First Encounter with the Auspicious Beast

At that moment, Lu Yuan followed the direction he had just chosen, emerging from a patch of woods into a small clearing.

Rustling sounds came from the forest not far away, as if a rather large soul beast were moving through it.

Lu Yuan stopped in his tracks and warily watched the woods ahead. A yellow and a purple Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet, while he remained ready to call on Elder Yi to use Heaven-Grade Dou Technique: Ghost Possession in support at any moment.

The bushes stirred, and a soul beast emerged.

She was over three meters long and eight chi tall at the shoulder, her entire body covered in a layer of brilliant golden fur. Her body seemed like translucent crystal, filled with an unusual texture. Her overall form resembled a lion's, yet her four claws were like a dragon's, each dragon claw stepping upon a cluster of golden flames. Her muzzle was also longer than that of lion-type soul beasts, and beneath her fur seemed to lie fine golden scales. Besides her two normal eyes, she possessed a third, vertical eye. Her normal eyes glittered gold, while the vertical eye radiated an eerie crimson light.

Three-Eyed Golden Lion?!

Lu Yuan quickly matched the soul beast before him with the descriptions of the Imperial Auspicious Beast from his memories.

This was clearly the border between the outer and mixed regions of the Star Dou Forest. Why would the Three-Eyed Golden Lion appear here?!

Damn it, Great Tortoise Shell Technique, you really picked me a fine soul beast!

Though the Three-Eyed Golden Lion possessed an Ultimate Light attribute that suited Lu Yuan exceptionally well, her fifteen-thousand-year cultivation was simply beyond what Lu Yuan could absorb at present.

Moreover, Soul Rings obtained by killing an Auspicious Beast could not be absorbed. On top of that, the Auspicious Beast was surely secretly guarded by Fierce Beasts. If he killed her, he would inevitably invite retaliation from every Fierce Beast, and even from the Silver Dragon King in the Lake of Life within the Star Dou Forest.

Even with Elder Yi's protection, he would gain no advantage against so many Fierce Beasts, let alone the god-level Silver Dragon King.

However, as he examined the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, Lu Yuan noticed a soul beast clenched in her jaws.

Judging by its size, it appeared to be a Bright Pegasus foal with a cultivation of five to six thousand years. It was quite suitable for Lu Yuan's third Soul Ring.

This set Lu Yuan plotting, considering how he might trick—no, persuade—the Auspicious Beast before him into handing over the prey in her mouth.

If all else failed, he would have Elder Yi knock out the Auspicious Beast, then use a god-level expert's spatial teleportation to snatch the pegasus and flee!

Still, that was the absolute worst option. If he could befriend her, Lu Yuan did not wish to offend the Star Dou Forest's beloved darling.

Meanwhile, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion set down the foal she had been carrying and quietly studied the human before her as well.

Hairless and somewhat short. He definitely looked like a human.

The closer she came to this human, the more obvious the fondness from the Eye of Destiny on her forehead became. At the same time, the light aura emanating from him was so pure—sweeter and more enticing than any light-attribute soul beast she had ever eaten.

While Lu Yuan observed the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, she was also sizing him up. Seeing him constantly sneaking glances at the Bright Pegasus, an idea came to her mind.

"Hello, human. I am the Three-Eyed Golden Lion." A crisp female voice came from her mouth. As she spoke, she deliberately and reservedly licked her front paw, while secretly watching the human's reaction, hoping he would not be frightened away by her.

"Uh, hello, Miss Three-Eyed Golden Lion... My name is Lu Yuan." Hearing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion suddenly speak, the contrast between her lovely female voice and her beastly appearance left Lu Yuan briefly dazed. He carefully chose his words before answering cautiously.

"Mmm—then you can call me Qiu'er!" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion tilted her head. Upon hearing Lu Yuan introduce himself, she casually gave herself a human name as well.

"So, Miss Qiu'er, what do you need from me?"

"You want this pegasus, don't you?" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion stared into Lu Yuan's eyes. Without waiting for his answer, she continued on her own, "Mm, Destiny told me that if I don't give it to you, something bad will happen to me."

Holy shit! It can even sense hostile intent! Is the Destiny attribute really this broken?! Referee, I want to report this! This beast is cheating!

Lu Yuan had not expected that even such a tiny thought of his would be sensed by the Auspicious Beast. The Imperial Auspicious Beast truly was terrifying!

"You can have the pegasus!" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion showed no anger at all. Instead, she happily flicked her tail. Rising to her feet, she trotted in a small circle around Lu Yuan, her long narrow snout constantly twitching as though sniffing for something. "But you have to agree to one condition!"

The sight of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion like this made Lu Yuan think of the kitten he had kept in his previous life. Whenever he came home with dried fish hidden in his arms, it would leap off the sofa, circle around him once, then sit down with an expression that said, "This kitty shall grant you the chance to feed me."

Except the little kitten from before had become this over-three-meter "big kitty," while the dried fish hidden in his arms had become—himself?!

Recalling the Imperial Auspicious Beast's habit of feasting on the brains of light-attribute soul beasts, Lu Yuan immediately raised his guard to the maximum. He was ready to put Elder Yi in front of him, then employ the thirty-six stratagems—retreat being the best.

"What condition?" Lu Yuan asked without changing expression, though his feet slowly began to widen the distance between himself and the Auspicious Beast.

"You have to let me lick you once! No, three times!" The moment she spoke, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion suddenly felt that she had set her price too low and immediately changed it.

Though this human truly smelled delicious, eating him was out of the question. Destiny's warning and favor had been perfectly clear. Her destiny seemed deeply connected to this human, so surely licking him a few times was not excessive, right?

Hehe, you're such a smart soul beast! the Three-Eyed Golden Lion thought.

Lick me three times? She wasn't going to eat me?

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's request gave Lu Yuan a strange look. Though he did not know why the Auspicious Beast wanted to lick him, getting licked a few times would not cost him a piece of flesh. He could even gain a suitable soul beast for free. Why not?

Let's do it! At worst, it'll be like getting licked a few times by the little kitty at home.

"Fine!"

"Okay, Lu Yuan. Here I come—"

Lu Yuan's ready agreement delighted the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. She immediately rose onto her hind legs, placing both front paws on Lu Yuan's shoulders. Her long narrow snout occasionally nudged against his body, then she opened her mouth, extended her tongue, and reached toward the human before her—

So fragrant, really so fragrant!!!

Lu Yuan's scent made the Three-Eyed Golden Lion feel dizzy for a moment. It felt like when she had just hatched from her egg and tasted her own eggshell for the first time.

This actually—felt pretty good?

Lu Yuan opened his closed eyes and quietly observed the somewhat excited Three-Eyed Golden Lion.

Her long tongue left a wet kiss mark across Lu Yuan's face, but the pain he had imagined never came. The Auspicious Beast's tongue lacked the barbs he had expected from a feline creature; instead, it was surprisingly soft. Nor did it carry the anticipated fishy stench. Rather, it bore a delicate fragrance and a gentle aura of light.

Reaching out to steady the somewhat dazed Three-Eyed Golden Lion, Lu Yuan felt that she truly resembled the kitten he had raised—when he had let it smell catnip, it had worn the same excited yet dizzy expression.

So, am I basically a kind of Auspicious Beast-brand catnip? Lu Yuan let his thoughts wander wildly.

However, just as the Three-Eyed Golden Lion prepared to give him a second lick, a familiar sensation came through the Eye of Destiny—

"Not good, Di Tian is coming!"