The Cat in the Crown Prince's Mansion

[Ding, Qian Renxue's stage mission has been completed.]

[Mission: Assist Qian Renxue in returning safely to Heaven Dou City.]

[Mission rating: Excellent.]

[Reward: Meow Wish Value ×120, Heaven Dou Hidden Travel Gift Pack ×1.]

[Ding, detected that the host has entered Heaven Dou City for the first time.]

[Additional reward: Heaven Dou Mark.]

As soon as Meow Meow entered the city gates, the system chimed several times in his mind.

His ears twitched slightly.

Good.

It had finally paid out.

The trip to Black Marsh had been a hassle, but the rewards had been substantial.

He had bonded with Qian Renxue.

He had gotten several gift packs.

And he had successfully made it into Heaven Dou City.

Now he had another Heaven Dou Hidden Travel Gift Pack.

Any way you looked at it, he had come out ahead.

But they were still at the city gates, where people were coming and going, and Qian Renxue was right beside him. Meow Meow didn't open the gift pack immediately.

Right now, he was just an "ordinary white cat."

At least, he had to look the part.

Crown Prince Xue Qinghe's return to the city was naturally nothing like an ordinary person's entry.

As soon as the gate guards saw the token, they bowed.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Qian Renxue's expression was warm as she nodded lightly.

"Rise."

She had the manner down pat.

Neither too cold nor too familiar.

Exactly how a Crown Prince of Heaven Dou should act.

Meow Meow stood at her feet and looked up at her, unable to stop himself from muttering inwardly.

If this acting had been around in my old life, she'd have won an award for sure.

No wonder Your Highness has been undercover in Heaven Dou for so many years.

White Dew was tucked inside Qian Renxue's outer robe, with only a little tuft of fur showing.

Meow Meow, meanwhile, walked openly beside her.

The guards naturally noticed the white cat.

But none of them dared ask about him.

The Crown Prince had brought a cat into the city. So what?

It wasn't as if a Soul Beast had gone berserk.

When Meow Meow saw that nobody stopped him, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness.

So far, pretending to be an ordinary cat seems to be working out just fine.

Only after entering Heaven Dou City did Meow Meow truly feel how different it was from Spirit City.

Spirit City had stricter rules and more Soul Masters. Even walking down the street, you could feel a certain solemnity in the air.

Heaven Dou City, on the other hand, was much livelier.

The streets were wide, the shops plentiful, and the carriages numerous.

There were nobles, merchants, Soul Masters, and ordinary commoners on the streets.

All kinds of sounds blended together. It was a little chaotic, but full of life.

Meow Meow looked around as they walked.

Then, as they went along, his nose suddenly twitched.

There was the smell of roasted meat from a street corner up ahead.

It smelled delicious.

Qian Renxue looked down at him.

"Didn't you say you were just observing the surroundings?"

Meow Meow immediately looked away.

"I am observing the livelihood of Heaven Dou City's people."

Qian Renxue: "..."

She didn't call him out.

She simply changed direction slightly and took Meow Meow down another street.

Meow Meow looked back at the roast meat shop, feeling a little regretful.

Once I know my way around, I'll come here by myself.

Heaven Dou City is so big. Surely I can find a bite of roast meat somewhere.

The Crown Prince's Mansion was in the city, near the palace.

The residence had a grand gate and plenty of guards.

But as soon as Qian Renxue returned, the people inside quickly came out to greet her.

The man at their head was a middle-aged steward. As soon as he saw Qian Renxue, he hurriedly bowed.

"Your Highness, you're back."

"Mm."

Qian Renxue's tone was even.

"Has anything happened at the residence these past few days?"

The steward lowered his head and replied:

"Your Highness, Sect Master Ning sent someone with an invitation yesterday. He said that if Your Highness returned to the residence, he'd like to visit on a day of your choosing."

"Also, Prince Xue Xing's people asked about Your Highness's whereabouts. Following your previous instructions, I only said that Your Highness had gone to visit a friend and that your return date was uncertain."

When Meow Meow heard the words "Sect Master Ning," his ears immediately perked up.

Ning Fengzhi?

The head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

In other words, Xue Qinghe's teacher in name, as depicted in the original story.

That man was no simple character.

Unlike those nobles who only knew how to put on airs, Ning Fengzhi was genuinely good at reading people and dealing with them.

The fact that Qian Renxue had managed to stay undercover in Heaven Dou for so long without being seen through by Ning Fengzhi was impressive in itself.

"Send a reply to Sect Master Ning tomorrow,"

Qian Renxue said calmly.

"As for Uncle Xue Xing, there's no need to bother."

The steward answered at once.

"Yes."

After that, his gaze inevitably fell on Meow Meow.

A small, snow-white cat was following the Crown Prince. It was hard not to notice him.

The steward hesitated, but still asked:

"Your Highness, this cat is...?"

Qian Renxue glanced at Meow Meow.

Meow Meow looked up at her, too.

Their eyes met for a moment.

Qian Renxue's expression didn't change.

"Found him on the road."

Meow Meow: "..."

Found again.

Bibi Dong had found him once at Spirit Hall.

Now Qian Renxue had found him again in Heaven Dou City.

Apparently, his whole life was going to be about getting picked up everywhere.

The steward didn't think much of it and merely smiled.

"What a pretty cat."

Meow Meow sat up a little straighter.

He liked the sound of that.

Qian Renxue said nothing more and simply instructed him:

"Have Clear Radiance Pavilion in the rear courtyard tidied up. No one is to approach without permission."

"And prepare some milk and minced meat."

The steward froze for a moment.

"Yes."

He clearly hadn't expected the first thing the Crown Prince would do after returning to be arranging a place for a cat to stay.

But the people in the Crown Prince's Mansion knew the rules.

Whatever His Highness ordered, they did.

No questions asked.

Clear Radiance Pavilion was in the rear courtyard of the Crown Prince's Mansion.

It wasn't particularly secluded, but outsiders wouldn't easily wander over.

It was near the study and beside a small bamboo grove, with a pond and a stone pavilion nearby.

The place was quiet, and the view was good.

Meow Meow went inside and looked around. The more he saw, the more pleased he was.

"This place is pretty nice."

"Much better than an ordinary cat bed."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"You can stay here for now."

"There are a lot of people in the Crown Prince's Mansion, so don't wander off."

Meow Meow nodded.

"Understood."

"I'm just an ordinary cat you found on the road, Your Highness."

Qian Renxue heard the resentment in his tone, and a hint of amusement appeared in her eyes.

"If I don't put it that way, how do you expect me to explain you?"

"Should I say you're a rare psychic Soul Beast raised in the Pope's Palace of Spirit Hall?"

Meow Meow was silent for two breaths.

"Being found is better, then."

At least an ordinary cat that had been found was much safer than a Soul Beast from the Pope's Palace.

Outside Clear Radiance Pavilion, the steward had already sent someone to bring milk and minced meat.

Meow Meow gave them a sniff.

Not bad.

It wasn't as good as the spirit fruits at Qian Family Villa, but at least it was normal food.

It suited an ordinary cat and wouldn't draw attention.

Qian Renxue took White Dew out from inside her outer robe.

As soon as White Dew touched the ground, she looked around, then naturally went over to Meow Meow.

She wasn't as lively as the cats in East Side Courtyard or as greedy as A Yu. She simply sat down quietly.

Qian Renxue looked at her and asked softly:

"Will White Dew stay here too?"

Meow Meow thought it over.

"She can stay with you most of the time."

"But when there are a lot of people in the residence, she should come back here."

"One cat suddenly appearing beside you is fine. Two would attract attention."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"Good."

She had clearly begun to get used to discussing these little things with Meow Meow.

Meow Meow noticed it, too.

That was good.

It meant Qian Renxue had started to see him as a companion she could talk to and make plans with, rather than just a strange Soul Beast.

Even if that companion was still a cat for now.

After arranging things for White Dew, Meow Meow finally had time to inspect the rewards he had just received.

He closed his eyes and focused on the system.

[Heaven Dou Hidden Travel Gift Pack: Mimicry Enhancement ×1, Cat Pet Skill: Crown Prince's Mansion Mark.]

[Heaven Dou Mark: The host has entered a main-story area of Heaven Dou. In future events involving key figures in Heaven Dou City, special missions may be triggered.]

After reading it, Meow Meow's eyes lit up.

Mimicry Enhancement was easy to understand.

What he needed most now was to pass as an ordinary cat in Heaven Dou City.

Especially since the Crown Prince's Mansion had plenty of eyes and ears.

If some Soul Douluo, Soul Saint, or even a Soul Master with strong mental power noticed something was off, it would cause a lot of trouble.

"Use Mimicry Enhancement."

[Ding! Mimic Breath enhanced successfully.]

[Current effect: The host can more steadily conceal Soul Beast auras, making himself more like an ordinary cat while not in combat. Unless high-level Soul Masters specifically investigate, they will have difficulty detecting anything unusual.]

Meow Meow nodded with satisfaction.

This was good.

Perfect for Heaven Dou City.

Next was the [Crown Prince's Mansion Mark].

[Crown Prince's Mansion Mark: The host can designate Clear Radiance Pavilion in the Crown Prince's Mansion as a temporary resting place. Once designated, the host can sense the Sacred Flame Spirit Cat's condition within Clear Radiance Pavilion and locate the direction to return from within a certain distance.]

"So this is a Heaven Dou branch nest?"

Meow Meow immediately felt much better.

With this mark, Clear Radiance Pavilion would be more than just a place to sleep for a while. It would be his permanent base in Heaven Dou City.

The East Side Courtyard was his cat nest in Spirit City.

The Qian Family Villa was Qian Renxue's secret base.

And Clear Radiance Pavilion was his cat nest in the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's Mansion.

With all three linked, he could move around outside with much greater security.

"Designate Clear Radiance Pavilion."

[Ding! Clear Radiance Pavilion has been designated as a temporary resting place.]

[Current resting places: East Side Courtyard in Spirit City, Qian Family Villa, and Clear Radiance Pavilion in the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's Mansion.]

Meow Meow felt great as he looked at the words.

"My territory's getting bigger and bigger."

"None of these places are actually mine, but as long as I can stay there, that's good enough."

After finishing the setup, he gave the Calming Bell a gentle ring.

Ding.

A faint chime spread through the air.

The somewhat chaotic Soul Power fluctuations in Clear Radiance Pavilion gradually settled.

White Dew looked up, then soon curled up by the window.

Meow Meow left a little Holy Fire Aura in a corner.

Not much.

Just enough for White Dew and him to sense the place.

After all, this was the Crown Prince's Mansion. He couldn't set things up here as openly as he had in the East Side Courtyard.

He had to keep a low profile.

And play it safe.

Qian Renxue watched from the side without asking much.

She knew Meow Meow was putting his own safeguards in place.

That would benefit her, too.

Clear Radiance Pavilion wasn't far from her study. If Meow Meow could settle in here, he could lend her timely support whenever she handled affairs of state or rested at night.

Of course, that helper was a cat.

The whole thing was still a little strange.

But strange as it was, she had begun to feel that maybe it wasn't so bad.

They had just finished setting everything up when footsteps sounded outside.

The steward stopped at the door.

"Your Highness."

"What is it?"

Qian Renxue resumed Xue Qinghe's tone of voice.

"Someone from the palace has come with a message. His Majesty learned of Your Highness's return and ordered Your Highness to enter the palace later."

Qian Renxue's expression didn't change.

"Understood."

The steward continued:

"Should we still send a reply to Sect Master Ning tomorrow?"

"Yes."

The steward answered and withdrew.

Meow Meow's ears twitched as he listened.

"You've just come back, and you have to go to the palace already?"

"That's normal."

Qian Renxue's tone was calm.

"I've been away from the mansion for several days. If I don't go to the palace and explain why, it'll be hard to account for myself to my father."

Meow Meow glanced at her.

She had said "father" so naturally.

But the more naturally she said it, the more it showed how deeply she had played her role all these years.

"What about me?"

Meow Meow asked.

"You'll stay in Clear Radiance Pavilion."

Qian Renxue answered without a moment's thought.

"There are too many rules in the palace. It wouldn't be convenient to bring you along."

Meow Meow wasn't surprised.

"Fine."

"Be careful, then."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

Meow Meow continued casually:

"Prince Xue Xing has his eye on you, doesn't he?"

"And there are all those troublesome people in the palace."

"You've just come back from Black Marsh, and your Soul Power hasn't fully settled yet. Don't let anything slip."

Qian Renxue fell silent for a moment.

At last, she nodded gently.

"I know."

With that, she turned and left.

White Dew was about to follow, but Meow Meow gently stopped her with his tail.

"You can't go right now."

"If the Crown Prince suddenly brought two cats into the palace, it'd draw too much attention."

White Dew gazed reluctantly in the direction Qian Renxue had gone.

Meow Meow patted her on the head.

"Don't worry. She isn't an ordinary person."

"If she really gets into danger, I'll know."

Bell-Led Master Seeking was still active.

If Qian Renxue showed any clear signs of danger, he would sense it immediately.

Only then did White Dew settle down.

After Qian Renxue left, only Meow Meow and White Dew remained in Clear Radiance Pavilion.

Meow Meow glanced at the milk and minced meat on the table.

Then he looked out the window at the Crown Prince's Mansion.

Quiet.

Clean.

And full of rules.

It wasn't as lively as the East Side Courtyard, nor as hidden away as the Qian Family Villa.

It was in the busiest part of Heaven Dou City.

And yet, it was also the place where they had to be most careful.

"White Dew."

Meow Meow spoke.

White Dew looked up.

"From today on, we're the cats of the Crown Prince's Mansion."

"Remember: first, don't wander off."

"Second, don't make a racket."

"Third, if you see anyone suspicious, remember their scent first."

White Dew nodded earnestly.

Meow Meow thought for a moment, then added one more rule.

"Fourth, if no one's watching the roast meat in the mansion, let me know."

White Dew: "..."

She clearly didn't understand why this rule was important, too.

Meow Meow was completely serious.

"This is a matter of livelihood."

"It's important."

White Dew didn't argue.

She was still young, after all. She didn't know that sometimes her cat master was truly serious, and other times he just wanted to eat.

After giving his instructions, Meow Meow jumped up and curled up by the window.

Outside was the Crown Prince's Mansion's back courtyard.

Farther away were the streets of Heaven Dou City.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Blue Tyrant Academy, and all those people who would appear in the original story were in or around this city.

He had made it here now.

From this point on, the story would no longer be confined to Spirit Hall.

"Heaven Dou City."

"Tang San."

"Shrek."

"Yu Xiaogang."

"And the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Meow Meow flicked his tail lightly.

"I hope you don't run into me too soon."

"For now, I just want to enjoy a couple of peaceful days and eat in peace."