As the next morning arrived, Xiao Feng slowly awoke from his bed. After completing his morning routine and freshening up, he stepped outside to greet the new day.
He roasted some meat over a small fire and ate a hearty breakfast. Once he had finished eating, he returned to the work he had left unfinished the previous day.
He spent the morning completing the remaining repairs and improvements around the secluded valley. Only after ensuring that everything was in order did he finally set out to explore the surrounding region in search of treasures and medicinal herbs.
Xiao Feng ventured through the nearby mountains, carefully examining the vegetation and searching for valuable ingredients. However, his harvest was somewhat disappointing. Since he was still exploring the outer region bordering the Inner Region, he managed to find only a few auxiliary ingredients suitable for refining fifth- and sixth-grade medicinal pills.
Although these ingredients were useful, they were hardly the treasures he had hoped to discover.
After completing his search, Xiao Feng made his way back toward the secluded valley.
Yet, as he approached the familiar location, his gaze gradually shifted toward the mysterious little valley where Xiao Yi Xian and he had once lived.
This place was brimming with spiritual energy.
The energy of heaven and earth was exceptionally abundant here, far surpassing what one would normally expect from an ordinary valley. Viewed from a high altitude, the surrounding terrain resembled a vast basin enclosed by towering mountains.
Steep mountain walls rose on every side, their rugged surfaces making them difficult for even apes to climb, while the sheer heights seemed to prevent birds from easily flying across them.
When Xiao Feng had first discovered this place, he had been astonished by the richness of its spiritual energy. The medicinal herbs growing throughout the valley had flourished remarkably well, and the environment had been ideal for cultivating valuable ingredients.
However, despite living here with Xian'er for a considerable period, neither of them had discovered anything particularly unusual about the place.
Apart from its exceptionally dense spiritual energy and the flourishing medicinal vegetation, the valley had shown no obvious signs of possessing any other secrets.
Back then, Xiao Feng's strength had been limited, and he had never considered investigating the place too deeply.
But things were different now.
His cultivation had advanced considerably, and his understanding of the world had grown alongside his strength.
As a Dou Huang powerhouse whose cultivation was approaching the 2-Star level, he possessed strength far beyond what he had when he first discovered this place. Moreover, his soul strength had reached the peak of the Mortal Realm, granting him a far more refined ability to perceive the subtle changes in his surroundings.
What had once seemed like an ordinary place with unusually abundant spiritual energy now stirred his curiosity.
Could there really be nothing special about this valley?
A thoughtful expression appeared on Xiao Feng's face.
He had already learned that certain treasures could remain hidden even in places that seemed completely ordinary. Sometimes, discovering them required not only luck but also sufficient strength and perception.
And now, he possessed far greater abilities than he had when he first came here.
Rather than continue flying past the valley, Xiao Feng changed direction and descended toward it.
His figure passed between the towering mountain walls before landing gently on the soft grass.
The moment his feet touched the ground, a familiar sensation washed over him.
The spiritual energy surrounding him was dense and refreshing. It drifted through the valley like an invisible mist, entering his body with every breath.
Xiao Feng closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply.
Immediately, he felt a faint sense of invigoration spread throughout his body. The weariness accumulated from his morning's exploration seemed to ease, while every breath brought him a pleasant feeling of comfort.
He opened his eyes and surveyed the surroundings once more.
The lush grass, the flourishing medicinal plants, the towering cliffs, and the tranquil atmosphere were all just as he remembered them.
Yet this time, Xiao Feng was no longer satisfied with merely enjoying the valley's environment.
He intended to investigate it properly.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he began walking deeper into the valley, allowing his perception to spread gradually as he examined the surrounding terrain.
If this place truly concealed a secret, he was determined to find it.
Various precious medicinal herbs grew luxuriantly throughout the valley. Their leaves glistened with dew, while a faint medicinal fragrance mingled with the surrounding mist, making the air exceptionally refreshing.
Xiao Feng stood beside the flowing lake, taking in the scenery for a moment before slowly closing his eyes.
The next instant, a vast and surging soul force erupted from the space between his eyebrows. His long hair and robes fluttered despite the absence of wind as his soul perception spread rapidly in every direction.
With his soul strength at the peak of the Mortal Realm, Xiao Feng's perception was far more powerful than that of an ordinary cultivator. In just a few moments, his soul force had swept through the entire valley, examining every corner and searching for the slightest abnormality.
Yet, as before, he discovered nothing.
Xiao Feng's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
He wasn't willing to give up just yet.
His soul force changed direction, gradually penetrating the earth beneath his feet. As it traveled deeper, he finally noticed something unusual.
The valley's abundant spiritual energy wasn't simply accumulating there naturally. Rather, a considerable portion of it seemed to originate from the lake flowing through the valley.
So the lake is the source?
A thoughtful expression appeared on Xiao Feng's face.
Without further hesitation, he leaped into the water.
The lake was surprisingly deep. Xiao Feng moved through its depths, examining the surrounding rocks, the lakebed, and every suspicious crevice he could find. His soul perception swept through the underwater environment, leaving no obvious corner unexplored.
Nevertheless, he found nothing.
After searching for some time, he returned to the surface, took a moment to gather his thoughts, and then dived back into the lake.
He repeated the process several times.
Each attempt ended in the same disappointing result.
Although he could clearly sense that the spiritual energy was connected to the lake, he couldn't discover the precise reason behind it. There were no obvious treasures, unusual formations, or mysterious objects that could explain the phenomenon.
Eventually, even Xiao Feng began to lose patience.
He floated above the lake for a moment before landing on the grassy bank.
"Could I really be overthinking this?"
He rubbed his forehead and let out a helpless sigh.
He had already spent a considerable amount of time investigating the valley. If there truly was something hidden here, it was clearly not going to reveal itself so easily.
Just as Xiao Feng was considering whether he should abandon his search for the day, a sudden disturbance interrupted his thoughts.
A crimson light flickered beside him.
Xiao Long emerged from his body, its slender, dragon-like form twisting through the air as its fiery phoenix wings spread wide. Its crimson scales shimmered with golden highlights, and its molten-gold eyes suddenly locked onto a particular direction.
"Roar!"
A furious roar erupted from its throat.
Xiao Long circled in the air, its flames surging violently. It then turned toward the same direction and roared again, sounding as though it had encountered a sworn enemy.
Xiao Feng was momentarily taken aback.
"What is it, Xiao Long?"
He followed the direction of its gaze.
Not far away, a small creature was playing leisurely among the grass near the lake.
At first glance, it resembled a tiny horse cub. Its body was compact and adorable, with four short legs and a pair of small ears. However, unlike an ordinary foal, its body was covered in delicate scales resembling those of a dragon.
A soft, light-green lustre shimmered across its scales, giving the little creature an unusual appearance. Every time it moved, the sunlight seemed to ripple across its body, creating a faint, jade-like glow.
It looked completely harmless.
When Xiao Feng had first noticed the little beast earlier, he had assumed it was merely a First-Tier Magical Beast. It hadn't displayed any hostility, nor had he sensed any malicious intent from it. Since it had simply continued playing without disturbing him, he hadn't paid it much attention.
Now, however, Xiao Long's reaction had completely changed the situation.
The fire spirit hovered in the air, baring its teeth and releasing warning roars. Its fiery wings beat restlessly, and even the flames surrounding its body grew noticeably more intense.
Yet the little green cub didn't seem frightened in the slightest.
It continued playing in the grass, occasionally lowering its head to sniff a flower or nudging a small stone with its nose. Xiao Long's furious roars appeared to have absolutely no effect on it.
Seeing this, Xiao Feng became increasingly curious.
Xiao Long wasn't an ordinary spirit. As the spirit of his Ten Thousand Beast Flame, it possessed a natural sensitivity toward energy and Magical Beasts. Although it could sometimes behave like a spoiled child, it rarely reacted so aggressively without a reason.
For it to act this way toward what appeared to be a harmless First-Tier Magical Beast was certainly strange.
"Interesting. What exactly have you discovered?"
Xiao Feng murmured before walking toward the little creature.
Xiao Long immediately flew after him, continuing to roar warnings as though desperately trying to prevent him from approaching.
However, Xiao Feng didn't detect any murderous intent from the cub. His soul perception also failed to reveal anything obviously dangerous about it.
Maintaining his usual composure, he stopped a short distance away and crouched down.
The green cub finally noticed him.
It raised its little head, its bright eyes examining Xiao Feng with innocent curiosity.
For a moment, the two simply stared at each other.
Then, as though it had sensed something particularly interesting about him, the little creature trotted toward him.
Xiao Feng watched it approach with mild surprise.
The cub showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, it came directly before him and stretched its head toward his hand, seemingly asking him to pet it.
Xiao Feng hesitated briefly before slowly extending his fingers.
The little creature sniffed his hand.
After confirming that he meant no harm, it lowered its head and allowed him to touch its smooth, scaled forehead.
"Hmm. You're quite friendly, aren't you?"
Xiao Feng chuckled and gently stroked its head.
The cub narrowed its eyes contentedly, appearing to enjoy the attention.
Behind him, Xiao Long let out another furious roar.
Unfortunately, its warning was once again completely ignored.
Xiao Feng glanced back at his fire spirit before returning his attention to the little beast.
Since it appeared to possess a wood attribute, he decided to test his assumption with a small gift.
With a casual wave of his hand, a medicinal pill appeared between his fingers.
It was a Third-Rank medicinal pill containing pure wood-attributed energy. Although it wasn't particularly valuable to Xiao Feng, it could still provide some benefit to a wood-type Magical Beast.
"Here. Try this."
He held the pill in front of the green cub.
The creature immediately perked up.
Its nose twitched as it caught the medicinal fragrance. It sniffed the pill for a moment before opening its mouth and swallowing it in one gulp.
The cub's eyes immediately brightened.
It seemed to find the pill delicious.
After swallowing it, the little creature rubbed its head against Xiao Feng's palm, then wagged its tail enthusiastically.
Xiao Feng couldn't help but laugh.
"So you like it?"
The cub nodded—or at least made a movement that looked remarkably similar to one.
Seeing its reaction, Xiao Feng took out another pill and offered it to the little beast.
The cub swallowed that one, too.
Then another.
And another.
Before long, Xiao Feng had fed it several Third-Rank medicinal pills, each containing pure wood-attributed energy.
The little creature became increasingly enthusiastic with every pill. Its tail wagged so quickly that its entire hindquarters seemed to sway along with it.
"Easy, easy. I'm not going anywhere."
Xiao Feng shook his head with amusement and took out another pill.
However, just as he was about to hand it over, the unexpected happened.
The green cub suddenly opened its mouth and bit his finger.
"What—?!"
Xiao Feng's eyes widened.
Although he hadn't been injured by a First-Tier Magical Beast in years, the sudden attack had caught him completely off guard. His hand instinctively twitched, and he nearly pulled away.
The little creature, however, showed no intention of attacking him further.
Instead, it held his finger between its tiny teeth and began licking the blood that had appeared where it had bitten him.
Xiao Feng stared at the scene in astonishment.
For a brief moment, he wondered whether the seemingly harmless cub had been hiding some unusual nature all along.
But as he examined it more carefully, he detected no hostility. The creature wasn't struggling, snarling, or attempting to bite him again. It simply continued licking the blood with an almost eager expression.
Its tail was still wagging.
Xiao Feng's initial alarm gradually faded, replaced by confusion.
What is this little fellow doing?
He carefully observed the cub, but it gave him no indication that it intended to harm him.
Perhaps it had simply mistaken his blood for something edible.
Or perhaps it wanted another medicinal pill and had decided that biting him was the quickest way to get his attention.
Considering how enthusiastically it had devoured the previous pills, the second explanation seemed entirely plausible.
Xiao Feng couldn't help but smile helplessly.
"You're quite the greedy little fellow, aren't you? Have those pills spoiled you already?"
He allowed the creature to continue for a little longer before gently withdrawing his hand.
The cub finally released his finger and immediately looked up at him with its bright, innocent eyes.
Then it wagged its tail again.
Xiao Feng stared at it for a moment before letting out a quiet laugh.
"Fine, fine. If you want more, just behave yourself. There's no need to bite me."
He took out another wood-attributed medicinal pill and held it before the little creature.
The cub's eyes lit up instantly.
It swallowed the pill without hesitation and resumed rubbing its head against his hand, as though the previous incident had never happened.
Xiao Feng merely shook his head in amusement.
He had come to the valley searching for hidden treasures, yet somehow, he had ended up feeding medicinal pills to a strange little Magical Beast.
Behind him, Xiao Long was still hovering in the air.
Its crimson scales glimmered, its golden eyes burned with displeasure, and its wings remained spread wide.
The fire spirit looked as though it could barely tolerate the sight before it.
Unfortunately for Xiao Long, Xiao Feng was far too occupied with the adorable green cub to notice just how furious his little companion had become.
======
Xiao Feng was still shaking his head helplessly at the little green cub when the situation behind him finally reached its breaking point.
Xiao Long had endured enough.
Ever since the strange little creature had appeared, it had completely ignored every warning the fire spirit had given it. Worse still, Xiao Feng had been feeding it precious medicinal pills while paying little attention to Xiao Long's obvious displeasure.
For a proud fire spirit that possessed the strength of a high-level Dou Huang, this was simply intolerable!
"Roar!"
Xiao Long let out an angry roar. Its crimson scales glowed brilliantly, and the golden flames surrounding its body surged violently. The temperature in the surrounding area rose almost instantly.
Xiao Feng, who had just taken out another medicinal pill, felt the sudden change in temperature.
He turned his head.
"Xiao Long? What are you—"
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Long opened its mouth and spat out a blazing crimson fireball.
The attack shot through the air like a meteor, leaving a trail of scorching flames in its wake. Its target was none other than the little green cub sitting innocently beside Xiao Feng.
Xiao Feng's expression changed drastically.
"Wait! Xiao Long, stop!"
He immediately reached out, attempting to intercept the attack. However, the fireball was already only a short distance away from its target.
It was too late.
Damn it!
Xiao Feng's heart tightened.
He knew Xiao Long's strength better than almost anyone else. Although the Ten Thousand Beast Flame was a genuine Heavenly Flame which ranks lower at 22nd place on the ranking, its power was far from ordinary. After continuous growth and refinement, the strength of its spirit had already reached the level of a high-level Dou Huang.
Even an ordinary Dou Huang would have to take such an attack seriously.
As for a First-Tier Magical Beast?
If that fireball struck the little cub directly, it would be reduced to ashes in an instant. Even a Third-Tier Magical Beast would struggle to survive a direct hit.
Yet the green cub hadn't even noticed the danger.
It was still looking up at Xiao Feng, seemingly waiting for another medicinal pill.
"Get out of the way!" Xiao Feng shouted.
The crimson fireball descended upon the little creature.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the valley.
Blazing red flames swallowed the spot where the green cub had been sitting. The surrounding grass bent beneath the impact, and a wave of scorching heat swept outward. Several nearby medicinal plants trembled violently as the flames spread across the ground.
Xiao Feng's face darkened.
"Xiao Long! What have you done?!"
He immediately prepared to rush forward and investigate the aftermath.
However, before he could take a step, something unbelievable happened.
Within the crimson flames, a faint green light suddenly appeared.
At first, it was barely noticeable, like a tiny glow hidden beneath a layer of burning embers.
Then it grew brighter.
Brighter.
Until the entire area was illuminated by a brilliant green radiance.
"What is that?"
Xiao Feng abruptly stopped.
The crimson flames began to distort, as though an invisible force were pushing them away. The next instant, the green light expanded, revealing the small figure of the cub standing exactly where it had been before the attack.
Not a single hair—or rather, not a single scale—appeared to have been damaged.
The little creature hadn't dodged.
It hadn't raised a defensive barrier.
It hadn't even moved its four little feet.
Instead, its entire body was enveloped in a strange green flame.
The flame possessed a completely different character from Xiao Long's crimson fire. It wasn't violent or destructive in appearance. Rather, it shimmered with a gentle, jade-green radiance, resembling the glow of countless leaves illuminated by sunlight.
Yet beneath that seemingly gentle appearance lay an astonishing power.
The moment the green flame emerged, Xiao Long's crimson fire was forced backward.
The two flames collided briefly.
Then, to Xiao Feng's utter disbelief, the crimson fireball was reflected away!
It shot back toward the sky, scattering into countless sparks before disappearing into the distance.
The valley fell silent.
Xiao Feng stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the green cub.
"...What?"
For the first time in a long while, he genuinely struggled to find the right words.
He slowly turned his head toward Xiao Long.
Then he looked back at the little creature.
Then at Xiao Long again.
"Did I just see that correctly?"
Xiao Long's golden eyes widened. Its fiery wings stopped beating for a moment, and it stared at the green cub as though it had just encountered something utterly incomprehensible.
"Roar?!"
Its confused cry sounded almost offended.
The little cub, meanwhile, merely blinked.
It lowered its head, sniffed the grass beneath its feet, and then looked back at Xiao Feng.
"Wuu?"
It even let out a small, questioning cry, as though wondering why everyone had suddenly stopped playing.
Xiao Feng's mouth twitched.
"You... you really don't know what just happened, do you?"
The little cub tilted its head.
Xiao Feng took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He had initially assumed that the creature was merely a First-Tier Magical Beast because its outward appearance and the energy it displayed had seemed entirely ordinary. Even after Xiao Long had reacted strangely, he had never imagined that this little fellow could withstand an attack from a fire spirit whose strength rivaled that of a high-level Dou Huang.
And it hadn't merely endured the attack.
It had effortlessly reflected it.
What kind of First-Tier Magical Beast could accomplish something like that?
Even some high-ranking Magical Beasts might not possess such an absurd defensive ability.
Xiao Feng's eyes narrowed as he released his soul perception once more.
This time, he concentrated entirely on the green cub.
His soul force carefully examined its body, attempting to discern the nature of the strange green flames. The more he investigated, the more astonished he became.
The green flame wasn't simply an ordinary wood-attributed energy manifestation.
It possessed an unusual connection to the surrounding spiritual energy.
No.
More accurately, the spiritual energy throughout the valley seemed to respond to it.
Xiao Feng suddenly raised his head.
His gaze swept across the lush medicinal plants, the towering mountain walls, and finally the lake flowing quietly through the valley.
An idea flashed through his mind.
"Wait a moment..."
He slowly turned back toward the green cub.
"Could it be that the spiritual energy here..."
His voice trailed off.
Xiao Long hovered beside him, its earlier fury gradually giving way to bewilderment. Although it still looked displeased with the green cub, it no longer dared to launch another attack without understanding what it was dealing with.
Xiao Feng crouched down before the little creature again.
"Little fellow, let me ask you something."
The cub immediately trotted closer.
"Did you just use that green flame to block Xiao Long's attack?"
"Wuu!"
The cub gave a cheerful cry and rubbed its head against Xiao Feng's hand.
"...You really aren't going to answer me, are you?"
He sighed.
Then, as though remembering something, his expression suddenly changed.
The lake.
The medicinal herbs.
The astonishingly dense spiritual energy.
And now, this mysterious green flame.
All the clues began connecting in his mind.
Xiao Feng slowly stood up and looked toward the lake once more.
"So that's it..."
His eyes gradually brightened.
"I finally understand why this valley is different."
He had spent so much time searching beneath the lake, believing that some hidden treasure or unusual formation must be responsible for the abundance of spiritual energy.
But what if the source wasn't an object hidden somewhere in the valley?
What if the source was a living creature?
Xiao Feng turned his gaze toward the little green cub.
The creature was now sitting comfortably beside his feet, its tail swaying from side to side. It looked so harmless that anyone who saw it would probably mistake it for an ordinary young Magical Beast.
Yet the green flame it had just displayed had effortlessly repelled Xiao Long's attack.
And the spiritual energy surrounding the valley...
Xiao Feng's breathing grew slightly heavier.
Xiao Feng stared at the adorable green cub sitting innocently beside his feet, then glanced at the lake and the flourishing medicinal herbs surrounding the valley.
After a long moment, he couldn't help but chuckle.
What kind of luck was this?
Xiao Feng rubbed his forehead and shook his head with a helpless smile.
"Forget finding treasures. I've practically had one deliver itself right to my doorstep."
"Wuu?"
The green cub raised its head, seemingly confused by his words.
Xiao Feng looked at its innocent expression and laughed again.
"Nothing, little fellow.I think I've finally figured out what kind of mysterious existence you are."