Under the guidance of the maid, the two followed the winding corridor and eventually arrived at an elegantly decorated VIP room.
When Gu Feng saw the beast-eared girl cowering in the corner of the room inside a taming cage, his footsteps abruptly halted. A flash of astonishment crossed his face before he turned to the maid beside him and questioned, "I've already purchased her, so why is she still locked in a cage?"
The maid bowed slightly, her posture respectful as she explained, "Esteemed guest, this beast girl may appear cute and docile at first glance."
"But in reality, her temperament is extremely ferocious. When we captured her, many of our auction house's guards were viciously attacked by her. For your safety, it's better to keep her locked up."
Gu Feng slowly walked toward the taming cage, peering through the dense bars at the beast-eared girl curled up inside.
When he saw the crisscrossing wounds, some deep and some shallow, covering her body, he instantly understood everything. With a firm tone, he said, "No need to worry. Just open the cage."
The maid's expression turned troubled. After hesitating for a while, she finally nodded helplessly and turned toward the door, clapping her hands lightly.
In the blink of an eye, two burly men entered, holding specially crafted chains. They carefully unlocked the cage.
The moment the cage opened, the beast-eared girl exploded with astonishing ferocity, like a lit powder keg.
"Roar—"
She bared her sharp tiger-like teeth, letting out a low growl that only a wild beast would make. Her fierce eyes locked onto Gu Feng, as if she would pounce on him like a starving wolf in the next second, tearing him to shreds.
This savage gaze even made the usually bold Dugu Yan instinctively take a step back, a trace of panic flashing across her face. "Xiao Feng, be careful."
The maid, seeing this, quickly warned, "Esteemed guest, please be extremely cautious. This mutated beast girl's physical abilities far surpass those of an ordinary person, and her attack power is formidable."
However, Gu Feng seemed not to hear her. Not only did he not retreat, but the corners of his lips curled into a warm, spring-like smile.
He slowly reached out his hand, gently stroking the beast-eared girl's head.
The beast-eared girl stiffened at first, clearly caught off guard by this sudden gesture.
When she reacted, she instinctively wanted to pounce and bite Gu Feng. But just as she was about to act, she suddenly sensed that the person before her didn't seem to harbor any ill intent.
Moreover… the hand stroking her head felt as warm as a mother's embrace.
Gu Feng was quite skilled at handling, ahem…
Gu Feng was quite adept at dealing with people who had emotional voids.
For someone like the beast-eared girl, who had been captured immediately after her Martial Soul awakened, she must be severely lacking in love.
In psychology, there's a personality type known as the love-deprived personality.
Due to childhood trauma, such individuals tend to be distant from others, even preferring to be alone. But once they receive even a hint of kindness from a stranger, they will remember it deeply.
This is why there's a saying that the wounds of childhood can never be healed in a lifetime.
Gu Feng's voice grew even gentler, as if soothing a frightened little animal: "Will you come with me? From now on, no one will hurt you again."
"Come... with you?" The beast-eared girl's voice was hoarse and hesitant, perhaps because she hadn't spoken in a long time, or perhaps because it was the first time she had genuinely felt kindness from a stranger, leaving her momentarily at a loss for words.
"Yes, you probably haven't found the meaning of living yet, have you? In fact, everyone in this vast world has their own unique purpose for existence," Gu Feng patiently explained, his eyes filled with sincerity and hope.
"The meaning of living?" The beast-eared girl murmured the words, the ferocity in her eyes gradually fading, replaced by a hint of confusion and curiosity.
"Of course," Gu Feng nodded slightly, his gaze falling on a lily on the windowsill. "Just like this flower, it strives to grow and blooms to its fullest. And now, I pluck it and give it to you. This is its purpose at this moment." As soon as he finished speaking, as if performing a magical trick, a pristine white lily appeared in his hand, which he gently offered to the beast-eared girl.
The beast-eared girl instinctively reached out and took the lily, momentarily flustered. Ever since her Martial Soul awakened, she had only encountered endless scolding and abuse. This was the first time in her life that someone had treated her with such gentleness.
"Then what is my purpose?" The beast-eared girl looked up, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes, and asked softly.
Gu Feng looked at her, his gaze tender, and said, "Living doesn't necessarily have to have a purpose, but as long as you keep living, you will surely find something interesting. Just like how you now have that flower, and I found you."
After hearing this, the beast-eared girl tightly clutched the lily, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't hold back any longer, and all the grievances she had accumulated over time burst forth at this moment, and she began to cry uncontrollably.
Seeing this, Gu Feng gently embraced her, as if trying to convey all his warmth to her.
Dugu Yan, watching from the side, felt a mix of emotions. She was both surprised and somewhat impressed by Gu Feng's actions.
The maidservant and the two burly men were also astonished. They had never seen anyone so easily tame this "ferocious" beast-eared girl.
Gu Feng tilted his head slightly and asked softly, "Do you have a name?"
The beast-eared girl lowered her head slightly, her voice tinged with a hint of barely concealed self-doubt, and whispered, "No, I don't. My mother used to call me Xiao Na, but they said that wasn't a real name."
Gu Feng's lips curved into a gentle smile as he carefully considered each word, "Then how about we call you Shana? A fleeting encounter, but an eternal companionship. This name represents the special moment of our meeting and also signifies grasping the long years of the future."
Shana looked up, her eyes glistening with tears yet filled with joy, and nodded vigorously, "Okay, Shana wants to grasp the future!"
Gu Feng gently ruffled Shana's hair and said warmly, "From now on, call me Young Master. Oh, and there's one more thing I need to ask you. What level is your Innate Soul Power?"
Upon hearing this, Shana's little brow immediately furrowed as she fell into deep thought.
She slowly extended her ten slender fingers, counting them one by one with great seriousness, muttering under her breath, "1, 2... 7."
After finishing the count, it was as if she had solved a difficult problem. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she looked excitedly at Gu Feng.
"I remember now, Young Master! Shana's Innate Soul Power is level 7!"
(End of Chapter)