God of Pets

After Chen Guan and the other two left, the guards immediately sent the news to the military base of the Celestial Court Army near the Ghost Eye Cave.

The person in charge of this military base was Commander Li Jinting. When the news arrived, Li Jinting was holding a bowl and eating. Upon hearing the adjutant read the information, he dropped the bowl in his hand.

"Did those three cultivators of the First Awakening really kill the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python?" Li Jinting felt like the sky was falling.

To ordinary people, the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python is an unattainable existence, but to Li Jinting, a level 10 World-Defying Secret Spirit is nothing special.

But this Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python was different. Those noble ladies loved the bags and shoes made from its skin. The mysterious and noble gray-purple color is a rare sight in nature, with a texture that feels both dreamlike like crystal and soft, something crystal lacks. Many socialites considered having a bag made from Ghost-Eyed Python skin a matter of pride.

But currently, only one Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python had been discovered, so it was kept alive and not killed. Only the snake sheddings were used each time to make the bags and shoes the ladies favored.

Now that the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python is dead, how could he explain this to his superiors?

At that time, he might even be stripped of his position as commander, making it difficult to advance further.

"Those three brats are really damned... How did they manage to kill the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python..." Li Jinting snatched up the intelligence report, reading it over and over, his face changing from initial rage to a broad grin.

"They brought back two pieces of snake shedding. This way, it can cover for two years. I wonder which lucky brat got the Ghost-Eyed Python pet. In the future, when his Ghost-Eyed Python pet evolves, it will also produce snake sheddings, which we can take when the time comes. Even if his snake sheddings are not available, two pieces should suffice for two years. By then, I will have ascended to the Grotto Heaven, who cares about these petty matters. Those noble ladies can be left for the successors to serve, as I won't serve them anymore."

Thinking of this, Li Jinting started to form a plan: "Since those three brats could kill the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python, they must possess some skills. If I could recruit them under my command and properly nurture them, especially if one has the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python for sheddings to please those ladies, perhaps after I leave, they could continue to manage this place."

With this thought, Li Jinting ordered someone to check the records on these three people from the reserve team.

Upon investigation, he found out that Chen Guan was actually Ji Nanhong's lover, his expression turned peculiar.

The Celestial Court Army was roughly divided into three major factions, with the largest naturally being the faction of Commander Ji, the second largest was not the Xiu Family, but rather those noble offspring sent by various families to the Celestial Court Army.

Despite their numbers, these individuals came from different families and found it difficult to cooperate wholeheartedly, leading to both open strife and veiled struggles, resembling a scattered pile of sand.

They occasionally cooperate and at times someone might even align with the Ji Family or Xiu Family, and it's quite chaotic inside.

Conversely, the Xiu Family was highly cohesive, although not as populous, its influence within the Celestial Court Army was significant, and they currently enjoyed the favor of the Chief Judge, gaining increasing prominence.

Li Jinting belonged to Ji Family line, but even now, Ji Family line was not stable.

Commander Ji had health issues, and it's rumored that time is running out. As a result, many from this faction were worried about the future, causing widespread disarray.

If Ji Nanhong had been born a few decades earlier and was groomed by the Ji Family head to succeed, it would have been a good choice. Ji Nanhong indeed was a rare genius, and entrusting the Celestial Court Army to a woman like her was not impossible.

But she was born too late, and there's no time to nurture her now. Whether the Celestial Court Army could be entrusted into her hands was uncertain, and even if it could, with her current ability, could she truly manage the Celestial Court Army?

"Xiu Haofeng designed four gold tasks for Chen Guan, originally intending to directly knock him down, probably never expecting that Chen Guan would actually complete the gold tasks. While he does have some ability, it's still far from enough to be matched with the young lady." Li Jinting knew in his heart, if Ji Nanhong chose Chen Guan instead of Xiu Jieming, she was preparing to walk a thorny path.

Li Jinting was also considering his own choices for the future, whether to continue supporting the Ji Family and assist Ji Nanhong, or turn towards the Xiu Family.

"Let's wait and see," Li Jinting thought it wasn't the right time to pick a side yet, and called someone over to instruct, "Once Chen Guan and the others hand in the task, immediately bring back the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python's snake sheddings."

…

After Chen Guan and the other two reached the foot of Phoenix Mountain, the guards stationed at the entrance and exit routes of Phoenix Mountain were startled to see the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python.

Upon hearing that they intended to enter Phoenix Mountain to hunt the Netherworld Blood Phoenix, their expressions turned even more peculiar.

"The Netherworld Blood Phoenix roams the northern part of the mountain, but it's difficult to ascend from the north. You should go up from the west side, which is much safer." the guard said.

Chen Guan and the others thanked the guard for the tip and entered the mountain with the Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python.

Due to the presence of the Netherworld Blood Phoenix, there were no other Secret Spirits near Phoenix Mountain. Even if there were Secret Spirits, they would be wiped out by the Netherworld Blood Phoenix.

The Netherworld Blood Phoenix was extremely ferocious, allowing no other living beings within its habitat. It favored a Netherworld-like death paradise.

At the foot of Phoenix Mountain, they found numerous bones, most of which belonged to Secret Spirits, but clearly, some were human cultivator bones.

Regardless of how long they had been there or their size, the bones shared a common trait.

The bones were black and red, as if soaked in blood then fished out and dried, covered in bloodstains.

Staring at the bones ahead, the three stopped and set down the snake sheddings and Snake-entwined Wood tied to the Ghost-Eyed Python.

To kill the Netherworld Blood Phoenix, they still needed the Ghost-Eyed Python as the main force, so it couldn't continue carrying things.

"The Netherworld Blood Phoenix is extremely fast, with feathers like Hundred Refinements Vajra. Plus, it loves consuming souls, attacking indiscriminately, regardless of species. It's really hard to kill. What's the plan, Captain?" An Yiqi asked.

"Of course I have a plan, but we'll see if it works," Chen Guan pointed to a spot ahead, "Dig a three-foot pit there."

"Why dig a pit?" An Yiqi was puzzled.

"Just dig, no need for so many questions." The team leader promptly started digging.

Chen Guan then unfolded one of the snake sheddings to use as a tent, covering the hole they were digging, then took out the Ten Thousand Ghosts Refinement Soul King Cauldron and placed it in the hole, instructing them to cover it with soil.

"Captain, what exactly is that Bone Cauldron? Why bury it here? Does it have something to do with killing the Netherworld Blood Phoenix?" An Yiqi asked curiously while filling in the hole.

"You'll know in due time. Whether or not we can hunt the Netherworld Blood Phoenix in three days, it all depends on this." Chen Guan didn't want to satisfy his curiosity, since he himself wasn't sure if it would work.

Theoretically, the Ghost Emperor, Emperor Vein Ghost-Eyed Python, and Netherworld Blood Phoenix were all Ghost Type Secret Spirits.

The BeiMang Mountain Blessed Land mainly featured Ghost Type and Immortal Type Secret Spirits, other types were present but less common.

Given the Netherworld Blood Phoenix's speed and the fact that they lacked flying pets or flight ability, with ordinary shooting skills, it was impossible to kill the Netherworld Blood Phoenix traditionally; they had to lure it down for a fighting chance.

The Ten Thousand Ghosts Refinement Soul King Cauldron had a fatal attraction to Ghost Type beings. Chen Guan never planned to climb the mountain to kill the Blood Phoenix. If the cauldron didn't work and couldn't draw the Blood Phoenix down, his only chance was to have Ming Fei contend with the Blood Phoenix. He wasn't sure if Ming Fei's flight abilities could match the Blood Phoenix.

After burying the Ten Thousand Ghosts Refinement Soul King Cauldron for three days, allowing it to absorb enough pheromones, Chen Guan removed the snake shedding on top, and the three hid among the rocks, covering themselves with the snake shedding, awaiting the appearance of the Blood Phoenix.