Three Cats Enter the Door

Chapter 14: Three Cats Enter the Path

The next morning, Qian Renxue did not set out immediately.

The loose ends at Black Marsh still needed handling.

And the three kittens in the villa had to be arranged first.

Meow Meow lay under the eaves, watching Ink Shadow, White Dew, and A Yu line up in a row, his mood somewhat complicated.

Yesterday, they were just three ordinary stray cats.

Today, they had become the first batch of Sacred Flame Spirit Cats in the Qian Family Villa.

This pace, by soul beast standards, was a bit unreasonable.

Normal soul beasts wanting to open their spiritual wisdom—not to mention ten thousand years—at least had to endure a very long time.

But Sacred Flame Spirit Ignition was different.

It didn't instantly turn ordinary cats into powerful soul beasts; instead, it first ignited their spirituality, allowing them to sense soul power, understand simple commands, and cultivate step by step.

In simple terms, it opened a door.

Whether they could go far from there depended on them.

"You three are in luck today."

Meow Meow sat up straight, his tail swaying lightly behind him.

"This Cat will personally teach you the basics."

The three kittens raised their heads in unison.

Ink Shadow was the sharpest, his eyes bright.

White Dew was the quietest, sitting prim and proper.

A Yu was the smallest; after sitting for a moment, he already wanted to edge closer to Meow Meow's paw.

Meow Meow looked down at him.

A Yu immediately sat up straight.

But his eyes were still wet as he gazed at Meow Meow.

Meow Meow: "..."

This little one would probably be a master of acting cute later.

Even more dangerous than A Ju.

Nearby, Qian Renxue leaned against the porch pillar, watching the scene without disturbing them.

Today, she was still in Xue Qinghe's appearance.

White robes, hair tied up, expression gentle.

But there was less tension in her eyes than yesterday.

Last night, Meow Meow had said he would return to Heaven Dou with her tomorrow, and the unease in her heart had largely dissipated.

With this cat following her, many things would indeed be more convenient.

At least when encountering an accident like Black Marsh, she wouldn't have to tough it out alone.

Of course, she wouldn't say that out loud.

Meow Meow didn't care what she was thinking.

What he had to do now was simple.

Teach cats.

"First thing: recognize people."

Meow Meow raised a paw and pointed at Qian Renxue.

"She is the master here."

"All three of you remember: when she speaks, you listen."

Ink Shadow and White Dew immediately looked at Qian Renxue.

A Yu followed suit, and after two breaths, slowly let out a "meow."

Qian Renxue saw the three cats all staring at her, and her expression paused slightly.

This feeling was strange.

In Heaven Dou, she was naturally surrounded by people who obeyed orders.

But those people obeyed because she was the Crown Prince.

Or because she had power behind her.

These three cats were different.

They listened because of Meow Meow's words.

But because of Meow Meow's words, she earnestly treated her as the most important person in this side courtyard.

This feeling wasn't unpleasant.

Meow Meow continued:

"Second thing: don't randomly eat things from the herb garden."

As he spoke, he looked down at A Yu.

"Especially you."

A Yu tilted her head.

She clearly didn't understand why she was singled out.

Meow Meow was very serious.

"You have the strongest scent of medicine on you. You've definitely been sneaking around the herb garden a lot."

"From now on, you can look, you can smell, but you can't gnaw on anything."

"Some herbs in there are good for humans, but not necessarily for cats."

"If you really eat something bad and get a stomachache, This Cat can't find a cat doctor for you right now."

After hearing this, A Yu seemed a little wronged and let out a soft "mew."

White Dew bumped her head against her.

Ink Shadow quickly sent a simple thought.

[It stole food before.]

A Yu immediately looked up at Ink Shadow.

Her little face was frozen in shock.

Meow Meow's eye twitched.

"Good grief."

"First day, and we already have a tattletale cat."

Qian Renxue couldn't help it; a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes.

But she quickly suppressed it.

Meow Meow raised a paw and pressed it on A Yu's head.

"Alright, This Cat won't hold the past against you."

"Just don't eat randomly from now on."

A Yu immediately rubbed against his paw.

Her attitude was excellent.

As for whether she'd actually change, that was another matter.

Meow Meow had a rough idea in his heart.

Cats—you can't expect them to behave perfectly with just one sentence.

It would take time and gradual training.

"Third thing: cultivation."

When he said this, Meow Meow's tone became much more serious.

The three little cats instinctively quieted down.

Although the Sacred Flame Spirit Cats had been awakened, they were different from ordinary soul beasts.

Their growth didn't rely purely on devouring and accumulating years.

Sacred flame, moonlight, soul power environment, and Meow Meow himself as their source cat master—all of these would influence their path.

Ink Shadow was suited for hiding aura and night patrols.

White Dew was suited for calming the mind and companionship.

A Yu was closer to the herb garden and spring water.

These were the foundations they had shown right after awakening.

Different foundations meant different cultivation methods.

Meow Meow naturally wasn't going to start them on anything complicated.

They had only just gained intelligence.

Talking too much at the start was no different from explaining the insights of a Titled Douluo to a child who had just awakened their martial soul.

It was useless.

And it might just confuse the cats.

So Meow Meow first laid down a small Calming Bell Sound.

Ding.

The bell was very soft.

The three cats quickly quieted down.

Qian Renxue stood nearby, feeling her own mind lighten a little.

She looked at the small bell hanging under Meow Meow's neck, her gaze shifting slightly.

This bell should be his birth-bound object.

Last night in the Black Marsh, she had vaguely heard a similar sound.

But the situation had been too urgent then to think it over.

Now it seemed the bell's effect was greater than she had imagined.

Meow Meow didn't explain, only began to purr lowly.

"Purr..."

"Purr..."

The sound wasn't loud.

But it was steady.

The three kittens instinctively relaxed along with it.

Ink Shadow closed his eyes first.

White Dew followed quickly.

A Yu held out for a while, then slowly lay down too.

Seeing them settle into the state, Meow Meow nodded with satisfaction inside.

"Not bad."

"At least they're not falling asleep while cultivating."

No sooner had the thought landed than A Yu let out a small yawn.

Meow Meow: "..."

Forget it.

This one wouldn't be pushed for now.

She was still young.

As the purring continued, the sacred flame patterns on the three kittens all glowed faintly.

Ink Shadow's firelight was the dimmest, but his aura also faded first.

Like a small patch of shadow, slowly pressing into the ground.

White Dew's change was gentler.

The soul power around her grew steady, and even the wind under the corridor seemed lighter.

A Yu was a bit different.

After the flame mark on her forehead lit up, a few very faint strands of plant soul power drifted over from the herb garden, circled around her once, then slowly dispersed.

Qian Renxue's expression shifted slightly.

"The three of them have different paths?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow responded while continuing to purr, sparing some focus.

"Ink Shadow is suited for stealth."

"White Dew is suited for calming the mind."

"A Yu is suited for watching the herb garden."

Qian Renxue nodded.

This division of roles was indeed very fitting.

Especially White Dew.

She had noticed last night that when this white cat stayed by her side, her mind would quiet down a little.

Though far less effective than Meow Meow, it was steady.

If she continued to lie low in Heavenly Dou in the future, keeping White Dew by her side would save her a lot of worry.

Thinking this, she suddenly spoke.

"Can White Dew come with me?"

Hearing this, Meow Meow's purring paused for a moment.

The three kittens also opened their eyes and looked over.

White Dew looked up at Qian Renxue, then turned to Meow Meow.

It was clearly willing.

But Meow Meow still had to nod.

Meow Meow stared at Qian Renxue for a moment, then flicked its tail lightly.

"Fine."

"But it's still young. Don't let it stray too far from you."

"Heavenly Dou City isn't Martial Soul City—it's a mess."

"If you really take it to the Crown Prince's Mansion, you'll have to keep it hidden."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"I know."

Meow Meow added another line.

"Also, it's not really an ordinary cat."

"If a soul master probes it, it's easy to expose."

"Have it keep its aura suppressed normally, and don't let it get too lively."

Qian Renxue glanced at White Dew.

White Dew had already stood up, walked to her feet, and gently rubbed against her.

She reached down and picked White Dew up.

Her movements were a bit more practiced than before.

White Dew curled obediently in her arms, not moving.

Meow Meow watched this scene and suddenly felt like laughing.

How long had it been?

The Pope of Martial Soul Hall had Little Flame and Snowball by her side.

And now the young master of the Qian family would have White Dew too.

If those mother and daughter ever met face to face someday, each with a cat beside them, that scene would probably be quite amusing.

But now wasn't the time to think about that.

Meow Meow turned back to Ink Shadow and A Yu.

"White Dew goes with Qinghe."

"Ink Shadow and A Yu stay in the villa for now."

"Ink Shadow is responsible for the night patrol array, no running out of the mist forest."

"A Yu is responsible for the herb garden, no sneaking food."

A Yu let out a small meow.

Like it had been caught red-handed again.

Qian Renxue looked at it and couldn't help saying:

"If it really likes herbs, I'll have some low-grade ones sent over."

Meow Meow looked up at her.

"You'd better hope A Yu doesn't understand that too well."

"If it really knows it'll have its own dedicated rations from now on, it'll eat itself into a ball tonight."

A Yu: "Mew?"

Qian Renxue: "..."

She looked at A Yu's innocent expression and actually thought Meow Meow's guess was very likely.

Another half hour passed before the three kittens finally completed their first formal initiation.

The results were even better than Meow Meow had expected.

Ink Shadow could barely manage to hide most of its aura.

White Dew could already output a stable calming fluctuation.

A Yu, though always wanting to sleep during training, reacted extremely quickly to the spirit herbs in the garden—it could almost sense whenever anyone touched a single plant.

"Not bad."

Meow Meow nodded.

"At least no one's a dud."

At that moment, the system also popped up a notification.

[Ding. Qian Family Villa Sacred Flame Spirit Cat garrison system initially established.]

[Reward: Meow Wishes ×30.]

Meow Meow glanced at it, betraying nothing.

Thirty points wasn't much.

But it was better than nothing.

More importantly, Qian Renxue had already started keeping her own cats.

That meant the bond between him and her was no longer just "surviving together."

It was a real, tangible connection.

White Dew would go with her.

Ink Shadow and A Yu would guard the side courtyard.

From now on, this thread would grow steadily stronger.

Qian Renxue saw the three little cats settle down and didn't rush to speak.

She looked at Meow Meow and suddenly asked:

"Did you keep a lot of cats like this in Martial Soul City too?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow didn't hide it.

"There's a batch in the East Side Courtyard."

"More than here."

Qian Renxue's eyes flickered.

"In the Pope's Palace?"

"Yes."

Only after saying it did Meow Meow realize this topic might be a bit sensitive.

He looked up at Qian Renxue.

Her expression showed no obvious change, just a few seconds of silence.

Those seconds weren't long.

But they made the atmosphere quiet down.

Meow Meow knew she must be thinking of Bibi Dong.

The problem between mother and daughter wasn't something that could be resolved in a few words.

He wasn't planning to step in directly yet.

Too early.

Too easy to mess things up.

So Meow Meow just shifted to a lighter tone.

"There are more cats at the Pope's Palace."

"It's livelier than here."

"If you ever get the chance, you can go see for yourself."

Qian Renxue didn't respond immediately.

After a while, she said flatly:

"We'll talk about it later."

Meow Meow nodded.

He didn't push her.

This kind of thing couldn't be rushed.

A mother-daughter relationship wasn't a soul skill—you couldn't just activate it and make it work.

It had to be worn down bit by bit.

Besides, she still had to return to Heavenly Dou City and keep playing the role of Xue Qinghe.

And Bibi Dong didn't know her true thoughts right now.

Meow Meow suddenly felt that this cat of his was going to be busier than he'd imagined.

"Curing insomnia."

"Raising cats."

"Saving people."

"Mending mother-daughter relationships."

"And keeping an eye on Tang San's thread."

"This cat, a three-thousand-year soul beast—isn't my workload a bit too ridiculous?"

Thinking this, he let out a sigh.

Qian Renxue heard the sound and looked down at him.

"What is it?"

Meow Meow replied very naturally:

"Nothing."

"Just suddenly felt like I might be very busy from now on."

Qian Renxue looked at him, rare seriousness in her tone:

"If you don't want to handle it, you don't have to."

Meow Meow's tail paused for a moment after hearing that.

Then he looked up at her.

"I've already gotten this deep into it."

"Saying I don't want to handle it now—doesn't seem right, does it?"

Qian Renxue said nothing.

Meow Meow added another line.

"Besides, I don't hate it."

Those words were spoken very softly.

But they were very true.

He really didn't hate it.

He didn't hate the way Bibi Dong's brow relaxed when she slept.

He didn't hate the brief quietness in Qian Renxue's arms when she held White Dew.

He didn't even hate the pack of cats in the East Side Courtyard circling around him.

And even all these messy troubles—he wasn't truly averse to them.

After all, in his past life, he hadn't even had a few people worth troubling over.

Now, though.

Coming to Douluo, a whole pile of big and small troubles awaited him.

And every single one was deeply tangled with threads of fate.

Qian Renxue was silent for a moment.

In the end, she only said one thing in a low voice:

"Thank you."

Meow Meow heard it.

But he didn't respond.

Instead, he turned and walked to the jade plate, picked up the last pale green fruit, and took a slow bite.

The juice dissolved in his mouth.

His mind cleared a bit more.

"Alright."

"Let's set your matters aside for now."

"Today, after I teach the cats, I need to get down to real business."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"What real business?"

Meow Meow lifted his head.

"The tail over at Black Marsh."

"Wasn't it decided we'd set out tomorrow?"

"Before we go, I'll clean out the filth first."

Qian Renxue's gaze sharpened slightly.

Then she nodded.

"Good."

Meow Meow looked down at White Dew.

White Dew had already jumped back into Qian Renxue's arms.

Ink Shadow stood quietly in the shadows.

A Yu lay sprawled at the edge of the herb garden, her eyes half-lidded, as if she was about to drift off to sleep again.

Meow Meow watched them, and finally felt a measure of peace settle in his heart.

This place had cats now.

Qian Renxue had cats by her side now.

So when he headed to Heavenly Dou City next, he would have that much more confidence.

"Let's go."

He hopped off the stone bench, flicking his tail.

"Once we're done with the Black Marsh, we're heading back to Heavenly Dou."