Zhang Chen never imagined that because of his own actions, he would delay the Princess’s ascension.
He dared not reveal the true reason, fearing he’d be beaten badly by his niece, so he tentatively asked, "Is there truly no other way to open that Celestial Sect gate?"
The Princess glanced at Zhang Chen and said, "There is a way! If I can find some Divine Weapon to assist, I can use its power to forcibly blast open the gate."
Upon hearing the Princess’s words, the Big Black Dog drooped its head and said dejectedly, "Forget it, there’s absolutely no Divine Weapon in this Spiritual World’s First Heaven; we simply can’t open the gate of the Celestial Sect."
The Princess sat dazedly at the same spot, a trace of unwillingness in her eyes. She struggled to ascend to the First Heaven of the Spiritual World, but as it was about to collapse, she was blocked by the gate of the Second Heaven. Was she really to perish in this era?
Just then, Zhang Chen’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he turned to look at the Big Black Dog.
A Divine Weapon? He actually knew of a weapon; he just wasn’t sure whether that steel pitchfork counted as a Divine Weapon.
The Big Black Dog sensed Zhang Chen’s gaze and, after locking eyes with him, immediately knew what Zhang Chen was thinking, and got nervous. That was his master’s weapon; how could he let others use it?
The Big Black Dog bared its teeth and glared fiercely at Zhang Chen, threatening him ruthlessly. Zhang Chen, however, ignored the dog and said to the Princess, "If you’re looking for a Divine Weapon, I seem to have a lead; I just don’t know if that weapon counts as a Divine Weapon."
The Princess’s eyes shone brightly upon hearing this, but before she could speak, the Big Black Dog couldn’t hold back any longer and leapt up to glare angrily at Zhang Chen, "Kid, I advise you not to talk nonsense! Think carefully before you speak."
"You see, he’s threatening me!" Zhang Chen looked to the Princess for help.
The Princess glanced at the Big Black Dog upon hearing it, and then abruptly grabbed it and hammered its head fiercely, causing the dog to howl in pain until it was bruised and swollen and pleaded for mercy.
The Princess finally withdrew her hand satisfied and sat squarely on the Big Black Dog, using it as a stool, before turning to Zhang Chen: "Where is the lead on this Divine Weapon you mentioned?"
Zhang Chen took one look at the Big Black Dog, saw its swollen and bruised face under the Princess, but still didn’t forget to threaten him, baring its cold teeth secretly.
Zhang Chen ignored the Big Black Dog and directly recounted his original entry into the hut, where he witnessed the steel pitchfork and its miraculous nature.
"I actually couldn’t touch that steel pitchfork; it has a Spirituality of its own. I don’t know if it’s the Divine Weapon you’re talking about." Zhang Chen summarized.
The Princess’s eyes gleamed upon hearing this, and she glanced thoughtfully at the Big Black Dog. The Big Black Dog was utterly panicked, facing the majestic eyes of the Princess, and hurriedly defended, "Young Mistress, don’t listen to his nonsense. That pitchfork is just an ordinary steel fork that I picked up outside years ago..."
"The Spiritual World’s First Heaven is about to collapse. Even if I don’t take the Divine Weapon, once the Spiritual World collapses, the weapon will fall into the Material Realm, benefiting those mortals. And you won’t have the strength to approach the Divine Weapon, making it impossible for you to continue guarding."
"So are you choosing to lead the way, or shall I turn you into a meal?" The Princess disregarded the Big Black Dog’s words and casually asked.
The Big Black Dog kept quiet upon hearing this, looked at the Princess with unwilling eyes, and finally said dejectedly, "Fine, follow me."
He hadn’t seen the master yet; how could he willingly perish?
Moreover, what the Princess said made sense; Zhang Chen couldn’t get near the Divine Weapon, and he couldn’t either; if it fell into the Material Realm, wouldn’t he also lose the Divine Weapon?
Faced with the Princess’s coercion, the Big Black Dog could only carry the two people off in sadness, directly heading to the hut.
Returning once more to the hut, everything had changed, but Zhang Chen felt particularly good.
Zhang Chen jumped off the Big Black Dog’s back, grandly pushed open the yard gate, and kicked open the house door, spotting the steel fork hanging on the wall. He pointed to the steel fork and beckoned to the Princess outside, "Look, is this the Divine Weapon you’re looking for?"
The Princess entered the house, heading towards the wall where the hunting fork hung, while the Big Black Dog followed behind, heartbroken over the kick mark Zhang Chen left on the door. So he turned to glare at Zhang Chen, "Kid, you really deserve to die! If you break the door, I’ll bite you to death."
"Heizi, how many thousands of years have you lived? Why do you always quarrel with a little kid like this?" The Princess reprimanded the Big Black Dog upon hearing its threat, quite speechless.
The Big Black Dog dared not retort, standing there obediently, while Zhang Chen’s eyes lit up, "Heizi? So that’s your name, Heizi!"
The Big Black Dog gave Zhang Chen a sideways glance, not bothering with him; it had no interest in this kid, fearing its temper would flare up and it would bite him to death.
The Princess approached the wall, looking at the fish fork with delight, "Indeed, it is that Divine Weapon! Who would have thought he left this Divine Weapon behind."
"Young Mistress, can you help me find the whereabouts of the young master? Years ago, he told me to guard here, and then suddenly left without a word, never to be heard from again." The Big Black Dog looked at the Princess, a touch of sadness in its eyes.
The Princess shook her head upon hearing the request, her voice filled with heaviness, "The road to Two Realms Mountain is not easy. The path to Two Realms Mountain opens once per cosmic cycle, and it’s uncertain how long until the next cycle. When the next cycle arrives, I will surely step onto Two Realms Mountain and make a journey for you."