Uncle Tianshu finished his words in one breath, with a confident look on his face.
Ding Hao also nodded secretly. Tianshuâs guess should be more or less correct.
In the distance, the illusory manifestation of the Three-headed Heavenly Hound was still licking the black puppy affectionately. Its tears streamed down in large drops, like they were real. They fell on the black puppy and morphed into brilliant streaks of light, absorbed into the puppyâs body.
The black puppy let out an excited yap, scampering eagerly around the Three-headed Heavenly Hound like a spoiled child.
Clearly, it did not know that its mother was dead, and what was before its eyes was only an illusion.
The formerly majestic and horrible aura surrounding them began to retract, slowly withdrawing into the illusory body of the Three-headed Heavenly Hound, like a whale sucking water. The terrible pressure of the heavens and the earth finally vanished, and everything seemed to have returned to normal. If the forest around the giant lake sinkhole had not turned into a barren desert, it would look as if nothing had happened.
The illusory manifestation of the Three-headed Heavenly Hound became more and more solid and substantial.
âItâs condensing its Power of the OriginâŚâ A burning brilliance suddenly shot out of Uncle Tianshuâs eyes, as if he had just seen a peerless treasure. He trembled with excitement. âHahaha, those experts didnât take its Power of the Origin away? This is the innate essence of a Surviving Species like the Three-headed Heavenly Hound, comparable to the residual essence of Gods and Devils. Getting it is worth a hundred years of diligent cultivation. You can completely transform yourself with it!â
A fragrant scent slowly pervaded the air.
Ding Hao sniffed a few times and felt refreshed. The Qi in his body was invigorated.
âIf you miss this opportunity, youâll surely regret it. Little Chap Ding, attack now and trap this illusory manifestation with your Eternal Sky Immortal Light Seal. Iâll provide you with an elixir prescription that can refine a Divine Elixir of the Heavens and the Earth. It can improve your innate abilities exponentially!â The voice of the Saber Master urged him on, resounding in his mind.
Ding Haoâs heart skipped a beat. He was tempted.
However, when his eyes fell on the innocent and excited scampering black puppy, Ding Hao instinctively hesitated for some reason.
âYou donât have the heart to attack? Is it because of this little fella? It hasnât inherited the bloodline power of its species, and is congenitally deficient. Even if it secures its motherâs Power of the Origin, this puppy wonât become a real Three-headed Heavenly Hound. Itâd be a great waste if we let this rare opportunity slip.â The Sword Master also began urging him.
The Power of the Origin of the Three-headed Heavenly Hound must be absolutely amazing. It even got these two old freaks excited.
By his side, Uncle Tianshuâs eyes were shining, and he was already holding the black pot in his hand, eager to strike. But he did not make a move. He fixed his eyes on the black puppy, looking hesitant.
There was a fierce battle in Uncle Tianshuâs mind, since he was always absolutely unwilling to let go of any treasures.
âOld creature, what are you thinking? Donât you dare lay your hands on my little pet!â Evil Moon noticed Tianshuâs strange expression and immediately issued him a stern warning.
Evil Moon, who had always been greedy for money and treasures, for once did not covet this divine power displayed before its eyes. Instead, it gritted its teeth, blocking Uncle Tianshu and making a growling sound in its throat like it was protecting a prey.
The Saber Master and the Sword Master were still persuading Ding Hao in his mind.
Ding Haoâs hand was gripping the hilt of the rusted sword.
But just at the moment when he was about to strike, he finally sighed and shook his head.
âI canât do such a thing.â
If the black puppy was a powerful and horrific existence, Ding Hao might have attacked immediately without any hesitation. But it was just a poor puny creature without much intelligence and strength. It did not understand the cold and dangerous laws of the jungle at all. As it scampered excitedly around its mother, it yapped proudly and affably at Ding Hao and the others.
This little fella licking his palm with its pink tongue had made him feel itchy. The sensation flashed across Ding Haoâs mind. His heart felt like it was melting.
It was precisely this puny fellowâs sparkling black onyx-like eyes, and its pellucid gaze, that made his hand freeze on the hilt. He could not condense any more of his murderous aura.
He could not seize this last gift from a great mother to her child.
âThe opportunity to kill must be governed by the laws of Heaven. This Power of Origin of this Three-headed Heavenly Hound doesnât belong to me.â Shaking his head, Ding Hao made up his mind.
The moment he finished speaking, he felt an easiness he had never before experienced in his heart.
In the distance, as the last tear fell, the illusory manifestation of the Three-eyed Heavenly Hound raised its head, ambling toward Ding Hao.
As Tianshu and Evil Moon looked on in astonishment, it knelt gently in front of Ding Hao, opened its mouth, and spat out a crystal-clear scarlet jade. The jade moved slowly toward Ding Hao, hovering in the air.
It was a Heaven-Earth Blood Bone.
It contained a kind of magic skill only known to the Three-headed Heavenly Hound.
Ding Hao had obtained numerous magic skills from the Heaven-Earth Blood Bones found in the Sage Battlefield, including the abilities to flash move a hundred meters, or to grow three heads and six arms. But how could the Blood Bones of mere gigantic beasts compare with the Blood Bones of a kingly Archean Species like the Three-headed Heavenly Hound?
The Heaven-Earth Blood Bone looked no bigger than normal, but was as bright as the sun. It was crystal clear, like a precious jade on earth that had absorbed the Heaven-and-Earth essence. It was now glowing with an alluring sheen.
âDammit, itâs asking you to take care of her orphaned baby. But why did she choose you?â Uncle Tianshu understood something and said angrily, âWhy not me? Iâm wise, decisive, powerful, upright, and warm-heartedâŚâ
He strung together a mouthful of adjectives to praise himself. Uncle Tianshu grinned at the Three-headed Heavenly Hound and said, âHey, big dog, letâs talk. Give me your Heaven-Earth Blood Bone, and Iâll take care of this black puppy for youâŚâ
The Three-headed Heavenly Hound really turned to look at Uncle Tianshu.
âYou rotten old man, youâre gonna be struck by lightning for this. How dare you steal our business!â Evil Moon was enraged. Although it could not profit from this, Ding Hao was at least like family. Of course it would prefer the Heaven-Earth Blood Bone to fall into Ding Haoâs hands.
Uncle Tianshu chuckled and said, âSo what if I steal your businessâŚ?â
Before he could finish his words, the smile on his face froze and his expression suddenly turned blank.
Although the Three-headed Heavenly Hound had glanced at him, her eyes did not stay on him for long. She only gave him a momentary glance, a strong disdainful look in her eyes. Obviously, she did not quite respect Uncle Tianshu.
Although she was only a remnant spirit of the Houndâs innate essence, she seemed to have the wisdom of a living creature.
Uncle Tianshu was irritated by that disdainful look. He shrieked eccentrically and flew into a rage. But in the end, he had no choice but to drool and gaze longingly at the pellucid Heaven-Earth Blood Bone, shining with dazzling brilliance.
Ding Hao reached out and took the Heaven-Earth Blood Bone.
It was as warm and smooth, like the skin of a lover.
Seeing Ding Hao take the Blood Bone, the illusory manifestation of the Three-headed Heavenly Hound let out a Dragon and Tiger Roar.
There was open gratitude and relief in her roar. Her body shook, and flashing, morphed into a crimson fire, darting toward the black puppy in the distance. It enveloped the puppy beside that sliced black oval boulder.
âWoof, woofâŚâ The black puppy, now surrounded by the flame, let out distinct barks.
The divine misty Qi flame, now a dozen meters high, crept slowly toward the black puppy. Finally, it lifted up the puppyâs palm-sized body in the void, making it hover in the air.
The Three-headed Heavenly Hound was transferring her last Power of the Origin to her offspring.
As a mother, this was her final gift to the puppy, before she totally expired in this world.
When that cold battle ended her long life, other than the fury she felt for her enemy, the only thing she felt must have been the worry for her little offspring.
The Three-headed Heavenly Hound, a proud and imposing presence, did not hesitate to kneel down before Ding Hao to ask him to help her offspring.
She had let go of her dignity for her offspringâs sake.
She wanted to change the fate of her offspring using her remnant life essence and spiritual power, even though it was now no more than a common field puppy due to its premature birth and injuries!
This was the greatness of maternal love.
Ding Hao could not help but sigh in his heart. He couldnât help thinking about Yu Qingcheng and Ding Shengtan, who had desperately defended him and his sister in the Land of Divine Grace. The scene was different, and yet so similar.
Strange images emerged from the flame one after another.
It was a battle scene. A colossal Three-headed Heavenly Hound was fighting her enemy, surrounded by a boundless forest. There was a huge lake as large as the seaâŚ
The images flickered, and were rather blurry.
But he could still tell that this was the final battle fought by the Three-headed Heavenly Hound when she was still alive. She had risked her life, sending the offspring away using a secret technique. Badly injured and confronted by those crazy masters of the Human and Demon Clans, she had died due to her injuries. Her body was carved upâŚ
One by one, the images recorded the faces and magic powers of her attackers.
These images kept flickering, turning finally into flames, absorbed into the black puppyâs body.
âThis is memory inheritance. The Three-headed Heavenly Hound has engraved the number of enemies and their looks in the black puppyâs body, using memory bloodline inheritance. If the black puppy can revive its bloodline power, it will inherit these memories⌠Looks like the Three-headed Heavenly Hound still hopes for it to avenge her death.â
Ding Hao also nodded to himself.
He did not know if this knowledge was good or bad for the black puppy. After all, it was congenitally deficient. Even with its motherâs Power of the Origin in its body, Ding Hao did not know how far it could grow. Carrying such a heavy burden of hate on its back might prove disastrous in time to come.
âWoof, woof, woof⌠woof!â
Sure enough, the black puppyâs high-pitched yaps rang out from the flames, containing faint fury and hatred.
It must have sensed the hatred and fury in its motherâs spirit.
This was the first worldly emotion that this pure soul felt after being born to this world.
From now on, perhaps its black onyx-like eyes would no longer be as pure and pellucid as it once was, in this cold world.
For some reason, Ding Hao suddenly felt a little sad.