Chapter 15 Part 1

“Shizun, you awoke?”

Shen He was extremely delighted. At that moment, he sat in the room practicing his morning lesson.

Upon hearing Xie Linlang’s voice, he instinctively took out the Yellow Jade Gourd. He wanted to uncork it but remembered Xie Linlang’s prior warning and quickly held back.

He respectfully held the Yellow Jade Gourd with both hands and softly recounted the recent events in a low voice.

For instance, the difficulties he encountered during cultivation and pill refining. And also, how he was forced to take custody of a bird-type demon beast that appeared to be at Foundation Establishment, could speak human language, and was extremely ferocious with an unpredictable temper.

Xie Linlang immediately thought of the question Lin Yu had once asked him—some great demon senior needed high-quality Bone Transformation Pills.

He immediately asked cautiously, “Is that bird nearby? Is he secretly watching you? Your current appearance might expose my existence!”

Shen He was also clever and instantly understood Xie Linlang’s implication. He hurriedly put away the Yellow Jade Gourd and sat back down on the soft cushion, pretending to cultivate.

He asked anxiously, “Shizun, did you discover anything?”

Xie Linlang slightly released a thread of divine soul power and scanned around but found no signs of surveillance.

“…That avian great demon’s strength might surpass mine, so I couldn’t detect him either. You should still find a way to leave Silent Night Palace and lay low outside for a while.”

Shen He smiled bitterly as he took out his shattered White Bone Bell. “My protective artifact hasn’t been refined yet, and Night Senior already destroyed it. I also haven’t practiced the Cultivation Methods Lin Yu Shizun gave me. Going out in this situation… it’s safer to stay in the sect.”

Xie Linlang pondered briefly. “Tell me in detail about your interactions with him.”

Shen He immediately perked up and meticulously recounted everything that happened after receiving Night Senior, including his own feelings.

“That senior seemed very particular about pill refining. Especially after eating the Qi Gathering Pills I refined, he flew into a rage and beat me out of the Pill Room. He probably despised my poor skills.”

Xie Linlang asked a crucial question. “What breed is that avian great demon?”

Shen He replied, “I borrowed the Demon Beast Encyclopedia from the sect. Senior Brother Pang asked around at the disciple trading market in the sect and roughly confirmed that Night Senior seems to be some kind of aquatic avian. His talons are excessively broad and thick. Though still a fledgling, his skin already had fine, fish-scale-like patterns. When he opened his mouth to swallow Senior Brother Pang’s arm, his beak could expand to more than twice his body size. Only avian species that plunge their beaks deep into water to gulp down fish and shrimp would evolve such a jaw structure…”

Xie Linlang listened quietly. Once Shen He finished detailing his observations, Xie Linlang indifferently remarked, “It’s all fake.”

Shen He looked bewildered. “…Huh?”

Xie Linlang said flatly, “To speak human words at the Foundation Establishment Stage means this demon beast possesses extremely high intelligence. Only spirits favored by the heavens can awaken spiritual wisdom so early. Demon Race with such potent bloodlines can generally disguise their appearances freely, allowing them to survive their long and vulnerable fledgling periods.”

He patiently explained, “The form he chose is excellent. Consider this: he’s an aquatic demon avian, and Silent Night Palace is by the sea. Wouldn’t ordinary cultivators want a helper to slay sea demon beasts?”

Shen He drew in a sharp breath. Right—Silent Night Palace was in the southernmost sea domain, and many senior brothers and sisters in the sect did indeed raise water-attribute spirit pets.

Xie Linlang continued, “Though he’s a fledgling, his attack power is formidable. So even if his appetite is enormous and he’s picky enough to eat only high-quality Qi Gathering Pills, the cultivator raising him could barely tolerate it.”

As he spoke, a hint of amusement and appreciation crept into Xie Linlang’s tone. “The more investment the cultivator makes, the less willing they’ll be to abandon this demon avian. Once it grows to a certain point and realizes the keeper is useless, do you think it won’t swallow the keeper whole and find a new sponsor?”

He praised, “What a clever bird. Unfortunately, you can’t control him. Give up.”

Xie Linlang secretly thought that once he rebuilt his cultivation, he could raise such an avian demon as a helper if the opportunity arose.

Shen He felt a chill run down his spine. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and smiled bitterly. “This disciple only hopes to coexist peacefully with Night Senior and wishes for Shizun to safely reconstruct your body…”

After a pause, Shen He’s genuine curiosity surfaced—until now, he still didn’t know his Shizun’s name or appearance. “Shizun, weren’t you an immortal sect cultivator before? How are you so familiar with the Demon Race cultivators’ tricks?”

Xie Linlang smiled faintly. “The Demon Race also needs spirit pills, so they’d bring me shed plume feathers or unnecessary talons as materials. After much contact, one naturally learns a thing or two.”

At this point, a trace of faint nostalgia colored Xie Linlang’s tone. “Just like my demonic cultivator friends. Though they never spoke of their demonic sect’s internal affairs, they bluntly told me that demonic cultivators most dread incurring massive karma. If they can’t resolve the karma, heavenly tribulation will settle it for them.”

“I took the chance to ask them for many amusing little favors.”