Three Little Ones' Inner Thoughts

Chapter 29: The Three Little Ones' Thoughts

Two days later, Da Hei first brought good news.

Among the several new litters of kittens in the East Side Courtyard, bidirectional affinity had indeed appeared.

A black-and-white kitten, learning Calming from Snowball during the day and liking to follow Charcoal Ball to burrow by the wall at night, showed no rejection of either the Holy Fire Aura or the Stealth Aura.

A gray-tailed kitten, barely able to walk, was already interested in Blue Tail's stone slabs, yet reacted quickly to Swirl's bell token.

And there was an orange cat.

A Ju said it was very clever.

Meow Meow was silent for a moment, then asked specifically.

[What's clever about it?]

Da Hei was silent on the other end too.

[It knows how to hide meat.]

Meow Meow: "..."

Fine.

That counted as talent too.

No discrimination allowed.

But overall, the bloodline rules had indeed taken effect.

It wasn't about forcibly changing bloodlines, but making it easier for Sacred Flame Spirit Cats to reveal their suitable direction after birth.

For the current cat clan, that was already important enough.

Meow Meow lay by the window of Clear Radiance Pavilion, his tail gently swaying twice.

"At least the Meow Wish Value wasn't wasted."

Jianbing lifted his head from within the Calming Bell.

"What value?"

"Nothing."

Meow Meow brushed it off casually.

The Little White Tiger had now learned not to ask too many questions.

But he clearly still remembered it.

White Dew lay nearby, gently rubbing against Meow Meow's front paw, as if congratulating him.

Meow Meow glanced at her, then reached out a paw to pat her head.

"White Dew, you need to train hard too."

"Your kind of Calming talent is very rare."

White Dew nodded seriously.

Jianbing asked quietly:

"What about me?"

"Don't scatter yet."

Meow Meow answered quickly.

Jianbing: "..."

White Dew lowered her head, as if holding back a laugh.

Meow Meow contacted Da Hei again through the Distant Bell Communication.

[The Five Cat Elder should continue managing clan affairs.]

[Bloodline affinity must be recorded separately.]

[Every kitten's awakened direction, who they follow to learn, and any changes afterward—all must be documented.]

Da Hei responded quickly.

[Understood.]

Meow Meow thought for a moment, then added:

[Also, add one more class to the Kitten School.]

[What class?]

[Don't eat random things.]

Da Hei was silent on the other end.

[Is A Ju teaching it?]

Meow Meow's eye twitched.

[It said the opposite.]

Da Hei agreed.

Only then did Meow Meow withdraw his consciousness.

He understood now.

If the cat clan wanted to last, cultivation wasn't the only thing to grasp.

Eating, drinking, patrolling, knowing the roads, recognizing scents, passing messages, calming the mind, array patterns, rules—all of it had to be filled in slowly.

Otherwise, as more Sacred Flame Spirit Cats gathered, relying on him alone to watch over them would eventually wear him bald.

Thankfully, the Five Cat Elders were here now.

Even if A Ju wasn't too reliable, the rest were passable.

Just as he finished handling the East Side Courtyard matter, Qian Renxue walked in.

Today, she was still in the guise of Xue Qinghe, holding several newly delivered briefs in her hands.

"The Black Eagle Family has news."

Meow Meow sat up straight.

"Speak."

"The Star Luo Caravan will leave through the Southwest Gate tomorrow."

Qian Renxue handed one of the documents to him.

"On the surface, it's beast bones, medicinal herbs, and furs."

"But I checked—the weight of a few crates doesn't match."

"The extra weight is just enough to hold several small iron cages."

Meow Meow narrowed his eyes.

"They're planning to move the test subjects?"

"Possibly."

Qian Renxue added, "Also, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Back Mountain will close the Beast Garden tomorrow night."

"The reason given is that the academy teachers need to inspect the soul beasts' condition."

Meow Meow's tail stopped.

"Tomorrow night?"

"Mm."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"The Three-Day Test should be tomorrow night."

These two pieces of information lined up.

The Star Luo Caravan was leaving.

The Royal Academy was closing the Beast Garden.

The Black Eagle Family wouldn't just move for nothing.

Either they were relocating failed test subjects, or they were clearing the area for tomorrow night's test.

Meow Meow lowered his head in thought.

"We can't wait for them to finish moving."

"Before tomorrow night's test, at least we need to know who they're planning to test on."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"I think so too."

"But there are royal guards in the academy, along with several Soul King-level teachers."

"If you go in, the risk isn't small."

Meow Meow thought for a moment.

"I won't force my way in."

"First, have Gray Ear watch the outer perimeter."

"I'll enter the back mountain myself."

"If Jianbing can hold up, bring him along to track by scent."

Jianbing heard this and immediately lifted his head.

"I can."

"You can't push yourself."

Meow Meow said.

"You're only responsible for sniffing, not fighting."

Jianbing immediately nodded.

"I know."

At that moment, White Dew also looked up.

She didn't bark.

But her eyes were clear.

She wanted to go too.

Meow Meow glanced at her and refused outright.

"No."

White Dew's ears drooped slightly.

Meow Meow explained:

"You stay at Clear Radiance Pavilion, guard Qinghe."

"After I leave, the Crown Prince's Mansion side can't go unwatched."

Only then did White Dew slowly nod.

Qian Renxue watched this scene and suddenly found it a bit strange.

Clearly she was human.

Meow Meow was a cat.

But right now it sounded like Meow Meow was arranging bodyguards for her.

Still, she didn't argue.

Because White Dew staying behind did make her feel more secure.

Meow Meow picked up another briefing.

This one wasn't about the Black Eagle Family.

It was a distant record compiled by the Heavenly Dou branch of Martial Soul Hall.

He flipped through a few pages casually, then suddenly stopped.

[Notting Junior Soul Master Academy: Tang San, martial soul Blue Silver Grass, first soul skill Entanglement, performance excellent.]

[Notting Junior Soul Master Academy: work-study student Xiao Wu, martial soul Soft Bone Rabbit, combat ability strong, data incomplete.]

Meow Meow's eyes shifted slightly.

Xiao Wu had appeared too.

Tang San was already walking his original path.

Yu Xiaogang was guiding him by his side.

The plot at Notting Academy was slowly advancing bit by bit.

Qian Renxue also saw those two lines.

"Soft Bone Rabbit?"

"Data incomplete?"

Meow Meow didn't say much, only:

"Just note it for now."

Qian Renxue glanced at him.

She felt that Meow Meow was especially concerned about those two names from Notting Academy.

But since he didn't say, she wouldn't ask for now.

"I'll have the branch continue recording as usual."

"Mm."

Meow Meow closed the briefing.

"Don't investigate specifically."

"Don't alert anyone."

"Especially that Xiao Wu."

Qian Renxue finally asked.

"You think she's problematic too?"

Meow Meow was silent for a moment.

"The Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul itself isn't the problem."

"The incomplete information is the problem."

"But it's too far from us for now—let's not touch it."

Qian Renxue nodded.

She filed it away.

Meow Meow looked out the window.

Tang San and Xiao Wu were in Notting.

The Black Eagle Family was in Heavenly Dou.

The Star Luo White Tiger line was behind the Royal Academy's back mountain.

These threads looked scattered, but they were all converging toward the main line of the Heavenly Dou Continent.

"We need to speed up."

Meow Meow said softly.

"What?"

Qian Renxue hadn't caught it.

"Nothing."

Meow Meow flicked his tail.

"Let's handle tomorrow night's field test first."

That night, Meow Meow didn't sleep deeply.

White Dew lay by the window, Jianbing curled up inside the Calming Bell, and Gray Ear kept watch on the eaves outside the Crown Prince's Mansion.

Gray Ear was becoming more and more like a proper Cat Net scout.

No random yowling.

No getting close to soul masters.

And no longer freezing up at the sight of food.

As for Numb Tail, Meow Meow had temporarily kept him off the Royal Academy line.

That guy was still practicing "no sneaking snacks during missions" in West City.

In the dead of night, Jianbing suddenly whispered:

"Meow Meow."

"Hm?"

"Am I... useless?"

Meow Meow opened his eyes.

"What made you think of that all of a sudden?"

Jianbing was silent for a moment.

"The White Tiger Samples are at the academy."

"I can smell them."

"But I can't do anything."

Meow Meow looked at the small white shadow inside the Calming Bell.

This little one really did see those White Tiger Samples as kin.

Even though he himself was barely holding together.

"You're already impressive just for being alive."

Meow Meow said.

"Not every shattered remnant gets a chance to speak again."

Jianbing lowered his head.

"But I want to help them."

"There will be a chance."

"Just not by charging in and getting yourself killed."

Meow Meow's tone was unusually serious.

"Remember, whether you're saving people or saving soul beasts, you need the ability to save them first."

"What you need to learn now isn't bravery."

"It's restraint."

Jianbing didn't answer right away.

After a long moment, it finally gave a slight nod.

"I understand."

White Dew walked over then, gently brushing against the Calming Bell.

The bell chimed softly.

Jianbing's emotions steadied a little.

Meow Meow watched the two little ones and suddenly found it a bit amusing.

One was a Holy Fire Little White Cat.

The other was a White Tiger Remnant Spirit.

Neither was big.

Yet both were set on helping.

"You two, one after the other, don't always rush to the front."

"Even if the sky falls, it's not your turn to hold it up."

White Dew looked up.

Jianbing asked quietly:

"Then who holds it up?"

Meow Meow paused.

Then flicked his tail.

"Of course, it's this Meow."

As soon as he said it, he felt the words were a bit off.

It sounded like he was volunteering for the job.

So he added another line.

"But it'd be best if I didn't have to."

"This Meow wants to sleep too."

White Dew blinked.

Jianbing seemed amused, letting out a soft laugh.

The Clear Radiance Pavilion fell quiet for a while.

Just before dawn, Gray Ear brought back new information.

The Star Luo Caravan hadn't left the city immediately.

They had stopped at an inn in West City.

And two teachers from Heaven Dou Royal Academy had gone to meet the caravan's leader.

One of them was the middle-aged soul master Meow Meow had seen in the back mountain the day before.

"As expected."

Meow Meow looked at Qian Renxue.

"They're meeting again before tomorrow night's practical test."

Qian Renxue had already changed into her robes, ready to enter the palace.

Hearing this news, her gaze turned cold.

"I'll have someone watch the inn."

"Don't get too close."

Meow Meow reminded her.

"As for Ning Fengzhi, you can let a little wind slip his way."

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"You want the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to get involved?"

"Not involved."

"Just let him know that someone is using the Western Suburb Hunting Ground and the Star Luo Caravan to do dirty work."

Meow Meow said.

"Ning Fengzhi is clever."

"He'll act according to what he knows, and won't make rash moves."

"What we need is an extra pair of eyes, not someone who'll scare the prey away."

Qian Renxue nodded.

"Alright."

That day passed quickly.

By evening, Qian Renxue brought back Ning Fengzhi's reaction.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had indeed found something wrong with that Star Luo Caravan.

But Ning Fengzhi didn't act—he only had the sect's caravans temporarily avoid the Southwest Gate and the Western Suburb Hunting Ground.

"Old fox."

Meow Meow commented after hearing this.

"He knows there's a trap, but he won't step in first."

Qian Renxue said:

"That's also playing it safe."

"Mm."

Meow Meow nodded.

"So it's perfect to have him as a bystander."

Night fell.

Meow Meow stood by the window, the Calming Bell faintly glowing.

Gray Ear was already waiting ahead on the path.

Jianbing was also brought along inside the bell.

White Dew stayed behind in the Clear Radiance Pavilion, guarding Qian Renxue.

"I'm leaving."

Meow Meow said.

Qian Renxue looked at him.

"If you sense a Titled Douluo-level presence, retreat immediately."

"Don't worry."

Meow Meow turned his head.

"I haven't lived enough yet."

White Dew ran over and gently rubbed against him.

Jianbing whispered from inside the bell:

"I'll hold back."

Meow Meow gave a faint smile.

"You'd better."

With that, he turned into a streak of white shadow and vanished into the night.

At the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Back Mountain, the Beast Garden was indeed sealed off.

No students were on the mountain path.

Only a few guards patrolled.

Meow Meow bypassed the main road, using the shadows of trees and grass to sneak all the way to the stone house behind the mountain.

It was stricter than last time.

Two Soul Kings guarded the door.

There was also a simple Soul Guide Barrier.

Meow Meow didn't force his way in.

He circled to the back of the stone house and found the Holy Fire mark he had left last time.

The mark was still there.

But beside it, a new aura had appeared.

Very faint.

Yet it instantly put Jianbing on edge.

"White Tiger."

"And someone else."

Meow Meow narrowed his eyes.

"A low-rank soul master?"

"Mm."

Jianbing's voice tightened.

"They really are going to use people as test subjects."

Meow Meow lay outside the stone crevice, his heart sinking.

The Three-Day Test.

It wasn't testing the cubs.

It was testing people.

He peered through the gap.

In the center of the Bloodline Chamber, a boy who looked no more than eleven or twelve was bound to a stone platform.

The boy's face was pale, unconscious.

He wasn't wearing the academy uniform, but ordinary cloth clothes.

In an iron cage beside him, the white tiger cub was also locked up.

The Middle-aged Soul Master stood by the stone platform, holding a bottle of red-black liquid in his hand.

"Let's begin."

He said.

Meow Meow's gaze turned cold in an instant.

This time, he really couldn't just watch.