Feng Yuan first glanced at the Dreaming Dragon Baby sound asleep on his shoulder and whispered,
"I never said I was going to keep it. I'm just looking after it for someone for the time being. When the holidays come, I'll take it to Sleepy Dragon Valley, and for now, it's just staying with me."
"Entrusted by someone? Who is it?"
"It's a secret~"
"What about that strange space?"
Qi Chen, who was a bit fearful as he spoke, thought about the pitch-black space, the silent surroundings, and only a faint glow lighting up a small area. If it weren't for Ah Mu's company, he probably would've been scared stiff. Feng Yuan noticed Xiao Ji seemed to be having a nightmare in his arms, trembling slightly. He adjusted Xiao Ji to a more comfortable position and gently stroked its fluffy head. After a while, he saw Xiao Ji seemed to relax and whispered,
"That's the inner tower of Panlong Tower, just a bit dark and nothing else."
"Inner tower? There's actually such a weird thing?"
Looking at the puzzled Qi Chen, Feng Yuan glanced at the Dreaming Dragon Baby on his shoulder and said with a smile,
"Why not? Panlong Tower is built in imitation of the Yimu Qingling Tower. It's perfectly normal to have an inner space, isn't it?"
Qi Chen looked at the Dreaming Dragon Baby and said,
"It couldn't have been the one that pulled us into the inner tower, could it?"
"No, it was another guy who was annoyed by it and just planned to find someone to take it back home, that's all."
"Huh? Sleepy Dragon Valley is its home? Then why did it appear here?"
"Who knows, anyway, I'll take a trip to Shenhua City during the holidays and send it back to Sleepy Dragon Valley. If you're free during this period, help me take care of it, will you~"
Qi Chen initially nodded subconsciously, then felt something was amiss and glared at Feng Yuan, saying,
"Why should I be the one to take care of it! I wasn't the one who agreed!"
"Keep your voice down, Xiao Ji is tired; let it rest. You're usually free, just help me look after it more, okay~ What if it develops feelings for you and wants to become your Spirit Beast?"
"Mhm!"
Seeing Qi Chen seem a little tempted, Ah Mu let out a dissatisfied sound. Qi Chen thought for a moment and then said,
"Forget it, I can't afford the Spiritual Medicine needed to raise rare Spirit Beasts like the Dreaming Dragon Baby, plus my family doesn't have that much money. It's already good enough that I can raise Ah Mu."
"Mhm..."
Seeing Ah Mu jump into Qi Chen's arms to comfort him, Feng Yuan looked somewhat displeased at Xiao Ji in his arms and murmured,
"Stingy Ji, look at how nice Ah Mu is."
"Ji..."
"Ji?!"
When Xiao Ji woke up, it found itself lying on a soft patch of grass and looked around in panic. Seeing Feng Yuan talking to others, Xiao Ji, looking annoyed, hopped up and dashed over,
"You want the Dreaming Dragon Baby? Then ask it yourself, it's just staying at my place for now! Xiao Ji, why are you pecking me?!"
"Ji!"
"Your Xiao Ji is jealous~ Why don't you hand over the Dreaming Dragon Baby to me, so that you don't have to worry about your Xiao Ji pecking you every day~"
"Yeah, yeah~ Since you yourself said you're not planning to make a contract with it, just let us have it~"
"Ji!!"
"Stop making a fuss, Xiao Ji."
"Ji!"
It took a while for Feng Yuan to soothe Xiao Ji. Holding the pouting Xiao Ji in his arms, he fingered its fluffy hair irritably and said,
"If the Dreaming Dragon Baby is unwilling to make a contract with you, there's no use coming to me. If you're that capable, persuade it to make a contract with you."
"Ah~"
The Dreaming Dragon Baby on Feng Yuan's shoulder yawned, changed positions, and continued to sleep, completely ignoring the people trying to please it. Seeing the Dreaming Dragon Baby's reaction, the crowd who tried to win it over felt embarrassed. Feng Yuan put on an innocent face and said,
"See, it's unwilling to follow you, that's not my fault."
"Then how did you manage to trick it into coming with you? Don't give me that nonsense about someone entrusting you to take care of it. If anyone really had that good of a relationship with it, they would have made a contract with it a long time ago, right?"
"Exactly, still pretending you don't want to make a Beast Tamer contract with it. You can't even make one now, can you?"
"If you want to keep it for yourself, then just keep it, but stop playing the good guy!"
"Let's go! Don't bother with him anymore!"
"Hmph!"
"Ji?"
Watching everyone who was friendly one second turn away and leave the next, Xiao Ji was a bit confused. Feng Yuan stroked Xiao Ji's fluffy head and said,
"Don't mind them, they're just strangers."
"Ji?"
"Aww~"
Feng Yuan, holding Xiao Ji, found Qi Chen who was taking care of Ah Mu nearby and said,
"We should be free to go now, right~"
"What are you up to now?"
Qi Chen eyed Feng Yuan warily. Based on his familiarity with Feng Yuan, he was certain that Feng Yuan was plotting some mischief again. Feng Yuan carefully placed the still-annoyed Xiao Ji on top of his head and said,
"How about we go for a picnic, huh?"
"What?"
Qi Chen looked at Feng Yuan, puzzled. Xiao Ji turned around on Feng Yuan's head, facing away from him. Sensing Xiao Ji's movement, Feng Yuan laughed and gently turned Xiao Ji back around.
"Ji!!!"
Xiao Ji struggled and squawked on top of Feng Yuan's head for quite a while before settling down. Feng Yuan pointed toward the distance and said,
"How about we go to the barbecue area and get something to eat?"
"Barbecue? Just the two of us? Are you crazy?"
"No, I mean getting something to eat there, didn't say anything about barbecuing—"
Feng Yuan smiled mysteriously and pulled the still-confused Qi Chen towards the barbecue area. As they walked, they ran into Zhong Liuyan, who was talking with Pei Yu. Feng Yuan waved at them and shouted,
"Yo— Pei Yu, Liu Yan— want to join us at the barbecue area to make some tasty treats for the Spirit Beasts?"
Zhong Liuyan turned around, somewhat surprised, and saw Xiao Ji on Feng Yuan's head with its back turned, looking upset. He couldn't help but chuckle and say,
"Did you make Xiao Ji mad again?"
"What?"
Feng Yuan reached up cluelessly to touch Xiao Ji on his head, found Xiao Ji with its back turned again, and tried to turn it back around.
"Ji!!!"
"Ji!!"
"Hey! Xiao Ji, don't peck!"
"Ji!"
After being pecked several times by Xiao Ji, Feng Yuan had no choice but to hold Xiao Ji in his arms. Looking at Xiao Ji, who was still turning away from him and mad, Feng Yuan said with a wry smile,
"Really, when did I not notice you were so petty before."
"Ji!"
While grooming Xiao Ji's fluffy feathers with one hand, Feng Yuan said,
"Do you want to go make something for the Spirit Beasts?"
"Make something for the Spirit Beasts? Don't their taste buds differ from ours?"
"Let's just try and see—"
"Then shall we give it a try?"
Seeing Feng Yuan's mysterious demeanor, Zhong Liuyan was somewhat intrigued and turned to ask Pei Yu. After hesitating for a moment, Pei Yu said,
"Can you really make food for a Spirit Beast?"
"What do you think—"
At the barbecue area, Feng Yuan rented a spot and set things up. Then he took out a small iron pot from his backpack and said,
"We will use this to make the food."
"Is that a Spatial Backpack?"
Qi Chen was dubious as he looked at the pot, which was nearly the size of the backpack, and Feng Yuan said proudly,
"Of course— a Spatial Backpack is essential for picnicking."
"Where did you get the money for such an expensive item?"
"What do you think?"
"You! Forget it, no point in talking to you anyway."
Seeing how Feng Yuan acted, Qi Chen immediately understood where the money for the Spatial Backpack had come from. Nevertheless, considering Feng Yuan's situation, he didn't quite know what to say.
"Try these seasonings on your Spirit Beasts, see which ones they like."
Feng Yuan said while taking out various bottles and jars from the backpack. After arranging the seasoning bottles, he beckoned to the brooding Xiao Ji sitting to the side,
"Xiao Ji— come here and see which seasonings you think you'll like."
"Ji... Ji!"
Seeing Xiao Ji turn around to look at him then turn away again, Feng Yuan walked over laughing, picked up Xiao Ji, and took quite a while to soothe it,
"Aww—"
"Ji!"
Just as Feng Yuan brought Xiao Ji in front of the seasonings, he realized that the Dreaming Dragon Baby had woken up at some point and was now coiled around a heap of seasoning bottles, looking pitifully at Feng Yuan.
"Ji!"
Suddenly, Xiao Ji jumped out of Feng Yuan's arms and started fighting with the Dreaming Dragon Baby. With the three onlookers watching with amusement, Feng Yuan helplessly walked over to clean up the mess of seasoning bottles strewn everywhere.