Chapter 68: Husky with black silk stockings?

Xie Qiyang took a deep breath, circulating her newly acquired “Yin-Yang Great Dao.” An invisible ripple spread, dimming her striking beauty and presence to a less conspicuous level.

She knew this trick might fool random passersby, but in front of powerhouses like Grandma Ye Zhuxian, it was like the Emperor’s new clothes—pure self-deception.

Feeling a twinge of unease, she tugged her “little wife” (Li Tianxing) through the Bliss Pavilion, hoping to find Ye Zhuxian for some intel.

But after scouring every floor, not only was Ye Zhuxian nowhere to be found, the whole building was eerily silent—no sign of anyone.

“Where is everyone?” Xie Qiyang muttered. Li Tianxing, as if expecting this, led her straight to the private room where Ye Zhuxian and the others had been sipping tea.

Pushing open the door, they found it empty, save for a softly glowing spiritual projection hovering above the table.

Ye Zhuxian’s familiar voice, tinged with exasperation, emanated from it: “You two, stop looking. Those old geezers from Li Family Village tried pulling some sneaky stunts without honor, but got caught by the other clans! Now they’re all in the void, bickering at a ‘loot-sharing summit’!”

The projection paused, her tone turning serious: “Also, a heads-up: the Nether Ancient Realm restricts entry to Innate Realm and below, but it’s been eons—who knows if those seals have weakened?”

“You need to decide whether to head in early. Going now risks bumping into some shameless old monster.”

“If one of those old fogeys, armed with an imperial weapon, masks their aura and sneaks in to cause trouble… tch, it’s not impossible!”

“So, weigh your options. If you want to go early, head outside town now. If not, wait till we’ve scouted and confirmed it’s safe.”

Xie Qiyang pouted, turning to ask Li Tianxing’s opinion, only to meet his pleading, puppy-dog eyes.

Hiss!

“Fine, fine, I’ll go check it out with you!” She huffed, pinching his delightfully soft cheek in reluctant agreement.

She was quite content with her current “lord” status.

Stepping out of the Bliss Pavilion onto Nether Ancient Town’s streets, they froze at the sight.

Whoa!

The once-bustling, shoulder-to-shoulder streets were now deserted, silent enough to hear a leaf fall—like a ghost town!

Except… wait?

At the street’s center, a regular-sized but swaggering yellow dog strutted with a cocky gait, a massive, gleaming machete strapped to its back, the hilt nearly poking its head.

At the street’s end, by the giant gate leading out of town, stood another… even odder figure!

A husky with absurdly long, biomechanically implausible legs, decked out in sheer black stockings and a garish yellow miniskirt.

It struck a “peerless master” pose, facing off with the machete dog!

Both dogs seemed unremarkable, lacking earth-shaking auras.

But Xie Qiyang’s “Yin-Yang Great Dao” granted her sharp perception, revealing two distinct, terrifyingly potent Dao charms around them.

The yellow dog’s was heavy as a mountain, sharp as metal; the husky’s was eerie like an icy storm, laced with a neurotic edge typical of its breed.

The two auras clashed silently in the void, like fire and water, creating an oppressive tension that froze the street’s air.

“Uh… we just stand here and watch these dog bosses duke it out?” Xie Qiyang tugged Li Tianxing’s hand, whispering.

Li Tianxing snapped out of his daze, his expression grave. “We can only watch. These two… are unfathomable. They’re just probing, not fighting yet.”

“Whoever strikes first now would only benefit the old foxes hiding in the shadows, reaping the spoils.”

As if on cue, both dogs threw back their heads.

“Woof!” (The yellow dog’s, deep as thunder.)

“Awoo!” (The husky’s, a raspy, classic husky wail.)

The distinctive barks echoed through the empty street.

Then, the machete dog leaped, becoming a streak of earthy yellow light shooting skyward.

The husky followed, its spindly legs nearly snapping the stockings, whipping up an icy blue gust as it rocketed upward.

In a blink, both dog bosses vanished, leaving only lingering ripples of their terrifying Dao charms.

“Phew…” Li Tianxing exhaled, his brows furrowing deeper. “Didn’t expect Otherkin to show up—and this strong! No wonder those old geezers’ sneaky moves got exposed. This water’s deeper than I thought!”

“Otherkin?” Xie Qiyang blinked. Jiang Ningshuang’s memories had no such term.

“Not surprising you don’t know,” Li Tianxing explained, pulling her toward the town’s exit. “Otherkin are plants, animals, or beasts that gain sentience through fortune or bloodline talents, stepping onto the cultivation path.”

“They usually live in remote wilds or special realms, rarely seen in human lands, typically appearing near fallen powerhouses’ sites due to lingering Dao charms or treasures.”

He glanced back at where the dogs vanished, still shaken. “Didn’t expect the Otherkin born here to be this powerful. Their auras rival the old monsters from holy lands and imperial clans!”

“Let’s go. The real action’s outside town. Everyone’s probably waiting for news.”

They gathered themselves and left Nether Ancient Town for the agreed-upon meeting point outside.

Good grief, the outskirts were packed! A sea of cultivators buzzed with tension, anxiety, and anticipation.

Most were rogue cultivators or small-faction reps. They knew the score: Heavenly Venerate legacies or imperial treasures? Big shots’ dinner plates!

If they somehow grabbed one, it’d be a death sentence, not a boon—devoured by the big players without a crumb left!

Their goal was practical: snag some “small peaches.”

Like freshly sentient spirit herbs, fruits, or weak, bullyable Otherkin beasts.

These might be mediocre for personal use or have side effects, but sold to big factions for alchemy or crafting, they’d fetch hefty cultivation resources.

But the glimpse of those dog bosses poured ice water on their hopes!

“We’re screwed… even Otherkin have heavyweights who can arm-wrestle imperial clan ancestors!”

“Now they’ll claim a share at the negotiation table!”

“What if… the big shots agree to lock down even the ‘small peaches,’ leaving us no scraps?”

“Then we came for nothing, wasting time and effort!”

Whispers spread like a plague, faces etched with dismay and unease.

Their hopes of grabbing “leftovers” seemed to teeter on the edge after the dog bosses’ appearance.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Xie Qiyang glanced at Li Tianxing’s furrowed brow, her pink-heart eyes narrowing.

Tch, fishing in these muddy waters won’t be easy… she thought.