Chapter 14: Meow~
The Demon Lord seemed to be enjoying her role-playing a little too much. Not only was she attempting to poison Luo Nianshang with her atrocious cooking, but she was now branching out into other areas.
Bai Jingxue stared at the bowl of “special” cat food the Demon Lord had prepared for her and closed her eyes.
She was seriously considering running away.
And she was a cat of action.
With a flick of her tail, she darted out of the chamber, her speed rivaling that of the wind.
As she raced through the sect, a familiar white blur materialized beside her.
“Jingxue, where are you going?”
“Somewhere I can’t see you.”
Lü Qingyan’s ears drooped for a moment, then she brightened, a brilliant idea striking her. “Just close your eyes!” she exclaimed. “Then you won’t see me!”
Bai Jingxue couldn’t believe the dog’s logic.
She screeched to a halt and leaped off a cliff, landing gracefully on the roof of the sect leader’s grand hall.
Unfortunately, this tactic failed to shake off Lü Qingyan, who simply teleported to her side.
Resigned, Bai Jingxue allowed the dog to follow her.
“Wow, this is even more impressive than it was in the book,” Lü Qingyan exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the scenery.
Bai Jingxue hadn’t paid much attention to the sect’s architecture. She was too lazy, her days spent eating, sleeping, and staring blankly at the meditating Luo Nianshang.
In her past life, she had struggled to motivate herself to walk. Now, with four legs, it was even worse.
“The Demon Palace is also quite grand,” Lü Qingyan continued, “but the colors are too bold. I prefer this elegant style.”
The cat and dog strolled past the training grounds where the Inner Sect disciples practiced their swordsmanship. Bai Jingxue’s aloof demeanor was a stark contrast to Lü Qingyan’s unrestrained enthusiasm.
They drew stares from the disciples, but Bai Jingxue didn’t care. She was simply wandering aimlessly. But when she spotted Fu Yuan, she changed her mind.
She stopped, settling beside a stone bench at the edge of the training grounds, her gaze fixed on Fu Yuan.
Lü Qingyan gasped. “It’s Fu Yuan!” she whispered, nudging Bai Jingxue with her nose. “Her spiritual energy seems strong. Looks like she escaped unscathed.”
Bai Jingxue twitched her ears, trying to ignore the annoying sensation.
She was curious about the characters from the novel, and Fu Yuan was no exception.
“Isn’t that Ancestor Luo’s cat?”
“It’s so cute! I want to pet it!”
“And the dog is adorable too! Don’t they look like Dumb and Dumber?”
“Hey, the cat isn’t dumb! It takes after its owner. It’s aloof!”
“What about the dog?”
“Hmph, it takes after its owner too. Brainless.”
The truce between the righteous and demonic sects might be holding, but the animosity and prejudice lingered.
Lü Qingyan, overhearing their conversation, bristled, barking furiously at the disciples.
Unfortunately, her small size and adorable appearance rendered her efforts ineffective. She was all bark and no bite.
“Hey, it’s got spunk! Let’s catch it and make dog stew!”
“I like the way you think.”
Bai Jingxue’s eyes narrowed. She rose to her feet and sauntered towards the two disciples who had spoken.
Before they could react, she leaped, delivering a swift swat to each of their faces, sending them sprawling to the ground. She then proceeded to lick her paws with an air of nonchalant elegance.
Lü Qingyan, who had been about to intervene, was stunned by the cat’s sudden display of violence. She swallowed, then her face lit up with joy.
“Jingxue defended me!” she thought, her tail wagging furiously. “She cares!”
Her joy was short-lived. Bai Jingxue’s voice, cold and flat, reached her ears. “Serves them right for calling me dumb.”
Lü Qingyan’s ears drooped. She whined softly, then her mood shifted again.
She stared at Bai Jingxue with adoration, settling beside her. “You were amazing, Jingxue!”
Bai Jingxue, seeing her unwavering cheerfulness, glanced down at her paws. This body was special. Spiritual energy surged through her veins, growing stronger with each passing day.
Fu Yuan, struggling to maintain her composure, thought that her ancestor’s cat was truly extraordinary, just like the child her ancestor had taken in.
Speaking of the child, a wave of anxiety washed over her. She wasn’t sure if she should inform the Elders.
Seeing the two unconscious disciples, her unease intensified. She decided to take them to the sect’s infirmary.
The remaining disciples, their initial desire to pet the cat replaced by fear, retreated. Being slapped unconscious by a cat would be incredibly embarrassing.
Bai Jingxue had intended to approach Fu Yuan from the start. She followed the woman, Lü Qingyan trailing behind.
Suddenly, Lü Qingyan vanished. A moment later, she reappeared before one of the disciples, snatching his identification token and disappearing again.
Bai Jingxue, watching the dog proudly display its stolen prize, had to suppress a laugh.
She had been observing Lü Qingyan’s movements and knew that the token belonged to one of the disciples who had insulted them.
Lü Qingyan tossed her head, sending the token flying into a patch of bushes. The green token would be difficult to spot against the snow-covered ground. It would take at least a day to find it.
She grinned, pleased with herself. “He won’t be able to access his room or receive his cultivation resources today,” she said gleefully.
Bai Jingxue slowed her pace. She sensed someone approaching. It was the disciple who had lost his token.
She turned, her body tense, her eyes narrowed in warning.
The disciple hesitated, his gaze falling upon the bell around Bai Jingxue’s neck. He thought better of approaching.
Lü Qingyan, lost in her own amusement, realized she had walked ahead of Bai Jingxue. She doubled back and, spotting the disciple she had targeted, began to bark at him, emboldened by Bai Jingxue’s presence.
The disciple, though furious, knew better than to antagonize the ancestor’s pet. Missing out on a few days of cultivation resources was a small price to pay compared to incurring the wrath of the Sword Saint.
He glared at the barking dog, then stormed off.
Bai Jingxue resumed her leisurely pace. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong with Fu Yuan. She decided to investigate.
“You were amazing, Jingxue!”
Bai Jingxue sighed. “Couldn’t you smell his aura?” she asked. The dog’s attempt at sabotage had been pathetic.
Lü Qingyan blushed. “But I’m surrounded by your scent,” she said earnestly. “I can’t smell anything else.”
Bai Jingxue’s eyes widened. She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips.
This dog hadn’t changed a bit. She still had a knack for saying the most disarming things, rendering Bai Jingxue incapable of staying angry.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t bathed since her transmigration. What exactly did she smell like?
Did cats even bathe like humans?
The thought of her own scent troubled her. She wondered how to convey her desire for a bath to Luo Nianshang.
She quickened her pace, but Lü Qingyan matched her stride, staying close.
Bai Jingxue didn’t understand why, but she felt a sudden urge to escape.
She gave up.
Fu Yuan, a talented disciple with a high cultivation level, had been granted a private room. However, due to Luo Nianshang’s recent decision, she was no longer alone.
The sound of a baby’s cries echoed from within the small room, followed by Fu Yuan’s gentle cooing.
“There, there, little one. Go to sleep.”
Bai Jingxue leaped onto the windowsill, peering into the room. Fu Yuan was rocking a cradle, her expression a mixture of exhaustion and tenderness.
“Look what you’ve done, Luo Nianshang,” Bai Jingxue thought.
Lü Qingyan joined her on the windowsill, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Instant motherhood?” she remarked.
Fu Yuan, seeing the cat and dog staring at her, was momentarily speechless. When they both tilted their heads in unison, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of exasperation.
It felt like her entire life was being scrutinized by these two furry voyeurs. She glared at them, but they remained unfazed.
Once the baby had fallen asleep, she approached the window, intending to close it and shoo away her audience.
The window slid down from the top. As she reached for the latch, the black cat extended a paw, bracing it against the frame. No matter how hard Fu Yuan tried, she couldn’t close the window.
She gave up, forcing a smile. “Ancestor’s cat is quite strong,” she said.
“Jingxue, something seems off about that baby,” Lü Qingyan whispered.
Bai Jingxue, intrigued, leaped through the window and onto the cradle, peering down at the sleeping infant.
The child’s features were still developing, its face a bit squished and wrinkled. It had been restless, but the moment the cat appeared, it settled down.
Bai Jingxue closed her eyes, then opened them again. This time, she saw it. A faint aura surrounding the child.
And it was tainted with baleful energy!
Thin, red threads, like tiny worms, pulsed beneath the child’s skin. Bai Jingxue frowned. She extended a claw, severing the threads, but they slowly began to regenerate.
Her eyes narrowed. She leaped off the cradle and back onto the windowsill, taking one last look at the infant before slipping out of the room.
Lü Qingyan followed close behind, her voice filled with concern. “Jingxue, what did you see?”
Bai Jingxue didn’t answer directly. “What about you?” she asked. “What did you notice?”
Lü Qingyan, never one to hide her thoughts, replied, “The baby’s scent is strange. It smells… inedible.”
Bai Jingxue paused, her brow furrowed. She shot Lü Qingyan a skeptical look, then resumed her walk, her voice low.
“It’s tainted with baleful energy,” she said. “The novel mentioned it. It’s a mark of a sacrificial offering.”
Lü Qingyan gasped, her fur bristling. “Who would do such a thing?” she exclaimed, her voice filled with outrage.
Newborn infants possessed the purest souls, allowing them to see things that were hidden from others.
That was probably why the child had been so restless.
And black cats were known to ward off evil. Bai Jingxue, with her enhanced abilities, was even more potent.
Bai Jingxue’s eyes narrowed. She needed to get Luo Nianshang to examine the child. The baleful energy was faint, easily overlooked.
As if summoned by her thoughts, Luo Nianshang appeared before them.
She had been worried when Bai Jingxue hadn’t returned after her meditation session. The cat’s food bowl was untouched. Fearing that the cat was hungry, she had set out to find her.
And where Luo Nianshang went, the Demon Lord followed.
The Demon Lord, cradling Lü Qingyan in her arms, turned to Luo Nianshang, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “Master,” she said, “it seems your companions are eager for an outing.”
Bai Jingxue stared at her, bewildered. She had no desire for an outing! She had been driven from her home by the Demon Lord’s culinary atrocities!
She meowed in protest, but Luo Nianshang misinterpreted her cry as agreement.
The female lead, a fellow homebody, considered this for a moment, then made a decision.
“Let’s go down the mountain,” she said.
The Demon Lord’s eyes lit up. “May I accompany you, Master?” she asked sweetly. “You’ve been secluded for so long. I wouldn’t want you to be overwhelmed by the outside world.”
Luo Nianshang was about to refuse, but seeing the hopeful expression in her disciple’s eyes, she swallowed her words and nodded curtly.
The Demon Lord, pleased with her success, leaned in, her voice a syrupy purr. “You’re the best, Master.”
Luo Nianshang shuddered, fleeing as quickly as possible.
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