I Have a Golden Crow

Prince Du’s back garden was huge, truly huge...

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a mountain forest.

With the help of the Shatang Tree, the Dust Spirit Garden was quickly built—in essence, just a plot of land fenced off by a circular wall.

Although only the Wind Chime Tree held court in the garden, it didn’t feel empty inside, since it was filled with Begonia Tree clones created by the Shatang Tree.

On September 15th, Bai Lu and Yiren’s family of four were brought into the Dust Spirit Garden.

As for why it was that particular day...

It was because the two Little Immortal Deer had finally stopped wobbling when they walked~

The little ones hopped their way into the Dust Spirit Garden, leaping and bounding around.

The brother and sister looked here and there, their adorable little appearances, truly cute beyond words.

Scenes like this couldn’t help but remind Du Yu of Xiaobai when she was just a child.

Mm... Time really flies.

As for this secluded environment, the Dust Spirit Deer couple loved it, and their two children could run wild through the Begonia Forest, growing up in comfort.

To top it all off, on the day Bai Lu and Yiren moved in with their children, Little Tai Sui also advanced to Celestial Level·Peak Stage.

Just one step away from becoming a Spirit-level Divine Pet.

It’s worth mentioning that Bai Yujing actually told Du Yu that she too seemed on the verge of breaking through.

Such news left Du Yu clicking his tongue in amazement!

You had to know, Xiaoyan was only at Spirit Level·Initial Stage, and she’d made it clear she’d need at least another half a month before even sensing the threshold for breakthrough.

But Xiaobai was already at Spirit Level·Minor Achievement Stage, already a step ahead, and now she was about to break through to Great Success Stage?

No wonder she was rated as a Demon Pet with ”extremely high growth potential”!

Then again, with Xiaoyan receiving Little Fen Yang’s support, her potential value had to be explosively high too.

As for why she still hadn’t caught up with Bai Yujing, the core reason was actually that substitute trainer, Master Qing.

No helping it—Master Qing’s own advancement, her protection of disciples, and weathering Celestial Punishment all let her and her inner Demon Pets gain immense benefits.

After wrapping all this up, Du Yu grabbed his newly acquired Divine Artifact: the Ice-Colored Jade Marrow Bow, and eagerly set off on his journey.

He’d really wanted to act together with his big brother and third sister, but alas, his strength just wasn’t up to snuff.

It had been nearly two months since Du Yu advanced to the Great Demon Tamer Stage.

But big brother and third sister were still stuck at Demon Tamer·Peak Stage, and their Demon Souls hadn’t shown any signs of forming.

Lin Shiwei’s previous assessment had been spot-on—Du Yu’s gap with the others was steadily widening...

Du Yu just couldn’t wait for his two junior sisters any longer!

He urgently needed a real battle to test out the ”Divine Artifact” in actual combat.

And his gaze was fixed right on the Mountain Fire Saber!

Prince Du would be aiming straight for the Library Ring, and compared to the other Level 4·Demon Spirit Realms, Du Yu was undeniably most familiar with the Mountain Fire Saber.

”Swish la la~”

On the highway, a jet-black SUV was speeding through the rain curtain.

”Goodness.” Du Yu raised his eyes a bit, looking toward the overcast sky.

When he left Ancient Pine Tower City, it had been sunny and bright.

But by the time he reached the middle of the journey, he’d driven right into a torrential downpour.

”Eeen~” Xiaoyan in his arms let out a little whimper.

She seemed to be woken by the thunder, her long tail swishing to her face as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

”No more napping, we’re almost there.” Du Yu reached down and wrapped his hand around Xiaoyan’s big tail, giving it a gentle squeeze.

”Mmm.” Xiaoyan propped herself up, her little paws pressing on Du Yu’s chest.

Her furry little head snuggled into the crook of Du Yu’s neck, rubbing affectionately left and right.

Just awakened, she carried a unique air of dainty laziness.

Du Yu patted Xiaoyan’s back and grinned, ”And you said you’d keep me company driving—you’re better off sleeping in the Acupoint Home, at least you’d be growing stronger.”

”Don’t say that about me.” Xiaoyan’s long tail reached up to cover Du Yu’s mouth.

Du Yu: ”...”

Clearly, Du Yu just didn’t know how lucky he was.

Most Demon Tamers found it hard to even invite their inner Spirit-level Divine Beast to come out.

Yet here was Prince Yan insisting on keeping Du Yu company as he drove, only to end up hearing words like that in return.

”Wake up, we’re here.” Du Yu tilted his head, rubbing his cheek against the fiery red fox head nestled at his neck.

It was Du Yu’s first time seeing the Mountain Fire Saber in the pouring rain.

Atop the mountain, the Divine Weapon·Mountain Fire Saber was still blazing fiercely, rain being vaporized by the flames, sending thick clouds of steam billowing out.

The scene was rather terrifying.

”Want to go back in for now? Once I’m inside, I’ll call you out again?” Du Yu pulled into a parking space and spoke softly.

”No.” Xiaoyan refused to budge from his arms, and Du Yu had no choice but to compromise.

He pulled on a baseball cap, grabbed the Ice-Colored Jade Marrow Bow from the backseat, and stepped out of the car.

Thanks to the pouring rain, today’s Mountain Fire Blade Realm felt distinctly cool and refreshing.

”Rumble rumble...”

Thunder rolled across the sky.

Du Yu hugged Xiaoyan even closer to his chest, heading directly for the bookstore.

Funny thing—he’d visited the Mountain Fire Saber many times, joined the underground training camps, yet had never once set foot inside this bookstore.

”Ding-a-ling~ling~”

Accompanied by the chime as the door opened, a middle-aged man behind the bar looked up.

At first glance, he saw the Heterochromatic Fire Fox in Du Yu’s arms.

But the man didn’t seem surprised—instead, he quickly looked away and locked eyes with the main visitor.

Yet, to his surprise, Du Yu was standing by the door, gazing up at the store’s ”town-protecting” challenge, looking all eager and ready to go.

The clerk’s mouth opened as if to greet him, when suddenly he felt the young man looked kind of familiar?

Could it be...

The number one Paper Crane Disciple from Shaohai?!

No, strictly speaking, the number one Paper Crane Disciple across four provinces!

Seeing Du Yu staring at the challenge notice, the clerk became even more convinced he hadn’t mistaken the person.

”Hello?” The shop assistant greeted him kindly and softly.

Du Yu turned to glance at the man, nodded and smiled in greeting.

The man looked to be forty or fifty, short and a bit chubby, with an amiable and down-to-earth air—a bit of a hidden master’s vibe.

After all, there were plenty of Demon Tamers in the Demon Taming World with tall, muscular builds.

But for a clerk to keep watch over the Mountain Fire Saber’s bookstore, Du Yu didn’t believe he was just an ordinary person.

His eyes drifted over the name tag on the man’s chest: Ren Chengguo.

Du Yu asked, ”This town challenge notice isn’t entirely clear. Mr. Ren, could you clarify it for me?”

Ren Chengguo also turned to look at the blackboard on the door.

Task goal: Gain the Mountain Fire Saber’s approval.

Task level: Xuan Platinum. Reward: Mountain Fire Blade Realm—Demon Spirit Library Ring.

Great complexity in utter simplicity!

Du Yu understood that this single-sentence mission surely hid countless untold details.

Ren Chengguo said, ”The Mountain Fire Saber emerged several centuries ago—its anger has never abated. Maybe that’s why it’s walked the Road to Heaven at all.”

Du Yu nodded gently, waiting for him to go on.

Ren Chengguo continued, ”To everything that exists nearby, the Mountain Fire Saber attacks without discrimination, with no personal grudges involved.

But to gain the Mountain Fire Saber’s recognition, you have to withstand its fury, and survive waves of attacks that border on personal vendettas.”

”Ah?” Du Yu was startled.

The Mountain Fire Saber is the very Mother of the Demon Spirit Realm!

He was just a mere Great Demon Tamer—if targeted by the Mountain Fire Saber, how could he possibly survive?

Ren Chengguo read the look on Du Yu’s face and said, ”That’s right. Since the Mountain Fire Blade Bookstore was established, only one person has ever completed the task, gained the Mountain Fire Saber’s approval, and taken the Library Ring from this shop.

As for everyone else...”

Du Yu sensed a bad feeling: ”What happened to everyone else?”

Ren Chengguo: ”Few only got severely injured, most of them died.”

Du Yu’s breath hitched, just a bit!

This...

Ren Chengguo sighed softly, ”Those gravely wounded, the disabled ones, at least they could be healed if they survived.

But those who died—well, their remains are buried here forever.

After round upon round of Mountain Fire Blade Soul shredding, there were not even bones left behind.”

Du Yu’s heart grew heavy, and he nodded silently.

Only now did he realize how trivial the previous town challenge tasks he’d completed really were.

The Mountain Fire Blade Realm’s missions had raised the difficulty straight to a matter of ”life and death.”

No wonder, since the realm was established, only one person ever gained the Mountain Fire Saber’s approval.

How many sky-high-hearted talents now lay buried on this charred land?

For a single ring—was it really worth it?

Ren Chengguo suddenly spoke, interrupting Du Yu’s thoughts: ”Actually, to call it a personal grudge isn’t exactly right either.

We just use a special method to get the Mountain Fire Saber’s attention.

After a Demon Tamer withstands a few rounds of attacks, the Mountain Fire Saber will no longer focus on them—it won’t pursue you until death.

After all, the Saber’s anger is for the world at large, not any single Demon Tamer. Eventually, it returns to normal, burning everything in its path.

But, ever since the shop was built, only one person has ever lasted through. The rest—all of them fell in the first few rounds of rage.”

Finally, Du Yu couldn’t hold back and said, ”But surely it can’t be that only one person completed the task?

Great Xia is full of talent—there’s no shortage of Demon Taming Generals and Demon Taming Emperors. It’s not like the task is to fight the Saber head-on—just withstand a few bouts of wrath.”

Ren Chengguo: ”While Demon Taming Generals and Demon Taming Emperors can come to cultivate here, the town challenge mission is restricted to Great Demon Tamers only.

Once you reach Fifth Level·Demon Taming General, the challenge window closes.”

”Hmm...” Du Yu frowned, asking, ”Who was the one person who succeeded?”

Hearing this, Ren Chengguo’s expression became a little odd. ”You’re Du Yu, right? From Ancient Pine Tower Demon Spirit Academy, disciple under Master Qing.”

”That’s right.” Du Yu knew he had gained some fame and admitted it openly.

Ren Chengguo nodded: ”The only person to gain the Mountain Fire Saber’s approval was your own master, Ancient Pine Tower’s Ms. Yang Qingqing.”

Du Yu: ”...”

No wonder the Mountain Fire Saber and Master Qing forged a contract—turns out, there’s such a history between them?

Ren Chengguo: ”Given that relationship, I recommend you speak to Ms. Yang first.

You’re an outstanding representative of the new generation, cream of the crop among disciples, with a bright future ahead.

As for this challenge, please consider it carefully.”

At this, Du Yu nodded—he ought to do just that.

”Additionally, Du Yu,” Ren Chengguo urged earnestly, ”if you insist on attempting this, I strongly advise you to wait until you’ve reached Great Demon Tamer·Peak Stage.

I watched your competition footage—truth is, your strength is still far from the peak.”

”Thank you.” Du Yu nodded, opened the bookstore door, and strode out into the layers of rain.

Ren Chengguo watched the youth’s disappearing figure through the window and let out a gentle sigh.

Let’s hope this kid doesn’t act too recklessly...

Great Xia never lacks for brilliant young talents.

Nor does this Demon Taming World lack the soil for burying geniuses.