Yellow Skinned Taoist Master

Chapter 168: Returning to Pure Immortal Temple, Listening to Great Principles

If there was a chance to start all over again.

Golden Horn would definitely let Silver Horn take the opportunity to leave the Old Temple.

No matter how thousands upon tens of thousands of flaws the Old Temple had.

That was still its home.

Going hungry was all, it counted as nothing.

It was always better than a life worse than death, right?

During this period of time since leaving the Old Temple, Golden Horn had encountered too many things.

It also received a huge number of beatings.

But savage beatings could not destroy its mind.

Torture was what did.And now, within this Nine Dragons Refining Heaven Furnace, Golden Horn had finally waited for an opportunity.

It sensed Chen Huangpi, and the Guanzhu was not inside the Pure Immortal Temple.

Thus, it frantically used its horn to ram the Nine Dragons Refining Heaven Furnace.

Its mouth unceasingly issued miserable, shrill dog barks.

Clang, clang, clang...

Woof, woof, woof...

However, Chen Huangpi's voice caused it to despair: "Golden Horn, Master said you need to be refined in the alchemy furnace for seven days. Right now, only two days have passed; I cannot let you out."

Before going to Xuzhou City, Master had stated that Golden Horn lacked a physical body and needed to be refined in the alchemy furnace for seven days before a physical body could be forged.

And he also told him to bring back more spices.

Now the spices had been brought back, yet who knew where Master had run off to.

Golden Horn howled non-stop.

Chen Huangpi was the Contract Master, and it was the subordinate dog.

They ought to have shared a telepathic connection, but the Guanzhu used some unknown method to seemingly sever this connection.

Therefore, no matter how Golden Horn shouted in its heart, Chen Huangpi couldn't hear its voice.

"Alright Golden Horn, you just stay properly in the alchemy furnace. There's only five days left, it'll pass very quickly."

Yes, five days' time would pass very quickly.

The spices were already brought back, could it not be quick?

Golden Horn fundamentally did not believe whatever method of refining a physical body the Guanzhu spoke of. When it was led around like a dog running all over the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the Guanzhu took it to many places and forcefully stuffed many evil spirits into its stomach.

Even if it couldn't eat anymore, it had to eat.

It had never been this stuffed in its entire life.

And he even said something about the more it ate, the richer the texture and mouthfeel of its meat would be.

And the more delicious it would be when roasted later.

Anger rose from within Golden Horn's heart, and wickedness grew from its courage.

"The Guanzhu bullies dogs too excessively!"

Golden Horn roared in its heart: "Rather than letting things be like this, it's better to... fight to the death with this broken alchemy furnace!"

Upon thinking this, Golden Horn mustered all its strength, and the heaven-defying horn atop its head bloomed with even more golden radiance.

It was the darling of the Yin Lands.

Naturally, it possessed the Earth attribute, and moreover, Earth generated Metal.

This golden horn was the hardest, most powerful thing on its entire body, besides its mouth.

Clang, clang, clang...

Chen Huangpi was originally about to leave.

But Golden Horn rammed the Nine Dragons Refining Heaven Furnace like a maniac, and golden radiance even spouted out from inside the alchemy furnace.

That radiance was incomparably sharp and piercing.

Even Chen Huangpi felt a trace of threat.

He said in surprise: "Since when did Golden Horn become this powerful?"

Previously, Golden Horn genuinely couldn't be considered formidable; it couldn't even defeat the Life-reaping Ghost from back then.

The Sons of Diting could walk unhindered sideways in the Underworld Yellow Spring.

But a Son of Diting starved into an aberrant entity could only tuck its tail between its legs and act like a dog.

The Life-reaping Ghost pondered for a bit, saying: "Contract Master, it should be that the evil spirits Golden Horn ate were digested by it, so it's recovering some power now. Once the Guanzhu finishes refining it, perhaps it can restore its peak condition."

"How strong was it in its peak condition?"

"That depends on how strong its father was."

The Life-reaping Ghost explained: "The Sons of Diting are different from Yellow Spring Nether Race entities like me. Their power originates from the first Diting born in the Yin Lands. The first-generation Diting was the Yama of the First Court; that is a powerhouse second only to the Yin Emperor."

"Later, that generation of Diting split its power, giving birth to the second generation, and so on."

"If Golden Horn's father was extremely powerful, and allocated a lot of power to it, then after it reaches adulthood, it might perhaps be comparable to an Immortal."

Chen Huangpi said in astonishment: "You mean, Golden Horn hasn't reached adulthood yet?"

"Naturally not."

The Life-reaping Ghost said: "Its father died, so naturally it lacked the opportunity to reach adulthood. Otherwise, there ought to be a nether inscription on the horn atop its head."

The power of the Sons of Diting was mostly inherited from their fathers.

This race did not have mothers—or rather, the Yin Lands was their mother.

The so-called adulthood required a father to bestow a nether inscription.

That nether inscription was an incredibly powerful innate divine ability.

Before the Heaven and Earth Mutation, Golden Horn and Silver Horn pestered the Daoists of the Pure Immortal Temple to run to the mortal realm to do grand matters. Those Daoists originally didn't want to bring them along, but they shamelessly and relentlessly pestered them, and even told the Daoists where the most yellow mud was.

Thus, the Daoists of the Pure Immortal Temple brought Golden Horn and Silver Horn into the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

As for grand matters, there were none.

They could only assign them the task of guarding the gates of the Scripture Pavilion.

Therefore, practically speaking, neither Golden Horn nor Silver Horn had reached adulthood.

"So Golden Horn is exactly like me, neither of us have grown up."

Chen Huangpi sighed with some emotion. Seeing Golden Horn continuing to unceasingly ram the Nine Dragons Refining Heaven Furnace, a feeling of sympathy arose in his heart.

Presumably, Golden Horn was locked inside the alchemy furnace and felt so stifled that it couldn't bear it.

Therefore, it wanted to come out for some fresh air.

"Golden Horn, I'll let you out right now."

With this thought, Chen Huangpi subsequently formed an esoteric seal with both hands, striking a stream of vital essence toward the Nine Dragons Refining Heaven Furnace.

Rumble...

The massive Nine Dragons Refining Heaven Furnace instantly emitted an enormous sound.

The nine golden dragons coiled around the alchemy furnace immediately began to slither, issuing dragon roars toward the nine directions.

And then, Chen Huangpi saw a ghost-like entity dart out from the alchemy furnace. It was entirely pitch-black, with only the horn atop its head remaining golden, and its eight eyes wide open.

"This... this is Golden Horn?"

Chen Huangpi said in surprise: "This is clearly a lump of charcoal!"

"Whimper whimper..." Golden Horn's eight eyes brimmed with tears as it whined helplessly toward Chen Huangpi.

It thought Chen Huangpi wasn't going to bother with it anymore.

It entirely hadn't expected him to actually let it out.

Chen Huangpi said, unable to bear it: "Golden Horn, don't rub against me, my pant legs are getting dirty from you. Didn't you previously say staying inside the alchemy furnace was very comfortable? Yet looking at your appearance right now, you are clearly suffering hardships and enduring torture..."

Golden Horn cried even harder.

It bit down dead hard onto Chen Huangpi's pant leg, and then used its paw to write characters on the ground.

"It was all the First Guanzhu controlling what I said."

"The First Guanzhu also wants to eat me. Papa Huangpi, you must seek justice for me!"

"Golden Horn, you misunderstand."

Chen Huangpi patiently wiped away Golden Horn's tears, explaining: "Master is helping you grow stronger. If he wanted to eat you, why would he waste all this effort? It absolutely cannot be just to make you taste better."

Golden Horn hadn't written many characters its entire life.

Their knowledge of nether inscriptions was innate, but knowing and recognizing them was different from writing them.

And to make matters worse, nether inscriptions possessed numerous strokes, looking just like ghost scribbles.

Golden Horn's writing speed couldn't keep up with Chen Huangpi's words, so it anxiously resorted to gesturing with its paws.

And with these gestures.

It turned out to be even more effective than writing.

Chen Huangpi frowned and said: "Master forced you to eat evil spirits, eating a great deal, even eating a Misfortune, and then threw you into the alchemy furnace to refine those evil spirits into your physical body?"

Golden Horn gestured: "Papa Huangpi, that's exactly how it is!!"

Chen Huangpi flew into a furious rage, saying: "Golden Horn, set your heart at ease. I will definitely seek justice for you! You are my family, and Master is also my family; how can family eat family!"

"When Master returns, I will definitely..."

"Definitely what?"

A familiar voice sounded from behind.

It wasn't the somewhat mad and eccentric tone of the First Master, but the icy cold flavor permeated with killing intent of the Third Master.

Chen Huangpi's expression remained unchanged as he snorted coldly: "Golden Horn, don't try to deceive me by putting on the voice of my most respected and beloved Third Master. I said it, I am definitely going to furiously scold you!"

"Papa Huangpi, I didn't speak."

Golden Horn gestured: "Besides, why would you furiously scold me? You ought to enthusiastically scold the Guan..."

Gesturing up to here.

Golden Horn's paw trembled uncontrollably.

Because it saw the Guanzhu wearing a green Daoist robe walk in through the doors of the alchemy room.

Most crucially, the Third Guanzhu's expression right now was extremely icy cold.

That head of white hair, furthermore, billowed in the wind, overflowing with a chilling murderous aura.

He looked exactly as if he had just slaughtered somebody.

The green-robed old Daoist cast a glancing look at Golden Horn: "You intend to furiously scold this Poor Daoist?"

Golden Horn shook its head incessantly.

Chen Huangpi was taught by the Guanzhu, and even he could understand its gestures; how could the Guanzhu possibly fail to understand?

If it gesturing further, it feared it might gesture itself out of existence.

"Go wash yourself."

The green-robed old Daoist said coldly: "That body of yours is too filthy. Don't return to the temple before washing clean; interacting with you looking like this brings bad luck."

"Yes, Third Guanzhu!"

Golden Horn gestured excitedly, and then unhesitatingly spread all four legs, charging out of the Pure Immortal Temple like a wild horse slipping its reins.

This was what the Third Guanzhu said.

Cannot return to the temple without washing clean.

Seeing this, Chen Huangpi couldn't help saying: "Golden Horn, remember to come back after dark."

"Aooooooo!!!"

Golden Horn responded with a wild and unbridled laugh.

Come back?

It was never coming back ever again!

Watching Golden Horn run until its shadow vanished, Chen Huangpi hastily said to the green-robed old Daoist: "Third Master, you've been deceived by Golden Horn. It's never coming back. I'll go chase it right now."

Speaking, Chen Huangpi also prepared to run.

The murderous aura on Third Master's body was too heavy.

He was scared...

However, no sooner had Chen Huangpi taken a step than he felt both feet leave the ground.

Lifting Chen Huangpi by the collar, the green-robed old Daoist sneered: "It will come back. Conversely, it is you, Huangpi'er—did you have fun playing in the outside world this time?"

"Master told you not to stay out overnight."

"Yet look at you. Only when the sun is three poles high do you remember to come home."

"It seems you still haven't thoroughly digested the principles Master taught you last time."

...

A quarter of an hour later.

Pure Immortal Temple, beneath the crooked neck tree.

Chen Huangpi and the Brass Oil Lamp were hoisted up in the branches.

The green-robed old Daoist sat on a reclining chair grasping a bamboo cane, while the Fox Mountain God flatteringly brought over a pot of tea.

This scene looked familiar.

Chen Huangpi shouted: "Third Master, I've thoroughly digested your principles! This time I've truly digested them thoroughly!"

The Brass Oil Lamp shrieked misearbly in agony: "Third Guanzhu, I have merit! I have contributed merit!"

The green-robed old Daoist's eyes harbored baleful intent as he said coldly: "One plays outside until the sky turns dark and the earth grows dim, while the other's brain spasms and turns into an evil spirit. And even now, both are remaining obstinate in their mouths. It seems the principles still haven't been thoroughly digested."

Chen Huangpi and the Brass Oil Lamp exchanged glances.

The expressions of one person and one lamp continually shifted.

The Brass Oil Lamp pondered darkly in its heart: "Chen Huangpi, I'm sorry!"

However, the moment this thought popped up, it abruptly discovered the Dog Rearing Scripture within its body circulating automatically. It wanted to open its mouth, yet its mouth was sealed dead shut.

Chen Huangpi said with a stern and upright face: "Third Master, this was all my fault; it has nothing to do with Huang Er. If you want to beat someone, beat me. Stop beating Huang Er."

The Brass Oil Lamp widened its eyes in disbelief.

And then, it subconsciously blurted: "Third Guanzhu, do not listen to Chen Huangpi! It is all my fault."

Now, the Brass Oil Lamp discovered in astonishment that it could actually speak its words aloud.

The Dog Rearing Scripture in its body had also stopped circulating.

Chen Huangpi tightly shut both eyes, sighing: "Huang Er, I originally intended to take all the blame on your behalf. Yet I never expected you were unwilling to let me suffer an unredressed injustice, candidly confessing your crimes and accepting punishment. I underestimated you."