Chapter Twelve: Sudden Change

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Su Li had barely stepped out of the secret realm when a streak of turquoise shot towards her face. With practiced calm, she swatted it away with a single paw.

The silly bird tumbled several times across the ground, flailing its stubby claws to the sky. Its round body struggled to right itself, unable to flip over no matter how hard it tried, and it pleaded desperately, “Sister Tuan, help me!”

Su Li felt the itch in her claws return. The bird had suddenly plumped up, and she still found it hard to accept. She flicked her paw, sending a wave of mystical energy to lift the bluebird upright.

“Sister Tuan, you’re amazing!” The bluebird bounced twice in delight, looking uncannily like a rubber ball.

She could hardly bear to watch.

Her advancement had greatly benefited her contract beast. She sensed the bluebird had risen two tiers, officially entering the Bone Refining stage. But this size… clearly the result of its gluttonous overeating.

Lost in thought, Su Li suddenly noticed the bluebird waddling over with its stubby legs. Its beady black eyes brimmed with grievance as it complained, “Sister Tuan, where did you and Master go? Why didn’t you take me with you?”

Su Li’s eye twitched as she watched the silly bird try to act cute, her claws itching again—what was she to do?

Just as she finished speaking, a sudden “bang” echoed as a crack split the void and the secret realm spat Shen Luo out directly.

Su Li shot a glance at his chest; the tiger soul within the stone talisman shivered, holding its breath.

“Is Master alright?” The bluebird fluttered to Shen Luo’s side, looking anxiously at his unconscious form.

Su Li replied, “He’ll be fine once he wakes up.” Though that last tumble might mean he’d sleep longer.

The bluebird nodded. “Okay, then we’ll wait for Master to wake up here.”

Su Li raised a paw to scratch its head and found the fuzz pleasantly soft. Suddenly, she recalled the power within her that had subdued the tiger soul, and she infused a thread of mystical energy into her claw.

The energy seeped in through the pores, and the bluebird let out two contented hums. In its drowsiness, it sensed that Sister Tuan seemed somehow different—it felt more intimate, yet more reverent.

Night settled, the moon bright but the stars sparse.

When Shen Luo opened his eyes, he saw the furry ball and bluebird sleeping with their heads resting on his arm. His feelings were complicated; he couldn’t help but smile.

Everything he’d experienced in the secret realm felt like a dream, yet the strength coursing through his body told him he finally had some power to protect his two beasts.

Soon, Shen Luo grew even more joyful, for he discovered both beasts had advanced to the Bone Refining stage.

“Heh.”

He laughed aloud, feeling as though his whole life had changed since he’d found the furball.

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His laughter startled the two beasts awake.

“Master!” The bluebird fixed him with its phoenix eyes, and after confirming he was alright, it leapt over joyfully, its feathery body smothering his face. “Master, I missed you so much!”

Just as it tried to nuzzle his chin affectionately, its rear was kicked away.

“You’re disgracing all beasts,” Su Li said with disdain, shifting her gaze from the struggling silly bird to meet Shen Luo’s eyes. She raised her chin in a haughty gesture.

Her paw still rested on his chest. To Shen Luo, she looked as if she were claiming him.

Far from annoyed, he felt a surge of delight, and he immediately hugged her close, lowering his head.

Warmth pressed against her lips, and Su Li’s crimson eyes widened in shock.

His scent filled her nose, and the heat from his palm seeped through her fur, spreading to every limb and bone.

In embarrassment and anger, Su Li bit his chin.

Let him know that she could be terrifying when provoked.

A voice sounded behind them, ill-timed and sly—tiger soul muttered, “Tsk tsk, this position is rather ambiguous, isn’t it?”

Startled, Su Li released her bite and sprang from Shen Luo’s embrace, leaping three or four yards away.

Even so, she left a shallow imprint on his chin.

Quite suggestive!

Su Li’s tail fur puffed up.

The scene was so amusing that Shen Luo couldn’t help but smile.

The bluebird quietly fluttered back, dumbly asking, “What does ‘ambiguous’ mean?” Though it felt the terrifying pressure of a high-tier divine beast from its master, with Sister Tuan nearby, its boldness returned and it took another few steps forward.

The tiger soul nodded approvingly—it was indeed a descendant of the Vermilion Bird, courageous as expected. Clearing its throat, it explained, “Ambiguous… is when a male and female beast are mutually attracted—”

Halfway through, the bluebird was sent flying, a few feathers whirling in the air like autumn leaves as they settled, abruptly silencing the tiger soul.

Only a fool would provoke that big shot!

It wisely decided to play dead.

Su Li turned to look at the bluebird.

The silly bird, ever sensitive to danger, though clueless about Sister Tuan’s anger, curled itself into a ball, trying to diminish its presence.

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“Tiger soul, if you dare secretly corrupt this silly bird—”

Su Li raised her paw, dragging four long marks across the ground.

Both beasts trembled.

Meanwhile, the clueless youth furrowed his brow, troubled: Furball’s possessiveness seems too strong. How to gently tell her? After all, the bluebird is also his contract beast; he hoped there’d be no rift between them.

After resting a while longer, Shen Luo rose from the ground. He’d only lain down a short time, but dew had soaked through his clothes. A breeze sent goosebumps all over.

His shoulder suddenly weighed down, and he saw Su Li sprawled across his left shoulder, tilting her head to gaze ahead, ignoring him completely. His lips curled again, and he couldn’t resist rubbing her head.

Still angry, Su Li avoided his hand, turned her body, and pointed her rear at him. Her bushy tail swished forcefully against him, emphasizing her displeasure.

Shen Luo shook his head helplessly, his eyes filled with affection.

“Feng Xi, let’s go,” he called to the bluebird dozing in the dark.

The bluebird hurried over, but as soon as it approached Shen Luo, those dark red feline eyes glared at it, and it immediately submitted, trailing behind, utterly dejected and unable to figure out what had angered Sister Tuan.

This wasn’t the lotus pond they’d left—it resembled the forbidden area behind the mountain.

They walked along the path for nearly half an hour. In the distance, faint candlelight flickered amid the darkness.

Another half hour passed.

Something was off—more precisely, the whole Shen family estate was off.

The surroundings were unnaturally quiet.

More startling, they hadn’t encountered a single soul on their way.

Shen Luo’s lighthearted mood gradually turned heavy.

Just then, sounds finally drifted from the night. Ahead, the firelight flickered, and footsteps echoed loudly.

Su Li yawned in fatigue, pondering: They’d been out for over two hours; why had the Shen family only now sent someone? Had something happened?

“Something’s wrong,” the tiger soul suddenly spoke. “There’s a scent of blood.”