Within a few breaths, Li Changsheng led Shen Yueliang by the hand and leaped onto a branch closer to the great tree hollow.
From here, they could already see some of what was happening inside the tree hollow.
A huge, snow-white spirit cat stared out of the hollow with her pale blue eyes. Her ears drooped, her tail hung limp, and one long forepaw stretched toward the direction blocked from view by the hollow. Visible to the naked eye, a black ring around her lowered neck was slowly fading away.
"She's really going to die for love..." Shen Yueliang covered her mouth, an inexplicable air of sorrow spreading from her.
Once Mandarin Duck Spirit Cats bonded, rings would appear around both of their necks. Mandarin Duck Spirit Cats came in black and white, so those rings of differently colored fur were especially conspicuous. Soul Masters had also given such rings a meaningful name: Star Rings.
Li Changsheng paid no attention to that. Instead, he gestured for Shen Yueliang to look beside the female Mandarin Duck Spirit Cat's paw.
At Li Changsheng's prompt, Shen Yueliang finally noticed it as well.
Beside the female Mandarin Duck Spirit Cat, who was preparing to die for love, was a tiny white female kitten no bigger than a palm. She kept sticking out her tongue to lick her mother's fur, her little paws lightly tugging at the somewhat withered yellow fur. Her equally blue eyes were especially deep, and adorable little sounds of "Meow~ meow~ meow~" continuously came from her mouth.
"So cute..." Shen Yueliang pursed her lips slightly, a faint smile spreading across her face.
"You like kittens?"
"Mm, of course. Kitties are the cutest."
"Not as cute as you. But it's good that you like them."
Li Changsheng had been watching the Star