181: Gold Rats

Beast King Valley was an area within Medicine King Valley specifically designated for high-level Spirit Beasts to inhabit. The Spiritual Qi there was even denser, and the environment was closer to the wild. The valley was filled with strange peaks and rocks, waterfalls and deep pools, and interwoven ancient trees and vines, brimming with primitive vitality.

Vice Hall Master Lei led them to a clearing in the woods. At the edge of the clearing, three massive creatures were either lying down or standing. Their Auras were as deep as an abyss, carrying the pressure of the Martial King level; they were the targets of this mission.

One was a giant lizard covered in azure scales with a single horn on its head. It lay prostrate on a warm rock, its Aura somewhat withered. There was an old wound on its tail that faintly emitted an ominous black gas.

Another was a goshawk with a wingspan of forty feet, but its feathers were dull and lusterless. The joint of its left wing was clearly twisted and deformed. It stood on a protruding cliff rock, its gaze sharp yet filled with pain.

The last one was a giant rat comparable in size to a small elephant, with silver-gray fur and a tuft of golden hair on its forehead! It curled up under an ancient tree, clutching its right forelimb, which was clearly swollen and showed signs of ulceration, emitting a foul stench. This was a rodent-type Spirit Beast!

Medicine King Valley had tried various methods for their hidden injuries, but it was difficult to achieve a full recovery.

They could only keep them together to prevent them from going berserk and harming people.

The three Spirit Beasts immediately became alert upon sensing strangers approaching. The giant lizard raised its head and let out a low hiss, a fierce light flickering in its single eye. The goshawk's sharp gaze locked onto the group, its twisted left wing trembling slightly. The giant rat suddenly stood up, baring its sharp incisors and making a threatening "growl" in its throat. Its injured forelimb made its movements somewhat stumbling, but its ferocity remained undiminished.

A terrifying pressure mixed with wild hostility surged toward them. Xia Ya immediately held her shield in front, Ji Ruxue's figure moved slightly, and Qin Feng also gripped his sword hilt. Xiao Chun's face turned pale, intimidated by this Aura.

Vice Hall Master Lei hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "Please calm your anger, Old Ancestors! These people have been invited by the valley to treat your injuries..."

However, the Spirit Beasts' hostility did not lessen, especially the giant rat, which seemed exceptionally irritable due to the pain.

Just then, Xiao Chun suddenly remembered something. She hurriedly took a small cloth bag from her bosom and poured out the silver-glowing Spirit Whiskers gifted by the Mountain Spirit, Gray Shadow.

She didn't know if they would be useful, but with a try-it-and-see attitude, she held the Spirit Whiskers in her palm. Facing the direction of the irritable giant rat, she said in as gentle a tone as possible, "I... I mean no harm... These... were given to me by a rodent Senior..."

A miraculous scene occurred!

When the giant rat, which had been baring its teeth and full of hostility, saw the Spirit Whiskers in Xiao Chun's palm, its massive body suddenly jolted! Its blood-red, irritable eyes became clear at a speed visible to the naked eye. Its hostility dissipated rapidly, replaced by surprise, excitement, and even... a faint trace of awe!

It stopped growling and instead moved forward two steps cautiously. Its huge nose sniffed the air vigorously, its gaze tightly locked onto those few Spirit Whiskers. Then it looked up at Xiao Chun, its eyes full of inquiry.

Vice Hall Master Lei was stunned, and Qin Feng's group of three was also surprised.

Seeing that it was working, Xiao Chun grew bolder and explained softly, "These were gifted to me by a guardian Mountain Spirit Senior from the Misty Mountain Range named 'Gray Shadow.' He said... they might be of help to his kin."

"Gray Shadow... Guardian Mountain Spirit..." The giant rat actually spoke in human tongue, its voice muffled like thunder but carrying obvious excitement. "You... you've seen Gray Shadow? He's still alive? He even gave you Spirit Whiskers?"

Its massive head lowered, approaching Xiao Chun's palm to carefully sense the pure and familiar Aura of the same origin on the Spirit Whiskers. The wariness in its eyes completely vanished, replaced by a sense of closeness that was almost like filial devotion.

"The Old Ancestor's Spirit Whiskers... they contain the Old Ancestor's Qi and blessing..." The giant rat looked up, its gaze toward Xiao Chun having completely changed. "Human girl, you... you can try to treat my injury."

It proactively and gently extended its swollen and ulcerated forelimb to Xiao Chun.

Seeing this, the fierce light in the eyes of the nearby giant lizard and goshawk also weakened considerably. They curiously observed this human girl who could instantly calm the irritable "Gold Digging Rat."

Vice Hall Master Lei was dumbfounded, only murmuring after a long while, "I'll be damned... This Gold Digging Rat is one of the worst-tempered ones in the valley... And just like that... it's settled?"

Qin Feng felt a sense of relief and exchanged a look with Xiao Chun, both of their eyes filled with joy.

The first step was secure.