WHOOSH—WHOOSH—

In the silent mountain forest, two figures, one in front and one behind, darted swiftly through the trees.

In the lead was a mother clouded leopard, as agile as the wind. Behind her was Yang Qi, his figure ethereal as he glided over the grass.

Suddenly, the mother clouded leopard skidded to a halt. With a nimble leap, she bounded onto an ancient tree so thick it would take two people to encircle it, stopping halfway up. She then turned and looked back at Yang Qi, her posture anxious.

Yang Qi, following close behind, stopped beneath the tree, his breathing steady and calm.

Looking up, he saw the mother leopard walk carefully along a thick, horizontal branch. She finally stopped before a tree hollow half-hidden by dense vines. She lowered her head, sniffed at the dark opening, then turned and let out a low growl at Yang Qi below—a sound filled with sorrow and urgency.

Yang Qi understood at once. He circulated a bit of his Magical Power, executed the Spirit Crane Body Technique, and rose lightly from the ground. As if weightless, he landed on the branch beside the mother leopard and steadied himself.

He cautiously approached the hollow, pushed aside the hanging vines, and peered inside, using the mottled sunlight filtering through the canopy—

Just as he thought. The Little Clouded Leopard, only a few months old, was curled up on a bed of dry leaves and weeds at the bottom. But it was completely still; its small belly, which should have been gently rising and falling with each breath, was barely moving.

Yang Qi’s heart sank. He carefully reached in and gently lifted the little leopard out.

As he held it, he found the cub’s body was frighteningly hot to the touch. Its breathing was so faint it was nearly imperceptible, its life force hanging by a thread. It felt as if its dim flame of life was about to be extinguished at any moment.

’It really is sick, and seriously so. This could be fatal at any moment.’

Yang Qi’s expression turned grave, his judgment instantaneous.

"Whimper..." The mother leopard drew near, nudging her cub gently with her nose. She then looked up at Yang Qi, her cold, beastly eyes now filled with a human-like grief and a plea so intense it seemed ready to overflow.

"I’ll do everything I can!"

Yang Qi promised in a solemn voice, his mind racing.

’In its current state, the little leopard probably won’t survive long enough to be taken out of the mountains for professional treatment.’

’The only hope now is the Guardian Beast System.’

Fortunately, Xiaojiu had saved Chen Ze earlier, earning him 360 contribution points. Added to his own daily accumulation, his total was 405 points, enough for four lottery draws.

There was no time to lose. Yang Qi decisively started the draws.

[Congratulations, Host! You have received: Low-Grade Spirit Rice (five jin).]

’Spirit Rice is good, it can nourish the body,’ he thought, ’but it’s like distant water for a pressing thirst—it can’t save the dying cub right now.’

He drew again.

[Congratulations, Host! You have received: Strengthening Pill.]

’A Strengthening Pill is somewhat useful. It can fortify one’s constitution, enhance physical fitness, and accelerate wound healing. But the cub doesn’t have any external wounds; its whole system is in critical condition. The pill’s effects probably aren’t strong enough.’

He continued drawing.

[Congratulations, Host! You have received: Tier One High-Grade Body Protection Talisman.]

’A Body Protection Talisman is a great item, capable of blocking a fatal attack. But it’s for defending against external damage; it’s completely useless for the cub’s current illness.’

Yang Qi’s heart sank. Only one last chance remained.

He drew again!

[Congratulations, Host! You have received: Vitality Nutrient Cream.]

[Description: An oral medicine for beasts. It rapidly enhances a beast’s constitution, provides life energy, and has a minor healing effect. It is intensely alluring to beasts.]

"This is it!"

Yang Qi’s eyes lit up, and he almost cheered out loud.

’The perfect medicine for the malady!’

He decisively chose to manifest it. A palm-sized, jelly-like, dark brown paste appeared in his hand.

He was about to use all of it but then considered the cub’s small size. He decided to save half, storing the remainder in his Hundred Pouches Belt. At the same time, he took out a bottle of mineral water, a large bowl, and a spoon.

He placed the half-block of paste, which emanated a strange, meaty aroma, into the bowl. He poured in some water and stirred it quickly with the spoon, dissolving it into a medicinal liquid.

During this process, the mother leopard’s eyes were glued to the bowl. The potion inside gave off an enticing scent, and a gulping sound came from her throat as drool dripped uncontrollably from the corners of her mouth onto the branch.

Yet, she forcefully suppressed her instinct to pounce. She didn’t try to snatch it, nor did she let out any anxious cries. Her eyes, filled with anticipation and nervousness, darted between the bowl of medicine and the little leopard in Yang Qi’s arms.

Yang Qi glanced at the mother leopard with admiration, feeling a surge of emotion.

’A mother’s love truly is a great power that transcends species.’

Once the liquid was evenly mixed, Yang Qi cradled the still-unconscious cub securely with one arm. With his other hand, he scooped up a little of the medicine with the spoon, carefully pried open the little one’s tightly shut mouth, and poured the liquid in.

As expected of a medicine with a powerful allure to beasts, the little leopard’s throat made an instinctive swallowing motion, even in its deep coma.

For the first few spoonfuls, it was mainly instinct at work, and some of the liquid dribbled out from the corner of its mouth.

But soon, as the medicine entered its stomach, a gentle life energy began to nourish the Little Clouded Leopard’s weak body. Its survival instincts were triggered, and the little one actually started to weakly but actively stick out its tongue, chasing the spoon to lick the medicine.

After it had consumed about half the small bowl, the Little Clouded Leopard’s closed eyelids twitched a few times. It slowly opened them a crack and let out an extremely faint but clearly audible "mewl."

No longer needing Yang Qi to feed it, the little creature propped itself up on the edge of the bowl with its weak front paws, stuck out its little pink tongue, and began to lap up the medicine itself. SLURP, SLURP.

Seeing her cub awake and able to eat on its own, the mother clouded leopard trembled with excitement, letting out joyous whimpers.

A little dreg and some residual liquid remained at the bottom of the bowl. Yang Qi offered the bowl to the mother clouded leopard, motioning for her to drink it.

The mother clouded leopard gave Yang Qi a grateful look before extending her rough tongue and licking the bowl clean in a few quick laps.

Although the little leopard’s breathing had grown much stronger and its eyes were brighter, Yang Qi touched its body and found it was still burning hot. The illness had not been completely cured.

’The Vitality Nutrient Cream’s main function is to enhance constitution and provide energy; its healing effects are indeed limited.’ Yang Qi had no idea what specific virus the cub had contracted or what acute illness it was suffering from.

After the mother leopard had finished licking the bowl, Yang Qi took a deep breath. He mobilized the five strands of Magical Power in his Dantian and cast a Basic Spirit Awakening Technique on her.

WHOOSH~

An almost imperceptible ray of Spiritual Light sank into the mother clouded leopard’s forehead.

The mother clouded leopard’s body trembled slightly. She shook her head, and when she looked up again, her eyes, while still retaining their untamed wildness, now visibly held a deeper intelligence and understanding.

Yang Qi looked into her eyes and said seriously,

"The little one is stable for now, but he needs more thorough treatment. We have to get him out of the mountains to a place with professional equipment and medicine."

"I will hold him and protect him the whole time. Are you willing to trust me?"

The mother clouded leopard seemed to understand. She lowered her head and licked her cub’s head, now restored with some vitality, with great affection. Then, she looked up, stared deeply at Yang Qi, and nodded, a low growl rumbling in her throat.

[Yes.]

[Thank you.]

PHEW~

Yang Qi breathed a sigh of relief. ’Things will be much easier now that we can communicate.’

"You’re welcome. I’m just glad you understand."

With that, he quickly packed away the bowl, spoon, and water bottle. He carefully cradled the little leopard—still hot but with much more stable vital signs—and stood up to address the mother leopard.

"Time is short. His fever hasn’t broken yet, so I have to get him out of the mountains for treatment as quickly as possible. I’m leaving now."

The mother clouded leopard let out a low growl.

[Go.]

[I will follow behind.]

"Alright. Be careful, try to stay hidden, and don’t scare anyone."

Yang Qi nodded, wasting no more words.

He circulated the Magical Power in his body, once again activating the Spirit Crane Body Technique. Cradling the little leopard, his figure became like a wisp of green smoke as he darted swiftly back the way he came.

Seeing this, the mother clouded leopard pushed off with her powerful limbs. Her agile form shadowed him closely through the forest, like a loyal, golden guardian...