Who Would Be the Auspicious Beast's Lackey?

By then, the Ice Empress had also noticed something odd about the cave.

This place seemed to be the Emperor Auspicious Beast's cave.

At that thought, the Ice Empress offered some reassurance. "In my opinion, the Emperor Auspicious Beast won't come back. Super soul beasts like us have plenty of caves. She's probably forgotten about this one. Rest here. You might even borrow some of the Auspicious Beast's fortune to turn your luck around."

"In short, there's nowhere safer than here. Besides, the Auspicious Beast hasn't returned for several years."

Jiang Chen drew back the foot he had already stepped forward with.

The Ice Empress had a point.

A soul beast like the Emperor Auspicious Beast usually lived in the core region. Why would she lose her mind and come to the mixed region?

Besides, a battle was raging outside. If he went out, he might get attacked by soul beasts.

With that in mind, Jiang Chen sat straight down on the Auspicious Beast's stone bed, crossed his legs, and began cultivating.

Rumble!

The commotion outside continued, still terrifying beyond measure.

But before long, a lion soul beast with five dragonlike claws, an amber body, and a dragonlike appearance entered the cave where Jiang Chen was cultivating in seclusion. She was none other than the renowned Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.

At that moment, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had a light lion's head clamped in her jaws and was padding happily inside, ready to enjoy a late-night snack.

Deep in the cave, Jiang Chen's eyes snapped open.

Was his luck really that bad?

The Auspicious Beast had come back?

The Ice Empress spoke from within his mind. "Sometimes, even I have to marvel at your luck. The Auspicious Beast actually came back."

Jiang Chen said, "Let's run!"

The Ice Empress rolled her eyes and sighed. "The Three-Eyed Golden Lion is bound to have a ferocious beast guarding her. This cave is only so big. If you leave, you'll definitely run into the Auspicious Beast, and the ferocious beast will definitely spot you. Then you'll be dead for certain."

"Can I still survive?" Jiang Chen asked, sounding rather desperate.

The Ice Empress thought for a moment before answering. "I'm a ferocious beast too. I should be able to talk to the Auspicious Beast. If we can't reach an agreement, we'll have to threaten her."

"If I detonate my own essence, the Auspicious Beast will never survive. That's our only chance."

At her words, the despair on Jiang Chen's face eased considerably.

His luck wasn't completely rotten. There was still hope of survival.

He immediately found a concealed spot and hid.

Before long, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion entered with her dinner in her jaws, returned to her nest, and began enjoying her meal, gobbling down mouthfuls of brain matter.

Watching this, Jiang Chen felt physically sick.

Just then, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion abruptly raised her head from her dinner. She sniffed and noticed something amiss.

Why was there a stranger's scent in her cave-and a freshly left one at that?

Had a human set their sights on her?

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion rose and began following the human scent, prowling around the cave.

After searching for several minutes, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion came face-to-face with Jiang Chen behind a wall, the two staring wide-eyed at each other.

Jiang Chen raised a hand and gave a stiff little wave. "H... hello there!"

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's fur bristled at once, her expression turning vicious. "Feeble human, you have some nerve! You dared trespass in my cave? I see you've already chosen the path to your own death!"

"Die!"

As she spoke, she raised a paw and swatted down, intending to kill Jiang Chen.

Just then, however, the Ice Empress suddenly appeared and shouted, "Wait!"

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's paw stopped in midair. Only then did she notice the Ice Empress in human form. Frowning slightly, she asked, "You're... the Ice Empress?"

The Ice Empress let out a relieved breath. "Auspicious Beast, it's me."

"I'm very sorry. My human companion and I stumbled into your cave by chance, but we had no other choice. Please spare Jiang Chen for the Snow Empress's sake."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion lifted her eyes and scrutinized Jiang Chen, confirming that the Ice Empress was indeed within him and had even become a human's soul ring and soul bone.

That made her even angrier.

This damned human had actually dared enslave the Ice Empress!

She moved to swat Jiang Chen dead again.

The Ice Empress stopped the Three-Eyed Golden Lion once more and told the Auspicious Beast about her great tribulation, as well as how she had come to choose Jiang Chen.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion sighed. "Why didn't you come to our Star Dou Great Forest to face your tribulation? My fortune might have helped you survive your fourth great tribulation."

"You might be willing to help me, but Di Tian wouldn't necessarily agree. Our beliefs are different," the Ice Empress said.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion thought it over seriously and realized she was right.

She was willing to help the Ice Empress, but Di Tian wouldn't be.

Afterward, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion agreed to let Jiang Chen stay in the cave for the time being. She returned to her dinner and even invited him to join her.

"I... I'll pass. I don't like eating brains."

Looking at that glistening white stuff, Jiang Chen felt his stomach churn like an overturned sea. He truly had no appetite.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion rolled her eyes.

He didn't even know how to enjoy such a delicacy. What a criminal waste of heaven's bounty.

Before long, however, the aroma of roast rabbit wafted up in front of Jiang Chen, a scent that whetted the appetite.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion suddenly found the brains unappealing. Raising a paw, she called, "Jiang Chen, bring that roast rabbit up here! I want some!"

She was asking for food, yet acting so entitled!

Jiang Chen smiled faintly and passed her the roast rabbit. "Eat as much as you like. This is my secret culinary art."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion ignored Jiang Chen and tucked into the roast rabbit.

Yet after only a few bites, her eyes lit up.

Delicious!

So delicious!

To think such a delicacy existed in this world! It was even tastier than brains.

But soon, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion remembered that she had eaten rabbit before. It had reeked and tasted utterly disgusting. How had it become so delicious in Jiang Chen's hands?

She couldn't figure it out, nor did she intend to try.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion glanced back at Jiang Chen. "Human, stay by my side and cook from now on. I need a human chef."

Jiang Chen cupped his hands and politely declined.

Who would be the Emperor Auspicious Beast's lackey?

Just then, however, the Ice Empress suddenly spoke. "Auspicious Beast, if you want to keep eating food this delicious, become Jiang Chen's friend."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion looked Jiang Chen over. He seemed harmless enough, and she was willing to make a friend.

The corners of the Ice Empress's lips lifted. A perfect opportunity. She said bluntly, "You are an ancient divine beast, known as an emperor in ancient times. Your fortune can shelter soul beasts, and it can shelter humans too. Would you be willing to shelter Jiang Chen?"

Before the Three-Eyed Golden Lion could speak, Jiang Chen silently broke into a nervous sweat beside her.

The Ice Empress really dared to say anything.

Borrowing the Auspicious Beast's fortune to turn his luck around-Di Tian would go mad if he found out.

After all, once fortune was lent out, there was less of it left. It wasn't something cultivation could replenish.

At that moment, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion fell into a brief silence.

Should she help turn Jiang Chen's luck around?

If she didn't, she would lose a friend and never get to eat roast rabbit like this again.

But if she did, they could become friends across the divide between their species.

After much deliberation, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion raised a paw and declared proudly, "I'll turn your luck around. But next time you come to the Star Dou Great Forest, you have to bring me roast rabbit, roast pheasant, roast spotted duck, steamed bear paws, steamed deer tails, braised pork, braised pork and duck, soy-sauce chicken..."

Only after rattling off dozens of dishes was the Auspicious Beast satisfied.

She had seen all of these in human cookbooks. She had originally thought human food would be hard to stomach, but after eating roast rabbit today, she had decided to taste them all.

Even worldly as Jiang Chen was, his expression couldn't help changing. Still, he nodded in agreement.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion raised her paw and stressed, "Three hundred portions of each."