Cultivating with Symbiosis Panel

"Haven't you forgotten what supplies you with spiritual qi? Haven't you considered that the Spirit Vein Willow grows entirely according to my will, and doesn't that subtly influence you?"

Suddenly, all the spiritual qi injected by the Spirit Vein Willow into the Locust Spirit Scroll outside began to boil, and even the spiritual power that had already integrated internally into the Spirit Scroll was not spared.

Spiritual qi from the Bamboo Spirit Scroll was also being extracted.

That was the foundation of the World in the Painting, and now that the foundation was being extracted, it naturally teetered on the edge of collapse.

The world was on the verge of destruction amidst Li Ye's smile.

The black cat was greatly shocked.

It hadn't expected that the spiritual qi it had absorbed into the scroll could be controlled like this, which meant Li Ye could control it by controlling the spiritual qi?

It immediately realized why Li Ye, even after reaching the Four Seasons Sect, had never said to provide it with a few more Spirit Veins for energy, still relying on the previous First Tier Spirit Vein.

So that was the consideration!

"I will only give you this one chance." Li Ye said leisurely to the black cat, "Previously you didn't hide anything from me, so I could convince myself not to harm you.

But now you're starting to hide things, which is something I can't accept.

There's only one chance. If you can't offer me absolute loyalty, then I'll have to reluctantly destroy you.

Even if I lose a very powerful legacy, it doesn't matter.

I have it, and I can afford the loss."

He wasn't simply warning; he was also actively driving power, really seeming as if he wanted to destroy it.

The spiritual power within the Locust Spirit Scroll and Bamboo Spirit Scroll was being extracted even faster.

Almost all the spiritual power the black cat had stored during this time was taken out, and its eyes began to lose their sparkle.

The ink and watercolor world began to collapse.

"..."

The black cat let out a long sigh.

Only now did it realize that all the spiritual qi the Spirit Vein Willow supplied to it was tainted with Li Ye's aura, which had merged with the spiritual power so seamlessly that even it hadn't noticed.

"I will follow your orders."

A pulsating ink heart flew out from its body, just like the heart model it had seen before crossing over, very realistic—yet it was a human heart.

The heart arrived before Li Ye, quite literally "opening up."

Revealing a small dot of light wrapped inside the heart.

That was its "True Spirit."

Only then did Li Ye nod satisfactorily, imprinting his own mana and divine sense upon this True Spirit, then instructed:

"Show me what you're hiding."

"Does that Immortal in the Painting truly exist?"

At this moment, the black cat no longer had the ability to resist or object; it could only obediently lead the way, still not forgetting to introduce:

"Besides me, the Locust Spirit Scroll also harbors an Immortal in the Painting that the old master failed to finish painting back then."

"I lied to you before because I wanted to provide her with spirituality."

Saying this, it led Li Ye to a nondescript house in the tulou, pushing the door open.

Originally, Li Ye thought that the "Immortal in the Painting" must be a person, right?

But in the center of the room, silently lay a fox, its eye-catching large fluffy tail, pure white without a single impure hair.

[Name]: Painted Fox

[Mood]: Bitter, Sad

[State]: Lacking spirituality, unable to move, gradually weakening as spirituality diminishes until death ensues.

"Fox?"

Li Ye circled around the white fox, indeed finding it quite beautiful, especially its fluffy large tail, which seemed to have a great tactile feel.

But what does this have to do with an Immortal in the Painting?

When the Bamboo Spirit Scroll transformed into bamboo, the Immortal in the Painting he saw should have been a woman, right?

"Actually, the old master wasn't fond of the Human Race."

The black cat, somewhat ashamed, continued, "He liked various Spirit Beasts transformed into the Human Race, particularly infatuated with the Jade Rabbit Immortal of the Moon Palace and the Fox Demon from the legends closely linked to scholars.

The one you saw before had already transformed into the human-like Jade Rabbit Immortal.

This is the Fox Immortal who hasn't completely emerged from the painting.

Like me, because my fur is pitch-black, the old master never once held me to comfort me..."

By the end, its voice surprisingly contained a hint of resentment.

Li Ye: "..."

"Stop it!"

"You're clearly a tomcat... huh?"

Some illusions about the predecessor were gradually collapsing as Li Ye took a deep breath, unwilling to continue on this topic:

"Then what does 'only through this method can the mirror be restored' mean?"

Based on Li Ye's previous thoughts, that predecessor must have lost a true love and thus poured his affection into the paintings, attempting to make the creatures in the painting come to life, right?

But now, it seems otherwise.

"That actually was just due to the old master unintentionally destroying a painting scroll, feeling distressed, and wanting to paint another." The black cat replied.

Upon hearing this, Li Ye couldn't help but clutch his head.

——Through their signed master-servant contract, he knew the black cat wasn't lying, as absurd as it all sounded.

If this continues, all impressions of that predecessor will completely shatter, how could such a person exist!

He was utterly speechless.

And could only change the topic, "Why did you want it to complete its gestation? How does it benefit you?"

"Oh, that was a task left by the old master." The black cat cast a disdainful glance at the Painted Fox: "But you are now my master. Why don't we just peel it and gut it!"

It seemed eager, with razor-sharp claws extending like blades from its pads, ready to pounce at Li Ye's command.

"..."

Li Ye felt he hadn't been this speechless as often as today.

But perhaps to the black cat, this was indeed a vixen; it clearly admired the old master, yet had to bear the task of helping the vixen recover every day.

So was it intentionally revealing its motives?

If so, this black cat really was black from start to finish.

Yet somehow he felt that the predecessor might have been just an enthusiast of Spirit Beasts, or rather fond of handsome or beautiful Human Race individuals with beast-like traits.

He glanced nonchalantly at the black cat, shook his head, and said, "No need, it should belong to a type of Spirit Beast as well.

I happen to have some Beast Taming skills I can try on it."

Li Ye walked to the fox, extended his hand, and used the Beast Taming Skill taught by True Man Zhao.

It was called the "Five Elements Spirit Control Technique."

Everything within the Five Elements could be controlled, including the Painted Fox.

——He still had some doubts to clear up when the Painted Fox awakened.

Five differently colored chains extended from his palm, wrapping around the Painted Fox from head to toe, penetrating into its limbs and bones, soul, and divine sense.

Finally converging towards the fox's forehead.

Transforming into a colorful gem quietly embedded on its forehead.

Then the Painted Fox abruptly opened its eyes.

Its ink-stained eyes were remarkably lively.

It spoke in a clear and bright young woman's voice, "Master!"

It nimbly stood up, its bushy tail looping around Li Ye's leg, gently rubbing its head against Li Ye's leg, coquettishly saying:

"I can help you control this World in the Painting."

"That black fellow over there, you should lock it up, it's really annoying."

"Oh, right, here's my True Spirit!"

A moon-shaped inner core was expelled by the White Fox, flying to Li Ye's front, it discreetly glanced at the black cat beside them, raging but daring not to act out.

Li Ye looked at the inner core, then at the soft, white fox around his leg acting spoiled, finally understanding why that predecessor wouldn't "favor" the black cat.

This...

There really was quite a difference between them.

The gap isn't small at all.