Chapter 286 Is this cat about to become a spirit?

Zhou Jue looked at this seemingly fierce but actually cowardly little guy and found it somewhat amusing.

"Don't move, step back." Zhou Jue gently gestured to Cheng Gan and the soldiers behind him.

Cheng Gan was taken aback, but he immediately waved his hand and led his team members to retreat silently for more than ten meters, re-establishing a warning line at the edge of the forest.

In the middle of the valley, only Zhou Jue and the trembling leopard cat remained.

"Don't be afraid, we won't take your things."

Zhou Jue tried to calm it down, but the leopard cat became even more nervous, arching its back and making louder purring noises.

"No, no, no... don't come any closer!"

Seeing that direct communication wasn't effective, Zhou Jue simply stopped talking.

She slowly sat down a few meters away from the leopard cat, indicating that she posed no threat.

Then, under the leopard cat's curious yet wary gaze, she took out a small water jug ​​containing spiritual spring water from the Starry Secret Box and poured herself a cup.

A refreshing, sweet scent drifted towards the leopard cat on the breeze.

The leopard cat's nose twitched a few times.

"Gurgle..."

The threatening growl in its throat unconsciously turned into the sound of swallowing saliva.

In Zhou Jue's mind, the leopard cat's inner thoughts were in complete chaos.

"What is this smell...?"

"It smells so good...it smells even better than the fruit I've been waiting for all day..."

"What is that two-legged creature drinking...? It looks delicious..."

"I want to drink..."

Zhou Jue held the cup, looking at its greedy expression, and couldn't help but smirk.

She swirled the cup, and the clear spring water shimmered slightly in the moonlight.

"Want some?" Zhou Jue asked softly.

"Come here, and I'll give you some."

The leopard cat's body stiffened visibly; it was undergoing an internal struggle.

"The past? No way! What if it's a trap?"

"Mom said that two-legged creatures are the worst; they'll kidnap us and sell us!"

"But...but that water..."

"My saliva... I can't hold it in anymore..."

Zhou Jue almost burst out laughing when he heard its inner thoughts.

She simply poured herself another glass and placed it on the ground in front of her.

"I'm not a bad person, I won't kidnap you and sell you," Zhou Jue said, looking at it with the utmost sincerity.

The leopard cat shuddered, its golden pupils dilating instantly.

"You...you can understand what I'm thinking?!"

It was truly frightened this time, forgetting even to maintain its threatening posture, and plopped down on the ground.

“Of course.” Zhou Jue nodded. “If you’re really scared, I’ll leave the water here, then I’ll step back a little, and you can come and drink it yourself.”

The leopard cat's ears twitched, and it tilted its head, seemingly trying to determine the truthfulness of her words.

"real?"

"real."

Zhou Jue kept her word; she stood up and actually took a few steps back.

Now, the cup of spiritual spring water, exuding an enticing aroma, sits quietly in the center of the open space, only three or four meters away from the leopard cat.

Reason was frantically sounding an alarm in the leopard cat's tiny head.

"Don't go! It's a trap! Run!"

But its body was completely unresponsive.

That deadly attraction from the spiritual spring water was like an invisible hand, pulling at its limbs.

It stood up uncontrollably, taking one step, two steps, tentatively walking towards the glass of water.

With each step, it would glance warily at Zhou Jue in the distance, and only when it realized that the two-legged beasts really hadn't moved did it become a little bolder.

Finally, it reached the cup, and a rich spiritual aura wafted out.

"Gurgle!"

The leopard cat could no longer resist. It lowered its head, stuck out its tongue, and quickly licked the entire cup of spiritual spring water clean, leaving not a single drop.

"Meow~~"

An indescribable feeling of comfort spread from the tip of the tongue throughout the body, making it so comfortable that it couldn't help but let out a satisfied cry.

It tastes so good!

After finishing the drink, it suddenly realized what it had just done, and the leopard cat froze.

We're doomed! We've fallen for their trap! The water is definitely poisoned!

It quietly raised its eyelids and quickly glanced at Zhou Jue in the distance, only to find that she was still smiling at it without making any move.

After waiting for a while, my stomach didn't hurt, and my head didn't feel dizzy.

The leopard cat breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems... this two-legged creature isn't really a bad person?

It licked its lips, wanting another drink.

Just as it was thinking of a way to get some more from this strange two-legged creature, a strange fragrance wafted out from behind it!

The leopard cat suddenly turned its head and saw three bright red fruits on the small tree, emitting a faint red glow, their surfaces shimmering and their aroma enticing.

The fruit is ripe!

This is mine!

The leopard cat had only one thought in its mind.

It couldn't even bother communicating with Zhou Jue anymore, fearing that the group of two-legged beasts would rush over and snatch it away, so its entire body turned into a yellow lightning bolt.

"call out!"

It scrambled up the sapling, swiftly plucked a fruit with its claws, held it in its arms, and jumped down.

After landing, it glanced warily in Zhou Jue's direction, then opened its mouth and swallowed half of the fist-sized fruit in one gulp.

"Well--"

Then... it choked.

The leopard cat's eyes widened, its limbs stiffened, its neck stretched straight, and it made a "clucking" sound in its throat, as if trying to swallow the fruit stuck in its throat.

"puff!"

A muffled thud.

It finally swallowed the fruit.

The next second, a visible crimson aura suddenly burst forth from its body.

The leopard cat's body began to swell slightly in an unscientific way, and a faint golden luster appeared on its originally yellowish-brown fur, while the spots on its body became clearer and deeper.

Its originally somewhat cloudy beast eyes have now become clear and bright, even shimmering with a hint of human-like brilliance.

"belch--"

A loud burp came from its mouth.

A burst of fruity spiritual energy, accompanied by the burp, sprayed Zhou Jue and Cheng Gan's faces.

Everyone was a little confused.

Is that all?

The leopard cat shook its head, seemingly adjusting to the changes in its body.

It looked down at its paws, then back at its glossy tail, its eyes filled with wonder.

Then, it raised its head and its gaze fell on Zhou Jue.

It glanced at Zhou Jue, then at the delicious water in her hand.

Then it turned its head and looked at the two bright red fruits still hanging on the tree, which also exuded an enticing aroma.

Its gaze shifted back and forth between the water and the fruit several times.

A timid voice rang in Zhou Jue's mind.

"Um... the two-legged beast sister..."

"Can I use this fruit... to exchange for the water you just drank?"

Zhou Jue was taken aback.

The leopard cat tilted its head, seemingly wondering why she didn't answer. Couldn't she understand what it was thinking?

It stretched out one front paw and, somewhat clumsily, pointed to the two remaining fruits on the tree.

Then, he pointed to the kettle in Zhou Jue's hand.

"I'll trade you this!"

"...!"

Zhou Jue's eyes slowly widened. This was incredible! He understood the principle of exchange just from eating a fruit? Could this fruit have the power to enlighten and enhance intelligence?

Cheng Gan also sensed that something was wrong.

"Xiao Jue, what...what is it doing?"

She saw the leopard cat gesturing clumsily with its paws, pointing at the tree one moment and at Zhou Jue the next, while making urging "meow meow" sounds.

That didn't look like a threat.

It's more like... negotiating terms?

Zhou Jue looked at the leopard cat in front of him, which had just awakened its intelligence and had learned the principle of "equivalent exchange" without being taught, and then looked at the two spiritual fruits on the tree, whose value he did not know.

She suddenly realized that this newly begun era of spiritual revival might be much more interesting than she had imagined.

"You mean, you want to trade those two fruits for the water I have?"

The leopard cat's eyes suddenly lit up, and it nodded its head vigorously.

"Change! Change!"

It was afraid that Zhou Jue would change his mind, so its heartfelt voice came urgently.

"That water is delicious! I want more!"

Cheng Gan and his fellow soldiers watched the entire process in stunned silence.

A young soldier couldn't help but rub his eyes and asked his squad leader in a low voice.

"Squad leader...am I seeing things?"

"That cat... is it being traded with Major General Zhou?"