Starting Immortal Cultivation from a White Dog

After passing through countless gates and undergoing numerous checks, both overt and covert, the view suddenly opened up before them. In the distance, the outline of a magnificent palace appeared—the Xuanji Palace.

This ancient palace is constructed entirely of alternating black iron rock and white moonstone, with cold, hard, and square lines. The palace gates, which are over ten feet high, are tightly closed, and the doors are decorated with ancient patterns of the celestial bodies and storms, which are full of mystery and power.

At each of the four corners of the eaves of the palace, there is a stone statue of a strange beast that resembles a dragon but is not a dragon, with wings on its back. The beast's eyes are inlaid with some kind of dark red gemstone, and no matter which angle you look at it, it seems to be staring coldly at the person who comes.

Bai Yuehua stopped at the edge of the square, straightened her clothes, and bowed solemnly with a specific rhythm, saying, "Bai Yuehua, the Pavilion Master of Fengyi Pavilion, together with Bai Fengxian, the Pavilion Master of Tingfeng Tower, pay our respects to the Palace Master."

The sound echoed in front of the empty ancient temple.

A moment later, the heavy palace doors slid open silently, just wide enough for two people to pass through, and a female official dressed in a pure white white dress, with her hair neatly styled and her face expressionless like a jade sculpture, quietly emerged.

She nodded slightly to Bai Yuehua, then her gaze fell on Wu Tian, ​​silently gesturing for him to proceed.

Wu Tian followed Bai Yuehua into the hall, where the light suddenly dimmed, only to be illuminated again by soft light from all directions.

The interior of the hall is far more magnificent and profound than it appears from the outside, with a dome several meters high painted with star maps that slowly rotate on its own.

Dozens of colossal pillars, each requiring several people to encircle, support the palace structure. The pillars are adorned with chains cast in fine gold, the ends of which disappear into the darkness of the dome, their destination unknown.

A chilling pressure, as if a mixture of moonlight and cold wind, permeated the air, causing one's magical power to flow involuntarily to slow down.

At the end of the main hall, atop nine jade steps, stands a large, dark jade throne, upon which sits a woman.

That was Bai Xuanji, the Palace Master of Xuanji Palace.

She appeared to be around thirty years old, with a face like jade sculpted from ice and snow, sharply defined features, and an imposing, unyielding air of authority. Her eyebrows were like sharp swords slanting towards her temples, her nose was high and straight, and her lips were very pale, revealing a chilling coldness when tightly pursed.

She wore a wide black robe of extremely ancient style, on which intricate star trails and storm cloud patterns were drawn with silver threads. With her very slight breathing, the silver threads seemed to be slowly flowing and shimmering, emitting a hazy glow.

She simply sat there, not deliberately exuding any aura, yet the entire hall seemed to revolve around her. It was a sense of majesty and oppression that came from long-standing high positions, wielding power, and possessing unparalleled strength.

Bai Yuehua stopped at the foot of the steps and bowed deeply: "Palace Master, Bai Fengxian has been brought here."

Wu Tian also bowed, his posture respectful but not humble: "Bai Fengxian, the master of Tingfeng Tower, pays respects to the master of Xuanji Palace."

The woman on the throne slowly lowered her gaze, sweeping over Wu Tian's entire body as if it were a tangible object.

In that instant, Wu Tian felt as if he had been thoroughly examined by that gaze, and even the Wind God Pearl he had just condensed trembled slightly.

"Get up," Bai Xuanji said, her voice not loud, but clearly echoing in every corner of the empty hall.

"The Wind God Pearl, in its early stages, was able to trigger the unusual phenomenon of the Taiyin tides. Its foundation and potential are truly rare."

"What Yuehua said is true."

Her gaze remained fixed on Wu Tian: "However, you have only been back in the clan for a short time, and you recently acquired a Jade Scale Golden Eye Beast with the bloodline of the ancient rare Water-Repelling Golden Crystal Beast."

"Now that he has broken through to such a level, there are quite a few people in the clan who are envious, jealous, suspicious and speculative. Aristocratic families are not sects, they value blood ties and also value seniority."

"To elevate you to a high position out of thin air is like roasting you on a fire."

"For the sake of your future, you need to silence the public with real achievements."

"This is to prove that you are capable of taking on responsibilities and that you are loyal to the family. In this way, it will be natural for the family to provide you with resources, grant you authority, and help you rise to the top, and no one else will have anything to say about it."

Bai Xuanji's tone was calm and composed, without any attempt to conceal anything.

"Please give your instructions, Your Highness," Wu Tian said, bowing his head.

Bai Xuanji slightly raised her hand, and the female official beside her silently stepped forward, holding a sandalwood tray with two jade slips of different colors on it.

“I’ll give you two choices,” Bai Xuanji said slowly. “First, go deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains and hunt down a demon king.”

"Secondly, he was to be stationed in Qinglin City for three years."

Wu Tian's mind raced. These two paths were essentially his future position within the family and his choice of path.

The first choice is to rely on supernatural powers and embark on a path of killing and conquest.

The second option is to cultivate a good reputation through meticulous planning and skillful methods, taking a steady and pragmatic approach.

Wu Tian did not hesitate at all.

What he needs is not to slowly cultivate relationships, reconcile all parties, and build up public support.

What he needs is to quickly establish his reputation, acquire higher-level resources and attention, reach the core of the Bai family as soon as possible, and achieve his goals.

Three years to garrison the city? That's too slow.

Three years later, he had already soared to great heights and was even confident that he could single-handedly sweep across the southern border, so why bother with such unnecessary embellishments?

Moreover, engaging in superficial dealings with various forces is neither his forte nor his desire.

"Reporting to the shopkeeper, I choose the first option: to slay the demon king," Wu Tian replied.

Bai Xuanji nodded slightly: "Good. You are decisive and resolute. I will give you the talisman. As long as you kill a demon king, the talisman will respond."

"This journey is perilous. Your family will not help you. Everything depends on you. We hope you will return successfully."

"Thank you, Palace Master." Wu Tian accepted the jade slip, which represented the mission to slay the demon king, from the female official.

"Go then." Bai Xuanji withdrew her gaze. "When you return with your achievements, I will personally preside over the ceremony of your investiture as Pavilion Master."

Bai Yuehua and Wu Tian bowed again and slowly withdrew from the imposing hall.

After walking a short distance, Bai Yuehua smiled and said to Wu Tian, ​​"It seems that the Palace Master really values ​​you. She is usually very taciturn and sparing with her words."

"However, the Ten Thousand Mountains are extremely dangerous now. It may not be so easy to kill a demon king. You must be careful and prioritize your own life."

"Thank you for the reminder, Pavilion Master." After a brief conversation, Wu Tian returned to Tingfeng Tower.

He summoned Yun Jin, Jin Ping'er, Yu Huan, and others, and briefly explained that he would be going out to carry out a family mission, with no fixed return date. Yun Jin would temporarily manage all affairs in the building, and any unresolved matters could be reported to Fengyi Pavilion.

"Master, this journey is fraught with danger. Would you like us servants to accompany you? Or perhaps we could arrange for some guards?" Yun Jin asked.

"No need," Wu Tian shook his head. "I am enough on my own. More people would be inconvenient."

Before dawn the next day, it was still dark.

Wu Tian changed into a dark blue outfit that allowed for easy movement, tied his long hair up simply, and left Tingfeng Tower without alerting anyone. He transformed into a wisp of light blue smoke and disappeared into the still-sleeping morning mist of Fengxian County.

After leaving the county town, they arrived at a desolate wilderness.

Wu Tian switched his bloodline, transforming into a man with the bloodline of Kuafu. He glanced back towards Fengxian County, then a golden light flashed beneath his feet, transforming into a golden rainbow that shot through the sky, hurtling towards Wuling County. ...

A pale golden rainbow swept across the vast mountains and rivers of southern Xinjiang. Wu Tian stepped on the golden light, his heart yearning to return home.

In less than half a day, the familiar outline of Wuling County City appeared on the horizon. He landed quietly in the Qingyi Courtyard, the inner courtyard of the Lu family ancestral home, without alerting anyone.

It was afternoon when I pushed open the courtyard gate.

Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the magnolia tree in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows.

Wu Tian spotted the figure inside the window at a glance. Lu Nanxi was sitting on a soft couch by the window, holding a jade scroll in her hand, but she was not reading it. She was just staring blankly out the window.

Today she wore a flowing cloud-patterned ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), covered with a light blue gauze, and tied with a silk sash at the waist, outlining her slender and graceful figure.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her profile; her skin was as white as jade, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly like butterfly wings.

As Wu Tian pushed the door open, the wooden hinges made a slight creaking sound.

Lu Nanxi turned her head at the sound, and when she saw it was him, her eyes widened instantly. The jade book slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a soft "thud".

The next moment, an overwhelming joy welled up in her heart. She almost staggered to her feet from the soft couch, her skirt brushing the ground, and she threw herself into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

"You're back!"

Wu Tian caught her steadily, his arms encircling her slender waist, and he could clearly feel the soft curves of her dress beneath his palm.

He lowered his head, gently touched her hair, and whispered, "You're back."

The two embraced silently, neither of them saying a word.

After a long while, Lu Nanxi finally lifted her head slightly from his embrace. "Tell me, why are you back so late? Did that woman bewitch you?"

"I've clearly been bewitched by you, you vixen." Wu Tian smiled slightly, his gaze falling on her face so close to his, lingering on her rosy lips.

He didn't say anything more, but simply lowered his head and kissed her.

Lu Nanxi gave a soft "hmm" sound, but did not resist at all. Instead, she stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around him even tighter.

After a long while, Wu Tian stepped back slightly, his forehead pressed against hers. Looking into her shimmering eyes, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice deepened: "Did you miss me?"

Lu Nanxi's cheeks flushed, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling, and gently traced his Adam's apple with her fingertips, her voice tinged with a hint of coquettishness: "What do you think?"

This action and look instantly darkened Wu Tian's gaze. Without another word, he scooped her up in his arms. Lu Nanxi gasped softly, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in the crook of his neck.

He carried her and strode into the inner room.

The light inside was slightly dimmer than in the outside room, and the sunlight filtering through the carved window lattices was softened by the gauze curtains, creating a hazy and gentle glow.

Wu Tian gently placed her on the large bed, her moon-white skirt spreading out on the dark brocade quilt. Her dark hair was loose, a few strands clinging to her slightly flushed cheeks, her eyes gazing at him with watery eyes.

Wu Tian leaned down, supporting himself on one side of her with one hand, and caressing her cheek with the other, his thumb gently stroking her smooth skin from her brow bone to her cheekbone, and then to her chin.

"Call me husband," he whispered.

"Husband." Lu Nanxi raised her hand, grasped the hand that was stroking her cheek, pressed his palm against her face, and gently rubbed it, like a cat dependent on its owner.

This gesture made something inside Wu Tian's heart melt completely.

He could no longer hold back. He bent down, and Lu Nanxi looked up, her fingers threading through the hair at the back of his head, the black strands entwining her fingertips.

"My husband..." she said softly.

"I'm here," Wu Tian replied, his palm stroking the delicate skin of her waist, its smooth and warm touch feeling like the finest jade.

She could feel the rough texture of his fingers, which sent a shiver down her spine.

The bed curtains had been torn down at some point and were now covering the bed.

Lu Nanxi's fingers traced his sweaty back, feeling the tension and heat in his muscles, and gently moved them.

"And what about you? Have you missed me...?" she said haltingly.

"Of course I miss you, you're my little darling." Wu Tian swallowed her unfinished words.

"I don't believe it." Lu Nanxi snorted, leaving faint red marks on his back with her fingernails.

Wu Tian grabbed her wrist, pressed it above her head, interlocked his fingers, and completely imprisoned her in his arms.

It wasn't until sunset that the twilight deepened.

There were no lights on inside, only the dim light from outside the window.

Lu Nanxi felt weak and sore all over, and didn't even have the strength to lift a finger. She curled up in Wu Tian's arms, her cheek pressed against his still sweaty chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, and sighed with satisfaction.

Wu Tian held her close, his large hand gently stroking her smooth back, feeling the soft body and even breathing of the person in his arms.

Her skin was warm and delicate, with a languid blush and a hint of languor. Her long hair was loosely spread across his arms, strands entwined around his fingers.

Neither of them spoke, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness and tranquility.

After a long while, Lu Nanxi finally moved, looked up at him, and in the dim light, her eyes were moist and tender with satisfaction.

"Tired?" Wu Tian lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

"Hmm..." she responded lazily, her voice still slightly hoarse, which only added to her allure, "I have something to tell you."

"You speak, I'm listening." Wu Tian took her mischievous fingers and kissed them lightly.

Lu Nanxi propped herself up, and the brocade quilt slipped off, revealing her rounded shoulders and the red marks on her collarbone.

Unaware of what was happening, she looked at Wu Tian and said seriously, "During the time you were away, a major change occurred at the Li family in Tonghai County."

"According to our informants in Tonghai County, half a month ago, a divine dragon appeared in the South China Sea. It came from the sea and entered Tonghai County, accompanied by torrential rain, storms and thunder."

"Since then, Tonghai County has been experiencing continuous rain, which has not stopped to this day. The moisture in the county is abnormally abundant, the river levels have risen sharply, and many low-lying areas have become swamps."

"The Li family... seems to have completely sided with the Dragon Clan and become their slaves." Her voice was slightly low. "There are reports that many high-ranking members of the Li family have died, and many unfamiliar faces have appeared."

Wu Tian frowned slightly.

The Dragon Palace of the East Sea acted even faster than he had anticipated; the Li family had most likely already been swallowed up by the Dragon Palace visitors. (End of Chapter)