Truly worthy of being a Heaven-grade Puppet.
The disciples’ shining gazes of admiration followed the puppet as it approached, dragging a Spirit Beast with one hand while holding a long spear in the other. The blood on the spear shaft, still fresh and undried, was a glaring crimson.
The Yingyu excelled at water manipulation, and the rainy weather only fueled its ferocity. The puppet was drenched all over, water droplets dripping from its armor and mingling with the washed-away blood, creating muddy, bloody footprints on the ground and leaving a long trail behind.
It only stopped when it reached Su Tangxing.
The faint ghostly flames, impervious to the rain, flickered behind the armor, always gazing in the direction of its master.
Mission accomplished.
The puppet tossed the Yingyu aside and silently stood beside Su Tangxing, adopting a protective stance.
The bloodstains on the spearhead were washed clean by the rain. The downpour gradually subsided.
Returning to hand in the mission: +5 Low-grade Spirit Stones.
Hiring someone at the dining hall to process the horseshoe bamboo shoots: -5 Low-grade Spirit Stones.
After the back-and-forth, today’s income: 0.
Upon returning to Witch Mountain, Su Tangxing went to find the Fox Master and reported that she had brought back a dog.
The Fox Master was adding ingredients to the pond.
As for what exactly he was adding, Su Tangxing couldn’t tell. Just watching the ever-changing colors made her feel phantom pains.
Hearing that she had picked up a pet and wanted to keep it, the Fox Master let out an “Oh,” glanced over, and didn’t object.
A Netherworld Beast from the Outer Sea Continent, huh…
Well, it’s still young. If my disciple likes it, she can keep it.
Just make sure it doesn’t eat people.
Under the gaze of the terrifyingly powerful big fox, Xiao Huang tucked its tail between its legs and shrank into Su Tangxing’s embrace.
She patted its round little bottom.
She pulled out the small tail and played with it in her hand, then brought up the Yingyu she encountered that day, specifically mentioning its unusual behavior so the Master would take note.
The Fox Master nodded but said, “With your Cultivation Base, even with the puppet, it’s dangerous.”
His fingers stroked his furry chin as his mismatched blue and gold upturned fox eyes glanced at her. “I’ve heard that other disciples have life-saving measures left by their masters… Hold out your hand.”
Su Tangxing extended her left hand, but upon seeing a small fish mark on her wrist, she switched to her right.
The Fox Master, sharp-eyed, noticed and stopped her. “I noticed this earlier. This is…” He leaned in slightly, sniffing. “Something from the Esoteric Sect. Did a Witch Mountain disciple leave this on you? Are you planning to dual cultivate with them?”
In this game, Witch Mountain disciples were somewhat similar to the traditional cultivation culture’s Joyful Union Sect but with differences.
Originally a branch derived from the Buddhist Joyful Buddha, their cultivation path focused on using desire to control desire, claiming to “use desire to lure them into Buddhist wisdom.” The Buddhas they cultivated often had multiple faces and arms, half-human, half-beast, half-male, half-female.
Su Tangxing wasn’t very familiar with Witch Mountain disciples and shook her head. “No.”
“That’s for the best,” the Fox Master said. “Their path is prone to deviation. This thing is useless to keep. How can my disciple bear someone else’s mark?”
As he spoke, his long, black fingertip pressed down, and the red carp dissipated into a mist of pinkish-red smoke.
“I’ll leave one of your master’s marks on you. No one will dare disrespect you outside. But you mustn’t take advantage of my authority to act recklessly. I won’t interfere unless necessary.”
Tiankuang pondered, tapping her hand, then felt it wasn’t prominent enough. It couldn’t clearly display her identity.
He looked left and right, and his gaze eventually settled on Su Tangxing’s forehead.
Su Tangxing hesitated and leaned back. “…Master?”
The Yingyu was sent to Elixir Peak for examination.
Apart from stab wounds from sharp weapons, the fish also bore bite marks.
It happened that Guanshui Yuanjun was on the peak at the time, so she joined the disciples in examining it. After carefully observing the bite marks and comparing them one by one with the Spirit Beasts in the vicinity, she shook her head. “Doesn’t match, doesn’t match.”
“What doesn’t match?”
Guanshui Yuanjun hated being disturbed when she was deeply focused. Hearing the voice, she turned with displeasure, but upon seeing who had entered, her annoyance turned to surprise.
“Ancestor!”
The other disciples in the room were momentarily stunned before quickly stepping forward to greet him.
Tiankuang strode in, his eight tails gliding smoothly behind him.
Only then did Guanshui Yuanjun notice someone following him.
The new disciple the Ancestor had taken on—someone they had to address as Grandmaster.
However, as her gaze swept over Su Tangxing’s face, Guanshui Yuanjun felt a flicker of confusion.
The last time she had seen her, her face was clean and clear. Why was there now a small red mole on her eyelid?
But it was common for female cultivators to adorn themselves with moles or floral designs, much like how she herself wore a flushed wine-inspired makeup.
Red pigment spread from beneath her brows across her cheeks, giving her a tipsy, dreamy look.
Guanshui Yuanjun favored this style of makeup and didn’t dwell on Su Tangxing’s appearance. She answered Tiankuang, “This bite mark doesn’t resemble those made by ordinary Spirit Beasts. It likely fought with another Spirit Beast before being captured by Grandmaster’s Puppet.”
Tiankuang gave a noncommittal hum. “No need to dwell on that. Let me take a look.”
He stepped forward to examine it himself.
Su Tangxing lingered behind, pulling a small mirror from her sleeve to check her reflection.
The tiny red dot on her eyelid didn’t look out of place, and she let out a sigh of relief.
At least she had managed to dissuade her Master from painting a fox design on her forehead.
The little mole actually looked quite pretty here, adding more distinctiveness to the face she had crafted.
After admiring it for a moment, satisfied, she tucked the mirror away.
A head poked out from her embrace—Xiao Huang had woken up.
Su Tangxing lifted him out and set him on the ground. “Go pee.”
Netherworld Beasts didn’t need to relieve themselves.
Xiao Huang whimpered, tail tucked, his four paws padding on the floor as he trotted over to nuzzle Su Tangxing’s leg.
Not going, then.
Su Tangxing picked him up by the scruff, brushed the dust from his paws, and tucked him back into her arms.
The Netherworld Beast disguised as a small yellow dog buried its head into her chest, nestling deeply.
After days of travel and a fierce battle with that frenzied Ying fish, it was utterly exhausted. It soon fell back into a deep sleep, snoring softly in the crook of Su Tangxing’s arm.
Tiankuang examined the fish meticulously, his fox face revealing no expression. He only said to Su Tangxing, “I’ll be away for a few days. Focus on your cultivation. I’ll check on you when I return.”
Su Tangxing nodded, and he vanished without another word.
He had likely detected the Demonic Qi on the Ying fish and headed for the vast mountains.
The Ancestor had always been enigmatic, so Guanshui Yuanjun and the others were accustomed to it. She asked Su Tangxing for details about that day and sighed upon hearing that no one was injured. “Thank goodness you had the Puppet with you, and this little one is safe too.”
Xianju disciples lived alongside Spirit Beasts and naturally held affection for them.
Seeing the soft yellow puppy in Su Tangxing’s arms, its eyes closed and ears tinged with gold, looking utterly adorable, Guanshui Yuanjun’s fingers itched to pet it.
Under the pretext of checking for injuries, she openly gave it a good stroke.
Xiao Huang jolted awake at the unfamiliar touch, saw an unfamiliar face, and barked at her in a tiny, milky voice.
Guanshui Yuanjun chuckled. “Feisty, aren’t you? Barely have teeth and already so fierce?”
Su Tangxing hugged him close. “Go back to sleep.”
The puppy clawed at her clothes, burrowing inside her outer robe before finally settling down.
Su Tangxing held the warm bundle in her hands as Guanshui Yuanjun continued, “It looks quite healthy and should be fine. It’s just Xiang Qing… ah.”