The Qian Family's Wealth

Lin Yan recovered much faster than Qian Renxue.

For one thing, he was a Soul Beast, so he was naturally built sturdier.

For another, while Soul Devour Moon might not be good for much else, it was certainly excellent at restoring Soul Power.

So in just half an hour, the hollow feeling inside him had nearly disappeared.

Qian Renxue, on the other hand, remained seated cross-legged beneath the corridor, not moving at all.

Her complexion had improved somewhat, but her breathing was still weak.

Especially when she had sent out that final Golden Feather—she had clearly used everything she had in reserve.

Lin Yan crouched nearby and watched her for a while. Seeing that she probably wouldn't wake up anytime soon, he simply sprawled where he was, curled his tail at his side, and closed his eyes.

Forget it.

I'll wait for her to recover.

It's not like I'm in a hurry right now.

For a cat, sleeping was only natural.

Besides, Lin Yan didn't think he was slacking off at all.

As far as he was concerned, sleeping and cultivation had never been at odds.

Especially after he'd unlocked [Purring Dream]. Often, he would wake up from a nap with more Soul Power, a clearer head, and sometimes even a better grasp of things.

So he soon fell asleep.

"Purr..."

"Purr..."

A soft sound rose beneath the corridor.

It wasn't loud.

If anything, it was rather even.

An ordinary person might have thought the White Cat was sleeping quite soundly.

But Qian Renxue was different.

She was in a state between regulating her breathing and recovering, so her senses were much sharper than usual.

At first, she simply found the purring pleasant.

Then, little by little, she sensed something was off.

Her unsettled sea of consciousness began to quiet down, bit by bit, at the sound.

Her Soul Power circulated more smoothly.

The lingering fatigue and tension in her mind also seemed to be gently soothed away.

Qian Renxue's heart stirred.

All these years, she had lived in Heavenly Dou as Xue Qinghe, constantly pretending, constantly calculating. Even when she slept, she never dared to let her guard down completely.

Over time, she had buried a great many things inside herself.

She could hide them during the day.

At night, though, she couldn't always keep them contained.

On top of that, her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul was exceptionally powerful, with an utterly pure holy attribute. Whenever her mind wavered, her Soul Power became harder to control.

So lately, she had been stuck just short of a breakthrough.

She was clearly only a step away.

Yet no matter what she did, she couldn't take it.

But as she listened to the soft purring of the cat before her, an indescribable feeling suddenly came over her.

It was as though a tightly wound string in her mind were slowly loosening.

Then, one by one, the things she hadn't been able to figure out began to make sense.

Is this... his talent?

Qian Renxue was startled.

Before she could dwell on it, a familiar warmth rose from within her.

Her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul emerged of its own accord.

Faint golden light spread from behind her.

Her Martial Soul didn't fully manifest, but its holy, keen aura gradually seeped out all the same.

Lin Yan slept soundly.

He had no idea that the Crown Prince before him was using his purring to break through.

He was even dreaming about whether the cats in the East Side Courtyard had been getting chubbier lately.

Especially A Ju.

That kid's belly was practically round as a ball.

I'll have to make him eat less when I get back...

If he gets any fatter, he won't even be able to run. How's he supposed to patrol the courtyard then...

Lin Yan slept very seriously.

Qian Renxue worked through her breakthrough just as seriously.

By the time the sky began to brighten, the golden light around her finally steadied.

Her Soul Power flowed, and her aura settled.

At last, she stepped through the threshold that had held her back for so long.

Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was much clearer than before.

The weariness had also faded from her face.

First, she lowered her head to look at her hand, as though confirming something.

Only then did she turn her gaze toward the Little White Cat, still purring nearby.

She fell silent for a long moment, her expression growing complicated.

"I just listened to him sleep..."

"And that was enough to break through?"

The result left her at a loss for words.

If she hadn't experienced it herself, she wouldn't have believed it either.

Thinking of this, Qian Renxue couldn't bring herself to speak.

Instead, she sat where she was and listened for a little longer.

At last, Lin Yan slowly woke on his own.

The Little White Cat rolled onto his side first.

Then he stretched out his front paws.

Only after that did he open his eyes halfway and spot Qian Renxue sitting opposite him.

His gaze fell on her, and he woke up considerably.

"You broke through?"

Lin Yan was stunned.

Then, strangely enough, the first thought that came to mind wasn't surprise, but disbelief.

Seriously?

I just took a nap, and you leveled up?

Qian Renxue looked just as bemused.

"If I told you I broke through while listening to you purr, would you believe me?"

Lin Yan was silent for two seconds.

Then he nodded honestly.

"I believe you."

"It's ridiculous, but given it happened to me, I guess it's not that hard to understand."

As soon as he said that, he froze.

A moment later, his heart ached.

Oh, no.

If I'd known this worked so well on other people, I should've started a paid sleep class back in the East Side Courtyard.

Warm Nest, a cat nursery—they're all small-time.

Turns out the real gold mine is me.

Lin Yan nearly raised a paw and smacked himself on the head.

Unfortunately, he'd only realized it now. It was too late.

Qian Renxue obviously hadn't heard his whole stream of inner thoughts. She simply looked at him and said slowly:

"Your talent is even more impressive than I imagined."

"Yesterday in Black Marsh, you said you weren't ordinary. I believe you now."

Lin Yan swished his tail but didn't respond.

Of course, he wasn't going to tell her that he hadn't realized how ridiculous this ability was at first either.

And he certainly wouldn't say that if the cats in the East Side Courtyard found out he could help people break through just by sleeping, they'd probably turn the place upside down.

Forget Snowball and Little Flame.

Charcoal Ball, A Ju, Swirl, and Blue Tail would all take turns crowding around him to listen to him purr.

Just imagining the scene gave Lin Yan a headache.

Forget it, forget it.

Better not let them find out about this yet.

Otherwise, I won't get a peaceful night's sleep ever again.

As he was thinking this, Qian Renxue spoke again.

"Now that you've recovered, come inside with me."

"The outside is just an illusion. The real living quarters are inside."

Lin Yan's ears twitched.

Here we go.

At last, she was going to show him what the family had.

He'd sensed something was off as soon as he entered the place last night.

That mist, the mountain pass, and the faint traces of Soul Power outside—it was obvious that no ordinary villa could manage something like that.

There was clearly another place hidden within.

Hearing Qian Renxue say this only made him more curious.

"Sure."

"Lead the way."

Qian Renxue stood up without saying more and headed toward the back of the courtyard.

Lin Yan followed behind her, his tail swaying at an unhurried pace.

They crossed the front courtyard and rounded a small bamboo grove. Ahead stood a stone wall that looked utterly ordinary.

There was no door in it.

Nor were there any obvious formation patterns.

Anyone else would probably have thought Qian Renxue had gone the wrong way.

But Lin Yan only needed one glance to know the entrance was here.

The Soul Power behind that entire stone wall was practically impossible to hide.

Qian Renxue raised a hand and pressed it against the wall.

Faint golden patterns spread across it at once.

Then, without a sound, the stone wall parted, revealing a narrow mountain path beyond.

The path wasn't wide.

But once they entered, the view opened up before them.

Lin Yan had taken only two steps inside when his eyes lit up.

At the end of the path lay a courtyard hidden within the mountain.

It wasn't especially large.

But everything was in perfect order.

Stone steps, covered walkways, a cultivation platform, hot springs, and an Herb Garden—it had everything.

Most importantly, the Soul Power here was at least two or three times denser than outside.

And it wasn't a muddled kind of density.

It was clean, with a light-leaning attribute.

Quite a few herbs grew in the courtyard.

Some had golden leaves and white stems.

Some were pale green all over.

A few others looked unremarkable, but as he drew near, he caught a fragrance that made his mind feel noticeably clearer.

Several racks stood beneath the corridor, holding sealed jade boxes and metal cases.

They didn't look like ordinary things.

Lin Yan stood where he was and silently took in the place.

He was left with just one thought.

The Qian Family really does have deep pockets.

He'd already thought the East Side Courtyard was pretty well-equipped.

It had a heated stove, trees, flower beds, little houses, and people who delivered milk and minced meat every day.

Compared with this place, the East Side Courtyard really was just an oversized cat bed.

This was what a proper place for cultivation, recuperation, and hiding things should look like.

Most importantly, it was quiet.

No one else around.

No need to put on an act.

And no sudden appearance of several female attendants asking, "What are the young masters having today?"

At the thought, Lin Yan couldn't help glancing at Qian Renxue.

"Your Qian Family really does live in style."

For once, Qian Renxue didn't argue with him.

"This is an old villa belonging to the Worship Hall, located outside its grounds."

"Not many people know about it."

"Whenever I want to cultivate alone or do something I can't let others see, I come here."

She paused, then added, "So you'll have to keep what happened today to yourself."

Lin Yan nodded readily.

"Don't worry."

"I'm not interested in what little you have here. Not for now, anyway."

The first part was sincere.

The second part... was more or less sincere, too.

At least for now, he really didn't have the ability to set his sights on the Qian Family's Secret Courtyard.

But as for the future, that was another matter.

After all, the medicinal herbs in this courtyard, the hot spring, the cultivation platform, and even that pure Light Soul Power were all perfect for upgrading the accommodations of the cats back at the East Side Courtyard.

At the thought, Lin Yan had already started making comparisons without even realizing it.

"The hot spring here would be good for Snowball and Little Flame's spirits."

"Blue Tail would probably love those Soul-Cleansing Herbs in the Herb Garden."

"If I moved one of those cultivation platforms back, Charcoal Ball could sit on it and absorb Soul Power after his night patrols."

"A Ju... forget it. A Ju would be the same wherever he sat. He'd just find the softest spot and lie down."

The more Lin Yan thought about it, the more he liked this place.

He nearly lifted his tail with delight.

Fortunately, he remembered to rein himself in. In the end, he merely pretended to be nonchalant as he took a lap around the courtyard.

Watching him, Qian Renxue didn't rush him.

Instead, she let him take his time looking around.

For one thing, she genuinely didn't want to make things tense between them.

For another, after last night's battle and what had happened that morning, she was still wary of this cat, but not nearly as much as she'd been at first.

At the very least, she could be certain of one thing.

If Lin Yan really wanted to hurt her, he wouldn't need to go to so much trouble.

Nor would he have brought her all the way out of a place like Black Marsh.

At the thought, the coldness that had settled in Qian Renxue's heart inexplicably began to ease.

Meanwhile, after making a round of the courtyard, Lin Yan suddenly stopped beside a cultivation platform.

He looked up, then glanced down at the ground before speaking as naturally as could be.

"The mist around the outside of your courtyard is just there to keep people from noticing it."

"The real trick is this formation behind it."

Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow.

"You saw through it?"

"More or less."

Lin Yan licked his paw, looking as if he didn't particularly care.

"The formation draws on the mountain's terrain, channels the spring below, and links the Soul Power together with those stone platforms in the middle."

"Your formation isn't just for hiding people, is it?"

"If someone tried to force their way in, it could probably trap them, too."

This time, Qian Renxue was genuinely surprised.

Back at the edge of Black Marsh, Lin Yan had recognized her identity. That could still be explained by him being well-informed.

But seeing through the formation around the villa at a glance was more than just a matter of knowledge.

It meant this cat knew a little about formations, the local terrain, and the flow of Soul Power.

And he wasn't just guessing.

He had really seen through it.

"How many other things can you do?"

She finally couldn't help asking.

Lin Yan was already delighted inside.

But on the outside, he sat down obediently, curled his tail around in front of himself, and said with a straight face, "Not that many."

"I was bored where I used to live, so I spent some time figuring things out on my own."

"You see enough formations, and you naturally learn a little about them."

That was about as good as saying nothing.

Qian Renxue could tell, of course.

But she didn't press him.

She'd hidden her identity from him earlier.

It was only fair for Lin Yan to keep a few things to himself now.

With that thought, she merely nodded.

"If you like it here, you can stay in the courtyard for now."

"I won't be leaving anytime soon, anyway."

Lin Yan's eyes immediately lit up.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

As soon as he said that, he hopped onto the cleanest rock beside the hot spring, rested his forepaws on it, and lay down.

He did it with practiced ease.

Qian Renxue's mouth twitched slightly.

"You really do make yourself at home."

Lin Yan closed his eyes, his voice lazy.

"What's there to be formal about?"

"We made it out of Black Marsh together. There's no point in acting like strangers now."

"Besides, you already invited me into your home."

"I can't very well keep standing here politely, can I?"

At the words "into your home," something about it struck Qian Renxue as odd.

But looking at the White Cat sprawled out in comfort, his tail gently patting the stone again and again, she decided it probably wasn't worth making an issue of.

A moment later, she said quietly, "Suit yourself."

The courtyard fell quiet again.

Steam rose from the hot spring.

A faint fragrance drifted from the Herb Garden.

Soul Power flowed through the mountain, a little slower than outside, but steadier.

Lin Yan narrowed his eyes, though other thoughts were slowly turning over in his mind.

The East Side Courtyard.

Bibi Dong.

Qian Renxue.

Black Marsh.

The Qian Family Villa.

The more ground he covered, the more threads came together.

And it was clear that this trip out wasn't just a casual stroll anymore.

At the thought, the Little White Cat let out a soft breath.

"Fine."

"I've made it this far."

"Now let's see how much more this young lady of the Qian Family is willing to let me in on."