Chapter 51: Making You a Dog
Hearing those words, Shen Tian was clearly taken aback, as though he found some sense in what Shen Yanzhou had said.
But very soon, an obvious chill surfaced on his face as he said coldly, “Don’t confuse the concepts. You are nothing more than the son of a lowly courtesan. You should have drowned in that stinking ditch behind Vermilion Bird Street twenty years ago. You stole my identity and enjoyed twenty years of glory and wealth in my place. Because of you, I was forced to wander outside, to endure countless life-and-death crises, unable to properly train in swordsmanship or temper my body—step by step I crawled my way to where I stand today.”
“The suffering I endured, the dangers I faced—what do you know of them?”
“You, my benefactor? You, worthy? A mere lowly servant dares to parade around outside as the Heir of the Demon Suppression King? Your very existence defiles that title!”
Every word was laced with cold malice and deep hatred, as though he wished to pour out all the bitterness and pain of the past twenty years.
Shen Yanzhou, however, was not angered.
He had long known of Shen Tian’s obstinacy and his murderous intent toward him—indeed, it was even more pronounced in the original story.
Otherwise, Shen Tian would never have secretly hired someone to kill the original Shen Yanzhou behind Shen Jingxiao’s back.
“The Sword Immortal—master of the world’s sword arts, claiming to uphold justice and strike down unfairness—does she also believe that I should die?”
Shen Yanzhou smiled faintly and suddenly turned to Tantai Yuxian, asking the question aloud.
Tantai Yuxian cast him a cold glance.
“I have no wish to meddle in personal grudges. But Shen Tian is my disciple. If he dies, you will die as well.”
Such a protective temperament.
Shen Yanzhou burst out laughing.
“What a load of nonsense. So this is what you call a Sword Immortal?”
“Then tonight, I must kill him. Let’s see how you protect him.”
The moment those words fell, everyone present froze.
Even Fu Yuying, who had been thinking about how to get Shen Yanzhou out safely, was stunned on the spot, doubting her own ears.
Shen Tian thought Shen Yanzhou had gone mad.
Kill him? How could he possibly kill him?
Yet, the next instant, the mocking words he was about to speak froze on his face.
An immense and terrifying pressure descended—like a Martial God had descended from the heavens, like mountains collapsing and seas roaring, crushing all directions with unstoppable might.
And that pressure—came from Shen Yanzhou himself.
“How is this possible?”
Shen Tian’s eyes widened, disbelief filling them.
His spine trembled uncontrollably, as if an invisible giant force was pressing him down.
His knees nearly buckled; he could barely resist the urge to kneel.
Fu Yuying was utterly dumbfounded.
Even Tantai Yuxian, whose expression was usually calm and indifferent, showed visible shock for the first time.
Her jade-like hand lifted slightly as a surge of sword intent swept out like a bright moon, trying to resist the crushing pressure from Shen Yanzhou.
Yet his aura was overwhelming—his entire body seemed to radiate light, like the Golden Crow crossing the heavens, illuminating all eight directions.
That immense aura rippled outward like waves, crushing Tantai Yuxian’s spiritual projection and forcing her to retreat several steps before barely regaining her balance.
That flawless immortal face flickered with shifting emotions—shock, disbelief, awe.
“Wha—”
Shen Tian, who bore the brunt of the pressure, was left completely unprotected once Tantai Yuxian was forced back.
The aura swept over him like a flood bursting its banks.
His body was thrown sideways, blood spilling from his mouth and nose.
Then he crashed heavily to the ground, landing in an utterly humiliating posture—five limbs sprawled, his face pressed into the mud.
Rage and humiliation flooded his chest, mixing with disbelief and agony.
His organs felt torn and displaced, and when he tried to lift his head, a muddy boot came down hard upon it.
“Tantai Yuxian, I will kill him tonight—what can you do about it?”
Shen Yanzhou smiled faintly as he pressed his boot deeper into Shen Tian’s skull, forcing his head into the mud so he couldn’t lift it at all.
His physical strength was terrifying, and now that he had borrowed Lin Qingcang’s power through possession, not even an ordinary Second Rank expert could move an inch beneath him, let alone Shen Tian.
At this moment, Shen Yanzhou finally understood why in all those novels, the protagonists always loved being possessed by an old grandmaster spirit—the feeling of leaping realms to crush one’s enemies was intoxicating.
Even if this strength did not truly belong to him—it was enough.
“Master Shen…”
Everything had happened too fast.
By the time Fu Yuying came to her senses, she saw Tantai Yuxian forced back, Shen Tian thrown aside, and Shen Yanzhou standing unruffled, his boot planted firmly on Shen Tian’s head—not even a corner of his robe stirred.
Her mind buzzed, a little dizzy, and then her eyes lit up with brilliance she’d never shown before.
So this was Shen Yanzhou’s hidden card, his ultimate trump?
Even someone as transcendent as Tantai Yuxian could not withstand him?
“Shen Yanzhou…”
For the first time in his life, Shen Tian was humiliated—his face flushed red with shame and rage as he roared, struggling madly.
But no matter how hard he strained, that foot on his head felt like an immovable mountain, pressing down on him, rendering him completely helpless.
He was trembling—not just from fury but from shock and disbelief.
Why?
Why did Shen Yanzhou possess such strength?
He had trained so bitterly, suffered so much, endured so many near-death trials—yet in the end, he was no match for this wastrel.
No—it couldn’t be.
This power couldn’t possibly belong to Shen Yanzhou.
Otherwise, how could his master have been forced back?
His master stood among the absolute pinnacles of the world.
“This isn’t your power…”
Even Tantai Yuxian hadn’t expected Shen Yanzhou to suddenly erupt with such boundless might.
She steadied herself not far away, her gaze deep and penetrating.
Soon, she understood.
“As long as it can be used by me, why can’t it be considered my power?” Shen Yanzhou said calmly, still smiling.
“Beyond First Rank…”
Tantai Yuxian’s eyes glowed brightly, as if countless sword shadows flickered within them.
In today’s world, the First Rank had already vanished—anything beyond it was deemed impossible.
Even she had long sought a way to surpass the First Rank, yet found no path forward.
And now, from Shen Yanzhou, she sensed a vast, ancient aura—one that exceeded the limits of the First Rank.
“Whose power have you borrowed?” Tantai Yuxian asked.
“That doesn’t matter,” Shen Yanzhou replied lightly.
“What matters is—does the Sword Immortal believe I can kill Shen Tian?”
Tantai Yuxian fell silent.
Her gaze moved to Shen Tian, still crushed under Shen Yanzhou’s boot, her eyes flickering with an unreadable expression.
Even if her true self were here—it would change nothing.
The gap between the First and Second Rank was already a heavenly chasm.
To go beyond the First Rank… was a legend, a myth.
“Master…”
Looking at Tantai Yuxian—silent now, her once-proud Sword Heart dimmed—Shen Tian’s heart sank bit by bit.
His face turned pale, his eyes wide with disbelief and despair.
Shen Yanzhou could actually borrow a power that surpassed the First Rank?
Could it be that even her master could not save him now?
“Killing Shen Tian will do you no good.”
“What is it you want?”
Tantai Yuxian finally spoke, her voice still cold and detached, yet gentler than before.
Shen Yanzhou sneered.
“So the Sword Immortal also knows how to negotiate? I thought such words didn’t exist in your vocabulary. But earlier, that wasn’t your attitude.”
Tantai Yuxian said indifferently, “Because now, you have the qualification to negotiate.”
“But right now, I don’t wish to talk.”
“I only wish to crush this man beneath my feet.” Shen Yanzhou’s tone was calm.
“This power does not belong to you. You cannot borrow it for long. Once it is spent, Shen Jingxiao—who is far away in the southern frontier—will surely come to kill you,” Tantai Yuxian said coolly, her voice steady and emotionless.
Shen Yanzhou smiled faintly.
“And how do you know that I have no other trump cards or methods?”
“……”
Tantai Yuxian fell silent.
In truth, even she couldn’t gauge Shen Yanzhou’s methods.
He was clearly not strong—on normal days, she wouldn’t have spared him even a glance—but now, he possessed the qualification and confidence to threaten her.
“Shen Tian is very important to you,” Shen Yanzhou continued.
“You would never allow him to die. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have placed a wisp of your precious soul within his martial soul to protect his life at a critical moment.”
Shen Yanzhou’s gaze swept across Tantai Yuxian’s flawless, expressionless face, then drifted downward, tracing the elegant, ethereal lines of her figure.
He paused deliberately on the long, graceful legs faintly visible beneath her loose white robes, his tone slightly teasing.
Tantai Yuxian ignored his gaze, replying coolly, “What is it you wish to say?”
“Sword Immortal,” Shen Yanzhou smiled, “surely you wouldn’t want to see your adopted son and disciple die right before your eyes, would you?”
“You—”
For the first time, anger flashed in Tantai Yuxian’s eyes.
Since her rise to fame, who had ever dared to threaten her in such a way?
Crushed beneath Shen Yanzhou’s foot, Shen Tian’s heart burned with hatred and humiliation as he listened to their conversation.
His chest heaved violently, filled with seething rage toward Shen Yanzhou.
Negative emotions from Shen Tian +44 +51 +55…
Good.
I need you to hate me just like this.
The smile on Shen Yanzhou’s face didn’t fade.
Soon, Tantai Yuxian calmed herself, her emotions vanishing into stillness once more.
“State your demand. What must I do for you to spare Shen Tian?” she asked icily.
If Shen Yanzhou truly intended to kill Shen Tian, he wouldn’t have said so much.
“I can spare him,” Shen Yanzhou said evenly, “but from this day forth, there shall be no more Shen Tian in this world.”
Tantai Yuxian frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“I can leave him a wisp of his soul so he can live out a pitiful existence. After all, I’m not as ungrateful as he is. But Sword Immortal—you must promise me that he will never appear before me again.”
“That is my first condition.”
“As for the second—” Shen Yanzhou’s tone turned casual, “—I want this wisp of your soul. As it happens, I’m short of a sword attendant at my side.”
In other words—he was asking her to become his dog.
Even with Tantai Yuxian’s calm temperament, her eyes flickered with frost and killing intent at those words.
Coveting her?
“You truly have no small amount of courage,” she said coldly.
“So, there’s no deal then?”
Shen Yanzhou remained utterly casual.
Seeing his boot press down further, Shen Tian’s face turned red, his head nearly ready to burst like a melon.
At last, Tantai Yuxian drew in a sharp breath, suppressing her fury.
“The second condition is impossible.”
“Then there’s nothing to discuss.”
Shen Yanzhou’s expression remained calm as he applied more pressure.
Even with Shen Tian’s stubborn will, faced with death itself, panic rose in his heart.
Despair surged within him, and muffled cries escaped his throat.
“Stop.”
Tantai Yuxian’s clear voice rang out.
Beneath her wide white skirt, her outline trembled slightly—her emotions once again surging.
Negative emotions from Tantai Yuxian +11 +13 +14…
Her mental state was indeed steady.
Even now, she produced only this much negative emotion—far less than Shen Tian.
Shen Yanzhou clicked his tongue inwardly but maintained a composed expression.
“Has the Sword Immortal made up her mind?”
In the original story, Tantai Yuxian would later break through the First Rank and achieve the Heaven-opening Realm.
The key lay in the technique she cultivated—dividing herself into two souls: one cultivating the Heavenly Dao, the other cultivating the Human Dao.
The Heavenly Dao soul cultivated in seclusion at the Clear Mountain of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court, never concerning itself with worldly affairs, rarely descending the mountain.
But the Human Dao soul, in the original story, was never mentioned.
Yet Shen Yanzhou remembered the crucial moment: on the eve of the Northern Yu army’s invasion of Northern Desert Prefecture, Tantai Yuxian summoned Shen Tian and spoke with him.
Soon after, during the war between Great Qian and Northern Yu, she broke her shackles, opened the Gate of Heaven with her sword, and achieved the First Rank.
A Human Dao soul of such a supreme being could not possibly remain obscure or inactive.
Thus, Shen Yanzhou was certain—the Tantai Yuxian before him, though appearing as a mere spiritual projection, was in truth that very Human Dao soul.
While it lacked the full strength of her true body, its essence was nearly identical.
The only shortcoming was that its cultivation was unstable and far from the power of her true self.
Lin Qingcang had already warned him—the soul was peculiar, its realm appearing to be Second Rank, yet not stable.
Combined with the transaction between the Demon Suppression King Shen Jingxiao and Tantai Yuxian in the original story, Shen Yanzhou was even more certain: if Shen Tian were to die, Tantai Yuxian’s Human Dao soul would suffer damage—or even vanish entirely.
Her chance to break through to the First Rank would be lost forever.
For those who walked the path of cultivation, their Dao heart was their very foundation.
Would Tantai Yuxian abandon her path for this?
“Name another condition,” Tantai Yuxian said coldly.
“There’s nothing to discuss.”
“However,” Shen Yanzhou added with an indifferent smile, “I can make a small concession. The Sword Immortal need not serve me forever—half a year will suffice. After that, I’ll grant you your freedom.”
He spoke casually, but his tone was firm.
“I can protect your Dao, intervene only when you are in danger—but you will not order me to do anything else,” Tantai Yuxian said icily.
Shen Yanzhou gazed at her cold yet stunning face, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
“I thought my concession was already my greatest sincerity. But it seems…the Sword Immortal has no true intention of letting Shen Tian live.”
“In that case…”
He suddenly pressed his foot down.
“Ahhh—!”
Shen Tian screamed in agony, his face swelling and turning crimson, veins bulging from the pain, as though his head would burst at any moment into a mess of red and white.