Anubis wished it were deaf, ears drooping, staring at its toes, trembling with fear.
Couldn't the two big shots conspire more discreetly? Why speak so loudly?
Were these things meant for it to hear?
Would it be silenced?
What about the Source of Darkness, the Sanctuary of Doom, Ragnarok? Weren't they all earth-shattering secrets with immense karmic implications, not to be known by a third party?
Now, knowing so many secrets, it was in a very bad way.
Moreover, it had also learned the identity of this kindly old Daoist priest was none other than the legendary most powerful Saint.
This was a ruthless individual who could kill demons and slay monsters without batting an eye. The number of beings who had perished by his hand throughout history was countless.
Indeed, the waters of the Divine Continent ran deep, and the existence of living Saints was enough to drown all gods and Buddhas.
Of course, it was even more curious about Ji Mo's identity.
To be regarded as hope by Li Er, to have the potential to end the root of darkness – that was terrifying!
It was immensely grateful for the choice it had made back then; it was undoubtedly the wisest decision of its life.
After the two finished their conversation, Li Er sniffed, his face solemn, and walked towards Anubis with a chilling expression, saying sinisterly, "Dog, you should..."
Anubis's little heart pounded wildly, its legs trembling uncontrollably. It immediately knelt down, terrified: "Saint Master, I deserve death for listening to what I shouldn't have. Please spare my dog life."
Li Er was taken aback: "I meant, it's time to add star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns. Hurry, or this pot of fragrant meat won't be flavorful enough."
"Ah?"
Anubis finally came to its senses and frantically began adding the seasonings.
Oh, if only he had said so earlier, it almost scared the dog to death.
Li Er shook his head, saying, "This dog looks alright, just a bit timid. Why not sign it onto the Investiture of the Gods and nurture it well? Back in the day, we had a Sky-Howling Divine Dog, who would bite anyone it saw. Its teeth were excellent, and it wasn't afraid even of Saints. In this day and age, there isn't even a decent dog."
Li Er's eyes showed a hint of reminiscence, tinged with sadness.
In those days, gods and Buddhas filled the sky, and immortals gathered in abundance. How prosperous it was! Yet, all were stained with blood in the firmament, their bones buried in the starry sky, all annihilated.
Now, besides himself, there should only be a few old friends still clinging to life.
But they all had to hide, not daring to show themselves easily, which was very stifling.
However, fortunately, there was hope, a glimmer of anticipation. He possessed the emptiness, loneliness, and cold.
In the next epoch, once the three grew up, it would be time to destroy the source of darkness and exact revenge.
Looking at Ji Mo, Li Er felt a surge of comfort and his gloomy mood vanished. He directly broke off two branches of the Acacia tree to use as chopsticks, picked up a large piece of fragrant meat, and began to eat.
Indeed, dog meat simmered thrice, and even immortals couldn't stand still.
It was truly good, exceptionally delicious.
Ji Mo spoke, "Hey, you old scoundrel, what's the hurry? The heat isn't enough yet."
Li Er chuckled sheepishly, "I'm just tasting the saltiness."
As he spoke, he had already swallowed a large chunk of meat and continued to pick up a second piece.
"Damn it, who tests saltiness like that? Even Zhu Bajie eating ginseng fruit didn't eat as fast as you!"
Ji Mo sensed something was amiss and immediately crowded over, starting to gobble.
He finally realized that Li Er was a cunning old fox, tricking him out of meat.
"As expected, those who eat well, have a strong spirit, and eat heartily are superior!"
Anubis watched the two of them, their mouths greasy and their manners nonexistent, with immense emotion.
Immediately, it cast a mournful glance at Ji Mo, feeling betrayed.
Didn't he promise to cultivate it and let it join the Investiture of the Gods? Why was there no follow-up?
Just as it was sadly lying on the ground, gnawing on a large bone with a wronged expression, Ji Mo threw a tattered beast skin, which landed on its face.
"Thank you, Master, for your benevolence!"
Anubis was instantly overjoyed. It hadn't expected happiness to arrive so suddenly.
It eagerly bit its front paw and imprinted its paw print on the Investiture of the Gods.
Instantly.
Anubis's divine blood flowed onto the Investiture of the Gods and disappeared in a flash.
Then, the Investiture of the Gods shimmered with light, and a third name appeared.
Anubis established a mysterious connection with the Investiture of the Gods, becoming inextricably linked, sharing a certain bond.
The Investiture of the Gods shone with golden light, emitting a hazy aura. Clusters of runes formed a rain of light, enveloping Anubis.
Empowered by the Investiture of the Gods, Anubis underwent a transformation, its aptitude, roots, and talent soaring. Its fur emitted dazzling divine radiance, and its form underwent incredibly significant changes.
It became stronger, and also thinner.
Although it was destined to walk further and further down the path of being a "thin dog," it was filled with pride.
After all, it was the first Outer God to enter the Investiture of the Gods. Perhaps in the future, it would become the second Sky-Howling, or even more formidable, with boundless prospects.
"Old Li, I want to enter the Xuanyuan Cave. Can you show me the way?"
Ji Mo's face was wreathed in smiles, his expression fawning.
Currently, he only had two incomplete maps from the Tuibei Tu, and he had no idea where the Xuanyuan Cave was located.
He had to find a way to obtain the Pangu blood. Even if it only addressed the symptoms and not the root cause, it would allow him to recover more strength, escape the embarrassment of being a "three-second man," and unleash his true power for longer.
After all, he didn't want any more "suckers" to escape from his grasp.
Moreover, with divine battles potentially erupting at any moment, Li Er wouldn't intervene, leaving him to bear the brunt of it alone.
Li Er spread his hands helplessly and said, "I only know that the Xuanyuan Cave is roughly in the Mount Tai area. As for the precise coordinates, I really don't know."
Ji Mo immediately put meat on Li Er's chopsticks, praising, "With your old skills, finding the exact location is a piece of cake. It would only take a little effort to find it."
"Do you think I'm omniscient and omnipotent? The methods of the Three Sage Emperors are not much worse than mine. Finding the Xuanyuan Cave is not easy. I need to teach Leng Bao, build the sanctuary, and craft a coffin for you. I simply don't have the time. Furthermore, to obtain what's inside the Xuanyuan Cave, you still have to rely on your own abilities to acquire it. This is also a test left by the Three Sage Emperors."
Li Er had no intention of helping Ji Mo. Firstly, he was genuinely too busy, and secondly, he was worried about Ji Mo's restlessness.
He could see that Ji Mo was not one to be content with idleness. If Ji Mo were to obtain the treasures within the Xuanyuan Cave, it might cause some unforeseen trouble.
"Alas, it's nothing."
Ji Mo's expression changed immediately. He took back the piece of fragrant meat he had just offered, his expression truly revealing.
Thinking about it, apart from obtaining the Creation Jade Plate and learning the "One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones" technique, he hadn't gained any real benefit from Li Er.
It seemed relying on oneself was better than relying on others. He still had to find the Xuanyuan Cave himself. Knowing it was near Mount Tai saved him a lot of effort.
Li Er looked smug. While eating meat, he checked the condition of the Chaos Green Lotus and frowned slightly.
This lotus seed had indeed undergone an unknown mutation. He didn't know if it was good or bad.
Suddenly, his body trembled. He seemed to sense something from the depths of the void, and his face lit up with joy, "It's the aura of Xu Bao. My Xu Bao has successfully reincarnated."