Cultivating with Symbiosis Panel

Then they placed the pine cones one by one in front of Li Ye, dividing them into two piles. They pointed at the smaller pile, and then at the little iron pot creatures that had already fallen asleep from exhaustion.

Their eyes clearly urging him.

"..."

Didn't you just finish eating steamed dates?

Are you hungry again?

"Even if you're hungry, it's not okay." Li Ye shook his head seriously, "You must wait until they wake up. Their spiritual power is running low."

After all, the little iron pot creatures aren't truly enlightened by the iron pots. In essence, they are nearly made of iron-like flesh.

As long as it's flesh and blood, it will get tired. Additionally, they were born not long ago and can't quite control and harness their own spiritual power.

If they get too exhausted, it won't be good for their future.

"Quack?" The leading duck thought for a moment, then pushed the pine cones back into one pile and nudged them toward Li Ye.

——Meaning, leave it to Li Ye to handle, and wake them up when there's food.

Then it led the flock of ducks to a corner where the snow was thicker, diving one after another back into snow nests, huddling together closely and refilling the snow they dug out.

Upon entering, their spiritual power and divine sense completely disappeared.

If it weren't for the divine sense-formed severe cold current still lingering above the courtyard, Li Ye might even think they had left.

"What a strong divine sense barrier."

By now, Li Ye already understood the source of their ability — using divine sense to create a small barrier, merging with the surrounding environment.

This way, they could achieve an almost disappearing effect.

Even if you tried to find them by hand, you wouldn't be able to because they're hidden within the barrier.

"They really are treasures."

The more Li Ye looked at these ducks, the more pleasing they seemed.

If he could learn their efficient use of divine sense, it would undoubtedly benefit him greatly.

But they seem interested only in food.

Is it because objects in the divine sense world can't truly fill the stomach?

Li Ye suddenly thought of an art skill he heard about at Bitter Journey Academy, using divine sense to start a drawing, turning illusionary items into reality.

Drawing a plum to stave off thirst or a cake to satisfy hunger was possible.

Maybe he could try to secretly learn it next time he went there.

"Let it be."

"Let's deal with the matter at hand first."

"I don't even have a place to sleep yet."

He shook his head to dismiss the tangled thoughts, looking at the eager squirrels who wanted the pine cones.

"Hey, if these things are sold, how many Spirit Stones can they fetch?"

The leading squirrel immediately stepped forward, directing its subordinates to pick out pine cones, while it mysteriously had an abacus in its hands.

Amidst the "squeak squeak" of its subordinates, the "clack clack" of the abacus could also be heard.

Finally, all the pine cones were packed into backpacks by the squirrels, and it took out a pile of Spirit Stones, saluting Li Ye with respect:

"Each pine cone is priced at ten Spirit Stones."

"Here are a total of one thousand two hundred Spirit Stones, please have a look."

Li Ye gazed at the Spirit Stones shimmering with spiritual light, feeling dazed for a moment.

He suddenly recalled his days at Huiyan Marketplace — back then, he seemed to go from penniless to suddenly wealthy, as fast as a delightful dream.

He returned to his senses, speaking grandly:

"Please help me repair the house first."

"Make it good."

The squirrels immediately gathered for a discussion and finally came to a conclusion: "To make it good, it will cost one hundred Spirit Stones!"

When saying this, the squirrel seemed quite nervous, rubbing its hands.

A hundred Spirit Stones, after all, is a big business for them too.

They worked so hard on their business, earning only a little over a hundred Spirit Stones each month — but selling this batch of pine cones should recoup the cost, and even make an extra one or two hundred Spirit Stones.

Li Ye looked at the squirrel, seeing the "expectation" on the mood panel and feeling the faint anxiety through his divine sense, he understood.

It seems that in this snow forest disconnected from the outside world, their business profits are not high.

Yet these over a thousand Spirit Stones of his... and this endless supply of pine cones...

Thinking of this, he revealed a warm, jade-like smile full of friendliness, accompanying his gentle voice:

"I still have plenty of Spirit Stones here. If you can help me, these Spirit Stones will all be yours."

"Moreover, I promise you can earn even more."

Seeing the squirrels' eyes suddenly brighten, he paused before continuing:

"Now, please help me repair the house."

As soon as he finished speaking, the squirrels eagerly took various materials from their pine cone bags and started helping Li Ye repair the house.

First, they cleared the snow accumulated in the courtyard, then repaired the dilapidated courtyard walls and wooden doors, and finally gave the entire house a thorough renovation.

Li Ye found a place to sit.

Watching the house that was once in ruins gradually restore — the damaged walls and window frames were repaired, the furniture with missing arms and legs inside was also repaired, and the squirrels even found some oil lamps from somewhere to put on the table.

As the sky gradually darkened.

The wind and snow became more rampant.

The light from inside the house made Li Ye increasingly anxious, and he suddenly realized he had a slight fear of the cold and blustery winter night.

The darkness covering the horizon far away moved like a tangible entity, clawing and roaring, resembling a monster.

"Strange."

"…What's affecting me?"

Even without the mighty mana now, Li Ye shouldn't be affected by the darkness. Fear of the dark? That's merely a mortal's emotion.

Wait.

Emotions.

He squinted his eyes.

In winter, it seemed, mortals would indeed stay at home, to avoid wild beasts, and to escape the cold wind.

Darkness signifies the fear of the unknown.

It means the Seasonal Power of this place did affect him – winter requires huddling indoors to hibernate.

To experience it, one must genuinely feel it.

The immortal might would let him miss out on many things, even losing the "spiritual sense" deeply hidden within his heart.

That was, in fact, the "treasure" passed down by the Human Race.

Thinking of this.

He no longer resisted the vague fear sprouting inside, waiting for the squirrels' repairs.

Facing the house, back to the darkness.

Time passed slowly.

Finally.

The squirrels finished their repairs, each taking away the one hundred Spirit Stones Li Ye prepared.

Then, the leading squirrel said to him, "You must stay in the house tonight, or some bad guy might come knocking!"

"We're going to sell the pine cones, and we'll visit you in a few days!"

The squirrel waved at him.

One by one, they hopped away, disappearing into the dark snow forest in an instant.

The vast courtyard was left with only him, the pine trees, and the Shallow Snow Tail Ducks sleeping soundly in the snow heaps.

He no longer hesitated, stepped into the house, and then clicked the door shut, firmly closing the latch.

The door blocked the wind and snow outside.

The underground dragon, which had been repaired and restored by the squirrels, quickly took effect in the house, and amidst the rising warmth, the steady oil lamps emitted a dim glow.

In this moment.

Li Ye felt exceedingly comfortable.

Outside, the wind and snow raged endlessly, and there might still be some kind of creature lurking in the distant snow forest that would attack people, yet he was in a safe, warm house.

He experienced the pleasure of hibernation.

No need to rush, no need to go out.

All he needed to do was eat and sleep.

He took a gentle breath, tossed aside all complicated thoughts, then sat by the table, leisurely peeling and eating dates and pine cones.

Once he ate his fill, drowsiness overtook him.

He naturally lay on the carved-teeth bed, watching the flickering lamp flame, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

This sleep seemed to last an indefinite time.

Until he suddenly heard a "bang bang bang" knocking at the door outside.

His divine sense instinctively swept outside.

He saw outside his door, a tremendously tall black bear with pitch-black fur, yet with something like shining red marks on its fur resembling precepts.

That creature was knocking "bang bang bang" at the door.

With a face full of ferocity.