Gu Yuena didn't dwell on the previous topic but instead asked curiously, "This little one seems deeply connected to you. What did you do to it?"
The Auspicious Beast was born of heaven and earth, and as a newborn, it shouldn't have been so attached to Ye Feng. There must have been something Ye Feng did to make it so dependent on him.
"Nothing much. I just used my blood to accelerate its growth," Ye Feng replied with a smile, not hiding anything as he told Gu Yuena everything he had done below.
"I see," Gu Yuena nodded slightly. "If I'm not mistaken, your fate is now tightly intertwined with this little one. If anything happens to it, you'll suffer a backlash from fate. Of course, if you keep it by your side, you can also share in the immense fortune it carries."
Hearing this, Ye Feng quickly opened his [Eye of Destiny]. Sure enough, he saw an unusually thick thread of fate connecting him to the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. Because of this, he also noticed that his own fortune had at least doubled!
And this was just the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's infancy. As it grew older, the shared fortune he would gain would become even greater. After all, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion carried a significant portion of the Star Dou Great Forest's fortune. Even a tiny fraction of it would bring Ye Feng tremendous benefits.
Ye Feng remembered that in the original story, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had been schemed against by Tang San and ended up sacrificing itself to Huo Yuhao. Along with it, all the fortune it carried was transferred to Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao, already a man of great fortune, combined with the fortune of the Star Dou Great Forest, soared to new heights after the sacrifice. He bulldozed through every obstacle, unstoppable, slaying gods and buddhas alike.
Of course, as just a child of a small Plane, he still couldn't break free from Tang San's leash. Even after entering the divine realm and marrying Tang Wutong, it seemed she remained untouched for who knew how many years.
...
"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading back now, Sister~" Ye Feng said, ruffling the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's head as he prepared to make his escape.
"Wait..." Gu Yuena's voice was soft but firm as she pressed a hand on Ye Feng's shoulder.
"Uh... is there something else, Sister...?" Ye Feng turned stiffly, an inexplicable sense of foreboding creeping up on him.
"You seem to have a lot of free time lately. Why not stay and keep me company for another half month~" Gu Yuena leaned in, her breath tickling Ye Feng's ear as she spoke in a tone dripping with temptation and allure.
But Ye Feng's heart turned to ice. Only two words echoed in his mind—I'm doomed!
...
...
...
Another month passed.
Ye Feng finally escaped Gu Yuena's clutches, fleeing with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion in tow.
"Brother Ye Feng, that sister is so scary..." The little Three-Eyed Golden Lion perched on Ye Feng's shoulder shivered at the memory of the past month.
For that entire month, all it had seen was its beloved Brother Ye Feng being relentlessly beaten by Gu Yuena. Every time it tried to intervene, Gu Yuena would swat it away with her tail. Life had been so miserable—it had been reduced to tears more than once.
"Shh, don't say that out loud."
Ye Feng quickly covered the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's mouth and whispered, "Your Sister Gu Yuena holds grudges! If she hears this, you'll be in big trouble!"
"Ah, what kind of trouble? Is it tasty?" the Three-Eyed Golden Lion asked curiously.
Ye Feng: "..."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was naturally intelligent and, after Ye Feng's guidance, could now manage basic communication.
However, there were still some gaps in understanding.
And it was particularly gluttonous.
"Fine, I phrased it wrong—you won't get any good treats!" Ye Feng corrected.
"Mmm, okay then..."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion shrank its neck slightly. Though it didn't know what kind of treat it was missing out on, if it wasn't given any, it would surely starve to death.
Gurgle...
Suddenly, Ye Feng heard a gurgling sound beside his ear.
He turned his head to look at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
"Mmm... Brother Ye Feng, I'm hungry..." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion clutched its belly, looking a little embarrassed.
"Didn't you just eat before we left...?" Ye Feng sighed, taking out a small jade vial and handing it over.
"Hehe, this stuff is tasty but doesn't fill me up~ Brother Ye Feng's little cakes are much better~" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion hugged the vial, licking it while giggling.
"When we get back to the human city, I'll let you eat your fill, you little glutton." Ye Feng helplessly pinched the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's chubby cheeks.
Thanks to its excellent diet, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's fur now had a glossy sheen, and its entire body radiated vitality. Its face and figure had become plump—clearly, it was overnourished.
After all, the small jade vial Ye Feng had given it contained the Source Essence of the "Big Fat Worm," Tianmeng Iceworm.
That's right—before leaving, Ye Feng had directly extracted fifty thousand years' worth of Tianmeng Iceworm's essence and taken it all with him.
For Soul Beasts, Tianmeng Iceworm was practically a super tonic.
And an ice-attribute one at that.
Other Soul Beasts could only absorb about 60% of its energy.
But if he brought it back for the Ice Empress and Snow Empress to absorb, the efficiency would reach 100%, greatly boosting their cultivation.
This was also the main reason the Ice Empress had been so determined to hunt down Tianmeng Iceworm in the first place.
If the Ice Empress had devoured Tianmeng Iceworm, passing her four hundred thousand-year tribulation would have been effortless—she might have even attempted the five hundred thousand-year breakthrough.
With such a valuable tonic, Ye Feng naturally wouldn't let it go to waste.
Though the absorption efficiency wasn't particularly high for the Three-Eyed Golden Lion either, it could still accelerate its growth past this weak "Cub Stage," allowing it to quickly gain the ability to protect itself.
Even though Ye Feng's presence meant accidents were unlikely, it was still better to be safe.
Besides, his Storage Space was packed full of these small jade vials—enough to last the Ice Empress and Snow Empress a whole year. A little extra wouldn't hurt.
"Hehe~ Brother Ye Feng is the best~"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion giggled, sticking out its tongue to lick Ye Feng's cheek repeatedly.
...
After leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, it took Ye Feng seven days to return to the Star Sect.
To help the Three-Eyed Golden Lion better adapt to this world, Ye Feng had spent those seven days taking it through bustling streets, quiet alleys, mountains, and rivers—while also teaching it some worldly wisdom.
Though the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had inherited knowledge through its Bloodline, its understanding of human society and customs was practically nonexistent.
This simpleton was like a blank sheet of paper, requiring Ye Feng to teach her everything from scratch.
Yet Ye Feng couldn't act recklessly, lest he corrupt the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
However, Ye Feng definitely didn't have much time to personally guide the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
After returning to the Star Sect, she would still have to be handed over to the Snow Empress and Ice Empress for guidance.
Since the Three-Eyed Golden Lion couldn't undergo shape-shifting anytime soon, she might as well serve as a "Battle Pet" for now.
The only question was whether the Pan-continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament allowed bringing one...
At any rate, no one in this era would recognize the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
At most, she would be seen as a "tamed" Soul Beast, likely no more than a hundred years old—hardly worth anyone's attention.
Of course, if anyone actually dared to scheme against the Three-Eyed Golden Lion... well, Ye Feng would simply send them off to their next life free of charge...
(End of Chapter)