*Meow*
As Hao Xuan was about to return to the physical world, he heard a voice from behind. Still in somewhat of a daze, he turned around and saw Zhurong sitting right behind him.
"You finally woke up huh?" he absentmindedly extended his right hand and pet him as usual.
"It can't hurt you. The 'thing' inside. As long as I stand guard, it cannot leave," a childish voice sounded in his head. Stunned for a few seconds, he looked down at Zhurong who was enjoying the petting with closed eyes.
"Is that why you came in here?" he murmured.
Zhurong nodded innocently. Hao Xuan paused and then remembered something.
"Do you know what it is then?" he whispered.
Zhurong shook his head. "Old, it's very old. Older than father even. And very strong. But it's not really here. I can feel it."
But the fact remained that 'it' was extremely strong either way, whatever it was, and there was nothing Hao Xuan could do about it right now.
"Why the hell did this happen? Some evil piece of sh*t suddenly decides to take residence in my head? One bullsh*t after another keeps coming up. This new world is kinda shi*tty," he cursed inwardly.
"Let's go out then," he picked up Zhurong and tried to leave but Zhurong started fussing about.
"No, I stay. Guard door," he shook his little head.
"Relax, he isn't going anywhere. You don't have to stay here," Hao Xuan said quickly and then paused, "Actually, how did you get in here in the first place??" he asked with a deep frown.
Zhurong's expression changed instantly and he jumped up on Hao Xuan's shoulder while his voice resounded in his head, "Go go, hungry, food!" he said raising his front paw forward.
"That's what I thought," Hao Xuan grinned and returned to the physical world.
He opened his eyes and saw Jin Wang's face less than a foot away from him.
"Ahh, what the f*ck are you doing?!" he back up several steps.
"Just making sure you didn't die or something," Jin Wang grinned and returned to what he was doing.
"You might wanna clean up before eating," he put down several plates of food.
"Clean up?" Hao Xuan got up and looked at a mirror, almost letting out a scream. There was dried black bloodstains everywhere. His clothes which he had worn only for a couple of hours were ruined again.
"Damnit."
He washed up and changed into some new ones.
"Looks like you went above and beyond eh?" Hao Xuan said looking at over 15 different dishes. Everything from noodles to what seemed like top-grade steaks were placed there, cooked to perfection.
Zhurong was already halfway through a giant sheep-like beast that was dripping oil onto the fire.
"This little..." Hao Xuan was left speechless watching Zhurong expertly jump from one bone to another while cleaning every piece of meat on the carcass. And all on an open flame to boot.
"You're not gonna get much if you keep staring like that," Jin Wang's voice woke him from his daze as he turned around and saw him wolfing down an entire steak in two bites.
"You damn animals!" he shouted and jumped in as well.
It took almost an hour for them to finish everything. There was enough food to feed more than 20 people there but all three of them cleaned up everything.
Zhurong and Jin Wang had purposefully slowed down in the middle and let Hao Xuan have the majority of it as he looked like a malnourished beggar already.
It was already 4 in the evening and Hao Xuan was tired so he decided to call it a night and go to sleep. Zhurong, of course, followed after as eating and sleeping were two of his favorite pastimes, especially if they come one after another.
Hao Xuan woke up the next morning completely refreshed. He looked like his old self again. Jin Wang had already made a big breakfast once again, but Hao Xuan wasn't one to complain.
After finishing the food, Hao Xuan recalled the portable camp and summoned Bai.
"Lead the way," he said while jumping on.
Jin Wang shook his head, "No no, that's gonna take too long. Let's use my mount," he waved his hand and a giant beast appeared, dwarfing even Bai who was already quite big.
This creature had a dragon head and the body of a horse. The two wings on its side opened up to more than 70 meters each.
Even Bai himself could ride this creature.
"Damn, I gotta get me one of these," Hao Xuan said with visible envy. He patted the grey scally hide of the beast, making it turn around and stare at him in displeasure.
"She doesn't like when strangers touch her too much. Get on, let's go!" Jin Wang jumped on and landed on her back casually.
Hao Xuan patted Bai's head, "When I breakthrough to the Spirit realm, I'll find a way to help you evolve and become much stronger. It would so cool if you could grow wings too."
Bai looked at him with his usual expressionless face and returned to his Meridian on his own.
"Why do you all keep treating my body like a motel?" he mumbled annoyingly.
Hao Xuan jumped on the dragon-horse and it took off like a bullet, disappearing into the black clouds.