Chapter 18: The Mission
Silence reigned within the library, broken only by the soft rustling of pages.
A cat diligently flipping through a book was an unusual sight, drawing curious stares from the disciples. However, recognizing the Sword Saint’s pet, their initial bewilderment faded.
Lü Qingyan had never been fond of reading, and she couldn’t even recognize the characters. After staring blankly at the pages for a while, she slumped onto the table, watching Bai Jingxue with a bored expression.
The lower five floors of the library housed paper books. The upper floors contained more ancient texts, inscribed on bamboo slips and jade tablets. The characters on these older texts were archaic, their forms abstract and challenging to decipher.
For now, Bai Jingxue could only read the paper books, but that was enough.
She was currently engrossed in a book about demon cultivation. It was a basic introduction, but the Ejian Sect had no demon cultivators, so the purpose of this book was to provide righteous cultivators with a rudimentary understanding of their enemy’s practices.
The book stated that demon beasts needed to reach the Nascent Soul realm before they could transform into a human form. This natural progression required them to endure a tribulation, a test of their strength and resilience.
Alternatively, they could absorb the essence of human flesh and blood, but this method was considered a violation of natural law, inviting heavenly retribution and a host of other complications.
There was also a third method: consuming a Transformation Pill. However, the recipe for this pill had been lost to time.
Bai Jingxue closed the book, picked it up with her teeth, leaped off the table, and padded over to Fu Yuan, dropping the book at her feet and meowing softly.
Fu Yuan looked up from her own book, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she stroked the cat’s head. “Done reading?” she asked.
Bai Jingxue nodded, rubbing against Fu Yuan’s leg, silently requesting assistance.
Using her paws to flip through pages was challenging enough. Returning the book to its shelf was an even more daunting task. Bai Jingxue had no choice but to resort to shameless begging.
This tactic, however, proved quite effective. Most disciples understood her intentions and readily helped her. She had used the same method to retrieve the book in the first place.
Fu Yuan picked up the book, her brow furrowing as she read the title. The cat was studying demon cultivation? She couldn’t help but admire her ancestor’s discerning eye.
This was no ordinary cat. It was incredibly intelligent.
Fu Yuan returned her own book to its shelf, then crouched down, meeting the cat’s gaze. “Do you want to transform?” she asked, her voice soft.
Bai Jingxue nodded, meowing in affirmation.
Communicating with a cat was a strange experience, but it was far more pleasant than dealing with the complexities of human interaction.
The disciples of the Ejian Sect weren’t expected to remain within the confines of the sect, solely focused on their cultivation. Aside from the basic resources provided, everything else had to be earned through merit points.
The Merit Hall posted a variety of tasks daily, ranging from mundane chores like watering plants and weeding to more dangerous missions like slaying demon beasts and eliminating evil cultivators. These tasks were further categorized as either personal or sect-related.
Personal tasks were posted by individual disciples or Elders, their merit point rewards funded by the requester.
Sect-related tasks, however, were issued on behalf of the Ejian Sect, and they were usually more challenging.
Fu Yuan had visited the Merit Hall the previous day, her attention caught by two C-rank tasks. She had been torn between them, but today, she had made a decision.
She stroked the cat’s chin, her voice reassuring. “I’m heading to the Fox Clan territory soon,” she said. “I’ll ask around for you.”
Bai Jingxue’s eyes lit up. She meowed excitedly, her tail brushing against Fu Yuan’s leg.
Lü Qingyan, who had been sprawled on the table, bristled at the cat’s display of affection. She expanded her body, leaped down, and, grabbing Bai Jingxue by the collar, marched off, shooting Fu Yuan a glare as she left.
Fu Yuan, bewildered, touched her nose. Why was the dog suddenly hostile?
“Let go! You’re choking me!”
Lü Qingyan released her grip, inspecting Bai Jingxue’s neck. The moment she looked down, she was met with a series of well-aimed punches.
“Stop! Grabbing! My! Collar!”
Lü Qingyan slumped to the ground, her ears drooping, her eyes pleading.
Bai Jingxue’s anger dissipated. She couldn’t stay mad at this dog.
“You always do this,” she sighed, her voice a mixture of exasperation and fondness.
In their past life, Lü Qingyan had been half a head taller than her, but whenever she angered Bai Jingxue, she would lower her head, tugging on Bai Jingxue’s sleeve and peering up at her with those big, puppy-dog eyes.
Now, as an actual dog, her powers of persuasion were even more potent.
Bai Jingxue, defeated, leaped onto Lü Qingyan’s back and slumped down. “Let’s go home,” she said.
Lü Qingyan, relieved that the crisis had passed, rose to her feet, her tail wagging happily. The journey back to Luo Nianshang’s chamber was long, but they weren’t in a hurry. They strolled along, enjoying the snowy scenery.
The past was a constant source of comfort for Lü Qingyan. She often reminisced about their shared experiences, and Bai Jingxue, though reluctant to engage, always listened patiently.
“Remember that time I carried you to the infirmary, Jingxue?”
“Your fingers always got so chapped in the winter. They were like little sausages.”
“It’s good that you’re a cat now. You don’t have to suffer like that anymore.”
Bai Jingxue, who had been pretending to sleep, twitched an ear. She remained silent.
She, too, missed their past. Those years spent with Lü Qingyan were among the most precious memories she possessed.
Words failed her. She let out a soft sigh, unheard by the dog beside her.
As they approached Luo Nianshang’s chamber, Lü Qingyan still chattering away, they heard voices coming from within. The Demon Lord and Luo Nianshang were discussing a mission.
“Please, Master, let me go!” the Demon Lord whined. “I’ve never seen a demon beast before!”
“No.”
“Pretty please, Master? I’ll be good!”
“No.”
The cat and dog shuddered at the Demon Lord’s syrupy tone.
“My sanity is being assaulted,” Lü Qingyan muttered.
Bai Jingxue opened her eyes, her voice laced with surprise. “You know the word ‘assaulted’?”
Lü Qingyan bristled, then puffed out her chest proudly. “You taught me well.”
Bai Jingxue didn’t want to take credit for that. Teaching Lü Qingyan had been a painful experience, though the dog’s ulterior motives had eventually led to some genuine learning.
She leaped off Lü Qingyan’s back, deciding against entering the chamber just yet.
The standoff between the two women continued for a while, finally ending with Luo Nianshang’s reluctant agreement.
When Bai Jingxue finally entered the chamber, she noticed a bell, identical to her own, hanging from the Demon Lord’s neck.
The Demon Lord, seeing the cat, crouched down, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Look, Little White,” she said, her voice smug. “I have a bell too!”
Bai Jingxue stared at her, her expression flat, then she gracefully retreated to her bed.
Lü Qingyan, her tail wagging happily, followed Bai Jingxue, ignoring the Demon Lord completely.
The Demon Lord chuckled, transmitting her thoughts directly into Lü Qingyan’s mind. “Just wait until we get back. You’ll regret ignoring me.”
Lü Qingyan’s tail drooped. She cowered behind Bai Jingxue’s bed, but her expanded size made it impossible to hide completely.
The Demon Lord, however, didn’t seem to care. She realized, with a hint of embarrassment, that her behavior had been rather childish. She glanced at Luo Nianshang, who was preparing to meditate, and couldn’t help but think that her life was incredibly dull.
But things were about to get interesting.
“Jingxue,” Lü Qingyan whispered, “I don’t like the way the Demon Lord is smiling.”
Bai Jingxue, who had been dozing with her eyes closed, hadn’t seen the Demon Lord’s smile. But Lü Qingyan was now fully invested in this conspiracy theory. She settled before Bai Jingxue’s bed, her tail wagging as she stared at the seemingly sleeping cat.
“Jingxue, let’s follow her! We need to find out what she’s up to!”
The thought of leaving the comfort of her bed filled Bai Jingxue with dread. She covered her ears with her paws, but Lü Qingyan pulled them away.
“You don’t have to walk,” Lü Qingyan said. “I’ll carry you.”
In their past life, Lü Qingyan had given her bicycle rides. Now, she didn’t even need a bicycle.
Seeing the dog’s eagerness, Bai Jingxue relented.
She couldn’t help but worry about Lü Qingyan. This world was far more dangerous than their previous one.
Later that night, as Luo Nianshang slept soundly, the Demon Lord rose from her bed.
She padded over to Luo Nianshang, her bare feet silent against the stone floor. She meant no harm, so Luo Nianshang, deep in meditation, remained unaware of her presence.
To accommodate her new disciple’s lower cultivation level, Luo Nianshang had installed a night-pearl in her chamber. Its soft glow illuminated Luo Nianshang’s face, casting a delicate veil over her features.
The Demon Lord watched her for a long time, then reached out.
The cat and dog, curled up in a corner, cracked open an eye, observing the scene.
Bai Jingxue’s heart pounded in her chest. She feared the Demon Lord was about to attack.
But nothing happened. The Demon Lord simply extended a finger, lightly brushing it against Luo Nianshang’s lips. It was a fleeting touch, gone in an instant.
Then, she turned and left the chamber.
Bai Jingxue let out a sigh of relief.
The Demon Lord, outside the chamber, stared at her finger, then brought it to her own lips.
The moon shone brightly, illuminating her face as a mischievous smile spread across her lips. She was looking forward to the chaos to come.
As she left, Lü Qingyan, carrying Bai Jingxue on her back, followed stealthily.
Lü Qingyan’s nose was sensitive, but even she couldn’t track the Demon Lord, who was using a teleportation technique.
She lost the trail.
Frustration gnawed at her. As she sulked, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
“What are you two doing here?”
Fu Yuan’s voice was always gentle, soothing, and disarming.
“Meow.”
“Woof!”
Fu Yuan blinked, then chuckled at herself. She had almost responded as if they were human.
Bai Jingxue, after meowing a few more times to no avail, noticed the token Fu Yuan was carrying. The symbol on it was identical to the one on the mission token the Demon Lord had received.
These tokens were like QR codes, each with a unique design that identified the specific task. This meant that Fu Yuan and the Demon Lord were on the same mission.
The cat, wasting no time, leaped from Lü Qingyan’s back and onto Fu Yuan’s shoulder.
Fu Yuan seemed to understand her meow this time. “Do you want to come with me?” she asked tentatively.
“Meow.”
Lü Qingyan shrunk her body and leaped onto Fu Yuan’s other shoulder.
Fu Yuan hesitated. The mission she had accepted was dangerous.
But then, she considered that this was her ancestor’s cat, and the dog belonged to the Demon Lord. Surely, they wouldn’t be in any real danger.
She squeezed Bai Jingxue’s paw pad, finally relenting. “Alright, come with me.”
The next day, Luo Nianshang woke up to an empty chamber. There was no cat, no dog, no disciple.
A cold breeze swept through the room, and she sighed.
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