Xiao Hei retreated from the battlefield with the air of a victor, leaving behind only a devastated Demon Dragon tribe staring blankly at his departing back.
The remaining Demon Dragons had no idea how they had provoked such a formidable entity.
They had inexplicably engaged in a fierce battle with this black dog, resulting in heavy losses for the Demon Dragon tribe. Half of their Integration Realm powerhouses had perished, and it would take an age for them to recover.
They fought in a haze, not even understanding the reason for the conflict.
If they had known that the entire catastrophe stemmed from a clan member's desire to "replenish his kidneys," they would have likely dragged that individual out for posthumous punishment.
And what of this peerless expert? Where had such a being suddenly appeared from?
From the Integration Realm onwards, the powerhouses of the various great worlds were known, not too numerous, and mostly familiar to each other.
Even if they weren't personally acquainted, their reputations preceded them. Yet, their Demon Realm had never harbored such a dog.
Furthermore, the cultivation techniques employed were upright and proper, not aligning with their demonic cultivation paths.
"Sigh!"
"We must investigate thoroughly! We must ascertain this person's origin and destination!"
The group of Demon Dragon powerhouses, having suffered a significant defeat, could only suppress their anger and retreat to investigate first before making any further plans.
On the other side, Xiao Hei appeared to be walking away with ease, but in reality, the meager immortal power he had recently recovered was almost entirely depleted in the battle.
After leaving, Xiao Hei quickly found a hidden spot to conceal himself, recovering from his injuries and immortal power.
It took over a month of quiet recuperation and the expenditure of several immortal stones to restore even a fraction of his internal immortal power.
He still had over thirty immortal stones remaining, which he was reluctant to use for now. His luck had been poor lately, and he had encountered too many misfortunes. These stones would be useful in many situations to come.
Moreover, being in the lower realm, this world exerted a significant suppressive force on him. He would be fortunate to unleash even one or two-tenths of his full power.
If Xiao Hei had followed his old ways, after recovering his strength, he would have undoubtedly gone on a rampage, perhaps even destroying the world, just to vent his frustrations.
However, after several consecutive setbacks, he had learned the profound wisdom of a dog that knows when to tuck its tail.
Apart from completing the tasks assigned by his master, he no longer wished to stir up unnecessary trouble.
At most, he might casually bite one or two Demon Dragons he found displeasing.
To him, as long as he didn't destroy the world, these were all trivial matters.
During this period, Xiao Hei roamed the Demon Realm, searching for traces of the Creation Jade Disk, and casually biting any Demon he found offensive.
After searching extensively and killing many demons, he found no trace of the treasure.
The Demon Realm, having been repeatedly harassed by Xiao Hei, and unable to defeat him, devised a plan upon learning that Xiao Hei was searching for a treasure.
They dispatched a bolder Demon Dragon to "inform" Xiao Hei.
"Esteemed Dog Lord, please halt your attack. I possess crucial intelligence."
"What intelligence could you possibly have? Speak, and let me hear it. If it does not please me, I shall bite you in two."
In Xiao Hei's eyes, a mere Dragon of the Nascent Soul realm was insignificant.
"It is thus: we have heard that the Heavenly Origin Realm, adjacent to ours, possesses a supreme treasure. We have attacked them several times for this treasure, but to no avail. Given your immense power, perhaps you could seize the treasure from them..."
As the Nascent Soul Demon Dragon spoke, he continuously observed Xiao Hei's reaction. Although he knew he was there to die, he was still quite nervous.
"You take me for a fool, trying to trick me!"
Xiao Hei's face darkened, and his gaze grew colder.
Opening his maw, with a "crunch," the Nascent Soul Demon Dragon, who had cultivated for thousands of years, was bitten to death.
He had learned much about the intelligence of this world during his extensive search of the Demon Realm.
The Demon Race had indeed launched small-scale attacks on the Heavenly Origin Realm before, but they hadn't gained much advantage.
Later, cultivators from the Heavenly Origin Realm had done something to the inter-realm passage, and now the passage to the Heavenly Origin Realm had become a forbidden zone that no one dared to approach.
For dozens of miles around the exit of these passages, there was no sign of life, and even birds and beasts would detour.
Anyone who dared to venture into the inter-realm passage with sheer bravado never returned alive.
Over time, unless one was intent on seeking death, no one would risk their lives to prove the peril of this place to the world.
However, even though he knew the demons had malicious intentions and wanted to trick him, Xiao Hei took note of the matter.
He had already scoured the Demon Realm multiple times without finding the treasure.
His master had given him a list of over a dozen worlds, and the Heavenly Origin Realm was among them.
He would have to make a trip to the Heavenly Origin Realm sooner or later.
In the following period, besides continuing his search throughout the Demon Realm, he spent his time learning about the inter-realm passages and the Heavenly Origin Realm.
One day, Xiao Hei found himself near an inter-realm passage and observed it stealthily.
According to the intelligence he had gathered, the passage was merely filled with potent poison.
This greatly boosted Xiao Hei's confidence. As a dignified Earth Immortal, why should he fear mere poison from the lower realm?
After observing for a while, Xiao Hei took a deep breath. He only detected a faint floral scent, with no other anomalies.
It seemed that the potent poison that everyone in the lower realm feared like a tiger was, to an Earth Immortal powerhouse, as sweet as nectar.
Having suffered losses multiple times, Xiao Hei, before entering the passage, cautiously took out an antidote immortal pill.
Such pills were common and ordinary in the Immortal Realm, but in this lower realm, they were likely considered treasures.
Having learned from past mistakes, taking the antidote pill was not enough. He also conjured a layer of immortal energy shield around his body.
Even so, as he walked through the passage, he could still smell a faint floral fragrance, which made him feel refreshed.
As he ventured deeper and closer to the Heavenly Origin Realm, the scent grew stronger, and the feeling of comfort throughout his body intensified, relentlessly eroding his will.
At this moment, he felt as if he had reached the pinnacle of his canine existence, truly wishing to lie down and bask in this blissful sensation that permeated every pore of his being.
Xiao Hei bit his tongue fiercely. The sharp pain brought him back to his senses, and he knew he had been poisoned.
"Hold on a little longer! The exit is just ahead!"
The medicinal effect of the antidote pill he had taken earlier had worn off. He had no choice but to retrieve another pill and pop it into his mouth.
Immediately, the feeling of comfort receded like a tide, replaced by agony in his soul, which, paradoxically, left him with a sense of emptiness.
After an unknown period, the antidote pill's effect faded, and the comfortable sensation returned.
"Enjoy it a little longer!"
"Hold on a little longer..."
...
Finally, with immense willpower, Xiao Hei managed to crawl out of the Demon Sealing Well.
His black fur was soaked with sweat, dull and lusterless. His limbs were weak, his back and legs ached, his eyes were unfocused, his breathing was shallow, and exertion caused him to pant. He felt dizzy and feverish all over.
Xiao Hei's hands trembled for a long time before he fumbled for an antidote pill and put it in his mouth. This was followed by waves of soul-deep pain.
At this very moment, a woman clad in a blood-red robe, with two fluffy, pointed ears atop her head, walked unhurriedly towards Xiao Hei.
Xiao Hei, who had been feeling weak, suddenly felt his blood boil, as if his body were about to explode.
He could only use his immortal power to suppress it forcefully and looked in the direction of the approaching figure.
"It's you?"