The mental depletion brought by attempting "heart-refining" the frying pan made Tang Xiaoqi sleep deeply for most of the day. Only when afternoon sunlight through window lattices cast mottled light and shadows on his face did he slowly wake. His head still had some faint aching, but spiritual sense consumption had mostly recovered during sleep, replaced by a sense of enrichment and invigoration from initial results after exploring an unknown realm.
He rose and moved his limbs, feeling the peak sixth-layer Qi Refining spiritual power steadily flowing through his meridians, the "Everlasting Spring Art's" endless life force nourishing his slightly weary spirit and soul. Pushing open the door, fresh air rushed into his lungs, carrying the scent of sunlight, grass, and trees, refreshing his spirit.
His gaze habitually swept toward that small medicine patch in the courtyard corner that he carefully tended, and that smooth stone beside the patch where the rabbit spirit often lay. To his slight surprise, today that stone was empty—he didn't see that familiar white figure.
"That greedy fellow, actually didn't come today?" Xiaoqi was somewhat surprised. Since returning from the secret realm, this rabbit spirit had appeared punctually around meal times almost daily, watching with those ruby-like eyes... the food in his hands, or the medicinal cuisine he was brewing.
Xiaoqi shook his head, not thinking much of it, just assuming this spiritual little fellow had gone somewhere to play or find its glittering "treasures." He proceeded with his daily cultivation as usual, first practicing the basic sword technique several times, familiarizing himself with the power changes brought by elevated cultivation, then prepared to meditate and continue consolidating the "Everlasting Spring Art."
However, just as he had sat cross-legged, his mind not yet fully immersed, an extremely faint yet unusually swift rustling sound came from outside the courtyard gate. That sound was fast enough to almost make one think it was an illusion.
Xiaoqi alertly opened his eyes, looking toward the wicker gate. In the next moment, a white shadow like lightning noiselessly drilled in from the gap below the gate, steadily landing in the courtyard—it was that rabbit spirit.
But different from usual days, Xiaoqi clearly sensed that this rabbit spirit's speed seemed to have increased by a large margin! Before, though it was agile, its movements were still within the range clearly capturable by the naked eye, but that just-now dart had almost left a faint afterimage!
Moreover, its fur seemed even more snowy-white and lustrous than before, glowing with a healthy soft light in the sunlight. Those red eyes were even more alert and lively, seeming to contain wisdom far surpassing ordinary beasts. It didn't immediately come to Xiaoqi's feet to beg for food as usual but first vigilantly perked up its ears, turning its little head to quickly scan the entire courtyard once. After confirming safety, only then did it cast its gaze toward Xiaoqi, its eyes seeming to carry a trace of... pride?
Xiaoqi's heart moved, thinking of how the food he had fed this rabbit spirit these days had changed.
Since starting to cultivate the "Everlasting Spring Art" and attempting "heart-refining" the frying pan, he subconsciously became more attentive to things in his own little courtyard. In that small medicine patch, besides the several types of low-grade spirit herbs originally planted, he had also transplanted some medicinal herb seedlings with gentler properties and richer spiritual energy brought back from the secret realm or exchanged with contribution points, and watered them with clear water carrying a trace of Everlasting Spring Art spiritual power.
And each day when preparing food for himself, or occasionally when in the mood, using the frying pan to brew some simple cuisine that had both taste and weak nourishing effects (mainly testing whether the frying pan had special effects when cooking), he would habitually leave some portions without salt and irritating seasonings on a stone piece in the courtyard corner for this uninvited "guest" that came frequently.
Those herbs and medicinal cuisine, though having minimal effect on him as a Qi Refining cultivator, for an ordinary (perhaps not ordinary) wild beast, long-term consumption of food tainted with his spiritual power and even carrying a trace of purification aura and Everlasting Spring Art life force—would it produce some subtle influence?
The rabbit spirit before his eyes, with its explosively increased speed and alert, lively eyes, seemed to be the best answer.
"You fellow..." Xiaoqi looked at it, couldn't help but laugh, tentatively extending his finger to point toward the kitchen. "Hungry?"
The rabbit spirit tilted its head, its red eyes blinking, seeming to understand. Its hind legs pushed off, transforming into a white shadow, instantly darting to the kitchen door, then turning back to watch Xiaoqi expectantly, its short tail lightly twitching twice.
A trace of surprise flashed through Xiaoqi's eyes. Before when he made this gesture, though the rabbit spirit could also understand it was a signal for mealtime, its reaction was never this swift and precise.
He rose and walked into the kitchen, as usual scooping out some leftover porridge from the pot, brewed with ordinary spirit grain and several gentle herb leaves, placing it on that dedicated stone piece.
The rabbit spirit immediately came forward, eating in small bites, its movements still elegant, but the eating speed also seemed faster than before.
Xiaoqi squatted to one side, carefully observing it. He discovered that the originally extremely faint demonic aura (or rather, spirit beast aura) on the rabbit spirit's body seemed to have condensed a trace. Though still weak, it no longer seemed as if-there-or-not as before. Its four limbs seemed more powerful, and claws and teeth also seemed sharper.
"Seems those spirit-energy herbs and food have done you quite a bit of good." Xiaoqi said softly, feeling both happy for this little companion and a trace of curiosity. What exactly was this rabbit spirit's origin? An ordinary wild beast, even with long-term consumption of spirit items, the process of awakening spiritual intelligence and strengthening the physical body would absolutely not be so obvious and rapid.
After eating the food on the stone piece, the rabbit spirit licked its mouth with unfulfilled desire, then didn't immediately run off or find a place to nap as usual but turned around, gently rubbing its head against Xiaoqi's pants, making slight "purring" sounds, appearing quite intimate.
Xiaoqi reached out to stroke its smooth, soft fur, able to feel the life force contained beneath that had become much stronger than before.
"In the future, I'll find you more good things to eat." Xiaoqi smiled. In this Qingxu Temple, having a companion without mixed interests, purely for company, also made him feel a trace of warmth.
The rabbit spirit seemed to understand his words, its red eyes bright, rubbing against him twice more. Then suddenly as if remembering something, it turned and again transformed into a white shadow, whooshing out of the courtyard, its speed amazing.
Xiaoqi shook his head, just assuming it had gone to play again.
However, in less than the time of one stick of incense, that white shadow returned, in its mouth surprisingly carrying a "Dew-Condensing Herb" about ten-plus years old with pale blue leaves. This type of herb was slightly beneficial for stabilizing the mind and assisting in cultivating low-grade water attribute techniques—not particularly precious, but also not seen everywhere, usually growing in shaded, damp places with slightly concentrated spiritual energy.
The rabbit spirit placed the Dew-Condensing Herb at Xiaoqi's feet, then lifted its little head watching him, as if presenting a treasure.
Xiaoqi was truly surprised this time. This rabbit spirit—not only had its speed and spiritual intelligence improved, but even its ability to find spirit herbs had enhanced? Before, it would occasionally bring back some glittering stones or ordinary herbs, but something like Dew-Condensing Herb that had some use for low-level cultivators was a first.
He picked up that Dew-Condensing Herb still carrying the clean scent of soil, carefully examining it. Though young in years, the medicinal properties were well-preserved. "You're... giving this to me?"
The rabbit spirit couldn't speak, only watching him with those increasingly alert red eyes, its short tail twitching rapidly.
Warmth flowed through Xiaoqi's heart. He patted the rabbit spirit's head, saying seriously: "Thank you."
He carefully stored the Dew-Condensing Herb. Though not greatly useful for his current cultivation of the "Everlasting Spring Art," he could take it to the Merit Hall to exchange for contribution points, or keep it—it might be useful later.
Looking at the rabbit spirit that had returned to lying on the stone beside the medicine patch, languidly sunbathing but exuding an aura of unordinary alertness, Xiaoqi fell into thought.
This unexpected "evolution"—was it fortune or misfortune? It was becoming increasingly extraordinary—would it attract others' attention? After all, a spirit beast obviously different from the ordinary was also quite valuable in the cultivation world.
But thinking further, this rabbit spirit was exceptionally alert, its speed fast. As long as it didn't easily show its special aspects before people, it should be fine. Moreover, having it around, it seemed it could also help him find some good spirit herbs?
"Never mind, let nature take its course." Xiaoqi no longer tangled over it. He returned to the stone stool, sitting cross-legged again, preparing to begin today's cultivation. His gaze swept over the frying pan in the kitchen corner, then looked at that white figure in the sunlight.
Pan, rabbit, and himself—all seemed to be quietly undergoing changes in their respective ways. And where would these changes ultimately lead? Xiaoqi didn't know, but he anticipated and strove for it.