Many children, many blessings; the twelve ancestral witches forced marriages throughout the primordi

The backyard of Pangu Temple.

Today, the backyard is unusually quiet. Those unruly kids who are always tearing down houses have been locked up in a side hall by the Holy Mother Wudang, and are having their cultural lessons via videos on the water mirror opened by Fuxi.

Zhu Rong, shirtless, sat on a stone bench under the old locust tree, furiously sharpening his Heaven-Burning Halberd with a whetstone. He was incredibly frustrated. His newly bought clothes had been stripped bare by his fourteenth nephew, Lin Huang. This was unbearable.

Just then, the space in the middle of the backyard rippled slightly, and Lin Xuan walked out carrying a little Vermilion Bird dressed in crimson short armor.

As soon as the little Vermilion Bird landed, its extremely pure Southern Ming Fire aura spread throughout the courtyard.

Zhu Rong's nose was sharper than a dog's. He suddenly raised his head and stared intently at the little Vermilion Bird. He threw the Heaven-Burning Halberd in his hand to the ground with a "clang" and strode over, drooling.

"Good girl! This is the best Nanming Fire! I've been searching for this kind of fire for hundreds of thousands of years! Come, come, teach me how to control the fire, and I'll give you this Burning Heaven Halberd to play with!" Zhu Rong's eyes lit up, and he was almost ready to pounce on her and become her disciple.

Little Vermilion Bird was startled by the bare-chested man and instinctively shrank behind Lin Xuan.

Before Lin Xuan could speak, Hou Tu walked over from the corner of the corridor not far away, carrying a plate of washed yellow plums.

Seeing Zhu Rong's pathetic state, Hou Tu raised her eyebrows, stepped forward, and slapped Zhu Rong on the back of the head.

"Snapped!"

Zhu Rong staggered from the blow, rubbing her head and crying out in grievance, "Little sister, why did you hit me? I was just exchanging fire-based techniques!"

"Get lost!" Houtu glared at him, her tone fierce. "This is your thirteenth brother's new bride, one of the future mistresses of the Pangu Palace. If you scare this young lady away, I'll confiscate all your remaining savings tomorrow!"

Upon hearing the words "secret stash of money," Zhu Rong shrank back in fright, quickly tucked his tail between his legs, and scurried back to the stone bench to continue sharpening his knife, not daring to utter a sound.

Houtu then turned her head, her fierce expression instantly transforming into a warm, gentle smile. She placed the fruit plate on the stone table, took Little Zhuque's hand, and looked her up and down, becoming more and more satisfied with her assessment.

"That figure, those legs, are more than enough for our thirteenth brother," Houtu said with a smile. "Young lady, what's your name?"

Little Vermilion Bird was stunned by Houtu's amazing face-changing skill, and stammered, "I...I am called Little Vermilion Bird. I just...just transformed."

"Great name! It's so festive!" Houtu patted her chest confidently. "From now on, when you come to Pangu Palace, treat this place like your own home. If your thirteenth brother dares to bully you, just tell your sister, and she'll teach him a lesson for you!"

The little Vermilion Bird blushed with anxiety and quickly waved her hands, "No, no, no, sister, you've misunderstood. Lin Xuan did save me, but I haven't agreed to... to marry him yet. I'm a sacred beast of the South, I..."

"Oh, what's there to be shy about? A life-saving grace deserves a reward in return—it's the rule of the primordial world!" Houtu completely ignored her, turning sharply to shout into the inner hall, "Ze'er! Forget your petty calculations, come out and get to work!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Ze, clutching the accounting jade slip, ran out. "Auntie, what are your orders?"

Houtu waved her hand: "Go open the storeroom! Clear out that last row of shelves! Gather fifty boxes of top-grade fire crystal ore, and also pick out twenty top-grade acquired spiritual treasures and three low-grade innate spiritual treasures. Pile them all up at the guest room entrance as Little Vermilion Bird's betrothal gifts! Make it as grand as possible; our Pangu Palace can't be shabby when we get married!"

"Alright!" Lin Ze's eyes lit up. He flicked the abacus beads and immediately led several witch warriors to get it done.

Little Vermilion Bird stood there, her mind completely blank.

Fifty boxes of top-grade fire crystals? Twenty acquired spiritual treasures? And even innate spiritual treasures?! She guarded Nanming Volcano for so long, yet she wouldn't even use a single low-grade fire crystal. Did Pangu Palace rob the Heavenly Dao's treasury?

She secretly raised her eyes and glanced at Lin Xuan, who was leaning against a pillar beside her, smiling at her. She recalled how, amidst the raging inferno, he had torn through the void to stand in front of her, absorbing the poisonous flames with his bare hands. That domineering presence and sense of security were something she had never experienced in her short life.

Then look at this bustling, extravagant, and fiercely protective Pangu Temple. Although these people speak and act bluntly, like bandits robbing a bride, they exude a genuine and warm quality that she envies.

"I...I really didn't say I wanted to get married," Little Zhuque muttered softly, but her voice was barely audible. She lowered her head, biting her full red lips, her slender fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. Her original arrogance and wildness melted into a pool of spring water at this moment.

Houtu saw everything clearly and immediately made a decision.

"Alright! It's settled then! Inform Nuwa and Yunxiao to prepare the Moon Palace tonight. We'll decorate it with lanterns and streamers to celebrate the wedding of our thirteenth brother and Little Vermilion Bird!"

That night.

The Pangu Palace was filled with joy. Red lanterns made of fire essence hung along the long corridor. Yunxiao and the Holy Mother Wudang had everything in perfect order, and even Lin Shu, with her Nine-Headed Fortune Fire Saint Body, was carried out to run around the courtyard, spreading good fortune.

Surrounded by a group of enthusiastic sisters-in-law, Little Vermilion Bird was dressed in a bright red wedding gown. She went through the ceremony in a daze and was finally taken to the most spiritually rich bridal chamber in the deepest part of the Moon Palace.

Outside the door, the family members were making a noisy racket, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts. Inside, red candles flickered. Little Zhuque sat on the couch, her heart pounding like a drum. She knew that the man who had descended upon the inferno like a god was about to enter.