Auspicious Beast? Old Man, Suppress It!

Another day off.

On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Old man, why did you bring me along on your hunt today?"

Lin Ming trailed behind Xuan Zi, complaining boredly.

Whenever Xuan Zi got a craving in the past, he would hunt Spirit Beasts by himself, bring the prepared meat back to Lin Ming, and have him cook it.

Yet today, for some reason, Xuan Zi insisted on bringing Lin Ming along.

"Isn't it because we're close? I'm bringing you out to experience life. I'm a dignified Super Douluo—others couldn't beg for an opportunity like this."

In truth, Xuan Zi was simply afraid Mu En would scold him again. With Lin Ming around, it would be easier to shift the blame later. After all, even Mu En knew how much of a foodie Lin Ming was.

"Give me a break. The other elders probably just won't hang out with you, you old glutton, so you came looking for me."

"Say whatever you want." Xuan Zi threw an arm around Lin Ming's shoulders, the strong reek of alcohol making him cough. "Like you said, I'm an old glutton, and you're a little glutton. An old glutton and a little glutton playing together is only natural!"

Lin Ming could not be bothered to keep arguing with Xuan Zi. He only wanted to break free from the old man's arm as quickly as possible. He was practically being fumigated to death.

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say, old man. I've happened to learned some new things lately, so I'll use whatever you hunt later as a test subject."

The new things Lin Ming mentioned were naturally the Tang Sect secret arts he had bought from Tang Ya some time ago.

With his exceptional talent, Lin Ming had already gained an initial grasp of them all.

The moment Xuan Zi loosened his grip, Lin Ming stepped into Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. After several swift turns and evasive movements, he arrived ten meters ahead of Xuan Zi.

"Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track from the Tang Sect? Interesting."

Having lived for so long, Xuan Zi naturally recognized the Tang Sect secret art Lin Ming was using: Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.

Then purple light flickered in Lin Ming's eyes, and his perception instantly sharpened as he searched for nearby Spirit Beasts.

After rising early every day to cultivate for this period of time, Lin Ming's Purple Demon Eye had successfully reached the entry level and entered its first realm, Overview.

Before long, he found a suitable target through his search.

The Sky-Propping Spear appeared in his hand. Like a javelin thrower, he gripped the shaft with his right hand, drew his arm back, then hurled it forward.

The Sky-Propping Spear shot toward a clump of bushes ahead with a piercing whistle.

"Quack!"

A miserable cry rang out from the bushes.

Yet Lin Ming did not go over to retrieve it. Instead, he stretched his right hand toward the shrubbery.

A strange energy stirred in his palm, and the Sky-Propping Spear slowly flew back into his hand, its tip skewering a fairly large duck.

What Lin Ming had used was the Tang Sect secret art, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon.

Lin Ming put away his Martial Soul, and the duck fell to the ground. A pale yellow Spirit Ring floated out of its body.

Lin Ming casually dispersed the Spirit Ring, then held the duck before Xuan Zi with a proud look. "How about it, old man? A hundred-year Blue-Headed Duck. You handle it."

Plucking feathers and draining blood had always been Xuan Zi's job.

"Not bad. You've practiced Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon well."

Xuan Zi naturally took the Blue-Headed Duck and began preparing it with practiced ease.

The two found a river. Lin Ming gathered some branches, built a rack, and set the entire prepared Blue-Headed Duck on it to roast.

"Brush on some oil, then add a little of Lin Ming's special sauce—pour it on!"

Before long, a roasted hundred-year Blue-Headed Duck with perfect color, aroma, and flavor was ready.

"Come on, old man. Have a taste."

Lin Ming tore off a duck leg and handed it to Xuan Zi, then tore off another for himself and began eating.

Xuan Zi took the still-dripping duck leg and eagerly bit into it.

"Not bad, not bad. Your cooking's improved, kid!"

Soon afterward, under the two of them's ravenous assault, the Blue-Headed Duck was reduced to a pile of bones.

The bones had been picked so clean that even a dog would feel ashamed at the sight.

Xuan Zi wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, a mischievous smile appearing on his face. "I'm getting tired of eating hundred-year Spirit Beasts. How about we get ourselves a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast to eat today?"

Even Xuan Zi could not eat ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast meat often.

The last time he had eaten it was the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear that had become Lin Ming's fourth Spirit Ring. He still could not forget that flavor.

Lin Ming shook his head at that. "Forget it. If we casually slaughter a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast and get discovered, we'll both be finished."

Though he said that, he wanted to eat one too. After all, he had been the one to cook that ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear last time.

The meat of a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast could be called a natural heavenly treasure. It not only satisfied one's appetite, but also improved physical constitution.

"That's easy. We'll only kill ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts that attack us first!" Seeing Lin Ming take the bait, Xuan Zi quickly said.

"Easy for you to say. Ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts aren't idiots. If even a trace of your aura leaks out, every Spirit Beast within a kilometer will run away without a trace."

Xuan Zi answered with absolute confidence, "Don't worry about that. I'll conceal my aura. Besides, don't we have you?"

Lin Ming nodded doubtfully, though he did not quite understand what Xuan Zi meant by that last remark.

Led by Xuan Zi, the two arrived at the Mixed Zone.

Before long, Lin Ming understood exactly what Xuan Zi had meant.

"Old man, are you even human?! Have you no shame?! You actually used me as bait! Have you got any decency?!"

Beneath a large tree, Lin Ming, who had been tightly tied to the trunk by Xuan Zi, cursed furiously.

He had never imagined that this old bastard would actually use him as bait to lure in a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast.

Xuan Zi had placed a Soul Power restriction inside his body. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free from the restraints and could only rage helplessly.

Meanwhile, Xuan Zi hid in a nearby patch of bushes, waiting for a fish to take the bait.

After a while, Lin Ming grew tired from shouting and simply closed his eyes to rest, thinking about how he would report Xuan Zi's misdeeds to Mu En after returning.

Just then, Lin Ming's eyes snapped open. He sensed a Spirit Beast approaching.

A golden figure slowly emerged from ahead!

The instant Lin Ming saw it, he became excited, because he recognized the Spirit Beast before him.

Golden fur, an exquisite body, gleaming golden light all over—it was most recognizable by its forehead.

More precisely, by the vertical eye on its forehead.

The Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion!

The Auspicious Beast looked at the human tied to the tree and watching her, her eyes full of curiosity. She could sense that he was merely a Soul Ancestor and no match for her at all, so her guard was low.

Looking at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion before him, Lin Ming knew she had guards nearby. He had to strike first, so he hurriedly shouted, "Old man, quick, suppress her!"

Before he had even finished speaking, Xuan Zi had already moved. A massive dark-yellow hand of Soul Power reached for the Auspicious Beast.

At the same time Xuan Zi attacked, a fiery red figure dashed out from the shadows.

But Xuan Zi was faster. The massive hand came crashing down and successfully suppressed the Auspicious Beast.