Chapter 556 — The Fat Dragon, the Black Tiger, and the White Fox

The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping summoned many divine-power wielders skilled in the arts of calculation to recalculate, revising the blueprints and demanding even greater precision.

What the divine-power wielders of Licheng were forging now was the sun furnace.

"My lord, I have lost my junior brother. . .

" On the tower of Licheng, the Black Tiger God rolled on the spot and transformed into a small black tiger barely a chi tall, his hide striped black and yellow. He lit a stick of incense and prayed with the utmost reverence. The incense smoke curled upward, gathering into a cloud above him, taking the form of the Woodcutter Sage's face, watching him with no expression at all.

The little tiger that was the Black Tiger God lay flat with ears pressed down, not daring to speak. After a moment, the Woodcutter Sage's voice came: "What use are you?

" The Black Tiger God shivered with dread and hurriedly said, "Rest assured, my lord, I will find Junior Brother Shen!

" The smoke and cloud slowly dispersed, and the Woodcutter Sage's voice came again: "I have gone to the world of the demon race and cannot return for now.

When I do return, if I do not see my disciple, then you shall stay in this form forever—do not think you will ever change back! " The Black Tiger God let out a breath of relief.

Just then, a clear, ringing voice came: "Fat Dragon, the young master is in this world, true, but you wolfed down every last spirit pill in one go.

If we cannot find the master, won't you have to go hungry for a long, long time?

" Another voice came, deep and muffled, chortling: "Sister Ling'er, you don't know—it took me forever to snatch a few spirit pills back from that demon general in the chest, and these past days I've dared eat only one pill a day!

I've been starving down to skin and bones long ago.

Look, look, I've gotten so thin! It's only so the cult master would still recognize me that I gulped down all the remaining pills at once—and even then I worried my figure wouldn't go back to the way it was. .

. " "I heard the young master is lost. If we can't find him, you'll starve to death!

" "The cult master is so clever—how could he be lost? " The Black Tiger God looked toward the sound. Clack, clack, clack—a great chest came up first, and behind the chest followed an enormous creature with a belly so vast it nearly scraped the ground. As it came up the tower, its fat quivered all over, like some great monster with the blood of dragon and qilin. And atop this fat one's head sat a little girl, lovely as ice and snow, five or six years old, with six snowy-white fox tails behind her and two fluffy ears on her head. Sang Hua, Yu He, and the others followed behind, and two girls he had never seen before walked alongside.

The little girl with the fluffy tails and fluffy ears saw him, and her eyes lit up.

She leaped down from the fat one's head and came running at the Black Tiger God with a giggle, clapping her hands and laughing: "What a cute little tiger-bear!

I want to hug him first! " The Black Tiger God caught the scent of fox and his face went dark. With a shake of his body, the little black tiger barely a chi tall transformed into a great striped black tiger more than ten zhang tall, roaring at the heavens, divine might and ferocious might spilling out in every direction.

The little fox demon's expression changed drastically. She spun around and burst into wailing tears, running toward the girls and throwing herself into one of their arms: "Big tiger-bear—" The girl shielded the fox demon behind her.

The fat one plopped down onto the ground with a thud, sitting on his backside, gazing up at the enormous creature with a look of awe.

Sang Hua hurried forward and said, "Tiger Venerable, these few are friends of Cult Master Shen. " The Black Tiger God dispersed his divine might and ferocious might, transformed into the black-tiger youth, drew back his sharp claws, flicked his ears twice, and said, "In my early years I was once cheated by a fox. I cannot bear the sight of fox demons.

Forgive me. " The little fox demon peeked out and said with a laugh, "I don't cheat people.

" Growing bold, she slipped out from behind Ling Yuxiu and looked the Black Tiger God over, asking curiously, "Can I touch your ears? " The Black Tiger God hesitated, then lowered his head and said, "I frightened you just now.

One touch, then. " Snow Fox touched them twice and praised, "So soft!

Come touch them too, all of you!

" Ling Yuxiu hesitated. "Isn't that a bit inappropriate?

" Even as she said it, she boldly stepped forward and touched them twice, then exclaimed in delight, "They really are soft and smooth!

" The other girls reached out one after another and touched them a few times, which made the Black Tiger God feel rather comfortable—though in his heart he still felt something was not quite right. He was a demon god, after all; being touched like this by others seemed a loss of face.

But it truly was comfortable.

Long Qilin came forward too, meaning to touch them as well.

The Black Tiger God hastily raised a claw and pinned the fellow to the ground, unable to move. After a moment, the crowd and the Black Tiger God alike were well satisfied, and the Black Tiger God asked, "How do you all plan to find Junior Brother Shen?

" Si Yunxiang said with a smile, "Very simple—a primordial-spirit meeting! "