Even as he spoke, a vicious dog formed from black mist happened to be rubbing affectionately against Xu Taiping's leg.
In truth, not only Zhu Yan but even Xu Taiping himself was somewhat surprised.
Xu Taiping had been ready to dart away, but upon seeing the vicious dog at his feet, he tentatively reached out.
Whimper...
The vicious dog not only refrained from attacking him, but rubbed affectionately against his palm instead.
Whimper... whimper...!
What puzzled him even more was that several more Fierce Hounds formed from black mist and divine being power came up to him, rubbing affectionately against him just like the first.
Utterly puzzled, Xu Taiping immediately called out to Blade Ghost, who was being besieged by the Fierce Hounds:
"Senior Blade Ghost, why aren't these Fierce Hounds attacking me?"
Somewhat flustered, Blade Ghost laughed in exasperation:
"How would I know?!"
He immediately added:
"Quick! Stop tangling with these Fierce Hounds. Go all out, and we'll head straight down the shaft and take that thing!"
But Xu Taiping did not go all out as Blade Ghost had urged. Instead, he immediately activated the Lotus Eye while reaching out to press his hand against one of the Fierce Hounds' heads.
He instinctively sensed that what was happening might be the key to breaking out of this crisis.
"Whimper..."
The vicious dog whose head Xu Taiping was holding not only offered no resistance, but seemed incredibly happy.
At once, Xu Taiping became even more certain.
There must be something strange about this!
Just then, with a boom, a golden flame suddenly flared in his Left-Eye Lotus Pupil.
At the same time, an image emerged in Xu Taiping's mind.
In that image, a pack of Fierce Hounds radiating five-colored halos, along with several fierce tigers and giant elephants, surrounded him.