God of Pets Chapter 865: Searching for Pets

~9 minute read · 2,224 words
Previously on God of Pets...
Chen Guan observed a woman repeatedly gazing at a peculiar mountain. Unable to decipher its significance, he decided to investigate, theorizing it might hold secrets. To achieve this, he needed a pet with superior vision. With the help of his pet Ming Fei, he searched the Book Hall and discovered the "Celestial Eye Evil Ghost," a creature with a talent called "Evil Eye Ghost Pupil" that allows it to see through others' eyes. Chen Guan plans to acquire and modify his Secret Law to utilize this ability undetected, but first, he must find a rare, high-level Celestial Eye Evil Ghost.
"Master!" Ji Liuying immediately bowed with utmost respect upon seeing Chen Guan appear. She had already concluded in her heart that Chen Guan was indeed the teacher Ji Changsheng had spoken of. Her suspicion even grew that the ring was acquired by a pet sent by Chen Guan. However, Ji Liuying refraine­d from asking any questions, believing that Chen Guan acted with purpose in all his deeds. Although Chen Guan was truly the instructor Ji Changsheng had mentioned, his current circumstances differed significantly from Ji Liuying's preconceptions. His actual power hadn't ascended to the Celestial King level, nor even reached the Ninth Awakening, starkly contrasting with Ji Liuying's expectations. Ji Liuying surmised that Chen Guan's approach was a result of King Ji's charge to watch over the Ji Family. And she, it seemed, was Chen Guan's chosen protégé, destined to restore the Ji Family's former eminence under his tutelage. Furthermore, Ji Liuying held steadfastly to the belief that Chen Guan's might was capable of challenging a Celestial King, possibly even surpassing them in certain aspects, and that his current state was merely a deliberate facade. All of Chen Guan's apparent weaknesses were, in her view, a means to grant her the necessary time to mature. "Liuying, I must undertake a journey to Evil God Mountain," Chen Guan announced. Upon hearing this, Ji Liuying responded instantly, "Master, the family has just assigned me training duties in the vicinity of Evil God Mountain. I shall accompany you there." "Ascending Evil God Mountain is not necessary. I merely need to locate a Celestial Eye Evil Ghost, specifically one at the Eighth Awakening stage," Chen Guan clarified. "If your objective is simply to find a Celestial Eye Evil Ghost, a trip to Evil God Mountain isn't strictly required. However, encountering one at the Eighth Awakening is rare; most are at the Ninth Awakening," Ji Liuying noted. Without probing Chen Guan's reasons for seeking an Eighth Awakening Celestial Eye Evil Ghost, she contemplated for a moment before adding, "Regardless, I will accompany you, Master, to find it." "Very well," Chen Guan replied with a nod and a smile, choosing not to elaborate further. Thus, the pair departed together. Before they could exit the Ji Family's city, four Ninth Awakening powerhouses, assigned by the Ji Family, approached Ji Liuying. Ji Liuying was now regarded as the Ji Family's prime candidate, her recent performance having profoundly astonished the higher echelons of the family. The Ji Family currently held her in exceptionally high esteem, providing her with elite security escorts for her departure from their territory. Ji Bei, Ji Nan, Ji Dong, and Ji Xi—these four were elite bodyguards meticulously trained by the Ji Family. While their combat effectiveness might not have been the absolute peak among Ninth Awakening cultivators, their protective capabilities were undeniably top-tier. These individuals were specifically cultivated by the Ji Family to safeguard key figures. Initially, Ji Liuying lacked the standing to warrant their deployment. Now, the situation had transformed; the assignment of all four simultaneously underscored the immense value the Ji Family placed upon her. By a careful calculation, these four Elders hailed from the generation of Ji Liuying's great-grandfather. They treated Ji Liuying with immense care, yet she was accompanied by an individual clad head-to-toe in armor, with their face completely obscured, sparking their concern. In the beginning, they had objected to Ji Liuying bringing along an individual of unknown origin. However, Ji Liuying's insistence was unwavering; she declared this person to be her self-appointed teacher, though she could not offer a clear explanation of his background. According to the Ji Family's established regulations, such an individual was prohibited from remaining by Ji Liuying's side. This was partly due to Ji Liuying's firm stance, and partly because she was not initially a primary candidate being groomed by the Ji Family, but rather an unforeseen development. Consequently, arrangements pertaining to her had not yet been fully established. It wasn't a matter of insufficient time, but rather that certain resources had already been allocated to other designated candidates. With Ji Liuying's sudden emergence, numerous matters became complicated, and internal resistance within the family was significant. The resources Ji Liuying could currently access were thus limited, inevitably leading to certain deficiencies. Ji Liuying, however, was quite content; at the very least, her affairs and her words still carried weight. Throughout the journey, the four Ji Family Elders—North, South, East, and West—observed Chen Guan intently, and their apprehension towards him intensified. This was primarily because Ji Liuying displayed extreme deference towards Chen Guan during their travels, consistently addressing him as 'Master' and behaving like a devoted disciple attending to every need of her mentor. She truly exemplified the role of a novice student. Several of the Elders found this behavior difficult to accept. They possessed influential connections within the Ji Family, rendering the need to learn from an outsider of obscure origins unnecessary. Moreover, they held a dismissive view of those outside the Ten Great Families.

Ji Liuying initially held her tongue, but as the accusations continued, she firmly stated, "He was the one who taught me when no one else was willing to guide me alone. A teacher is like a father. I implore you elders to show respect to my master."

The elders were left without words, their long lives teaching them the weight of Ji Liuying's declaration.

What Ji Liuying was subtly conveying was that the Ji Family had previously neglected her, showing no favor or extra care. Now, they expected her to dismiss her master – a blatant display of hypocrisy.

The four elders fell silent, their resentment towards Chen Guan deepening.

Ultimately, Ji Liuying remained the Ji Family's prodigious talent, a fact that made acknowledging an outsider as her master particularly galling, especially when this outsider wasn't a renowned powerhouse among the Ten Great Families.

Their intention was to find a moment to display their own formidable strength, demonstrating to Chen Guan the true might of the Ji Family's experts and compelling him to withdraw from any perceived challenge.

Yet, Chen Guan acted like an unyielding rogue, completely indifferent to their words and actions, as if he were deaf to their sentiments. He remained placid, uninterested in engaging with them, calmly accepting Ji Liuying's devoted service, which only inflamed the elders' anger. They simply did not deem Chen Guan worthy of being Ji Liuying's master.

Fortuitously, Ji Liuying's performance throughout their journey progressively filled them with delight.

The skillful execution of the Innate Eight Techniques by Ji Liuying had already surpassed these seasoned veterans.

Ji Liuying could not openly credit Chen Guan for her advancements. Were she to do so, the Ji Family would undoubtedly launch an exhaustive investigation into Chen Guan, potentially leading to hostile confrontations – a scenario Ji Liuying desperately wished to avoid. Thus, she was compelled to claim her progress as her own realization.

All of this met with Chen Guan's quiet approval; Ji Liuying was not attempting to seize undue credit for herself.

"Master, there's a Celestial Eye Evil Ghost ahead. I'm uncertain if it's an Eighth Awakening, but your disciple will investigate it immediately," Ji Liuying announced, spotting a Celestial Eye Evil Ghost and swiftly moving towards it on her mount.

The four elders, representing the East, West, North, and South, maintained their positions, offering no direct assistance in the battle. Their responsibility was solely to ensure Ji Liuying's safety, not to interfere with her cultivation practice.

They were only to intervene if unforeseen circumstances arose.

Given Ji Liuying's current prowess, she would not face immediate demise even against a Ninth Awakening Secret God Celestial Eye Evil Ghost. Furthermore, the one encountered was clearly an Unparalleled Celestial Eye Evil Ghost.

Familiar with the combat data concerning Celestial Eye Evil Ghosts, Ji Liuying engaged the creature, even managing to gain the upper hand.

"Master, this isn't an Eighth Awakening Celestial Eye Evil Ghost; it appears to be a Ninth Awakening. Do you require it?" Ji Liuying inquired loudly of Chen Guan after extracting three Secret Collections from the Celestial Eye Evil Ghost and confirming its rank.

"No need," Chen Guan replied with a direct shake of his head.

Even if he could transform Ninth Awakening Celestial Eye Evil Ghosts into pets, he lacked the ability to summon them.

Ji Liuying then proceeded to dispatch the Celestial Eye Evil Ghost. For a top talent of the Ji Family, defeating a Ninth Awakening creature when one was at the Eighth Awakening stage was not an insurmountable challenge, particularly when dealing with Secret Spirits they were well-acquainted with, like the Celestial Eye Evil Ghosts.

Throughout their travels, Ji Liuying diligently assisted Chen Guan in locating Celestial Eye Evil Ghosts, even altering their planned route to venture into regions where these creatures were more likely to be found.

This persistent search for specific targets increasingly irked the four elderly figures. Ji Nan, unable to contain himself any longer, finally posed the question, "What exactly are you seeking an Eighth Awakening Celestial Eye Evil Ghost for?"

"To capture one as a pet," Chen Guan responded casually.

"Couldn't a Ninth Awakening serve as a pet as well?" Ji Nan pressed further.

"No, I can only summon pets of the Eighth Awakening level," Chen Guan stated.

While the elders harbored initial skepticism, hearing Chen Guan admit this limitation himself only eroded their already low estimation of him.

Why should a cultivator at the Eighth Awakening stage presume to be the master of the Ji Family's own prodigy, who had also reached the Eighth Awakening cultivation level?

Just as the Ji Nan elders were contemplating strategies to discreetly remove this enigmatic individual from Ji Liuying's side, Ji Liuying's jubilant voice echoed from ahead, where she was still engaged in combat with a Celestial Eye Evil Ghost.

"Master, this Celestial Eye Evil Ghost is definitely an Eighth Awakening!" Ji Liuying exclaimed, artfully retreating while maneuvering the Eighth Awakening Celestial Eye Evil Ghost in their direction.

"Liuying, you should fall back," Chen Guan instructed, beckoning Ji Liuying to retreat before summoning forth the Ten Thousand Poison Insect Emperor.

The Ten Thousand Poison Insect Emperor, now at the Eighth Awakening, Level 77, far surpassed Chen Guan’s current level. The abundant Primordial Energy of this mountain nourished it greatly, even pushing this rare Secret Spirit, which typically thrives only on Poison Primordial Energy, to Level 77.

Ji Nan and the rest watched as Chen Guan summoned a delicate-looking Secret Spirit, reminiscent of a Flower Fairy, anticipating how he would employ this seemingly fragile creature to vanquish the Celestial Eye Evil Ghost.

An Unparalleled quality Celestial Eye Evil Ghost, while not as monstrous as a Celestial Eye Evil God, still presented a significant challenge.

Beyond its maddening pupil techniques, it possessed formidable physical strength, excelling in close-quarters combat. This was further amplified by the Evil Ghost Possession Secret Law, which significantly bolstered its physique.

Although not possessing an Undying Body, overcoming its defenses and delivering a fatal blow was no simple task.

Ji Liuying had only managed to defeat a Celestial Eye Evil Ghost by fighting across levels through meticulous planning, specialized abilities, and the strategic use of secret treasures.

Chen Guan’s summoned Secret Spirit Pet appeared ill-suited for close combat; it was unlikely to breach the Celestial Eye Evil Ghost’s defenses directly. He likely intended to utilize a Secret Law for the kill.

To everyone’s astonishment, the dainty Ten Thousand Poison Insect Emperor merely cast a glance at the Celestial Eye Evil Ghost. Before the ghost could even advance a few steps, it abruptly collapsed, dead.

"What ability did that Secret Spirit use?" The group led by Ji Nan was utterly bewildered, having failed to comprehend the cause of the Celestial Eye Evil Ghost’s demise.

Still deep in thought, they observed Chen Guan extend his hand and beckon over a fluffy Secret Spirit. It resembled a small, panda-like raccoon bear, albeit with peculiar coloration.

In the very next second, the small raccoon bear held its head with its paws, channeling power towards the deceased Celestial Eye Evil Ghost. A Secret Realm halo, shaped like a yin-yang fish, emanated from it.

"Bloody hell... A Seventh Awakening small raccoon bear..." Ji Bei couldn't help but blurt out, much to the shock of the other three elder gentlemen, whose eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

While the small raccoon bear possessed potent abilities, its innate aptitude was exceptionally poor. Even numerous powerhouses from the Ten Great Families had invested countless Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, yet they could, at best, cultivate small raccoon bears to the Fourth or Fifth Awakening, with very few ever reaching the Sixth.

Chen Guan’s small raccoon bear had unexpectedly attained the Seventh Awakening. Even these esteemed elders from the Ji Family found this phenomenon unprecedented.

A Seventh Awakening small raccoon bear implied the capability to transform deceased Secret Spirits from the Great Cave Heaven into pets. This was an almost 'bug-like' ability, akin to a treasure trove, continuously yielding a variety of rare pets.