The Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts is a paradise for monsters and also a haven for cultivators to undergo trials.
The nine-tailed panda Ao Lin was young and weak, and Ji Xiaoxiao was worried that those short-sighted young boys and girls, who were not good at distinguishing between food and animals, might mistake a divine beast for a cat or dog and injure the nine-tailed panda Ao Lin.
With enough effort, even an iron rod can be ground into a needle. After overcoming countless hardships and difficulties, Ji Xiaoxiao discovered the black and white fur of the nine-tailed red panda Aolin near a stream.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a mess of dirty, smelly fluff, black, white, and red.
Ji Xiaoxiao felt a pang in her heart and took small steps, inching closer.
The grass was no longer a pure emerald green; a dark red substance had forcefully invaded, brutally destroying its natural beauty. Ji Xiaoxiao covered her nose, holding her breath, but the pungent smell of blood was pervasive, making tears well up in her eyes.
Peeking over the tree trunk, a scarred black and white fur came into view.
Ji Xiaoxiao swayed and almost collapsed.
"Is this my little guy?" Ji Xiaoxiao muttered to herself, then vehemently denied this nonsense conclusion, "Impossible, this isn't my little guy."
"Junior Brother Jiang Huan..."
A long, drawn-out sound awakened Ji Xiaoxiao from her demonic state.
"Junior Brother Jiang Huan, I remember you always carry spices with you. Bring out some chili peppers."
"Okay, senior brother, please wait a moment."
After a while, a soft and cute voice rang out again, "Senior brother, here you go."
"Slurp, add some chili, this soup will be incredibly delicious."
Ji Xiaoxiao listened intently, thinking to herself, "Are they cooking something to eat?"
Looking at the nine-tailed panda Aolin's fur at her feet, Ji Xiaoxiao waved her hand expressionlessly and put it into her storage ring.
Reaching out, Ji Xiaoxiao gently patted her cheeks, forcing a smile that seemed to warm her heart.
Taking out the mirror, she examined it from left to right. The effect was excellent, and Ji Xiaoxiao nodded in satisfaction, heading straight for the source of the sound. As she approached, a fragrant aroma wafted towards her.
"You bunch of kids are really reckless and audacious."
After saying that, Ji Xiaoxiao put her hands together, muttered some incantations, and with a thought, the defensive formation was completed in an instant, a faint semi-circular membrane covering an area of ten meters in radius.
The seven people were drawn over by the commotion caused by Ji Xiaoxiao, and their expressions varied, ranging from doubt and shock to admiration and joy.
"Senior," a man dressed in blue with a gentle face said, bowing.
Ji Xiaoxiao asked casually, her expression revealing a hint of disappointment upon closer inspection, "Judging from your young age, your cultivation is quite good. You must be disciples from major sects or families who have come to the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest for training, right?"
"Senior, we are disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, located a hundred miles outside the Beast Forest. We have come to the Beast Forest to search for our destined demonic beast, on the orders of our master." The man in blue emphasized the words "Beast Taming Sect," silently warning Ji Xiaoxiao not to act rashly.
Ji Xiaoxiao shook her head, looking pained, and said, "Didn't your masters and elders tell you in detail about the dangers and terrors of the Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts? Cultivators should not indulge in gluttony, but you not only went against the grain, you even started a fire to cook without taking any precautions. You attracted all the beasts with the aroma, and you'll regret it someday. Sigh, I've been meddling in other people's business. I'll leave now."
The Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts is home to a diverse array of wild animals that move at the slightest scent. Some are ferocious by nature, eating raw meat and drinking blood, while others prefer cooked food and are no different from humans.
After Ji Xiaoxiao's kind reminder, the man in blue suddenly realized his mistake. Recalling his ungratefulness and the hidden meaning in his words, he blushed with embarrassment.
Ji Xiaoxiao turned to leave, but the man in blue realized he had wronged a good person and hurriedly apologized, inviting Ji Xiaoxiao to sit down and try the food they had prepared.
One shouldn't hit a smiling face, especially since one is obligated to help others. Ji Xiaoxiao's dark expression softened considerably, and she greeted the man in blue with a warm smile, chatting and laughing with them.
"Senior, please try it."
The man in blue brought over a bowl of hot soup, which Ji Xiaoxiao naturally accepted, staring blankly at the grease on the steaming soup noodles.
Ji Xiaoxiao shuddered, subtly put down the porcelain bowl, and asked, "Don't rush to drink the soup, little one. Haven't you introduced your junior brothers and sisters to this old woman yet?"
The man in blue smiled sheepishly and solemnly introduced them to Ji Xiaoxiao.
They were all disciples of Yu Yangzi, the Supreme Elder of the Beast Taming Sect. The man in blue was the eldest disciple, named Xu Liu, and was the most honest of them all. As for the information about the others, Ji Xiaoxiao listened but didn't take it to heart; after all, they were all going to die anyway.
Ji Xiaoxiao said "Oh", and then asked, "Old woman, if I may ask, what is the main ingredient of this soup? I have lived for thousands of years and have never tasted such a delicious dish."
Ji Xiaoxiao's words were mostly filled with regret.
Eight people sat around the fire. Xu Liu took a big gulp of soup and said happily, "Senior, I'm afraid I can't answer this question."
"Involving sect secrets?"
“No, Senior, you’re overthinking it.” Xu Liu shook his head repeatedly. “The main ingredient of this soup was something we obtained by chance. My junior brothers and sisters and I entered the Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts three days ago. After three days of travel, we were exhausted, so we set up camp here to rest. My junior brother, who is also the junior brother Jiang Huan whom I introduced to you before, was responsible for collecting firewood. When he came back, he brought back a nine-tailed kitten.”
Jiang Huan?
The name I heard before.
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