The Three-Eyed Golden Lion glared at Vina and the others, baring her teeth with a fierce snarl.
Suddenly, she sniffed the air and turned to look at Liu Feng.
The moment she saw the new clothes he was wearing, she went over and sniffed them carefully.
Liu Feng pushed her head away. "That tickles. Stop messing around..."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion licked Liu Feng's chest, then rubbed against his clothes for a long while.
Then she narrowed her eyes and moved among the fallen people, sniffing as if searching for something.
She soon stopped beside Vina, her lips trembling slightly.
"Your Highness..."
Mu Xue looked shocked and furious. She was about to attack, but the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's pressure pinned her in place.
Vina held her breath, her face pale.
Her keen mind could sense the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's murderous intent toward her!
Why?
With so many people here, why had she singled Vina out?
"Honored Ferocious Beast, I am from the Heaven Dou Empire..."
Vina had only just begun to explain when—
"Roar...!!!"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion ignored her and opened her mouth to bite.
"Don't!!!"
Liu Feng hurriedly shouted.
Silence...
Nearly everyone was scared stiff.
Vina's head was inside the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's mouth!
If the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had been even a little faster, her teeth would have pierced straight through Vina's head!
Vina was so frightened that her face turned deathly pale. She could even feel the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's sharp teeth resting against her head!
At that moment, her entire body went rigid.
Mu Xue and the other Soul Masters stared, their hearts in their throats.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion still had her mouth wide open. Since she hadn't enlarged her body, she could barely fit Vina's head inside, even with her jaws stretched to their limit.
Liu Feng had stopped her, but her jaw was nearly dislocated from opening so wide!
"Golden Lion, why are you always trying to bite people's heads?"
Liu Feng said helplessly as he hugged the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's huge tail from behind and dragged her back.
"Vina didn't hurt me. She even treated me to a meal, gave me clothes, and had me bring a portion back for you. She's a friend of mine..."
Liu Feng thought that would make the Three-Eyed Golden Lion abandon her murderous intent.
Although Vina's kindness hadn't been entirely sincere, she hadn't meant any harm.
"..."
In the next instant, an even more terrifying killing intent burst from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
The temperature around them seemed to drop.
The golden divine flames covering half her body blazed even more fiercely.
Her vertical pupils fixed on Vina, and her teeth ground together with a grating sound.
"Liu Feng can only have one friend, and that's me!"
"How dare you..."
The moment Liu Feng heard the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's tone, he sensed trouble.
Nearby, Scorpion Tiger huddled on the ground, curled up until it was almost a ball!
The aura radiating from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was violent, resentful, and furious!
Liu Feng hurried in front of her and wrapped his arms around her head.
He used his body to block the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's mouth.
Otherwise, everyone present except him might die!
"Golden Lion, what's wrong?"
"Friends aren't exclusive, but you'll always be my best friend!"
"Not just Vina. I consider Scorpion Tiger and the others friends, too."
Liu Feng gently explained, trying to calm the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
"???"
Scorpion Tiger heard that it was being included and was so frightened that its fur stood on end again. This time, it really did look like a ball of fluff.
"Roar..."
It gave a timid growl, making it clear that it considered Liu Feng its master, absolutely not a friend!
"Friends... can you have lots of them?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion asked glumly.
"Of course. As long as you're kind to each other, you can be friends."
Liu Feng gently stroked the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's head, gradually soothing her.
The temperature around them slowly rose.
The people on the ground felt life gradually returning to them.
Vina bit her lower lip, forcing back her tears.
She watched Liu Feng's back, her eyes flickering with complicated emotions.
"Then... then what can be exclusive? I don't want to be Liu Feng's friend anymore! I don't want to be like them!"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion threw a tantrum and shook her head.
She slipped out of Liu Feng's embrace and stared straight at him.
Liu Feng scratched his head. What kind of exclusive relationship could he offer?
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion tilted her head, her gaze serious.
The thought of Liu Feng being friends with other people made her unhappy!
"But you're the best friend in the whole world, the best of all my friends. Isn't that enough?"
Liu Feng was at a loss, wondering how to placate the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion thought it over. "The best friend?"
"That's right. We're the very best in the world."
Liu Feng nodded to confirm it.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's mouth immediately curled upward. She liked the title "the best in the world"!
Then she looked down at Vina and said coldly,
"Liu Feng and I are the very best in the world!"
Even in this situation, Vina managed to keep smiling and nodded.
"I heard you. You and Young Master Liu Feng are the very best in the world. I envy your relationship. Young Master Liu Feng even made sure you got food. You're so close."
Vina was quick-witted. By addressing him that way, she deliberately kept some distance between herself and Liu Feng.
Hearing that, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion decided this woman wasn't all that hateful after all.
Sure, she'd given Liu Feng clothes that had picked up a "stink," but at least she knew how to behave!
Vina continued, "Actually, I'm a princess of the Heaven Dou Empire. I think Young Master Liu Feng's people—um, his friends—might need some of the tools and goods from human civilization."
"I'd like to be on good terms with you and give you some things you need for daily life."
"Things like meditation methods. Young Master Liu Feng must need those. And I imagine he's interested in human knowledge and social customs, too?"
Vina explained, doing her best to show goodwill.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion didn't quite understand and stared at Vina in confusion.
Yet somehow, Vina's words seemed to make sense.
Liu Feng might be an elf, but his intelligence and habits leaned more toward those of humans.
And besides...
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion lifted her paw and looked at its plump pads. It seemed she could never make Liu Feng beautiful clothes.
Then she looked at Vina, with her pretty face that resembled Liu Feng's. Only her ears were different.
Suddenly, she felt deflated and sullen.
Just then, a sultry voice rang out.
"Oh my, little Liu Feng, how did you end up mixed in with humans?"
In the next instant, a tall, curvaceous woman in a purple dress appeared.
A fragrant breeze swept by as she landed beside Liu Feng.
Zi JI!
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion tensed at once and bared her teeth at Zi JI.
In her heart, Zi JI was the second most hateful person after the Streamer Peacock!
Zi JI patted the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's head. "Relax. I'm here for these humans. Hand over all your money, your jewelry, and your Soul Tools!"
"Not one of you gets to keep anything, or I'll kill you all!"
Zi JI had actually gone to rob Vina and her group!
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion relaxed a little and sat to the side, still brooding over her appearance.
Why didn't she look like Liu Feng?
Why couldn't she give Liu Feng clothes that smelled like her?
By then, Zi JI had finished stripping them of their valuables.
"With this money, I can buy more shiny things!"
Zi JI stretched and glanced at the brooding Three-Eyed Golden Lion, the corners of her lips curling up.
In the next instant, she suddenly turned into a blur, swept Liu Feng into the air, and sped away.
"Giggle... I fooled you, Auspicious Beast! Big sister's taking little Liu Feng to have some fun!"
"???"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion froze for a moment, then flew into a rage!
"Roar...!!!"
Before you continue