[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin":3,"chapter-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-541":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The First Iron Rice Bowl of Great Jin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},152227,261,"Chapter 541: We Are Fated","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-541",541,"\u003Cp>\"Who? Who's bullying Little Turtle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That shrill, childish voice carried obvious bewilderment and panic, just like a human baby who had been wronged and frightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a juvenile Soul Turtle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This discovery caught Hua Changxi somewhat off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been misled by the Soul Turtle's massive size, thinking its strength was unfathomable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was clear that this was just a young soul beast that had just left home to train, still not weaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's originally tense nerves relaxed involuntarily, and a mix of amusement and exasperation rose in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder she had so easily found a loophole earlier—this little guy probably hadn't experienced the dangers of the world before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little one...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hua Changxi spoke, the Soul Turtle's huge head immediately turned toward her, staring at her through the crack in the shell with a silly, innocent look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you bullying Little Turtle? You're a bad guy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle tried to put on a stern face, attempting to look fierce and terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But paired with its babyish, soft, and tender childlike voice, it not only lacked any intimidation but instead appeared adorably ferocious, making people want to laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's eyes flickered slightly; she deliberated for a moment before speaking slowly: \"I came to this crevice to search for traces of the Soul River.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Originally, I didn't plan to do anything, but I saw the scenery by the crevice was beautiful and, on a whim, I started playing the Soul River Melody.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who knew you would suddenly appear?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I saw your massive body, like an immortal mountain in the river. I wondered if you could carry me into the Soul River so I could see its full extent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So I tried using a snare on you, but who would have thought it would hit perfectly on the first try.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, Hua Changxi blinked, her gaze burning as she looked directly into the Soul Turtle's eyes: \"Tell me, what does this mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle laboriously turned its not-so-bright head and asked blankly: \"What does it mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's voice suddenly rose, carrying excitement and thrill: \"It means you and I are destined!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look, you are majestic like an immortal mountain, as powerful as a pillar in the river, while I am so tiny, yet I casually snared you. If this isn't a heaven-sent fate, then what is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle was dizzy from the praise and couldn't help lifting its head high. It lowered its eyelids, looking down at Hua Changxi, who was as small as a grain of sand on the riverbed, and was deeply convinced by her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi keenly caught the Soul Turtle's smugness and immediately struck while the iron was hot. She erased her smile and put on an extremely solemn and serious expression, saying:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little Turtle, I absolutely, absolutely did not mean to bully you. I was simply following the arrangement of heaven.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So I am not a bad person!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for you being caught by me...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She concluded decisively: \"It was purely because our fate had arrived.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle blinked at her and said slowly: \"Alright, as long as you take this nasty thing off my head, I'll forgive you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's face, which had been smiling, instantly fell: \"Little Turtle, it's not that I'm unwilling to take it off, but... to undo this Soul-Locking Ring, you have to make a contract with me first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the Soul Turtle's face, which had still been a bit proud, also dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Hua Changxi immediately started her patient guidance mode: \"Little Turtle, think about it—you and I are so destined. Making a contract with me is following heaven's plan. Are you still unwilling?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, she raised the Soul Bamboo leaf in her hand and gently waved it before her fingers: \"I can play the Soul Lullaby, you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very few people know how to play this tune. Others can't hear it even if they want to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As long as you contract with me, I can play it for you whenever you like.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle, thinking of the heavenly music it had heard earlier, was actually tempted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It knew about forming contracts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Father Turtle and Mother Turtle each had their own soul pets, and they treated them very well—feeding them, giving them drinks, and sometimes treating them better than they treated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing on its head made it very uneasy; it felt that if it wore it too long, its soul would disperse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle couldn't help but feel that it would be more reassuring and worry-free to just be a soul pet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I eat a lot. Can you afford to keep me?\" The Soul Turtle looked at Hua Changxi with a skeptical expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was taken aback by this response, and after a moment said, \"Of course, I'm quite capable. Raising you is no problem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle heard the answer it wanted and agreed very directly: \"Alright then, I'll form a contract with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The success came too easily, making Hua Changxi feel it was unreal. However, despite the daze, she quickly condensed the contract seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle offered no resistance. The contract was formed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then from now on, I'm yours to raise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Turtle looked at Hua Changxi with a beaming smile, its little head already beginning to happily imagine: once home, it would definitely show off to Turtle Dad and Turtle Mom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look how capable it was—it found its own food provider, and from now on, Turtle Dad and Turtle Mom could no longer cut its meals.\u003C\u002Fp>",936,"2026-05-29T04:11:04.856Z","2026-06-01T04:29:08.487Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","e530fd42f2fe43253b150c3ba7974d257ea10f20201671b0b47b7a27ade739dc","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-542","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-540",547,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-cover.jpg"]