Seeing Lin Shen lick his lips with lingering satisfaction, the pity on Taishang Laojun's face deepened.
"Looks like the expenditure really was considerable."
He spoke in a low voice, then poured out another drop of Life-Creating Elixir and fed it to Lin Shen.
Lin Shen happily tasted the sweetness again.
His little calculations clattered away in his mind.
It seemed that every time he "cast a spell" in the future, he had to pretend to be a little weak!
That way, he could avoid the risk of becoming free labor and trick them into giving him all sorts of delicious things!
It was simply killing two birds with one stone!
Yuanshi Tianzun looked at Lin Shen's pale little face, and his affection for this young disciple deepened by several degrees.
He took out a warm jade pendant from his sleeve.
Complex Dao Patterns were carved onto it, radiating a calming, mind-clearing aura.
"This is Spirit Nurturing Jade, something I obtained in my early years. It can nurture the primordial spirit and strengthen one's foundation."
"Lin Shen, wear it on your person."
As he spoke, he personally tied the jade pendant around Lin Shen's neck.
The moment the jade touched his skin, a cool and comfortable sensation spread through his entire body.
Lin Shen felt as if even his thoughts had become much clearer.
Good stuff!
Second Master had made his move too!
Lin Shen happily kicked his little short legs, making the pendant jingle against his chest.
Seeing that his eldest and second brothers had both brought out treasures, Tongtian Jiaozhu naturally refused to fall behind.
He scratched his head, but for the moment, he could not think of anything to give.
When it came to pill refining, he was inferior to his eldest brother.
When it came to artifact refining, he was inferior to his second brother.
What he excelled at most was fighting.
He could not exactly give his disciple an immortal sword brimming with murderous intent, could he?
He scratched his ears and cheeks in agitation before his eyes suddenly lit up. Slapping his thigh, he said, "Got it!"
He beckoned toward the depths of Kunlun Mountain and shouted, "Ink Qilin, come see me at once!"
His voice carried out, and before long, an imposing, enormous Ink Qilin came riding over on the clouds.
Its scales were black and glossy, while auspicious flames burned beneath its four hooves.
Its eyes were filled with pride.
It was Yuanshi Tianzun's mount.
The Ink Qilin had been dozing off when Tongtian Jiaozhu's roar woke it, leaving it somewhat displeased.
Still, it obediently flew over.
"Master, why have you summoned me?"
The Ink Qilin spoke in a deep, booming voice.
Seeing his mount summoned over by his third brother, Yuanshi Tianzun raised a brow.
He had no idea what mischief Tongtian Jiaozhu was up to.
Tongtian Jiaozhu pointed at the Ink Qilin and said grandly to Lin Shen, "Good disciple, look!"
"This big black ox might be a little ugly, but it runs fast and is tough enough."
"From now on, it will be your mount!"
"Wherever you want to go, have it carry you there!"
"Pfft—"
Lin Shen nearly sprayed out the Life-Creating Elixir he had just swallowed.
A big black ox?
This was clearly a qilin, all right?!
And a beast of auspiciousness at that!
Third Master, was your eyesight really that bad?!
When the Ink Qilin heard the words "big black ox," its proud head instantly drooped.
Even the flames on its four hooves dimmed considerably.
It was a descendant of the Primordial Kirin, a renowned divine beast of Kunlun Mountain.
How had it become a big black ox?
Yuanshi Tianzun's face darkened as well.
"Nonsense! Tongtian! That is my mount!"
He barked in a low voice, barely suppressing his anger.
"Oh, come on, Second Brother. What's yours is mine!"
"Why draw such clear lines between us?"
Tongtian Jiaozhu waved a hand dismissively.
"Besides, you sit in meditation at Yuxu Palace all day. You do not need a mount."
"Wouldn't it be perfect for it to serve as Little Lin Shen's Transportation Tool? That would be putting it to good use."
"You..."
Yuanshi Tianzun was so angry that he could not speak.
Watching this dramatic scene unfold before him, Lin Shen was delighted.
Third Master was too good at stirring things up!
He actually wanted to snatch Second Master's mount and give it to him.
Sitting in Tongtian's arms, he curiously examined the huge Ink Qilin.
A qilin—the legendary divine beast!
Riding it would definitely look impressive!
He stretched out his little hand, pointed at the Ink Qilin, and babbled, "Yiya, yiya."
His eyes sparkled brightly with longing.
Seeing Lin Shen like this, Tongtian Jiaozhu became even more pleased with himself.
"See? Little Lin Shen likes it too!"
"Second Brother, stop being so stingy!"
Yuanshi Tianzun looked at Lin Shen's yearning little eyes, and his heart softened.
No matter how much anger he had, he could no longer vent it.
He snorted coldly and turned his head aside, tacitly agreeing.
"Hahaha! Many thanks, Second Brother!"
Tongtian Jiaozhu laughed loudly, then patted the Ink Qilin on the head.
"Big black ox, follow your little junior brother properly from now on."
"If you let even a single hair on his head fall, I'll skin you alive!"
The Ink Qilin felt like crying, but it could only resign itself to nodding.
It had finally understood.
This newly arrived little junior brother was the true boss of Kunlun Mountain.
All three masters had to revolve around him.
And so, Lin Shen gained his first Transportation Tool in life.
An imposing Ink Qilin.
A big black ox, according to Tongtian Jiaozhu.
A discussion about Lin Shen's abilities had ultimately turned into a competition among the three masters to shower him with gifts.
Daoist Duobao, kneeling nearby, witnessed everything from beginning to end.
His awe and envy toward Lin Shen rose to entirely new heights.
Little Junior Brother was far too favored!
Just by touching someone's head, not only did that person's cultivation soar.
He even made the three masters give him divine elixir and magical treasures.
They even gave him a mount outright!
This treatment was truly one of a kind in the primordial world!
He secretly resolved that he would cling tightly to Little Junior Brother's golden thigh in the future.
No, it was Tongtian's golden pillar!
After the commotion passed, the Three Pure Ones strictly carried out their previous decision.
They laid down nine layers of restrictions around the palace where Lin Shen lived.
Each layer was stronger than the last.
Let alone ordinary immortals—even a Quasi-Saint—
would not be able to break in without alerting them.
The other living beings on Kunlun Mountain only knew that the three masters had accepted a precious disciple.
Yet no one knew what was so extraordinary about this disciple.
Nor could anyone approach his residence.
The three masters then officially began their "research" into Lin Shen's "abilities."
Of course, they followed Yuanshi Tianzun's suggestion.
They no longer used that crude "touch therapy."
Instead, they adopted a gentler method of observation.
That day, Lin Shen was playing on the grass in the courtyard.
Taishang Laojun, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Tongtian Jiaozhu sat at a stone table some distance away.
They drank tea while pretending to observe him casually.
Lin Shen naturally knew they were watching him, but he did not care.
He was intently studying his new "pet."
It was the snow-white Spirit Rabbit that Tongtian Jiaozhu had caught to keep him company.
This Spirit Rabbit had originally been nothing more than an ordinary mortal beast.
Yet after staying beside Lin Shen for several days and breathing in the Origin Qi that radiated from him every day,
it had actually developed intelligence and even begun to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on its own.
Lin Shen found it very interesting.
He wanted to see whether merely getting close, without touching it directly, could trigger a system mission.
He held the Spirit Rabbit and brought his little face close.
Then he gently blew at the rabbit's fluffy ear.
"Hoo~"
Origin Qi several times denser than usual entered the Spirit Rabbit's ear along with his breath.
The Spirit Rabbit, which had been resting with its eyes closed, trembled all over.
It abruptly opened its ruby-like eyes.
The next second, a powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted from its tiny body!
Before you continue