Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
In the third month of the year in Changping Prefecture, the spring breeze was tinged with a hint of cold.
The air had that slight chill that, while lacking the bite of winter, carried that penetrating moisture unique to spring.
As usual, Er Hu pushed open the gates to the mansion and began to sweep the area in front of the gate with a large broom.
The frank and honest youth had grown into a healthy and strong young man. While his face couldn't be considered handsome, the tough lines carved onto his face made him exude the aura of a real man.
Although he was just sweeping the ground, he did so with deep earnestness, a system and purpose to every stroke.
If one looked carefully, one would realize that this broom wasn't even touching the ground, or even touching dust. There was an invisible barrier around the broom that isolated it from the dust.
A few moments later, Er Hu finished sweeping the ground. He looked up at the sky, but after failing to see the figure he was looking for, he sighed and headed back inside.
Passing through the long corridors, Er Hu returned to his own courtyard.
He took in a deep breath and started to practice his punches.
This was a set of movements known as the Vajra Tiger-Conquering Fist, a fearsome and tough technique designed to toughen the bones and temper the constitution, while also being very practical in combat.
Er Hu had been cultivating this fist art for more than a year and was extremely familiar with it, but for some reason, he felt like he was lacking a little something.
As he circulated his energy and performed the 36th punch, the Crazy Tiger Subduer, he felt like his energy couldn't keep up, and his body swayed, almost falling over.
"It's still not working!" Er Hu yelled in frustration as he plopped onto the ground.
Sensing someone behind him, Er Hu turned and saw a person covered entirely in a black cloak standing nearby, their face covered by a crimson mask.
Er Hu exhaled in relief. "So it was Sir Ghost? You really scared me there."
The ghost guard said nothing, but it suddenly assumed a posture which Er Hu recognized to be the Crazy Tiger Subduer.
The ghost guard made a lunging motion, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that felt to Er Hu as mighty as the ocean.
Er Hu was startled, and then he realized what was happening and delightedly said, "Sir Ghost, thank you for teaching me."
He copied the ghost guard's movements, carefully experiencing all the changes in his body.
Er Hu was no genius, but he was persistent and steady, laying down strong foundations. Before he had known any sort of cultivation mantra, he had practiced all on his own for more than a year, indicating that he was naturally someone willing to endure hardship.
While the Vajra Tiger-Conquering Fist seemed simple, it was actually one of the more exceptional combat techniques to be found within the Celestial Flame Pagoda. It was not easy to comprehend its essence, and it was inappropriate for those who lacked resolve to cultivate it.
As he mulled over the process, he suddenly punched out, and there was a blast of wind, tinged with the rumble of thunder. Er Hu cried out, "Success!"
He had finally used the 36th move which had troubled him for so long.
He was about to thank the ghost guard, but the ghost guard was already leaving.
Er Hu knew that the ghost guard was always like this and didn't find it strange. He looked up at the sky and found that it was time to move on to the next activity in his schedule. He went over to the kitchen and grabbed a large slab of Azurewind Beast tenderloin. He threw it into the air, grabbed a cleaver, and swung it a few times. By the time the tenderloin fell to the ground, it had been neatly sliced into several dozen pieces.
Throwing the pieces into a pot, he put in water and then snapped his fingers, upon which the firewood in the stove ignited. Er Hu blew into the stove, which made the flames burn even stronger, and the water was soon boiling. But before the meat was fully cooked, Er Hu plunged his hands into the pot and pulled out the meat, laying it out and pouring a little soy sauce on it. Once this was done, he waved his hand, putting out the stove flame.
Er Hu carried a pot full of tenderloin deeper into the estate.
As this was all fiend meat, bursting with their essence, it was a powerful supplement. This was why it only needed to be boiled a little rather than cooked thoroughly.
Er Hu did this every day. Although he knew that this meat was valuable, he had never once thought about secretly eating some himself.
He went to one of the buildings and respectfully placed the meat next to the door, after which he retreated, though there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
Three years.
He had already been here for three years, but Er Hu only knew to deliver food here every day as Tang Jie ordered, never knowing who actually lived here.
He didn't even know if there was actually anyone inside.
Although the food would always be eaten up, Er Hu had never heard any sound coming from within.
Today, he was going to leave as usual when a flame suddenly ignited within the building.
Er Hu was alarmed. This was his first time seeing any signs of activity from the building, and he hadn't expected it to be on such a large scale.
It was as if something had broken out of its shell, flames leaping and dancing as they radiated terrifying energy. Shockingly, something seemed to be protecting the building such that the flames didn't harm a single thing within it no matter how much they danced. Every time fire rushed at a part of the building, a white light would bounce it back. The flames were like a caged beast, rampaging around but unable to break through the invisible walls surrounding it.
Suddenly, Er Hu saw a crack appear in that invisible wall. Though very small and disappearing a split second after it appeared, in that moment, a wave of heat was able to escape. Er Hu could see that pot of Azurewind Beast tenderloin instantly turning to dust as if it had aged ten thousand years in a split second.
The heat wave hurtled forward, Er Hu dumbly standing in its way, unaware that the god of death was about to descend.
At that moment, he heard a soft sigh.
"Master!" Er Hu shouted.
And then his eyes rolled over, and he knew nothing.
―――――――――――
When Er Hu opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a bed and wrapped up like a mummy.
A familiar figure stood nearby, staring at him.
"Master, you're back." Er Hu struggled to rise.
Tang Jie pushed him back down. "You're not healed yet. Don't move around."
"Master, what happened to me? Ow!" Before Er Hu could finish, he felt an intense pain across his entire body that almost made him faint.
"You were burned by the aftershocks from the Deicide Flame. It was a complete fluke that you even survived." Tang Jie took out a small bottle as he spoke, letting a drop of liquid from it fall into Er Hu's mouth. Er Hu felt a sweetness spread across his lips and travel down his esophagus, upon which the pain wracking his body retreated. "I just so happened to get this bottle of Hundred Blossom Jade Dew on the mission this time, but now I've wasted it all on you."
"'The Deicide Flame'?" Er Hu was still dazed and clearly didn't know what was going on.
He had no idea that the avatar had reached a critical moment in his cultivation when he had been delivering food.
In these three years, besides ordinary cultivation, the avatar had been attempting to refine the Deicide Flame.
But it lived up to its reputation as one of the divine flames of the world, with even the Contraflame Mantra needing three whole years to refine it. Even then, Tang Jie was not able to truly subdue this violent flame, and while trying to refine it, he had even accidentally allowed some of the heat to escape.
It was just the remnants of a remnant, but even this little heat was enough to kill Er Hu several dozen times. Fortunately, the avatar had acted decisively, placing a barrier on Er Hu in time. Even so, the flames that had managed to get through the barrier were enough to heavily injure him.
Fortunately, the original body was on his way back from a mission, so he rushed back and arrived in time to save Er Hu's life.
"Let's not talk about this right now," Tang Jie said. "Hurry up and absorb the medicinal power. Circulate your spiritual energy, and guide the medicinal power into your organs. Fire encroaches upon the heart, so remember to protect the Heart Meridian!"
He jabbed several points on Er Hu's body, and Er Hu felt a warm current flow through him. Tang Jie then began to slowly chant a mantra, and Er Hu copied him, upon which the medicinal power ceased scattering and began to converge on the heart. But as a price, Er Hu once more felt immense pain across his entire body.
"Endure it. The Hundred Blossom Jade Dew is a spirit medicine meant for healing the organs. You have yet to enter Nine Revolutions, so you shouldn't be able to take this medicine, as the medicinal power is so intense that it would destroy your organs. But the fire is invading your heart, canceling out the medicinal power, which makes this somewhat worth it. Use this opportunity to slowly absorb the medicinal power and fire power, strengthening your body, and you might end up turning a disaster into a blessing, growing much stronger. But if you can't endure it, then forget about it."
Er Hu clenched his teeth and said, "Master, I can hold on."
"Very good. If you pass this trial, I will truly take you as my disciple," Tang Jie lightly said.
Although Er Hu had been calling him "Master" all this time, Tang Jie had never actually taken him as his disciple.
These last three years could also be considered a test of Er Hu's mind. Only if he passed this test would Tang Jie truly accept him.
Er Hu was delighted.
Three years! He had waited three years for this day, for these words.
All that pain suddenly no longer seemed so scary.
Tang Jie lightly sighed when he saw how excited Er Hu was.
Er Hu had finally waited until he got what he wanted, but what about him?
How long would he have to wait?
Apparently seeing the worry on Tang Jie's mind, Er Hu softly asked, "Master, did you fail to find the Dragonbone Spirit Sesame again?"
Tang Jie shook his head. "Dragonbone Spirit Sesame… is a supreme spirit medicine that grows on the bones of a true dragon. It doesn't exist if there's no dragon, so finding it is easier said than done."
"Master, don't be anxious. The Verdant Cloud Domain is so big, and a true dragon should have appeared once in all these eons," Er Hu replied.
Tang Jie bitterly smiled. "What do you think true dragons are? They are high existences of the Immortal Platform. The pool of the Verdant Cloud Domain is too small to raise this kind of dragon."
"That's not for certain. Isn't there a legend about how a Saint Immortal proved their Dao on Saint Court Mountain? Even a true dragon can't compare to that, so why couldn't there be one? It's just that my human race is too weak to spread across the Verdant Cloud Domain, making them difficult to find." Er Hu pushed through the pain, smiling as he replied.
"Yes," Tang Jie muttered. "In the end, my human race is too weak, so I can't search the entire domain. Perhaps… perhaps I can find what I need in fiend territory?"
Tang Jie's eyes glowed.
Er Hu was scared by his tone. "Master, you aren't thinking about going into fiend territory, are you? You can't!"
Tang Jie did not reply, simply staring out the window.
Translator Notes
Human territory is too small for Tang Jie. There's not enough prey for him to hunt.
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