Sect Master Ning Pays a Visit

Tang San's name was temporarily pushed to the back of Meow Meow's mind.

That didn't mean he was ignoring it.

He just couldn't do anything about it right now.

There was a child who had only just entered Notting Academy, and Tang Hao was somewhere nearby, hidden from view.

If he acted rashly now, forget a little cat with three thousand years of cultivation—even Qian Renxue might not want to risk alerting the Clear Sky Douluo just yet.

So he'd keep the name in mind.

And watch things unfold.

For now, the most important lead was still the Black Eagle Family and Black Water Marsh.

Meow Meow lay beside the table, his tail tapping against it again and again.

Across from him, Qian Renxue read through the Black Eagle Family's files once more.

"For the past three years, the Black Eagle Family has been managing the Western Suburb Hunting Ground on behalf of Uncle Xue Xing."

"The hunting ground is close to the outskirts of Sunset Forest."

"Black Water Marsh is nearby, too."

Meow Meow looked up.

"Then Prince Xue Xing must be involved somehow?"

"Not necessarily."

Qian Renxue shook her head.

"Uncle Xue Xing isn't stupid."

"He might not have gotten his hands dirty himself."

"But the Black Eagle Family can operate in the West Suburb under his name, which means someone is using his influence."

Meow Meow understood.

Prince Xue Xing might not be the mastermind.

But someone was already using his name as cover.

That was trouble enough.

Just then, the steward's voice came from outside.

"Your Highness, Sect Master Ning is here."

Meow Meow's ears pricked up.

Sect Master Ning?

Ning Fengzhi?

Qian Renxue put away the documents on the table, her expression instantly shifting back to Xue Qinghe's gentle demeanor.

"Please show Sect Master Ning to the reception hall."

"Yes."

The steward withdrew.

Qian Renxue looked at Meow Meow.

"You stay here."

Meow Meow blinked.

"Can't I go take a look?"

"Ning Fengzhi isn't an ordinary person."

Qian Renxue said,

"The Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has a sharp eye."

"If you let your guard down, he might notice something's wrong."

Meow Meow thought it over.

She had a point.

In the original story, Ning Fengzhi wasn't famous for his fighting ability. He was known for his brains and keen eye.

People like that were the most troublesome.

He wasn't worried about Ning Fengzhi hitting him.

He was worried about Ning Fengzhi seeing through him.

Still, the more Qian Renxue said that, the more Meow Meow wanted to see for himself.

"I'll act like an ordinary cat."

Qian Renxue frowned.

Meow Meow immediately added,

"I won't talk, move around, or send a telepathic message."

"I'll just lie there."

"You can't just take in a cat and then lock him up the next moment, can you?"

At the word "take in," a flicker of amusement passed through Qian Renxue's eyes.

"You certainly remember that part."

"Of course."

Meow Meow's face remained expressionless.

"I've been taken in twice already."

In the end, Qian Renxue nodded.

"Fine."

"But if you cause trouble, I'll have White Dew drag you back."

At the sound of her name, White Dew looked up at Meow Meow.

Meow Meow: "..."

Great.

The little one was already being entrusted with the important job of keeping her cat in line.

Ning Fengzhi was already seated in the reception hall.

He wore blue robes and had a gentle air about him. He looked less like a sect leader and more like a refined scholar.

But Meow Meow could tell at a glance that he wouldn't be easy to fool.

Anyone who could keep the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect firmly established between the two great empires and Spirit Hall couldn't be simple.

Qian Renxue entered the reception hall and greeted him with a smile and a cupped-fist salute.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Teacher."

Ning Fengzhi rose and returned the salute.

"Your Highness has been away for several days and must have had a great deal to attend to. I hope my visit today hasn't been a bother."

"Teacher, there's no need to be so polite."

Qian Renxue sat down.

Meow Meow pretended to be an ordinary white cat, following her at an unhurried pace before settling onto a cushion nearby.

He made it look perfectly natural.

Ning Fengzhi soon noticed him.

"When did Your Highness get a cat?"

Qian Renxue's expression didn't change.

"I found him on the road."

Meow Meow felt nothing at all.

That line again.

He was used to it by now.

Ning Fengzhi glanced at Meow Meow, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"He seems quite intelligent."

Meow Meow closed his eyes.

He wasn't listening.

He couldn't let a compliment make his tail stick up.

Ning Fengzhi didn't dwell on the cat for long and soon turned to business with Qian Renxue.

They started with several matters of governance in Heaven Dou City.

Then they discussed Emperor Xue Ye's recent health.

Only after that did the conversation turn, almost casually, to the West Suburb.

"I hear things have been unsettled at the Western Suburb Hunting Ground lately."

Ning Fengzhi said,

"Several nearby villages have reported unusual Soul Beast activity. Has Your Highness heard about it?"

Qian Renxue nodded calmly.

"I've heard something about it."

"I was just about to send someone to investigate."

Ning Fengzhi looked at her, his tone gentle.

"If it's only ordinary Soul Beasts growing agitated, that's one thing."

"What worries me is the possibility that someone is using the hunting ground for shady dealings."

Meow Meow cracked one eye open.

The old fox really did know something.

Qian Renxue's expression remained unchanged.

"What makes you say that, Teacher?"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has a few businesses in the West Suburb as well."

Ning Fengzhi said,

"Recently, someone has been buying Soul Beast blood and unusual bones, and offering a high price."

"Fengzhi had someone look into it and found that several transactions were connected to the Black Eagle Family."

Qian Renxue fell silent for a moment.

"The Black Eagle Family answers to Uncle Xue Xing."

"That makes it all the more troublesome."

Ning Fengzhi let out a soft sigh.

"Prince Xue Xing may not know about it."

"But this isn't the first time people have used the prince's household as cover for their own dealings."

He put it carefully.

He didn't accuse Xue Xing outright.

But neither did he try to excuse him.

He simply laid out the problem.

Meow Meow made a mental note of Ning Fengzhi.

This man was very good at talking around things.

But he was useful.

At the very least, it showed that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had also caught wind of the Black Eagle Family.

Qian Renxue nodded.

"I'll keep an eye on it."

Ning Fengzhi didn't elaborate. Instead, he smoothly shifted the conversation to the recent Martial Soul Awakening reports.

"Speaking of which, something interesting happened in Fasinuo Province a few days ago. A child there awakened a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul with Innate Full Soul Power."

Qian Renxue's eyes flickered.

Meow Meow's tail almost twitched, too.

Here it comes.

Ning Fengzhi continued:

"A Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is nothing special."

"But Innate Full Soul Power is extremely rare."

"I hear the child has already entered Notting Junior Soul Master Academy and become a disciple of a teacher who studies Martial Soul Theory."

Meow Meow kept his eyes closed and scoffed inwardly.

Yu Xiaogang.

He was already in the picture this early.

Qian Renxue asked,

"What do you think of this child, Teacher?"

"It's too soon to say."

Ning Fengzhi smiled.

"Blue Silver Grass is still Blue Silver Grass."

"Without some special opportunity, even Innate Full Soul Power may not take him very far."

"Still, there must be a reason he has full Soul Power."

"He's worth keeping in mind."

Qian Renxue nodded lightly.

Meow Meow nodded inwardly as well.

He was definitely worth keeping in mind.

And I needed to make a special note of it.

But now wasn't the time to act.

Ning Fengzhi continued:

"That Mr. Yu once put forward many theories on Martial Souls."

"Some of his ideas were sharp, while others were far too dogmatic."

"He's taken on a student like this now. That's rather interesting."

Meow Meow's eyelid twitched.

Far too dogmatic.

That was a remarkably tactful way to put it.

Meow Meow's impression of Yu Xiaogang was nowhere near so mild.

But it wasn't time to start insulting him yet.

Best to let that "Grandmaster" make his entrance in due time.

Qian Renxue and Ning Fengzhi talked for a while longer.

Before leaving, Ning Fengzhi glanced at Meow Meow.

"If Your Highness likes this cat, you could keep him by your side."

"Heaven Dou City has been busy lately. Having a perceptive little beast for company might help you relax."

Qian Renxue looked at Meow Meow.

"He certainly is good at helping me relax."

Meow Meow kept his eyes shut.

Playing asleep.

Who's good at helping people relax?

This cat is here to do important things.

Of course, helping her relax on the side wouldn't be so bad.

After Ning Fengzhi left, Qian Renxue returned to Clear Radiance Pavilion.

Only then did Meow Meow roll over and sit up.

"Your teacher is really hard to fool."

Qian Renxue's hand paused slightly as she poured tea.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't talk?"

"He's already gone."

Meow Meow was perfectly unapologetic.

"I said I wouldn't talk in front of him."

Qian Renxue: "..."

White Dew gave a soft meow beside them, as if making excuses for Meow Meow.

Qian Renxue shook her head and let it go.

"Ning Fengzhi's mention of the Black Eagle Family today wasn't a coincidence."

Meow Meow nodded.

"He's probably uncovered a few things too."

"But he didn't get directly involved."

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has always been cautious."

"They wouldn't fall out with Uncle Xue Xing over a few unclear leads,"

Qian Renxue said.

"So we'll have to investigate this ourselves."

Meow Meow lowered his head and thought it over.

"Have Cat Net keep an eye on the Black Eagle Family first."

"We can keep an eye on Ning Fengzhi as well."

"Since he brought it up to warn you, he's at least willing to look into it."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"Mm."

Just then, a faint sound came from the window.

A gray wild cat leaped onto the windowsill.

It wasn't a Sacred Flame Spirit Cat.

It was just one of the cats Meow Meow had temporarily drawn in with his Holy Fire Aura last night.

The gray cat held a short strip of black cloth in its mouth.

There was a trace of blood on it.

And a little of the same Pollution aura as Black Water Marsh.

Meow Meow's eyes lit up.

"Here it comes."

The gray cat dropped the strip of cloth, then meowed toward the outside.

Meow Meow sensed the information it had brought through Holy Fire Resonance and quickly pieced together what had happened.

People from the Black Eagle Family had taken a carriage covered in black cloth out of West City during the night.

They were headed southwest.

Toward the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

"Looks like they have no intention of stopping."

Meow Meow looked at Qian Renxue.

"They're making another move tonight."

Qian Renxue's expression turned cold.

"Are they in such a hurry?"

"Or maybe they're rushing to make up for what they lost."

Meow Meow replied.

"But we can't let them deliver anything else this time."

"The Ten-Thousand-Year Swamp Wyrm at Black Water Marsh has already been provoked once. A few more bottles could cause real trouble."

Qian Renxue considered it.

"Should I send people to follow them in secret?"

Meow Meow shook his head.

"The Crown Prince's Mansion can't make a move right now."

"Ning Fengzhi just warned you, and Xue Xing's people are watching you too."

"If you send people southwest right away, it'll be easy for others to connect the dots."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"Then you'll go?"

"I will."

Meow Meow nodded.

"But I won't go alone."

As he spoke, he looked at the gray cat.

"I'll take a few cats this time."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"Ordinary cats?"

"Ordinary cats can do ordinary cat things."

Meow Meow flicked his tail.

"Watch the roads, remember scents, and draw away the night patrols."

"They don't need to fight if it comes to that."

"I only need them to help me find the carriage and whoever's meeting it."

Qian Renxue didn't object right away.

She knew Meow Meow wasn't fooling around.

Though this cat always sounded unserious, when it came to handling things, he was more cautious than many Soul Masters.

Meow Meow added:

"As for Tang San, let's leave him be for now."

Qian Renxue froze.

She hadn't expected him to bring that up himself.

"You're still thinking about that Blue Silver Grass Child?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow nodded.

"Innate Full Soul Power with Blue Silver Grass. There's no way he's ordinary."

"But he's only just entered Notting Academy, and Heaven Dou is still a long way off."

"Just keep track of the records."

"We'll talk about it if he actually makes it to Heaven Dou someday."

Qian Renxue looked at him, a little puzzled.

Meow Meow seemed more interested in that Tang San than she'd expected.

But she didn't ask.

Everyone had their own judgment.

And she was already willing to trust Meow Meow.

"All right."

"I'll have the Heavenly Dou Branch Hall keep recording the usual information on Tang San."

"Don't draw anyone's attention."

Meow Meow nodded with satisfaction.

"Exactly."

"Some fish shouldn't be caught as soon as they poke their heads out."

"You have to wait for them to swim into the net themselves."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"That doesn't sound like something a cat would say."

Meow Meow licked his paw.

"Cats catch fish too."

Qian Renxue: "..."

Dusk fell.

One by one, the lights outside the Crown Prince's Mansion came on.

Meow Meow summoned a few cats from the outskirts and passed on the scent and direction.

White Dew wanted to go too, but Meow Meow stopped her.

"You stay at Clear Radiance Pavilion."

"Keep an eye on Qinghe."

White Dew looked a little reluctant.

But she nodded all the same.

Qian Renxue's expression turned slightly peculiar when she heard that.

"Keep an eye on me?"

"Of course."

Meow Meow was completely serious.

"You're more important than the Black Eagle Family right now."

Qian Renxue fell silent for a moment, then gave a soft laugh.

"Go on."

"Don't push yourself."

Meow Meow leaped onto the windowsill.

"Don't worry."

"What I'm best at is running when I can't win."

With that, he disappeared into the night beyond the Crown Prince's Mansion, accompanied by several shadowy cats.

Meanwhile, a carriage covered in black cloth had already slipped out through the western gate of Heaven Dou City.

Its wheels rolled over the muddy road.

A faint, low growl came from inside the carriage.