I Have a Golden Crow

a.m., a pitch-black vehicle drove into the Mountain Fire Blade Realm area, coming to a stop at a parking space in front of the main gate.

Du Yu opened the door and stepped out, immediately feeling a wave of scorching heat hit his face.

He pulled his baseball cap further down and headed straight for the Otherworld Gate.

That gray short-sleeve and shorts getup looked lazy no matter how you saw it, totally not like someone here for a challenge.

”Hello, I’m here to find someone, not to train.” Du Yu approached the guard and handed over his credentials.

Du Yu didn’t have a Library Ring for the Mountain Fire Saber; his ring was only valid for Demon Spirit Realms below Level 3.

If you wanted to enter the Mountain Fire Blade for training, you naturally had to pay.

The guard glanced at the Great Xia Bookstore—Twenty-Ninth Bureau credentials, his expression instantly turning respectful: ”Who are you looking for?”

”Master Qing, Lady Yang Qingqing from the Ancient Pine Tower,” Du Yu nodded. ”I’m her disciple.”

The guard actually recognized Du Yu; not long ago, Du Yu had even brought down Celestial Punishment here.

Both his identity as a disciple under Master Qing and as a member of the Great Xia Bookstore were solid credentials.

The guards were confident Du Yu would never try to sneak in. After a brief discussion, they let Du Yu through.

”Master Qing is right beneath the Mountain Fire Saber, please be extra careful.”

”Thank you.” Du Yu took back his credentials and set foot on the scorched black ground again.

From afar atop the mountain, the Mountain Fire Saber stood tall and proud.

Seeing this Divine Weapon again, Du Yu felt even more reverence in his heart.

Truth be told, after surviving the torment of the Ancient Wilderness Hammer, no matter which Divine Weapon Du Yu saw, there was always a little nervousness in his heart...

Du Yu reached behind himself with one hand and gave a flick to the side.

Thick Demon Breath followed his palm’s guidance, gathering to the left into a hulking beast.

”Meow~” The Desolate Silver Lynx stretched lazily, shaking out her limbs.

”Let’s go, we’re heading under the Mountain Fire Saber.” Du Yu leapt up, landing atop the Desolate Silver Lynx’s head.

Under the startled gazes of the soldiers, a streak of silver lightning darted forth, heading straight for the mountaintop.

Heterochromatic Demon Pet—Desert Lynx!

That build, it was clearly a Demon General!

What a kid, summoning a Demon General just to use as a mount?

Such a big show of clout?

Prince Du really did have a lot of face; truth was, he was also worried about the Mountain Fire Blade Soul attacking.

After all, he was here to find someone, not to train—if he had to fight his way up step by step, it’d be no different than a trial.

Kind of feels like he’s taking advantage of the situation?

”Crack~crack!”

The Desolate Silver Lynx swung her long tail, which was as tough as steel.

She swept aside Mountain Fire Blade Souls one after another, her figure darting past charred, burning Demonic Plants, rapidly shrinking in the soldiers’ field of vision.

In just over ten minutes, the Desolate Silver Lynx had reached the scorched summit.

”Whoa~” Du Yu grasped the big cat’s ear, as if holding a set of reins.

Desolate Silver Lynx: ”...”

”Thanks.” Du Yu gave her head a thorough rub, treating her face like a slide as he slid down safely.

A hundred meters ahead, the Mountain Fire Saber blazed with fierce flames.

The air was so oppressively hot it was hard to bear, scorching gusts pouring into Du Yu’s lungs, making him deeply uncomfortable.

”Master Qing?” Du Yu cupped his hands around his mouth, calling out, ”Master Qing, are you there?”

Given Master Qing’s sensitivity, she should hear this, right?

Du Yu kept watching for movement, while the Desolate Silver Lynx behind him paced back and forth, seeming rather restless.

The blazing Mountain Fire Saber was giving her significant pressure.

”Master Qing, Mas—eh?” Du Yu stopped talking, his face lighting up.

A tall, striking silhouette calmly walked out from the raging flames.

The violent fire and her unhurried, graceful composure were a vivid contrast.

The woman was wreathed in flames from head to toe, looking just like a person made of fire?

”Whoosh~”

The woman waved her hand in front of her face, layers of flame dissipating to reveal her delicate features.

Though the fire faded, her eyes seemed to have been tempered in flame.

Bright and captivating, sparkling and alive.

She advanced to a new level?

Du Yu stared dumbfounded at his Immortal Master—this aura, this spirit, essence, and qi?

Damn~

She was drop dead gorgeous now...

Immortal Master, you’re really stirring up my demon’s heart!

”Whoosh~” Sparks flew in all directions.

The woman casually lifted the hem of her skirt and dusted it off. As the flames faded, an elegant light-green gown was revealed beneath.

She lifted her gaze at Du Yu, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly.

”Master Qing.” Du Yu instinctively looked away.

Yang Qingqing took in her long-absent disciple with concern: ”What’s the matter?”

”N-no, nothing much.”

Yang Qingqing looked a bit puzzled: ”Nothing?”

Du Yu scratched his head: ”Uh... I just missed you a bit.”

Yang Qingqing was taken aback, quietly looking at Du Yu.

Du Yu whispered, ”Are you and Xiaobai both well?”

When she heard that, a hint of playful scolding flashed in Yang Qingqing’s eyes as she gave Du Yu a glance and a smile.

So, are you missing me, or Xiaobai?

Fighting back the suffocating heat, Du Yu said, ”It’s been a while since I saw you both. I finished my exams, so I came to check on you.”

Yang Qingqing could see Du Yu’s awkwardness and started walking down the mountain: ”How’d the exams go?”

”Not too bad, I guess?”

Rare to see her disciple lacking in confidence like this.

”Didn’t do well?”

”Don’t get me started.” At the mention, Du Yu perked up, ”We were so busy clashing with students from other provinces.

The Bookstore set us up, had us heading deeper and deeper down the wrong path. In the end, the whole team failed the mission.

Damn it, next time I sign up for a Bookstore event, if I run into other folks from the Human Race, that’s it, we’re all just one big loving family!”

”Hehe.” Watching Du Yu ramble, Yang Qingqing couldn’t help but smile.

Du Yu changed the subject, asking, ”How have you been, Master Qing? Everything going smoothly?”

”Great Success Stage.”

”Demon Taming General—Great Success Stage?” Du Yu’s heart leapt as he looked over at his Immortal Master.

The last time Master Qing advanced was in early March, in the Bamboo Grove Realm.

Now it was late July, not even five months, and she’d advanced again?

No wonder she was called a genius among geniuses—her cultivation speed was insane!

”The Mountain Fire Saber helped me a lot,” Yang Qingqing said with a trace of sentiment. ”Under its blade, I didn’t even hit any cultivation bottlenecks. Everything just happened naturally.”

Du Yu considered this, then said, ”Maybe the Mountain Fire Saber wants Master Qing to pick it up as soon as possible?”

To that, Yang Qingqing neither confirmed nor denied; she simply waved her jade hand before her face, Wind Demon Breath swirling together: ”Here, it’s your Xiaobai.”

”Nai~” A call from Bai Yujing, whose long deer antlers glittered with radiant, multicolored flowers.

”Xiaobai!” Du Yu stepped forward, standing beside the Dust Spirit Deer.

”Nai?” Bai Yujing lowered her neck, peering down at the little member of the Human Race by her side.

Then, in her lively deer eyes, a smile appeared.

”Did you miss me?” Du Yu hugged the snow-white deer head, grinning as he asked.

”Nai~” Bai Yujing beamed, nuzzling Du Yu’s arms affectionately.

The hug lasted barely two or three seconds at most.

Bai Yujing started to pull her head away, but this time, Du Yu held on tight.

She squirmed a bit, curiosity in her heart: ”Nai?”

Du Yu held onto the snow-white deer head, speaking softly: ”From now on, will you always stay by my side?”

Hearing this, Yang Qingqing paused mid-step, turning to look at her disciple.

Only now did she realize—Du Yu genuinely missed his beloved pet.

Logically, the more Demon Pets Du Yu had, the more his energy would be divided; it shouldn’t be like this at all.

But now...

Yang Qingqing looked at the youth hugging the Immortal Deer. Slowly, a faint, gentle smile appeared on her face.

Not bad, not bad.

The woman was watching Du Yu, but Du Yu... was still waiting for Bai Yujing’s response.

”Will you?” Du Yu asked again, quietly. ”Come with me—come home with me.”

For some reason, the always-graceful Bai Yujing suddenly seemed a bit petulant.

Hearing Du Yu’s words, the always-smiling deer eyes suddenly looked aggrieved, and she butted his chest with her head—not too hard, not too soft.

”Nai!”

If Du Yu hadn’t said such words, maybe Bai Yujing would have continued treating him warmly: delighting in their reunion, and then quietly seeing him off.

But today, Du Yu finally said it, and made his request...

The poised grace the Immortal Deer always kept instantly crumbled.

”Oof.” Du Yu was knocked back two steps, but still didn’t let go.

Having a little attitude is good.

What he feared was her having no emotions at all—not angry, not complaining, not annoyed, politely refusing him, then returning to Master Qing’s Acupoint Home.

”I can give you a home now.” Demon Soul flickered over Du Yu’s hand as he gently stroked the snow-white deer, ”A real home.”

”Really?” Bai Yujing spoke through Demon Soul!

Clear and ethereal.

Like a bubbling mountain spring, with a hint of unique sweetness upon savoring it.

Du Yu didn’t know why ”sweet” was the word that came to mind to describe a voice.

But her voice... yeah, it really was just like that.

The graceful, Misty White Immortal Deer, turns out she’s just a Little Sweet Sister~

Yang Qingqing didn’t interrupt them; she just watched silently.

She’d spent so long under the Mountain Fire Saber, she’d lost track of time, nearly forgetting space itself.

Having her disciple pull her out of single-minded cultivation for a while, to taste the joys and sorrows of the human world, was rather nice.

Du Yu stroked the snow-white deer’s head, communicating via Demon Soul: ”Come on, let’s go home.”

”You said so!” Bai Yujing finally broke free of Du Yu’s embrace.

Lowering her head to gaze at Du Yu, her lively deer eyes overflowed with earnestness, mixed with a trace of grievance.

No one, no matter how cold-hearted, could withstand eyes like these, right?

”I said it!” Du Yu nodded firmly.

”Nai~” Bai Yujing lowered her head and, once again, affectionately butted Du Yu—not too hard, not too soft.

Du Yu suppressed the surge of emotion in his chest and gently patted the snow-white deer head.

He looked up at the woman nearby: ”Master Qing, could you break your contract with Xiaobai?”

Yang Qingqing was briefly surprised—after all, those last few sentences, Du Yu and Bai Yujing had spoken by Demon Soul.

For her disciple to reclaim his fostered Demon Pet, Yang Qingqing naturally wouldn’t refuse.

The only pity was that, without a Demon Tamer’s Acupoint Home as a nurturing environment, even if Xiaobai was rated as ”having extremely high potential for growth,” she might never reach the pinnacle of Demon Beasts in the future.

If it were anyone else, Yang Qingqing would have just let it go; if she tried to advise them, it might cause misunderstanding or resentment.

But as for Du Yu—her own disciple—she hoped he’d find strong Demon Pets to support him.

Xiaobai staying with her was, for both Xiaobai and Du Yu, the best choice.

Yang Qingqing hesitated briefly, but still said, ”For the Dust Spirit Deer to grow, she needs a certain environment.”

Du Yu spoke up, ”Actually, there’s something I’d like to tell you about that.”

Yang Qingqing looked at Du Yu, waiting for him to go on.

But instead of answering, Du Yu simply gestured for someone behind him to come closer.

”Meow.” The Desolate Silver Lynx shot a wary glance at Bai Yujing, then at Du Yu.

”Come here,” Du Yu coaxed gently, beckoning with a smile.

”Hmph.” The Desolate Silver Lynx stepped forward, and the tip of her tail poked right in the center of Du Yu’s back.

”Poof~”

The giant beast dissolved into a surge of Demon Breath, merging with Du Yu’s body, pouring into the Zhiyang Acupoint.

Seeing this, Yang Qingqing narrowed her eyes a bit.

She’d never asked about the Heterochromatic Lynx that had just advanced to General Level, but now, the Earth Element Demon Beast—Heterochromatic Lynx—had actually blended into Du Yu’s body?

The Desolate Silver Lynx vanished, silence falling over the scene.

Only the Mountain Fire Saber still roared in the distance, sparks flaring, stubbornly crackling away.

Yang Qingqing watched Du Yu quietly for a long time before softly saying, ”Seems you have a lot to explain to me.”

”Yeah.” Du Yu nodded, extending his arms to once again hug the snow-white deer’s head.

From today on,

let’s never part again.