep red eyes followed every movement with a predatory intelligence that frightened the maids. He didn't cry like normal babies. Instead, he emitted low, hoarse sounds—sometimes a gurgling that sounded strangely like a muffled laugh when someone felt pain near him.
Xiao Lan, the young servant who had been burned on the first day, was transferred to more distant duties after her right hand was left with permanent scars. She trembled whenever she passed near the child's room. Another servant, a 32-year-old woman named Liu Mei, was assigned to take care of him. Liu Mei was more experienced, married, and a mother of two, with a mature body and generous curves that the clan's fire qi had kept attractive. Her breasts were still slightly swollen from recently breastfeeding her youngest child.
As Liu Mei bent down to change Huo Rong's clothes, he reached out his little hands with an eagerness that was no longer just instinctive. A thin layer of reddish-black lava covered his fingers, hot enough to burn but not enough to kill a low-level cultivator. He touched the exposed skin of her arm, leaving throbbing red marks.
"Ah… young master, please, no…" Liu Mei murmured, trying to pull her arm away carefully so as not to irritate him. The pain was sharp, like red-hot iron pressed against flesh. She felt her qi being slightly corroded at the point of contact. Still, she forced a subservient smile. "The matriarch will be angry if the young master gets hurt."
Huo Rong didn't understand the words yet, but he felt the tremor in her voice, the smell of nervous sweat mixed with the natural perfume of a mature woman. A pure sadistic pleasure overwhelmed him. He squeezed harder, forcing a lava bubble to burst against her skin. Liu Mei let out a muffled groan of pain and recoiled, tears in her eyes.
More… I want to hear more sounds like that. I want to see that body tremble.
At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Huo Yan entered, carrying a tray with nutritive pills. She saw the maid recoiling with her marked arm and frowned.
"Liu Mei, what happened?"
"The child… the young master… he touched my arm again," the servant replied, lowering her head. "It wasn't intentional, matriarch. He's just… curious."
Huo Yan sighed, sitting down beside the cradle. She picked up her son, ignoring the intense heat emanating from him. "He's testing his limits. It's normal for such a powerful constitution. You must endure it. If you serve well, you will be rewarded."
While Huo Rong nursed at his mother's breast, his eyes turned to Liu Mei, who was discreetly cleaning the floor. He imagined—in a still rudimentary way—what it would be like to melt those curves, make her scream louder, possess her completely. The lustful desire was already there, mixed with cruelty.
Outside the room, in the clan's main hall, an urgent meeting was taking place. Patriarch Huo Tian sat on the flaming obsidian throne, flanked by elders Huo Feng and Huo Ling. Several leaders of minor branches were also present.
"We received news from the Yan Clan," Huo Tian announced in a grave voice. "They had a baby girl born just three days ago. Her name is Yan Qing'er. It is said that she possesses a rare Innate Constitution called 'Heavenly Pure Flame Body.' Her qi is extremely pure and refined, perfect for noble fire techniques. The elders of the Yan Clan have already declared that she will be the clan's next prodigy, capable of challenging even disciples from mid-level sects."
Huo Feng slammed his fist on the table, making the flames of the candelabras flicker. "Damn Yan! They already pressure our fire crystal mines in the southern mountains. Now they are born with a celestial constitution while we gain… this." He gestured toward the corridor leading to Huo Rong's room. "A child whose qi devours everything around her. If we don't control her, she could destroy our own clan before she even grows up."
Huo Ling, calmer now, intertwined her fingers. "Perhaps it's an opportunity. If we can marry the two when they grow up, uniting their constitutions… demonic fire and celestial flame. The result could be powerful. But from what we've heard, the Yan girl is already calm and gentle, even as a newborn. The omens surrounding her birth were of golden light and fire flowers blooming in the sky. Nothing like the black whirlwind that appeared here."
Huo Tian frowned. "Marriage? With the Yan Clan? They see us as inferior rivals. They'll probably use the girl to attract alliances with larger sects. But if Huo Rong really is as powerful as he seems… maybe we can force a union later. For now, let's keep an eye on both clans. Spies are already in position."
While the men discussed politics and future arranged marriages, no one imagined what was going on in the baby's mind a few rooms away.
Huo Rong, still in his mother's lap, felt a new emotion surge as he heard fragments of the conversation reaching him through the ambient qi. A talented girl. A "pure flame." Something beautiful, perfect, the opposite of his devouring qi.
I want her.
The thought was simple, raw, and possessive. He wanted to burn that purity, corrupt it, make it scream and writhe under his lava. He wanted to possess what the rival clan held most precious. A tiny, cruel smile curved his lips again.
Liu Mei, who was watching out of the corner of her eye, felt a chill at the sight of that smile. She quickly lowered her head, but not before Huo Rong noticed the fear in her eyes.
That afternoon, when Huo Yan went out to rest, Liu Mei was left alone with the child for a few minutes. Trying to be firm, she approached and said in a low voice, "Young master, you can't keep burning people. This isn't right. If you continue like this, even your mother will suffer."
She reached out to adjust his blanket, intending to gently discipline him.
Huo Rong reacted instantly. A wave of black lava qi erupted from his small body. Not strong enough to kill, but enough to burn Liu Mei's entire hand and forearm. The maid screamed in pain, falling to her knees as the corrosive lava eroded her skin, leaving exposed, smoldering flesh. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room.
He laughed—a gurgling, hoarse, and satisfied sound.
Liu Mei cried, clutching her battered arm. "Please… stop…"
To Huo Rong, it was the sweetest sound yet. He wanted more. Much more.
Huo Yan rushed back upon hearing the cry and found the maidservant on the floor. His face paled at the sight of Liu Mei's broken arm.
"He… he's just defending himself," murmured the matriarch, trying to convince herself. But deep down, she was beginning to understand that her third son carried something far darker than a simple powerful constitution.