Chapter 36

Outside the tent, a thud of something heavy landing resounded. Stepping out, Xia You saw that the big cat that had gone hunting had indeed returned.

Xia You had expected the lynx to bring back a hare or some other small prey. After all, for a lynx, hunting and dragging larger game isn't easy.

To her surprise, even though the lynx and the panther had left in different directions, they returned together.

A deer dangled from the panther's jaws, its head drooping and antlers swinging from side to side.

The lynx walked alongside the panther, its face still smeared with blood from the hunt. Its footsteps bore the wild and intimidating aura of a fierce beast.

Standing outside the tent, Xia You's eyes sparkled astonishingly at the sight of the two big cats.

The most captivating moments of these beasts are not when they tolerate humans' proximity. Rather than the cuteness of housecats, the majestic return of these big cats with their prey truly commands awe and admiration.

The prey was placed in front of Xia You. The panther merely licked its lips without advancing, while the lynx, raising its paw, nudged the deer towards her.

Xia You paused, then bent down to inspect the injuries on the deer.

Sure enough, the fatal wound was on its throat. The size and shape of the bite marks confirmed that this mature male deer, many times the size of the lynx, was hunted solely by the lynx.

And, for some unknown reason, the panther had willingly assisted the lynx in transporting the prey.

The thick-furred and soft lynx gave a low growl, its eyes, lined with dark kohl, fixed intently on Xia You.

Xia You reached out to stroke the lynx's head, carefully avoiding its sensitive ears.

After processing the prey by the stream, Xia You and the two big cats returned to the aromatic tent and sat by a low table, mouths watering.

Lu Yinghuai, through his psychic connection, was already aware of the lynx's hunting success. Unsurprised by the catch of the day, he skillfully sliced the deer meat.

After an agonizing wait filled with tantalizing aromas, the pot's lid was finally lifted.

In this interstellar age, many spicy and stimulating condiments were scarce. Yet, the taste of freshness had its unique charm, and it wasn't bad for the big cats to indulge in it occasionally.

Both big cats were composed. Only the little tiger kept trying to reach the table, pawing at the tablecloth, until Xia You scooped it onto her lap, where it perched its head over the table's edge, nibbling away.

After the meal and tidying up, Xia You lounged on the carpet, one hand petting the panther and the other the little tiger. Eyes glazed in feline bliss, her psychic tendrils mischievously darted around the tent, occasionally teasing Lu Yinghuai.

Lu Yinghuai, now accustomed to it, allowed the tendrils to drape over his shoulder, appearing to seriously co-read with him.

Sometimes when Lu Yinghui flips the page too quickly, the little tentacle would press down on his finger, prompting him to patiently wait for the tentacle to finish reading before moving on to the next page.

The lynx, originally lying next to him, perked up its ears, stood, and padded over to place its paw on Xia You's hand.

With a gentle touch.

Xia You turned her head, resting on the black panther, to look at the lynx.

The lynx raised its paw, patting the black panther, then the tiger cub, before nuzzling Xia You's hand with its head.

Xia You: "!!"

Ah, this sudden feeling of being graced by an aloof cat—

Xia You immediately took the cue, reaching out to stroke the lynx's soft and thick fur.

Lu Yinghui closed his eyes.

From initial worry and concern, he had grown unfazed over time.

As long as the touched entity was sensible and shameless, he didn't mind. No matter how much they showed off their fur to please the young one, as long as they were of sound mind, some boundaries would be maintained.

The marshal's boundaries have lowered over time, going from disliking the young one petting wild cats to simply not touching the tail or hind legs.

Surprisingly, the lynx was very cooperative today. Except for not allowing Xia You to touch its tail, it was almost entirely accommodating.

But just as Xia You was about to retract her hand in moderation, the lynx lifted its paw, hooking her wrist and letting out a low mew.

Confused, Xia You responded with a "?"

The lynx then patted the black panther, tugged at the tiger cub, and finally patted its own head, tilting its head and gazing expectantly at Xia You.

Sitting up to face the seated lynx, Xia You pondered the lynx's actions for a moment, and after about ten seconds—

Hesitantly, Xia You patted the black panther: "Yuan Yuan."

The black panther's tail lifted, hooking Xia You's wrist.

Xia You then patted the tiger cub's head: "Spicy Strip."

The tiger cub looked up, letting out a clear "Ah."

In the end, Xia You reached out and patted the lynx's head, hesitatingly asking, "Do you want a name too?"

The lynx nodded: "Mew!"

Lu Yinghui: "..."

The Marshal looked up, gazing at the lynx who dared not meet his eyes.

Fan Yu Xin, right? As expected, a sharp mind.

He noted it.

Xia You felt the grey-brown fur of the lynx, noticing the dark spots spread over it. An idea sparked in her mind.

"How about Cookie?" she proposed, squeezing the lynx's chubby cheeks.

She had always thought the spots on the lynx resembled chocolate chip cookies from a distance.

The lynx's eyes sparkled, letting out a soft mew.

The black panther lifted its paw onto Xia You's hand, staring intently at her. The other paw, resting on the carpet, suddenly unsheathed sharp claws.

The lynx quietly took a step back.

Xia You was easily distracted by the black panther, cradling its head, kissing its forehead, cooing affectionately. This vividly showcased her innate weakness for fluffy creatures.

The black panther quickly succumbed under her sweet words and gestures, becoming utterly pliable.

That night, Xia You once again used her psychic energy to soothe Lu Yinghui. However, this time, she cautiously approached the sea of his psyche within his brain.

Lu Yinghui's mental ocean was a vast, silent expanse with no visible end. Near the center, it was deep and rich in color, emitting an oppressive danger as if brewing something.

The periphery shimmered with light waves, reminiscent of a jellyfish's frills - stunning and dreamlike.

Xia You's psychic tendril carefully ventured in, tapping gently like a cat testing the water. After a pause, sensing no anomalies, she covertly glanced at Lu Yinghui.

Lu Yinghui's eyelid twitched, sensing something. Just as he was about to speak, Xia You's psychic tendril plunged headfirst into that lighter part of his mental sea.

In alignment with Xia You's intuition, the outer layer of Lu Yinghui's mental ocean was indeed benign and gentle.

Rather than the deep and rich core of spiritual energy in the center, the surrounding spiritual force feels more like Lu Yinghuai's presence.

The pale blue water embraced the frolicking tendrils of spiritual energy, showing not the slightest intent to harm them.

Xia You's spiritual power permeated bit by bit into Lu Yinghuai's spiritual ocean through these tendrils. Feeling the gentle warmth from Lu Yinghuai's spiritual sea, the tendrils floated effortlessly, resembling flipped-over salted fish going with the flow.

Gradually, the spiritual tendrils approached the central core area.

However, Xia You didn't proceed rashly.

He could sense, within this deep-sea-like tranquility of darkness, a suppressed ferocious power, reminiscent of the calm that brews before a storm.

Lu Yinghuai habitually reached out to touch Xia You's forehead, ensuring he didn't have a fever. Nevertheless, he still placed the spiritual energy monitor on Xia You's wrist.

Xia You looked down, focusing on his fingers resting in Lu Yinghuai's hand, and suddenly said, "Your Highness, about that force in your spiritual core..."

Lu Yinghuai knew what Xia You was referring to and nodded, saying, "Yes."

It was the energy that Lu Yinghuai's spiritual force had consumed, originally belonging to the insect queen.

Xia You remained silent, his lowered eyelashes concealing his contemplative gaze.

Before long, due to the depletion of spiritual energy, Xia You began to feel drowsy, slowly falling asleep while cradling the energy stone.

……

At 3 a.m., the lynx by the curtain stealthily stood up, shaking its fur.

Lu Yinghuai silently opened his eyes, looking towards the lynx.

The lynx, which had only asked for a name from Xia You during the day, gracefully knelt before Lu Yinghuai. Then, lifting the tent curtain with its paw, it disappeared into the woods under the moonlight.

*

When Xia You woke up the next morning, he found both the panther and the little tiger were still around, only the lynx was missing.

Recalling the lynx's rare affection the previous day, Xia You didn't feel much disappointment.

Their encounter had always been a fleeting connection. A wild cat, after all, eventually returns to the wild.

Xia You gently slapped his cheeks, then, holding the panther's neck, looked outside the tent.

May Cookie be safe and everything go smoothly in the days to come!

The relentless rain had finally ceased. The two people and two cats packed up their tent, ready to set out once again.

The live stream orb, which had been inactive for several days, was finally activated, spinning in mid-air.

Many viewers, who had camped in the live chat for days, seeing the previously black screen now showing an image, excitedly flooded the screen with exclamation marks.

Soon, a wave of viewers who heard the news swarmed the live chat, reviving its lively atmosphere.

[Eh? Are only the panther and the baby tiger in the car?]

[Yes, the lynx is gone.]

[What happened? No live stream for over a week, and as soon as it resumes, one spirit animal is missing... Did Fan...?]

[Hold on! Don't speculate until there's official news from the reserve. Did you all forget the importance of discretion?]

Xia You's streaming style was casual, with little to no interaction or introductions, but the viewers were accustomed to this.

[Are they heading towards the snow-capped mountains?]

The vibrant off-road vehicle steadily advanced towards the heart of the reserve. While Xia You drove, the spiritual tendrils patrolled alongside.

Lu Yinghuai raised an eyebrow: "What are you searching for?"

Xia You chuckled sheepishly, "I wanted to see if I could spot a pack of wolves, even if from afar."

Typically, areas inhabited by lynxes also support the existence of wolf packs.

However, while the forest terrain is favorable for lynxes, wolves tend to find sustenance mainly in the snowy mountains.

The off-road vehicle journeyed through the barren mountains, stopping occasionally. They encountered various animals, but as for wolves...

Xia You didn't spot a single trace of them.

There was a hint of disappointment, but encountering such creatures is a matter of fate. If it wasn't meant to be, there was nothing Xia You could do.

Without encountering the desired fluffy creatures, the group continued their journey in the planned direction.

The live stream remained active, but the audience no longer recognized any familiar spiritual entities.

However, this was to be expected. After all, the reserve usually releases spiritual entities in sufficiently distant territories to prevent conflicts amongst them.

The jaguar should ideally inhabit tropical rainforests or swamps. The higher the altitude, the more the panther seemed to lose interest, even its hunting enthusiasm waned.

The young tiger, in contrast, showcased newfound zeal, hunting several times a day. Although occasionally unsuccessful, seven out of ten times, it would return with prey.

After tasting Xia You's food, the tiger cub seemed to grasp the difference in their diets. No longer insistent on sharing its catch with Xia You, it started feeding the panther instead.

Spiritual entities don’t need to eat. In an unfamiliar environment, the panther seemed disinterested, even in the prey brought by the cub.

However, employing the persistence it usually reserved for bothering Xia You, the cub kept yowling around the panther until the latter reluctantly obliged.

One feeding led to the second, third, fourth, and so on.

The targets of the cub’s hunts began to evolve—from initial catches like wild rabbits, it progressed to creatures like roe deer and even ventured towards fawns.

The cub's growth was noticeably rapid.

Half a month later, Xia You, accustomed to easily picking up the cub, nearly strained her back doing so.

Estimating the cub's size, Xia You wondered, "Your Highness, isn't the speed at which the cub is growing a bit too rapid?"

Which tiger cub grows as if it has consumed a growth catalyst?

Tigers mature at three and a half years. An adult Siberian male, including its tail, can measure up to approximately three meters. Now, the cub, affectionately nicknamed "Spicy Strip," was nearing 1.2 meters in length, becoming quite the large feline when seated in the back of the off-road vehicle.

Hearing Xia You, Spicy Strip turned its innocent tiger face towards her.

Its original blue-grey eyes gradually warmed, transitioning to an amber hue.

Unlike actual beasts, a spiritual entity's size isn’t related to its age but to its spiritual energy level and stability.

Due to Lu Jiuzhu's production during a spiritual disturbance episode, young Prince Qin Anhong was diagnosed with congenital insufficiency and unstable spiritual energy.

Initially, the Senate strongly opposed the idea of such a frail child becoming the heir. However, the Emperor overruled them, displaying assertiveness for the first time since his ascension, directly confronting the aristocratic families. This secured Qin Anhong's position as the Crown Prince.

Although plagued by illness from a young age, Qin Anhong, through ups and downs, reached seventeen years.

However, due to his unstable spiritual energy, Qin Anhong’s physical growth was significantly delayed. Even nearing adulthood, he appeared to be only around ten years old.

The same issue naturally manifested in Qin Anhong's spiritual form.

What should have been the spiritual form of a fierce tiger was merely a lean, young tiger cub.

However, now, under Xia You's daily nurturing of spiritual energy, Qin Anhong's spiritual form has finally begun its long-delayed development.

This is undoubtedly a good thing.

Lu Yinghuai approached the young tiger, reaching out to pat its head: "Perhaps he was malnourished before, and it's all catching up now."

Xia You raised an eyebrow.

Lu Yinghuai chuckled.

"Sigh, it seems His Highness doesn't even bother to make up excuses for me anymore."

At first, Xia You truly believed these fluffy creatures held no ulterior motives. But as he spent more time with Yuan Yuan and La Tiao and recalled the behavior of the lynx, he grew suspicious, causing his perception of the panther and the tiger to change.

Still, life goes on. When the fluffballs wanted affection, Xia You saw no reason to refuse.

After all, regardless of their intelligence, these creatures could never transform into humans. At most, they might be some military secret weapons with high IQs.

The only change was that ever since realizing the high intelligence of the two "cats," Xia You started insisting they attend his classes.

The panther, always dignified and steady, was a diligent student like Xia You. The tiger cub, however, was a handful; making it sit still for a mere half-hour was nearly impossible, and it often tried to escape class.

Lu Yinghuai, observing this, added some particularly challenging tasks to the young tiger's future curriculum.

The live-stream audience watched the young tiger grow. Most of those with access were either from the military or families of former military leaders. They sensed something unusual about the tiger's growth, but they were mostly filled with affection and nostalgia watching a prodigy grow.

[Speaking of which, Prince Anhong rarely appeared in public before, right?]

[Yes, almost never. Even the military has little footage of him. The Emperor has always protected him closely.]

[Hahaha, although we still don't know what the Prince looks like, I've saved clips of La Tiao getting scared by a pinecone thrown by a squirrel, slipping and falling in the river during a bath, having skirmishes with eagles over food, then running to the panther to complain, and occasionally rolling over to get some belly rubs!]

[To the person above, are you evil? This is the esteemed Prince— ahem, I mean, if you're sharing those clips with siblings, send me one too!]

Oblivious La Tiao continued to frolic carefreely in front of the live-streaming camera, unaware that his embarrassing moments were already spreading across various planets through those privately shared clips.

Originally inconspicuous and without any legion support, the young prince remarkably rose in the new round of legion voting, garnering a support rate of 0.1% for the first time.

Over a month later, by the time Xiayou and the rest approached the volcano's mouth, the seasons had shifted, making the temperature slightly colder.

Outside the reserve, the research department at the Blue Star Dormancy Base couldn't withstand the pressure any longer and reached out to Lu Yinghuai within the reserve.

"Marshal, Colonel Fan's mental activity had already reached an active state suitable for awakening a month ago. Yet, in this entire month, no matter how we hinted or directly prompted, he has refused to return. We really don't know..."

Lu Yinghuai hadn't realized so much time had passed; he assumed that Fan Yuxin, whom he believed had already awakened, was still lingering within the reserve.

He inquired, "What about the tracking of his mental coordinates? What has he been doing inside the reserve?"

It's not unprecedented for consciousness within a mental entity to suddenly awaken.

Generally, once a mental entity's condition fully recovers to a point where it can return to its body, the research department can monitor it instantly. They'd then guide the entity to the edge of the reserve for an easy retrieval, so it can return to its dormant body.

Fan Yuxin, having regained his senses and still being active within the reserve, was certainly a first.

To track this, the research department sent cameras. Perhaps because of his awakened state, the lynx did not avoid the cameras like other mental entities but acted as if they weren't there, continuing with its tasks.

There was an awkward pause on the other end of the communication line, then a soft cough. "Well... Colonel Fan, in the form of a lynx, chased the wolves in his territory and seemed to have bitten the hind leg of almost every wolf..."

A mental entity is inherently more robust than an ordinary beast, not to mention that Fan Yuxin is adept at tactical command, understanding the art of warfare and exploiting strengths and weaknesses.

Lu Yinghuai: "..."

That explained why Xiayou never encountered any wolf packs.

Most likely, after losing a skirmish with the wolves, the lynx was bullied by the pack and has held a grudge ever since.

"We initially believed that... ahem, after Colonel Fan settled his vendetta, he'd be willing to return. However, he didn't. Instead, the lynx's coordinates showed it trailing you and the young sir towards the vicinity of the volcano."

Lu Yinghuai was taken aback.

"Yet, just last night, even though the lynx was very close to you and the young sir, it deliberately veered off towards the cliff."

Such behavior, going against an animal's instincts, indicates a conscious decision by the awakened Fan Yuxin.

But the question remains: He's awakened, he's chased and bitten wolves; why doesn't he return and instead roams aimlessly?

Suddenly, a thought crossed Lu Yinghuai's mind. His eyebrows twitched, and he asked in a deep voice, "Check if there are any other mental entities active in the direction he's heading."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before a sharp intake of breath could be heard.

"This volcanic crater is where Lieutenant Cheng was originally placed!"

As expected.

"Don't worry, he'll return soon. The research department should be ready to thoroughly examine his mental seascape."

Fan Yuxin's mental disturbance can only be said to have been temporarily alleviated. Until his mental seascape is cleared, he can't be considered fully recovered.

Through Fan Yuxin, the research department might glean some insights into Xiayou's unique mental attributes.

"Understood!"

After ending the call, Lu Yinghuai rubbed his temples.

Fan Yuxin and Cheng Zhiyear had been partners since their academy days—one intellectually sharp, and the other agile in action. They remained inseparable even after joining the First Legion.

However, Cheng Zhiyear awakened his spiritual form much earlier than Fan Yuxin and entered dormancy two years prior, his spiritual form returning to the Blue Star.

It remains unknown how Fan Yuxin discovered Cheng Zhiyear's release coordinates.

Their tents were pitched beneath the cliff, within a recessed terrain, ensuring they were shielded from falling debris or the attention of airborne predators like hawks.

When Lu Yinghuai returned to the tent, Xiayou was cozily sketching in the embrace of a panther. The subject of her drawing was an orange-black twist resembling a spicy strip.

Pouring a glass of water, the Marshal thought of Cheng Zhiyear's spirit animal. After a moment of contemplation, he added a few more ice cubes to the glass.

*

That night, the moon shone brightly among scattered stars.

A grayish-brown big cat led the way, followed closely by a gray-white big cat.

Both big cats had spotted fur, but one had a short tail, while the other's was long.

With a clear destination in mind, the lynx led its partner to the familiar-smelling tent, and the two thick-furred big cats settled down in front of it.

The lynx turned to look at its companion.

Splendid. Its fur is fluffy and dense, soft to the touch. Round head, round face, and such endearing ears.

Surely a type the healer would adore.

The lynx glanced at the sky, lifted a paw to touch its companion's forehead, and gently massaged the equally fuzzy ears with its pad.

Their heads drew close, nuzzling affectionately for a while. The lynx then stepped back, signaling its intention to leave.

The gray-white big cat wanted to follow but was made to sit back by the lynx's stern gaze.

The lynx took a few steps, then, seemingly unsure, returned. After studying the gray-white big cat for a few seconds, it scooped up the cat's long, thick tail and stuffed it into its mouth.

The big cat, covered in a thick coat of soft white fur, sat elegantly in the snow, a fuzzy tail sticking out of its mouth, looking irresistibly cute.

Perfection.

Satisfied, the lynx nodded, gave the gray-white cat's head one last pat, and then dashed off towards the edge of the reserve without looking back.

Watching the lynx's figure disappear into the night, the gray-white cat obediently held onto its tail. It waited quietly through the night until dawn. And at the moment a blond youth lifted the tent curtain, it presented the healer, a plush lover, with an adorably tilted head.

Xiayou: "!!!"

Following her out of the tent, Lu Yinghuai: "..."

Author's note:

Lynx (designing a perfect entrance for the snow leopard): Taking a shortcut because my partner is so fluffy and cute. The healer will surely love it. Rawr!