Cat Ghost

"Cat Immortal, there's no need."

Lin Chan shook his head in refusal.

How could he possibly follow a cat to cultivate? Was he supposed to cultivate himself into some human-demon?

As for letting Little Li go, that was even more ridiculous.

Little Li's intelligence was that of a two-year-old child. He could barely speak clearly and was not even as clever as Lin Chan's Cow Cat subordinate.

If Little Li were allowed to follow the Orange Cat in cultivation, he would be exposed within an hour.

"Why?"

The Orange Cat was somewhat displeased. A tiger with shallow cultivation had once wanted to take it as a master, and it had refused. Now it was being rejected by a tiny Tricolor Cat—where was it supposed to put its face?

"Cat Immortal, my master hired me to catch mice at home. I've also paid respects to the Kitchen God and entered into a Cat Contract. How could I leave without permission?"

Without even needing to think, Lin Chan came up with an extremely fitting excuse.

"You're not a dog. Why be so loyal?"

"Cat Immortal, is loyalty not a good thing?"

Lin Chan continued playing dumb. No matter what, he was not going to leave with the Orange Cat.

Though Lin Chan's words sounded innocent, there was truly no way to refute them. The Orange Cat fell silent for a long while before saying,

"There are no Cat Ghosts here. I plan to leave tomorrow. If you regret this, come find me here at the same time tomorrow, and I'll take you with me."

With that, the Orange Cat started walking away.

Its name was Ah Huang, and it was a cat disciple of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect. This time, it had descended the mountain to gain experience: first, to overcome its own Centennial Calamity; second, to eliminate Cat Ghosts.

Cat Ghosts were common monsters associated with cats. If a cat died with unresolved resentment, it might become a Cat Ghost. In cities where large numbers of cats gathered, Cat Ghosts could appear.

Some Evil Sorcerers also refined Cat Ghosts to harm people.

As a good demon cat of Shu Mountain, eliminating Cat Ghosts was a duty it could not shirk.

As for enlightening its fellow kind and spreading the Golden Flower Cat Moon Drawing Method, that was merely something it did along the way, to accumulate a little Good Karma.

It would only teach for one day. How much these fellow cats learned, or whether they learned it at all, Ah Huang would not concern itself with.

"Cat Immortal! My heart remains unchanged. Even tomorrow, I will not go with you."

Lin Chan caught up to Ah Huang.

He did not want to watch Ah Huang put on a play of feigned retreat. Even if the Orange Cat waited here tomorrow, he definitely would not come.

Ah Huang had originally intended to use the Moon Shadow Technique to flee swiftly, but seeing Lin Chan catch up, it stopped casting the technique and slowed its pace.

"Why are you so stubborn? Follow me in cultivation, and you'll have a chance to enter Shu Mountain and attain the Dao, ascending into immortality. Isn't that better than stubbornly clinging to your little master?"

Ah Huang could not understand why Lin Chan was so obstinate, nor did the other soul inside this cat come out to argue.

Ah Huang had never considered that Little Li's body had been taken over by Lin Chan.

After all, for a human to possess a cat—especially an ordinary Tricolor Cat that had not even set foot upon the path of cultivation—no one would believe it even if they were told.

Was being human not good enough that he had to become a cat?

Humans had been created by ancient immortal gods in imitation of the Dao Body. They were innately endowed with Dao resonance and suited to cultivation. Every member of the Demon Race who cultivated to a certain level longed for Form Transformation into a human.

"Shu Mountain?"

Lin Chan did not know about Ah Huang's private little schemes, but he had heard an extremely impressive word.

"The Shu Mountain Sword Sect, the greatest sect in Rong Country."

Ah Huang explained to Lin Chan with a hint of pride.

The Shu Mountain Sword Sect was a holy land that everyone in Rong Country's cultivation world longed to visit.

As a good demon of Shu Mountain, Ah Huang was quite proud.

"Are all the people in the Shu Mountain Sword Sect demons?"

Seeing even cats and dogs entering Shu Mountain, Lin Chan had thought it was some sort of Demon Cultivator alliance.

"Sigh! How could Shu Mountain have so many demons? It's very difficult for demons to enter Shu Mountain. Most of Shu Mountain's disciples are ordinary human cultivators."

Ah Huang was somewhat speechless. Talking to a mundane cat was truly exhausting.

Any demon with even a little cultivation would be scared out of its wits upon hearing the name Shu Mountain.

Only these mundane cats who knew nothing were fearless because they knew nothing.

"Cat Immortal, where is Shu Mountain?"

Once the topic turned to human cultivators, Lin Chan grew excited.

After nearly ten years, he had finally found news of cultivators.

"The Sword Sect is hidden amid the Shu Mountains. How could a little cat like you casually learn its location? Since you refuse to come with me, go back. I'm leaving the city."

Ah Huang did not want to speak with Lin Chan any further.

"Cat Immortal, my master is immensely wealthy. You taught me the Golden Flower Cat Moon Drawing Method today, and I wish to thank you by inviting you to my home for dried fish."

Hearing Ah Huang's impatience, Lin Chan said this.

"Th-That wouldn't be appropriate, would it?"

At the mention of dried fish, Ah Huang stopped.

"Cat Immortal, my home is this way. Please follow me!"

Lin Chan immediately led the way.

The two cats raced back to the Lin Family. After entering through the cat hole, Lin Chan took the Orange Cat straight into the kitchen.

When the Lin Family guard saw "Little Li," he was unsurprised and did not disturb them.

Dried fish, dried meat, live chickens, live rabbits...

After sampling every kind of meat in the kitchen, Ah Huang let out a satisfied burp. These things were even tastier than the food at Shu Mountain.

Demon Cultivators had no concept of fasting. Those with profound cultivation were merely better at enduring hunger.

"So you live with a wealthy family. No wonder you're unwilling to leave with me."

Ah Huang said this as though it had understood something.

"Cat Immortal, I am not someone who covets pleasure. It is only that my master has treated me well. I wish to wait until my master grows up, then go to Shu Mountain with him to cultivate."

Lin Chan hoodwinked Ah Huang.

"So you wanted to ask where Shu Mountain is."

Ah Huang nodded.

One who ate another's food could not be too harsh. Though its body was small, its stomach held another world. It had eaten more than a hundred jin of meat from the kitchen in one go, and it felt somewhat guilty.

"Ordinarily, I should not say much. But I can tell you this: the Shu Mountains are no secret. Even mortals know where they are. If you wish to take your little master to seek immortals, simply enter the Shu Mountains and find any mortal town to settle in. Every few years, the Sword Sect elders open the mountain gates to accept disciples. People from those small towns may participate as well."

Ah Huang spoke unhurriedly.

"Cat Immortal, I've remembered it all."

Lin Chan was delighted to receive this information.

"If you intend to go, go as soon as possible. Time waits for no cat."

Ah Huang added another unnecessary remark.

"Cat Immortal, I will cultivate diligently every day and never squander my time."

Lin Chan nodded solemnly. He knew Ah Huang was talking about cats like them—if they did not cultivate properly, they would not have much lifespan to spare.

"Good. Then I'll be leaving first. I hope that in a few years, I'll see you at Shu Mountain."

As Ah Huang spoke, it walked out of the kitchen and leaped onto the roof. Lin Chan followed close behind, preparing to see Ah Huang off a little farther.

"Safe travels, Cat Immortal!"

Watching Ah Huang depart, Lin Chan let out a meow.

The Orange Cat raced and leaped across the rooftops, growing faster and faster. In the end, it became a streak of light and shadow beneath the moon, vanishing from Lin Chan's sight.

While using the Moon Shadow Technique, Ah Huang, already far away, suddenly thought of something. It should have left Lin Chan with a technique, giving him some means to protect himself.

"That fellow is clever enough. He doesn't lack one or two techniques."

Before long, Ah Huang, the Orange Cat with a delicate Peachwood Sword strapped to its back, had cast the matter to the back of its mind.