"Are the two seniors serious?"
"I didn't force you to become my dogs, did I?"
Bai Mu activated a spirit tool capable of recording images and asked with a shocked expression.
He looked like an innocent rookie wandering the martial world, suddenly being forced by two senior figures to acknowledge him as master. His face was filled with nothing but astonishment.
"N-no… no!"
Long Gong's face stiffened, his teeth clenched as he suppressed the fury in his heart.
"We did it willingly!"
Snake Po felt utterly humiliated, to the point where she wished she could die on the spot.
"Phew~ That's good."
"I thought someone was forcing the two seniors."
Bai Mu patted his chest lightly, retracted the Eight Spider Lances—less than a centimeter from their eyes—back into his body, then smiled shyly.
"Since it was voluntary, then bark for me."
"You—!"
Long Gong and Snake Po were furious, their eyes nearly popping out.
They had lived for decades and seen countless ruthless executioners, but they had never encountered a Spirit Master who bullied people as relentlessly as Bai Mu!
They were a Spirit Douluo and a Spirit Saint—figures of status and dignity!
"I won't allow you to bully my grandpa and grandma like this…"
Meng Yiran stepped forward shakily, pulled out a dagger with trembling hands, and spoke firmly.
"If you bully them again, I'll kill myself!"
"Really? Then go ahead."
Bai Mu watched her with keen interest.
"I promise I won't stop you."
"Yiran, don't!"
"We'll bark! We'll bark!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
Long Gong and Snake Granny yielded one after another, and barking filled the air.
"Grandpa! Grandma! I'll go first!"
Meng Yiran gritted her teeth, stabbed herself, and collapsed.
Her life force rapidly faded as her body convulsed.
"Yiran!"
"No!"
The Peerless Dragon Snake couple screamed hoarsely.
"Tsk tsk~ Look at you, so impatient."
Bai Mu glanced at Meng Yiran reproachfully and walked over unhurriedly.
"You're my first little maid, my most precious treasure. How could I let you die?"
"Jungle Healing!"
His first spirit ring lit up, and life-like energy continuously poured into the girl's body, firmly stabilizing her vitality.
He casually pulled the dagger out and tossed it aside. The wound healed at a visible speed, leaving behind only smooth, fair skin.
"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."
"Successfully saving a misguided girl—I'm truly kind!"
Bai Mu sighed, a strong sense of accomplishment welling up in his heart.
He had punished the wicked and saved an innocent girl who had been driven to despair.
He truly was a good person who punished evil and promoted good.
What he didn't notice was that Meng Yiran's face was deathly pale as she looked at him with sheer terror.
He gently stroked her head and spoke tenderly:
"Be good~ Don't hurt yourself next time."
"Otherwise, even if you die, I'll work hard to bring you back."
As he spoke, he bared his teeth in a smile.
His "kindness" was at its peak.
The normally fiery Meng Yiran instantly broke down in tears.
"D-devil… you're a devil… wuwuwu…"
She cried loudly, like a child whose hope had been completely shattered.
"Sigh~ Why are you crying?"
"There's nothing to cry about."
Bai Mu looked troubled, but coaxing people was something he was very good at.
He pinched her cheek and comforted her with the gentlest tone:
"Stop crying, or I'll make you hurt yourself again—and make you watch your entire family do the same."
Sure enough, she immediately stopped crying.
"Good, good. That's a good girl~"
Bai Mu rubbed her head in satisfaction.
Meng Yiran sat there blankly, completely numb, as if all hope had drained from her.
"Yiran… Yiran…"
Seeing this, the two elders lying on the ground called out weakly, their voices filled with grief and resentment.
"Since everyone's getting along so well, for our first meeting, I—as your master—will prepare some dessert as a reward."
Bai Mu wasn't worried at all about the girl's mental state.
After all, besides coaxing people, he also knew how to ignite hope.
He released Meng Yiran, took out flour and sugar from his storage ring, activated Evil Poison Chain, condensed a mass of purple venom, and mixed it in.
He shaped the mixture into pastries and had Zygarde bake them with Sacred Fire.
Several freshly baked chain sticky cakes were soon completed.
"Ah~ Open wide~ Such a good girl."
After Bai Mu personally fed Meng Yiran a piece, the dessert stimulated her senses, increased her spirit power, and reignited her desire to live.
"Yiran will be obedient… willing to do anything. Can Master spare Grandma and Grandpa?"
Light returned to her eyes as she suppressed her fear, clinging to Bai Mu obediently.
"The effect is quite good."
Bai Mu sensed it and confirmed that a special "chain" connection had formed between him and Meng Yiran.
Through it, he could influence—or even fully control—her actions and thoughts.
It wasn't emotional, and it was mentally taxing, but it was enough.
"What did you do to Yiran!?"
Long Gong and Snake Po shouted.
"You'll know once you try it yourselves."
Bai Mu stuffed the remaining chain sticky cakes into their mouths.
As the pastries entered their bodies, a strange toxin spread through them, condensing into faint phantom chains near their hearts.
Their desire to survive—and to grow stronger—surged dramatically.
"What is this? My spirit power feels stronger."
Long Gong was horrified.
"This poison… it actually has this effect!"
Snake Po was equally shaken.
At the same time, Bai Mu sensed a weak connection forming between himself and the two of them.
The Rank difference made it unstable—but that didn't matter.
"If it tastes good, eat more."
Bai Mu smiled and quickly made more, handing them over.
For strength and spirit power, none of them dared refuse.
As the toxins accumulated, the phantom chains grew more solid.
"How do you feel?" Bai Mu asked.
"…Thank you, Master, for bestowing this 'medicine.'"
Long Gong replied bitterly.
Snake Granny lowered her head. "Thank you, Master."
"Why are the two seniors still buried in the ground?"
Bai Mu pulled them out with an astonished look.
"Don't be so distant next time."
"Thank you… Master."
Standing there, looking at the harmlessly smiling youth, a deep chill crept into their hearts.
"Two seniors, we've just met. Why the long faces over such a small matter?"
Bai Mu patted their shoulders and smiled.
"Remember to smile."
He exaggerated the gesture.
"When you see me, you must keep a~ smi, understood?"
"Heh… heheh…"
Their forced smiles looked worse than crying.
"Don't worry."
Bai Mu's tone was gentle, but his words were cold.
"Don't try anything clever. I know who you are, where your family is, and who your relatives are.
Since you're following me now, if anyone ever harms you, even if they run to the ends of the earth, I'll find them and help you get revenge."
After speaking, he wrapped an arm around Meng Yiran and placed a Z-Cell on her shoulder.
"Keep this with you at all times. If anything happens, I'll contact you through it. Don't resist… otherwise, hehe~"
"I understand, Master!"
Meng Yiran shivered, recalling her brush with death.
"Alright. There's a suitable Spirit Beast six li to the east. Have the two elders take you on a Spirit Hunt."
"Yes, Master!"
"Thank you, Master."
"This old servant takes his leave!"
The three left as if granted amnesty.
"What a pleasant day."
Bai Mu sighed contentedly.
He didn't truly trust Long Gong and Snake Granny's loyalty, nor would he constantly carry a hostage around.
In the end, he trusted only his own methods.
If the chain sticky cake of these few people…