The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 306: The Apex of Life and Death, Pity for My Alien Self

The heavens and earth transformed in an instant. The demonic aura pierced through the clouds like an arrow, hurtling towards the twisting Portal of Time, Space, Life, and Death in the distant horizon.

The downpour that had lasted for over ten days suddenly ceased.

It had been pouring cats and dogs, but now, not a single drop remained.

Someone's lips trembled as they asked, barely holding onto hope, "W-What's happening? What's going on?"

No one answered him. Every pair of eyes was fixated on the direction of the Portal of Time, Space, Life, and Death, yet the massive black portal that almost covered half the sky showed no signs of abnormality.

People waited anxiously and uneasily.

Hearts pounded...

No abnormalities, no abnormalities.

None at all.

"The rain has stopped... Could it be that nothing untoward happened?"

"It should have been a false alarm. Everything's fine, right...?"

One by one, people exhaled in relief, their tense faces relaxing. However, just at this moment, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently.

"What's happening?!"

They looked up again to witness the black hole of the Portal of Time and Death expanding at an astonishing pace, devouring the lingering rain clouds in the sky. Suddenly, a shrill whistle pierced the air, leaving everyone stunned! — A brilliant scarlet phoenix burst out from the black hole, soaring through the heavens. With its wings spread wide, it seemed capable of blocking out the sun. Its eyes were like vast lakes, its talons resembled towering mountains, and each of its feathers was over a hundred meters long. With a single flap of its wings, the entire land of China was swept with gusts of wind, uprooting countless plants. The nearest Kunlun Mountains saw their snow melting and ice cracking.

"Chirp-!!"

In the blink of an eye, the divine bird perched atop Mount Kun, letting out a piercing cry that echoed the whistling sound heard when the Portal of Time and Death opened and closed.

"This is..."

A cultivator cried out in horror, "It's the Primordial Phoenix!"

"It's the Ancestral Phoenix!"

This was an ancient divine beast, one that had existed even before illustrations were created, and it eventually came under the command of the God of the North Pole, Gouchen. The Primordial Phoenix had the power to move mountains and fill seas. When it spread its colossal wings and soared through the nine heavens, its speed surpassed lightning and outshone the morning sun.

Chu Wanning murmured, "So… it has always been the guardian of the Gate of Life and Death?"

The Space-Time Gate of Life and Death, one of the three forbidden arts created by Gouchen, actually opened the void prison that held the Primordial Phoenix captive. When people stepped into the rift, the phoenix would cry out and carry them on its back, riding the winds and flying through time, transporting them to the past or the future. However, its body was too massive, and its speed too swift, so those who opened the gate usually couldn't catch a glimpse of it. They could only hear its call before being whisked away to the era they desired.

Perched atop Kunlun Mountain, the golden-eyed phoenix looked down at the earth with a somber, aged voice, like a great bell warning humanity, "Order exists in the mortal world. You defy it, and you shall face the wrath of heaven."

After saying this, it took flight, revealing its nine golden tail feathers that dragged along the ground. With each flap of its wings, the earth shook and hills crumbled! It was a breathtaking sight, as if the end of days had come.

Chu Wanning barked fiercely, "Retreat!"

Not just one person shouted alongside him; virtually every sect leader and elder had the same instinctual reaction at this moment—

Retreat.

Survival was an innate impulse, and no further reminders were needed. The cultivators, who seemed insignificant before the Primordial Phoenix, took to their swords and fled in the opposite direction.

Mei Hanxue arrived beside Chu Wanning just then, brushing aside the disheveled strands of hair from his forehead. "Master, please have them retreat to the boundary of the Space-Time Gate of Life and Death."

Without waiting for Chu Wanning to ask, he continued, "This mortal world has long been doomed. For the past eight years, Xue Meng and I have been searching for ways to minimize the disaster when this day finally arrived. That's why, ever since the two mortal worlds connected, we've been guarding the Gate of Life and Death with the Black Tortoise Heavy Armor, setting up a protective barrier."

The Black Tortoise Heavy Armor was a relic from the same era as the Primordial Phoenix. A defensive barrier formed with its foundation could amplify its power by millions of times.

It was said that the armor molted by the Black Tortoise resided in the treacherous East Sea, a place where survival was almost impossible.

How much danger had the Mei brothers of this mortal world and Xue Meng faced to bring it back...

Mei Hanxue said, "Master, please order everyone to retreat to the other side. Let them all return to their own mortal worlds."

"..."

"It's only fitting that the calamity born of this mortal world ends here."

As he spoke, the Primordial Phoenix soared into the sky in the distance, its golden and crimson tail feathers stirring up snowdrifts on Kunlun Mountain. It transformed into a beam of red light across the heavens, so swift that no one could catch a glimpse. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the Yellow River reversed its flow, the Yangtze River surged upstream, and the vast ocean waters rose thousands of feet high, as if the entire sea had been lifted from its bed and was now crashing down upon the mainland!

The sea's waters raged from above, turning the Nine Provinces into a desolate wasteland.

Chu Wanning was about to retreat but realized that the floodwaters were swallowing the land at a pace faster than everyone's flight on swords. In just moments, they were closing in on their location, and it seemed they would soon overtake most of those retreating.

Decisive as ever, he instructed Mei Hanxue, "Take Xue Meng and lead them away first. I'll stay here and buy some time."

As he spoke, he summoned the Raising Dragon Talisman once more, soaring into the sky.

Chu Wanning thundered, "Heaven's Inquiry! Coffin for Ten Thousand Men!"

Willows sprang up from the ground. He bit his fingertip and dripped blood onto them, commanding, "Construct a wall!"

Vines entwined with vines, willow branches intertwined with branches, layer upon layer, creating an endless, towering wall in an instant.

"Summon the Nine Songs!"

A glow erupted from his palm, and the Nine Songs rested on his knee. Chu Wanning plucked the strings, and amidst the flowing melody, golden light enveloped the willow-vine barrier, making it even more impregnable. By the time he finished, the massive flood was already approaching---

"Swoosh—!"

A splash hit the wall, instantly creating a colossal tidal wave.

Half-turning his face to Mei Hanxue, Chu Wanning urged, "Hurry and leave!"

This situation was unforeseen even by Mei Hanxue, who, despite his heart burning with anxiety, was powerless to act. He could only bow respectfully to Chu Wanning before vanishing into the depths of the dense forest.

For a moment, the army of cultivators retreated, while Chu Wanning fought desperately to hold back the tide.

The surging floodwaters roared, attempting to tear apart the dyke formed by Tianwen and Jiuge's combined powers.

On the Path of Martyrdom, before the Butterfly Bone Beauty Sect, the gate to the Realm of Devils slowly opened before their eyes. The peaceful, crimson and deep purple hues of the demonic realm interwove with the panic-stricken scene on earth.

The door was now fully open.

Shi Mo, standing at the forefront, was the first to be enveloped by the pure demonic aura. It made his entire body tremble with pleasure, and he couldn't help but greedily inhale the demonic energy. The shriveled spirit nucleus in his chest expanded and revived as it finally came into contact with the devilish breath.

A power belonging to the devils now coursed through his veins.

So this was how it felt to possess immense spiritual strength?

He had finally experienced it... He had finally felt it!

Ecstasy illuminated his eyes, and a wild gleam appeared on his handsome face, mirroring the excitement of every Butterfly Bone Clan member standing behind him.

Those once fragile, spirit-core-deprived beauties, whose strength was no more than a feather's weight, had finally regained the power that was rightfully theirs.

A bent old man with a speckled beard and hair slowly appeared at the entrance of the Demon Realm. His scarlet eyes swept across the crowd before his wrinkled skin creased into a grin. "Oh dear, I've been waiting here for four thousand years. The previous gatekeepers have perished, yet I've never seen any of these Beauty Thrones achieve such a feat."

Supporting himself with a cane, he spoke contentedly, "Well done, well done. Your resistance against the Divine Realm has been commendable. Excellent, excellent."

After his words, he glanced at the crumbling human world, revealing his stained teeth in a smile.

The ancient demon shifted to one side, creating a passage for the Butterfly Bone Beauty Thrones. He said in a trembling voice, "This old one humbly welcomes you all back home."

Behind them, a flood raged, but it was a matter of the human realm, unrelated to the demons.

Shi Mo took one last look at Chu Wanning, who was desperately fighting against the natural disaster. Was this bravery or foolishness?

Perhaps it was precisely Chu Wanning's foolishness that had once stirred his emotions. As he was about to depart, Shi Mo couldn't help but recall the year when Elder Yu Heng had escorted him home under an umbrella. Back then, by the Bridge of Helplessness, they encountered a crawling, hunched earthworm.

Chu Wanning cast a casual glance and waved his sleeve. The worm was enveloped in a golden glow and gently placed back into the grass and trees.

"What are you doing, Elder?"

Chu Wanning's expression was neutral. "It's in the way."

This explanation was clearly feeble, and Shi Mo chuckled. "Elder truly has a kind heart. But when it rains, the soil can be oppressive. If you put it back in the ground, it will soon wriggle out and crawl to the surface, blocking your path once more."

Chu Wanning paused slightly, a faint crease appearing between his smooth brows.

"...I've never known that," he said, glancing down at Shi Mo again. "You know quite a bit."

Shi Mo smiled bashfully. "Earthworms are called land dragons; they're often used in medicine. So I've learned a little about their habits. I only know these things that aren't of much use."

The two continued walking, but Shi Mo found that Chu Wanning still casually "took care" of any creatures that blocked their path. Eventually, he could only laugh helplessly and join in.

Seeing Shi Mo struggling to bend over while holding a stack of thick books, Chu Wanning said, "There's no need."

"They're obstructing Elder's way," Shi Mo replied gently, turning his head to look at him amidst the crisp rain. "This disciple is teaching them to behave."

Chu Wanning shook his head, walked over, and held the green-boned paper umbrella perfectly above Shi Mo once more. "Don't run around; you'll get soaked."

The path back was neither too long nor too short; the two walked side by side, and it would have been awkward if they didn't chat.

Shi Mo asked softly, "Elder, are you always this kind?"

"..."

Beneath his brown eyes, his phoenix-like gaze held a hint of majesty.

Chu Wanning's face remained expressionless. "Where am I good?"

Shi Mo was sharp-witted and could tell that Elder Yu Heng wasn't as unapproachable as rumored. He smiled and said, "Elder clearly knows that some things are futile, yet you still choose to do them..."

Chu Wanning didn't respond, walking silently ahead.

Just when Shi Mo thought he wouldn't get a reply, Chu Wanning spoke, "If you come across a beggar on the road, knowing that a small amount of money might not necessarily help them escape their troubles, would you still not offer alms?"

"..."

"And if you encounter the slaughter of spirit beasts, knowing that saving them and releasing them back into the mountains may only result in them falling back into a trap soon, would you just stand idly by?"

Shi Mo lowered his delicate eyelashes and replied gently, "I understand Elder's intentions now. Thank you for your guidance."

"..." His gentleness made Chu Wanning feel somewhat awkward. He coughed lightly and said, "But regarding the earthworm, it was really just blocking our way."

Shi Mo was taken aback for a moment. He lifted his head to look at Chu Wanning's profile. Despite his cold demeanor, the edges of his ears were slightly red.

Suddenly, he found him incredibly adorable.

So Shi Mo pressed his lips together and spoke with a voice like rippling water, "Elder is truly kind. I imagine you would also have compassion for other creatures."

"..."

Pausing for a moment, he suddenly asked, "By the way, I came across something in a book today that I didn't understand, but I had no Master to ask. Can Elder help me clarify my confusion?"

Finally, they could avoid the embarrassing topic of saving lives or not. Chu Wanning felt relieved and nodded, saying, "Go on."

"The Solitary Moon Night Medical Scripture contains a wealth of knowledge, and many cultivation techniques astonish me. Among them, there's a divine medicine that confuses me the most. It can rapidly advance one's spiritual core—"

Chu Wanning's expression darkened for some reason. He interrupted, "You want this medicine?"

"Does the Elder know which one it is?"

"This medicine was highly regarded in the cultivation world some years ago. All major and minor sects would seek to purchase it from the Medicine Sect," Chu Wanning narrowed his eyes slightly. "How could I not know?"

Shi Mo observed his expression and then said, "This disciple has no interest in that drug, but I am somewhat perplexed by the fact that it requires the flesh and blood of a Butterfly Bone Beauty Chair as an ingredient. I wonder if this Beauty Chair... should be considered human or beast?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chu Wanning frowned, his expression solemn as he answered his inquiring disciple.

"It is human."

He didn't even say "counts as human"; instead, he immediately stated, "is human."

"..."

Before Shi Mo could respond, Chu Wanning glanced at the scroll of Solitary Moon Night's Medicine Sect that he was holding and lifted his hand to take it into his palm.

"Elder?"

"The content of the Medicine Sect of Solitary Moon Night is difficult to distinguish as right or wrong; it's not suitable for beginners to use as a reference. You may go to the Book Collection Pavilion tomorrow to borrow Elder Greedy Wolf's writings, which might be more appropriate."

Shi Mo lowered his head and said, "A disciple can only borrow books from the outer section of the Book Collection Pavilion. The ones inside... the ones inside require permission from one's personal master..."

Chu Wanning was taken aback for a moment. He remembered that the boy had been in the sect for quite some time but, due to his inferior aptitude, even the most lenient Xuan Ji wasn't willing to take him as a disciple.

Amidst the light rain and gentle breeze, Chu Wanning unfastened the exquisite jade pendant from his waist and offered it to Shi Mo. "Take it."

"..."

"When someone from the Book Collection Pavilion asks, just show them my scepter," Chu Wanning instructed. "Be selective about the books you read. Don't stray from the right path because of a mistaken choice of literature."

Shi Mo wanted to receive the jade pendant with both hands, but he held too many scrolls in his arms. It would be disrespectful to take it with just one hand, leaving him at a loss and blushing. To his surprise, Chu Wanning knelt on one knee, momentarily becoming only slightly taller than the young disciple. Lowering his long eyelashes, he personally tied the pendant around Shi Mo's waist.

Throughout the entire process, Chu Wanning's expression remained indifferent, as if he were merely dealing with an obstructive worm on the road.

No other elder would ever lend their Book Collection Pavilion privileges to an unfamiliar disciple. It was against the rules.

But Chu Wanning was clearly not a man bound by rules.

"Done." After securing the pendant around Shi Mo's waist, he stood up again, lowering the hand that had calloused over from years of repairing mechs. "Let's go."

"..." The young and innocent child took a deep breath.

He didn't know why he needed to take that breath, but if he hadn't, the emotion that suddenly filled his chest might have made him burst into tears.

In truth, he felt deeply wronged.

Whether as the Beauty Seat or as a disciple with insufficient spiritual energy, he had never received fair treatment. In the past, he didn't mind; he was already accustomed to it, and these people were just disgustingly ugly butchers in his eyes.

But when someone actually stopped and told him that the "Butterfly Bone Beauty Seat was human," when someone genuinely halted and handed him a scepter that even direct disciples might not receive, all to prevent him from straying down the wrong path, his heart, forged through countless trials, inexplicably ached fiercely.

Only then did he feel truly wronged, realizing how difficult he had endured all along.

Shi Mo knew that although he appeared gentle and courteous, it was ultimately just a mask he had crafted for himself after seeing through all dangers.

Hiding behind this mask, he used gentleness as a defense, using it to retreat. He seemed affable to everyone, but no one could reach the depths of his heart. His heart was already overflowing with the enmity of the Butterfly Bone Beauty Seat's clan, leaving no room for warmth.

But on that day, as he wrote his letter of apprenticeship, his pen strokes carried a rare sincerity.

After finishing the letter, he set down the worn-out bamboo brush, and Shi Mo gazed at the lamp sparks pooling like a pond.

He sensed that besides revenge and returning home, there was an unexpected surprise in his life. This surprise might be risky for him, but at that moment, he felt that a touch of sentimentality wouldn't hurt, and it wouldn't alter his greatest ambition.

In that very instant, Shi Mo looked back on the affection he once held, unsure of what emotions stirred within him.

Was it anger? Or sorrow?

It seemed not so simple.

Different paths could never lead to a shared destiny.

Shi Mo paused for a moment, then said with a hint of sarcasm, "Master, look. No matter who it is, they can't resist contending against fate. You, me, humans, demons – we're all the same."

His words were soft, too faint for Chu Wanning, standing high above, to hear. But saying them brought Shi Mo a sense of relief.

Then, leading a thousand Butterfly Bone Beauties, he turned towards the grand and majestic entrance to the Realm of Demons.

Homeward bound.

The elder demon, acting as the leader of this group, naturally took the forefront. He showed great courtesy and respect to Shi Mo, bowing after he stepped through the domain gate.

"Sir, please wait a moment."

"Why?"

"The Demon Realm categorizes its clans based on bloodline hierarchy. Before you return to your roots, you must undergo an examination to confirm your origins and acknowledge your ancestry."

Shi Mo's expression remained neutral as he replied, "Isn't the Butterfly-Boned Beauty Clan the maternal clan of the Grand Minister Chou Chen? What's there to test?"

The gatekeeping elder demon responded, "The Chou Chen maternal clan has long been stripped of their demonic registration. Upon returning to the Demon Realm, you and those behind you will be assigned to households based on your mixed bloodline affiliations with other clans."

Shi Mo frowned but, upon seeing Chu Wanning's vulnerable position and wondering how much longer he could hold out, he nodded. "Then let's proceed quickly."

The elder demon waved his hand, and a scepter with an animal head and fangs materialized in his palm. He muttered an incantation, and from the beast's mouth emerged a hundred red ribbons of light that wrapped around Shi Mo like silk.

" Bai, Cheng, Xie, Zhou... "

Each ribbon faintly displayed a single character.

Shi Mo asked, "What is this?"

The Ancient Devil said, "In the Clan Genealogy, the ribbon corresponding to the family most compatible with the young lord's bloodline will wrap around his wrist."

Shi Mo fell silent, gazing down at the shimmering ribbons of light.

"Qin, Fei, Ouyang, Shangguan, Zhongli, Luo, Ye, Duan, Chu..."

The Ancient Devil continued listing names, but after a long while, no ribbon descended. His brow furrowed, and he glanced at Shi Mo's face.

Shi Mo calmly returned his gaze.

Their eyes met, and the Ancient Devil awkwardly smiled. He then sped up the incantation, and as he chanted, a red ribbon suddenly wound around Shi Mo's arm. Shi Mo lifted his hand thoughtfully, examining it closely. "Is this one it? Which surname does it belong to?"

He looked left and right but didn't have time to read the characters before the ribbon swiftly withered, turning black and disintegrating into dust.

Shi Mo: "..."

The gatekeeper devil remained silent for a moment, frozen in place, seemingly unable to believe what had just happened.

Shi Mo slowly raised his gaze a few inches. He already had a vague idea of the answer, but still asked with a sinister yet cheerful smile, "What's wrong?"

The elder demon's face contorted, wrinkles forming on his nose bridge as he bellowed, "Godspawn?!?"

"..." Shi Mo paused for a moment, then scoffed. He brushed off the grayish-black stains on his wrist and said nonchalantly, "My father is indeed of divine descent, but so what? I've never done anything in my life that would be associated with the divine race; instead, I've always dedicated myself to the demons. Surely you wouldn't label me a godspawn just because of a bit of tainted blood in my veins. That would be far too—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a black gust of wind swirled around the gatekeeper demon, forcing Shi Mo to take a step back.

When the wind dissipated, the hunched old demon had vanished.

In his place stood a monstrous skeleton wielding a gigantic axe, its jagged fangs glistening. The creature abruptly slammed its battle axe into the ground, blocking the path of the Butterfly Bone Beauties. It then roared at the sky with a harsh, gravelly voice.

"Since ancient times, gods and demons have never been allies. Your kind, tainted with divine blood, are utterly filthy! The path of martyrdom holds no value; now, order your abominations to leave the Realm of Demons immediately—The Gate of Demons shall be sealed!"

At the creature's command, the two gates on either side trembled violently and began to converge towards the center. The Bridge of Martyrdom, which had been constructed with great effort, started to collapse in a terrifying avalanche from the peak of the Divide between Life and Death!