Translator: Tamon
This two-legged fowl was fat and big. It was covered in colorful plumage and a hint of spiritual energy. It was a demon as plain as day, and not a weak one either.
“A late Awareness Demon?”
Xu Hei gasped. He looked everywhere in a ten-kilometer radius and found no such demon, not like he’d go after such a powerful specimen even if it was around.
The old dog was panting and sweating. Getting the two birds must’ve been hard.
“He-he, this here’s called a Spirit Tail Chicken, a spirit fowl the nearby sect is rearing just for eating. It’s better than any wild game. I happened to pass by so I took a couple.” The dog snickered at his joke.
Xu Hei burrowed underground on the spot, using Divine Sense to scan for any pursuers.
“Lighten up, I’m always thorough. There’s no one in the world that can catch up to Wander-, ahem. So take it easy, no one is coming.”
The dog looked so smug, with his head held high, as he used a paw to pluck the feathers.
Xu Hei figured he wasn’t faking it and came out.
The dog made quick work of plucking the feathers, leaving the chicken bare.
A wave of its paw made a pile of coal appear, roasting the bare chicken under Xu Hei’s gaze.
The Spirit Tail Chicken shined from all the grease, spreading its Spiritual Energy and intoxicating aroma.
The dog even seasoned the barbecue with salt, cumin, and spiritual herbs taken from Heaven-knew where, bringing out the meal’s true flavor.
Xu Hei struggled to look away, but the smell was simply divine. Coupled with the spiritual aura it gave, a definite boost to cultivation, Xu Hei was drooling.
The wolf king was also drawn by this godlike aroma, impossible to fight its instincts, as did the white snake.
The wolf king stared from behind Xu Hei with big and mesmerized eyes, slobbering on the ground.
The Spirit Tail Chicken was soon ready and the black dog happily teared into it.
The wolf king glanced at Xu Hei, making sure he didn’t go after the thrown bones, before rushing to gnaw on them.
Xu Hei left. Out of sight, out of mind.
The black dog followed, munching all the while, making sure to smack his mouth every time and incite Xu Hei.
“Beat it!” Xu Hei spat a Fireball in anger.
The dog slid out of the way with a grin. “Easy there, I’m you’re master. The least I can do is give you one.
“For that spirit stone, of course.” He finished.
Xu Hei choked on his words at the dog’s demand.
[He did all that for the spirit stone.]
“Before you refuse, you should know the Spirit Tail Chicken is worth three spirit stones. You’re the winner here.” The dog beamed.
Xu Hei ignored him, but the dog just wouldn’t leave him, chewing loudly.
The snake couldn’t take it. “Chicken first.”
The dog gave the other Spirit Tail Chicken without delay.
Xu Hei gave it a good look, then threw the spirit stone to the dog.
“That’s more like it!” The black dog nodded.
The dog threw the chicken bones to the wolf king and white snake before sitting down then and there to absorb the spirit stone.
Xu Hei sniffed the chicken before wolfing it down.
The Spirit Tail Chicken was average in size, and easy to swallow. The digesting part proved much slower than even wild game.
Xu Hei used the Demon God Cauldron to the max and saw a trail of energy coming out of the chicken and into the cauldron. The Spiritual Energy drops inside were growing under his eyes.
They filled it!
Xu Hei was at the peak 4th layer of Awareness Stage, but this push was enough to get him through the wall.
“Advanced!”
Under Xu Hei’s watchful eye, the Spiritual Energy drops condensed into a point. He felt a newfound power erupting from his body.
His tail’s golden scales grew and grew.
His old skin shed.
Xu Hei had advanced to the 5th layer!
The Spirit Tail Chicken wasn’t finished even, forming a new Spiritual Energy drop that filled the Demon God Cauldron.
Xu Hei picked a vial of Qi Pill and swallowed it whole.
It helped to speed up cultivation and not with advancing.
The Spiritual Energy drop grew faster, followed by another and another at great speeds.
It only stopped when it reached nine.
Xu Hei reached the peak of 5th layer.
Only now did the Spirit Tail Chicken was digested, leaving Xu Hei in awe at how much he could squeeze out of one fowl.
[Best deal of my life!]
The dog was right that the fowl was worth three spirit stones.
Three days passed since Xu Hei advanced.
The white snake and the wolf king were cultivating as well.
The black dog opened his eyes as the spirit stone turned to dust. Glancing at Xu Hei, he was astounded.
[He reached the peak of 5th layer in three days with just one Spirit Tail Chicken and a vial of Qi Pills.]
[Such speed is only possible with a powerful cultivation method, even on par with my Heavenly Devil Art.]
The dog watched Xu Hei the following day, from digesting to breathing.
His initial idea of giving Xu Hei a cultivation method was no longer viable.
“Disciple, how was the Spirit Tail Chicken?” The dog smiled.
“Good.” Xu Hei said bluntly.
“Then let’s go together. With both of us working together and splitting the haul, I guarantee you’ll reach the late level within the month and peak Awareness Stage in a year!” The dog grinned.
Xu Hei squinted. “No. A late Awareness demon is too dangerous. Go by yourself.”
Any other human, and even demon, would’ve said yes in a heartbeat at such incredible improvement prospects!
Not Xu Hei, for he knew that nothing was free in this world.
“Humph, you call this thing a demon? Raised by humans, it had been stripped of any strength, weaker than a mid Awareness demon. I got two just like that.”
The dog huffed at his direct refusal.
The last time Xu Hei stole from humans, he almost died in that pigpen. He wanted nothing to do with such a thing ever again.
The dog sneered at his hesitation. “If you won’t come, I’ll go by myself and bring any human that chases me to you.”
Xu Hei’s face fell, a vein popping on his head. “I’ve never seen a more rotten bastard!”
The dog laughed with pride. “Ha-ha, take it easy. Follow Master and you’ll eat to your heart’s content. I can sniff out any danger from a mile away, too. Have I ever lied to you?”