Li Meirong sighed helplessly. She did pick Snowball up against his wishes already, and knew it wouldn't be easy to convince the "little" plant, but she owed Feng Huang too much to give up so fast. Guiltily, Li Meirong attempted to study Feng Huang's dejected expression, whose neck was aimed towards the ground, purposefully avoiding her line of sight.
Not knowing exactly how off the mark she was in her judgement, Feng Huang was indeed dejected, but for entirely different reasons. It was the newly discovered emotion called guilt, eating away at her from inside.
She lifted her short, stubby feet to her eyes, hiding the salty tears about to drip down her face.
Sobbing tearfully, she managed to stammer, "I'm s-s-s-sorry...I have been dishonest!"
Chou rolled his eyes at the charade the turtle was pulling, there is only so much people can fall for! He could sense the turtle's thoughts before he even hopped out of Li Meirong's sleeve. She just wanted to use Li Meirong as a blood supplier to get stronger!
Chou didn't consider that he once did the very same thing, after all, at this point, he was deeply attached to his silly master.
Almost immediately, he felt his plant body get squeezed tightly against the hard crystal rock shell of the turtle as Li Meirong grabbed Feng Huang and himself in a tight embrace against her bosom.
"!!!!!" What's going on here?! Chou was fine with getting squished by Li Meirong, but being squeezed against this lying turtle was a whole different matter!
"Master, Chou doesn't like this! Let the turtle go!" There was no way he would tell his master to drop him and hold the turtle who wants to take his place. There is no room for her!
Li Meirong glared at her spirit plant and reproached, "Chou, you have to stop acting so spoiled! Look, she's already crying so badly." As she addressed the turtle, her tone changed to a soft, silken hum, cooing the sobbing turtle, "Shh...Shh...Calm down, don't worry, it's fine as long as we will all be honest with each other now, alright? Don't cry. It's going to be alright." Li Meirong coaxed Feng Huang to relax.
Gradually, the turtle's nerves calmed down and only little sniffles could be heard.
It will most certainly not be alright! This turtle wants to take Chou's place! Now instead of one Snowball enemy, there is another Feng Huang enemy! Chou thought he did not have an easy life. Not at all.
"You better confess now to all your lies! Don't think Chou doesn't notice this bad charade!" Chou vehemently spewed out and wiggled his little plant body back and forth. Unfortunately for him, Li Meirong only squeezed them both tighter as she made her way back into the wooden, complex structured storeyed tower. After Chou got his precious plant body painfully pin-pricked by the red, sharp, rock edges several times, he ceased his attempts to leap out.
Li Meirong went inside the building she deemed as a shrine and comfortably seated herself on a soft feathered cushion in the luxurious lounge.
She summoned a cream-colored silk napkin and squeezed Feng Huang's runny nose with one hand while she clutched both turtle and spirit plant against each other.
After Feng Huang calmed down, she began to confess, "I wanted to rob you of your treasure, because the other cultivators I encountered always carried precious items with them. B-but then we went inside your dimension and I realized this whole place is peerless in wealth, and…well, I wanted to grab it too! But then….Then you were dying and I ended up sampling your blood when you were in a meditative state. I discovered that you were one of those unique types of humans whose essence is spiritual. I did want to use you, but that was back then! In order to repent, I don't mind giving you my knowledge of barriers, with it, you will easily be able to escape fire mountain, just...keep me with you."
Li Meirong cast the moist napkin aside and beamed at the silly turtle, revealing a pair of cute dimples on her cheeks. She was already aware of how Feng Huang saw her as a tool to be used, except for her blood taken, none of what she mentioned came as a surprise. Feng Huang reminded her of the cats she used to own back when she first adopted them, they only demanded to be cared for. It took them a few months until they finally opened up and showed her some affection. Her past experiences taught her well, that feelings grow with time. Everyone is looking out for themselves at first, only after you start caring for others would you put their well being into consideration as well. Actually, she wasn't angry at all!
Chou and Feng Huang both stared at Li Meirong with avid anticipation, awaiting her verdict.
Gently patting the turtle demoness's crown, Li Meirong's faint smile left her companions momentarily dazzled by how beautiful she has become with a simple tilt of her scarlet lips.
She thought it would be for the best if Chou and Feng Huang stayed safely inside the dimension, she didn't want to jump into the lava with a pair of critters in her arms. What if they burnt to death?
Oblivious to her charm, the raven-haired girl explained her plans, "It's all in the past, I am really not mad at you! Let us be true friends from this moment on. Actually, I'm uncertain as to how strong my shield can become, so if you can lend me your barrier, it would be all the better. Let's benefit mutually! It also seems as though this place is suitable for your growth. Since this is now my dimension, both of you should stay here and cultivate. Become fearsome monsters and get along with each other! That way, no one would be able to bully us in the future, how does that sound?"
Chou's new pair of button eyes widened in astonishment. He couldn't believe it! After his master discovered she was being used, she still didn't care! Oh, the amount of work he had piled up with such a master…
Relenting to her obvious acceptance, Chou ceased his attempts at shunning the selfish turtle.
Unbeknownst to her, Li Meirong's casual words ignited a flame inside her companions' hearts. They must strive to become invincible! Knowing their master is a silly, gullible girl without knowledge of how to use her powers made them even more determined to get stronger.
Chou's hostility subdued. He needed to have more confidence in his master! He was her first and most important family member, it's not as though anyone can jump in and take his place, right? Besides...If Feng Huang joins, he would be her senior! Humph humph, she better behave! If not, Chou will not hesitate to inflict familial punishment!
Meanwhile, outside, on the volcano's surface, an impatient fox thought of which type of flavor would best be suited with a vegetarian soup.
Li Meirong made quick preparations to head out, she ate another meal of seafood, cleaned her dirtied robes and made sure that Chou and Feng Huang had every comfort they required. She made a blood pact with Feng Huang in the same way she previously did with Chou.
Feng Huang placed her thick earth-colored foot on Li Meirong's forehead and transmitted the knowledge of her barrier. Li Meirong discovered it was rather easy for her to perceive and master newly acquired skills. She quickly grasped the makings of barrier creations. Now that her dantian was full of spirit force, she wondered what else could she be capable of?
Snapping out of her thoughts, she made her farewells.
"Remember, get along and take care of yourselves. I will come get you once I reach the sect, alright? Be good!" Li Meirong hugged both of her companions affectionately, one at a time.
Chou jumped up and down and Feng Huang nodded her small round head.
Li Meirong exited the "shrine" and went back to the same location she first arrived from. She sat back with her legs crossed and closed her eyes. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she focused her mind, forcing her consciousness out of the dimension's space.
Both contracted pets watched their master's figure slowly disappear while she sat in the blooming flower field. Scattered peach blossom petals encircled her condensed aura as her skin turned transparent.
Shortly after Li Meirong dissipated, Chou's subservient demeanour abruptly switched to a spoiled, unruly young master. "Now that I'm in charge, you must do as Chou says! There is a library to clean and ponds filled with Shrimp and Lobsters to care for. We're not just going to use master's generosity without reciprocating. Time to tidy this place up! And also, you better find a proper skill to hone because master works hard at the sect and will need our assistance!"
"..." Feng Huang was at loss for words.
She felt like this spirit plant has already made plans to bully her!