161: Chapter 161 Torture

"Licking Dog?" Su Mo was stunned. He vaguely felt it wasn't a good term, but he had never heard it before.

"Senior, what kind of race is this? Is it a type of dog race? This Disciple has read extensively but has never seen it recorded."

"This 'dog' is not that 'dog'." Jiang Hao stroked his beard and explained slowly.

"It refers to some people who, knowing full well the other party has no interest in them and is only using them, still willingly and without any self-respect try to please and give, begging for mercy like a dog licking its Revered Master's feet. Hence the name, 'Licking Dog'."

After listening, Su Mo carefully recalled his actions toward Junior Sister Liu over the years. He had saved up contribution points by living frugally, only to exchange them all for resources to give to her.

When she said a Cultivation Technique was hard to understand, he stayed up all night to organize his insights for her.

When she encountered danger while out training, he risked injury to save her, only for her to say 'Thank you, Senior Brother Su,' before turning around to admire peach blossoms with someone else...

This... isn't this an upgraded version of a Licking Dog?

His round face instantly turned bright red, and the veins on his forehead bulged. He felt so aggrieved he wanted to hit a wall.

But he still tried to argue: "Matters... matters between men and women, can that be considered 'licking'? Senior must have never truly loved someone and doesn't know the feeling, otherwise, you would surely understand this Disciple!"

"Oh?" Jiang Hao laughed. "This old man indeed doesn't know the taste of being a Licking Dog, because when I was young, I was always the one being pursued, and they were all Prodigies. I never had unrequited love, so naturally, I cannot experience the taste of being a Licking Dog."

"You were always being pursued? Senior, you mean there was more than one?" Su Mo asked subconsciously. "Is that for real? Senior, don't brag."

He took a serious look at Jiang Hao. Well, this old man did indeed look quite good, but being pursued by several people, and all of them female Prodigies? He didn't believe it.

Jiang Hao didn't argue; he just looked at him with a smile.

Su Mo felt a bit uneasy under his gaze. Thinking of Junior Sister Liu again, he said defiantly:

"Junior Sister Liu isn't that kind of person. She... she often smiles at me, and sometimes she speaks to me very gently!"

"Is that so?" Jiang Hao asked slowly. "During those times, was it right after you gave her some cultivation resources, or when she happened to need your help with something?"

Su Mo opened his mouth to retort, but his mind involuntarily began to reminisce.

It seemed... that was exactly the case.

Every time Junior Sister Liu smiled particularly gently at him, it was either because he had just delivered a Medicinal Pill,

or because her Cultivation Technique had hit a Bottleneck and she came to discuss it, or because she wanted to take on a mission but wasn't strong enough and came to team up with him...

Su Mo's face grew even redder, and he stammered, unable to speak a complete sentence.

Jiang Hao continued the interrogation: "When you worked hard on missions or even got injured to find resources for her, did she ever care if you were tired or if your injuries were serious? Or did she only ask if the item was found and when you could give it to her?"

Su Mo's head drooped completely.

The answer was self-evident. He remembered one time when he almost fell off a cliff while picking a Spirit Medicine, leaving a long gash on his arm.

When he gave the Spiritual Plant to Junior Sister Liu, she took it with a pleasant surprise and only said, 'Thank you, Senior Brother Su, you're so good,' and then... there was nothing else.

He had even intentionally left the wound untreated, but she hadn't even noticed.

Looking at the young man's dejected appearance, Jiang Hao sighed in his heart.

He thought of a good buddy from his past life who was just as honest, being led around in circles by a high-level Green Tea; he spent all his money and gave his whole heart.

In the end, she ran off, and that buddy didn't recover for several years.

Green Teas exist in any world; it's not surprising.

Jiang Hao had encountered them on his own path to growth and simply ignored them.

This junior Su Mo was polite and honest, completely outmatched by a Green Tea.

He wasn't too deeply involved yet, which was why Jiang Hao spoke up. Otherwise, he would give even more in the future, get hurt more severely, and it would be too late for regrets.

Since he was the descendant of an old friend, Jiang Hao decided to give him some pointers now that they had met.

"Give up. You can't handle this Junior Sister Liu."

Jiang Hao's gaze turned distant. "When fate arrives, cherish it. When fate ends, give your blessings. On the path of cultivation, being able to walk together for a stretch is already a blessing. Why put yourself in the dust?"

Su Mo looked up, his eyes a bit red.

Jiang Hao changed the subject and asked: "Since you like that Junior Sister Liu, do you know what she truly wants?"

Su Mo thought for a moment: "She... she wants to become stronger, she wants to become a True Disciple."

"Then what about yourself? Do you want to become stronger?"

"Of course I do!" Su Mo puffed out his chest. "I am a Genius. I'm only eighteen and already about to Breakthrough to the Four Extremities. My Revered Master says I have great talent and the potential to become a Great Saint in the future!"

Being able to reach the Great Saint level could indeed be considered a Genius.

"Then why do you give all your cultivation resources to others?" Jiang Hao asked. "What about your own path?"

Su Mo was left speechless.

Jiang Hao patted his shoulder and said earnestly:

"Kid, there's nothing wrong with liking someone, but the prerequisite for liking someone is that you must first become yourself. Why should anyone like a person who can't even walk their own path steadily and places their hopes on pleasing others?"

"That makes sense!" Su Mo was silent for a while, then nodded vigorously. "If I could be like the Heavenly Emperor, Junior Sister Liu would definitely like me. I heard a lot of people liked the Heavenly Emperor back then."

Jiang Hao laughed. "Oh, do you know the Heavenly Emperor?"

"I don't. I've never met him." Su Mo shook his head. "But he is my idol, our Sect's greatest legend. Once I become a Great Saint, I'll be able to go to the Heavenly Court to see him!"

"You want to see the Heavenly Emperor that much?"

"Of course. Who in the Sect doesn't want to see him? Unfortunately, we aren't qualified yet, and the Heavenly Emperor is in seclusion. I can only wait until I get stronger."

"I heard that when the Heavenly Emperor was young, he was dashing and elegant, and countless Goddesses and Saintesses were enamored with him. Our Sect records even say a Phoenix Race Princess was heartbroken for him, and an Ancient Race Goddess waited for him for a thousand years... Sigh, he is truly a role model for our generation!"

Su Mo spoke with shining eyes, full of envy.

Jiang Hao didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he listened.

"You also want to be as popular with women as he is?" Jiang Hao asked.

"Of course!" Su Mo didn't hide it at all.

"What man wouldn't? But I also know that's just wishful thinking. What kind of person is the Heavenly Emperor? A supreme existence destined to shine through the ages. As for me... I'll be satisfied if I can become a Great Saint and enter the Heavenly Court to serve as a Heavenly Soldier."

"There's no need to belittle yourself," Jiang Hao smiled.

"This old man will show you a clear path. Take back all those thoughts of pleasing your Junior Sister, focus on yourself, use your resources on yourself, and spend your time on Cultivation. When you are outstanding enough and stand high enough, people who appreciate you will naturally appear."

"Really?"

"Naturally. This old man has lived for so many years; I understand this much at least." Jiang Hao stood up.

"Remember, affection isn't begged for; it is attracted. When you become the light yourself, people will naturally follow that light to find you."

Su Mo fell into deep thought.

Jiang Hao said no more and turned to walk out of the stone cave.

"Senior!" Su Mo suddenly called out to him, scratching his head. "Um... when you were young, did you really have fate with those powerful girls?"

Jiang Hao looked back and winked at him, his smile carrying an open-mindedness that had seen through the world.

"If you believe it, it exists; if you don't, it doesn't. Cultivate well, little one. When your cultivation is higher in the future, you will naturally understand."

Jiang Hao waved his hand and walked outside.

PS: Just to clarify, the author is not a Licking Dog. Please don't misunderstand. However, I have a friend who is, so I wrote this from the heart.