Little Flame Queen

"Her soul didn't perish — it was sustained by another life's sacrifice. From that day on, she remained at the Flat-Topped Mountain, by the Star-Whispering Celestial Tree, keeping watch over the small life born from the Heavenly Calamity flames. That life was so fragile, yet it held within it an immense power that countless Demon-Beasts and humans alike craved. Without a guardian, it could so easily have been taken — and with that, the last of the Flame Queens would have vanished from this world forever..." Xinxia shared everything she knew.

That relentless, continent-spanning pursuit — it had all been for the sake of the Flame Queen's lineage.

The Flame Queen was born upon the Star-Whispering Celestial Tree growing in a fiery basin within this vast, desolate wasteland. In a world teeming with life in every form, only the Flame Queens gently defied the natural laws of reproduction, passing their lineage through this singular, sacred method. Those born this way were the purest of celestial spirits — the darlings of nature itself.

*"Muu~ muu~ muu~"*

The little Flame Queen bounded about with boundless energy, seeing nothing in the rubble-strewn wasteland around her but a cheerful playground — blissfully unaware that this place was soaked in destruction, death, and treachery.

Mo Fan had always thought of himself as someone who'd long since grown numb — someone who'd seen enough of life and death that the world could no longer easily crack that thick shell around his heart. But watching the Flame Enchantress's flames slowly dim, watching this bright and lively little creature bouncing around right beside him... he found himself choked up, unable to speak for a long moment.

The little Flame Queen had no idea that the Flame Enchantress quietly fading away beside her was her mother. She simply blinked those wide, curious eyes and let out a soft, puzzled sound — like a kitten trying to make sense of the world.

She had no idea how much had been given for her to exist.

The Flame Enchantress's life had run its course. Mo Fan was certain that in the moment she saw the little Flame Queen born into the world safe and whole, all she would have felt was peace — not a trace of regret for everything she had done. If there was any regret at all, it was only that she hadn't managed to hold on just a little longer, to steal one last look at this little one...

A soft, melodic chime drifted through the air.

The little Flame Queen let out a gentle, bell-like cry. She had the ability to float, and having tired herself out from play, she drifted upward and settled into Mo Fan's arms.

*This little thing has been circling around me since the moment she was born. Don't tell me she already thinks I'm her father?*

"When she anchored her soul to yours, she left a trace of her fire-soul imprint within your spirit. The little Flame Queen will cling to you the way a child clings to its parents." Xinxia paused. "Mo Fan... Jiang Feng hopes you'll take good care of her."

Mo Fan glanced down at the tiny flame-colored porcelain doll curled against his chest, then looked back at the place where the Flame Enchantress had been.

He had genuinely wanted to find a Flame Queen as his Contract Beast. He just never imagined he would come to have one like this.

The weight of this charge pressed down on him, and Mo Fan drew a slow, deep breath.

"If any part of her soul is still out there, tell her this for me." He looked at Xinxia. "During the days of the Fire Calamity, I'll bring the little Flame Queen to the Star-Whispering Celestial Tree. I'll keep watch in her place."

Xinxia shook her head. "This was the last Heavenly Calamity fire. And she is the last Flame Queen."

"Why?" Mo Fan stared at her, unable to hide his disbelief.

Xinxia had no answer. She only knew what she'd gleaned from the Flame Enchantress's fragmented memories — that the Heavenly Calamity fire would come no more, that no Fire Calamity Fruits would ever ripen again on the Star-Whispering Celestial Tree. The tiny creature before them was the final heir to the Flame Queen's bloodline. If she died, there would be no Flame Queens left in this world.

"Alright." Mo Fan gave a solemn nod. "I'll take good care of her."

He had all but given up on ever having a Flame Queen. And yet, here she was.

As it turned out, everything the hunters had ever known about the Flame Queen was built on rumors and speculation — a patchwork of half-truths and wishful conjecture. The creature they'd caught glimpses of all these years was none other than the Flame Enchantress, Jiang Feng herself. The true Flame Queen was right here, nestled against his chest — light as a kitten, yet intricately beautiful as a porcelain doll, her flames barely a whisper, radiating no heat at all.

Mo Fan steadied himself and began tracing the Summoning Element Star Chart.

He had been an Intermediate-Level Summoning Mage for a good while now, yet he'd never once actually cast a Summoning Element spell at this tier. The Star Chart came slowly — he fumbled through it more than once before finally getting it right.

It didn't matter much in the end. After plodding his way through the Summoning Element's Contract Diagram, Mo Fan pressed the contract seal onto the sleeping little Flame Queen.

She didn't resist even a fraction. She rolled over, accepted it with a contented little wiggle, and promptly fell back to sleep — the very portrait of pampered indolence.

"So, uh — what if she needs breast milk?" Zhao Manyan sidled over, eyes gleaming with undisguised envy.

Mo Fan's brow shot up. Rather than disturb the little Flame Queen, he mouthed a single word at Zhao Manyan: *Scram.*

"She should eat Spirit Seed Fragments," Nan Jue said, stepping forward with quiet authority. "Fire Element ones specifically."

"**What??**" The words hit Mo Fan like a bucket of ice water.

*Spirit Seed Fragments!! Do you have any idea how expensive those things are?! A wet nurse would've been cheaper! And if I really wanted to save money, I've got Xinxia, Tang Yue, Mu Nujiao — plenty of fine women around who could surely manage that department...*

"Brother Fan," Zhang Xiaohou ventured meekly, "do you actually have enough money to keep her fed?"

Mo Fan's face darkened considerably.

*Watching her devour every last scrap of Fire Calamity Fruit shell in just a few minutes — God only knows how many Spirit Seed Fragments she'd go through in a single day. How much money would he have to burn just to raise her to adulthood?!*

"Good thing we stocked up a bit at the North Corner of the Blazing Plains," someone offered.

"Probably not enough. I've heard Flame Queens actually need whole Spirit Seeds — Fragments alone don't cut it."

"Right, right — apparently the better the Spirit Seeds she eats, the higher the grade of Fire Seed she'll crystallize when she grows up. Mo Fan, a broke wretch like you probably can't afford her anyway. Why not just hand her over to me? The Zhao Clan has more money than we know what to do with..."

Mo Fan answered Zhao Manyan with the same silent word as before — only this time with enough emphasis to fill a billboard.

The Flame Queen's bloodline was extraordinary. Raised right, her power would be heaven-defying. Mo Fan would sell everything he owned if that's what it took. A little hardship now meant nothing. There would come a day when he'd be absolutely, utterly unstoppable.

"Right, I'd better drag myself back to the military district," Zhang Xiaohou said with a sigh. "Or I'm going to end up discharged."

"Monkey, I can't send you back empty-handed. Here, take this Spirit Seed—"

"Brother Fan, after the lava swept you away, I found a rock crystal diamond sitting there. Should fetch a decent price. Keep your Spirit Seed for the little one."

"..." Mo Fan's expression went flat.

*That bastard Zhang Xiaohou. While Mo Fan was being swept away by a torrent of molten rock, this guy had the nerve to go pocketing a rock crystal diamond!*

"I'll take this." Zhao Manyan helped himself to the savings stashed inside the Ghost Woman's Spatial Bracelet — not a fortune, but a solid haul all the same.

Xinxia received a Mind Element Magic Weapon that had belonged to the Ghost Woman, and it was worth quite a bit.

Their gains were less than Mo Fan's on paper, perhaps — but theirs was pure profit: solid cash and real equipment. Mo Fan, by contrast, was already a money pit to begin with, and now he'd taken on a little Flame Queen who apparently dined on Fire Seeds and Flame Seed Fragments to boot.

*It was clear he'd need to take on a lot more bounty work. Otherwise, keeping even himself fed was going to be a serious problem — let alone her.*