Three Cats Join the Ranks

Chapter 14: Three Cats Join the Ranks

The next morning, Qian Renxue didn't set out right away.

There were still loose ends to deal with over at Black Marsh.

And the three little cats in the villa needed to be settled in first.

Meow Meow lay beneath the veranda, watching Ink Shadow, White Dew, and A Yu lined up in a row. His feelings were a little complicated.

Yesterday, they'd been three ordinary little strays.

Today, they were the first Sacred Flame Spirit Cats of the Qian Family Villa.

That was a pretty unreasonable pace, even for Soul Beasts.

Normally, a Soul Beast needed a long time to awaken its spiritual intelligence—if not ten thousand years, then at least a very long while.

But Sacred Flame Spirit Ignition was different.

It didn't turn ordinary cats into powerful Soul Beasts overnight. It simply awakened their spirituality first, allowing them to sense Soul Power, understand simple commands, and cultivate one step at a time.

Put simply, it opened a door.

How far they could go after that was up to them.

"You three are in luck today."

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

"I'll personally teach you the basics."

The three little cats all looked up.

Ink Shadow was the sharpest, his eyes bright.

White Dew was the quietest, sitting primly.

A Yu was the smallest. He hadn't been sitting for long before he started trying to nuzzle Meow Meow's paw.

Meow Meow lowered his head and gave him a look.

A Yu immediately sat up straight.

But his eyes still gazed at Meow Meow, glistening with tears.

Meow Meow: "..."

This little one would probably be an expert at acting cute.

Even more dangerous than A Ju.

Nearby, Qian Renxue leaned against a veranda pillar, watching without interrupting.

Today, she was still dressed as Xue Qinghe.

White robes, hair tied back, a gentle expression.

But there was less tension in her eyes than the day before.

Meow Meow had already told her last night that he would return to Heaven Dou with her tomorrow, and that eased much of her unease.

With this cat along, many things would indeed be easier.

At least if they ran into another unexpected situation like Black Marsh, she wouldn't have to handle it alone.

Of course, she wouldn't say that aloud.

Meow Meow had no idea what she was thinking.

What he had to do now was simple.

Teach the cats.

"First thing: learn who's who."

Meow Meow raised a paw and pointed at Qian Renxue.

"She's the mistress of this place."

"Remember this, all three of you: normally, you should listen to her."

Ink Shadow and White Dew immediately looked at Qian Renxue.

A Yu looked over too. Two breaths later, he slowly let out a "meow."

When Qian Renxue saw all three cats gazing at her, her expression faltered slightly.

It was a strange feeling.

There had never been a shortage of people ready to obey her in Heaven Dou.

But they obeyed because she was the Crown Prince.

Or because of the power behind her.

These three cats were different.

They listened to Meow Meow.

Yet because of a single word from him, they were earnestly treating her as the most important person in the villa.

She didn't dislike the feeling.

Meow Meow continued:

"Second thing: don't go eating random things from the Herb Garden."

As he spoke, he glanced down at A Yu.

"Especially you."

A Yu tilted his head.

He clearly didn't understand why he was being singled out.

Meow Meow was serious.

"You smell the most like herbs. You must have spent a lot of time poking around the Herb Garden."

"From now on, you can look and sniff, but don't chew on anything."

"Some of those herbs are useful to people, but not necessarily to cats."

"If you upset your stomach, I can't exactly find you a cat doctor right now."

After hearing that, A Yu seemed a little aggrieved and gave a soft "meow."

White Dew bumped him gently with her head.

Ink Shadow quickly sent over a simple thought.

[He's stolen a bite before.]

A Yu immediately looked up at Ink Shadow.

His little face went blank.

Meow Meow's eye twitched.

"Well, look at that."

"We've got a tattletale cat on the very first day."

Qian Renxue couldn't help smiling a little, though she quickly hid it.

Meow Meow put a paw on A Yu's head and gave it a pat.

"All right. I'll let it go this time."

"Don't eat random things from now on."

A Yu immediately rubbed against his paw.

He was certainly good at showing the right attitude.

Whether he'd actually change was another matter.

Meow Meow had a pretty good idea how this would go.

Cats were cats. You couldn't expect them to behave just because you told them once.

He'd have to teach them gradually.

"Third thing: cultivation."

At that, Meow Meow's tone grew more serious.

The three little cats quieted down as well.

Although the Sacred Flame Spirit Cats had already awakened their spirituality, they were different from ordinary Soul Beasts.

Their growth didn't rely solely on eating and letting the years pass.

The Holy Fire, moonlight, the Soul Power around them, and Meow Meow, their origin cat, would all influence their paths.

Ink Shadow was suited to concealing his presence and patrolling at night.

White Dew was suited to calming the mind and keeping others company.

A Yu felt closer to the Herb Garden and the spring.

These were the talents they had shown as soon as their spirituality awakened.

With different foundations, they couldn't all cultivate in exactly the same way.

Naturally, Meow Meow wasn't going to start by teaching them anything complicated.

They'd only just gained spiritual intelligence.

Drowning them in explanations would be like giving a child who'd just awakened his Martial Soul a lecture on the insights of a Titled Douluo.

It wouldn't help.

It might even leave the cats' heads spinning.

So Meow Meow first set up a small Calming Bell Sound.

Ding.

The bell rang softly.

The three cats' eyes soon grew calm.

Standing nearby, Qian Renxue also felt her mind grow a little lighter.

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

That bell must have been his companion item.

She'd vaguely heard a similar sound during the previous night's ordeal at Black Marsh.

The situation had been too urgent for her to think about it at the time.

Now, it seemed the bell was even more powerful than she'd imagined.

Meow Meow didn't explain. He simply began to purr softly.

"Purr..."

"Purr..."

The sound wasn't loud.

But it was steady.

The three little cats instinctively relaxed along with it.

Ink Shadow closed his eyes first.

White Dew followed soon after.

A Yu held out for a while, but eventually lay down as well.

Seeing them settle into it, Meow Meow nodded with satisfaction.

"Not bad."

"At least none of you fell asleep while cultivating."

Just as the thought crossed his mind, A Yu let out a little yawn.

Meow Meow: "..."

Never mind.

He wouldn't push this one.

He was still little.

As the purring continued, the Sacred Flame patterns on the three cats flickered faintly.

The glow on Ink Shadow was the dimmest, but the aura around him faded first.

It was as if a small patch of shadow were slowly blending into the ground.

White Dew's change was gentler.

The Soul Power around her grew steady, and even the breeze beneath the veranda seemed to soften.

A Yu was different.

When the flame mark between his brows lit up, a few wisps of faint plant essence drifted over from the Herb Garden. They circled him once, then slowly dispersed.

Qian Renxue's eyes shifted as she watched.

"Their paths are different?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow kept purring as he sent her an answer with his mind.

"Ink Shadow is suited to Stealth."

"White Dew is suited to calming the mind."

"A Yu is suited to tending the Herb Garden."

Qian Renxue nodded.

The division of roles did suit them.

Especially White Dew.

She'd noticed the previous night that her mind felt calmer when this White Cat was beside her.

The effect was nowhere near as strong as Meow Meow's, but it was steady.

If she continued her undercover work in Heaven Dou, having White Dew by her side would save her a lot of trouble.

With that in mind, she suddenly asked, "Can White Dew come with me?"

Meow Meow's purring stopped for a moment.

The three little cats opened their eyes and looked over.

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

It was clearly willing.

But Meow Meow had to agree, too.

Meow Meow watched Qian Renxue for a while, its tail swaying gently.

"Sure."

"But it's still little. Don't let it get too far from you."

"Heaven Dou City isn't like Spirit City. It's a chaotic place."

"If you really are taking it to the Crown Prince's Mansion, make sure you keep it hidden."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"I know."

Meow Meow added another warning.

"Also, it isn't an ordinary cat."

"It could give itself away if a Soul Master probes it."

"Have it keep its aura restrained, and don't let it get too excited."

Qian Renxue glanced at White Dew.

White Dew had already gotten to its feet and padded over to her, gently rubbing against her leg.

She reached down and picked White Dew up.

She was getting more skilled at it.

White Dew nestled obediently in her arms without squirming.

Watching them, Meow Meow suddenly felt like laughing.

How long had it even been?

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

Now the young mistress of the Qian Family was going to have White Dew, too.

If the mother and daughter ever met one day, each with cats at their sides, it would probably make for quite a sight.

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

Meow Meow turned his attention back to Ink Shadow and A Yu.

"White Dew will go with Qinghe."

"Ink Shadow and A Yu will stay at the Villa for now."

"Ink Shadow, patrol the formation at night, and don't go wandering out of the Misty Forest."

"A Yu, take care of the Herb Garden, and don't sneak any food."

A Yu gave a quiet little meow.

It sounded as if he'd hit a nerve again.

Qian Renxue glanced at him and couldn't help saying, "If he really likes herbs, I'll have someone bring some low-grade herbs over."

Meow Meow looked up at her.

"Better not let A Yu understand that too clearly."

"If he realizes he'll have a food supply all to himself, he'll eat until he's round as a ball tonight."

A Yu: "Meow?"

Qian Renxue: "..."

Looking at A Yu's innocent expression, she found herself thinking Meow Meow might well be right.

Another half hour passed before the three little cats completed their first formal training session.

The results were even better than Meow Meow had expected.

Ink Shadow could just about conceal most of his aura.

White Dew could now steadily release a little calming energy.

A Yu kept wanting to fall asleep during training, but he reacted incredibly quickly to the spiritual herbs in the Herb Garden. He could sense almost anyone touching any plant.

"Not bad."

Meow Meow nodded.

"At least it wasn't a waste of time."

The system chimed in with a notification at that moment.

[Beep! The Sacred Flame Spirit Cat guard system at the Qian Family Villa has taken shape.]

[Reward: Meow Wish Value × 30.]

Meow Meow glanced at it without showing anything.

Thirty points wasn't much.

But it was better than nothing.

More importantly, Qian Renxue now had cats of her own.

That meant he and Qian Renxue were no longer connected only by the fact that they had once escaped danger together.

They now had a real, tangible bond.

White Dew would go with her.

Ink Shadow and A Yu would guard the Villa.

From now on, that bond would only grow stronger.

Seeing that the three little cats had settled down, Qian Renxue didn't rush to speak.

She looked at Meow Meow and suddenly asked, "Do you keep a lot of cats like these in Spirit City, too?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow didn't hide it.

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

"More than here."

Qian Renxue's eyes shifted slightly.

"At the Pope's Palace?"

"Yes."

Only after answering did Meow Meow realize the subject might be a little sensitive.

He looked up at Qian Renxue.

Her expression hadn't changed much, but she fell silent for a few breaths.

It wasn't long.

Still, the atmosphere grew quiet.

Meow Meow knew she must have thought of Bibi Dong.

The problems between mother and daughter couldn't be resolved in a few words.

He wasn't planning to get involved directly just yet.

It was too soon.

And it would be all too easy to make things worse.

So Meow Meow simply changed to a lighter tone.

"There are lots of cats at the Pope's Palace."

"It's much livelier than here."

"Maybe you can go see for yourself someday."

Qian Renxue didn't answer right away.

After a while, she said coolly, "We'll see."

Meow Meow nodded.

He didn't press her.

There was no rushing something like this.

A mother-daughter relationship wasn't a Soul Skill. It wouldn't work the moment you activated it.

It had to be mended little by little.

Besides, she still had to return to Heaven Dou City and keep up the identity of Xue Qinghe.

Bibi Dong had no idea what she was really thinking, either.

Meow Meow suddenly felt that he was going to have even more to do than he'd imagined.

"Treat insomnia."

"Raise cats."

"Save people."

"Help mend a mother-daughter relationship."

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

"Isn't this a bit much work for me, a three-thousand-year-old Soul Beast?"

At the thought, he sighed.

Qian Renxue heard him and looked down.

"What's wrong?"

Meow Meow replied casually, "Nothing."

"I just realized I might be very busy from now on."

Looking at him, Qian Renxue spoke with unusual seriousness.

"If you don't want to get involved, you don't have to."

Meow Meow's tail paused for a moment.

Then he looked up at her.

"I've already gotten this far."

"It wouldn't feel right to stop now, would it?"

Qian Renxue said nothing.

Meow Meow added, "Besides, I don't mind."

He spoke softly.

But he meant it.

He really didn't mind.

He didn't mind seeing Bibi Dong's brow relax as she slept.

He didn't mind the brief moment of quiet when Qian Renxue held White Dew.

And he didn't mind having all those cats in the East Side Courtyard crowd around him.

He didn't even truly resent all these messy troubles.

After all, in his previous life, he'd barely known anyone worth getting into trouble for.

Now, here he was in Douluo, with all kinds of problems waiting for him.

And every one of them was tangled up in the threads of fate.

Qian Renxue fell silent for a moment.

In the end, she only murmured, "Thank you."

Meow Meow heard her.

But he didn't respond.

He simply turned to the jade platter, picked up the last pale-green fruit, and took a slow bite.

The juice spread through his mouth.

His mind cleared a little more.

"All right."

"Let's leave your business aside for now."

"I've finished teaching the cats for today. It's time to take care of the real business."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"What real business?"

Meow Meow lifted his head.

"The loose end at Black Marsh."

"Didn't you say we were leaving tomorrow?"

"Before we go, let's clean up that filth."

Qian Renxue's eyes narrowed slightly.

Then she nodded.

"Good."

Meow Meow looked down at White Dew.

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

Ink Shadow stood quietly in the shadows.

A Yu lay beside the Herb Garden, its eyes half-open and half-closed, as if it were about to fall asleep again.

Meow Meow watched them, finally feeling a little more at ease.

There was a cat here now.

There was a cat by Qian Renxue's side, too.

That meant he'd have more confidence when he went to Heaven Dou City next.

"Let's go."

He jumped off the stone stool and flicked his tail.

"Once we've dealt with Black Marsh, we'll head back to Heaven Dou."