In a quiet and secluded small mountain village.
Zhao Shuning finally relaxed completely.
She focused all her attention on nurturing the fetus.
Little did she know.
Outside.
In the Nine - Province Continent.
The legends about her were becoming more and more outlandish.
Since the sacrifice on the Divine Mountain in the Eastern Province, the common people of the Nine - Province Continent had become curious about the person whom the overlords of the Nine Provinces had sacrificed to and knelt before.
No matter how the old people of the previous generation tried to cover it up.
They could always find some clues.
Some things.
Were just baseless rumors.
There was no actual evidence to rely on.
But they were spread in a miraculous way.
Somehow.
Zhao Shuning, who was once called the evil star, had suddenly become the goddess in everyone's mouth.
That was not all.
Those storytellers.
Even paired this goddess with the thousand - year imperial tutor, Yan Ruyu.
Well.
That was actually true.
But in the legends.
Zhao Shuning was completely deified. The small things she had done were infinitely magnified, and she seemed to have become a savior.
However, this savior.
Didn't end up well in the end. She died on the Divine Mountain in the Eastern Province.
A year passed. At that very time every year, in the dead of night, a man in green clothes with gray hair would still come to the Divine Mountain with a wine jar to pay his respects.
Another year passed.
The Divine Mountain in the Eastern Province was covered with pleasing daisies. On both sides of the road, many people had even planted cherry trees, on which they engraved their names to pray for the blessing of the goddess.
Time flew by.
The years passed in a flash.
It was spring again.
In the Great Wilderness of the Eastern Swamp this year.
Vitality had returned early.
The trees on the Dark Swamp land had long since grown new branches, and many birds had built their nests on the strong branches.
In that secluded small town.
Zhao Shuning was dressed like a peasant woman.
Her clothes were made of coarse linen.
Her black hair was simply coiled up with a cloth belt.
She had just finished watering the vegetables in the garden.
Thinking that it was getting late and it was time to make lunch.
She waved her hand.
"Feng Xiaobai, Feng Qiuer, come home for lunch."
There was no response for a long time.
Zhao Shuning quickly straightened up.
She looked around.
The children who had been right in front of her just now were nowhere to be seen.
Anger welled up in her heart.
Zhao Shuning lifted her feet.
Following their footprints, she walked in that direction.
On the way.
She didn't forget to pick up two handy vines.
But as she followed the footsteps forward, she thought this place was really strange. It seemed that she had never been here before.
She was a little worried.
The two children were only three years old.
Although their words and deeds were much smarter than their peers, after all, they were just children.
If something really happened to them.
For Zhao Shuning.
It would be a disaster.
Her heart was in her throat.
When Zhao Shuning followed the path to the end and saw the two chubby little dumplings.
Her heart.
Finally relaxed.
She held the vines tightly in her hand.
Just as she was about to give these two reckless children a good lesson, she heard the two children talking about her in a milky voice.
"Brother, aren't you afraid that Mommy will be angry that we just ran out like this?"
"What are you afraid of? Mommy is just a paper tiger. If worst comes to worst, you just act coquettishly, and she won't be angry. Mommy really falls for this trick of yours."
Zhao Shuning frowned.
Was she a paper tiger?
How could children talk about their mother like this?
However.
What Feng Xiaobai said seemed to be the truth.
Every time she picked up a stick and was about to give them a good spanking, as long as little Qiuer, the little girl, looked at her aggrievedly, blinked her big round eyes, and big teardrops fell, all of Zhao Shuning's anger would dissipate in an instant, and she would feel extremely heart - broken.
However.
This unfilial son, Feng Xiaobai.
How could he describe his mother like that? As the elder brother, instead of setting a good example, he was leading Qiuer astray.
"Brother, it's wrong for you to talk about Mommy like this."
"I know. You're really a chatterbox. If you keep talking so much next time, I won't take you out anymore."
"Don't."
"Then will you be a good girl and listen to me?"
Under Feng Xiaobai's threat, little Qiuer obediently nodded.
"Little Qiuer, you have to know that we can only sneak out to see them while Mommy is busy. Look, they're injured, and only the medicinal herbs in Mommy's yard can cure them."
"But brother, I heard from the fat brother in the village that things that look like this should be called monsters, and these monsters eat people."
"Do you believe what those brats say?"
Feng Xiaobai looked disdainful.
Zhao Shuning had a headache.
Feng Xiaobai, the little fat boy next door was eight years old this year. Didn't you just live for a few years, and you still dared to call others brats?
But this address.
Why was it so familiar?
"Brother, why are you talking like Mommy? Mommy doesn't let us talk like this. She said that we should be polite. Our father—"
"Our father is magnificent and extraordinary. He's not an ordinary person. Wherever he goes, he's respected by the world. He's the most perfect man in this world. As his children, we should be proud of him and take him as our role model. We shouldn't speak rudely and ruin our father's reputation, right?"
Zhao Shuning nodded.
Little Qiuer also nodded.
Next.
Feng Xiaobai let out a snort.
He even pretended to tap little Qiuer's head with his fair and tender little hand.
"Brother, what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to wake you up."
"Ah? Why?"
"Do you really believe what Mommy said?"
Little Qiuer looked confused.
"Don't you believe it, brother?"
"Such a man doesn't exist in this world. Yes, our Mommy is beautiful, but do you think she can match the perfect and unparalleled man in her mouth?"
The two little dumplings had their backs to Zhao Shuning.
Obviously, they didn't know that everything they said had been heard by Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning sized herself up.
She was wearing coarse linen clothes.
There were calluses on her hands.
But?
She should, perhaps? Still look okay?
After being talked about by Feng Xiaobai like that, Zhao Shuning became less confident.
Little Qiuer retorted angrily: "Brother, how can you talk about Mommy like this? Mommy is the best person in the world. If you keep talking like this, I'll tell Mommy when we get home tonight and let her spank your butt."
Hearing that his sister was going to tell on him, Feng Xiaobai quickly said: "I—I didn't mean that. Of course Mommy is good. It's just that we have to be more realistic and not daydream with Mommy. Little Qiuer, you can't tell Mommy these things."
Little Qiuer glared at Feng Xiaobai fiercely but without much power.
"Little Qiuer, women like to daydream, and our Mommy is no exception. We can just coax her in front of her, but when she's not around, we can't live in an unrealistic dream. In the future, we'll have to support this family."
The little boy spoke plausibly, looking just like an adult.
"Ow—"
Suddenly, there came a wolf howl.
Zhao Shuning was immediately startled.
Only then did she notice.
The black thing in front of Feng Xiaobai and Feng Qiuer was actually a wolf?
And this size?
It should be an ancient fierce beast, the Blood Wolf?
Zhao Shuning was extremely frightened, and her face instantly turned pale.