It was June, the warm and comfortable early sumr season, and the various animals within Yuanting Academy were very active. As Hexia walked along the path, two grey and white squirrels suddenly sprang out of the bushes beside her, playfully chasing each other. It was unclear whether they were raised by the Academy or companions of a student.
On the nearby plaza, five crown birds with light yellow and yellowish feathers were circling and flying in the sky, forming a rotating crescent moon. Beneath them on the plaza, a second-year student rode past on a large curved-horn goat, its thick brown fur burying his lower half and looking extra fluffy.
Having not been here in almost half a year, the girl thought she might have missed out on quite a lot. She slowly stroked the Indigo Snake on her arm, lanting that its scales always felt slightly cold and not as comforting to touch as a furry animal.
Do I want to get a companion that's more comfortable to touch? She pondered this idea, but considering how busy she was at present, she had to sigh and dismiss the thought.
She probably wouldn't have the energy to nurture a new companion until the second sester of her second year, once she had everything organized and stable.
After spending a relaxing and comfortable morning, Hexia t up with l at an ice cream shop around 2 p.m.
"Hexia~"
As the girl stood in front of the shop, looking at the extensive nu, she heard l's familiar greeting coming from behind her.
Dressed in a light blue plaid skirt and holding a paper bag filled with things, cradling a grey moon cat in her arms, with her deep purple hair tied in a shoulder-length ponytail that cascaded over her shoulder, l trotted happily toward Hexia.
"Hexia is finally back."
As she approached, l set down the paper bag, and the gray moon cat miaowed and leaped away. Then she wrapped her arms around Hexia in a hug, holding her for a while before letting go.
"This sester, for a long ti Hexia didn't show up at all, I thought you had dropped out of the Academy." She spoke of her worries from so ti ago.
"Not at all, I just didn't expect the training to take up so much ti." Standing in the slightly intoxicating sumr breeze, the two caught up on old tis, each bought a colorfully dotted ice cream, and then continued their walk and chat.
The grey moon cat followed behind l, occasionally leaping up to catch birds or scurrying ahead and climbing trees to look around.
"First year is nearly over, and everyone is starting to co into contact with the taming of Transcendent creatures, and probably in the second year, we'll choose specific paths," l shared their current academic progress.
"Around that ti, we'll probably do a rough categorization, like birds, beasts, reptiles, fish, etc., while the third and fourth years will delve into more detailed and specialized learning," she added.
"Which category are you thinking of choosing, l?" the girl inquired.
"Definitely the one with the cats, I still want to keep a fierce lion, but grandma says I'm too weak, and it's not safe to interact with lions rashly," l said a little defiantly.
"Lions, huh? Indeed." If it's a Transcendent creature's Lion, its physique and strength would be further amplified, a single slap could be unbearable for a regular person.
The two discussed recent happenings at the Academy until they arrived at a lakeside pavilion to sit and rest.
"When will Hexia co over to my house? You promised last ti," l reminded Hexia.
"Hmm, maybe this ti, I just so happen to be free lately," the girl blinked.
"Yay~" l happily hugged the grey moon cat in her arms.
"Once we go back, I'll tell grandma, and then we'll prepare delicious food and fun things for Hexia," she thought. This child was truly carefree, possessed of a simple and pure kind of beautiful happiness.
"I'll look forward to it," Hexia said with a smile as well, and after they had rested well, they continued to go shopping.
"What are you planning to buy, Hexia?" l watched as the girl led her into the shopping street next to the campus, where many students gathered, along with so tourists who ca to see the Transcendent animals.
"I'm going to buy so food for the two little ones at ho, and then prepare so gifts for friends." The Northern First District retained many of the past traditions, and several handmade products still held significant sentintal value.
"I know where to go for that, just follow ." l's eyes lit up at this, and she led Hexia through the bustling comrcial street before entering one of the side streets.
The shops on both sides of the street were mostly related to nurturing Transcendent animals, including pet stores selling various harmless, beautiful, and charming creatures, businesses that sold Spiritual dicine and other resources needed to cultivate Transcendent creatures, and more feeding stores, toy stores, and ho furnishing stores that Revolved around pets and provided a significant source of inco for the Academy.
"Ding-a-ling~"
After entering the store, a clear sound of wind chis rang out, and then Hexia took the ti to carefully observe the shop.
The shelves were lined with pet food packaged in various oil-paper bags, marked with illustrations of the different animals they were intended for, and the uniform packaging style had a professional feel.
The store wasn't too crowded or too empty, and the custors, seemingly regulars, went straight to the point without needing to look closely to choose.
"Tongtong sister~" As she entered the store, l waved to the sales clerk and the owner, a mature woman in a tight black T-shirt who turned her head. Her attire was primarily red and black: a black T-shirt, a deep red skirt, black tights, and she held a card machine she had just used to complete a transaction for a custor.
"Is that you, l? What brings you over today?" After seeing off a custor, she walked over, patted l on the head, and then turned her attention to Hexia standing by her side.
"This is my classmate and good friend, Hexia. She's here to buy so food for her companion," l introduced the grey-haired girl beside her.
"Hello, I'm Hexia," the girl said briefly, then summoned the big spider from the shadow behind her, picked it up, and the Indigo Snake that had been coiling around her arm also crawled onto her shoulder, curiously lifting its head to look at the woman in front of her.
Looking at the two creatures on Hexia, the big sister narrowed her eyes and lightly tapped her chin with her index finger.
"Hmm, that is unusual. Let think," she said and then asked Hexia.
"The spider seems to be a subspecies of the Burrow Wolf Spider, and the snake doesn't look like a common venomous one. It's non-venomous, right?"
"Yes, it's an Indigo Snake that likes sunshine. It's non-venomous," the girl said as she gently pressed the snake on her shoulder, signaling it not to hiss at people.
"A girl who keeps snakes and spiders, quite brave of you. I'll go upstairs to check; there should be food suitable for an Indigo Snake. As for the Burrow Wolf Spider, that shouldn't be difficult." Having said that, she asked the two to wait a mont and then went upstairs.
After a short while, the big sister ca downstairs with two bags of sealed pet food.
"This one is 'Transparent Glint-mouth'Bream' that's roasted, and this one is 'White Sun Quail Eggs.' They are at and egg pet foods related to 'sunlight' and 'light' properties, suitable for the Indigo Snake," she explained, holding the two bags of special pet food.
"We had a custor who ordered this food for their 'Sun Fury Turtle,' but he's recently gone on a trip to another Star Domain and said he won't be back until the second half of the year, so we can sell it to Hexia in advance. After that, I'll reorder two portions."
"As for the Burrow Wolf Spider, here we have 'Red Nectar Protein Spheres,' loved by most insectoid Transcendent creatures." With that, she took out two more bags of pet food from the shelf and picked up two transparent small spheres from the sample counter, placing them in Hexia's hands.
"They are rich in nutrients and have the sweetness of red honey. They can also replenish so Magic Power and nourish the body, so they are popular with Transcendent creatures and a common choice of pet food."
"That's very attentive."
Although Hexia had read up on so related knowledge from books, gathering Magic Power was effortless for her due to her Talent, and she seldom fed her pets special food. However, ordinary people needed to provide their companions with purified Magic Power-enriched pet food that had Transcendent effects for rapid growth.
"Yeah, I usually co here to buy food for my cats. Sister Tongtong was my mother's student, very professional and amazing, and she takes good care of ," l said happily.
"Didn't you bring your cat today, l?" The big sister asked with a smile, then leaned over to inquire.
"I did." After saying that, l called out to the grey moon cat that had been playing outside the store, and it squeezed into the shop, jumping easily onto her shoulder.
"ow~" The cat recognized the woman in front of it and owed in a flattering tone.
After giving the little one a few tasty nutritional beans, Hexia and l sat down inside the store, listening to Sister Tongtong explain what to pay attention to when feeding, such as the amount, storage, how to prevent stealing, and how to teach manners, among other things.
When the two left the store, an hour had gone by.
"Sister Tongtong was really good at her studies, but she wasn't interested in fighting and such, so she opened this store later on," l told stories about the big sister.
"Is l's mother also a teacher?" Hexia asked curiously.
"Yes, my mother, grandmother, and uncle are all teachers, but I don't want to be a teacher," she shared her own little idea.
"Why not?"
"Being a kid is great because you get taken care of by older brothers and sisters, and uncles and aunts, but being a teacher ans you have to take care of others," l said earnestly.
"That... is a very down-to-earth reason."
The two walked along the street and then went to the other side of the business district, buying many special souvenirs. As the sun set in the west, they finally headed back together.
After spending a busy ti in Edith, Hexia could finally rest and relax for a few days in Yuanting. Walking along the sun-drenched forest path and sitting on the grass with other students for lectures, soaring over the mountains on giant birds, overlooking the scenery, and sitting in an underwater restaurant by the lake discussing recent fun events with everyone.
Before they realized it, a week had passed, and l's family sent an email formally inviting Hexia to visit.
She boarded the mountain tram unique to the Northern First District, shuttling along the steep cliffs, Hexia watched the scenery gradually enter the heart of the mountains, and amidst these towering mountains, a cluster of ancient-style buildings appeared before her, with snow-white walls, deep purple roof tiles, wavy shells-like side walls, and curved round rooftops, densely nestled in the high mountain valleys.
"Purple Spiral Valley station, arriving," the tram announcent ca through, and Hexia and l got out of the carriage, standing on the platform at the edge of the high cliff.
The wind blew down from the distant azure sky, rolling up the white wolf-tail grass of the mountains, the warm breeze lifted the hem of the skirts, then poured down again, blowing towards this serene and peaceful secluded place.
No wonder l has such an innocent character; perhaps it's because she grew up on this secluded land.
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