Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

With a loud bang,

the scruffy big dog's body exploded starting from its mouth, disintegrating into a pile of dog fur on the ground.

But this time, it quickly reassembled its body before Zhao Sheng, though its size had shrunk by two circles.

"Woof woof... uh, my palace wants to say, wants to say... wants to say what again?"

The big dog struggled mightily, pondering with such intensity that its eyeballs puffed up, distorting its face into a grotesque, terrifying expression.

Seeing this, Zhao Sheng quickly said, "Senior, there's no need to think. How about we discuss how to let me leave here instead?"

"Indeed... you really want to live and leave, haha...!" The scruffy big dog spoke erratically, with unpredictable moods, clearly not in its right mind, seemingly heavily influenced by Devilish Thought.

Zhao Sheng stood silently without responding.

"You want to live, right? My palace desires it even more! It's easy to let you leave, but why should my palace do so?"

As the saying goes, "Listen carefully to what people say, like listening to drums and gongs."

Zhao Sheng immediately caught the hidden meaning, his spirits lifted, and he hurriedly asked, "I dare to ask, senior, what must this junior do for you to let me leave?"

"Very simple! Although my palace has been dead for billions of years, there's still a sliver of chance for resurrection. What you must do is simple; just take a strand of my Immortal Thought out of the Heavenly Roar Pearl and then... so on and so forth..."

Zhao Sheng listened for quite a while before understanding what the other party wanted.

This wasn't the first time he'd experienced such a thing.

Still remember the tasks Golden Crane Great Saint asked Zhao Sheng to accomplish in the Great Saint Thought Realm?

Compared to what the Great Saint required, this scruffy big dog's demands seemed exceedingly harsh.

It actually dreamt of reincarnation, to cultivate immortal path again!

A True Immortal is nearly undying and undying; even if only a wisp of Immortal Soul remains, it can regrow flesh and gradually recover cultivation over eons.

However, for a completely fallen Demoted Immortal, attempting reverse reincarnation is never an easy task.

The biggest challenge is naturally the Mystery of the Fetus; additionally, reincarnation involves Cause and Effect, Qi Fortune, Destiny, and other elements of Tao.

Simply put, more than eighty percent of Demoted Immortals are killed in the womb before being reborn.

After rebirth, their fate is even more calamitous than that of a Star of Inauspiciousness, often growing into world-destroying Demon Lords.

Even for normal Demoted Immortals, reincarnation is difficult, let alone for a Demoted Immortal's Devilish Thought.

Leaving aside whether Zhao Sheng could achieve it, even if he agreed, such tremendous Cause and Effect would entirely crush his small frame!

Moreover, that wasn't the extent of the other party's demands!

Zhao Sheng listened, his scalp tingling, and immediately shook his head in refusal, "Senior's requirement is truly strict, making it exceedingly difficult for me to fulfill."

"No, you can do it!"

For some reason, this scruffy big dog had great confidence in him, speaking with utter conviction, "Boy, don't underestimate yourself; simply by not being affected by rule distortions, you are the best candidate."

"Moreover, this matter holds immense benefits for you. Don't you want to know what reward my palace might grant you? Don't you want to become an undying True Immortal?"

"I do!" Zhao Sheng nodded honestly.

"Woof... uh, wanting is right! My palace holds a Tao Golden Book, which records all my cultivation insights throughout my life. If you comprehend this book, you can attain the Longevity Dao Fruit and achieve immediate ascension."

At this, the dog's mouth opened larger and larger, with difficulty spewing out a brightly shimmering golden "Book Page."

Calling it a book page, it actually resembled a square Golden Plate; smooth and shiny on both sides, yet devoid of words.

Clang!

The Golden Plate fell to Zhao Sheng's feet, and the thorny skin carpet that roared loudly suddenly became dead, losing all phenomena.

Zhao Sheng nudged the Golden Plate with his foot, his expression calm, showing no sign of being moved.

Until he safely returned to Da Chun Realm, he would not believe a word of the other party.

After all, in the other party's "territory," he couldn't distinguish truth from falsehood.

"Little guy, you are smart. You should know you essentially lack options." The dog couldn't comprehend why the other's mind harbored refusal despite reaching this point and dared reject its "goodwill."

But it didn't matter, for it had little time left to remain lucid.

Poof!

Thinking thus, the dog spewed a mouthful of black vapor.

At this moment, Zhao Sheng felt something amiss in his body, noticing the Yellow Gourd from his Dantian uncontrollably flying out.

In the blink of an eye, it flew before the big dog, landing steadily upon the bed.

Zhao Sheng's face changed slightly, saying nothing as he looked at the scruffy big dog.

"Woof woof... I never imagined the bait released long ago would lure in a treasure like you. Truly, heaven assists me!" The scruffy big dog gleamed with pride, its chin raised high.

Clearly, it had been deeply influenced by Devilish Thought, with its consciousness and personality twisted and alien, unchangeable.

"Did you deliberately send this thing out?" Zhao Sheng asked upon seeing the scene.

"Naturally. My palace not only released bait but also orchestrated the Immortal Palace's emergence... the tale you tell of the Tribulation Crossing Venerable escaping alive, the old ghost, and the skeleton—all were my handiwork before. My palace's purpose was simple, only for easy harvest." The scruffy big dog's words were frank, disdaining any concealment.

"Did you think 'Yukong Xianjian' was some treasure land? Back in the day, when the cosmic calamity unfolded, countless True Immortals fell responding to the tribulation, alongside thousands of Immortal Monarchs, Golden Immortals, and even more... bang bang bang!"

As it spoke towards the end, the dog seemingly breached some taboo, its body exploding and re-forming thrice in succession before reluctantly coalescing once more.