Two days later, Da Hei brought good news.
Among the new litters of kittens in the East Side Courtyard, there really were a few who showed affinity for two different paths.
One black-and-white kitten followed Snowball to learn how to soothe others during the day, then liked to follow Charcoal Ball along the base of the wall at night. It showed no resistance to either the Holy Fire Aura or Stealth.
A gray-tailed kitten became interested in Blue Tail's stone slabs as soon as it could walk, yet reacted quickly to Swirl's bell tag.
There was also an orange kitten.
A Ju said it was very clever.
Meow Meow was silent for a moment, then specifically asked:
[What makes it clever?]
Da Hei was silent for a moment too.
[It knows how to hide meat.]
Meow Meow: "..."
All right.
That counted as a talent, too.
No need to discriminate.
All in all, though, the Bloodline Rule really had taken effect.
It wasn't forcibly changing bloodlines. It simply made Sacred Flame Spirit Cats more likely to reveal the path that suited them after birth.
For the Cat Clan right now, that was already important enough.
Meow Meow lay by the window of Clear Radiance Pavilion, his tail swaying gently twice.
"At least the Meow Wish Value wasn't wasted."
Jianbing raised his head inside the Calming Bell.
"What value?"
"Nothing."
Meow Meow brushed it off.
Little White Tiger had learned not to ask too many questions.
But it had clearly taken note of that.
White Dew lay nearby and gently rubbed against Meow Meow's front paw, as if congratulating him.
Meow Meow glanced at it and patted it on the head with his paw.
"White Dew, you need to keep practicing, too."
"Your talent for soothing others is very rare."
White Dew nodded earnestly.
Jianbing asked quietly:
"What about me?"
"First, try not to fall apart."
Meow Meow answered quickly.
Jianbing: "..."
White Dew lowered its head, as if trying not to laugh.
Meow Meow used Distant Bell Communication to contact Da Hei again.
[Have the Five Cat Elder continue managing clan affairs.]
[Record bloodline affinities separately.]
[Keep a record of each kitten's awakened path, who it follows to learn, and whether anything changes later.]
Da Hei replied quickly.
[Understood.]
Meow Meow thought for a moment, then added:
[Also, add a class to Kitten School.]
[What class?]
[Don't eat things you shouldn't.]
Da Hei was silent for a moment.
[Will A Ju teach it?]
Meow Meow's eye twitched.
[It can teach the class on what not to do.]
Da Hei agreed.
Only then did Meow Meow withdraw his awareness.
He understood now.
If the Cat Clan wanted to endure, it couldn't focus only on cultivation.
Food, patrols, navigation, scent recognition, communication, soothing others, formations, and rules—all of it had to be gradually improved.
Otherwise, as more and more Sacred Flame Spirit Cats appeared, relying on him alone to keep an eye on everything would wear him bald sooner or later.
Fortunately, they had the Five Cat Elder now.
A Ju wasn't very reliable, but overall, things were fine.
Just as he finished handling matters in the East Side Courtyard, Qian Renxue walked in.
Today, she was still in the guise of Xue Qinghe, carrying several newly delivered briefings.
"There's news from the Black Eagle Family."
Meow Meow sat up straight.
"Go on."
"The Star Luo Caravan will leave through the Southwest Gate tomorrow."
Qian Renxue handed him one of the briefings.
"On the surface, they're carrying animal bones, medicinal herbs, and hides."
"But I checked, and the weight of several crates doesn't add up."
"The extra weight is just enough for a few small iron cages."
Meow Meow narrowed his eyes.
"Are they planning to move the samples?"
"It's possible."
Qian Renxue continued:
"Also, the Beast Garden at Heaven Dou Royal Academy's back mountain will be closed tomorrow night."
"They say the academy's teachers need to inspect the Soul Beasts."
Meow Meow's tail stopped moving.
"Tomorrow night?"
"Yes."
Qian Renxue looked at him.
"The Three-Day Test should be tomorrow night."
The two pieces of information fit together.
The Star Luo Caravan was leaving.
Royal Academy was closing the Beast Garden.
The Black Eagle Family couldn't be making a move for no reason.
They were either relocating failed samples—
Or clearing the way for tomorrow night's test.
Meow Meow lowered his head in thought.
"We can't wait for them to finish."
"Before the test tomorrow night, we need to at least find out who they plan to use."
Qian Renxue nodded.
"I was thinking the same thing."
"But the academy has royal guards and several Soul King-level teachers."
"If you go in, the risk will be considerable."
Meow Meow thought it over.
"I won't force my way in."
"I'll have Gray Ear watch the perimeter first."
"I'll go into the back mountain myself."
"If Jianbing can hold on, I'll bring him along to identify the scents."
Jianbing immediately raised his head.
"I can do it."
"Don't push yourself."
Meow Meow said.
"Your only job is to sniff. You don't fight."
Jianbing nodded at once.
"I know."
White Dew looked over, too.
It didn't call out.
But its eyes made its intentions clear.
It wanted to go, too.
Meow Meow glanced at it and refused outright.
"No."
White Dew's ears drooped a little.
Meow Meow explained:
"Stay at Clear Radiance Pavilion and guard Qinghe."
"While I'm away, someone needs to keep an eye on things at the Crown Prince's Mansion."
Only then did White Dew slowly nod.
Watching this, Qian Renxue suddenly found it a little strange.
She was human.
Meow Meow was a cat.
And yet, the way he sounded, it was as if he were assigning her a bodyguard.
But she didn't object.
With White Dew staying behind, she did feel more at ease.
Meow Meow picked up another briefing.
It wasn't about the Black Eagle Family.
It contained records from farther afield, compiled by the Spirit Hall's Heaven Dou Branch 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, outstanding performance.]
[Notting Junior Soul Master Academy: Work-Study Student Xiao Wu, Martial Soul: Soft Bone Rabbit, strong combat ability, incomplete records.]
Meow Meow's eyes shifted slightly.
Xiao Wu had appeared, too.
Tang San had already embarked on his original path.
Yu Xiaogang was with him.
The story over at Notting Academy was gradually moving forward.
Qian Renxue had seen those two lines, too.
"Soft Bone Rabbit?"
"Incomplete records?"
Meow Meow didn't say much, only replying:
"Just make a note of it for now."
Qian Renxue glanced at him.
She could tell that Meow Meow was especially interested in those two names from Notting Academy.
But since he didn't say anything, she didn't ask for now.
"I'll have the branch hall continue its routine records."
"Mm."
Meow Meow closed the briefing.
"Don't investigate them specifically."
"Don't draw attention."
"Especially Xiao Wu."
Qian Renxue finally asked:
"Do you think there's something wrong with her, too?"
Meow Meow fell silent for a moment.
"There's nothing wrong with the Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul itself."
"There's a problem precisely because the information is incomplete."
"But it's too far away from us for now. Let's leave it alone."
Qian Renxue nodded.
She remembered it.
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 trail led to the back mountain of the Royal Academy.
These threads seemed scattered, but they were all converging on the main storyline of the Heavenly Dou Continent.
"We need to pick up the pace."
Meow Meow said softly.
"What?"
Qian Renxue hadn't heard.
"Nothing."
Meow Meow flicked his tail.
"Let's deal with tomorrow night's Practical Test first."
That night, Meow Meow slept lightly.
White Dew was curled up by the window, Jianbing was tucked inside the Calming Bell, and Gray Ear was keeping watch on the eaves outside the Crown Prince's Mansion.
Gray Ear was becoming more and more like a proper Cat Net scout.
He didn't yowl for no reason.
He didn't approach Soul Masters.
And he no longer froze in his tracks whenever he spotted food.
As for Numb Tail, Meow Meow hadn't let him take part in the Royal Academy operation yet.
That guy was still in West City practicing "no sneaking snacks during missions."
In the middle of the night, Jianbing suddenly spoke in a low voice:
"Meow Meow."
"Hmm?"
"Am I completely useless?"
Meow Meow opened his eyes.
"What made you think of that all of a sudden?"
Jianbing fell silent for a while.
"The White Tiger Samples are at the academy."
"I can smell them."
"But there's nothing I can do."
Meow Meow looked at the little white shadow inside the Calming Bell.
The little guy really did think of those White Tiger Samples as his kin.
Even though he was barely holding on himself.
"Just staying alive is already impressive."
Meow Meow said.
"Not every shattered remnant spirit gets the chance to speak again."
Jianbing lowered his head.
"But I want to help them."
"You'll get your chance."
"But not by rushing out there to get yourself killed."
Meow Meow's tone was unusually serious.
"Remember, whether you're saving people or Soul Beasts, you first need the ability to save them."
"What you need to learn now isn't how to act tough."
"It's how to hold back."
Jianbing didn't answer right away.
Only after a long while did he give a small nod.
"I understand."
White Dew came over just then and gently nudged the Calming Bell.
The bell chimed softly.
Jianbing's mood settled a little.
Meow Meow looked at the two little ones and suddenly felt like laughing.
One was a Holy Fire Little White Cat.
The other was a White Tiger Remnant Spirit.
Neither was very big.
Yet both were determined to help.
"You two, stop rushing in all the time."
"Even if the sky falls, it won't be your job to hold it up."
White Dew looked up.
Jianbing asked softly:
"Then whose job is it?"
Meow Meow froze for a moment.
Then he flicked his tail.
"Of course it's mine."
After saying that, he realized it didn't sound quite right.
It made it sound like he was volunteering for the job.
So he added:
"But it'd be best if I didn't have to."
"I want to sleep too."
White Dew blinked.
Jianbing seemed amused and let out a soft chuckle.
The Clear Radiance Pavilion was quiet for a while.
Just before dawn, Gray Ear brought back some new information.
The Star Luo Caravan hadn't left the city right away.
They had stopped at an inn in West City.
And two teachers from the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy had gone to meet the caravan leader.
One of them was the Middle-aged Soul Master Meow Meow had seen in the back mountain the day before.
"Just as I thought."
Meow Meow looked at Qian Renxue.
"They're meeting again before tomorrow night's Practical Test."
Qian Renxue had already changed into her robes and was preparing to enter the palace.
Hearing the news, her gaze turned cold.
"I'll have someone keep an eye on the inn."
"Don't get too close."
Meow Meow reminded her.
"We can let Ning Fengzhi know a little."
Qian Renxue looked at him.
"You want the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to get involved?"
"Not get involved."
"Just let him know someone's using the Western Suburb Hunting Ground and the Star Luo Caravan to do something dirty."
Meow Meow said.
"Ning Fengzhi is clever."
"He'll do what he can with what he knows, but he won't act rashly."
"What we need is another pair of eyes, not another person who might tip them off."
Qian Renxue nodded.
"All right."
The day passed quickly.
At dusk, Qian Renxue brought back a response from Ning Fengzhi.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had indeed found something suspicious about the Star Luo Caravan.
But Ning Fengzhi hadn't acted. He had simply told the sect's caravans to avoid the Southwest Gate and the Western Suburb Hunting Ground for the time being.
"What an old fox."
Meow Meow said after hearing the news.
"He knows there's a trap, but he's not stepping into it yet."
Qian Renxue said:
"That's the prudent thing to do."
"Mm."
Meow Meow nodded.
"So he's perfect as an observer."
Night fell.
Meow Meow stood by the window, the Calming Bell glowing faintly.
Gray Ear was already waiting up ahead.
He had brought Jianbing along inside the bell.
White Dew stayed at the Clear Radiance Pavilion to watch over Qian Renxue.
"I'm off."
Meow Meow said.
Qian Renxue looked at him.
"If you sense an aura at the Titled Douluo level, retreat at once."
"Don't worry."
Meow Meow glanced back.
"I'm not ready to die."
White Dew ran over and rubbed gently against him.
Jianbing spoke softly from inside the bell:
"I'll hold back."
Meow Meow smiled.
"Good."
With that, he turned into a streak of white and disappeared into the night.
As expected, the Beast Garden in the back mountain of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy had been sealed off.
There were no students on either side of the mountain path.
Only a few guards were patrolling.
Meow Meow skirted the main path and made his way to the Stone House in the back mountain, keeping to the shadows of the trees and grass.
Security was tighter than last time.
Two Soul Kings guarded the entrance.
There was also a simple Soul Guide Barrier.
Meow Meow didn't force his way in.
He circled around to the back of the Stone House and found the Holy Fire mark he had left last time.
The mark was still there.
But a new aura lingered beside it.
It was faint.
Yet Jianbing tensed instantly.
"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 crouched outside a crack in the stone, his heart sinking.
Three-Day Test
It wasn't the cub they were testing.
It was a person.
He peered through the crack.
At the center of the Bloodline Chamber, a boy who looked no older than eleven or twelve was tied to a stone platform.
The boy's face was pale, and he was unconscious.
He wore ordinary clothes, not the academy uniform.
The White Tiger Cub was locked up in the iron cage beside him, too.
The Middle-aged Soul Master stood next to the stone platform, holding a bottle of red-and-black liquid.
"Let's begin."
He spoke.
Meow Meow's gaze turned cold.
This time, he really couldn't just watch.
Before you continue