Lava rained down from the sky. It was a typical picture of a volcano eruption.

However, what was different was the red light that towered towards the heavens. It gave off a domineering aura that made all who saw it want to prostrate in their subconsciousness.

Of course, such aura cannot affect Shen, nor could it influence Xue’er who had the Saint Beast Gold Dragon’s bloodline within her.

After a few minutes, the volcano resumed its peaceful state, albeit, smoke was still pouring out from its opening and the still red hot lava could be seen crawling down the mountain side.

“Xue’er let’s go take a look, I wonder if the egg hatched.” Shen once again held Xue’er slender waist and flew towards the volcano.

The red egg was floating above the magma when Shen and Xue’er arrived. It was no longer a dull red. It gave off a healthy glow and cracks started to form on the surface.

Over the course of a few minutes, the surface of the egg was filled with cracks and finally the egg crumbled. The egg shells turned into ash and fell into the magma as a tiny red figure was revealed.

The little creature was……a horse. It had four legs, a long neck and well, it looked like a very miniature pony. The only discerning feature was that the little horse which looked about as big as Little White had red flames dancing about its body.

The little horse looked around its surroundings until it saw Shen and Xue’er.

[Master!]

A sound transmission resounded in Shen’s mind as the little horse flew towards Shen.

“Master? Do you mean me?” Shen spoke towards the little horse who jumped on his shoulder and affectionately rubbed his small head against Shen’s cheek.

[Yes, master. You took me to a volcano allowing me to hatch. Otherwise I don’t know how long it would have taken me to come into this world. Master, please give me a name!]

It was a strange sight as a fully-grown man seemed to be talking to himself while a tiny horse on fire was standing on his shoulder. Oddly enough, the fire did not give off any heat.

“Xue’er what should I name him?”

“Hmm, how about Xiao Yan? It will match with Little White.” Xue’er smiled. She found this little creature very adorable.

[Master’s wife!] Xiao Yan jumped towards Xue’er bosom as he liked the name.

“Wi-wife!!” Xue’er was flustered by the new title. Shen looked at the two with a puzzled gaze. ‘What are they talking about?’

“By the way, what are you? I cannot find you in my inherited memories.” Little White who had been gazing at Xiao Yan spoke up.

“A fire horse?”

[Ho-horse?!?!]

Xiao Yan’s shocked sound transmission could be heard to everyone present.

“Yeah, you look like a horse, and you’re on fire, so a fire horse.” Little White said as-a-matter-of-factly.

[I’m a fire Qilin!! A descendant of the Saint Beast Qilin!]

“Fire Qilin? Never heard of it.” Little White nonchalantly replied, which caused Xiao Yan to choke up in rage.

[Hmph, so what you haven’t heard of it, what would a lowly snow fox know.] Xiao Yan tried getting back at Little White but it was beautifully ignored.

“Alright, stop fighting. We’re going to be companions from now so get along.” Shen tried to make peace between the two.

“Hmph.” [Hmph.]

Xue’er cutely chuckled covering her mouth while Shen could only give a wry smile.

“By the way, do Saint Beasts always start with a Core Formation cultivation when they birth?” Shen asked since when he scanned Xiao Yan with his Divine Sense, a crimson core could be seen in Xiao Yan.

“Yes, Big Brother Shen. When I was born, I had a core formed already, otherwise it would have taken much longer to reach Soul Formation.”

“I was the same.” Little White inserted.

“Ok, let us go back, Little White, Xiao Yan, hold on tight.” Shen once more took the group which now had one more member to their little hut.

[Master, let me sleep for a while. I need to digest the inherited memories and cultivate. I will be sleeping a lot until I reach Soul Formation.]

“Ok, it’s a pity but you can stay in Xue’er’s pet bag.”

[Don’t worry master, I will come out occasionally.] Xue’er took Xiao Yan into her pet bag.

“Xue’er I’m going back to that island to breakthrough to Nascent Soul. We’ll go back to Jade Leaf city after. What do you want to do?”

“I will come with you Big Brother Shen. Let me store this hut, we can use it again in the future.”

Shen opened another rift in space and lead Xue’er and Little White to the small island.

Xue’er together with Little White watched Shen from a distance as Shen prepared to breakthrough.

It only took Shen two hours to breakthrough. Spiritual power from the surrounding thousands of miles came rushing into Shen as a sign of condensing a Soul Avatar.

Xue’er flew over after Shen stood up. “Big Brother Shen, what is your Soul Avatar?” Xue’er had failed to notice that Shen did not seem to have bottlenecks when attempting a breakthrough.

“I formed a flame type Soul Avatar.” Shen replied with a smile.

In Shen’s dantian, a small grey flame flickered in place of the once rotating core. It did not look impressive nor did it look powerful. However, a star beast would recognise it as their innate chaos flame that every star beast was born with.

“Let us go back Xue’er. I want to drink Green Bamboo wine!” Shen happily exclaimed.

A spatial crack opened in the familiar stone chamber in the rented cave mansion.

“We should extend our rent by one more week, we’ll be here until the competition starts anyhow.”

“Xue’er will listen to Big Brother Shen.”

“But first, let us go to Green Bamboo Manor!”

***

Days passed by while the couple enjoyed their time together.

On the day of the competition, a lot of cultivators were gathered outside the entrance of the forest.

Even though the forest spanned across millions of miles, there was only a few hundred miles wide area where the forest can be entered.

The black mountain range that snaked across from the extreme east end of the Sky continent across the west stopped just shy of the western coast. The mountain range was a divider that almost halved the continent.

Jade Leaf city was the sole cultivator city that gave access to the vast forest. The peaks of the black mountain range were occupied by powerful magical beasts, preventing entry to the majority of cultivators.

The cultivators were gathered in the plain between the forest and the city.

There were large camps with signs of various large and small sects.

There were also rogue cultivators chatting in groups. Young cultivators could be seen everywhere with excited faces. There were also those young masters and princesses that exuded confidence.

There was a large platform set up with five chairs behind a long table in an open area closest to the forest entrance. Beside the table could be seen a tall black stone board that was easily the height of two humans.