The fright from the nightmare gradually subsided under the jade pendant's solace, but that heavy sense of urgency had already taken deep root in Xiao Qi's heart. He knew he must grow faster, both in cultivation and in mastering the power of the jade pendant and the frying pan. The next day, after completing his daily cultivation routine, he brought along a piece of meat jerky—carefully roasted in the frying pan to preserve the natural aroma of the food yet containing no spiritual energy—and once again came to the secret base.
The rabbit spirit seemed to have long sensed his arrival. The moment he parted the brambles, it darted out like a white bolt of lightning, affectionately rubbing against his trousers, its ruby‑red eyes sparkling with joy. When Xiao Qi produced the roasted jerky wrapped in clean leaves, it grew even more excited, hopping in place a few times, then carefully took the offering in its mouth and crouched to one side. It nibbled the meat in tiny, deliberate bites, cherishing every morsel, emitting satisfied purring sounds. Watching the rabbit spirit like this, the gloom left by the nightmare in Xiao Qi's heart also began to disperse. Around this simple little spirit creature, he always felt a rare sense of ease and tranquillity.
After finishing the treat, the rabbit spirit licked its paws with lingering relish, then suddenly stood up on its hind legs, tugged at Xiao Qi's trousers, and pointed a paw toward a dense thicket deep within the abandoned herb garden, near the cliff face. Its red eyes held a secretive look that seemed to say, "Follow me, I'll show you a good place." Xiao Qi, curious, followed it.
The rabbit spirit nimbly slipped into the thicket; Xiao Qi had to bend low, pushing aside branches and leaves as he struggled to keep up. Passing through the shrubs, at the base of the cliff there suddenly appeared a narrow opening, cleverly concealed by vines and just large enough for a person to crouch through. The rabbit spirit went in first, then turned back and chirped twice at Xiao Qi, beckoning him to follow. Xiao Qi hesitated—the entrance looked dark and deep, leading who‑knew‑where. But seeing the rabbit spirit's utterly unguarded, expectant gaze, he chose to trust it and ducked inside.
At first the passage was extremely narrow, barely admitting a person; after a few steps, however, it suddenly opened wide. Inside was not the damp, gloomy cave he had imagined, but a dry, well‑ventilated natural stone chamber about ten feet square. A few fine cracks in the ceiling let in slender shafts of daylight, faintly illuminating the interior. What truly made Xiao Qi stare in astonishment was the small heap at the center of the room… the "treasure."
It was a little mound piled with all sorts of shiny objects! There were stones of various colours and irregular shapes, reflecting a dull lustre in the dim light—mostly ordinary crystals or mineral fragments utterly devoid of spiritual energy. There were several beautifully coloured feathers from unknown birds; some smooth, rounded pebbles that looked as if they had been polished by river water for countless years; and even a few fingernail‑sized pieces that emitted an extremely faint pulse of spiritual energy—low‑grade spirit stones! Though their quality was mixed and their spiritual energy thin, far inferior to those issued by the sect, they were genuine spirit stones nonetheless!
Proudly, the rabbit spirit hopped beside the pile of "treasure," scratched at it a few times with its paw, picked up the brightest piece—a pinkish crystal stone—and presented it to Xiao Qi as if offering a prized possession. Its sparkling red eyes seemed to say, "See! My collection! Pretty amazing, huh?"
Xiao Qi looked at this heap of "treasures" that in a cultivator's eyes amounted to little better than rubbish, then at the rabbit spirit's "praise me!" expression of triumph, and for a moment didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He accepted the pink crystal; it felt cool to the touch and, aside from being pretty, was indeed quite useless. Yet he soon grasped the meaning behind the rabbit spirit's act. This cave was clearly the rabbit spirit's most hidden lair, the place where it kept its most precious "possessions." That it was willing to show this place to him, even share its "collection," represented a wholehearted, utmost trust! What courage must it take for a tiny spirit creature surviving in the perilous back mountains to expose its den and all its "belongings" to an outsider?
An indescribable warmth surged in Xiao Qi's heart. He crouched down, showing not the slightest trace of disdain toward the pile of "treasures." Instead, he examined them earnestly, picking up a beautiful blue feather, stroking those low‑grade spirit stones, and turning to the rabbit spirit with a sincere smile. "A wonderful collection! These stones and feathers are truly lovely!"
The rabbit spirit seemed to understand his praise and grew even happier, spinning in place several times. Then it dug out a small black stone with a metallic sheen from the heap and pressed it into Xiao Qi's hand, motioning for him to keep it. Xiao Qi looked at the still‑useless little stone in his palm, now bearing the rabbit spirit's wholehearted sentiment, and gave a solemn nod, carefully tucking it inside his robe. "Thank you, I like it very much."
He understood that for the rabbit spirit, these shiny things were all the wealth in its world. It was willing to share because it regarded him as its most important companion. This pure, unadorned trust was more precious than any heaven‑and‑earth treasure. In this dog‑eat‑dog, survival‑of‑the‑fittest cultivation world, how extraordinarily fortunate he was to receive a friendship that crossed species boundaries!
He did not disturb the rabbit spirit further as it delightedly admired its treasure, but simply sat quietly nearby, watching it roll and play among the glittering objects, enjoying its simple happiness. The heaviness and urgency in his heart seemed softened for the moment by this innocence.
When he left the treasure cave, Xiao Qi glanced back at the vine‑concealed entrance, his heart filled with warmth and a sense of responsibility. Not only must he guard his own secrets, he must also protect this simple little spirit creature's trust and peace. This secret base, and the rabbit within it, had already become a haven on his long, arduous cultivation path—a place where he could shed all pretence and find pure solace.