Chu Yang moved swiftly through the dense forest, his eyes filled with anxiety as he searched for something. His agility had improved considerably since before. Though still a mortal, he now possessed the skills to survive among the fierce beasts.
Chu Yang was searching for a beast. If he couldn't find a female beast soon and obtain its milk, Nan-Nan could faint from hunger or even starve to death.
While others avoided beasts, Chu Yang actively sought them out.
Fortunately, heaven never seals off all exits. Chu Yang discovered a mother leopard that had recently given birth in a cave.
The moment the mother leopard saw Chu Yang, it bristled with hostility.
It immediately shielded its cubs behind it, glaring at Chu Yang with a fierce, protective instinct, ready to fight.
Chu Yang attempted to communicate with the mother leopard, and it seemed to have a certain level of intelligence, understanding his intentions.
Realizing that Chu Yang wanted milk, the mother leopard was helpless. It had its own cubs to feed and couldn't spare any milk.
Chu Yang was silent for a moment before he spoke, "I can trade meat with you."
The mother leopard remained unmoved. In this beast-infested area, a weak human could hardly survive, let alone hunt.
Chu Yang understood the mother leopard's doubt and continued, "I mean, I'll trade my own meat for a portion of milk. If I can't provide more meat later, you can choose not to give me milk."
With that, Chu Yang took a kitchen knife and, without hesitation, sliced a large piece of flesh from his own thigh.
Blood splattered everywhere, a gruesome sight.
Chu Yang's action of cutting his own flesh shocked the mother leopard. It never expected this human to be so ruthless.
It agreed to the exchange of meat for milk.
...
Outside the Heavenly Emperor's Mirror.
The cultivators were stunned into silence by Chu Yang's self-mutilation.
So ruthless! "The Emperor really did care for Chu Nan-Nan when he was young," one cultivator couldn't help but say.
Chu Nan-Nan's cold eyes now showed a hint of complexity. She never knew she grew up on his blood and flesh.
But...
Chu Nan-Nan whispered, "Why were you so good to me before but changed later?"
Ye Fan's mouth twitched, immediately retorting, "So what? Later, the Emperor nearly killed Chu Nan-Nan himself. People change. The past is gone; the current Emperor is just an unforgivable tyrant."
Yes, that was just the Emperor's childhood after all.
...
Chu Yang had stayed in the deep mountains for a long time, spending his days dealing with various fierce beasts.
He had grown increasingly familiar with a mother leopard, to the point where they had established a mutual trust.
Now that Chu Nannan no longer needed beast milk, Chu Yang would share some of his hunted prey with the mother leopard when she failed to catch anything herself.
This arrangement continued until Chu Nannan turned three years old.
Because Chu Yang spent his days with Nannan and the fierce beasts, without interacting with people, Nannan only began to speak when she was three.
"Daddy!"
This was the first word Chu Nannan learned to say.
Initially, Chu Yang didn't pay much attention, but when he realized she was calling him "daddy," his face darkened with embarrassment.
Chu Yang: "It's brother, call me brother!"
Chu Nannan: "Daddy~"
Chu Yang: "…"
Both were stubborn, neither willing to give in.
...
"Brother~"
With Chu Yang's persistent efforts, Chu Nannan finally learned to call him "brother."
However, as Nannan grew older, she started speaking more and asking more questions.
She would often pester Chu Yang with all sorts of questions.
"Why do others have a daddy and a mommy, but I only have a brother?"
Faced with such questions, Chu Yang remained silent, choosing not to answer.
He didn't want Nannan to know these things. Although children at her age wouldn't remember much, Chu Yang couldn't bear to see Nannan sad.
Some things, he thought, were best left unsaid.
But, under Nannan's relentless questioning, Chu Yang eventually couldn't hold out and made up a lie, claiming that their parents had gotten separated from them and that they would be reunited someday.
The innocent Nannan was satisfied with this explanation and stopped asking.
...
Outside the Heavenly Emperor's realm.
Chu Nannan's lips trembled lightly, the frost in her eyes that had been there for who knows how many years seemed to melt.
Her heart, frozen for ages, now felt a touch of warmth.
She had always thought her brother was very hypocritical.
He didn't tell her about her origins, just to gain her trust.
But now that the truth was revealed, she realized how wrong she had been.
He didn't tell her because he didn't want her to bear the same blood feud.
And she had once thought of her brother as extremely hypocritical.
The other cultivators were deeply moved.
"The Emperor in his youth bore so much for Chu Emperor, sacrificing so much…"
The cultivators now looked at the Emperor with a newfound gentleness.
Only the Son of Fortune, Ye Fan, sensed something was wrong.
Initially, watching the Emperor's past was meant to show everyone how evil he was, but now it seemed to be backfiring.
The criticisms meant for the Emperor were turning into praise.
This made Ye Fan uneasy and a bit jealous.
To prevent people from changing their minds, he quickly said, "The current Emperor indeed did a lot for Chu Emperor and bore a lot himself, but what does that prove?"
"In the end, he turned against Chu Emperor completely, showing no humanity for the supreme bone of Chu Emperor!"
Hearing this, the surrounding cultivators snapped back to reality.
Ye Fan was right. Deep love turns to deep hatred. The stronger the past affection, the more hypocritical it seemed now.
In the end, the Emperor was after the supreme bone in Chu Emperor's body.
No matter how pitiful the Emperor's youth was, his later actions were despicable.
"Indeed, Ye Emperor is insightful and hits the mark."
The cultivators praised.
Only Chu Nannan's face was full of confusion...
...
Living among the fierce beasts was not something Chu Nannan liked, and Chu Yang, complying with his sister's wishes, left the forest early and returned to the mortal world.
They lived in the human world for another five years.
Now, Chu Nannan had grown into a graceful young girl. Though still a child, she was already a budding beauty.
In the small town, many boys were attracted to Nannan's looks.
Chu Nannan's personality was mischievous and bold. Spoiled by Chu Yang, she feared nothing and no one.
One day she would beat up the neighbor's child, and the next day she would catch a big snake to scare them.
Or she would say things that made other children drool with envy.
Thus, Chu Nannan's reputation as a little witch spread. Even boys who admired her didn't dare to get too close, fearing they might end up as her next prank victim.
Peaceful days passed, but Chu Yang still had to think about their livelihood.
After all, without money in the human world, they couldn't even fill their stomachs.
But on this day, an unexpected event occurred!