Chapter 49 – Child Welfare Agents Concerned as Florida Man Let Infant Daughter Wander in Forest
Amazonian Sanctuary was a lot different from cultivator sects and clans – It was similar to a charity organization, which sheltered and nurtured female martial artists and cultivators without seeking profits.
In this world, cultivators ran rampant and used their strength advantage to bully the weak. Beautiful women, elders, children, and commoners were usually abused and exploited. As a result, female cultivators banded together and created Amazonian Sanctuary to shelter and protect themselves. They also educated women on self-defense techniques. If they had a high aptitude for cultivation, elders of the sanctuary always took them in and trained them. However, they only accepted female disciples.
Commoners favored the Sanctuary. Many people donated their food to show support for these female cultivators. Slowly over time, the sanctuary became a famous place for female cultivators to join. More young girls joined the sanctuary.
When cultivators advanced through the ranks, their physique and appearance were refined. And when adult women refined their physiques, they became more beautiful. Soon, their reputation preceded them and brought them danger. Many sects and clans heard their fames and sent delegations to befriend them, hoping to seduce a few of their members to become their brides.
Their motives disgusted and terrified the sanctuary's women. As they were afraid of being seized by male cultivators, they trained harder, and they actively recruited strong prospects to become their sanctuary guardians.
Xu Nuan was a 113-year-old headhunting elder of the Amazonian Sanctuary, and she was in charge of recruiting prospects and talented women. Her specialties were monster beast taming and veterinary.
Per the regulations of the sanctuary, Xu Nuan covered her appearance under the long thick veils that extended from her triangle straw hat. Her cloth mask and her green robes also hid most of her skin, except her hands.
Originally, Xu Nuan and her scout team planned to visit Magpie City in searching for talented young girls among the commoners. Their flying ship flew from Eiei Province from the east to the west, heading directly to the Life Sword Sect.
However, along the way, Xu Nuan noticed a strong aura of a monster. As a tamer, she was interested in how a monster managed to survive near a cultivator city. Xu Nuan ordered the ship to stop. She then jumped down from her ship to inspect the monster.
Then, Xu Nuan found a chomper plant monster. She noticed that the monster had already evolved several times, and she was about to condense her humanoid physique, judging from the upper torso that grew out from the monster's head.
'A plant monster… Isn't this a dryad?'
Xu Nuan was surprised. She looked at the brown-skinned infant, who flailed her arms around as if she was not used to her new body. As an experienced veterinarian, she identified Cat's age instantly.
'A-An infant?! She has just been born recently?! But her strength…'
Xu Nuan gulped. As a nascent soul cultivator, she could see her aura, but she couldn't see Cat's hidden dao avatar. Judging from the the intensity of Cat's Qi volume, the monster was as strong as her.
'A 4th-stage monster? But she's still an infant! How can she reach this stage so fast? Even monster beasts in the mystic realms require at least 300 to 400 years to reach this stage. Right, does she have an owner or a parent?'
While Xu Nuan pondered, Cat initiated the conversation first.
"Nom-Nom Meow?"
'Huh? Hehe, she's funny.'
Xu Nuan felt like she was looking at an innocent monster child. She asked for Cat's origin.
"Hello, child. How does an infant dryad like you manage to survive here all alone? Where is your parent?"
"Meow?" Cat tilted both her heads.
Noticing that Cat didn't understand her, Xu Nuan giggled and summoned her Dao Avatar. A spirit of a 5-meter-tall gorgeous maiden appeared. Her celestial robes barely covered anything, but nobody was there to admire the spirit's seductive body.
The spirit extended her hand and patted Cat's humanoid head. The large finger gently stroke her head and wiped the dirt off her face. Then, it disappeared.
Cat purred. She felt nice. Moreover, she felt like she understood Xu Nuan's thoughts.
"What's your name?" Asked Xu Nuan.
"Meow!"
Xu Nuan nodded. Just now, she connected her mind with Cat's, allowing them to directly communicate via telepathy. She slowly adapted to Cat's thoughts.
"Your name is Cat? Oh, you have a master, I see. Who is your master?"
"Muu… Meow?"
"Your master is… your father?"
"Meow <3"
"You love him, I see. He must be a good father."
"Meow! Meow, meow. Meow meow!"
Cat didn't stop meowing. She narrated the battle between her and the mysterious assassins in black clothes. And then, when she was injured, Leo came to save her. He then defeated everybody instantly.
Xu Nuan didn't understand the meow language, but she perceived the thoughts and Cat's memory. She was astonished by the story, and she respected Leo, who fought to protect the little girl.
At first, Xu Nuan thought of taming Cat and bringing her back to the sanctuary. But after listening to her, Xu Nuan changed her mind.
There was no point in taking her away from a good parent. Instead, Xu Nuan wanted to meet Leo to satisfy her curiosity. After all, a man who treated a monster nicely couldn't be a bad person.
"Nom-Nom Meow?"
Unfortunately, Cat was a glutton. She never forgot that Xu Nuan hadn't paid the toll fee yet.
Xu Nuan couldn't stop laughing. She ejected a skinned deer's carcass and gave it to the chomper. Cat caught it with her monster mouth and chew it in glee.
After feeding the dryad, Xu Nuan asked her again.
"Where is your parent? Can you tell me?"
"Meow <3"
Cat hummed and started walking back to the general store. Xu Nuan smiled and followed after her. While she was at it, she sent a telepathic message to her disciples and followers on her ship.
'Park the ship and follow me. Do not cause trouble.'
.
.
"Finally done."
Leo finished cleaning the granary. He looked at the half-eaten potato piles that he separated for Cat, thinking about how quick they rot. He also thought about the Yang Poison that the system mentioned.
'Should I research the rotting potato?'
Leo went to check on the alchemy workshops. Unfortunately, they were still in the middle of making Yang Flame Dan, so Leo couldn't do anything about them.
Since the cauldrons were busy, Leo postponed the research project for now. He turned his attention to the warehouse automaton – It still worked at its own pace, collecting nuts and pine leaves around the warehouse.
Leo was relieved that he got a helper. He left it alone and walked toward the stacks of iron pine logs, which hadn't been processed or peeled yet. For the sake of killing time, Leo cut the branches and roots with his hands. Then, he threw everything except the main trunk to the side and began peeling the tree's bark.
Working was one of the best ways to strengthen one's concentration and prevent ADHD. Leo forgot about everything else and was absorbed in the job.
A few hours later, Cat returned. She visited him in the backyard and nudged her head against his back.
"Meow <3"
Leo rolled his eyes and stopped working on the 4th log of the day. He wiped his hands using a robe of a dead assassin. Then, he patted the chomper.
"What? Are you reflecting on your mistake?"
"Meow."
"Huh? Do we have a guest?"
Leo looked up and noticed that Cat had developed an upper torso of a baby girl. She looked like a newborn infant, and her chubby arms and face looked adorable.
He deeply sighed. Leo was aware of Cat's identity as a dryad, and he already expected this to happen.
"You've evolved well."
"Meow <3"
Leo snickered and softly pinched the chubby cheek of the infant girl. Then, he pointed at the mutated corpse of Ouyang Ting, "Don't bring guests to the backyard. Also, that stupid corpse is getting smelly. Get rid of it for me. I have no use for it anymore."
"Nom-Nom Meow <3"
Cat giggled and ran toward the hanging corpse. She skillfully pulled the body out of the hook and threw it into the large mouth. The sound of broken bones and crushed meat followed.
Leo put on a newly washed robe, which once belonged to one of the assassins. He then rushed to the front store to welcome the guest. When Leo got to the front store, he saw an elderly lady in green robes. Moreover, he sensed 20 life signatures behind her, but they were 200 meters away.
The woman frowned as soon as she noticed the uniform of the Hound Squad. Although she looked disturbed, she fixed her expression and cupped her fist.
"Greetings, senior. My Daoist Name is Beast Mother, and I come from the Amazonian Sanctuary. Excuse me for the sudden visit, but is it you who raises the dryad?"
"Oh," Leo glanced at the backyard. He sighed, "Hello, ma'am. Did my kid cause you trouble?"
"No, not at all."
Xu Nuan glanced at Leo's uniform. She also noticed that Leo had the same aura as a soul formation cultivator. As someone with a lower cultivation base, Xu Nuan didn't dare to be rude.
'Is he someone from the Hound Squad of the despicable Ouyang Clan? He doesn't look like one. I heard their members were trash-like cultivators. I never heard that a soul formation cultivator was one of their members… Ah, right. I'm stupid. That girl just told me.'
Xu Nuan wanted to smack her head as she recalled Cat's story.
'The dryad said her master slaughtered a group of assassins that hurt her. Did he destroy the Hound Squad and got their clothes? Doesn't he have better clothes to wear? Why is he wearing that cursed uniform?'
She no longer suspected that Leo had any connection to the Hound Squad. However, she asked him to make sure.
"Senior, sir. I see that you're wearing the uniform of an assassin trope. May I ask what your relationship with the Ouyang family is?"
"Ouyang family?" Leo raised his brow. He felt like he heard that name before, but he couldn't remember. It sounded important, but Leo completely forgot about it.
Seeing Leo's confused expression, Xu Nuan dryly laughed, "If you aren't willing to disclose the detail, then please forget it. Forgive this junior for stepping out of the line."
Leo didn't listen to Xu Nuan. He kept thinking, trying to recall his memory. Afraid that he might have dementia, Leo worked hard to think.
Then, he remembered.
"Ah, Ouyang guys. I remember someone by the name of Ouyang… Size. No, Ouyang… Width? Ouyang Short? Ah, stupid me. Ouyang Long! Yes, Ouyang Long! That Long-Long-Man. Right. Oh, please excuse me. I'm getting old and forgetful. That Ouyang Long guy said something about I killed his son, and then, he tried to kill me. Of course, I clapped his butt cheeks and sent him to the afterlife. Are you looking for him or related to him?"
"…"
Xu Nuan heard something unbelievable. She widened her eyes and swallowed her saliva in shock.
'Is he insane?! Did he kill Ouyang Long? That Ouyang Long, one of Jianghu Alliance's elders?!'
Xu Nuan coughed and secretly wiped her sweat. She lowered her head and asked again.
"May I know your name, sir?"
Leo widely grinned. He loved it when people asked for his name. Although he wanted to say "John Cena" for a laugh, he minded his manner and used his old alias.
"Florida Man. That's my Daoist Title."
"… Florida?"
