Starting Immortal Cultivation from a White Dog

Lu Nanxi felt ice-cold all over her body, and all the strength in her limbs was drained. If Wu Tian hadn't secretly supported her arm, she would have almost lost her balance and collapsed.

Wu Tian was also filled with shock, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant—escape?
Under the watchful eyes of this wandering immortal, within the Chongming Palace, which is sealed off by numerous arrays and restrictions, is escape possible?

A desperate gamble? Transforming into a calamity might unleash combat power approaching that of a primordial spirit, but against a true rogue immortal, it would be nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

Am I going to die here today?

An unprecedented sense of crisis overwhelmed them like icy seawater. They could even hear each other's rapid heartbeats, which pounded like drums in the deathly silent hall.

However, the expected thunderous wrath and instant suppression did not materialize.

Lady Zhurong, seeing the two men looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy, pale-faced, and on the verge of collapse, suddenly smiled gently. That smile was like the first melting of snow and the blooming of spring flowers, breathtakingly beautiful, yet it made the two men even more uneasy and unable to fathom her.

"Don't worry," she said leisurely, a hint of amusement in her voice, "If I wanted to take you all, why would I wait until now, and why would I summon you here?"

These words were like a piece of driftwood for drowning people, causing Lu Nanxi and Wu Tian to look up abruptly, their eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.

"That good-for-nothing Yu Yang is dead, so be it. There's nothing to regret," Lady Zhurong said indifferently, as if she were talking about an insignificant ant. "I can't be bothered with the petty squabbles within your Lu family. However..."

She changed the subject, her gaze once again fixed on Wu Tian, ​​the probing and playful intent in her eyes even stronger.

“Lu Ding,” she said, looking at Wu Tian with an unquestionable tone, “from today onwards, you will stay by my side as my personal bodyguard.”

"As for the matter of besieging and killing Bai Qian, your Lu family does not need to get involved. I will send someone to replace Yu Yang."

After Lady Zhurong finished speaking, the hall fell into a brief silence.

Lu Nanxi was stunned at first, her slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with confusion and wariness.

Should Wu Tian be made a personal bodyguard?

Even if a cultivator at the Refining Realm is outstanding, he is still a member of another family and has no right to accompany a rogue immortal. This arrangement itself is extremely strange.

Alarm bells rang in her mind, and she subconsciously took half a step to the side, almost imperceptibly protecting Wu Tian behind her. Her clear, cold voice carried a distinct question: "Madam, you are wise. Lu Ding's cultivation is low, only at the Refining Technique Realm. I am afraid he is not up to the important task of being a personal guard, nor does he conform to the rules of aristocratic families."

"I wonder what the deeper meaning is behind your words, Madam?" she asked directly, her gaze intense, trying to discern the clues from Madam Zhurong's languid and beautiful face.

Wu Tian's heart tightened as well, and his muscles tensed slightly.

This was too absurd; there must be something more to it. He stood silently, his senses heightened to their limit, on guard against any possible unforeseen circumstances.

Lady Zhurong seemed to have anticipated this question. Instead of answering directly, she focused her piercing phoenix eyes even more intently on Wu Tian.

That gaze wasn't just scrutinizing; it was more like appraising a rare treasure, carrying a naked curiosity and a hint of... playful interest.

The curve of her red lips deepened, her body leaned slightly forward, her gauze dress clung to her, outlining her breathtaking curves, and an aura mixed with rich fragrance and the pressure of a wandering immortal spread towards Wu Tian like an invisible tide.

"A deeper meaning?" She chuckled softly, her voice lower but clearer, "My ancestor, the Zhurong clan, was known as the God of Fire in ancient times. Our Zhurong clan's understanding of fire magic far surpasses that of ordinary people. Lu Ding..."

She seemed to savor the name on her tongue, saying, "Although your cultivation is insignificant, your body is filled with primordial blood, surging like subterranean fire. The depth of your potential and the solidity of your foundation are truly rare."

"What's even more remarkable is that I can sense that your destiny carries a trace of... an ancient and violent intent that even makes my heart tremble. This is not some bloodline inheritance, but destiny itself!"

"In ancient times, there were sages who were born with a destiny that was almost like a supernatural power, but it was even more in line with the heavens and the earth. They were born sages. Those with the most powerful destiny were even born as immortals, possessing the great power to change the world in their childhood."

“If it weren’t for the fact that my Zhurong clan’s bloodline is the inheritance of the God of Fire, I probably wouldn’t have been able to detect the aura of destiny on you. Logically speaking, it should be your destiny, but it’s somewhat ambiguous, only revealing a few traces of your destiny…”

She paused slightly, her phoenix eyes gleaming, her words almost cruelly direct: "My intuition tells me that if I were to receive your special destiny and practice the dual cultivation method, it might help me glimpse a higher path to immortality."

"This is the path I follow. Tell me, is this reason sufficient?"

"Dual cultivation?!"

These two words, like a thunderclap from the heavens, suddenly exploded in Lu Nanxi's ears.

The color drained from her face instantly, then returned in a terrifying flush from extreme anger and humiliation.

Her magical power trembled uncontrollably, her Dao Embryo Realm cultivation flowed naturally, and a layer of fire suddenly appeared, with faint runes flowing around it, enveloping the small area where she and Wu Tian were.

"Madam!" Lu Nanxi's voice was no longer cold, but carried a sharp, icy quality, each word seeming to be spat out from between her teeth, "Do you know what you're saying?"

"Today is your wedding day with Prince Cao! The phoenix coronet and embroidered robes are still on, and the nuptial ceremony is not far off! At this moment, you speak of cultivating with another, where does that leave Prince Cao? Where does that leave the alliance between our two clans?"

"This move... is not just absurd, it's downright..."

Her chest heaved violently. She didn't utter the last four words, "shameless," but the condemnation and anger in her eyes were palpable.

Lady Zhurong seemed to have heard the most boring joke. She leaned back lazily against the soft pillows and even elegantly flicked her sleeves.

"Marriage? Covenant?" She scoffed, her phoenix eyes filled with disdain and indifference. "Little girl from the Lu family, you are also a cultivator, so why do you care about such superficial things like a mortal woman?"

"Cao Xuande married me for the support of my Zhurong clan, and because my cultivation as a wandering immortal can help his Cao family stabilize the southwestern border and contend for the world."

"I married him because I saw the potential of the Cao family patriarch to break through to the True Immortal realm. It was a deal, a union where each of us got what we needed."

"As for romantic love and bedroom pleasures?" Her eyes swept over Wu Tian and then over Lu Nanxi's pale face. "Those are just trivial matters."

"He has his own confidantes and concubines outside. As long as it doesn't come out in the open and damage the reputation of both families, I won't bother to interfere."

"Similarly, as for my important matters of cultivation, whoever I wish to consult with or whoever I wish to assist, as long as I do not disgrace the Cao family, what right does he have to interfere? What qualifications does he have to interfere?"

Lu Nanxi felt a chill run down her spine, not from fear, but from an instinctive disgust and anger.

She suddenly looked at Wu Tian, ​​her eyes filled with panic and anger at having her territory invaded.

"Even if, as you say, marriage is a union of interests."

Lu Nanxi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her surging magical power. Her protective aura intensified, and her words grew sharper and colder. "But Lu Ding is a member of my Lu family, and moreover, my Daoist partner!" "Is Madam's action an attempt to forcibly seize a member of my Lu family and another's Daoist partner as a cultivation vessel? Is this the way of a rogue immortal?"

"Isn't Madam afraid of alienating the noble families, afraid that if this matter gets out, it will damage the reputation of Madam and the Zhu Rong clan?!"

"Chi Lian," Lady Zhu Rong had clearly lost patience and ignored Lu Nanxi's questioning as if she were just an annoying flying insect buzzing in her ear. She directly instructed the red-clad maid standing outside the door, "Send Miss Nanxi back to Qiyun Villa to rest. Do not let her wander around freely."

"Yes, Madam." Chi Lian responded, and in a flash, she silently arrived half a step in front of Lu Nanxi, and respectfully said, "Miss Nanxi, please."

"I'm not leaving!" Lu Nanxi said sharply, taking a step forward. She disregarded the presence of the Loose Immortal and the intimidation of Chi Lian. Her cold face was made even more stern by anger.

"Madam! Please rescind your order! Lu Ding is by no means a suitable candidate for dual cultivation. His cultivation is weak and his bloodline is frail. I'm afraid he will not be able to live up to your high expectations and will instead jeopardize your important plans."

"My Lu family is willing to find other ways to compensate, or offer other rare and precious materials, beautiful women as alchemical vessels, just to ask for your help, Madam..."

"Enough." Lady Zhurong finally shifted her gaze from Wu Tian and returned it to Lu Nanxi's face.

This time, her gaze was filled with coldness and impatience, and the immense pressure of a wandering immortal crashed down like a tangible mountain.

Lu Nanxi groaned, her protective aura trembled violently, flickering unpredictably. Her knees buckled, and she almost collapsed to her knees. A trace of blood even seeped from the corner of her mouth.

Wu Tian suddenly caught her, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he whispered, "Nan Xi, don't..."

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze, making it suffocating.

“Lu Nanxi,” Lady Zhurong’s voice was calm, yet carried a chilling coldness that could freeze the soul, “I am not discussing this with you, much less bargaining with the Lu family.”

"Leaving Lu Ding here is an order; whether you agree or not is irrelevant. Considering your Lu family still has some use, I've already shown you considerable leniency by allowing you to act so presumptuously for a moment. If you continue to cause trouble..."

Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp killing intent flashing across them. "Do you think the two of you and the entire Lu family... will even see the sun rise tomorrow?"

A threat, a naked and undisguised threat!

It not only targets her personally, but also puts the life and death of Wu Tian and the entire Lu family on the line.

Lu Nanxi felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her blood freezing over.

She looked at Wu Tian, ​​her eyes filled with anger, resentment, and bitterness...

Wu Tian's heart sank to the bottom at this moment, but faced with the absolute pressure of the Loose Immortal and such a straightforward threat, resisting would only lead to death, and would immediately implicate Lu Nanxi and the Lu family.

He met Lu Nanxi's gaze, shook his head very slightly but firmly, his eyes filled with complex emotions, including reassurance, solemnity, and pleading.

Seeing the determination in Wu Tian's eyes, Lu Nanxi felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart, the pain so intense she could barely breathe.

Humiliation, anger, helplessness, worry... a fierce battle raged in her eyes. She bit her lower lip hard until she tasted the strong metallic taste of blood, barely managing to suppress the agonizing scream that threatened to burst from her chest and the even more intense resistance.

Chi Lian took another step forward, her qi pulling her forward, now in a semi-forced posture.

Lu Nanxi's gaze was fixed on Lady Zhurong's ruthless and domineering face, and then she gave Wu Tian a deep look.

Then, she turned around abruptly, her protective aura flashing violently due to the extreme emotional fluctuations, and flames emanating from her body, forcing the approaching Chi Lian to pause slightly.

She didn't say another word, but her straight but slightly trembling back seemed to weigh a ton with every step, making a clear and suppressed sound as she stepped on the ground.

The heavy doors closed slowly behind her with a loud thud, completely cutting off her view and leaving only an increasingly suffocating atmosphere inside the hall.

Lady Zhurong ignored Lu Nanxi and looked at Wu Tian with a leisurely air, as if she were looking at a rare prey that had fallen into a net but still had claws and teeth.

"What? You don't want to?" She chuckled. "I've never liked forcing anyone. But... do you think you have a choice right now?"

Wu Tian remained silent. Indeed, facing a rogue immortal, his cultivation level and trump cards were simply insufficient in the face of such an absolute difference in strength.

"Come closer," Lady Zhurong commanded, her voice carrying an unquestionable authority.

Wu Tian took a deep breath, suppressed all the turbulent thoughts in his mind, stepped forward, and stopped three feet in front of the bed.

Lady Zhurong sat up, her moon-white gauze dress slipping off her shoulders with the movement, revealing more of her smooth, jade-like skin. She reached out and touched Wu Tian's cheek directly.

Wu Tian's body stiffened slightly, but he did not dodge.

Her fingers were slightly cool and delicate to the touch, yet they carried an indescribable strength as she lifted his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes.

Those phoenix eyes were so close, so deep, reflecting his tense face.

"Nervous?" She chuckled softly, her fingertips lightly touching his chest through his armor and clothes. "Stay tonight."

"Speaking of which, today is my wedding day. I even let you sleep in the bridal chamber in place of Cao Xuande. Isn't that enough to spoil you?"

"How about I let you be the groom tonight?"

She waved her hand, and the thin gauze curtains around the Crimson Jade Platform automatically fell down, obscuring most of the two figures, leaving only a faint voice echoing in the hall: "Don't even think about escaping or playing tricks."

"You can't escape from this Chongming Palace. Obey me and cooperate with my cultivation, and perhaps... this will be a great opportunity for you."

Wu Tian stood there, looking at the hanging gauze curtain and the hazy, breathtakingly curvaceous figure behind it, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The course of events has completely exceeded his expectations and control.

Lady Zhurong is assertive, direct, and has a clear purpose; she also possesses absolute power. Faced with her, I... have no choice but to take it one step at a time.

But... anyway, he's a man, so he won't suffer any loss.

Since this woman has come to him, why shouldn't he accept it?

Speaking of the marriage between Lady Zhurong and Cao Xuande, it was truly a joke. On their wedding day, in the bridal chamber, he was made to be the groom and serve the bride.
A surge of vengeful pleasure welled up within Wu Tian. (End of Chapter)