Hong Xuan hurried over, excitement in his voice. "Let me pet him too, Lin Mo! Let me!"
Lin Mo said nothing.
Hong Xuan reached out, delighted. "Wow, his fur's even softer than an ordinary spirit beast's! Lin Mo, let me hold him too!"
Seeing that Big Orange didn't particularly object, Lin Mo handed him to Hong Xuan.
Hong Xuan cuddled Big Orange and petted him like crazy, then planted a big kiss on him.
Big Orange swiped back at once, leaving three claw marks on Hong Xuan's left cheek.
Hong Xuan yelped and let go. Big Orange landed lightly on the ground and licked the paw he had scratched Hong Xuan with.
Blood quickly stained Hong Xuan's left cheek red.
"Ow, that hurts!" Hong Xuan looked ready to cry. "I'm done for. My face is ruined."
Lin Feng chuckled. "It's just a scratch. It should heal in a few days."
"But it really hurts! I feel like I'm going to bleed to death. I need to find Master." Hong Xuan tore a strip from his clothes, pressed it to his left cheek, and hurried back.
After Hong Xuan left, Lin Feng looked around. "Where's Yumiko? Why haven't I seen her?"
"She left," Lin Mo said casually.
Lin Feng gave him a faint, knowing smile. "By 'left,' do you mean she died, or that she went somewhere else?"
"Does it matter?" Lin Mo asked.
Lin Feng thought for a moment, then shrugged. "No, I suppose it doesn't."
Lin Mo watched him. "How do you feel?"
"Pretty good." Lin Feng waved a hand and smiled. "That old man repaired my spiritual meridian. We can keep going now."
"He repaired it for free?" Lin Mo asked, puzzled.
"Not exactly. I promised him something."
When Lin Mo said nothing more, Lin Feng asked, "Aren't