Chapter 64
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Chapter 64: Title
The spirit cultivators had lingered too long in the Mountain and Sea Realm. The Yellow Dog heaved a deep sigh. Though barely two centuries old – mere infancy by spirit cultivator standards – it knew the ancient legends passed down through generations of its ancestors. Were it not for Empress Nuwa’s foresight in mediating coexistence between species, spirit-kind might have vanished entirely.
Chu Fei tore into his fried chicken leg under the canine’s intense gaze, thumb scrolling through Weibo’s trending list. The West Lake incident had already gone viral.
The Yellow Dog sniffed the aroma, its mouth watering with temptation. This strange world lacked even the smallest Spiritual Energy-infused creatures – only leashed pets dominated the streets, their collars tethered tightly to human cultivators’ hands. Though ordinary dogs couldn’t be considered true spirits, they remained distant kin. Starvation wouldn’t drive the Yellow Dog to cannibalize its cousins. As for cats… no self-respecting canine would stoop to consuming such foul creatures.
"Want some?" Chu Fei asked, suppressing laughter at the dog’s comically conflicted expression. If this truly were a spirit, he mused, it must be an exceptionally guileless one. He made mental notes: animal-derived spirits might retain their species’ traits. Humanity’s long history of canine domestication could prove advantageous.
The Yellow Dog observed the chattering human with detached amusement. All morning, these oblivious two-legs had been offering food while babbling nonsense – even attempting pathetic barks. Truly a deranged species.
Chu Fei’s eyebrow arched. Was that… contempt in the mutt’s gaze? The sheer audacity intrigued him. "Bark once," he teased, waving the drumstick, "and it’s yours." He remained relaxed; either this was a normal dog he could easily evade, or a spirit he could stall long enough to deploy his trump card.
Hidden in his jacket lay Scientific Research Division 6’s latest triumph – a powerful anesthetic capable of dropping Tier One experts. Ancient practitioners had collaborated to upgrade the formula using spiritual herbs, creating version 2.0 that recently subdued a tier three Strange Beast for thirty minutes. Lower tiers lasted proportionally longer, though ordinary products faced dire consequences – one test subject still slept after seven days.
Chu Fei’s tier six cultivation stemmed from military martial arts training, a pragmatic choice during the Awakening of Spiritual Energy. Before state-approved cultivation techniques emerged, traditional martial artists had adapted their methods, propelling soldiers to tier three or four through sheer physical prowess. Ancient practitioners confirmed those below the innate realm could still adopt spiritual cultivation methods.
From its flowerbed vantage point, the Yellow Dog had monitored the neighborhood’s feeble human cultivators all morning. Not a single Tier One among them. If this represented humanity’s strength, perhaps the spirit cultivators’ resurgence was imminent.
Memories of the Great War between Clans burned bright. Two decisive conflicts had cemented human dominance, but now… The Yellow Dog’s pulse quickened. Last night’s incursion into the source world included tier three Demonic Beasts. Though this Chu Fei could be crushed like an insect, the Dog reluctantly acknowledged humanity’s hidden strengths. True power lurked beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.
The human cultivators had always resided in the Source World, but with Spiritual Energy’s recent Awakening, even their few strong practitioners paled against spirit cultivators who’d thrived for generations in the Mountain and Sea Realm.
The sheer population of spirit cultivators in that realm defied human imagination. Even if humans possessed unexpected tricks differing from ancestral legends, their odd contraptions couldn’t possibly rival proper spirit cultivators.
Chu Fei’s lips twitched as the Yellow Dog stared vacantly, utterly ignoring him.
"Puppy, puppy," he coaxed.
The spirit beast blinked to find chicken legs piled before it. Most spirits would reject such patronizing offerings from humans – but not this low-tier scavenger accustomed to devouring powerful demons’ leftovers in the Mountain and Sea Realm.
Watching the mutt wolf down food, Chu Fei mentally rolled his eyes. Nearby dog food explained everything; neighborhood strays always found soft-hearted feeders. This animal’s boldness intrigued him – either fearless of humans or confident in hidden power. He produced a phone-sized scanner.
No spiritual energy fluctuations. Either an ordinary stray or a master of concealment beyond Chu Fei’s detection skills. As a Practitioner whose cultivation level blazed like beacon, he knew any spirit unfazed by him must be leagues stronger.
"Poor stray," he crooned. "Want a home?" Human trafficking he’d done, but spirit-napping? Novel. Weren’t spirits supposed to shapeshift? Those East Sea elders proved it possible, yet he’d seen none in human guise.
Accessing the Special Bureau’s spirit cultivator database, he noted pinned articles: shape-shifting required at least tier three power. Better this way – he couldn’t handle such foes. Though human-formed spirits would simplify…
The Yellow Dog endured Chu Fei’s prattle for the feast. Low-tier spirits typically ate raw, but cooked meat! Far superior to its charred roadkill. Licking paws, it pondered seconds.
"Take me? More food?" The spirit calculated risks. This weakling couldn’t harm it. Escape remained easy.
"You SPEAK?" Chu Fei feigned shock. "A demon?"
"Surprised, Practitioner?" The dog sneered. "How provincial."
Modern speech too! Bureau rumors resurfaced – dragons mastering languages in minutes, the Greater Khingan tiger spirit learning through eavesdropping. Ancient practitioners’ tales of articulate beasts suddenly seemed plausible.
"Dog spirit?"
"INSULT ME?" The mutt ballooned to human height, fur bristling. "I’m no common spirit!"
Chu Fei backpedaled dramatically, mind racing. Size-shifting suggested power surpassing that tiger spirit. Let the mutt enjoy its intimidation – Source World’s recent Awakening meant true beast spirits were impossible. For now.
"More meals if you come," he offered, poorly masking excitement. Perfect acting for a fool.
"Deceive me, die." Snarling dentition emphasized the threat.
Chu Fei’s smile widened. Junk food for a talking spirit? Profit.
The Yellow Dog shrank to puppy form. Human slave? Brilliant.
Their grins mirrored mutual satisfaction, each certain they’d outsmarted the other.
