Little Kitten

On the edge of an inconspicuous grove at Shrek Academy, Xiao Wu stood gracefully, one hand resting against a tree trunk. Her gaze pierced through the dappled shade, landing on the backs of Qian Yun and Hu Liena as they walked away.

She didn't know what kind of mood she was in at this moment. Recalling the time she had just spent alone with Qian Yun, it was just like their first meeting—Qian Yun always arrived suddenly and left in a hurry. Only this time, he had undoubtedly left a deeper mark on Xiao Wu's heart.

Xiao Wu stood on her tiptoes, watching infatuatedly as Qian Yun's figure disappeared from sight. Thinking of his uncompromising attitude toward her just now, and the way she had called him "Master" from the bottom of her heart when he pinned her down, Xiao Wu blushed and cursed under her breath, "Stinky boss, you're so rude. You don't know how to cherish a girl at all."

Xiao Wu pouted in grievance. The slap Qian Yun had given her on the backside was still stinging even now. Never in her life had she been treated like that. Everyone around her, whether it was Tang San, Grandmaster, or anyone else, held her in the palms of their hands, granting her every request.

A gust of wind blew, causing the leaves to rustle. The sudden movement made Xiao Wu realize her own boldness. She turned her head sharply, but seeing no sign of Qian Yun, she patted her chest, "Phew, that scared me."

Xiao Wu rubbed her backside. Perhaps even she hadn't realized that, deep down, she didn't actually hate Qian Yun's rough treatment; instead, she found it... rather special?

"Forget it, I'll ignore him. Xiao Wu is going to eat." Xiao Wu tidied up her chaotic thoughts and finally pulled herself together, walking with her head held high along the path. But before she had taken many steps, something crossed her mind, and she slowed to a halt. A fair hand slowly touched her cheek, her expression unable to hide her disappointment.

Don't let her usual carefree demeanor fool you; she was actually very confident in her appearance!

She had long since grown tired of flowery compliments. If someone else had called her ugly just now, she would have scoffed and remained completely unaffected, at most pitying the other person for being blind.

But...

Xiao Wu lowered her eyes and murmured, "Average... is Xiao Wu really that average?"

Perhaps the speaker had no intention, but the listener took it to heart. The more Xiao Wu thought about it, the more she felt that Qian Yun's expression at that time hadn't been faked. He truly thought she was average.

"Sigh, so annoying." After a soft sigh, Xiao Wu felt quite frustrated. Thinking of the instructions Qian Yun had given her before leaving made her feel even more depressed. She kicked a small pebble on the side of the road and muttered, "Anyway, I'd better focus on my cultivation."

On the other side, after leaving Shrek Academy, Qian Yun didn't rush back to Suotuo City. Instead, he followed the map along a small path until he found a secluded spot.

The mountains were beautiful and the waters clear, with lush vegetation and the scent of flowers everywhere. The sun shone directly onto the lake, creating a misty, vibrant, and lively scene.

"Good, this is the place." Qian Yun put away the map and nodded in approval, very satisfied with the spot he had chosen.

"Qian Yun, what are you doing here?" Hu Liena looked around, surveying the area.

Qian Yun didn't rush to explain, only saying, "You'll know in a moment. First, prepare to start a fire."

"Hmph, so mysterious." Hu Liena shook her head and took out dry wood, flint, and a thin blanket from her bracelet.

Qian Yun piled a heap of dry grass he had gathered onto the wood he had already arranged. "Once the fire is lit, set the pot on top."

Hu Liena finally couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer and asked, "Hey, what exactly are you doing?"

Qian Yun smiled, his expression unable to hide his excitement. "I want to make you a dish called Boiled Fish. I guarantee you've never eaten it before."

"Boiled Fish?" Hu Liena repeated the name to herself; she really had never heard of this dish.

Qian Yun went to the edge of the pool and looked at the crystal-clear spring water. He rubbed his hands together impatiently. The Cat's Eye Stone on his chest flashed, and the fishing line and shiny artificial lure he had bought in Big Tree Town appeared in his hand.

After Hu Liena set the pot over the fire, she walked over to Qian Yun's side. Seeing his actions, she asked in confusion, "You're going to fish? But there's a saying that 'clear water has no fish.' Can you really catch anything without a fishing rod?"

Qian Yun was full of confidence. He tied a section of a tree branch to the fishing line and weighed a wooden hammer in his other hand. "Don't worry, a true master doesn't need those flashy things. Even with a tree branch, I can catch fish. And my technique is very effective—I call it Hammer Fishing!"

"Hammer Fishing?"

Hu Liena thought to herself that this was just ordinary fishing, but she saw Qian Yun make a shushing gesture. He then nimbly climbed onto a tree branch and cast the line out. The lure fell into the clear lake water without causing a single ripple.

"Tch." Hu Liena found it boring and went back to watch the fire.

Before long, Qian Yun, waiting quietly on the branch, used his keen eyesight to pierce through the shimmering water, locking onto a black object swaying below.

"Finally, you're here. Be a good fish and take the bait." Qian Yun pulled the line with one hand, while the heavy wooden hammer in his other hand was ready to strike.

Because of the way water refracts light, Qian Yun knew that what you see on the surface isn't always the truth. To succeed in one strike, besides experience, you also need some... brute force!

Finally, the moment the fat fish in the water took the bait, the wooden hammer in Qian Yun's hand descended with an unstoppable momentum, crashing into the water with a loud boom.

"Heh, didn't that work?"

Hu Liena couldn't help but stand up. Looking at the motionless grass carp in Qian Yun's hand, she swallowed hard. "Is this what you call Hammer Fishing? Who fishes like that?"

Qian Yun didn't care at all. "That's right. Don't worry about how I caught it; just tell me if my method works or not?"

"It works, it works." Hu Liena replied helplessly, reaching out to take the fish from Qian Yun. "Give it to me."

Qian Yun pulled back slightly, shaking his head with a smile. "No need to trouble yourself. Leave the rest to me."

"Then what do I do?"

Qian Yun led her to the comfortable blanket and pressed her down to sit. "You don't have to do anything. Just watch me work."

Hu Liena had no choice but to nod, resting her chin on her hand and watching the water in the pot helplessly. She never expected that she, a master chef, would one day be reduced to a kitchen hand.

Qian Yun went to the water's edge, his sharp knife flashing as the fat grass carp was turned into fillets in an instant. After burying the scales and entrails, he returned to Hu Liena's side and began to bustle about.

Hu Liena watched Qian Yun without blinking, not caring who saw. They say a man is most handsome when he's focused, and Hu Liena truly understood that now.

Hu Liena took a light sniff, her eyes widening in amazement. "It smells so good."

She didn't know what was being stir-fried in the pot, but it smelled incredible. It was a fragrance she had never encountered before. Compared to the cloying sweetness of stewed spices, this scent was undoubtedly more intense—it didn't even need to be inhaled intentionally before it aggressively invaded her nostrils and rushed straight to her head.

She could no longer remain calm; just the smell made her mouth water. "Is it ready? Is it ready? If it's ready, hurry up and serve it."

Qian Yun smiled as he worked. "Don't rush, there's one final step."

As he spoke, he poured the hot oil from the pot over the fish fillets in the bowl. Sizzle, sizzle—the already rich aroma was amplified even further by the heat of the oil.

"Ready. Boiled Fish, please enjoy." Qian Yun placed the dish on the ground with satisfaction. Smelling this taste from his memories, he couldn't help but sigh. He had been in this world for almost five years.

Five years! Five whole years!!

In other words, he had been gnawing on bread for five years, and if things continued like this, he felt his molars were about to be worn flat.

Hearing that they could finally eat, Hu Liena, who had been impatient for a long time, immediately cheered, but at the last moment, she ran into a dilemma... how was she supposed to eat this?

Hu Liena looked at the steaming, delicious food in the bowl, feeling that her heart was willing but her strength was lacking.

Qian Yun realized what was wrong and took out a pair of chopsticks, handing them to her.

"What is this?" Hu Liena pinched one chopstick in each hand, rubbed them together, and asked Qian Yun, puzzled.

Qian Yun did not offer much explanation, simply telling her to mimic his movements.

Hu Liena followed suit, but after waving the chopsticks a few times, she finally gave up and set them aside. "Forget it, it's too awkward."

Qian Yun didn't force the issue, only remarking that she had no luck with food. "Then how do you want to eat?"

Hu Liena rolled her eyes, propped herself up, leaned her pretty face toward Qian Yun, and parted her lips slightly. "I want you to feed me, ah—"

Qian Yun had no choice but to pick up a slice of fish, blow on it to cool it down, and then deliver it to Hu Liena's mouth. "Be careful, it's hot."

"I know, mmm... so delicious, wait, it's also so spicy." Hu Liena spoke indistinctly, using her hand to fan her mouth.

The fish was delicious, but for someone experiencing this flavor for the first time, it was still a bit too spicy.

"Is it? I already went easy on the seasoning, didn't I?" Qian Yun took a bite himself; having prepared it in a rush, the flavor naturally couldn't be called authentic, but it was still worth savoring. The familiar yet strange taste hit his taste buds, as if he had returned to that hometown from his dreams.

Qian Yun was lost in a trance for a moment, and Hu Liena leaned in again with a giggle. "I want more."

"Alright." Qian Yun snapped back to reality and picked up another piece of fish to feed her. Watching her satisfied expression, Qian Yun felt a sense of relief in his heart.

Just like that, one bite for her, one bite for him. Before they knew it, the bowl of fragrant Boiled Fish had been finished between them.

"Delicious." Hu Liena rubbed her soft belly; given their appetites, a single bowl of Boiled Fish naturally couldn't satisfy them. She raised her arm, preparing to start the second round, but Qian Yun shook his head to stop her.

Qian Yun stood up and shook the dirt and grass off his body; since the meal was over, it was time to get down to business.

He stood with his hands behind his back, turned toward the calm forest, and spoke, "Since our friend has been following us for so long, why not come out and meet us?"

Hu Liena also stood up. She had noticed a tail following them ever since they left Shrek Academy. Hu Liena had wanted to deal with it, but Qian Yun had told her there was no rush.

After a brief silence, a graceful figure dropped down from a large tree not far away.

The newcomer fell at high speed, yet landed on the ground with only a faint sound, demonstrating exceptional body control.

However, such a small sound caused a massive stir in the hearts of Qian Yun and Hu Liena.

Watching the figure unfold, Qian Yun was filled with astonishment. He saw tight black trousers wrapping around a pair of straight, full, and long legs. As his gaze traveled upward, the smooth curves suddenly rose, tightened at the waist and abdomen, and then continued to climb, finally peaking at her upper body in a breathtaking display.

The most lethal part was that despite possessing such an aggressive figure, her face lacked any trace of seductiveness, instead exuding a pure, aloof air.

Help me, Hu Liena stared intently at the other woman's proud curves, her gaze lingering especially on her upper body, unable to pull herself away. She couldn't help but subconsciously look down at her own chest, which had only just begun to develop.

Confusion, disbelief, and utter bewilderment!

Hu Liena was filled with shock.

Yet reality was cruel; while some were still looking up at the mountain, others had already become the mountain.

No, wait—Hu Liena soon realized that this girl, or woman, was not here with good intentions, because from the very beginning, her gaze had been glued to Qian Yun and had not left him once.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at the strange expressions in the eyes of the two people in front of her and felt shy. She knew where Qian Yun and Hu Liena were looking; a while ago, this might have bothered her, but now she was used to such gazes. After all, the Zhu family's genes were just that outstanding; there was no helping it.

"I..."

Hu Liena flashed between them, cutting off Zhu Zhuqing's line of sight, and snapped, "Who are you? What do you want? What is your purpose in following us?"

The three consecutive questions made Zhu Zhuqing, who was already not good with words, even more nervous. She couldn't even explain her own purpose for following them; she had simply bumped into Qian Yun and Xiao Wu sparring at Shrek Academy and felt a resonance with the other party, which led her to follow them on impulse.

"My name is Zhu Zhuqing, from Shrek Academy. My home is in the Star Luo Empire. I am twelve years old, my Martial Soul is the Hell Spirit Cat, and I am a level 28 Agility Attack System Spirit Master."

Hu Liena and Qian Yun looked at each other in dismay; why did this feel like a blind date?

"My name is Qian Yun, and she is Hu Liena. You... don't need to be so detailed." Qian Yun interrupted her; if this continued, she might even list her Spirit Skills.

Hearing that she was from Shrek Academy, the hostility in Hu Liena's heart lessened, though she remained vigilant. "What do you want with us?"

Zhu Zhuqing glued her gaze back onto Qian Yun and said softly, "Can I see your Martial Soul? Because my Martial Soul resonated with yours, and I think it is very likely a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

Her voice, unlike her fiery figure, matched her cold face—both were equally chilly.

Qian Yun hesitated upon hearing this. Frankly, Zhu Zhuqing's request was very presumptuous. On the Douluo Continent, asking someone to display their Martial Soul for no reason could be seen as a declaration of war.

However, what truly moved Qian Yun was that Zhu Zhuqing had mentioned a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. His gaze fell upon her earnest eyes—could she and he really have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?

"Alright." Qian Yun nodded slowly, amidst Hu Liena's shock and Zhu Zhuqing's surprise.