Di Xin looked up at the sound and saw a little white puppy racing toward him from the depths of the Imperial Garden.
At a glance, he could tell that the little white puppy looked exactly like Sky-Howling Dog in the system space.
If the two dogs were mixed together, he certainly wouldn't be able to tell which one was the real Sky-Howling Dog and which one was this newcomer.
A pet!
A pet!
Di Xin had been repeating those words to himself the whole time. To avoid giving himself away, he had already made up his mind: no matter what happened—even if a dinosaur showed up—he would just treat it as a pet.
Prepared as he was, he stood up quite naturally and waved the attendants away. "Stand down. Don't frighten such an adorable puppy."
Since the Great King had given the order, the attendants hurriedly stopped, not daring to disturb him.
Besides, the puppy wasn't very big. With the Great King's martial skills, it certainly couldn't hurt him.
The puppy didn't run straight to Di Xin. Instead, beneath a tree not far away, it raised its right hind leg high and watered the roots with a sparkling stream.
Di Xin burst out laughing and walked over. Not worried about being bitten, he bent down, picked up the puppy, and stroked its furry head.
Even now, he knew perfectly well that the dog's appearance was highly suspicious. In particular, it looked exactly like Sky-Howling Dog. There was no way such a coincidence could happen.
If his guess was right, this was another test.
Given his identity and his movements, he shouldn't have ever seen Sky-Howling Dog.
If he'd shown even the slightest surprise or disbelief the moment he saw the little white dog, he would probably have given himself away.
At last, he understood the meaning of the system's task.
As he stroked the little white dog, he glanced into the system space. Sky-Howling Dog was still there, barking furiously.
Sky-Howling Dog only ever reacted like this when Yang Jian was around.
Could this puppy be Yang Jian in disguise?
With that suspicion in mind, Di Xin grew even more cautious.
"Bring me some pastries!"
Yang Jian turned around with the puppy in his arms and gave the order to the attendants.
The attendants didn't merely follow Di Xin around. They also carried all sorts of things: tea, quilts, wine, pastries, fruit—in short, nearly anything the Great King might need at a moment's notice.
One of the attendants came over, took a pastry from the food box, and handed it to Di Xin. He pinched off a little and fed it to the white puppy.
The puppy didn't eat the pastry. Without warning, it lunged and bit Di Xin's finger.
"Damn it..."
Di Xin cried out and flung the dog away.
The dog had moved so fast that Di Xin hadn't had time to dodge. It had already bitten his finger, leaving two tooth marks as blood welled up.
"Great King..."
"Quick, protect the Great King!"
"Quick, fetch the Imperial Physician!"
It had all happened so suddenly that some attendants cried out and ran over, while others turned and hurried out of the Imperial Garden.
The Great King being bitten by a dog was no small matter.
If things went badly, all of them might lose their heads.
There was no way they couldn't be nervous.
"It's a tiny wound. Nothing to worry about. It's just a pity the dog didn't know what was good for it."
Di Xin waved them off, flicked his sleeve in annoyance, and headed out of the Imperial Garden.
By now, he was completely certain that the puppy had come to test him. If he'd used his own Magic Power to dodge the moment it lunged, he could certainly have avoided the bite.
Or he could have circulated his vital energy through his hand, in which case the puppy definitely wouldn't have been able to hurt him.
But either way, he would have exposed the fact that he possessed Magic Power.
That was close!
There were traps everywhere.
Without the system's warning, he probably would have been seen through the moment he spotted the puppy.
[The host made the correct choice. The task has been completed. Reward: one Spirit Pill worth five years of cultivation.]
As he walked, another line of text appeared before his eyes.
Two Spirit Pills now—fifteen years of cultivation.
Di Xin was delighted, though unfortunately he still couldn't take them yet.
As he walked, he glanced back. The little white dog had already vanished.
Even now, Di Xin didn't let his guard down. He headed briskly toward the Imperial Medical Office, where an Imperial Physician was hurrying toward him from a short distance away.
After examining Di Xin's wound, the physician took some herbs from his medicine box, crushed them, and bandaged the finger.
As a Qi Cultivator who had already transcended the mortal realm, a wound like this was nothing. But he still regarded himself as a mortal emperor and went through all the proper steps.
After the physician finished bandaging him, Di Xin even gave him a reward. Only then did he return to Shouxian Palace, surrounded by attendants and Imperial Guards.
In an alley somewhere outside the Royal Palace, a young scholar dressed in white withdrew his Divine Sense, his face thoughtful.
The many tests so far had revealed no flaws in King Zhou.
If King Zhou had really been the one to abduct Sky-Howling Dog, he would surely have reacted abnormally upon seeing Yang Jian transformed into Sky-Howling Dog. Even the slightest hint of an unusual reaction wouldn't have escaped Yang Jian's notice.
But in fact, King Zhou hadn't reacted that way.
Moreover, when Yang Jian had suddenly attacked and bitten King Zhou, his response had been exactly what one would expect of an ordinary mortal. There had been nothing suspicious about it.
It seemed King Zhou was probably innocent.
Then who could it be?
After pondering for a long while, Yang Jian finally left at an unhurried pace.
Inside an inn in the city.
Nine Heavens Profound Maiden, Nine Nether Pure Maiden, Hu Ximei, and Nine-headed Pheasant Demon had gathered in a room.
The two disciples of Goddess Nuwa had come looking for them, revealed their identities, and were questioning the two little demons.
Nine Heavens Profound Maiden had set up a soundproof barrier around the room, so they didn't need to worry about anyone overhearing their conversation.
"Hu Ximei, are you sure the fox demon has already been intimate with King Zhou?" Nine Heavens Profound Maiden asked, her cheeks flushed. Though she had never experienced such things herself, she knew that a Qi Cultivator could definitely tell whether their partner in bed was an ordinary human or a demon.
"I didn't witness it myself, but according to the fox demon, the Great King dotes on her. It should be true," Hu Ximei replied carefully. "Besides, King Zhou is extremely fond of women. He wouldn't possibly spare the fox demon..."
"Don't rely on hearsay, and don't make judgments based on what someone else says. Hu Ximei, take on another appearance, enter the inner palace, and test King Zhou."
Nine Heavens Profound Maiden cut Hu Ximei off, her expression serious.
"Yes... I'll obey your command, Profound Maiden!"
Hu Ximei readily agreed.
"Nine-headed Pheasant Demon..."
Nine Heavens Profound Maiden turned to the bewitching woman.
Nine-headed Pheasant Demon quickly answered, "Please give me your instructions, Profound Maiden!"
"You should also find an opportunity to enter the palace and do as I say..."
Nine Heavens Profound Maiden gave her detailed instructions, then left the inn gracefully with Nine Nether Pure Maiden.
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