Chen Changsheng blinked. âWhen did I say I would kill them?â
Jian Shenghua froze.
The Tabby Cat froze too. The Black Dog looked confused.
After Mr. Chenâs words, one cat, one dog, and one ghost simply stared blankly.
Yun Li held back his laughter, not daring to make a sound.
He suddenly thought Mr. Chen was being terribly mischievous.
After the whole farce, the clouds finally became quiet.
Chen Changsheng sheathed his sword.
Jian Shenghua looked at the stunned Black Dog and said, âWhy arenât you thanking Mr. Chen?â
The Black Dogâs legs immediately went weak, and he knelt. âBlack Dog thanks Mr. Chen for sparing his life.â
Chen Changsheng looked at him. âAt this point, are you still going to pretend?â
The Black Dog paused, opened his mouth, then said, âInk Jade Qilin greets Mr. Chen.â
Yun Li froze. âWhat Qilin?â
Yun Li felt dizzy.
He found it hard to believe.
Was this big black dog really a Qilin?!
What kind of joke was this?!
Yun Li paused, then looked at the Tabby Cat. âThen⊠what about Lihua?â
The Tabby Cat looked back at Yun Li. Its tail swished. Blinking, it said, âHe really is a Qilin. But I really am just a tabby cat.â
Though the Black Dog didnât look much like a Qilin.
But actually, he carried the bloodline of the Dragon Clan.
For Chen Changsheng, who had written the âDragon Scriptureâ for this world, noticing this wasnât hard.
As for why the Black Dog had become this way, it was likely because he had been trapped under the Spirit Cage too long. The Black Pagoda constantly sucked the Evil Qi from him, and over time, he ended up like thisâcompletely lacking any majesty.
âDoesnât look like it,â Yun Li remarked.
The Black Dog ignored him and just said, âIf I were at my full strength, just flicking a claw would have killed you.â
âMhm, mhm,â the Tabby Cat looked earnestly at Yun Li. âA flick of his claw and youâd be dead.â
Yun Li eyed the Black Dog. âSo what? Little Master here could beat you up like a dog right nowâ wait, no, you are a dog now.â
The Black Dog bared his teeth. âDonât get too cocky!â
The Tabby Cat also stomped a paw, glaring at Yun Li. âDonât get too cocky!â
âQuite the good teamwork,â Chen Changsheng commented.
Hearing Chen Changshengâs voice, the Black Dog and Tabby Cat snapped back to attention.
Jian Shenghua gave a helpless smile. âYou two, stop making a fuss in front of Sir.â
The Tabby Cat looked at Jian Shenghua. âHuh? Young Master Hua, why are you here? Why are you⊠and that pagoda⊠why is it with thisâŠâ
âIâll explain later. But you two, how did you end up here? And how were you caught by Sir?â
The Tabby Cat looked at the Black Pagoda in front of Chen Changsheng. âBecause of that pagodaâŠâ
The Black Dog said, âLihua is too dumb! I told you it was a trap, but you insisted on biting it!â
âYouâre lying, Mo Yu!â
âYou are dumb.â
The Tabby Cat raised a paw to retaliate.
The Black Dog dodged, shooting it a disdainful look.
Chen Changsheng smiled helplessly. âI still have important business. Perhaps you could relocate?â
The Black Dog snapped to attention. âAre you chasing the remnants of the Ancient Zombie?â
âYou know where that severed arm is hiding?â Yun Li asked.
The Black Dog shook his head. âIn the past, I could tell at a glance⊠but nowâŠâ
Seeing this, Jian Shenghua said, âYou two, come into Sirâs sleeve with me first. Donât disturb him.â
âNo, no!â the Tabby Cat protested. âOnce we go in, can we get back out?â
âIf Sir wanted to catch you, you couldnât escape anyway.â
âI suppose⊠thatâs true.â
Jian Shenghua led the one âdogâ and one cat into the flower world within the sleeve.
Peace finally returned above the clouds.
Only then did Yun Li speak. âSir, your âSleeve-Spaceâ Divine Ability⊠you can put living things inside too?â
âItâs not Sleeve-Space,â Chen Changsheng said. âItâs another Divine Ability.â
Yun Li nodded, though puzzled.
âHe was a Ghost Cultivator⊠earlier?â
âYes.â
Chen Changsheng said, âConsider him a friend, for now.â
Hearing the words âfor now,â Yun Li understood.
He didnât ask more.
He roughly guessed that Mr. Chen capturing these Evil Spirits had a purpose. But what that purpose was, he dared not ask.
Chen Changsheng lowered the hook again.
Faintly, a voice cursing angrily came from within his sleeve.
âWhat is that birdman doing here?!â
It was the Black Dog shouting. Chen Changsheng also felt some movement from the Phoenix Flower.
Chen Changsheng didnât pay it any mind, deciding to clarify things later.
Yun Li asked curiously, âSir, why did the Tabby Cat bite your hook? Whatâs so special about that Black Pagoda?â
Chen Changsheng explained, âThe Evil Qi inside the Black Pagoda is extremely nourishing for creatures like them.â
âOh, I see.â
Yun Li had thought the Black Pagoda was the hook. It turned out to be the bait.
Yun Li peered below, seemingly trying to spot any sign of the Evil Hand. But after looking intently for a long while, there was no movement, just the faint calls of clever birds reaching his ears.
Like this, he sat with Sir, waiting from the beginning of the night. Unexpectedly, they waited a very long time without seeing any action.
Could the Tabby Cat have disturbed the snake?
Yun Li considered this and thought about reminding Sir, but decided against it.
Chen Changsheng sat quietly amidst the clouds.
Only near dawn did the fishing rod finally stir.
âWhoosh!â
Chen Changsheng swiftly pulled the rod.
What was hooked up again took them both by surprise.
âA⊠Remnant Soul?â
Yun Li was taken aback, confused.
Chen Changsheng stretched out a hand and grabbed the Remnant Soul.
Yun Li leaned in for a closer look and immediately reacted. âItâs that Blood Bat! Didnât I kill it before?! How couldâŠâ
Chen Changsheng examined the Soul Spirit. âNo wonder it felt familiar. The White-Haired Blood Immortal certainly has many External Incarnations.â
âWhite-Haired Blood Immortal?â Yun Li looked at Mr. Chen.
Chen Changsheng nodded and proceeded to explain about the White-Haired Blood Immortal to Yun Li.
Chen Changsheng hadnât expected such a coincidence.
Yun Li felt unsettled. âThe Blood Cultivatorâs methods are truly impossible to guard against!â
He asked again, âCould there be other External Incarnations?â
Chen Changsheng shook his head. âItâs still unclear.â
Chen Changsheng raised his eyes. Dawn was breaking at the horizon, showing the first white streaks.
He breathed a sigh of relief. âLetâs head back.â
Yun Li asked, âSir? Isnât there more fishing?â
Chen Changsheng said, âThat Evil Hand probably isnât as lowly in intelligence as we thought. Coupled with the Tabby Cat stirring things up earlier, and now this Blood Cultivatorâs Remnant Soul messing things up⊠itâs afraid and unlikely to take the bait now.â
Yun Li sighed. âWhat a pityâŠâ
âNo matter. Weâll just keep a look out. The Ten-Thousand-Mile Mountains are vast, but it will leave some traces.â
âIâll have the disciples from my sect search carefully later.â
âThat would be appreciated.â
Chen Changsheng reflected on the night. He hooked a cat. Then he hooked a dog. And finally, he hooked a Remnant Soul.
Heâd hooked all sorts of strange things.
Except the Evil Hand.
Though unsuccessful, it had certainly been rather entertaining.