Paradise Planning and the Dawn of Life

A third tail?

Li Hao's figure flickered, instantly appearing beneath the massive branches of the Illusion Dream Tree Demon.

His arrival caused Xiao Wu, who had been excitedly gesturing, to immediately pounce toward him.

"Papa, look!"

Xiao Wu pointed like she was presenting a treasure toward the Hell Spirit Cat, which was lazily dozing curled up on a tree branch.

Behind the black cat's elegant, slender body, three fluffy tails with tips tinged in deep purple were swaying gently and unconsciously.

Each tail flowed with visible, pure-to-the-extreme Nether Power.

It was stronger and more condensed than before.

This was not merely an increase in quantity, but proof that her bloodline purity had risen once again.

Li Hao walked to the base of the tree and reached out his hand.

The black cat on the branch seemed to sense his aura and opened those golden, slit-pupil eyes.

With a light leap, it landed silently in front of Li Hao, transforming back into that cold and stunningly beautiful girl.

The three tails vanished without a trace along with the transformation.

Yet, the cold and sharp aura surrounding her was several times more intense than before.

Her soul power had grown again.

How much time had even passed?

Dai Mubai's arrival and that brief confrontation had not caused her any negative impact; instead, it had acted like a catalyst.

Severing the shackles of the past had caused her suppressed potential to erupt in a fountain-like burst.

Li Hao looked at her, and the grand blueprint he held as a creator became incredibly clear in this moment.

A mere shaded corner was no longer enough to satisfy the speed of her growth.

This Paradise needed a true, conscious plan.

A genuine kingdom capable of housing thousands of soul beasts, allowing them to completely cast off the disturbances of the outside world.

"Medusa."

Li Hao turned around and looked at Medusa, who had been standing quietly to the side, lost in thought.

"If I want to forge this place into a complete world, what is required?"

A flicker of surprise flashed through Medusa's emerald snake-like pupils.

She had not expected that this master, who seemed uninterested in everything and only wanted to be a slacker, would possess such grand ambition.

But she understood it quickly.

This was not the ambition of a conqueror, but the obsession of a collector wanting to build the perfect display case for his collection.

She pondered for a moment before giving a professional answer.

"Master, a complete ecosystem requires several core elements."

"First, water."

Her finger pointed toward the clear stream in the valley.

"The current water source is too singular. We need to modify it, creating tributaries, lakes, and even small wetlands to adapt to the survival habits of different soul beasts."

"Second, terrain."

She continued.

"Plains, hills, rocky ground, dense forests... different terrains will give birth to different plants and attract different soul beasts."

"For example, we could clear a dry, sandy, and rocky area to simulate a desert environment."

"Or, at the highest point of the valley, we could create a relatively cold zone."

"Finally, and most importantly, is the cycle."

Medusa's expression turned solemn.

"A stable ecosystem must have a complete food chain. From the lowest-level herbivorous soul beasts to small carnivorous ones, and then to higher-tier predators."

"Right now, there is only us in Paradise, along with some harmless small animals drawn by the life energy, which is far from enough."

Her suggestions were clear, logical, and pointed straight to the core.

She was truly a soul beast monarch who had lived for who knows how many years; such knowledge came to her effortlessly.

As Li Hao listened, the blueprint in his mind became increasingly concrete.

He walked up to the Illusion Dream Tree Demon and pressed his palm against its thick trunk.

Hum!

The core of the entire Paradise responded to his will.

The soul power within his body instantly linked with the boundless life energy of the Illusion Dream Tree Demon.

"Then, let us begin."

With a mere shift of his intent.

The ground of the valley began to tremble slightly.

Guided by an invisible force, the straight stream began to divert its course.

A portion of the water gathered in a low-lying area, gradually forming a sparkling little lake.

Another portion branched out into several tiny tributaries, winding their way to nourish the more distant land.

In the corner of the valley, rocks rose and the soil turned dry and barren, as a small sandy, rocky zone slowly took shape.

On the other side, a rich aura of life spurred the growth of vines and shrubs, making the forest there deeper and more primitive.

The entire Paradise was like a massive canvas, and Li Hao was the creator, brush in hand, painting with wild abandon.

This sense of satisfaction, of dominating everything and creating a world, left him intoxicated.

Xiao Wu cheered, chasing after several colorful Crystal Wing Butterfly attracted by the water vapor near the newly formed lake.

Her innocent and carefree joy seemed to possess a peculiar, infectious quality.

Some non-aggressive century-old Soul Beast Girl attracted by the aura of Paradise, such as Velvet Fire Rabbit and Tri-color Deer, subconsciously gathered around her, forming a scene full of childlike wonder.

She had become the child queen of this newborn Paradise.

Zhu Zhuqing watched all of this in silence.

When that small wetland began to take shape and some water plants started to grow, she suddenly transformed into her black cat form.

A black shadow flashed by; she used her sharp claws to precisely sever several tough vines that were blocking the waterway, allowing the water to flow more smoothly.

After finishing this, she retreated silently and found a place to lie down, as if nothing had happened.

Yet, this tiny gesture stirred Li Hao's heart.

She was also participating in the construction of this home in her own way.

As the ecology of Paradise reached its initial completion, a faint yet incredibly pure energy fed back from the laws of the entire Paradise into Li Hao and the Soul Beast Girl.

Li Hao felt the bottleneck of his level 35 soul power loosen just a fraction more.

And the aura on Zhu Zhuqing grew the most significantly.

This Paradise was growing alongside them.

A few days later, as Li Hao inspected the kingdom he had initially transformed, he stopped in his tracks at the edge of Paradise, in a patch of jungle that had just been incorporated into his domain.

Three palm-sized birds, their feathers scorched black and their life force so weak it was nearly extinguished, lay in the withered leaves, twitching powerlessly.

They were century-old soul beasts, Wind Bell Bird.

It appeared that a forest fire had broken out somewhere in the Star Dou Forest, and they had exhausted their strength while fleeing, falling here.

If they were outside, their only fate would be death.

But here...

Li Hao reached out his hand toward the three dying little lives.

[Dying target detected, meets rescue criteria.]

[Dying lock and healing, initiated.]

A soft, emerald-green light carrying the aura of the Illusion Dream Tree Demon surged from his palm, gently enveloping the three birds.

Their scorched black feathers fell off at a speed visible to the naked eye, and brand-new wings with a verdant luster grew in their place.

Their weak heartbeats became strong and vigorous.

In less than a minute.

The three Wind Bell Bird flapped their wings and took flight once more.

They did not leave immediately, but instead circled Li Hao affectionately, emitting a series of crisp, melodious chirps that sounded like wind chimes.

It was gratitude, and it was submission.

They had voluntarily become the subjects of this Paradise.

After finishing all this, Li Hao looked at the vibrant, miniature world he had built with his own hands, his heart filled with an unprecedented sense of peace and fulfillment.

Xiao Wu played by the lake, Zhu Zhuqing prowled in the shadows, and Medusa planned for a more long-term ecological balance.

Everything was orderly and thriving.

However...

Li Hao looked at a medicinal garden rising from the ground, then glanced at the rocky caves in the distance that needed to be excavated.

The workload was still too great.

He and Medusa were the planners, but the actual construction was limited to just the few of them.

The efficiency was simply too low.

If only he could introduce more professional talent.

For instance, a Soul Beast Girl proficient in botany and skilled in gardening could come to tend to this medicinal herb garden.

Or, one with an earth attribute, skilled in construction and excavation, could serve as the construction team leader.

A thought, without any warning, sprouted in his mind.

He needed a... butler.

A professional talent who could help him handle these tedious affairs and put the construction of Paradise on the fast track.