Little friend???
Lin Hao's face visibly darkened upon being addressed with such a strange term by a robot that looked like a small toy.
"Hmph, take a look at yourself. You're barely taller than my handspan, yet you talk like you're my superior?" Lin Hao snorted, unwilling to show weakness.
Daotian looked at him, the corner of his mouth quirking slightly as if he were watching a performing animal at the zoo, and said nothing.
The corner of Lin Hao's mouth twitched several times. Although Daotian's eyes were lifeless and inhuman, he could sense that the gaze wasn't friendly.
Not wanting to be stared at like that any longer, Lin Hao coughed lightly a few times.
Ahem, ahem.
"You still haven't told me what you actually are?"
"Your mind is quite sharp, not the slow-witted type. Very good, very good," Daotian nodded in appraisal.
As long as he wasn't an idiot, there was some possibility, under his guidance, of cultivating to the peak of the Great Ascension stage.
A vein bulged on Lin Hao's forehead. He grabbed Daotian's head and threw it straight at the wall.
THUD!
A small dent was left on the hospital wall.
Daotian just shook his head slightly, without a single scratch.
"Ouch, why so hot-tempered? I was complimenting you." Daotian spread his hands, speaking while shaking his head.
This attitude, like an adult talking to a child, irritated Lin Hao immensely. If Daotian were an old man, it might be different, but he was just a robot—what right did he have?
"Damn you, will you stop? Get away from me! Go haunt someone else if you want to haunt someone," Lin Hao cursed, not thinking before immediately trying to drive him away.
Daotian hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Alright."
"Huh?"
"Really?"
Lin Hao didn't believe it and stammered a bit. He had originally thought Daotian was the type of existence that wouldn't leave him even if beaten to death.
Daotian didn't answer but fell silent for a moment. Then he scratched his head as if he had something difficult to say.
"Do you really want to get rid of me?"
"Yes," Lin Hao nodded without hesitation.
At first, he thought this might be an opportunity, but Daotian's detestable attitude made him suspect that this was actually a punishment sent down by God for his sins.
"Well, it's a bit hard to say..."
"How about you commit suicide? That way, I can go find a new host," Daotian said, his tone as calm as if the person dying wasn't him.
???
Just listen to that—does that sound like something a decent person would say?
Lin Hao took a deep breath, his blood pressure skyrocketing like a volcano about to erupt.
"Son of a bitch! Why don't you go kill yourself?"
Daotian showed no remorse, just grinned, "You want me to kill myself? Hehe, I don't even know how to kill myself."
His current form, while bizarre and incapable of cultivation, had an exceptionally high 'vitality.' Unless his soul was destroyed, he couldn't die.
Structurally, he wasn't made of ordinary iron or bronze but of a strange, extraordinary material that endured through the ages. So, he wouldn't die of old age or run out of lifespan.
That despicable, arrogant grin left Lin Hao with no outlet for his anger.
But he wasn't so angry that he lost his senses. There were some important details in Daotian's earlier words—whether intentional or not—and in his behavior from the start.
'Can't die? Even without a human body, it must be closely related to cultivation. From what I know, the higher a cultivator's level, the longer they live. If that's the case, what level is this guy? He can fly, so he must be able to use spiritual energy at the very least. But it's strange; he's too weak. Very puzzling.'
Lin Hao stroked his chin in thought. If he had a beard, he would have pulled every last strand out by now.
"You said I'm your host. So, what's in it for me?"
"Benefits? Hehe, I see a bit of my younger self in you, so I'm definitely going to be useful." Daotian didn't answer directly but clasped his hands behind his back, putting on the airs of a profound master.
It's just that his appearance—with a big head and a small body—was somewhat cute and didn't really make people think of a true master.
"Stop being so cryptic. Just say it straight. I'm guessing it's related to cultivation, right?" Lin Hao said.
He had already thought it over. Right now, there really wasn't anything else that could be considered a benefit to him. Wealth and fame were external; they weren't worth his attention.
Daotian looked at Lin Hao and instantly felt a sense of similarity.
He flew over and sat on Lin Hao's shoulder, tilting his head as he said, "You really want to cultivate? Even though you don't have good innate talent? You should know that with your talent, even the best resources won't get you very far."
His words seemed meant to discourage Lin Hao, but they were also a little test of his determination to pursue the path of immortality.
Lin Hao nodded slightly, his gaze fixed straight ahead without the slightest waver, as if no matter how difficult the path, he would press forward.
"I must cultivate. I want power."
Daotian blinked. He could sense a hint of sorrow and regret in Lin Hao's tone.
'It seems this kid has encountered some regrettable incident that he couldn't resolve due to a lack of power,' he thought to himself, feeling a little curious.
He refrained from asking, however. It was improper to pry too deeply into another's past.
"Coincidentally, I also want to cultivate. As you can see, my current body can't cultivate. I'll help you become able to cultivate, and in the future, you help me in return. What do you think of this deal?" Daotian said, swinging his legs.
Lin Hao was stunned, somewhat unable to believe what he had just heard, but he had already witnessed Daotian's strangeness.
'Perhaps there are still many great opportunities in this world. Maybe this guy is one of them. Although agreeing means I'll owe him in the future, why worry so much about that now?' He thought to himself, then nodded.
"If you can help me, then I'll naturally do my best to help you in return, as long as it doesn't violate my principles."
At this moment, a mutually beneficial cooperation that would greatly impact the future was confirmed.