Chapter 125 My junior brother and sister's black panther, it looks to me...
"Eldest sister, you're finally awake!"
When Yu Siran saw Yun Tianjiao enter, her eyes lit up as if she had seen a savior.
The black panther lunged forward, nearly knocking Yun Tianjiao to the ground.
"Alright, go back and sit still. Let the painter finish your portrait." Yun Tianjiao pinched the black panther's ears, finally managing to coax it back to its seat.
However, it was clear that the black panther was very unwilling. Its big black eyes were fixed on Yun Tianjiao until the painter finished the last stroke and said it was done. Only then did it rush to Yun Tianjiao's side and rub its head against her.
Yun Tianjiao felt that the black panther's behavior was very damaging to its newly promoted immortal image, so he made a decisive decision to decline the banquet invitation from the Blackwater County Prefect and decided to immediately set off to return to the Xuanxiao Sect.
Upon learning that they were cultivators from a celestial sect, the people of Blackwater County became even more respectful. The original plan to build a temple for Black Panther was changed to three temples, and all kinds of items with images of Black Panther were sold out.
On the way back to Xuanxiao Sect, Yu Siran suddenly exclaimed "Eh!" and tugged at Yun Tianjiao's sleeve, "Elder sister, look at the black panther, I think I can feel the spiritual energy within it!"
Yun Tianjiao placed his hand on the black panther's head and indeed sensed a trace of spiritual energy flowing within its body. Although extremely weak, it was already quite different from the stagnant pool it had been in before.
"I didn't expect this method to work so quickly!" she exclaimed with delight. "The words of the Divine Lord Gongxin are indeed true. Nothing can help one's cultivation progress faster than the offerings of incense from the mortal realm."
Yu Siran asked, somewhat bewildered, "If we cultivators could also enjoy offerings from the mortal world, would we be able to ascend to immortality even faster?"
Yun Tianjiao was so charmed by Yu Siran's appearance that he couldn't help but pinch her cheek: "I've only ever heard of offering sacrifices to immortals, never to the living. There are quite a few mortals who have been worshipped after their death and have become gods."
"I see." Yu Siran said thoughtfully.
When the two daughters of the sect leaders returned to Xuanxiao Sect, the entire sect noticed a surprising fact: the black leopard that the young lady had taken in seemed to have gained sentience!
Can ordinary wild beasts really be transformed into spirit beasts?
No one knows how the young lady did it; all that is known is that after returning to the Xuanxiao Sect, she went into seclusion with the black leopard and disappeared for several months.
In fact, Yu Sishu went to beg Yu Lanshan to teach her how to make the substitute life talisman.
Yu Lanshan originally intended to groom his eldest daughter to be the future leader of the sect, and as the Substitute Life Talisman was his unique skill, he would naturally pass it on sooner or later.
Yu Lanshan never expected that Yu Sishu would lock herself up and practice day and night to learn how to refine life-saving talismans, as if she were desperate. In just a few months, she had completely mastered the refining method.
Then Yu Sishu suggested taking the black leopard down the mountain for training. Yu Siran knew what her sister was thinking and immediately offered to go along.
"You stay home and be back soon," Yun Tianjiao said helplessly, standing at the mountain gate and looking at the little girl sitting on the ground hugging his leg.
Yu Siran neither cried nor made a fuss, but directly resorted to threats, "If you don't take me with you, I'll tell Father and Mother that you'll use the substitute talisman to be a human shield for Black Panther!"
Yun Tianjiao: "..."
I can't believe that the future dignified and indifferent Immortal Lord Zhu Jing is this difficult little brat in front of me.
Yu Siran added another layer of pressure: "If you want to use the substitute life talisman, you still need to leave someone by your side to protect you. What if, like in Blackwater County, you and Black Panther both faint?"
Yun Tianjiao felt that Yu Siran's words made some sense, so he had no choice but to compromise. Thus, the two of them, with a leopard and a knife, embarked on their journey again, which lasted for nearly three years.
Over the course of three years, Yun Tianjiao repeated his experience in Blackwater County over and over again, finding villages and cities plagued by demons and using the Substitute Life Talisman to support the Black Panther, allowing it to charge into the open to subdue the demons.
Wherever it went, the name of the Black Panther became more and more famous. Over time, even many places that had not been saved by the Black Panther began to worship it.
As the Demon-Slaying Blade, Zhiwei silently stayed by Yun Tianjiao's side. He no longer stopped her from using the Substitute Life Talisman. As Yun Tianjiao said, this was their unchangeable past, Zhu Jing's memory, and also Yu Sishu and Black Panther's memories.
When his perspective shifted, he watched as she was injured again and again for him, yet she also laughed heartily because of his increased spiritual power. The tenderness, bitterness, sweetness, and gratitude in his heart... mingled into a deep and unforgettable love that filled his entire soul.
He didn't know that a person could have so many emotions.
He didn't know that his love for her was never a one-sided obsession of humble flattery.
He had been so cherished and nurtured by her, held in the palm of her hand with such care, and from his unseen perspective, her gaze could fall upon him so tenderly.
...
When Yu Sishu turned eighteen, the two sisters finally finished their training and returned to their sect with the black panther and the Ghost-Slaying Blade.
Yu Lanshan and Liu Ruqing could hardly recognize their two daughters.
Over the past three years, Yu Siran has grown considerably taller, shedding her childishness and gradually blossoming into a young woman. Yu Sishu, on the other hand, has fully developed, her figure now more graceful and alluring than three years ago, revealing a mature charm.
As for the protagonist of this tribulation, Black Panther, he has undergone a complete transformation. Yu Lanshan was quite startled when he lightly scanned him with his divine sense.
"My dear daughter, how exactly have you been raising this black panther? This... in just three years, its cultivation level is almost at the Transformation stage, isn't it?"
Black Panther's two deep gazes met Yu Lanshan's probing gaze, but after a moment, they lazily looked away, carrying a kind of nonchalant air of a superior.
"I have my own brilliant plan." Yun Tianjiao didn't explain, but simply brushed it off in a mysterious way.
The family talked for a while when a gentle male voice came from outside the door.
"Master, Mistress."
The voice sounded unfamiliar, unlike any of his fellow disciples. Yun Tianjiao looked curiously toward the door, and when he saw the person's face, he was taken aback.
"Hey, Sishu and Siyan, come and meet your new junior brother, Qingyuan. I met him when I went down the mountain two years ago. I saw that he had excellent aptitude, so I took him in as my last disciple." Yu Lanshan said with a smile, his eyes full of affection as he looked at his new disciple.
"Come, Qingyuan, greet your two senior sisters. They are my daughters. Although they are not older than you, they entered the sect earlier than you, so you still have to call them senior sisters."
"Senior Sister Silk Bundle, Senior Sister Silk Dye." Qingyuan stepped forward and bowed respectfully. He was wearing the inner disciple's robes of the Xuanxiao Sect. He was already handsome, but now, compared to his time as Immortal Venerable Qingyuan, he appeared even more youthful and innocent. His obedient and docile demeanor was very endearing.
Yun Tianjiao had not yet recovered from the shock.
She had absolutely no recollection of Qingyuan, and had no idea that she had such a past before he ascended to godhood!
"Silk bundle, silk bundle?" Liu Ruqing noticed that her eldest daughter was staring at Qingyuan without returning the greeting, so she gently patted her.
Yun Tianjiao then withdrew his gaze, nodded in return, and said, "Junior Brother Qingyuan."
Yu Siran followed suit, saying, "Junior Brother Qingyuan."
The black panther seemed very unfriendly to Qingyuan. It squinted and circled Qingyuan several times, sniffing him repeatedly, before swatting at him with its paw, causing Qingyuan to stumble.
"Hey! You little rascal..." Yu Lanshan almost cursed, but considering Black Panther's status in his eldest daughter's heart, he quickly changed his words, "Little Black Panther, how dare you bully people like this!"
After saying that, he turned to Qingyuan and said, "This black leopard is your senior sister Sishu's contracted spirit pet. It is now almost at the transformation stage. According to seniority, you should also call it senior brother."
So Qingyuan bowed to Black Panther as well, saying, "Senior Brother Black Panther."
The black panther coldly scrutinized him for a moment before turning its head back to lie down at Yun Tianjiao's feet and closing its eyes to doze off.
Yun Tianjiao had been wary of Qingyuan's appearance and had been keeping a close eye on him for some time, but he hadn't found anything suspicious about him.
As for Qingyuan, because he often "bumped into" the young lady in various occasions, he would blush whenever he saw Yu Sishu.
"Senior Sister Silk Bundle." On this day, Yun Tianjiao was sunbathing in the garden with Black Leopard when Qingyuan, carrying a bamboo basket of spiritual herbs, passed by. She stood there for a long time before finally stepping forward to speak.
"What is it? Junior Brother Qingyuan, do you need something from me?"
Qingyuan glanced at the black panther and said, "Senior Sister, may I have a word with you in private?"
Black Panther immediately opened its eyes and looked coldly at Qingyuan.
Yun Tianjiao wanted to see what Qingyuan was up to, so she told Black Panther to wait for her there while she followed Qingyuan around to the outside of the garden.
"What's wrong? Is there something you want to say? Can you tell me now?"
Qingyuan said, "Senior Sister Sishu, I don't know if Master has mentioned to you that before I entered the sect, I made a living by practicing feng shui, divination, and fortune telling in the common people, and I know a little about the art of destiny. I think there's something strange about your black panther, so I wanted to remind you of something."
Yun Tianjiao turned his head and saw through the bushes and flowerbeds that the black leopard was still obediently staying in the same spot. He then turned back to Qingyuan and asked, "What do you think is strange about it?"
Qingyuan's expression turned solemn. "I sensed some ghostly energy in it. It's probably tainted by karma. Senior Sister Sishu, please be careful. If possible, it would be best to abandon it."
Yun Tianjiao raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself that Qing Yuan was indeed quite capable, as he was able to discern the origins of the black panther.
"Okay, I understand what you mean. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." Yun Tianjiao smiled at Qing Yuan, expressing his gratitude.
A blush returned to Qingyuan's face, and she stammered as she took her leave.
When Yun Tianjiao returned to the garden, he found that the black panther was nowhere to be seen.
Qingyuan carried a bamboo basket up the mountain, and several of his fellow disciples surrounded him and teased him.
"Hey, Junior Brother Qingyuan, why is your face so red? Did you talk to Sishu again?"
Qingyuan's face turned even redder.
"Hey, you like silk ribbons, right? But you won't do that. You're too proper. What girl would be interested in you? Here's an idea from your senior brother. There's a city at the foot of Xuanxiao Mountain, and there's a famous brothel in the city. Why don't you go there in your spare time and learn how the men there please women?"
Amidst the laughter of the crowd, Qingyuan stormed off in anger, but in the nearby bushes, Black Panther squinted and heard their conversation clearly.
Yu Siran, carrying the Demon-Slaying Blade, planned to find a quiet place to practice a new set of sword techniques. However, she caught a glimpse of a dark figure sneaking down the mountain from the bushes.
"Isn't that my sister's black panther?"
Yu Siran muttered to herself. Seeing that the black leopard seemed to be heading towards the mountain gate, she was afraid it would get lost while playing, so she immediately followed it.
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