A passing traveler through the heavens

Ji Lin used magic and returned to the tavern in an instant.

At this moment, Yang Jian was sitting in the corner of the tavern, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table, his eyes revealing a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.

Upon seeing Ji Lin appear, Yang Jian abruptly stood up, strode over to him in a few steps, and eagerly asked, "How is it? Is True Man Yu Ding at Jade Spring Mountain?"

Ji Lin's expression was solemn, and he said in a low voice, "Master is not here. He left only a letter that says 'Kunlun Mountain Jade Void Palace'."

Upon hearing this, Yang Jian frowned deeply. After a moment's thought, he looked at Ji Lin with a determined gaze and said, "Shall we set off for Jade Void Palace now?"

The two hurriedly left the tavern, where the streets were bustling and lively.

Yang Jian turned around and asked the tavern owner for a thick cloth bag. He gently picked up the little black dog, placed it inside, and tied it securely to his front.

Immediately afterwards, Ji Lin reached out and firmly grasped Yang Jian's shoulder, his magical power surging around him.

In an instant, the two rose from the ground and sped off towards the direction of Kunlun Mountain, leaving only the exclamations of the pedestrians in the market to gradually fade into the distance.

At the foot of the Kunlun Mountains, clouds and mist swirl, creating an ethereal atmosphere.

Ji Lin and Yang Jian climbed the winding mountain road with great effort. Along the way, cranes soared high, their long cries piercing the sky; exotic flowers and rare herbs swayed gracefully in the wind, their rich fragrance filling the air.

Before long, the magnificent palace of Yuxu Palace came into view. The palace gates were tightly closed, and the stone beasts in front of the gates exuded an ancient and profound aura, appearing majestic and solemn.

Ji Lin glanced at Yang Jian, who looked nervous beside him, took a deep breath, strode forward, and raised his hand to knock on the palace gate.

"Dong dong dong".

The dull knocking echoed through the mountains. After a moment, the door slowly opened, and a young Taoist boy peeked out from the crack. He looked the two of them up and down, paused for a moment, and then asked in a clear voice, "Who goes there?"

Ji Lin quickly cupped his hands in greeting and said eagerly, "I am Ji Lin, a disciple of Master Yu Ding. May I ask if my master is currently in the Jade Void Palace?"

The young Taoist nodded slightly, a gentle and friendly smile on his face, and said, "Uncle Yu Ding is discussing important matters with the immortals in the main hall. Please wait a moment, Senior Brother Ji, while I go and inform them."

Before long, the young Taoist priest hurriedly returned, raised his hand to signal them to follow, and led Yang Jian and Ji Lin into a side hall.

Incense smoke curled inside the hall. Master Yu Ding was meditating on a futon with his eyes closed. Sensing the arrival of the two, he slowly opened his eyes, a hint of satisfaction flashing in them, and beckoned them to come closer.

Ji Lin quickly walked to the side of Master Yu Ding, bowed respectfully, and said, "Master, I saw the note you left in the Golden Cloud Cave, so I brought Brother Yang Jian with me."

Afterwards, Ji Lin recounted in detail all his experiences after emerging from seclusion.

As Master Yu Ding listened to Ji Lin's cultivation, a hint of worry flashed across his face, fearing that Ji Lin might go astray by excessively pursuing higher realms.

But when he raised his hand to examine Ji Lin's body, he felt the solid foundation of his cultivation level, nodded in satisfaction, and a gratified smile appeared on his face. Then he turned his gaze to Yang Jian.

Yang Jian's eyes reddened, and he knelt down with a thud, saying excitedly, "The Heavenly Court wiped out my entire family, and my mother was also imprisoned under Peach Mountain. Yang Jian only wants to learn the Heavenly Skill to rescue her. I hope Jade Cauldron Immortal will grant my request!"

Master Yuding looked solemn, flicked his whisk, stroked his beard, and slowly said, "Yang Jian, I know you are eager to save your mother, and your sincerity is evident. Now, I will accept you as my second disciple."

Master Yu Ding's gaze softened as he helped Yang Jian up, saying earnestly, "Now that I have accepted you as my disciple, I will teach you everything I know."

"But the path of cultivation is long and arduous, requiring one to endure loneliness and guard one's true nature. Do you understand?"

Yang Jian nodded emphatically, his gaze resolute: "This disciple understands. Even if there are a thousand difficulties and dangers, I will never back down!"

Master Yu Ding nodded with satisfaction and smiled, "That's very good. From today onwards, you will follow me and devote yourself to cultivation."

Master Yuding turned to look at Ji Lin and said gently, "Lin'er, now that you have brought Yang Jian here, you two will be fellow disciples from now on. You should support each other and make progress together."

In the following days, Master Yuding arranged for Yang Jian and Ji Lin to cultivate together, and he would often preach to the two of them.

During his cultivation, Yang Jian displayed astonishing talent, always eager to learn and fully focused during lectures.

When he encountered something he didn't understand, he humbly sought guidance from Master Yuding and Ji Lin. Ji Lin, without reservation, patiently and meticulously answered Yang Jian's questions based on his own cultivation experience.

One day, Ji Lin planned to take Yang Jian to visit some towns in the mortal realm.

But when he saw Yang Jian practicing tirelessly in the training room, he gave up the idea of ​​disturbing him. Seeing this, Ji Lin made a few sucking noises and teased the little black dog guarding Yang Jian over.

The little black dog now has a name: Xiaotianquan (Howling Celestial Dog).

This was when Master Yuding had just taken Yang Jian as his disciple. That very night, Ji Lin and Yang Jian were chatting and talked about the little black dog.

Yang Jian intended to keep it by his side, so he named it Xiaotianquan (Howling Celestial Dog).

Seeing that Yang Jian was focused on his cultivation, Ji Lin decided to take Xiaotian Dog for a stroll around Kunlun Mountain. Xiaotian Dog had grown from a small black dog into a lithe black slender hound.

Ji Lin put a rope on the Howling Celestial Dog and then took it for a leisurely stroll around the Kunlun Mountains.

Ji Lin led the Howling Celestial Dog along the winding path of Kunlun Mountain. The forest was quiet and secluded, with the occasional cry of an unknown bird.

The celestial dog was extremely excited, sometimes pulling on the rope and charging forward, and sometimes running back to Ji Lin's side and rubbing against his leg affectionately.

Upon reaching a mountain hollow, one sees a clear spring gurgling, with crystal-clear water reflecting the surrounding green mountains and trees.

Ji Lin simply untied the leash of the Howling Celestial Dog, letting it play freely.

The celestial dog pounced on the edge of the pool, happily licking the cool spring water, and occasionally slapping the surface with its paws, splashing up sparkling water droplets.

Just as Ji Lin was enjoying the tranquil and beautiful mountain scenery, a strange fluctuation suddenly came from the depths of the forest.

The celestial hound instantly became alert, stopped its playful antics, pricked up its ears, and barked incessantly in the direction from which the fluctuations were coming.

Ji Lin was startled, realizing that something might be wrong. He immediately called back Xiaotian Dog and cautiously headed deeper into the mountains and forests.

The further you go in, the stronger the fluctuations become, and there seems to be a faint fishy smell in the air.

A moment later, Ji Lin saw a cave shrouded in black mist ahead, with something churning and surging within the mist.

The celestial hound's fur stood on end, and it let out a low growl, seemingly warning the unidentified object in front of it.

Ji Lin took a deep breath, concentrated his magic power in his palm, and slowly approached the black mist.

Just as he was about to get close, a huge dragon suddenly sprang out of the black mist. Its body was as thick as a pillar, its eyes flashed with blood-red light, and it opened its blood-red maw to pounce on Ji Lin and Xiaotian Dog.

Ji Lin quickly leaped backward, simultaneously unleashing a burst of magical power that forced the dragon back several steps.

He then realized that the dragon exuded an evil aura, clearly not an ordinary mountain spirit.

Taking advantage of the moment the dragon was repelled, the Celestial Hound bit the python's tail. The dragon, in pain, twisted its body wildly, trying to shake off the Celestial Hound.

Upon seeing this, Ji Lin immediately joined the battle.

He quickly formed hand seals, and spells shot towards the dragon like lightning. Although the dragon was fierce, it gradually lost ground under the combined attack of Ji Lin and the Howling Celestial Dog.

However, just when Ji Lin thought he was about to win, the dragon suddenly spewed out a stream of black venom. Ji Lin couldn't dodge in time, and the venom splashed onto his arm, causing a sharp pain. His magical power was also affected as a result.

Taking advantage of Ji Lin's injury, the dragon twisted its body, which was as thick as a giant pillar, stirred up a foul wind, and fled madly into the depths of the mountains and forests.

Suddenly, Ji Lin's body shone brightly. This light contained a pure and powerful healing force. As it flowed, the wounds on his arm that had been corroded by the venom healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and he was completely restored in the blink of an eye.

Once his injuries had fully healed, Ji Lin's eyes shone brightly as he locked onto the direction the dragon had fled.