"It seems like this Cotton Orchid Baby has been poisoned!"
"Poisoned? Are you sure?"
Granny Mianlan looked at Feng Yuan with some surprise after hearing his words. Feng Yuan carefully observed the Cotton Orchid Baby he had placed on the table and said,
"It's definitely poisoned. It looks like it's the result of some kind of poison technique, but why does it feel like its power has been significantly weakened..."
"Ji?"
Xiao Ji had planned to shove the Cotton Orchid Baby aside but then noticed that its condition was off. After a curious probe and surprise, Xiao Ji shouted at Feng Yuan,
"Ji!!!"
"What's wrong, Xiao Ji?"
"Ji!"
"Did you discover something?"
Seeing Xiao Ji jump off the table and gesture for Feng Yuan to follow, Feng Yuan was a bit puzzled. Granny Mianlan stood up and said,
"Let's follow and see."
"Ji!"
"Ao?"
The Dreaming Dragon Baby seemed puzzled to see everyone suddenly depart and glanced at the lethargic Cotton Orchid Baby on the table. After a moment of confusion, it coiled up a plate of desserts and floated in the direction Feng Yuan had left.
"Ji!"
"The water has a problem?"
Seeing Xiao Ji excitedly standing in front of the creek, Feng Yuan reached out to sense the creek water with a touch of confusion. After sensing a subtle power in the water, his expression changed, and he turned to speak to Granny Mianlan,
"There's a problem with the water! There's the power of a poison technique in it!"
"Are you certain?"
Granny Mianlan seemed surprised as she looked at the creek in front of her. Feng Yuan nodded and said,
"We can test for this. Granny, you should have a way to confirm it, right?"
"Yes, indeed I do. Just wait a moment."
Seeing Granny Mianlan turn and head back to the manor, Feng Yuan looked around. This was the pasture for the Cotton Orchid Spirit Beasts at the Cotton Orchid Manor. Cotton Orchid Babies, Cotton Orchid Grass, and Cotton Orchid Flowers were all roaming on this grassland. Noticing that only some of the Cotton Orchid Babies seemed listless, Feng Yuan picked up Xiao Ji and commented,
"It looks like the pollution hasn't been going on for long. Xiao Ji, you're amazing~ Found the problem right away~"
"Ji~"
"Ao~"
Seeing the Dreaming Dragon Baby floating over with the plate of desserts, Feng Yuan took the plate somewhat speechless and said,
"Can't you just eat there? Why do you have to bring the desserts with you?"
"Ao~"
"Ji!"
Giving the Dreaming Dragon Baby a challenging look, Xiao Ji jumped out of Feng Yuan's embrace and used the Fire Whirlwind Technique on the Dreaming Dragon Baby floating in the air. Seeing the two little ones beginning to fight again, Feng Yuan helplessly moved back with the plate in hand, watching the two scuffle.
"Hey? What's going on here?"
Yun You, holding a portable analyzer, ran over and was puzzled to see Xiao Ji and the Dreaming Dragon Baby bickering. Feng Yuan said with resignation,
"Don't worry about them; let them fight. Those two should know their own strength."
"Are you sure it's okay?"
"Should be fine. Just test what's in the water."
"Oh, okay."
Reminded by Feng Yuan, Yun You quickly set up the analyzing device and collected a water sample from the creek to test,
"Why have those two started fighting?"
Granny Mianlan walked over slowly, puzzled at the sight of Xiao Ji and the Dreaming Dragon Baby fighting with growing vigor. Feng Yuan shook his head and said,
"I don't know why the Dreaming Dragon Baby suddenly provoked Xiao Ji, but since there's nothing around, I can't be bothered to intervene. Granny, you wouldn't mind the damage to the grass, would you?"
"Granny's not that petty, but allowing them to fight like this, won't they get hurt?"
"No worries, I can save them as long as they're not dead~"
Feng Yuan said confidently. Recalling the egg that Feng Yuan had originally brought, and now looking at Xiao Ji fighting spiritedly with the Dreaming Dragon Baby, Granny Mianlan didn't know quite what to say.
"There is indeed poison series power in the water! I can't determine which special technique it belongs to, and the dosage isn't very high."
Yun You reported solemnly to Granny Mianlan after examining the results. After thinking for a while, Granny Mianlan said,
"First, notify Director Ren and have him inform the people downstream about the stream being polluted. Then, use the Light Spirit Spring to alleviate the symptoms for the Spirit Beasts that are more severely poisoned."
"Um, I think I can prepare a healing potion."
Feng Yuan offered his services eagerly, and Granny Mianlan glanced at him and said,
"Fine, first prepare a dose and try it on a more severely poisoned one."
"We could use the Mianlan Baby who just ran to the dining room. From my observations, its condition is one of the more serious among these Mianlan Babies.
"It probably isn't in the dining room anymore."
"No problem—Xiao Ji!"
"Ji?!"
"Come here."
Xiao Ji, who had been having a great time playing with the Dreaming Dragon Baby, hesitated momentarily before casting another Fire Whirlwind and dashing over to Feng Yuan. Feng Yuan crouched down and rubbed Xiao Ji's head, saying,
"Xiao Ji, can you find that Mianlan Baby we encountered in the dining room?"
"Ji?"
Seeing Xiao Ji tilting its head as if it didn't understand, Feng Yuan said with a smile,
"It's the poisoned Mianlan Baby we met earlier in the dining room. I need to prepare a potion to treat it now, so please help me find it."
"Ji—"
Xiao Ji led Feng Yuan back to the dining room, and after a careful search, they found the Mianlan Baby in a corner of the room, seemingly having a nightmare.
"Ordinary Eggshell Chickens shouldn't have this kind of sensing ability; your Xiao Ji really is special."
"That's not all—although Xiao Ji now possesses Death Series power, for some reason, its techniques all seem to be fire-related."
"Ji—"
"A special mutation? Granny has never heard of original pets having special mutations before. Come here, Xiao Ji, let Granny have a good look at you."
As Feng Yuan checked on the Mianlan Baby, Xiao Ji hesitantly walked over to Granny Mianlan, curiously watching her. Granny Mianlan reached out to rub and massage Xiao Ji, eliciting a comfortable cry from Xiao Ji.
Hearing Xiao Ji's cry, Feng Yuan, who was examining the Mianlan Baby, looked over in confusion to see Granny Mianlan massaging Xiao Ji while taking the opportunity to check its physical condition, and laughed,
"Granny, your massaging skills are really impressive—"
"Ji—"
"I've got a rough plan for the treatment. I'll take it to the infirmary to mix a treatment water and give it a try."
"Ji!"
Seeing Feng Yuan picking up the Mianlan Baby, Xiao Ji suddenly looked at the Mianlan Baby with a hint of anger. After a moment's hesitation upon seeing the Mianlan Baby's pained expression, Xiao Ji turned to Granny Mianlan with a pitiful look. Granny Mianlan chuckled as she massaged Xiao Ji for a while, then said,
"You little thing, behaving like this won't do him any good. You should know that both Beastmasters and Spirit Beast Trainers can't possibly have only one Spirit Beast; if he keeps from signing with a second Spirit Beast just to accommodate you, that's not really a good thing for him."
"Ji..."
"And don't you want more companions? Just you and him—don't you find it lonely?"
"Ji..."
"Think about it, okay? Granny can tell he cares a lot about you, so consider his feelings too. I have to go see how the treatment's going."
"...Ji..."
Seeing Xiao Ji looking at her, Granny Mianlan smiled and said,
"Granny's too old to carry you, but if you want to watch, just come along."
"I didn't expect Cotton Orchid Flower fluff could be used like this."
In the infirmary, a short-haired woman brimming with energy looked at Feng Yuan preparing the potion in surprise. Feng Yuan glanced at her somewhat disheveled uniform and said,
"Chudie, aren't you going to tidy up your clothes? Careful that Granny doesn't scold you if she sees."
"Oh—Granny wouldn't do that—it's just that my clothes got a bit messy when I was tidying up the guest rooms. Granny will understand—she won't lecture me."
As Cen Chudie spoke, she quickly tidied her uniform. After a while, Feng Yuan handed her the prepared potion and said,
"Here you go, check for any side effects—"
"What? You can't confirm it yourself?"
Cen Chudie began examining the potion, taking a sample and mixing it with some of the Mianlan Baby's blood for testing in the device.