Rebirth: The Fierce Dao Companion

Chapter 4 – Promise

Lu Li carefully regarded the small, weakened Tuanzi in his arms and cautiously asked, “Other than staying by my side to cultivate, is there anything else you want from me?”

After all, Lu Li was currently just an ordinary person. He had no idea what Tuanzi was truly capable of, nor how far its abilities extended.

Moreover, as the saying goes, "appearance determines first impressions." Lu Li really couldn’t bring himself to be harsh toward such an adorable creature.

He had long realized he had a soft spot for good looks. Though he wouldn’t call himself superficial, he often found himself involuntarily captivated by attractive people, regardless of gender.

Pulling his wandering thoughts back, Lu Li looked down at the fluffy creature in his arms. At that moment, Tuanzi’s voice sounded once more in his mind.

“My divine soul is scattered across the myriad worlds. I require your help to gather its fragments.”

So that’s it.

Hearing this, Lu Li felt a strange sense of relief. Mutual benefit was the foundation of any long-lasting collaboration, after all.

Noticing the shift in Lu Li’s expression, Tuanzi relaxed slightly in his arms. For the proud little creature, seeking the assistance of such a weak human was deeply humiliating. But seeing that Lu Li seemed to have let his guard down, Tuanzi’s stiff posture finally eased.

Lu Li, on the other hand, couldn’t resist stroking Tuanzi’s head. The fluff ball squirmed briefly but soon found itself subjected to even more enthusiastic petting.

“Tuanzi, can you help me get out of here? I’m starving.”

Tuanzi’s nose twitched, and its tone turned serious as it corrected, “My name is Tun Tian.”

Lu Li nodded nonchalantly. “Oh, I know. Tuanzi.”

Tuanzi’s round ears twitched in mild irritation. It tried again, its voice solemn. “My name is Tun Tian!”

Raising an eyebrow, Lu Li glanced at the fluff ball and replied, “I know, Tuanzi—you said your name is Tun Tian.”

For the first time, a flicker of emotion rippled through Tuanzi’s usually calm amethyst eyes. However, when it saw Lu Li’s matter-of-fact expression, it appeared to take a deep mental breath, shutting its eyes in silent resignation.

Completely unaware of Tuanzi’s internal turmoil, Lu Li continued to play with its soft ears and said, “So, can we get out of here? Otherwise, we’re just waiting around to die.”

This time, Tuanzi didn’t make him wait long before replying, “Retrieve the beast core and tendons from the other demon beast. The tendons can be made into a magic weapon for you.”

Without hesitation, Lu Li reached into his pouch and pulled out a knife.

He walked over to the other demon beast.

This one was also massive, resembling a wolf in appearance. However, it had three eyes and a row of sharp, rigid spikes running along its back.

“That’s a Windbeast,” Tuanzi explained calmly. “Its tendons are incredibly tough and retain the beast’s elemental power. This one’s power is poison transformation. Be careful when extracting the tendons not to injure yourself.”

Lu Li gripped the knife tightly, swallowing hard. In his past life, the most he’d ever done was slaughter a chicken.

Now, he was about to dissect a massive demon beast. His palms began to sweat.

Sensing his hesitation, Tuanzi’s voice remained steady but firm. “In the future, you will have to hunt demon beasts on your own. The law of nature is survival of the fittest. You must adapt.”

Taking a deep breath, Lu Li nodded. Tuanzi was right. He had chosen this path, and there was no turning back.

What lay before him was merely the corpse of a demon beast.

Steeling himself, Lu Li raised the knife and thrust it into the spot Tuanzi had indicated.

Clang!

To his shock, the knife broke clean in half upon impact.

Lu Li stared at the shattered blade in his hand, momentarily dumbfounded.

In the recesses of his mind, he thought he heard a faint sigh.

Lu Li hadn’t anticipated his knife being so fragile. Tuanzi’s fluffy face displayed a very human-like expression of exasperation.

Opening its mouth, Tuanzi spat out a jade pendant of unknown origin, letting it fall into Lu Li’s hand. “It was my oversight,” Tuanzi said. “This is a spatial treasure. Within it are various items I’ve collected, including a dagger that will suit your needs.”

Lu Li nodded, inspecting the jade pendant, which was clearly no ordinary object. Following Tuanzi’s instructions, he pricked his index finger.

As soon as his blood touched the pendant, it emitted a brilliant green light. The pendant disappeared, leaving behind a small green mark on the inside of Lu Li’s right wrist.

For someone like Lu Li, who had never encountered such wonders before, this was utterly fascinating.

However, having never eaten pork didn’t mean he hadn’t seen a pig run. Drawing on his knowledge from books, Lu Li mentally commanded, Dagger.

In an instant, a beautifully crafted dagger appeared in his hand.

After experimenting a few more times, Lu Li grew more familiar with the process. Tuanzi finally urged, “Retrieve the beast tendons and core first.”

Lu Li nodded, thinking he’d explore the treasure’s contents later when he had time.

He gripped the dagger and approached the demon beast. As he plunged the blade into the creature’s tough hide, he could feel the distinct sensation of flesh and muscle parting.

To his surprise, after an initial moment of discomfort, he felt no lingering unease.

By the time he had extracted the entire tendon and core, Lu Li was drenched in blood, looking like a crimson specter.

The stench of blood churned his stomach, but what unsettled him more was the strange sensation coursing through his body.

His heart was pounding violently, his hand trembling as it gripped the dagger—not out of fear, but from an inexplicable excitement.

Frowning, Lu Li stared at his bloodstained hands, uncertain of what was happening to him.

Tuanzi observed from the side, a flicker of something inscrutable in its amethyst eyes.

The fluff ball then swallowed the beast core in one gulp, while Lu Li stored the tendon in the spatial treasure. Picking Tuanzi up, Lu Li prepared to leave.

Unbothered by Lu Li’s blood-soaked state, Tuanzi said in his mind, “Let us leave this place now.”

Following Tuanzi’s guidance, Lu Li navigated the forest. The journey was uneventful, likely due to Tuanzi’s presence deterring other beasts.

By the time they reached the forest’s edge, the sky was beginning to lighten.

Lu Li bundled Tuanzi tightly in his arms, determined to keep its existence a secret.

Dragging his exhausted body home, he pushed open the door, only to be immediately enveloped in a warm embrace by a woman with swollen, tear-reddened eyes.

The tension in Lu Li’s heart eased at once.

This was Mu Yingli, his mother in this life—a gentle, loving woman who cherished him dearly. She was the very embodiment of a good mother.

Seeing her haggard face, Lu Li felt a pang of guilt. Just as he opened his mouth to comfort her, a deep, commanding voice came from behind.

“Where were you all night?”

Turning toward the source, Lu Li saw a man of middle age. Though his features were handsome and dignified, fatigue and worry softened the authority in his tone.

This was Lu Kanghe, Lu Li’s father in this life.

Far from feeling intimidated, Lu Li helped his mother over to his father and began recounting the events of the previous night, including how he had been chased by Lu Zheng’s group and accidentally wandered into the back mountain.

As he finished, his mother, who had only just stopped crying, began sobbing again. Gripping his hand, she was too overcome with guilt to form coherent words.

Lu Kanghe closed his bloodshot eyes and took a deep breath, his face etched with defeat. “It’s my failure as a father. I couldn’t protect you or your mother.”

His words were laced with bitterness, and they made Lu Li’s heart ache. But he had deliberately shared the truth for a reason.

As an ordinary person, his parents had always been overly protective, treating him like a child who needed constant supervision. While Lu Li was indeed only thirteen in this life, children in this world were expected to mature early. His own mother had borne him at sixteen.

After discovering the truth about his unique physique, Lu Li had resolved to venture out and train himself. He needed to search for the Purple Spirit Grass and help Tuanzi restore its soul.

Clutching his mother’s hand, Lu Li looked at his father with unwavering determination.

“Father, we can’t keep living like this. Even if I’m just an ordinary person now, I refuse to accept that I’ll stay ordinary forever. I want to go out, train myself, and become strong enough to protect you and Mother!”

His fiery declaration captured the unyielding spirit of a young man yearning to make his mark on the world.

Lu Kanghe looked hesitant, while Mu Yingli’s expression was one of clear disapproval.

Lu Li hadn’t expected them to agree immediately. He let his emotions simmer before his eyes began to redden slightly.

“I don’t want anyone to look down on us anymore. Father, you’re the son of the family head. Why should we be treated like outcasts?”

Though part of his emotional outburst was calculated, it wasn’t entirely an act. By the time he finished speaking, there was genuine conviction in his voice.

Lu Kanghe’s hand trembled where it rested on the chair’s arm, his lips quivering.

Mu Yingli gripped Lu Li’s hand, her voice trembling. “Xiao Li…”

But Lu Li pulled his hand away, lowering his head in defiance.

“Father, Mother, no matter what, I’m going to leave and train myself!”

With that, he turned and walked to his room without waiting to see their reactions, leaving the couple alone in the silence of the hall.