Chapter 365: Chapter 86 From today onwards, you are his dog
"Woof..."
The little dog, who had been lying on the ground for three days and nights, watched the two people walk away and let out a slight sigh of relief.
Finally, they had gone.
The Qi Mechanisms of the two humans entangled, each containing elements of the other, stirring and playing for three days and nights. Although on the surface, the two had been utterly courteous, at most holding hands, from the Heavenly Dog’s perspective, it could see a different scene.
For the little dog with a Heavenly Dog bloodline, sensing Taiyin Energy was an instinct, one that even being bound couldn’t diminish. Therefore, it could clearly see the mutual exchange of their Qi Mechanisms and deduce that these two humans were engaged in some kind of intimate act.
Yin-Yang Sensitivity, even this dog knew it required a very close relationship to perform.
The male’s Taiyin Energy was much thicker than before, and now, from a distance, the little red dog could smell his scent.
The strong Taiyin Energy was almost too much to bear, just by its smell.
As for the other one, due to the vast gap in power, not a trace could be detected after the exchange had ended.
With the way these two humans had been playing around, it was feared that they were so engrossed they had forgotten all about this little dog.
The little red dog thought as much and once again tried to struggle and escape.
But it turned out that not struggling would have been better, as the moment it did, Tianxuan, who had walked far away, sensed it.
The starlight chains were set by her; naturally, Tianxuan knew immediately when they reacted.
"I almost forgot about you."
As Tianxuan spoke while pushing the wheelchair, she already had the notion of drawing the Red Dog over.
The starlight chains flew automatically, wrapping around the dog, and quickly catching up to the wheelchair, they landed onto Jiang Li’s lap with a slap.
Due to repeated struggling, the little dog had been pulled taut by the chain, resembling a red feather duster. As it landed on Jiang Li’s lap, the chain tightened once more, causing the dog to roll its eyes.
Then, its head tilted, tongue hanging out, as if strangled to death.
"Don’t play dead."
Tianxuan spoke indifferently, and with a thought, the starlight chain tightened abruptly.
"Wang!"
The Red Dog sat up with a start, its head raised high, and its eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.
Writhing and squirming on Jiang Li’s lap, it eventually lay down, emitting a low and weak whine, appearing completely subdued.
Seeing this, Tianxuan chuckled softly and said, "Your Spiritual Wisdom isn’t low. From today onwards, you will be my disciple’s dog."
With her words, the starlight chains gradually loosened, then shortened, the starlight receded, and finally solidified into what appeared to be a regular iron chain, now placed around the dog’s neck.
"This dog was raised by the Kunxu Immortal Palace; though it submits now, it will likely seek to rebel if given the chance. When that time comes, you only need to channel your True Qi to make it relive today’s restraints."
Tianxuan’s voice carried a whisper of tenderness, her voice gentle and melodious as she spoke to Jiang Li, "You’ve offended many powerful enemies now; perhaps you’ll encounter danger at any moment. When that comes, this little dog can also buy you some time."
Here, her veiled face showed a tinge of shyness.
Jiang Li could manipulate the chain with his True Qi solely because he had engaged in Yin-Yang Sensitivity with Tianxuan, which allowed their Qi Mechanisms to interconnect. Thus, he needed no special techniques to use his True Qi to bind the Heavenly Dog.
’It’s all Ji Lingguang’s fault!’ Tianxuan thought, inwardly cursing.
If it weren’t for Ji Lingguang, there wouldn’t have been a connection with Jiang Li; nor would there have been the hasty act of borrowing Jiang Li’s power to nourish Moonlight and resist the tribulation.
Yes, all of it was Ji Lingguang’s fault.
All due to the meddling of a red string.
Cursing Ji Lingguang’s self-destructive behaviors in her mind, Tianxuan’s voice also took on a stern tone, "If this dog dares to rebel at that time, you can let the All Stars True Word Lock seep into its body and make it explode to repel the enemy."
The little dog, just having escaped, stiffened, its fur bristling.
"This technique’s original name is ’Tighten Spell,’ which I obtained through a trade with Guanyin from the Buddha Country. Once afflicted, none below third grade can escape."
Tianxuan continued, "Even if there’s a third-grade willing to help it escape, they risk causing the dog’s soul to scatter. Because the True Word Lock has now rooted within its Divine Soul, becoming one with it. Should it harbor rebellious thoughts, it will also trigger the lock’s reaction, thwarting its actions."
The little dog’s fur was standing on end, and its eyes had lost all luster.
It was simple: submit or die.
"Now, display your Dao Fruit." Tianxuan ordered.
With a low moan, as if resigned to its fate, the dog lowered its head and touched Jiang Li’s palm, transferring information.
"Ninth Grade Demon Dog, Eighth Grade Ring Dog, Seventh Grade·Mountain Dog (huī), Sixth Grade Scourge, Fifth Grade Heavenly Dog..."
Jiang Li read the information he received with an odd expression, "They’re all dogs, huh?"
And the direction of the Dao Fruits clearly leaned towards calamity and ill omen.
Ninth and Eighth Grades are considered foundational, offering no special qualities beyond bolstering the Physical Body and increasing Spiritual Wisdom. Yet at the Seventh Grade, it possesses the ability to call forth wind calamities.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas·Northern Mountains says: "On the mountain of prison law, there is a beast, shaped like a dog with a human face, skilled in throwing and laughing at the sight of people; it is called the Mountain Dog and moves like the wind, causing great storms when spotted."
Seventh Grade imparts the Dao Fruit of wind calamity.
The Sixth Grade Scourge can swallow fire, symbolizing fire calamity.
Seeing the Fifth Grade Heavenly Dog is an omen of military disaster.
It is clear, the Kunxu Immortal Palace was consciously leading it towards becoming a disaster beast.
And all of this was for the promotion at fourth grade.
A Fourth Grade Heavenly Dog, one of the pinnacles among its kind, has always been seen as an extremely inauspicious omen when it devours the sun or moon—two heavenly phenomena.
"This kind of disaster beast, if you get bitten by it, you’ll at least lose a layer of skin. Thankfully, I wasn’t intentionally bitten before..."
Jiang Li reflected on his earlier actions with some relief.
Then he flipped through the Karma Collection, glancing at the record of that day.
"Because of a dog biting... Lu Dongbin biting a dog action, your Dao Fruit further integrated, and your cultivation experienced a slight increase."
Could it really be?
Jiang Li was taken aback.
Although the progress was minor, it still counted as a significant gain. If converted into human terms, Jiang Li would have to kill at least dozens of villains.
Lu Dongbin biting a dog, it indeed works.
Could it be that Lu Dongbin’s Dao Fruit still remembers the grudges and kindnesses?
After pondering, it seemed like a way to deal with cause and effect. Perhaps it could be used as a type of Derivation Method.
For instance, if the bearer of Chi You’s Dao Fruit was defeated by Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang, it would undoubtedly comply with the Dao Fruit’s rules, greatly promoting integration. However, if Chi You were not defeated and instead killed Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang, it would most likely also lead to a significant advancement.
In the same vein, Jiang Li’s action also seemed to be in accordance with the cause and effect of a dog biting Lu Dongbin.
Although the integration progress was small...
This was perhaps because this cause and effect held a low proportion within the Dao Fruit, or maybe... it was because someone’s handling method wasn’t too elegant.
"If... I mean, if now a dog bites me, would there be another increase?"
Jiang Li looked at the puppy on his leg and had a sudden thought.
Different handling methods might lead to additional growth.
However, the root of the dog biting Lu Dongbin was its inability to recognize a good person’s heart. Jiang Li now offering himself to be bitten might not meet the condition.
Having realized that there were gains to be had from the Lu Dongbin biting the dog situation, Jiang Li further understood the Dao Fruit’s Deduction, and instead felt that intentionally getting bitten by a dog might not yield as much gain as biting the dog.
The Karma Collection was still flipping through, and another line of text caught Jiang Li’s eye.
"Three Tricks of Bu Yusheng, Dao Fruit integration progress has made a substantial increase."
"Hmm..."
Jiang Li pondered briefly.
He went with the intention of killing, so how did it become that he was acting the fool? Moreover, Lu Dongbin’s Three Tricks with Bai Mudan was with a certain connotation, and when had he, Jiang Li, ever done such a thing?
Jiang Li is a good person with a pure Daoist Heart.
"Karma Collection, perhaps you have some misunderstandings about my character."
Jiang Li muttered inwardly, then shook his head with a smile.
Never mind, for the great merits the Karma Collection had achieved, he wouldn’t hold its slander against him.
Without the Karma Collection, perhaps Jiang Li’s fate with Tianxuan would have been severed just like that.
Although the Karma Collection had various misunderstandings about him, it never disappointed and often brought surprises. Just for that, Jiang Li forgave it.
"What are you laughing at?" Tianxuan suddenly asked from behind.
Jiang Li, hearing the question, was slightly startled, then replied with a smile, "I’m very happy."
"Why happy?"
"Just simply... very happy."
There was a sense of joy in recovering what was lost.
...
...
In the Divine Capital Upper City, within Tianxuan’s mansion.
Elder Tianji walked into the lakeside pavilion, expecting to see either Jiang Li or Tianxuan who used to live there, but instead, he was faced with Gongsun Qingyue in a red dress.
Unbeknownst to Jiang Li and Tianxuan, as they were deeply interlinked, transmitting energy to each other, three days had passed. In three days, Gongsun Qingyue had enough time to hurry to the Divine Capital from the Dinghu Sect.
What she didn’t anticipate was that upon arriving in the Divine Capital, not only did she hear of her junior brother’s assassination and demise, but also that her master had disappeared.
The former was within her expectations—after all, she had been in the know—but the latter...
Gongsun Qingyue truly never saw it coming.
Most importantly, the rumors suggested that it was the Emperor himself who had acted against Tianxuan that day.
Upon seeing Gongsun Qingyue, Elder Tianji said with some embarrassment, "We still haven’t found any trace of your master."
Although the information network of Dinghu Sect spanned the Nine Provinces, it was ultimately established through commerce and was not as comprehensive as a true intelligence organization. Even the Southern Heavenly Department couldn’t find Tianxuan’s whereabouts, let alone the spies under the command of Elder Tianji.
As the time Tianxuan remained missing grew longer, an ominous premonition began to creep into Elder Tianji’s heart.
Even if it wasn’t the Emperor who made a move, being up against other third-grade opponents, with Tianxuan’s strength, she couldn’t have escaped unscathed. Her continued absence, while preventing confirmation of her death, definitely wasn’t good news.
Had her injuries been light, she should’ve by now made contact with the elders, if not already returned.
Her absence only indicated that Tianxuan’s injuries were severe, and possibly life-threatening, making it difficult for her to reach out to the elders.
However, upon hearing this news, Gongsun Qingyue showed no signs of worry but remained calm.
"Thank you for your effort, Uncle-Master," she first thanked Elder Tianji, then said, "Please, Uncle-Master, release the news that the Life Lamp my master left in my care has extinguished; she has indeed fallen."