"Let's check on that rabbit first," I said, stepping closer. Meiyara followed silently, her expression cautious yet curious.
The rustling leaves whispered softly as I crouched near the unconscious Level F Spirit Rabbit.
Its petite body trembled slightly, its blue fur shimmering like polished pearls under the sunlight. Its ears, soft and fluffy as clouds, twitched faintly, making it look heartbreakingly vulnerable.
But the rabbit... why did it glare at me earlier as though I had murdered its family?
Why was it so hostile towards me? Was I cursed or something? Or Is it my aura? Some sort of hidden aggro toward beasts?
The same thing had plagued the previous owner of this body too. No matter how hard he tried, every attempt at taming a beast ended with him getting bitten, clawed, or worse. Was it this body's constitution?
If I couldn't tame even a Level F rabbit, how was I supposed to survive in this brutal cultivation world where strength ruled?
"Why was it so aggressive?" I murmured, my gaze shifting to Meiyara. "Is it normal for a spirit beast to attack a human like that?"
Meiyara knelt beside me, her slender fingers brushing a stray lock of her short, silky purple hair behind her ear.
"Definitely not normal," she replied, her voice calm but laced with curiosity.
"Beasts only attack humans when provoked. They don't bother with bystanders unless there's a specific reason. For it to lash out at you unprovoked is, even for you, it's strange."
Her slender brows furrowed as she studied the rabbit's small body for injuries. A faint pout touched her lips.
"Usually, beasts only lash out once you've made an attempt to tame them."
"But this one… it attacked you outright, even before you did anything. That's not typical scenario," she added.
So, the beasts only attack when I try to tame them? If that's the case, then it's not just a simple issue of the body's constitution.
Something deeper was at play here. But then, Why did this tiny creature harbor such animosity toward me? Was it because I was human—or because I was me?
The rabbit stirred slightly, its soft moans of pain tugging at my chest. I reached out hesitantly and patted its trembling body, feeling its silky fur beneath my fingertips.
Its small frame shuddered, and its bright blue eyes fluttered open, filled with fear and defiance.
"Careful, Young Master!" Meiyara's voice sharpened, her arms instinctively moving to shield me. Her purple eyes hardened like gemstones, her graceful body poised to strike. "It's waking up!"
"Wait," I said softly, placing a hand on hers to lower it. "Look at it—it's terrified. It's not acting out of malice but fear. Drop your killing intent. You're scaring it."
She hesitated, her lips parting as if to argue, but the raw sincerity in my voice made her relent. Her posture relaxed slightly, though her sharp gaze never left the rabbit.
I continued stroking the rabbit gently. Its breathing slowed, and its small, quivering body pressed against my palm.
"I've seen this before," I murmured, my voice thoughtful. "When animals are abused or mistreated, they develop a deep-rooted fear of humans. They lash out, not because they want to harm but because they're trying to protect themselves."
Meiyara's brows arched slightly, surprise flickering across her face before she nodded slowly. "That… makes sense. If it was mistreated, it might see every human as a threat."
"But, Young Master, where have you seen this before?" Meiyara asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as she leaned slightly closer.
"Aah! A book! I read about it in a book," I replied hastily, my tone casual as I focused on the rabbit, avoiding her piercing stare. Carefully, I ran my fingers over its soft fur, pretending to be completely engrossed in observing its condition.
It trembled slightly, its tiny chest rising and falling rapidly, yet its gaze burned with defiance. Though my gentle touch had calmed its trembling, its eyes still held unquenched anger, staring at me with unrelenting hostility.
Who had hurt it so deeply? What kind of beast—or human—would scar such an innocent creature?
"Ahhh!" Meiyara's startled scream pierced through the tranquility, making both me and the rabbit flinch.
I turned to her, only to see her smirking mischievously, her hands on her hips.
"Young Master, how about you tame this spirit rabbit as your first tamed beast?" she suggested, looking absurdly proud of her idea.
I raised an eyebrow, incredulous. "You want me to tame a Level F beast? Did you think I ventured into this dense forest just to tame a rabbit?"
Her smirk deepened as she leaned in, her light pink robes swaying slightly with the movement. "And do you think you have what it takes to tame even this rabbit? Didn't you fail miserably with that last Level F beast? Maybe start small before dreaming big."
I imagined punching that insufferably smug face of hers. But, as much as I hated to admit it, she had a point. It wasn't like one could tame only a single beast in their lifetime. This could be a stepping stone.
"Mmm... Fine," I muttered reluctantly. "I'll tame it."
Meiyara clapped her hands together like a delighted child. "Excellent decision, Young Master!" she exclaimed, giving me an exaggerated thumbs-up. She looked far too pleased with herself, like a teacher proud of a slow-learning student.
I sighed. Though I had declared my intent, a pit of doubt formed in my stomach. The rabbit was still glaring at me, its tiny body tense and ready to bolt or attack.
The rabbit had attacked me just for stepping too close. Now, even after tending to its injuries, it still regarded me with suspicion.
Could I even do this?
Steeling myself, I extended my hand toward the rabbit. Its fur bristled as it stared at me with wary, unblinking eyes. Okay, time to put the knowledge from the library to the test.
First, feel the Qi center in my body. I closed my eyes, focusing inward. I closed my eyes and focused inward, searching for my qi center. My breathing slowed, each inhale pulling me deeper into myself. There it was—
Wait… what the hell?
The qi center I sensed wasn't the modest pool described in the books. No, this was an ocean—a boundless expanse of raw energy swirling within me.
How was this possible? How could someone who was regarded as a failure possess such an enormous qi center? Was the original owner of this body truly a useless waste with power like this lying dormant inside this body?
No time to dwell on that. Tame the rabbit first—existential crisis later.
I carefully drew a thread of pure Qi from my center, like scooping a cup of water from an endless bucket. With the Rosani family's beast-taming technique etched into my mind, I began weaving the bond contract.
My fingers moved deftly, tracing invisible lines in the air as the contract took form, shimmering faintly with ethereal light.
As I completed the writing, I pressed the contract toward the rabbit's forehead, aiming for its spirit.
"I can feel it!" I whispered, awestruck.
"That's it, Young Master! Connect it and convince it to accept it!" Meiyara yelled excitedly, nearly breaking my concentration.
I shot her a glare. This idiot!
Focusing again, I glimpsed the rabbit's spirit—a serene and divine presence, shimmering sky blue with golden flecks that sparkled like stardust.
Its beauty was otherworldly, a stark contrast to the hostility it displayed on the outside. Slowly, I began merging the contract with its spirit, careful not to force it too harshly.
But the rabbit resisted.
Its spirit trembled violently, pushing back against the bond. I poured more Qi into the contract, strengthening its force, but the resistance only grew fiercer.
"Haah," I exhaled, frustration mounting. I pushed more qi into the bond, strengthening the connection.
"Kvv..." The rabbit let out a pitiful moan. Its spirit wavered, flickering with pain, yet it refused to yield.
"Stubborn little thing," I muttered under my breath. Sweat trickled down my temple as I debated my next move. Any more force could harm—or even kill—it.
Why was it so adamant? Even at the cost of its life, it wouldn't submit.
I pulled back slightly, my mind racing.
[Detected: Host is attempting to tame his first beast]
I froze, my eyes widening.
[The almighty Beast Taming System is here to solve the problem of the troubled host]
The voice carried a smug assurance. Before I could even react, the glowing qi contract before me suddenly flared gold, its light so bright it forced me to squint.
The rabbit stiffened, its glowing spirit faltering for a moment before it was engulfed by the golden light. The contract melded seamlessly with its spirit, the resistance vanishing as if it had never existed.
I blinked in disbelief.
The golden glow receded, leaving the rabbit's spirit calm and compliant. My qi center pulsed, and for a brief moment, I saw it in my mind's eye: the rabbit's spirit, its serene blue form, imprinted firmly on the vast ocean of my qi.
[Taming the Level F Spirit Rabbit: Successful]
The system's voice resonated again, as if expecting applause.
Meiyara gasped, her almond eyes widening as she clutched her robes. "Young Master! Did you... Did you actually tame it?!"
I pointed at the spirit rabbit, my voice dropping to a low, commanding tone. "I leave this to you for a bit. I need to go somewhere now."
"You're going somewhere? Where?"
"Just do what I said," I replied sharply, my tone brooking no argument.
She blinked at me, her confusion evident as her lips pressed into a thin line. After a moment, she gave a reluctant nod. "Mmm," she murmured, her voice uncertain, though her expression betrayed curiosity.