Symbiosis Symbol
As dusk settled, the clouds on the horizon were dyed in varying shades of orange-red by the setting sun, like an overturned rouge box, casting a warm glow over the secluded courtyard.
Yun Qian sat lazily on the cool stone steps at the entrance of the courtyard. The rough wooden door behind her pressed against her back. Her slender fingers twirled an unknown oval leaf, unconsciously rubbing it. The leaf juice stained her fingertips green and gave off a faint, fresh scent of grass and trees.
The old tree in the courtyard, its branches and leaves sparse, cast dappled, swaying shadows in the fading light. A gentle breeze carried the faint scent of distant flowers and grasses, and stirred the stray hairs on her forehead, but it could not dispel the fog in her heart.
Feeling the warmth and slight rise and fall of the cat in her arms, Yun Qian lowered her head. The strange cat was nestled on her lap, its soft belly rising and falling gently with its breath. She reached out and stroked it, feeling the soft, dense texture on her fingertips. The white cat seemed uncomfortable and squirmed, trying to break free, but it was all in vain. Finally, it quieted down as if resigned to its fate, letting out a soft, unwilling purr from its throat.
With the symbiotic talisman in place, there was no fear of it causing any more trouble. Yun Qian used her own blood as a medium to draw the talisman, establishing a strange yet strong connection.
The talisman was dangerous, but it was a lighter burden for her. It could effectively restrain the cat that might be closely related to Lin Huaiyu, the so-called chosen one.
Symbiotic relationship, mutual destruction. She can control its use of spiritual power, but the price is that when she consumes spiritual power, it will absorb an equal amount of it.
This is like a double-edged sword, binding the other party while also implicating oneself. Dissolving this talisman requires the willingness of both parties; forcibly breaking it will only result in mutual destruction. Thinking of this, a complex emotion flashed in Yun Qian's eyes. Was this forced binding merely a temporary measure, or the beginning of another entanglement?
Bai Chuan and Qin Wu were not cultivators and did not know much about the details of the talisman. Seeing that she looked normal that day, and even had the leisure to play with the cat, they only asked a few simple questions and did not delve any further.
They accepted the increasingly lazy white cat, who would either snuggle in her arms and sleep soundly or lie on the stone table basking in the sun.
The furry creature did indeed have a natural power to soften people's hearts, and as a result, the two senior brothers relaxed their vigilance towards it.
However, the calm on the surface cannot conceal the turbulent undercurrents.
Tianyan Mountain is still conducting a large-scale investigation into the true culprit behind the deaths of its disciples, which has led to the postponement of the Immortal Sect Competition.
Those lesser immortal sects, unaware of the truth, lived in constant fear, lest they be implicated. Those who knew part of the story, like a few of them, and like the members of Tianyan Mountain, were secretly plotting, patiently waiting for their opponents to reveal a weakness or unleash their trump card.
This stalemate is incredibly oppressive.
For the past few days, the white cat has been behaving itself, and perhaps due to the constraints of the symbiotic symbol, it has never tried to escape.
But Yunqian's heart could not find peace. She looked up at the sky; dusk was deepening, and the last ray of light was swallowed by the distant mountains. Sparse stars began to appear on the deep blue sky.
So much has happened these past few days, one thing after another, a jumbled mess that fills her mind.
She felt like a leaf that had drifted into a raging torrent by chance, or a pebble on the small boat of Cangmin Mountain, her direction unknown, and she could only passively rise and fall with the unfathomable undercurrent.
What should she do? What could she do? The road ahead seemed shrouded in thick fog, every step she took treading on the unknown. This sense of powerlessness was more unsettling than any clear danger. The leaf between her fingers had been crumpled beyond recognition. She let go, allowing the last bit of green to be blown away by the evening breeze and disappear into the deepening night.
The white cat in my arms stirred, found a more comfortable position, and continued to sleep.
Yun Qian simply maintained her original posture, leaning against the door, as if she wanted to blend into the deep twilight.
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