Found Another Rank 9

Zhang Tao was already wondering how he could bluff the cat into leaving.

"Oh, right!" Grey Cat finally realized it too and let out a cry. If it couldn't eat such delicious cat food anymore, wouldn't that be a tragedy?

Grey Cat glanced at Zhang Tao, then at the big fish. Its eyes were full of slyness and hesitation. It wondered whether it could throw the fish away and claim it would bring something even better next time. Maybe they'd give it more cat food.

Seeing Grey Cat's eyes dart around, Zhang Tao knew the cat was cooking up something unreliable. He immediately said, "Brother Cat, you can come with me to the human world. We have endless cat food over there. Then you won't have to worry about running out."

Seeing Grey Cat start to waver, Zhang Tao pressed on. "We don't just have cat food. We also have hot pot and the Manchu Han Imperial Feast. Tsk, tsk, there's nothing you can't eat—only things you haven't thought of!"

Those words made Grey Cat drool. It had lived a long time, but it had never tasted the delicacies of the outside world.

Zhang Tao's words made Li Zhen's face twitch. What the hell was Zhang Tao trying to do? Take a high-rank Monster Plant to the human world? Had Zhang Tao lost his mind? A monster was still a monster, no matter how docile. If it ever lost control, Zhang Tao would be a sinner against humanity.

Thinking of this, Li Zhen frantically signaled to Zhang Tao. Brother, don't do anything reckless!

Besides, could he even make this decision? It was up to the higher-ups and the Old Ancestors.

Zhang Tao ignored Li Zhen's signals. Please. If he were the original Zhang Tao, maybe he'd have hesitated—after all, he hadn't read the original story. But the Zhang Tao of today was different. And besides, this was Grey Cat, who never fought or killed.

"Um, is that allowed?" Grey Cat had never been to Water Blue Star, but over the years it had heard bits and pieces from the underwater monsters.

The Land of Rebirth wouldn't let people from the Catacombs enter.

Zhang Tao immediately thumped his chest. "What's the big deal? Just say you're my partner, Zhang Tao. No one will give you trouble! And once we get to Water Blue Star, I can buy you lots of delicious food."

Grey Cat nodded in realization. "You mean you want to keep a cat?"

Zhang Tao nodded at once. Keeping a cat couldn't cost that much. Besides, he really needed help now. If he wanted to rise quickly, would he have to spend decades at it without the cat's help?

"But you're so weak..." Grey Cat said, sounding a little disdainful.

Zhang Tao froze. Of course! If he were strong, would he need to keep the cat? That really hit him where it hurt.

"Brother Cat, that's not right. If I were strong, why would I keep you? There's no such thing as a free lunch. You protect me for now, and I'll look after you for the rest of your life later. Isn't that fair?" Zhang Tao said immediately.

Grey Cat nodded solemnly, but quickly added, "But I don't fight!"

Zhang Tao chuckled. "I don't need you to fight. Just take me and run when we need to."

Hearing that, Grey Cat thought it sounded pretty good. At least this human was fairly honest.

Then Grey Cat circled Zhang Tao and sniffed him. He seemed familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. "There's a secret about you. I don't know what it is, but you'll definitely become a supreme powerhouse one day! So I'll follow you."

That was also why Grey Cat had agreed so readily. It had sensed an aura from Zhang Tao unlike anything it had ever felt before. Grey Cat also felt that Zhang Tao could become an Emperor, and a very powerful one at that. If such a strong person protected it, wouldn't it be able to eat whatever it wanted in the Three Realms? Maybe it could even get that big fish head, the Sea Suppressing Envoy.

Otherwise, did you really think just anyone could earn Grey Cat's favor? This cat was shrewd.

Zhang Tao hadn't expected the cat to agree so easily, and was delighted. At least he could develop in peace during the early stages.

"Then, Brother Cat, shall we get going?" As he spoke, Zhang Tao reached out to pick Grey Cat up. He immediately wrenched his back, having forgotten how heavy the cat was.

"Meow?" Grey Cat tilted its head. Its body shrank much smaller, and it jumped onto Zhang Tao's shoulder.

Zhang Tao felt a weight settle on his shoulder, but it was manageable. "Li Hanhan, bring the big fish. Let's go back!"

Li Zhen said nothing, but cursed Zhang Tao furiously in his heart. Damn it, he actually wanted to take a monster to the human world. You're really asking for trouble, kid.

But they were in front of a monster now, so Li Zhen didn't dare say a word. What if he got slapped to death?

And so Li Zhen silently dragged the Rank 9 big fish toward Hope City.

As they neared Hope City, an old man with a white beard suddenly flew out. He stared solemnly toward Zhang Tao and the others, then quickly widened his eyes in disbelief.

What was he seeing? Those two young fellows were dragging back a Rank 9 monster fish?

When they got closer, he saw a cat on Zhang Tao's shoulder too. He couldn't tell what was special about it, but how had those two brought back a Rank 9 monster?

As far as he could sense, the Rank 9 monster's Heart Core and Brain Core were still intact. Damn, it was a Rank 9 Divine Weapon!

His eyes lit up at the thought. Even though he was Rank 9, he didn't have a Rank 9 Divine Weapon.

"Elder Qin!"

"Senior Qin!" The two greeted the white-bearded old man as he flew over.

"I'd heard before that Zhang Tao, you had heaven-defying luck. You could pick up a Rank 9 Monster Plant when you were Rank 4. Well, look at you now—you're Rank 6 and you've picked up a Rank 9 fish monster! Your luck..." Qin Shigang didn't know what else to say. He had to hand it to him. He'd lived for a hundred years and never had luck like that.

As it happened, Qin Shigang was a powerful member of a sect. Huaguo's Martial Arts Universities had yet to rise, and although there were many well-known schools, most of their teachers still came from sects.

"Heh." Zhang Tao grinned. He hadn't even said anything, and this senior had already come up with an excuse for him.

Grey Cat, perched on Zhang Tao's shoulder, was slightly taken aback. Well, well. Someone else had invested in him too. Otherwise, it wouldn't believe he could pick up a Rank 9 monster at Rank 4.

Qin Shigang reached out, grabbed the big fish, and flew toward Hope City with the two of them.

On the city wall, Nan Yunyue's mouth fell open. That was fast! Weren't they going to look for a cat? How had they come back so quickly? And why had looking for a cat led them to a Rank 9 monster? What kind of divine luck was this?

Then she saw Zhang Tao and the tiny cat on his shoulder. She murmured, "So they really went to look for a cat?"