Nine-tailed Strange Cat (Please Vote!)

"Young Master, you're here!"

Tuoba Hongshan had just returned with a group of men. When he saw Lin Hao, he hurriedly spoke.

"Did you find any useful information?"

Lin Hao gestured for him not to stand on ceremony, then asked.

"We found some, but not much, and it's all rather scattered. After all, too much time has passed, and many things crumble apart at the slightest touch.

We guess this was a village similar to an outpost. The people in the village probably liked fire.

There's also a small path from here to the Mist Zone. I think that's where the real focus is!

But we simply can't enter the Mist Zone. After going in and wandering around for a while, we found ourselves back outside.

My guess is that an array has been set up there, and it's of a very high level. Even His Excellency Dragon Spear had the same experience after entering!"

Tuoba Hongshan set down his things, took a drink of water, and spoke.

Lin Hao thought for a moment before instructing him, "In that case, it should be something like a Mountain Protecting Array. We'll probably need some kind of special token to enter.

Over the next few days, lead some people in cleaning up this underground space. Search around while you're at it. It's fine if you find nothing; the place isn't going anywhere.

From now on, this will be our base in the Star Dou Great Forest and a training ground for cultivating talent. Discuss among yourselves how to develop this place."

He had yet to summon any special underlings skilled in arrays, so there was no other way to get inside.

"Understood. Then, Young Master, I'll get back to work first!"

Tuoba Hongshan nodded, rose to his feet, and said.

"Alright. Yuanxin, you should get busy too. I'll look around by myself!"

Lin Hao looked at the absent-minded Yao Yuanxin beside him and felt somewhat helpless. This guy was an alchemy fanatic!

"Yes, Young Master!"

Yao Yuanxin hurriedly got up and headed toward the Alchemy Room.

Lin Hao then rose and looked around the area. Most things had indeed decayed beyond recognition, leaving little information to be gleaned.

As he wandered around, Long Xiaoyao arrived. The first thing he asked was, "Young Master, have we run into trouble? Why is Flame Girl slaughtering people outside?"

"Trouble? No. A few small-time thieves were following Hongshan and the others. I was worried word might get out, so I sent her to silence them!"

Lin Hao froze for a moment, then waved his hand and asked, "Is Ling Ji causing much of a commotion?"

"No. I just happened to pass by and noticed it. I originally wanted to help her, but she was worried there would be no one to protect you, Young Master, so she sent me here!"

"That's fine, then. You came at just the right time. Hongshan has already prepared lunch. Ling Ji will probably need a while longer, so we won't wait for her. Let's go eat first!"

Tuoba Hongshan was quite perceptive. He had specifically asked an underling with good cooking skills to prepare a lavish meal for everyone, filling the air with an enticing aroma.

Their food had not been terrible before, but they usually ate whatever was available. It was rare for them to have such a grand meal!

Lin Hao offered words of encouragement to his many underlings, then began eating and chatting with Long Xiaoyao. He planned to have Long Xiaoyao test the mist array later!

What they did not know was that, deep within the Mist Zone, a cat with nine tails lightly sniffed the air, as though it had caught a scent.

The next moment, it sped toward Lin Hao and the others without making a sound, producing neither Soul Power fluctuations nor any trace of an aura.

A moment later, just as Lin Hao was about to savor the final piece of meat—his favorite hind leg—an afterimage flashed past, and the meat in his hand vanished.

The next instant, several meters away, a plump Nine-Tailed Cat was happily gnawing on his meat.

In just a few bites, the creature swallowed the meat. After finishing, it even licked its lips as though savoring the aftertaste!

Lin Hao could not help being stunned. This was the first time he had encountered a cat-type Soul Beast so bold. Not only was it unafraid of humans, it even dared to snatch their food!

More importantly, Lin Hao had heard Tuoba Hongshan say that there were no beast-type Soul Beasts here. The creature's origin was practically obvious!

Lin Hao did not act rashly. Every sign suggested that this Soul Beast was anything but ordinary, so he quickly looked toward Long Xiaoyao.

Long Xiaoyao was also somewhat shocked. He had not sensed any movement just now, and he could not determine this Soul Beast's species or age either!

Logically speaking, this strange cat was only the size of an ordinary housecat, so at most it should have been a ten-year Soul Beast. Yet even a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast should not have been able to evade his senses!

Even stranger, despite Long Xiaoyao looking directly at it now, he still could not sense this Soul Beast's aura. That was terrifying!

While Lin Hao and Long Xiaoyao did not react, the strange cat certainly did. Perhaps it had discovered just how delicious the barbecue was.

Afterimages flashed one after another as the creature devoured the meat belonging to the other underlings as well!

That immediately provoked everyone's anger. The many underlings glared at the cat with unfriendly eyes. At a single command from Lin Hao, they would attack it at once!

After seeing this, Lin Hao gave Tuoba Hongshan a look. Tuoba Hongshan immediately circulated his Soul Power and pounced toward the strange cat!

Faced with this, the strange cat was not afraid in the slightest. It even wore a mischievous, almost humanlike smile.

Enough was enough. Lin Hao immediately decided that once they caught it, he would teach it a proper lesson.

Just as Lin Hao thought Tuoba Hongshan was about to catch the strange cat, the Nine-Tailed Cat moved. With a light dodge, it avoided Tuoba Hongshan's pounce!

Tuoba Hongshan's attack was only the beginning. The other underlings also circulated their Soul Power and began surrounding the strange cat. For a time, the entire space descended into chaos.

They struggled for five or six minutes, yet still failed to catch the strange cat. Lin Hao even saw it stick its rear end out at him, clearly knowing that he was the leader!

How could Lin Hao tolerate that? He immediately looked toward Long Xiaoyao, wanting him to make a move as well!

Seeing Tuoba Hongshan and the others looking so bedraggled, Long Xiaoyao was somewhat reluctant, but since Young Master had asked, he could not refuse. He immediately got to his feet and prepared to act!

At that moment, perhaps sensing a threat, or perhaps for some other reason, the strange cat darted toward the mist.

But strangely enough, this time they could see its figure, as though it were deliberately letting them follow!

Long Xiaoyao's earlier reluctance was immediately swept away by the provocation. He turned serious and, without a second thought, sped after it.

When Lin Hao saw this, he led the others after him as well. Just like that, a group of people chased a cat to the edge of the Mist Zone.

At this point, Lin Hao sensed that something was wrong. He felt that the cat was deliberately luring them into the Mist Zone, so he shouted, "Uncle Long, stop chasing it! The Mist Zone isn't safe!"

"Yes, Young Master!"

Long Xiaoyao hurriedly stopped. At that moment, seeing that they were no longer pursuing it, the strange cat turned around.

It actually walked straight toward Lin Hao, meowing as though it wanted to convey something.

Lin Hao could not understand its cat language, but from its actions, he quickly grasped its meaning. It seemed to want him to follow it!