Colorful vines of light grew out from all around, firmly binding the Netherworld Devil Bird that was preparing to attack. Seeing this opportunity, Feng Yuan again gripped the sickle. This time, with pitch-black wings spread behind him, he flew toward the black-robed figure. The sickle cut through the cloak released by the doll and penetrated the gray barrier cast by the black-robed person. When the sickle pierced the black-robed person's chest, and blood spurted out, Feng Yuan felt a sense of release from the other, accompanied by an intense yearning, as the black-robed figure cast a lingering look back at the Netherworld Devil Bird collapsing to the ground.
"Yo!!!"
The Netherworld Devil Bird struggled frantically, and after a long struggle covered in blood, it crawled to the side of the black-robed figure on the ground, nuzzling the lifeless body with its head. After a long while, the Netherworld Devil Bird slowly lifted its head and let out a mournful cry. As its cries gradually grew hoarse, the bird shifted its body, spread its wings, and with a complex look, glanced at Feng Yuan then buried its head in its feathers.
Blue flames rose from the Netherworld Devil Bird's body. The colorful rain of light did not extinguish the blue flames, and within the flames, the silhouette of the Netherworld Devil Bird slowly disappeared. The large snake and doll exchanged a decisive look with Feng Yuan before rushing into the flames.
"Ji..."
"Why bother... He didn't want to see this outcome either, did he..."
Feng Yuan spoke in a somewhat despondent whisper, dropping the sickle from his hand and letting it dissipate. Carrying Xiao Ji, he walked towards the others,
"Ao~"
The Dreaming Dragon Baby, seeing Feng Yuan looking downcast, swept Feng Yuan's forehead with its tail and floated in front of him, making a funny face.
"Guna?"
A cute cartoon toy-like Spirit Beast looked at Feng Yuan in confusion. The Spirit Beast wore a light blue hat with light green ribbons hanging from both sides and a dark green bead on top of the hat. Dressed in a dark blue ritual robe, it placed its small hand by its mouth, tilting its head as it looked at Feng Yuan.
"It's fine, just feeling a bit sentimental... Thanks for your help."
"Guna~"
As the Spirit Beast cheerfully floated beside Feng Yuan, the middle-aged special task force member, looking at the gradually extinguishing flames and the disappearing Netherworld Devil Bird, sighed,
"What a shame, they didn't have the right master..."
"Ji!"
"Humans distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, but Spirit Beasts... they just need someone who is kind to them."
"Ji..."
Hearing Feng Yuan's words, the middle-aged special task force member laughed heartily and said,
"That's true, Spirit Beasts don't need to be concerned with our human notions of good and evil, right and wrong..."
"Guna?"
"Thank you, Life Goddess Nagna, thank you for saving us."
"Guna~"
Seeing Nagna cheerfully circling around Feng Yuan, the middle-aged special task force member said enviously,
"It seems to really like you. Why don't you try to see if you can sign a Divine Beast Pact with it?"
"Ji!"
"No thanks, Xiao Ji is already enough for me."
Feng Yuan shook his head, smiling as Xiao Ji nuzzled his chest with contented chirps,
"Ji~"
"You really are open-minded, but do you plan to only raise that Eggshell Chicken?"
"Ji..."
"I can't sign a Beast Tamer contract with any other Spirit Beasts right now anyway. As for a Spirit Beast Pact, there's none suitable, and it seems like Xiao Ji wouldn't agree either~"
"...Ji... Ji~"
Seeing Xiao Ji point at the Dreaming Dragon Baby and nodding, Feng Yuan asked with some confusion,
"Xiao Ji, what are you trying to say?"
"Ji! Ji... Ji!"
After watching Xiao Ji gesture for quite a while, Feng Yuan guessed,
"Are you suggesting I sign a pact with the Dreaming Dragon Baby?"
"Ji~"
Seeing Xiao Ji nod, Feng Yuan said helplessly,
"I'm not interested in the Dreaming Dragon Baby, and I've already promised to deliver it to Sleepy Dragon Valley. I don't want to break my word."
"Ji!"
Xiao Ji turned away angrily, its short wings trying to mimic the action of crossing arms in front of its chest, as Nagna floated in front of Xiao Ji and smiled at the display,
"Guna~"
"Ji!"
"What's happening outside? Hey, Captain Yan, you're here!"
From the entrance of the cave, Captain Chen's somewhat puzzled voice echoed. Feng Yuan looked at Captain Chen's disheveled appearance with some confusion as the special task force commanded a Spirit Beast to slowly drag out a giant deep green lizard-like Spirit Beast. The Spirit Beast, appearing half-dead, was dragged out and suddenly called out anxiously after its gaze swept over Cen Chudie,
"You are?"
Hearing the lizard calling out to her as if hoping she would quickly escape, Cen Chudie approached with some confusion and, seeing the scar at the corner of the lizard's eye, speculated,
"Are you the little lizard?"
"Roar~ Roar!"
"It's okay, they are not bad people. Feng Yuan! Give me some of the healing potion!"
"I don't have any; I didn't bring my backpack."
Feng Yuan, at a loss for words, glanced at Nagna, who was playing with Xiao Ji, and asked,
"Nagna, can you heal it?"
"Nagna~"
Nagna cheerfully floated over to the little lizard and waved its small hands. A shower of rainbow light fell down, and the wounds on the little lizard slowly healed. Feng Yuan, holding Xiao Ji, walked over, and asked curiously,
"Why are you calling it little lizard? The Venomous Salamander's size doesn't seem to have anything in common with a small lizard, right?"
Cen Chudie reached out to stroke the head of the Venomous Salamander, remembered something, and said with a smile,
"Because when I first met it, it was just a little lizard. It used to come to the manor with injuries all over, just when I had started learning potion-making. I treated it while trying to concoct a specialized healing potion just for it."
"Were you using it for testing potions? That does sound miserable; no wonder it wanted to escape."
"What are you talking about! It's not my Spirit Beast; I just tried to treat it because I felt sorry for it, just like I did for you back then."
Feng Yuan looked at Cen Chudie with dissatisfaction and retorted,
"What do you mean 'like me back then'! If grandma hadn't intervened, do you think you could have kept me around just by yourselves?"
"Tch! Thief!"
"So, this Venomous Salamander isn't your Spirit Beast, right?"
Standing to the side, Captain Chen confirmed with Cen Chudie, who hesitated for a moment before replying,
"What's the problem? Is there something wrong with it?"
"This creature is the source of the poison. Although it polluted Cotton Creek unintentionally due to its injuries, it did indeed cause pollution."
"What are you planning to do to punish it?"
Seeing Cen Chudie's concerned look, Captain Chen sighed and said,
"It'll probably be put to work, after all, it wasn't intentionally destructive."
"That's wrong! Can't you forgive it?"
"After all, damage has been caused. Even if your Cotton Orchid Manor decides not to pursue the matter, the residents downstream have still been affected. Plus, it has no master to accept punishment on its behalf."
"Then consider me its master!"
Cen Chudie declared firmly, and Captain Chen glanced at her before saying,
"If you're not its master, there's no need for that. After all, being put to work might be a good thing for it."
"No! Little lizard, do you want to come with me?"
"Roar~"
The Venomous Salamander nuzzled Cen Chudie with its head. Seeing this, Captain Chen shook his head and said,
"All right then, once we've tallied up the damage, we'll send the official notice of punishment to Cotton Orchid Manor."
"Nagna~"
"The main issue now is cleaning up the residual toxic forces in Cotton Creek, right? If Nagna can help solve the residue problem, the damage shouldn't be too great, right? Would that significantly lessen the punishment?"
"That should be the case, yes."
Captain Chen replied somewhat hesitantly, seemingly unsure about Feng Yuan's relationship with Nagna. Feng Yuan smiled and said to Nagna,
"Could you please help clean up the toxic forces it has left behind?"
"Nagna~"
Nagna nodded cheerfully, waving its small hands as it floated along the path Feng Yuan and the others had come from. Rainbow light showered down along the way. Astonished, Captain Chen looked at Feng Yuan and said,
"You're actually a Divine Pact Maker!"