His Holiness the Pope

Outside Stone Valley.

The night was as dark as ink.

The purple-black figure standing in the darkness finally walked in, slowly.

She did not walk fast.

She was even quiet.

Yet the moment she entered Stone Valley, the atmosphere of the entire valley seemed to be pressed down by something invisible.

The wind stopped.

The sand settled.

Even the faint sound of pebbles tumbling in the distance became almost inaudible.

The Little White Cat crouching in the middle of Stone Valley instinctively tensed up, its tail puffing out in a ring of fur.

"She's here."

"She really came."

Lin Yan stared at the figure, his round golden cat eyes widening little by little.

Purple hair.

A papal crown.

A dark robe.

And an oppressive presence that made people instinctively afraid to breathe too loudly, even from far away.

At this moment, the system did not need to explain anything further.

In all of Spirit City, there was only one person who could make him feel this way.

Bibi Dong.

The Pope of Spirit Hall.

One of the strongest people on Douluo Continent.

And the one the system itself had certified as—

[Current best Poop Scooper.]

"..."

Lin Yan was silent for two seconds.

"System."

"I don't feel happy hearing you call her the best anymore."

"I just feel like I might be in trouble, QAQ."

He could complain all he wanted, but he never once took his eyes off Bibi Dong.

The Bibi Dong before him did not quite match the impression she gave in the original story.

Or rather, words on a page were just words.

Only when he saw her in person could he understand just how much contradiction this woman embodied.

She was beautiful.

Not with a gentle beauty, but with a cold, striking beauty that was almost fierce.

Her eyes and brows were deep, her features exquisite, and her long purple hair fell down her back like a stream of cold light flowing through the night.

But the aura around her was too cold.

Cold as a blade.

Like a frigid pool beneath a sheer cliff, where sunlight had never reached.

Her aloofness, which kept everyone at a thousand miles' distance, seemed etched into her very bones.

Yet Lin Yan sensed something else in her, too.

Disorder.

A great deal of it.

It wasn't the mixed nature of her Soul Power, but a deeper spiritual disturbance: cold, weary, and repressed, like countless fine black threads tangled together. Ordinary people might not have noticed it at all, but the Moon Spirit Cat was especially sensitive to such fluctuations.

After only one glance, Lin Yan had figured it out.

"Her insomnia is real."

"The mental repression is real, too."

"His Holiness the Pope really isn't in good shape..."

Meanwhile,

Bibi Dong was looking at him, too.

She should not have come to Stone Valley tonight.

But lately, the cold, restless agitation in her sea of consciousness had grown worse and worse, making it extremely difficult for her to truly calm down.

By day, she remained the lofty Pope.

She handled affairs, received elders, arranged Soul Hunting, and trained the Golden Generation. Everything proceeded in good order, and no one could see the slightest sign that anything was wrong.

But only she knew.

Whenever night fell and all was quiet, the emotions she had forced down—the resentment and the erosion brought on by the divine trials—would slowly rise again.

A place like Death Canyon was always cold and silent, steeped in bloodshed and murderous intent.

It was precisely the sort of place where she could calm herself.

But tonight was different.

Even before reaching the valley, she had sensed an extremely out-of-place presence from within.

Clean.

Gentle.

Carrying the faintest trace of moonlight.

In Death Canyon, such an aura had no business being there.

So she came.

And then she saw this little cat.

A tiny little bundle.

Pure white from head to toe.

Crouching in the middle of the pitch-black Stone Valley, it stood out so starkly that it looked as though someone had accidentally dropped a wisp of cloud into hell.

Bibi Dong stopped, her gaze shifting slightly.

Since when had there been something like this in Death Canyon?

She said nothing.

Lin Yan didn't dare move, either.

A person and a cat stared at each other from a few yards apart.

Stone Valley was utterly silent.

Only the system's voice echoed softly in Lin Yan's mind.

[Beep. A fateful Node character has been locked on.]

[Target: Bibi Dong.]

[Current state: highly alert, mentally repressed, severe insomnia.]

[Suggestion: lower hostility and approach proactively.]

[Friendly reminder: the host's current cat form is the best cover. Don't do anything stupid.]

"..."

Lin Yan's little face stiffened.

"You came up with that last part yourself, didn't you?"

But the system had one thing right.

His current cat form really was his best protection.

Transforming into a human?

Not a chance.

Forget that he didn't have the ability right now. Even if he could transform, he wouldn't reveal himself at a time like this.

On Douluo Continent, a special Little White Cat could still get by on cuteness.

But an unknown young man who suddenly appeared deep in Death Canyon would just seem suspicious.

The former might get picked up.

The latter would probably get slapped to death.

"So... I'd better just be a cat."

"Cats are great, cats are wonderful. Being a cat is the way to survive OvO."

With that thought, Lin Yan forced down his nerves and quietly raised [Mimic Breath] to its limit.

His aura, already fairly well concealed, sank even lower.

The faint moonlit sheen at the tips of his ears faded completely.

The Calming Bell around his neck was mostly hidden beneath his fur, too.

At that moment, he looked like an utterly ordinary Little White Cat, no more than a few days old.

Of course,

That was if you ignored the fact that he had appeared in Death Canyon.

After doing all that, Lin Yan still didn't rush forward.

He knew all too well that the more powerful someone like Bibi Dong was, the less he could afford to treat her like an ordinary person and take a gamble.

Pounce on her directly?

No.

Too deliberate.

Run away on the spot?

Even worse.

With the perception of a Titled Douluo, if he dared turn around now, she would most likely see through his guilty conscience the very next second.

The best move, instead, was to let her sense that he was "harmless."

With that in mind, Lin Yan took a deep breath and forced himself to relax.

Then—

He gently lay down.

His ears drooped slightly.

His tail curled beside his front paws.

His whole body shrank into a little ball, making him look tiny and soft, with just the right amount of nervousness and uncertainty.

Like a stray kitten that had really wandered into a dangerous place by mistake.

The next moment, he tried to activate [Purring Dream].

"Purr..."

"Purr..."

A soft, faint purr slowly escaped his throat.

The sound was very quiet.

An ordinary person might not even have heard it.

But in this unusually silent Stone Valley, it stood out clearly.

At the same time, the Calming Bell beneath his fur gave an almost imperceptible tremble.

Ding.

A faint chime, like moonlight gently touching the surface of water.

There and gone.

Bibi Dong's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

Just then, a trace of cold, stabbing pain that had been churning in her sea of consciousness had inexplicably eased.

Only a little.

But a Soul Master of her caliber was keenly aware of the slightest change in her own condition.

So she noticed it at once.

It wasn't her imagination.

Her gaze toward the Little White Cat finally changed in earnest.

There was scrutiny in it.

Surprise.

And the faintest trace of curiosity, one she might not even have noticed herself.

"Interesting."

Bibi Dong finally spoke.

Her voice was low and cold.

Yet it was beautiful.

The coldness in it did not lessen with her voice; instead, it gave those three simple words an even more imposing weight.

Lin Yan's little body trembled slightly.

He wasn't pretending.

He really was having trouble holding up under the pressure.

Even a Titled Douluo's casual words carried an absurdly powerful presence.

"Hold it together. Don't panic."

"She hadn't made a move yet, which meant there was still a chance."

"If I win this bet, starting today I'll move straight into a luxury mansion. If I lose... then there won't be a tomorrow for me."

Thinking of this, Lin Yan steeled himself.

The purring didn't stop. Instead, it grew even softer and more soothing.

"Purr... purr..."

The system promptly displayed a notification.

[ Ding, Purring Dream activated. ]

[ Ding, Heart-Melting Gaze activated. ]

[ Target hostility decreased. ]

[ Current compatibility: 82→87. ]

Seeing those numbers, Lin Yan was almost moved to tears.

It went up!

It really went up!

That meant he was on the right track!

After standing quietly in place for a few seconds, Bibi Dong finally started toward the center of Stone Valley.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

She didn't walk quickly, but Lin Yan felt the pressure growing heavier and drawing closer with every step.

Eventually, he even had the strange impression that the air itself had grown thick and viscous.

It was the natural suppression of the weak by the strong.

Even though Bibi Dong wasn't deliberately releasing her aura, simply approaching was enough to make a Hundred-Year Soul Beast tremble instinctively.

Lin Yan's paw pads tensed ever so slightly.

If he weren't holding himself back with all his might, he would probably have bolted three meters away by now.

But he couldn't run.

Absolutely not.

If he ran now, all that purring he'd done would have been for nothing.

"Stay calm."

"You're a Moon Spirit Cat, not a Moon Runaway Cat."

"Hold your ground!"

At last, Bibi Dong stopped in front of him.

Now that she was closer, Lin Yan could see her more clearly.

There was indeed a trace of weariness in her eyes.

It was faint, but impossible to hide.

The scent on her wasn't the floral fragrance common to women, either. It was more like a cool, subtle woodsy scent, mixed with a faint medicinal aroma and the smell of blood.

It wasn't unpleasant.

But one whiff was enough to tell you she wasn't someone who let herself relax.

Bibi Dong lowered her head and looked at the Little White Cat by her feet.

The kitten looked up at her, too.

Its pale golden, round eyes held a hint of nervousness, a touch of dewy-eyed innocence, and just a little bit of cowardice that it was trying very hard to hide—but couldn't.

"..."

Bibi Dong fell silent for a moment.

She could tell that this little thing was afraid of her.

Its ears were nearly flattened.

Its tail was stiff, too.

And yet, even so, it dared to stay where it was and purr softly at her.

It didn't seem like an attempt to get close.

It was more like... it was trying to comfort her.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, even Bibi Dong herself found it absurd.

A kitten small enough to fit in one hand.

Comfort her?

But the faint, dulled ache in her sea of consciousness made it impossible to dismiss the idea entirely.

So she slowly raised a hand and reached toward Lin Yan.

Her hand was slender and fair, and carried a faint chill.

Her fingertips stopped in midair.

They didn't immediately touch him.

It was as if she were giving him a choice.

Lin Yan watched the hand hovering in front of him, and his heart began to race.

Here it came!

The crucial turning point!

He could either go up and rub against her...

Or back away.

The former might unlock the main quest.

The latter... probably wouldn't get him killed on the spot, but it would mean missing this perfect opportunity.

"Take the chance!"

"Whether I get a mansion and a soft bed or keep living like a stray depends on this one little move!"

The next moment, the Little White Cat let out a soft "meow."

Then, on his still-wobbly little legs, he took two steps forward of his own accord.

First, he cautiously touched the tip of her finger with his nose.

It was very cold.

Lin Yan paused, then gently rubbed his head against it.

The motion was light.

And soft.

For an instant, Bibi Dong's fingers seemed to stiffen.

It had been many, many years since any living creature had touched her like this.

Not cowering before her in fear.

Not bowing respectfully.

Not ingratiating itself with an ulterior motive.

It was just a simple, gentle nuzzle.

As if to say: Don't be afraid. I won't bite.

"..."

Lin Yan, of course, had no idea what she was thinking.

He only knew that as soon as his head brushed against her, the system notifications started appearing.

[ Ding, first voluntary contact successful. ]

[ Ding, Heart-Melting Gaze effect increased. ]

[ Ding, target's emotional fluctuations decreased. ]

[ Current compatibility: 87→91. ]

Lin Yan almost couldn't stop himself from wagging his tail right then and there.

It worked!

After a brief pause, Bibi Dong finally lowered her hand.

She gently stroked Lin Yan's head.

The movement was clumsy.

There was even a trace of barely noticeable stiffness to it.

As though she wasn't used to doing this.

But the moment her fingertips touched him, the Calming Bell rang softly once more.

Ding.

It was a little clearer than last time.

The next moment, the cold, gloomy feeling that had been faintly lingering in Bibi Dong's sea of consciousness was suppressed even further.

This time, the change was much more noticeable than before.

At last, genuine surprise flickered through Bibi Dong's eyes.

Her Soul Power and spiritual strength were extraordinarily high.

There were very few things that could soothe her mind.

And yet this little Soul Beast, only around a hundred years old, had managed to do just that?

"Interesting" didn't begin to describe it.

Lin Yan noticed the change in her mood, too.

So, being the sensible cat he was, he seized the moment.

The Little White Cat raised a forepaw and lightly rested it on the hem of her clothes, then purred with even greater enthusiasm.

"Purr..."

"Purr..."

At that moment, he brought out every cute trick he could think of.

His strategy was simple: be sincere.

Be harmless.

And above all—this kitty just wanted to live, and maybe move into a mansion while he was at it /

Bibi Dong looked down at the fluffy little white bundle, and the coldness in her eyes gradually softened.

She could naturally tell that this was a special Spirit-type Infant Soul Beast.

And its bloodline was no ordinary one.

Under normal circumstances, if this kind of Soul Beast fell into someone else's hands, it would likely become prey before long.

But right now, she couldn't bring herself to think of killing it.

For one thing, this little creature really did seem to be useful to her.

And for another...

It was so small.

It wasn't even half the size of her hand. It huddled in Stone Valley, soft and white as a snowball.

It was hard to associate it with words like "hunting" or "Soul Ring."

Especially when it looked up at you with those pale golden eyes. Even Bibi Dong had to admit that it was... difficult not to feel a little softhearted.

[ Ding, target's "killing intent" has fallen below the critical threshold. ]

[ Ding, initial fate link can now be established. ]

[ Bind the first Poop Scooper? ]

Lin Yan's eyes lit up.

"Bind! Bind right now! Hurry up!"

"If I hesitate at a time like this, I'm just a silly cat!"

The next moment, the System Panel flashed faintly.

[ Ding, binding successful. ]

[ First Poop Scooper: Bibi Dong. ]

[ Current relationship: contact permitted. ]

[ Reward issued: Meow Wish Value ×30. ]

[ Novice Main Quest unlocked. ]

[ Main Quest One: Have His Holiness the Pope sleep peacefully for two hours tonight. ]

Lin Yan: "..."

Everything before that had been great.

But the moment this last quest appeared, his whole cat body went numb.

Two hours?

Four hours?

Getting someone with insomnia as severe as Bibi Dong's to sleep for four hours?

System, you really think highly of me!

But before he could complain, Bibi Dong made her move.

She bent down.

Then gently picked Lin Yan up.

Her movements were still a little clumsy, and there was even a trace of long-forgotten awkwardness to them.

But she held him steadily.

She didn't hurt him.

There wasn't the slightest roughness to it.

Lin Yan's whole body went stiff in an instant.

H-he'd been picked up?!

Really picked up?!

In his previous life, he'd barely even held a girl's hand. And after crossing over, he'd been embraced by the most beautiful woman on the Douluo Continent first of all.

This was honestly a little ridiculous.

Of course.

More importantly, it was comfortable.

Though Bibi Dong's aura was cold, her arms were steady and warm. When her wide papal robes fell around him, they blocked out most of the chill wind outside.

Lin Yan hesitated for less than half a second before he completely abandoned his dignity and curled up.

He tucked his little head into the crook of her arm.

His tail curled around himself.

In an instant, the whole cat entered "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" mode.

"Forget it."

"I'm already in the car."

"Jumping down now would obviously be rude."

"I'd better just be a quiet, well-behaved little white cat for now..."

Bibi Dong lowered her eyes and glanced at him.

When this little thing had first been picked up, he'd gone stiff, but soon he'd curled himself up with practiced ease and nestled into her arms. He seemed strangely at home there.

The corner of her lips moved ever so slightly.

So slightly, it was almost imperceptible.

"You're quite bold."

Her voice was still faint.

But compared with that initial chill, it had noticeably lost some of its sharpness.

Lin Yan pretended not to understand and simply looked up at her, meowing softly.

"Meow~"

Bibi Dong said nothing more.

She simply held him and turned toward the path out of Stone Valley.

The night wind blew again.

Stone Valley regained some of its sounds.

But once that purple-black figure had completely disappeared, the valley seemed even emptier than before.

No one knew.

From that night onward, a little white cat would be at the side of the Spirit Hall's pope.

And many fates that were destined to spiral out of control would quietly begin to veer from their original paths, starting with this tiny ball of white fur.

Nestled in Bibi Dong's arms, Lin Yan finally remembered something important after briefly relaxing.

"Wait."

"Am I going straight into the Pope's Palace now?"

"Doesn't that mean I've skipped straight to the finish line and landed a mansion?!"

At the thought, the little white cat's eyes lit up.

But the line of text that immediately popped up from the system quickly brought him back to his senses.

[Kind reminder: Host, please remember your main quest.]

[If His Holiness the Pope cannot sleep for two hours tonight, half of the tied reward will be deducted.]

Lin Yan: "..."

The joy on the little white cat's face slowly faded.

After a long moment, he silently buried his head in his paws.

"I knew it."

"This system never gives away freebies."