The Dragon master’s control over his region was too strong so long as he remained in it. He was the absolute authority and could deploy large numbers of seventh ranks anytime to eliminate intruders. Stirring up trouble here was absolutely to court death.

“Mmhmm,” responded Panth.

Li Hao didn’t react at first, yet jerked to a halt a moment later and stared at the dog.

Panther didn’t notice anything amiss either, but came to its senses a long moment later. It bristled and looked sideways at Li Hao with wide eyes. Something incredible had just happened!

The young man’s jaw dropped and he stared at the dog. Hot damn... can the dog actually talk?

Damned dog refused to make a sound before and still doesn’t make a sound at fifth rank. Li Hao was even starting to doubt his knowledge of what abilities were available at which cultivation level. Perhaps the dog’s breed was different and it really couldn’t talk.

How could it have held itself in all this time?

But... it answered me just now!

“Panth, you can talk!” Li Hao narrowed his eyes at the dog. The black dog looked innocently back at the young man and shook its head.

No, I can’t.

Li Hao frowned at the dog and stared at it. “The hell, dude. Why won’t you talk if you can talk? You just bark all the time...”

He didn’t know what to say. This was a horrible habit for the dog to pick up! It was a fifth rank, and yet it still didn’t talk. Everyone talked around it, but it stayed quiet. It was a real dog through and through, huh!

Panther could certainly keep things to itself!

The black dog shook its head once more and didn’t respond. Li Hao looked quizzically at it. What was the reason behind this? He didn’t get it.

The young man was certain that he’d heard correctly just now, that the dog had responded to him. Although it was just a “mmhmm”, that had not been a dog bark or whine.

Next to them, Void began laughing. He sized up Panther and transmitted to Li Hao, “Fellow Daoist Panther might not be speaking because... it feels that it won’t be able to stay with you after it starts talking.”

What kind of crappy logic was that? Li Hao stared wordlessly at his friend.

“Being able to talk will mean that it is a properly intelligent exalted emperor. That also means... it’s grown up and needs to leave you.”

Li Hao blinked; he didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he sank into contemplation. If Panther could speak... then would he not treat it as a pet anymore?

There was a difference between a dog that could speak and a dog that couldn’t speak. One that could speak was a bonafide cultivator, not... a pet.

Li Hao was used to the status quo, but what if Panther really did speak like Number Two or Capsize Sea one day? Would he still view the dog as a pet? Did he look at the other two as pets?

Did the Dragon master treat the major monster spirits as pets?

Clearly not!

Interacting with these monster spirits was predicated by equality in status. Everyone was a cultivator...

Clearly, Panth was no fool. It was aware of the ins and outs of the situation since it was a fifth rank. The dog would no longer be a simple pet once it started speaking, so it didn’t care for that change in status, even though exalted emperors were more highly ranked than pets.

What did it want such a high position for? Did it not have one now?

Perhaps it just didn’t want to leave Li Hao. It’d been with Li Hao ever since it was very, very young. The dog had been with the young man before it’d developed intelligence. Even though many things had happened after that, Panth still followed by Li Hao’s side. If there came a day in which it started speaking... perhaps the young man would not take it around with him anymore.

Talking might indicate that Panther had grown up and become independent. It would be a major monster spirit exalted emperor with high intelligence and responsibilities.

Li Hao hadn’t considered this before. He’d always thought that perhaps Panth had a voice that grated on the ear or sounded too young. Or perhaps something else... Apparently its ancestor, the Monster Spirit Envoy of New Martial, had been the same way. It didn’t speak for a very long time because it sounded so juvenile when it talked.

That had always been Li Hao’s assumption, one that failed to work when Panth reached fifth rank. Being a bystander, Void could identify the reason why.

The young man was silent for a while and didn’t say anything. In his thoughts, a person or a monster spirit was indeed a regular living being when they could speak and exchange ideas. They would no longer be a pet or subordinate.

Even today, he felt that Panther was just his pet. So he was oblivious because he was in the thick of the situation, whereas outsiders could see things clearly?

Li Hao sank into deep thought and quickly recovered his smile. He looked at Panther and dropped the topic of conversation. The young man patted Panther’s extremely large head with a smile.

“Forget it, I probably made a mistake or heard Void instead. It’s fine if you don’t know how to talk. All I can say is that my dog is a bit dumber than most!”

Panth happily wagged its tail. That’s right, you misheard. I don’t know how to talk!

Void stared in disbelief that this was the conclusion. He was also surprised and envious. A fifth rank master of the world would rather be a pet than a lofty, independent exalted emperor!

Why was that?

Perhaps... due to the strength of their ties. And perhaps a reluctance to bid farewell to Li Hao.

No matter what the dog’s reasons were, they all pointed to the opinion that Li Hao was worth giving up a prestigious status for. The monster spirit was willing to always be a pet to the young man, which was a rare sight indeed.

......

The two humans and one dog ceased further communication. Li Hao and Void entered Panther’s stomach and sat over Silver Moon instead of further heading into the world. Although they were cut off from the outside world by Panther’s body, that did not impede the two from observing matters outside.

Li Hao’s thoughts wandered back to their earlier adventures and Panther’s reluctance to speak.

“We’ll do it like we did before, I’ll speak on your behalf,” said Li Hao. “We’ll adjust our mental ripples to that of the Five Styles. You can react according to what I say.”

This was how Li Hao had obtained his first large sum of resources in Silver Moon and taken down a duke in his own home! On this visit to Phoenix... they wouldn’t clean out the world, but perhaps they could do so if the right opportunity presented itself!

It was all starting to feel a bit familiar to Li Hao.

Panther was growing excited as well. It was best that the young man was willing to oversee the situation. The dog was delighted that business was as usual. It didn’t need to consider anything. The dog just needed to coordinate with Li Hao.

......

Phoenix major world.

The world gates were massive, luxurious, and opulent!

They were different from that of other worlds as world gates were usually cracks in the void or holes. These were bonafide gates, ones unseen in any human world. However, here they could be found in the territory of the supposed barbaric chaos beasts.

They were like the entrance to a heavenly palace!

They soared into the chaos with peculiar characters written on them—Phoenix!

It wasn’t text, but a mental brand. A casual glance gave one the impression of a phoenix soaring proudly through the chaos with blazing flames in its wake.

A phoenix...

Li Hao was suddenly reminded of Director Hou. Hou Xiaochen’s spear seemed to be forged from the spirit of a phoenix. It’d been very strong at first, but was now so weak that the director didn’t use it.

If they could refine the dao master of this world, the seventh rank phoenix, into the Flaming Phoenix Spear... then Hou Xiaochen might be able to use it without an adjustment period!

Li Hao laughed at the idea that’d popped into his mind. I dream big, don’t I? I’m thinking of killing a seventh rank and turning it into a spear. Damn, that’s vicious.

Two chaos beasts held down the fort at the Phoenix world gates—that was a rare sight. While they were only first rank, it was uncommon nonetheless. They were also both phoenixes. It looked like this species had developed well on this world. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The two phoenixes exchanged glances when Panther arrived in dog form. They could sense the newcomer’s strength, but specifics were hard to determine. All they could tell was that the visitor was a mid rank.

“Is this fellow daoist’s first visit to Phoenix major world?” asked one of the phoenixes.

“That’s right!” Li Hao brusquely cut straight to the chase. “This is this seat’s first visit to this world and region! I did not operate in Dragon Region before and hear that this is territory that belongs to us chaos beasts.

“I hear that we can freely transact within Phoenix major world and benefit from the Dragon master’s protection. As a result, we are forbidden from killing each other. Is that true?”

“Naturally!” the phoenix responded. “Since it is the fellow daoist’s first visit, you might be unaware of the situation in Dragon Region. Here, chaos beasts are the most able and lofty beings. The region spans such a large amount of territory that it is sufficient for all chaos beasts to reside in. Why must we raise a hand against each other?

“Of course, there are also some humans and monster spirits that are active in the area, but it is chaos beasts that rule Phoenix major world. So long as the fellow daoist does not purposefully kill others, you will receive the highest level of treatment...

“If I may be so bold, has the fellow daoist set foot into mid rank?”

“This seat is a fifth rank!” Panther lifted its head proudly. That cultivation level made it a heavyweight.

“So it is a senior fellow daoist!” The phoenix snapped to attention. “A fifth rank can be an elder in Phoenix major world! If the senior is so inclined, I can lead the fellow daoist to an audience with Her Majesty!”

“There’s no need for that yet. I will come to you if I need one. Right now... I just want to understand more of the region and... I’d like to know how I might join Dragon major world...”

The phoenix registered the response with resignation. Another one!

When visitors arrived in Dragon Region, they set their eyes on Dragon major world despite Phoenix major world being a seventh rank world. That was particularly true for mid ranks. Low ranks were one thing, but almost all mid ranks sought to join Dragon major world.

It made sense, considering that was an eighth rank world.

“I am not sure about that. The senior can enter Phoenix major world first and see if there are any chances to be had.” The phoenix was no longer as enthusiastic as before, but quickly added on, “Ah, please refrain from becoming involved in conflicts within the world. Chaos beasts are also strictly forbidden to fight and kill each other! If there are any humans or monster spirits that provoke the senior, the senior is to try and avoid killing them as well...”

In other words, any species other than chaos beasts could be injured, but not killed. How was commerce supposed to take place on Phoenix if visitors died in it?

Li Hao was rather surprised by the rules. It was rare to see prohibitions against killing!