Category: I Am the Female Lead’s Cat

Chapter 21: Humor

After a fierce culinary competition, the disciple who ultimately secured the mission was Fu Yuan.

It was certainly a fateful encounter, but as a reader, witnessing the harmonious camaraderie among the members of the male lead’s harem was unsettling.

Each of these women possessed a unique beauty and temperament. Luo Nianshang was aloof and imposing, Qiu Yingxi seductive and alluring, and Fu Yuan gentle and serene.

“Ugh, the male lead doesn’t deserve any of them!” Bai Jingxue thought.

Thankfully, this world hadn’t descended into the chaotic mess of the original story yet.

A half-moon-shaped cutting board rolled to a stop at Bai Jingxue’s feet. She stared at the pile of mangled cutting boards littering the floor, then looked up at the ceiling, her expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

This world had a different kind of dysfunction.

Fu Yuan had initially come to cook, but after the Demon Lord’s declaration of “I want to eat Master’s cooking,” Luo Nianshang had insisted on learning the culinary arts.

After countless stones and cutting boards had been sacrificed to Luo Nianshang’s erratic sword energy, Fu Yuan, wiping the sweat from her brow, gently suggested, “Master, perhaps it would be best if I took over. Little Junior Sister won’t know the difference.”

Luo Nianshang, however, retrieved another set of cooking utensils, her expression resolute. “I gave her my word,” she said. “It wouldn’t be right to deceive her. It goes against the principles of the Dao.”

Fu Yuan, still young and inexperienced, couldn’t believe that such a trivial matter could be elevated to a philosophical debate. But she couldn’t argue with her ancestor, both due to her respect for authority and her genuine belief in Luo Nianshang’s words.

“You are right, Master,” she said, her cheeks flushing with shame. She quickly composed herself. “Please, continue. I will guide you.”

A flash of light, and another cutting board was added to the pile of casualties.

Lü Qingyan, bored, rolled around on the floor, then stopped, clutching her stomach.

The designated mealtime had long passed. The humans present, being powerful cultivators, could go without food, but the poor dog was starving!

“Jingxue, I’m hungry,” she whined, her eyes pleading.

Bai Jingxue was also hungry, but she was afraid of being sliced in half by a rogue cutting board. Normally, she would simply nudge Luo Nianshang’s leg and meow, but the current situation was too dangerous.

If only she could speak, she would advise Luo Nianshang to use a more durable cutting board.

But she was a cat.

After sulking for a while, Bai Jingxue remembered the lake on the other side of the mountain. There were fish there.

Seeing the dog’s pitiful state, she decided to take matters into her own paws.

“Come with me,” she said, her voice a soft sigh.

Lü Qingyan, her energy restored, followed the cat, leaving the chaotic kitchen behind.

The Ejian Sect was vast. In the original story, after the sect had fallen into ruin, the male lead had claimed it for himself, transforming the once elegant and understated architecture into a gaudy, ostentatious palace, its glazed tiles shimmering under the sun. He had filled his palace with beautiful women, indulging in endless revelry.

Bai Jingxue glanced down at the Ejian Sect, its red gates and green tiles a stark contrast to the snowy landscape. The shouts of the disciples practicing their swordsmanship were muffled by the wind and snow.

She twitched her ears, her emerald eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

Lü Qingyan frolicked in the snow, chasing snowflakes and rolling around. Seeing that Bai Jingxue had stopped, her gaze distant, she knew the cat was lost in thought again.

A single human lifetime was so short compared to the vast expanse of time in this world. But memories, imbued with the bittersweet hues of nostalgia, stretched those fleeting moments into an eternity.

Even in this new form, Bai Jingxue hadn’t changed. She was still a creature of solitude, observing the world from the shadows.

And it was this unchanging nature that made Lü Qingyan cling to the past.

She giggled to herself, then nudged Bai Jingxue, breaking through her thoughts. “What are you looking at, Jingxue?”

Bai Jingxue, pulled from her contemplation, met Lü Qingyan’s gaze. She quickly looked away, unwilling to be infected by the dog’s contagious cheerfulness.

“Nothing,” she replied.

She resumed her walk, her voice flat, and, as expected, Lü Qingyan’s chatter resumed as well.

She rambled on about things Bai Jingxue had long forgotten.

“I know what you’re worried about,” Lü Qingyan said. “You were like this during the dorm incident.”

Their high school had been strict. Cell phones were forbidden, and there were no power outlets in the dorms. But the lights in the dorms required electricity, which meant there were wires.

It should have been a simple matter, but the girls in the neighboring dorm had decided to cut the wires and connect a power strip.

That was the first time Lü Qingyan had noticed Bai Jingxue. The quiet girl rarely made her presence known, except when she was being praised by the principal or her name appeared on the top of the monthly exam rankings.

Bai Jingxue, clad in a faded uniform, her canvas shoes worn and scuffed, her hair cut in an unflattering style, had stood before them, her voice firm. “You’re going to start a fire.”

One of the girls had rolled her eyes, her voice laced with disdain. “Mind your own business,” she said.

“Yeah, why are you interfering? Go back to your books, nerd!”

“Ugly freak.”

Bai Jingxue had been helpless. The girls had retreated into their dorm, slamming the door shut, but their laughter and mocking whispers continued.

Bai Jingxue had remained standing there, her thin frame looking incredibly vulnerable.

Lü Qingyan, unable to bear it, had stepped forward, her sense of justice overriding her usual apathy. She had kicked the door, the sound echoing through the hallway.

“Say that again,” she challenged, her voice laced with menace.

The girls had fallen silent. Lü Qingyan was notorious for her temper. She had been disciplined for fighting in the past, but it had earned her a reputation as someone not to be messed with.

She had calmed down considerably since then, but most people still avoided provoking her.

Lü Qingyan turned, clapping her hands together. This was the first time she had seen Bai Jingxue up close. She stared at her, struck by her delicate features and those cool, intelligent eyes.

“How could anyone call her ugly?” she thought.

Bai Jingxue had thanked her for her intervention.

Lü Qingyan had shrugged, then added, “If they bother you again, let me know.”

Bai Jingxue had smiled, her expression softening. “I will.”

The incident had happened in the morning. By midday, a fire had broken out.

Thankfully, all the students had been in class. Only two dorm rooms had been damaged, but unfortunately, one of them had been Bai Jingxue’s.

The memory brought a wave of sadness. Bai Jingxue had informed the dorm supervisor about the exposed wires, but the fire had started so quickly.

Her entire life savings had been tucked inside her pillowcase, reduced to ashes. She had been scolded by her mother for asking for more money, and she had only received half of what she needed.

She had barely survived that month, constantly hungry.

“Grrrr.”

A loud growl echoed behind her. Lü Qingyan was clutching her stomach, whimpering.

Bai Jingxue sighed. This dog, accustomed to a life of luxury, had no idea what it meant to be truly hungry.

She quickened her pace, unwilling to let Lü Qingyan starve. Within minutes, they reached the lake.

The surface was frozen solid, but the bubbles trapped beneath the ice and the color of the mud at the bottom were visible. Fish swam beneath the ice, darting away as they sensed the large creatures above.

The creatures residing on Spirit Mountain were no ordinary beings. These small, silver fish possessed a faint spiritual energy that could enhance one’s cultivation, though the effects were minimal.

Seeing the frozen lake, Lü Qingyan forgot her hunger. She dashed onto the ice, sliding and spinning with joyous abandon.

Two legs hadn’t been a challenge for her in her past life. Four legs were even better.

Bai Jingxue watched her, a hint of envy in her eyes. She couldn’t understand how Lü Qingyan could be so effortlessly coordinated. Every sport seemed to come naturally to her.

Envy aside, Bai Jingxue needed to address her own hunger. She slammed her paw against the ice, shattering it, creating a large hole.

She retreated to the edge of the lake, and soon, fish began to gather around the hole. She scooped up four of them with a single swipe of her paw.

Staring at the silvery fish flopping on the ground, Bai Jingxue’s ears drooped. She felt a sense of shame.

What was she supposed to do now? Eat them raw?

The thought made her wrinkle her nose. She sniffed at the fish, recoiling from the pungent fishy odor.

She might be a cat, but she still had a human’s sensibilities. She would only resort to eating raw fish as a last resort. But she was just a cat. She couldn’t exactly breathe fire, could she?

A cold breeze swept past her, and she sneezed. When she opened her eyes, she saw a small pile of firewood beside the fish.

Lü Qingyan, who had been enjoying her ice skating session, stopped, her eyes wide with wonder. “Jingxue, you’re breathing fire!” she exclaimed.

Bai Jingxue blinked. She exhaled experimentally, and a small flame flickered from her mouth. Startled, she quickly closed her mouth.

Well, at least she wouldn’t have to eat raw fish.

Luo Nianshang, having spent what felt like an eternity battling cutting boards, suddenly remembered that her cat and dog hadn’t eaten. She set down the cleaver, but they were nowhere to be found.

Closing her eyes, she sensed their location and, after informing Fu Yuan of her departure, teleported to the lake.

There, she found a dog ice skating, a cat breathing fire, and a human rendered speechless.

Bai Jingxue, sensing Luo Nianshang’s arrival, glanced at her, then resumed her attempts to grill the fish, her flames scorching them to a crisp.

Luo Nianshang scooped up the cat, her voice gentle. “Come on, let’s go home and eat.”

Lü Qingyan, hearing those words, abandoned her ice skating session, dashing to the shore and grabbing Luo Nianshang’s robe with her teeth, whimpering softly, as if to say “Don’t forget about me.”

Luo Nianshang picked up the dog by the scruff of her neck and, in a blink, they were back in her chamber.

The Demon Lord, still lying in bed, her face pale, was faking it.

Luo Nianshang set the cat and dog down, her voice cold, but laced with guilt. “Let’s have Fu Yuan’s cooking today,” she said.

The Demon Lord coughed weakly, her voice filled with understanding. “It’s my fault, Master,” she said. “I’m being a burden.”

Her eyes welled up, and she covered her face with her sleeve, as if trying to hide her tears. “I lost my parents at a young age, Master,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You’re so kind to me. I couldn’t help myself. I’m sorry.”

Luo Nianshang froze. It wasn’t as if she had never seen someone cry before. The previous two Demon Lords she had slain had begged for their lives, tears streaming down their faces. This shouldn’t be a big deal.

But this wasn’t the Demon Lord. This was her beloved disciple. She couldn’t just chop off her head to solve the crying problem.

Luo Nianshang thought for a long time, cold sweat dripping from her temples. Finally, she went over and hugged her beloved disciple, patting her back stiffly: “It’s okay, I’m here.”

“Grrrr.”

The stomachs of the cat and dog protested simultaneously. The cat closed her eyes in speechlessness, while the dog rolled her eyes dramatically before whispering to the cat: “Is she Doraemon’s pocket? How can she hold so much!”

Bai Jingxue shot her a sideways glance. “You’re quite humorous,” she remarked.

Chapter 20: Cunning

On their way back to the Ejian Sect, Luo Nianshang picked up Fu Yuan, who had completed her mission and was about to venture deeper into the Demon Realm to search for the cat.

Normally, Bai Jingxue would have been nestled in Luo Nianshang’s arms, but that spot was currently occupied. She had no choice but to settle on Fu Yuan’s shoulder.

The Demon Lord, cradled in Luo Nianshang’s arms, seemed to be asleep, occasionally coughing, her pale lips stained with blood.

Bai Jingxue noticed the subtle furrow in Luo Nianshang’s brow, the concern hidden in her eyes.

Fu Yuan was surprised to encounter her ancestor. Such opportunities were rare within the sect.

She had been too nervous during the disciple selection to mention the issue with the infant. And now, with her ancestor’s disciple severely injured, it didn’t seem like an appropriate time to bring it up.

She decided to keep her concerns to herself for now.

Thanks to Luo Nianshang’s power, they quickly returned to the Ejian Sect.

Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan had a favorable impression of Fu Yuan, so they watched as she departed, their tails waving in farewell.

Luo Nianshang, eager to tend to her disciple’s injuries, took off with the Demon Lord in her arms, leaving the cat and dog to make their own way up the mountain.

Lü Qingyan was delighted. She loved spending time with Bai Jingxue, chattering away about everything and nothing.

“Jingxue, what do you think the Demon Lord is up to?”

Bai Jingxue ignored her, quickening her pace.

She, too, was pondering that very question, but without her human form, her access to information was limited.

Based on the novel’s premise, the Demon Realm was just as hostile towards the righteous and demon realms as they were towards each other. Before Luo Nianshang’s emergence, the three realms had maintained a delicate balance of power. But Luo Nianshang had disrupted that balance.

That was all the information the book provided. However, based on her own analysis, Bai Jingxue concluded that the Demon Realm wouldn’t want the righteous and demon realms to unite, nor would they want them to coexist peacefully.

So what was the Demon Lord’s strategy in this situation?

Lü Qingyan’s theory wasn’t entirely implausible. If a conflict erupted between the righteous and demon realms, the Demon Realm could certainly exploit the situation to their advantage.

Bai Jingxue paused, her thoughts troubled. The world she had come from had been relatively peaceful. This constant struggle for power was unsettling.

Lü Qingyan, following Bai Jingxue’s tracks, noticed that the cat had stopped.

“What are you thinking about, Jingxue?” she asked, her tail wagging.

Bai Jingxue finally turned to face her. She couldn’t comprehend the dog’s unwavering cheerfulness, but she envied her carefree nature.

She stared at Lü Qingyan, her gaze intense, until the dog, despite her thick skin, blushed under the scrutiny.

They continued their ascent. The path here was clear, the disciples having diligently swept away the snow.

Bai Jingxue watched the disciples going about their duties, her thoughts drifting to the fate of the Ejian Sect in the original story.

After Luo Nianshang had left the sect to follow the male lead, the Ejian Sect had slowly declined.

The Demon Lord, consumed by hatred for anything associated with Luo Nianshang, had unleashed her fury upon the sect. A devastating fire had reduced the once-proud sect to rubble.

Now, with the plot altered, Bai Jingxue wondered what the future held for the Ejian Sect.

At least for now, the disciples seemed content, their faces filled with purpose as they carried out their tasks.

“You’re brooding again, Jingxue.”

“Yes.”

This time, Bai Jingxue didn’t remain silent. She loved things that brought her peace, like watching Lü Qingyan compete in the long jump from the stands.

She couldn’t explain why she found it so captivating, but watching Lü Qingyan, waiting for her to turn and wave, her face beaming with pride as she boasted about her score, had made Bai Jingxue’s own life feel a little less mundane.

Dwelling on the past was dangerous. Bai Jingxue, always a rational creature, pulled herself back to the present.

She took one last look at the disciples, then turned and continued her ascent, ignoring Lü Qingyan’s attempts to engage her in conversation.

Upon returning to Luo Nianshang’s chamber, however, her composure shattered. This world was truly insane.

The Demon Lord’s cooking was one thing. Her cultivation had been achieved through unorthodox means, and she was relatively young compared to other cultivators. It was understandable that she might be fascinated by the mortal realm.

But could someone please explain why Luo Nianshang, the epitome of stoic detachment, was now covered in soot and flour, attempting to cook?

Bai Jingxue kept her thoughts to herself, while Lü Qingyan’s shock was evident on her face.

“Am I hallucinating?” she exclaimed. “The female lead is cooking!”

“Did we transmigrate into the wrong novel?”

Bai Jingxue covered her ears with her paws.

Cooking, however, was clearly not one of Luo Nianshang’s strengths. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, her grip on the cleaver as tight as if she were wielding her sword, her entire being radiating a murderous aura as she focused on the white radish on the cutting board.

A flash of light, and the radish, the cutting board, and the large stone beneath it were sliced cleanly in half.

The sight of Luo Nianshang’s bewildered expression paired with the carnage before her was incredibly comical. Lü Qingyan collapsed onto the floor, howling with laughter.

But the entertainment wasn’t over yet. The cleaver in Luo Nianshang’s hand suddenly shattered, its fragments scattering in the wind.

Even Bai Jingxue couldn’t help but smile.

Luo Nianshang, thoroughly embarrassed, tossed aside the cleaver handle and retrieved a jade slip from her spatial ring.

It was a mission token, used to post tasks on behalf of the sect.

She inscribed the details of her request, and the jade slip, losing its luster, transformed into a dull, gray stone.

Luo Nianshang returned the stone to her spatial ring and crouched by the chamber entrance, attempting to brew a medicinal concoction. However, when she waved her fan, a powerful gust of wind swept through the area.

The fire was extinguished, the herbs scattered, and even the snow on the ground and in the sky vanished.

Lü Qingyan rolled on the floor, her laughter echoing through the chamber. “Hahaha! What was that? She fanned away winter!”

Luo Nianshang, her expression still etched with bewilderment, stared at the scene, unsure of what to do. Finally, she decided to head to the sect’s pharmacy to replenish her supply of herbs.

“Master.”

The Demon Lord’s voice, weak and laced with pain, reached them through the newly falling snow.

Luo Nianshang rushed back into the chamber.

Bai Jingxue followed, eager to see what the Demon Lord was up to.

The chamber was warm, the snowflakes melting the moment they landed on her fur. She shook herself off and looked up.

Thanks to her new disciple, the chamber now had a bed. Normally, Luo Nianshang would meditate on the bed, but she was clearly too preoccupied with her disciple’s well-being to focus on her cultivation.

The Demon Lord had somehow managed to conceal her true identity from Luo Nianshang. Her performance as a sickly, vulnerable disciple was quite convincing.

Her long hair was loose, her face pale. She had shed her red robes, clad only in a thin white undergarment, a blue silk blanket pulled up to her chin as she coughed weakly.

“Her acting is top-notch,” Lü Qingyan whispered, nudging Bai Jingxue with her nose.

Bai Jingxue nodded. And the Demon Lord wasn’t shy about performing for an audience. The more people watching, the more dramatic her performance became. She coughed again, a deep, rattling sound that seemed to come from the depths of her lungs.

She clutched her chest, her body trembling, her voice a soft whimper. “Master,” she said, her eyes filled with tears, “I’m so cold.”

Luo Nianshang adjusted the temperature in the chamber, but her disciple continued to shiver.

Luo Nianshang, a seasoned warrior, had never suffered a serious injury. As long as she was alive, she considered herself fine. She had never cared for anyone, let alone herself.

She awkwardly took her disciple’s wrist, channeling her spiritual energy into her body, trying to soothe her meridians. But her energy was too cold, too harsh. It had no effect.

Seeing that her disciple was still trembling, she panicked, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

The Demon Lord, observing her distress, let a small smile curve her lips. Then, she resumed her pitiful act, her voice a soft plea. “Master, may I… may I lie in your arms?”

Luo Nianshang froze, then slowly nodded.

“She’s doing it!” Lü Qingyan exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.

Bai Jingxue, her ears twitching, was about to deliver a swift retaliatory swat to the dog’s head, but before she could, Lü Qingyan collapsed.

Bai Jingxue froze, her paw raised, staring at the dog, who lay on her back, her paws flailing in the air.

But Lü Qingyan wasn’t done yet. She whined, her voice a syrupy purr. “I’m injured, Jingxue,” she said. “I need cuddles to recover.”

She then proceeded to wriggle around on the floor, batting her eyelashes at Bai Jingxue.

Bai Jingxue, her patience exhausted, lowered her paw and walked away, her heart heavy.

Seeing that her tactic had failed, Lü Qingyan scrambled to her feet and chased after Bai Jingxue.

“Jingxue, wait! I’m sorry!”

Bai Jingxue, hearing the desperation in Lü Qingyan’s voice, sped up, her movements a blur as she tried to escape.

Unfortunately, she was no match for Lü Qingyan’s speed.

As they ran, they encountered more and more disciples. Curious, Bai Jingxue paused, listening to their conversation.

She leaped onto a tree branch, but the surface beneath her paws felt strange. It wasn’t the cold of snow or the rough texture of bark. It was warm and soft.

She looked down, meeting Lü Qingyan’s gaze.

She had landed on the dog’s back.

Before she could jump down, she was distracted by the conversation below.

“Why did Ancestor Luo suddenly post a mission?”

“I have no idea. I’m just here for the show.”

“Ugh, there are too many people! I can’t even see the details of the request.”

“Well, it’s Ancestor Luo’s mission! Even the elite disciples from the Inner Sect are skipping their cultivation to be here.”

Bai Jingxue, staring at the crowd gathered before the Merit Hall, thought back to Luo Nianshang’s recent mishaps. There was a certain irony to this situation.

She was curious about the task Luo Nianshang had posted. She leaped down from the tree and, using her small size and agility to her advantage, made her way to the front of the crowd, where she perched on the edge of the Merit Hall table.

At the top of the board was a section for unranked tasks. It was currently empty, except for a single token.

She stared at the token, and its contents appeared in her mind, the information conveyed through a series of images and emotions.

Bai Jingxue, her literacy skills still rudimentary, struggled to translate the message, her blood pressure rising with each passing moment.

Lü Qingyan, using her teleportation ability, settled beside Bai Jingxue. She stared at the token, but she couldn’t decipher its meaning. “Jingxue, what does it say?” she asked.

Bai Jingxue remained silent for a long time, so long that Lü Qingyan assumed she didn’t want to answer.

Just as she was about to give up, Bai Jingxue spoke. “Seeking a disciple skilled in cooking and brewing medicinal concoctions,” she said, her voice flat. “Generous reward offered.”

Chapter 19: Acting

The scenery blurred as Fu Yuan, the cat, and the dog stealthily made their way into the Demon Realm.

The laws of this world were inherently unfair, perhaps due to the fact that it was based on a human-written novel. Demon beasts faced far more challenges than humans when it came to cultivation.

Or perhaps, as the novel had stated, the human form was simply more suited to the pursuit of immortality.

Bai Jingxue still identified as human, but upon entering the Demon Realm, she felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Their mission didn’t require them to venture deep into the Demon Realm. They only needed to obtain a single strand of fur from the tail of the Rabbit Demon Queen.

And the rabbit demons resided on the grassy plains at the edge of the Demon Realm.

Lü Qingyan sniffed the air, her ears drooping. “I still can’t smell the Demon Lord,” she said sadly.

Bai Jingxue ignored her, her attention focused on Fu Yuan’s movements. She watched as Fu Yuan retrieved a white porcelain bottle from her spatial ring, poured out a fine powder, and carefully applied it to the back of her hand.

Her intense focus drew Fu Yuan’s attention. “This is Concealment Powder,” Fu Yuan explained with a smile. “It masks our scent, making it harder for demon beasts to detect our human aura.”

Bai Jingxue was surprised that Fu Yuan had bothered to explain. It was a welcome surprise.

Her starting point in this world had been rather high. The novel hadn’t delved into the basics of cultivation, and Luo Nianshang, being at the pinnacle of power, had no need for such mundane techniques. Naturally, she hadn’t taught Bai Jingxue anything about them.

Some of the powder drifted towards Lü Qingyan, triggering a sneezing fit.

Fu Yuan, assuming the dog was cold, retrieved a pink robe from her spatial ring. It was a woman’s garment, designed to resemble a flowing palace dress, but when she draped it over Lü Qingyan, it transformed into a dog coat, though the color remained unchanged.

This was only the second time Lü Qingyan had worn clothes since her transmigration. The first time had been when the Demon Lord, suffering from a severe allergic reaction to her fur, had shaved her completely and dressed her in a simple tunic.

This robe, however, seemed to be of a lower grade. It adapted to the wearer’s form, but it was rather constricting.

Lü Qingyan felt like she could barely move her legs. She stumbled along, her gait awkward and ungainly.

She tried to bite at the fabric, but she couldn’t reach it, her movements resembling a dog chasing its own tail.

Fu Yuan, observing her struggles, thought for a moment, then retrieved the robe and scooped up the exhausted dog, wrapping her own outer robe around it to shield it from the wind and snow.

“There, now you’re warm.”

Lü Qingyan looked up at Fu Yuan, her eyes filled with panic. She wriggled out of Fu Yuan’s embrace and rushed over to Bai Jingxue, her voice anxious. “You’re not mad, are you?”

Bai Jingxue tilted her head, her expression conveying a silent “What are you talking about?”

Lü Qingyan, relieved that Bai Jingxue didn’t seem angry, felt a surge of disappointment. “Aren’t you even a little jealous?” she asked, her voice plaintive.

So that was it. Honestly, Bai Jingxue wasn’t jealous at all.

She rolled her eyes. “Why would I be jealous?”

Lü Qingyan’s ears drooped. “But you weren’t like this in our past life!”

Ah, yes. The dreaded “past life” argument.

Bai Jingxue regretted ever mentioning it. But she couldn’t control Lü Qingyan’s reactions.

In their past life, Lü Qingyan had been outgoing and charismatic, effortlessly attracting a large circle of friends.

She had excelled at everything except academics: dancing, fitness, swimming, ice skating. And with her good looks, her name had frequently appeared on the university’s confession wall, a platform for anonymous declarations of love and admiration.

Bai Jingxue, on the other hand, had only had her intelligence to offer. And perhaps a rather intense possessiveness.

Whenever Lü Qingyan’s name appeared on the confession wall, Bai Jingxue would be consumed by jealousy. Initially, Lü Qingyan hadn’t understood what she had done wrong. Once she realized the cause of Bai Jingxue’s distress, she had publicly declared their relationship.

But that was then, and this was now.

And right now, Lü Qingyan was a dog. Bai Jingxue could differentiate between romantic love and the affection she felt for a pet.

Fu Yuan, watching the aloof cat and the anxious dog, suddenly felt like a third wheel.

She shook her head, dismissing the strange thought.

This mission was secondary. Her true goal was to find a way for demon beasts to transform into human form.

The demon beasts residing at the edge of the Demon Realm were mostly incapable of transformation, though they possessed a certain level of sentience.

As they walked, Bai Jingxue felt a growing sense of unease. She and Lü Qingyan were surrounded by rabbits.

The Demon Lord was also surrounded, but not by rabbits. She was facing a horde of snake demons.

She had no intention of completing the mission. She had received a message from the Demon Palace informing her that her left envoy had been captured by the Snake King. But rescuing her envoy wasn’t her primary goal.

She didn’t care much for the Demon Realm, but she recognized her envoy’s competence.

Initially, she hadn’t believed the report, but the Snake King before her radiated a faint dragon aura. Two small bumps protruded from his head, clearly underdeveloped dragon horns.

He was on the verge of transforming into a dragon. No wonder her envoy had been defeated.

The Snake King rose to his full height, towering over the Demon Lord, but she simply smiled, her expression unconcerned.

The hissing of snakes filled the air, a chilling chorus that sent shivers down their spines.

Bound by vines and suspended from an ancient tree behind the Snake King was a beautiful woman, her pale skin marred by fresh wounds. Blood dripped from her injuries.

She was conscious, her eyes widening as she recognized the Demon Lord. “Your Excellency, save me!” she cried out.

The Demon Lord’s gaze swept over her, her smile cold and merciless. “You couldn’t even handle a single beast?” she said, her voice laced with disdain. “What use are you to me?”

The envoy’s face, already pale from blood loss, turned even whiter. Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t even utter a plea for mercy.

The Snake King, his attempt to bargain for his life silenced before he could even speak, was stunned by the Demon Lord’s cruelty.

He remained silent, and the Demon Lord, her smile still bright, as if she were simply enjoying the scenery of this gruesome scene, continued.

“She might be useless,” she said, “but she’s still my subordinate. And you, you pathetic creature, have no right to lay a hand on her.”

A wave of pressure slammed into the Snake King, making him recoil. He looked up to see that the sun had vanished. But it wasn’t nightfall. A flock of birds, their numbers obscuring the sky, had blocked out the sunlight.

The commotion in the forest unsettled the demon beasts. The rabbits surrounding Bai Jingxue scattered, fleeing in terror. The birds overhead, their flight patterns disrupted, swooped and dived erratically.

Bai Jingxue stared at the chaotic scene, exchanging a knowing glance with Lü Qingyan.

“It’s the Demon Lord,” they said in unison.

Lü Qingyan quickly expanded her body, and Bai Jingxue leaped onto her back.

The moment Bai Jingxue was secure, Lü Qingyan took off running, her powerful legs carrying them through the forest. Then, in a blink, she teleported, vanishing from Fu Yuan’s sight.

Fu Yuan, startled, tried to follow, but it was too late.

“Should we have left Fu Yuan behind?” Lü Qingyan asked, a hint of guilt in her voice.

Bai Jingxue shook her head. “Her cultivation is only at the Nascent Soul realm,” she replied. “If the Demon Lord decided to harm her, she wouldn’t stand a chance.”

The Demon Lord might not be a wanton killer, but that didn’t mean she was incapable of killing.

Lü Qingyan knew she was right. The Demon Lord might not be inherently evil, but her past had left her with a twisted sense of justice. It was best to keep Fu Yuan out of this.

The Demon Lord’s scent grew stronger, and Lü Qingyan couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. “What do you think she’s planning?” she asked.

Bai Jingxue’s voice was flat. “I’ve already answered that question.”

The usually cheerful dog, now caught up in the intrigue, began to analyze the situation. Her reasoning was surprisingly sound, almost convincing Bai Jingxue.

“Do you think she’s going to use her identity as the Sword Saint’s disciple to instigate a conflict between the righteous and demon realms?” she asked, her voice hushed. “Then she’ll ally herself with the Demon Realm, creating a two-against-one scenario.”

It wasn’t a bad theory. Bai Jingxue, however, remained skeptical.

As they continued their journey, they encountered more and more snakes, their bodies intertwined, their movements fluid and mesmerizing. But the moment they sensed the cat and dog, they froze, retreating into the shadows.

These low-level demon beasts seemed terrified of them.

Bai Jingxue paid them no mind. Her focus was on the Demon Lord.

The scent of blood intensified, and they began to see the mangled corpses of snakes and scattered bird feathers.

A giant snake roared, its voice echoing through the forest, followed by a man’s voice, laced with rage and fear. “Demon Lord!”

They were close to the heart of the battle. They crept forward, peering out from behind a tree.

Scales littered the ground. The Snake King’s body was covered in deep claw marks, some so deep that bone was visible. One of his eyes was missing, the eyeball lying on the ground nearby.

In stark contrast to the Snake King’s disheveled state, the Demon Lord sat on a swing woven from vines, her expression serene, as if the carnage around her was of no consequence.

The Snake King was terrified. He had intended to use the envoy as a bargaining chip, but the Demon Lord clearly didn’t care about her subordinate’s life.

Why was she here?

He backed away slowly, his voice laced with both defiance and fear. “You can’t kill me,” he hissed. “The Demon Emperor won’t stand for it.”

The Demon Lord pulled a hairpin from her hair, her long, black tresses cascading down her back, framing her alluring face.

She twirled the hairpin between her fingers, her expression innocent. “You’re right,” she said.

The Snake King, sensing her hesitation, relaxed slightly, his pride momentarily restored. His words had given the Demon Lord pause.

His relief was short-lived. The Demon Lord crushed the bell hanging from her neck, her voice calm and even. “Then we’ll just have someone else kill you.”

Her features shifted, transforming into the face of Hong Ying.

Before the Snake King could comprehend what was happening, a wave of sword intent slammed into him.

The snow seemed to intensify, blinding him. When he blinked, a figure clad in white robes stood before him, hovering in the air.

The Snake King, recognizing the Sword Saint, felt his courage evaporate. Shrinking his body, he attempted to flee, blending in with the other snakes.

Unfortunately, he chose the wrong direction, colliding with a bewildered cat and dog.

Luo Nianshang, seeing the Snake King lunging towards her cat, unleashed a burst of sword energy, severing the giant snake in two.

Bai Jingxue stared at the dying creature, about to comment on the brutality of the scene, when she noticed the Demon Lord, seemingly weak and injured, leaning against Luo Nianshang, her voice a soft whisper. “Master, am I dying?”

“No, you’ll be fine.”

The Demon Lord coughed, blood trickling from her lips. “To die in your arms, Master,” she sighed, her voice filled with feigned contentment. “I have no regrets.”

The cat and dog stared at the Demon Lord, her acting skills on full display, and Luo Nianshang, who seemed to believe every word, and fell silent.

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.

Chapter 17: Beautiful

After venting her frustration, Bai Jingxue forgave Lü Qingyan. She wouldn’t actually hit her hard enough to cause real damage.

Lü Qingyan, dazed from the impact, stumbled to her feet, only to lose her balance and land on her back, her paws flailing in the air. She shook the snow from her fur, finally regaining her senses.

Seeing that Bai Jingxue was unharmed, she rushed over, her tail wagging excitedly. “You’re so strong! You’re okay! That’s great!”

Bai Jingxue paused in her grooming session, her emerald eyes fixed on Lü Qingyan. “Wasn’t I supposed to be injured?” she asked dryly.

Lü Qingyan remembered her mission. She whined impatiently, finding the cat’s pace too slow. Closing her eyes, she concentrated, and her small body expanded, growing ten times its original size.

What kind of sorcery was this? Pomeranian to Samoyed in a blink?

Bai Jingxue stared at her, the difference in size intimidating, but Lü Qingyan’s eyes were still as innocent and trusting as ever.

Before Bai Jingxue could process what was happening, Lü Qingyan scooped her up by the collar and took off running, her powerful legs carrying them through the snow.

The wind whipped at Bai Jingxue’s fur, but it couldn’t extinguish the flames of fury burning in her eyes.

This dog hadn’t changed a bit.

In their past life, Bai Jingxue had been terrible at sports, her health fragile. Her classmates had often joked that she had put all her skill points into intelligence.

She had been solitary and prone to stomach problems, often suffering from bouts of agonizing gastroenteritis that left her writhing in pain.

She had learned to endure these episodes, but Lü Qingyan, always a worrier, would insist on carrying her to the infirmary.

As she reminisced, Bai Jingxue’s anger faded. It wasn’t the nostalgia that softened her heart. She was simply choking from the pressure of the collar digging into her neck.

Thankfully, they reached their destination soon. Lü Qingyan set her down, and Bai Jingxue gasped for air.

“Jingxue, look! The flowers are blooming!”

They stood on a small cliff overlooking a field where delicate, pale blue flowers bloomed amidst the snow. Their petals were layered, seemingly unfazed by the weight of the snow.

Bai Jingxue’s breath hitched. Instinct told her these were no ordinary flowers. The spiritual energy swirling around them was almost tangible.

Lü Qingyan, unaware of their significance, knew that Bai Jingxue loved pale blue flowers. She had brought her here to share this beautiful sight.

Her tail wagged eagerly, her face radiating a desperate need for praise. “Jingxue, I remember you love pale blue flowers, so I brought you here! I’ll pick one for you!”

Bai Jingxue placed a paw on Lü Qingyan’s, stopping her. “Don’t touch them,” she warned. “They’re not ripe yet.”

A moment later, Luo Nianshang and the Demon Lord arrived, following their tracks. The Demon Lord’s eyes widened as she saw the flowers, but she wisely remained silent.

Luo Nianshang stared at the flowers, her expression unreadable. She drew her fingers across her palm, slicing open her skin, and let a drop of blood fall onto the flowers below.

The beautiful blossoms stirred, their roots extending, their leaves sharpening, their edges serrated. They lapped up Luo Nianshang’s blood, their movements predatory, almost animalistic.

The others stared at Luo Nianshang, their expressions a mixture of awe and confusion. The Demon Lord, however, was particularly disturbed.

As a native of this world, she knew that these seemingly delicate flowers were anything but harmless. They were used to dispose of demon beast corpses, their roots tearing through flesh, their leaves consuming everything in their path.

But Luo Nianshang was human.

Luo Nianshang, however, seemed oblivious to their reactions. The wound on her palm healed instantly. She glanced at the others, her voice calm and even. “Remember, beauty can be deceptive,” she said. “Do you understand?”

Her words were directed at the Demon Lord. Luo Nianshang was taking her role as a teacher quite seriously. Every situation became an opportunity for a lesson.

The Demon Lord, snapping out of her stupor, nodded obediently. Then, she looked up, meeting Luo Nianshang’s gaze, a playful smile spreading across her lips. “But Master,” she said, “your words don’t always hold true.”

Luo Nianshang, despite her status as the Sword Saint, was surprisingly naive. She frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

The Demon Lord’s smile widened as she stared at Luo Nianshang’s ethereal face. “You, Master, are far more beautiful than these flowers,” she purred. “Yet, you’re not dangerous at all.”

Luo Nianshang, in all her years, had never been complimented so directly, especially at such close proximity. She froze, her mind struggling to process the words. Unable to formulate a response, she simply turned and walked away.

The Demon Lord chuckled, her gaze following Luo Nianshang’s retreating figure. “Wait for me, beautiful Master!” she called out.

She then gathered her robes and hurried after Luo Nianshang, a mischievous grin on her face.

Lü Qingyan, watching them leave, swallowed nervously. “Was the Demon Lord flirting with the female lead?” she whispered.

Bai Jingxue blinked, wondering if she had imagined the entire exchange. She leaped onto Lü Qingyan’s back. “Let’s go,” she said. “This place seems dangerous.”

She glanced down at the flowers at the base of the cliff. They seemed to have been energized by Luo Nianshang’s blood, their hunger not yet satiated.

They swayed, their stems writhing like snakes as they climbed the cliff face, their target the cat and dog perched above.

The bell around Bai Jingxue’s neck tinkled softly, and the flowers froze, retreating back down the cliff, their menacing aura fading as they resumed their harmless facade.

Bai Jingxue stared at the bell, a wave of understanding washing over her.

She had assumed Luo Nianshang had abandoned them in her embarrassment. But it seemed the bell offered a certain level of protection.

Lü Qingyan’s fur was warm and soft. Bai Jingxue, initially sitting upright, couldn’t resist curling up, her gaze falling upon Lü Qingyan’s drooping ears.

She batted at them playfully, lifting them up, then letting them flop back down.

After a while, she noticed that the ears remained stubbornly drooped. Lü Qingyan wasn’t happy.

A happy dog shouldn’t be sad. Bai Jingxue stopped playing.

She knew what was bothering Lü Qingyan, but she hadn’t expected her to be so affected by it.

Her heart softened, but she would never admit it.

She sat up, her voice casual. “What’s wrong?”

Lü Qingyan let out a dejected sigh. “I wanted to give you those flowers,” she mumbled, “but they turned out to be dangerous. I’m glad I didn’t pick one.”

Bai Jingxue was grateful. If Lü Qingyan had touched those flowers, she would be picking up dog bones right now. That wasn’t the ending she wanted.

She wanted distance, but she didn’t want Lü Qingyan to die.

Her emerald eyes darkened. “This isn’t our world anymore,” she said softly. “The dangers here are unpredictable. Be careful.”

Seeing that Lü Qingyan’s ears were still drooped, Bai Jingxue sighed. “But thank you,” she said, her voice softening. “I loved how those flowers looked. It made me happy.”

The moment she uttered the word “happy,” Lü Qingyan’s ears perked up. “Really?” she asked, her voice filled with delight. “You liked them?”

The cat and dog continued their walk through the snow-covered forest, Lü Qingyan expertly dodging the occasional snowfall from the branches above.

Lü Qingyan glanced back at their tracks, a wave of sadness washing over her. “Jingxue,” she whined, “when do you think we’ll be able to transform back into humans?”

Bai Jingxue, shaking the snow from her fur, tried to recall relevant information from the novel. After filtering out the ninety percent dedicated to steamy encounters, she was left with about ten percent of potentially useful content.

For example, there was a fox demon who had fallen head over heels for the male lead. However, transforming into a human form was a difficult feat for ordinary demons. So this fox demon, who had been diligently cultivating, had slaughtered ten cities, absorbing the essence of their inhabitants to achieve her goal. In doing so, she had severed her path to enlightenment.

But she hadn’t cared. She had become another insignificant member of the male lead’s harem, her chances of being noticed as slim as winning the lottery.

“What kind of garbage novel was this?” Bai Jingxue thought, her head spinning.

She decided to stop before her brain melted.

“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “The book didn’t say.”

Speaking of books, she remembered the Ejian Sect’s library. It probably contained the information she needed, but she would have to learn this world’s written language first.

A plan began to form in her mind. Satisfied, she curled up on Lü Qingyan’s back.

With her eyes closed and her paws tucked beneath her body, she was a perfect black blob. Perched on Lü Qingyan’s head, she resembled a furry black hat.

Fu Yuan, spotting the dog strolling through the training grounds, was so distracted that she forgot her sword forms. Then, she realized that the dog wasn’t wearing a hat. It was a cat.

She stared, and the dog stopped, its tail wagging as it met her gaze.

Fu Yuan, caught off guard by the dog’s enthusiasm, couldn’t help but smile. It was just too adorable.

But hadn’t it been smaller before? What kind of dog food was her ancestor feeding it?

She remembered the dogs in her village. The ones cared for by their grandparents were always significantly plumper than the ones raised by their parents. Considering her ancestor’s age, a tenfold increase in size within a few days seemed perfectly reasonable.

The dog, having greeted her, continued on its way, the cat still perched on its head.

Fu Yuan watched them leave, shaking her head. “As expected of Ancestor Luo,” she murmured. “Even her pets are extraordinary.”

The next day, Bai Jingxue made her way to Fu Yuan’s room, where she severed a portion of the baleful energy clinging to the infant. Once the child was asleep, she headed down the mountain to the small schoolhouse run by the Ejian Sect, where illiterate disciples were taught to read and write.

Lü Qingyan followed close behind, settling beside Bai Jingxue at the back of the classroom as the cat observed the lesson.

As she listened, she realized that the Demon Lord wasn’t actually illiterate.

Staring at the complex characters, far more intricate than those of her past life, she felt a surge of frustration. But seeing Bai Jingxue’s focused expression, her own anxiety subsided.

It was like being back in their old classroom. She had been a restless student, her attention easily wandering.

But at some point, she had discovered that watching a certain someone study had a calming effect on her.

And miraculously, she had managed to get into the same university as that person.

And then, that quiet, reserved girl had become her girlfriend.

It all felt like a dream.

Chapter 16: Moving Mountains

“Are you saying someone is blocking my destiny?”

“Not exactly. It’s more accurate to say a cat and a dog are doing it.”

The male lead coughed violently. He had lost an arm, been tortured by a skeleton in the secret realm, and his spiritual meridians were now shattered, rendering him a cripple.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. He was now on the Ejian Sect’s most wanted list. As the most powerful sect in the righteous realm, their reach was vast. The entire realm was now hostile territory.

The demonic cultivator hovered beside him, his form reduced to a flickering black flame, no longer able to maintain a human appearance.

Thankfully, they were close to the Demon Realm. Otherwise, he and this lovesick fool would be doomed.

Pain wracked the male lead’s body. “Damn that skeleton!” he snarled. “Damn Luo Nianshang!”

The demonic cultivator, feeding on the male lead’s resentment, brightened slightly. He had omitted a crucial detail. It was true that a cat and a dog were interfering with the male lead’s destiny, but their aura of destiny was different from his.

He had never been truly aligned with the male lead, and his instincts screamed danger. A wicked plan began to form in his mind.

Instead of his usual disdain, he echoed the male lead’s anger. “Yes, damn Luo Nianshang! If it weren’t for her warrant, those righteous cultivators wouldn’t have hunted you down and severed your arm!”

Manipulation was a common tactic among demon cultivators. No one was born evil. Most succumbed to their inner demons during their pursuit of power, their hearts twisted by resentment and greed.

This manipulation became second nature to them. And this pathetic wisp of a demonic cultivator had once been a master manipulator.

The male lead sensed something was amiss, but he was accustomed to blaming others for his misfortunes. He nodded vehemently, his face contorted with rage. “When I recover, I’ll make that old hag beg for mercy!”

The demonic cultivator remained silent.

Thankfully, he had no facial expressions. Otherwise, the male lead would have seen a massive eye roll.

This fool was beyond redemption. He needed no encouragement to embrace his dark impulses.

The demonic cultivator, relishing the surge of resentment emanating from the male lead, contemplated how to break their contract. He needed a more intelligent host.

The Demon Realm was his domain. It would be easier to restore his power there.

A flicker of concern crossed his mind. “I’m too weak to help you now,” he warned. “The Demon Realm is far more dangerous than the righteous realm. Be careful.”

The male lead, lost in his own anger, grunted in response.

Using a sturdy branch as a makeshift crutch, he limped towards the Demon Realm, his tattered robes stained with dried blood. The demonic cultivator retreated into his eye.

Each step was agony. The thought of the long journey ahead filled him with dread. “You claim to be so powerful,” he whined. “Don’t you have any disciples, relatives, or friends in the Demon Realm who could help us?”

The demonic cultivator, suppressing his annoyance, replied patiently, “No.”

Then, he reconsidered. He had had disciples, once. But they were all dead.

He felt no grief for their loss. He had trained them with the intention of possessing their bodies, but they had died before he could carry out his plan.

Looking at the pathetic figure beside him, he felt a strange sense of irony. Fate, it seemed, had a twisted sense of humor.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again. “What makes you think you can challenge the Sword Saint?”

The crimson sky of the Demon Realm loomed before them. The male lead grinned. “She’s just an old woman,” he said, his voice dripping with arrogance. “I’ll find a way to deal with her.”

The demonic cultivator said nothing.

The “old woman” he spoke of was currently engaged in a rather ambitious landscaping project.

The Ejian Sect was comprised of numerous mountain peaks, each towering over the landscape like a giant sword, a fitting symbol for a sect known for its swordsmanship.

It was an impressive sight, but for disciples who hadn’t reached the Golden Core realm and were unable to fly, navigating these peaks was incredibly inconvenient. Simple tasks like running errands or attending morning classes became arduous journeys.

Cultivation was meant to be challenging, but Luo Nianshang felt that this particular challenge was unnecessary and counterproductive.

In her previous outings, she had been focused on eliminating demon cultivators. And her personality hadn’t exactly inclined her towards such mundane concerns. But this time, her seclusion had been longer, and the world had changed. She had noticed things she hadn’t before.

The lower-level disciples had been evacuated. Luo Nianshang hovered in the air, her robes billowing in the wind, her expression as cold and unyielding as ever.

Without unsheathing her sword, she brought her hand down in a swift, decisive chop. The mountain peak split in two.

The cat, the dog, and the Demon Lord were perched on a nearby peak, enjoying the view.

The cat and the Demon Lord watched with detached amusement, but the dog was enthralled. “Wow, she’s amazing!” Lü Qingyan exclaimed. “She’s slicing through those mountains like they’re sugarcane!”

Bai Jingxue, staring at the perfectly smooth surface of the newly cleaved mountain, couldn’t remain silent. “You’re wrong,” she said dryly.

Lü Qingyan’s excitement evaporated. She assumed she had gotten something wrong. Before she could ask for clarification, she heard the Demon Lord sigh.

“She’s not trying to connect the two peaks,” the Demon Lord muttered. “She needs to cut horizontally along the base and then move the section she wants.”

Lü Qingyan’s eyes widened. “You’re right! She messed up!”

The disciples gathered on the surrounding peaks watched in stunned silence.

The Elders and the sect leader stood together, their expressions a mixture of awe and confusion. Finally, one of the Elders couldn’t help but voice his concern. “Master,” he said hesitantly, “are you sure Ancestor Luo knows what she’s doing?”

The sect leader, his gaze fixed on the figure in the sky, frowned. “Ancestor Luo has her reasons,” he said, his voice sharp. “It’s not our place to question her.”

The Elder, chastised, retreated, but he couldn’t resist staring, his curiosity piqued.

Luo Nianshang, having delivered that single vertical strike, paused for a moment, then brought her hand down again, this time cutting horizontally along the base of the mountain. She then proceeded to lift the severed section and deposit it beside the adjacent peak, seamlessly connecting the two.

The Elder blinked, his jaw slack. Had she really made a mistake?

As doubt clouded his mind, a chorus of praise erupted around him.

“As expected of our Ancestor! Her wisdom is beyond our comprehension!”

“I am but a humble disciple, unworthy of her teachings.”

“Could that Demon Lord brat even dream of achieving such a feat?”

“Long live Ancestor Luo!”

“Don’t curse our Ancestor! She’s already nearly ten thousand years old!”

The Elder’s doubts were drowned out by the wave of adulation. He began to question his own judgment, convinced that he had failed to grasp the profound meaning behind his ancestor’s actions.

Thankfully, amidst this sea of blind worship, there was one other person who saw the truth, along with a cat and a dog.

Bai Jingxue was starting to think this world had gone mad. But then, she remembered the absurdity of the novel that had inspired it, and she felt a strange sense of peace.

Luo Nianshang descended from the sky. Bai Jingxue, seeing her clenched fists, knew that her social anxiety was acting up again.

She couldn’t understand it. How could someone so powerful still be afraid of people?

The Demon Lord rushed forward, her voice filled with feigned admiration. “That was incredible, Master!”

The cat and dog shuddered at her saccharine tone.

Lü Qingyan shook her head, her brow furrowed. “Jingxue,” she whispered, “is she being fake?”

Bai Jingxue had been about to gag, but seeing Lü Qingyan’s reaction, she decided against it. Could nausea be contagious?

She stared at the Demon Lord, who had transformed into Luo Nianshang’s biggest fan. She couldn’t understand what the Demon Lord was up to. It was all so bizarre.

She recalled a passage from the novel. The Demon Lord had become enraged when the male lead had given Luo Nianshang a more impressive birthday gift than she had.

Consumed by jealousy, she had poisoned Luo Nianshang’s wine and challenged her to a duel. Weakened by the poison, Luo Nianshang had been no match for the Demon Lord. Had the male lead not intervened, she would have been killed.

“Jingxue, what are you thinking about?”

Bai Jingxue shook her head, dismissing her thoughts. It was pointless to dwell on things she couldn’t understand. She couldn’t even speak human language, let alone influence the situation.

Her current priority was to keep a close eye on the Demon Lord, making sure she didn’t harm Luo Nianshang.

But considering Luo Nianshang’s recent display of power, were her efforts even necessary?

Did the Sword Saint really need a cat to protect her? The real concern was the infant in Fu Yuan’s room. What were they going to do about that?

She hadn’t found an opportunity to address the issue. Ever since the Demon Lord had become Luo Nianshang’s devoted disciple, Bai Jingxue had struggled to get close to the female lead.

She clicked her tongue in frustration.

Lü Qingyan, accustomed to Bai Jingxue’s silence, nudged her with her nose, then gently took her tail in her mouth.

Bai Jingxue pulled her tail away, glaring at the saliva-soaked tip. She contemplated punching the dog in the head.

Lü Qingyan, oblivious to the danger, took the tail in her mouth again, this time applying a bit more pressure. “Jingxue, come with me,” she mumbled.

Bai Jingxue understood. She rescued her tail once more, suppressing her annoyance. “Fine,” she said.

Lü Qingyan, her tail wagging excitedly, dashed ahead, then stopped, turning to look back at Bai Jingxue, who was strolling along at a leisurely pace. She whined impatiently, spinning in circles.

She spun right into a tree, collapsing with a yelp, her paws covering her head.

Before Bai Jingxue could laugh at her clumsiness, a pile of snow dislodged by the impact buried her completely.

Lü Qingyan, forgetting her headache, began to dig frantically. “Jingxue! Jingxue! Don’t die! I’m coming!”

She dug and dug, finally unearthing the small cat, which she promptly tackled.

The Demon Lord, watching their antics, couldn’t help but chuckle. She tugged on Luo Nianshang’s sleeve, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Look, Master, they’re so close.”

Luo Nianshang stared at the dog, who was now rolling on the ground, trying to shake off the cat clinging to her back. Her brow furrowed. “Has the world changed so much?” she wondered. “Is this what affection looks like now?”

She glanced at her disciple, then quickly looked away. Unwilling to appear out of touch, she nodded solemnly. “Yes, indeed.”

Chapter 15: A Thousand Lights

As the Lunar New Year approached, a festive atmosphere filled the air. The Ejian Sect, secluded from the mortal realm, had a small village nestled at the foot of the mountain, a haven from the hustle and bustle of city life.

In reality, the village was simply too remote and impoverished to attract much attention. Despite this, the spirit of the New Year was alive and well. Every house was adorned with bright red lanterns, casting a warm glow upon the snow-covered streets.

Bai Jingxue, nestled in Luo Nianshang’s arms, found herself unexpectedly moved by the scene. She wasn’t one for crowds, but there was something undeniably charming about this simple celebration.

However, she noticed Luo Nianshang’s arms tense, her muscles hardening, making Bai Jingxue’s perch rather uncomfortable.

The other two weren’t exactly behaving themselves either. They darted ahead, their attention caught by the street vendors and the children bundled up in thick winter clothes, their eyes wide with wonder as they explored the world.

This festive atmosphere was a rare treat, a brief respite from the usual routine.

Laughter and chatter filled the air, dispelling the darkness of the winter night.

Bai Jingxue stretched, peering out from Luo Nianshang’s embrace. The New Year celebrations in her past life had become increasingly commercialized, losing their charm. She hadn’t expected to experience such a genuine celebration here.

But she couldn’t forget about the baleful energy clinging to the infant. Luo Nianshang, however, was completely captivated by the festivities. There was no way to distract her.

“A kitty!”

A small voice, filled with delight, reached their ears. A little girl, bundled up like a penguin, stood before Luo Nianshang.

She barely reached Luo Nianshang’s knees, no older than three, her eyes wide as she stared at the cat in Luo Nianshang’s arms.

She longed to pet the cat, but Luo Nianshang’s expression was too intimidating. She glanced at Luo Nianshang cautiously. “Big sister,” she asked timidly, “can I pet your kitty?”

Luo Nianshang looked down at the child, then turned to the cat in her arms. “What do you think?”

Bai Jingxue, surprised by the female lead’s consideration, glanced at the child. Meeting her hopeful gaze, she shook her head.

Luo Nianshang had already petted most of the fur off her head. If everyone was allowed to touch her, she would be bald in no time. She might be intelligent, but that didn’t mean she wanted to be hairless.

Seeing the cat’s refusal, Luo Nianshang walked away, carrying Bai Jingxue with her.

From a young age, Luo Nianshang had never fit in. She had always been different, her actions often perplexing those around her. They had called her strange, a freak.

But those who had mocked her were long gone, their faces fading into the mists of time. No one dared to call her a freak anymore.

Yet, she still felt like an outsider, detached from the warmth and camaraderie of the crowd.

Her disciple had wandered off, but she knew where to find her.

Firecrackers exploded, showering the streets with red paper scraps and smoke. Children covered their ears, their parents smiling indulgently. Elders watched with amusement, their faces etched with wrinkles. And perched on a rooftop, a dog and a cat observed the scene with varying degrees of interest.

Luo Nianshang stood below, gazing up at her disciple. Their eyes met, and Luo Nianshang was the first to look away.

As the festivities continued, she flew up to the rooftop, settling beside her disciple. But unlike Hong Ying’s relaxed posture, Luo Nianshang sat ramrod straight, as if she were still meditating.

The moment Lü Qingyan spotted Bai Jingxue, she wriggled out of the Demon Lord’s arms and dashed towards Luo Nianshang, snuggling up to the cat.

“Jingxue!” she exclaimed. “You’re finally here! I was so worried! I couldn’t even eat!”

Bai Jingxue glanced at the candied hawthorn crumbs clinging to the fur around Lü Qingyan’s mouth and closed her eyes, refusing to engage.

Lü Qingyan wasn’t worried about Bai Jingxue’s safety. After all, Luo Nianshang was currently the most powerful being in this world.

And the Demon Lord had been surprisingly generous, sharing her snacks with the dog, nearly spoiling her rotten.

Lü Qingyan licked her lips, realizing there were crumbs on her face. She grinned, revealing a flash of white teeth, then a wave of contentment washed over her. Life was good.

She didn’t want to return to the Demon Palace. It was too far from Bai Jingxue. The thought of being separated from her again was unbearable.

“Jingxue,” she whimpered, “this all feels like a dream.”

The sadness in her voice melted Bai Jingxue’s feigned indifference. She opened her eyes and placed a paw on Lü Qingyan’s head.

Memories of their past life surfaced. Unlike the quiet, reserved Bai Jingxue, Lü Qingyan had been a ray of sunshine, her laughter infectious.

Their paths had been intertwined for years. They had attended the same schools, from elementary to university. But before their senior year of high school, they had never been friends. Lü Qingyan had gone through friends like water, but Bai Jingxue had never been part of that ever-changing circle.

Bai Jingxue had been too quiet, too withdrawn. If it hadn’t been for her exceptional grades, she would have been invisible, a ghost haunting the hallways, her chin resting on her hand as she stared blankly into space.

Their parallel lives had finally intersected during their senior year. Lü Qingyan’s grades were abysmal, and her parents, desperate to salvage her academic career, had approached Bai Jingxue.

Their offer had been too generous to refuse. Bai Jingxue, struggling financially, had moved out of the student dorms and into the apartment Lü Qingyan was renting.

After evening study hall, Bai Jingxue had instinctively started walking towards the dorms, but she caught herself, turning towards the school gate instead.

The familiar sound of a bicycle bell reached her ears. Lü Qingyan, her long hair pulled back in a ponytail, her blue and white uniform crisp and clean, extended a hand towards her. “Hop on, brainiac,” she said, grinning. “I’ll give you a ride.”

Walking home alone was dangerous. Bai Jingxue hesitated for a moment, then took Lü Qingyan’s hand and climbed onto the back of the bicycle.

The cool night air dispelled her nervousness about going to a stranger’s home.

Lost in thought, she followed Lü Qingyan up the stairs. The key rattled in the lock, and Lü Qingyan pushed the door open, flicking on the light. She then retrieved a pair of cat-shaped slippers, offering them to Bai Jingxue with a smile.

Bai Jingxue slipped on the slippers and settled onto the sofa. It was already 9:45 pm, but she wanted to get some studying done. She retrieved her math textbook and began to work on some practice problems.

Lü Qingyan, fresh from her shower, watched her, her movements quiet as she didn’t want to disturb Bai Jingxue’s concentration.

The soft scratching of pen on paper lulled Lü Qingyan towards sleep. She yawned, wiping a tear from her eye.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that Bai Jingxue was looking at her.

The warm light from the lamp illuminated the girl’s face. She was thin, almost too thin, her hair barely long enough to cover her ears.

Many students had cut their hair short to save time during the stressful exam period, but Bai Jingxue’s short hair had a different reason. She had sold it to make some extra money.

The old woman who had bought her hair had been ruthless, leaving her with an unflattering cut. But Bai Jingxue, blessed with good features, had somehow managed to pull it off.

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask,” Lü Qingyan said. “Oh, and where do I sleep?”

The small apartment had only one bedroom. Lü Qingyan shrugged. “With me,” she said.

Bai Jingxue blinked, but she didn’t seem particularly bothered. She resumed her studying.

Lü Qingyan, suddenly wide awake, settled across from Bai Jingxue, observing her with a newfound intensity.

She remembered Bai Jingxue’s worn-out canvas shoes, the fabric faded and thin. A wave of sympathy washed over her. She waited until Bai Jingxue paused in her work before speaking. “Where do you want to go to university, brainiac?”

“C University.”

Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion, but Bai Jingxue had the grades to back up her ambition.

Lü Qingyan was impressed by her confidence. “Do you want to be a teacher?” she asked.

What had Bai Jingxue’s response been? Something about not being interested in teaching, that she had chosen this path for…

And in the end, she had become a teacher.

A strange sense of unreality washed over Bai Jingxue. She closed her eyes, her voice losing its usual detachment. “Do you like this dream?” she asked.

“Of course,” Lü Qingyan replied without hesitation.

Bai Jingxue fell silent. She remembered a sunny afternoon, the warm light filtering through the window.

Lü Qingyan had vowed to get into the same university as her. And through sheer determination, she had succeeded, though barely scraping by.

Their homes were far apart. Bai Jingxue, despite Lü Qingyan’s persistent attempts to keep her close, had refused to impose on her any longer.

She had packed her meager belongings, preparing to leave. As she zipped up her suitcase, Lü Qingyan burst through the door, waving her acceptance letter in the air.

“Jingxue!” she exclaimed. “We get to stay together!”

Bai Jingxue opened her eyes, the familiar words echoing through this strange, unfamiliar world.

Lü Qingyan beamed. “Meeting you again must be fate, Jingxue.”

Bai Jingxue didn’t reply, merely letting out a soft “mm-hmm,” her thoughts unreadable.

The Demon Lord, watching Luo Nianshang surrounded by her cat and dog, couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. She resorted to passive-aggressive tactics, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. “My, my, Master. You certainly have a way with animals.”

Luo Nianshang turned to face her, noticing the flicker of sadness in her eyes. She decided to offer some reassurance.

She looked up at the night sky, her voice calm and even. “No, I’ve always been disliked.”

The Demon Lord feigned surprise, her voice laced with disbelief. “How could anyone dislike you, Master?”

Luo Nianshang had long since come to terms with her past. She stroked the cat’s head, her gaze downcast. “I was quite unattractive in my youth,” she said. “I was often ostracized.”

The Demon Lord stared at her profile, illuminated by the moonlight, her lips twitching.

Unattractive? With a face like that? This woman was subtly bragging.

But that face, adorned with a touch of rouge, would be even more captivating.

The Demon Lord decided to forgive her.

Gazing at the thousand lights twinkling in the village below, she fell silent, then sighed. “I have no family,” she murmured. “None of those lights are for me.”

The firecrackers continued to explode, their booms mingling with the laughter and singing.

A peaceful, joyous atmosphere enveloped the village, highlighting the isolation of the four figures perched on the rooftop.

Luo Nianshang’s family had long since succumbed to the passage of time. She, too, had no light waiting for her.

But it didn’t matter. What mattered was…

“I don’t need someone to light a lamp for me,” she said, her voice filled with conviction. “I will be the one to light a thousand lamps for others.”

The Demon Lord’s gaze snapped towards her, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. Finally, she scoffed.

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.

Chapter 13: Shameless

Bai Jingxue was utterly baffled by the recent turn of events. This world, having diverged from the original plot, was becoming increasingly unpredictable.

The Demon Lord was cooking?

No, that couldn’t be right. Their relationship was far too hostile. Bai Jingxue was more inclined to believe she was poisoning the food.

Her emerald eyes gleaming with suspicion, she hid in her cat bed, observing the situation. She contemplated knocking the dishes over, just to be safe.

Luo Nianshang, deep in meditation, suddenly began to tremble. Black wisps of energy emanated from her body, her face flushed, sweat plastering her robes to her skin.

She looked like she was in a sauna.

Suddenly, her eyes flew open, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood. Bai Jingxue, startled, rushed to her side, meowing in concern.

“Meow?”

Luo Nianshang wiped her mouth, her fingers coming away stained crimson. Her smile was strained. The scent of blood mingled with another aroma, something sweet and enticing.

Bai Jingxue’s gaze fell upon the four dishes and a bowl of soup laid out on the table. She leaped onto the table, extending a paw towards the food, only to be scooped up by the scruff of her neck.

“Master, your cat is adorable,” a voice purred. “Look at her little pink paw pads.”

Bai Jingxue glared as the Demon Lord squeezed her paws. She was tempted to lash out, but she wasn’t keen on testing the nine lives theory. She endured the indignity.

Luo Nianshang, finally remembering her new disciple, resumed her usual aloof demeanor.

Glancing at the food, she said, “I no longer require sustenance.”

“Of course, Master,” Hong Ying replied smoothly. “But I do. I thought I’d prepare a meal for both of us.”

Bai Jingxue’s mind raced. This was all so bizarre.

Even though the original plot was no longer a reliable guide, this was a complete deviation. In the novel, the only person worthy of the Demon Lord’s culinary skills had been the male lead.

Then, a memory surfaced. The Demon Lord had only cooked once, and the male lead had nearly died after consuming her food. It wasn’t poisoned, just incredibly disgusting.

Bai Jingxue felt a surge of pity for Luo Nianshang. She couldn’t help but stare at her with sympathy.

Hong Ying’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Please, Master, have a taste,” she urged. “Let me know what you think of my cooking.”

Bai Jingxue couldn’t bear it. She meowed loudly, but Luo Nianshang didn’t understand.

Despite her cold exterior, Luo Nianshang had a soft spot for those who asked for favors. And she wasn’t one to refuse a request, especially from her new disciple.

She nodded, taking a seat at the table. Hong Ying had already filled a bowl with rice and served her a portion of each dish.

Luo Nianshang picked up her chopsticks and took a bite, her expression unchanging. “It’s good,” she said calmly. “Why are you standing there? Eat.”

Only then did Hong Ying release the cat.

Bai Jingxue rushed to Luo Nianshang’s side, relieved to see that she seemed unharmed. But her relief was short-lived. A thud echoed through the chamber.

She turned to see Hong Ying sprawled on the floor, unconscious.

What was happening? Bai Jingxue had always considered herself intelligent, but this plot twist baffled her.

Luo Nianshang, startled, rushed to Hong Ying’s side, her voice laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”

Hong Ying’s eyes fluttered open. “I’m fine, Master,” she whispered, her voice weak.

She took a deep breath, her gaze meeting Luo Nianshang’s. “Did you… truly find the food palatable?”

Luo Nianshang nodded, her expression serene. “It was quite good.”

The Demon Lord had never cooked before. She hadn’t even bothered to taste the food as she prepared it. Seeing the appealing presentation and smelling the enticing aroma, she had assumed she had done well.

But that single bite had nearly killed her.

She would go down in history as the first Demon Lord to be slain by her own cooking.

She couldn’t help but admire Luo Nianshang’s fortitude. To think that she had managed to swallow that abomination and declare it “good.”

Bai Jingxue leaped onto the table. If the Sword Saint had deemed it safe to consume, then it couldn’t be that bad. Curiosity got the better of her, and she dipped a paw into the soup, taking a tentative lick.

The taste…

She fell off the table.

Bai Jingxue, deceased, at the tender age of one.

Just kidding. She had merely fainted. As her life flashed before her eyes, she longed for Lü Qingyan’s cooking. Her ex-girlfriend had been a culinary genius, spoiling her with delicious meals in their past life.

She was suddenly back in her old apartment, the familiar scent of chicken soup filling the air as Lü Qingyan emerged from the kitchen, a large pot in hand.

“Meow.”

Luo Nianshang, having revived her disciple, then turned her attention to the cat. She issued a strict order forbidding Hong Ying from ever entering the kitchen again. To ensure the order was enforced, she added it to the sect rules.

***

A few days later, a small, furry figure crept towards the Ejian Sect’s main gate.

It scurried from behind a boulder, then rolled to a stop behind another large rock, peering out cautiously.

A dilapidated kitchen stood before it, a sign hanging above the entrance. The sign read: “Kitchen: Restricted Area. Hong Ying, Do Not Enter.”

Lü Qingyan didn’t know her owner’s current alias. After observing for a while, she decided to make her move, dashing towards the sect gate.

The night held no terrors for Lü Qingyan. She effortlessly dodged the patrolling disciples, circling around to find a less guarded entrance.

However, infiltrating the Ejian Sect, the most heavily fortified sect in the righteous realm, was no easy feat. The moment she brushed against the protective barrier, the entire sect was bathed in blinding light.

Silence shattered, replaced by a chorus of panicked shouts.

“Enemy attack!”

“Isn’t that the Demon Lord’s dog? The Demon Lord is here!”

“The Demon Lord is attacking!”

The Demon Lord, deep in meditation, frowned, her eyes snapping open.

Luo Nianshang, too, heard the commotion. She rose to her feet, heading towards the exit. Pausing, she reinforced the protective barriers around her chamber, just to be safe.

“Stay here,” she instructed. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Yes, Master,” Hong Ying replied obediently.

The moment Luo Nianshang was gone, the Demon Lord dropped her facade.

She smiled, stretching out on the bed, her posture deliberately alluring.

Only the cat and the Demon Lord remained in the chamber. The Demon Lord, amused by the cat’s wary distance, rose to her feet and sauntered over, crouching before it.

“You recognize me, don’t you?” she purred.

Despite the Demon Lord’s seemingly harmless demeanor, Bai Jingxue opted for playing dumb. She tilted her head and meowed, her expression innocent.

The Demon Lord chuckled. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I have no interest in harming your precious master.”

Bai Jingxue’s eyes widened. Was she planning to torture her nemesis instead?

Why couldn’t they just get along?

Luo Nianshang, having left the chamber, extended her divine sense, searching for the Demon Lord. There was no trace of her, but she did find a small white dog being chased by a group of disciples, heading straight for the sect’s deadly protective barrier.

She teleported, intercepting the dog and scooping it into her arms.

“The threat has been neutralized,” she announced calmly. “Return to your duties.”

Lü Qingyan, her heart pounding from the chase, was eternally grateful for her ability to teleport. Otherwise, she would have been shredded.

Luo Nianshang was truly a kind and compassionate soul.

Lü Qingyan regretted ever doubting her.

“Where is your owner?” Luo Nianshang asked.

Lü Qingyan shook her head. She had no idea. She only knew that the Demon Lord had been gone for days, and she had finally seized the opportunity to escape the confines of the palace, only to nearly get pulverized by a magical barrier.

But now that Luo Nianshang had rescued her, she could finally see Jingxue again!

Luo Nianshang had the same thought in mind. She carried the dog back to her chamber. As they approached the entrance, the dog began to tremble.

Seeing the falling snow, Luo Nianshang assumed the dog was cold. She cast a warming spell, but the trembling continued.

Lü Qingyan had caught a whiff of the Demon Lord’s scent. It was faint, carefully concealed, but her nose was incredibly sensitive.

Hong Ying, setting the cat aside, rose to her feet and sauntered towards Luo Nianshang, her gaze falling upon the trembling dog. “You certainly have a way with creatures, Master,” she said, a sweet smile on her face.

Her words were innocuous, yet there was an underlying current of something else, something darker.

Luo Nianshang felt a flicker of unease, but she couldn’t pinpoint the source. She set the dog down.

The moment her paws touched the ground, Lü Qingyan darted behind Bai Jingxue, cowering like a frightened puppy.

The cat and dog resumed their private gossip session.

Lü Qingyan peeked out from behind Bai Jingxue, her voice hushed. “Jingxue, what is the Demon Lord up to?”

Bai Jingxue stretched out, letting out a yawn. “How should I know?” she replied. “I’m a cat, not a mind reader.”

Lü Qingyan took offense to that. “You’re much cuter than a mind reader!” she retorted. “Don’t put yourself down like that!”

Bai Jingxue sighed.

The cat might have been aloof, but the dog’s enthusiasm was relentless.

“Don’t you find this situation strange?” Lü Qingyan continued. “In the original story, they would have been at each other’s throats the moment they met. They practically wanted to rip each other’s heads off.”

Bai Jingxue shifted position, finding a more comfortable spot. Despite her nonchalant demeanor, she shared Lü Qingyan’s concern. She finally confronted the unspoken issue that had been looming over them.

“Isn’t that what you’re here to figure out?” she asked lazily.

Lü Qingyan considered this. It was true. But she was so accustomed to relying on Bai Jingxue’s judgment that she had developed a habit of seeking her input, even if she didn’t always follow her advice.

She scratched her head sheepishly. “But you’re the brains of the operation,” she said.

Bai Jingxue shot her a sideways glance. “Do you want to save the world?”

Lü Qingyan’s ears perked up, her tail wagging excitedly. “Of course!” she exclaimed. “It would be a waste to transmigrate into a novel and not do something epic.”

Bai Jingxue, seeing her enthusiasm, inched away slightly.

Glancing at Luo Nianshang and the Demon Lord, who were now engaged in a seemingly amicable conversation, Bai Jingxue couldn’t help but think that they looked rather good together, their red and white robes complementing each other perfectly.

She quickly banished the thought.

That was a dangerous path to go down.

She chuckled, her gaze returning to Lü Qingyan. “Look at them,” she said, her voice serious. “One is the strongest cultivator in the righteous realm, the other the leader of the Demon Realm. If we could get them together, wouldn’t that bring peace to the world?”

Lü Qingyan stared at her, her ears twitching in disbelief. “You can’t just play matchmaker with those two!” she exclaimed.

She was about to launch into a detailed explanation of why this was a terrible idea when she remembered the portrait in the Demon Lord’s chamber. Doubt crept into her mind.

She turned back to the two women, who were now discussing demon cultivators.

Luo Nianshang’s expression was serious. “Most demon cultivators are wicked and dangerous,” she said. “If you encounter one, be wary of their deceptive ways.”

Her gaze hardened. “Especially the Demon Lord.”

The Demon Lord, amused by this unexpected turn of events, feigned respect. “What is the Demon Lord like, Master?” she asked.

Luo Nianshang’s jaw clenched. The mere mention of the Demon Lord brought back unwelcome memories.

She couldn’t help but let her emotions slip. “Shameless,” she spat.

The murderous intent in her eyes made Lü Qingyan shiver.

“Yeah, maybe saving the world isn’t such a good idea after all,” she muttered.

Chapter 12: The Disciple

Ever since her emotional outburst, Luo Nianshang had been avoiding meditation. This, however, proved to be a trying experience for Bai Jingxue.

The female lead had lived a solitary life. She had no friends, struggled with social interaction, and her only form of entertainment seemed to be teasing her cat. Unfortunately, Bai Jingxue was also incredibly lazy. Thus, the chamber often became a stage for a silent standoff, two pairs of eyes locked in a battle of wills.

Bai Jingxue licked her paw, glancing at her clueless owner, who stared at her with an expectant gaze. With an elegant swish of her tail, she turned, presenting Luo Nianshang with a view of her backside.

Luo Nianshang, seeing the cat’s disinterest, felt a pang of sadness.

She couldn’t understand why Bai Jingxue had become so distant lately. She eventually concluded that it was because she hadn’t taken the cat out for some fresh air and excitement.

The Ejian Sect held an annual recruitment event for new disciples. The time for this year’s event had arrived. Normally, Luo Nianshang wouldn’t attend such gatherings. Large crowds made her uncomfortable.

But lately, she had been plagued by doubts and uncertainties. She wondered if she had isolated herself too much. She was a woman of action, and she decided to make an effort to be more present.

Bai Jingxue, who had been preparing for a nap, was suddenly scooped up into the air and deposited in Luo Nianshang’s arms.

The next moment, they were walking down the mountain path.

Fresh snow crunched beneath their feet, their breath forming clouds in the crisp air. Bai Jingxue shivered, but not from the cold. The spiritual energy here was invigorating, surging through her body with renewed intensity.

She flexed her claws, longing for a target to test her strength on, but she was currently trapped in Luo Nianshang’s embrace. Such thoughts would have to remain fantasies for now.

It had been a long time since Luo Nianshang had walked this path. Time seemed to slow down, the world around her taking on a new clarity.

To avoid unnecessary commotion, she cast a concealment spell, allowing her to observe her disciples without the usual display of frantic bowing and scraping.

The further down they went, the lower the cultivation levels of the disciples. Those residing at the peak and mid-mountain levels had reached a certain level of mastery, allowing them to wear lighter clothing. But the disciples at the foot of the mountain were mostly at the Foundation Establishment realm or lower.

They were bundled up in thick robes, their faces flushed from the cold.

Luo Nianshang perched on a tree branch, observing their activities. Bai Jingxue nestled in her arms, her tail flicking back and forth.

A young disciple, barely at the Qi Refinement stage, rubbed his hands together, his face splitting into a hopeful grin. “I wonder if we’ll get any new junior brothers this year?”

A young girl, sweeping snow nearby, tossed her broom aside and retorted, “Why junior brothers? I say it’ll be junior sisters!”

The first disciple flinched, retrieving the discarded broom and resuming his task. “Junior brothers are better,” he muttered. “They can help with chores.”

The girl blew on her red hands. “Lazybones,” she scoffed. “Besides, the selection process is so strict. It’s been ten years since we’ve had any new disciples.”

She slumped onto a stone bench, her face etched with worry. “When do you think we’ll finally be free from these menial tasks?”

The boy, sneezing, shook his head. “Just focus on cultivating,” he said. “If we reach the Inner Sect, we won’t have to do chores anymore.”

The girl pouted. “And will we finally get to meet Ancestor Luo if we reach the Inner Sect?”

“Is that why you joined the sect?”

“Hmph, is there something wrong with that?”

The boy abandoned his sweeping duties, dusting the snow from his robes. “I heard Ancestor Luo will be participating in the recruitment this year.”

His voice took on a dreamy quality. “Imagine being chosen as her disciple,” he sighed.

The girl rolled her eyes. “Get real,” she said. “Ancestor Luo has sworn off taking disciples.”

Bai Jingxue glanced at Luo Nianshang.

The world believed that Luo Nianshang had chosen to focus solely on her cultivation, but having read the novel, Bai Jingxue knew the truth. The woman was simply terrified of social interaction.

Luo Nianshang, however, seemed to be pondering those words, a thoughtful expression on her face.

They continued down the path, eventually reaching the sect’s main gate. The selection process was conducted outside the gates. Aspiring cultivators would first have their spiritual roots tested, followed by a test of their spiritual energy.

Only those with single or dual spiritual roots and at least a B-grade level of spiritual energy were eligible to become ordinary disciples of the Ejian Sect. Each recruitment event was overseen by an Inner Sect disciple and an Elder from the Outer Sect.

This year, the designated Inner Sect disciple was Fu Yuan. But unlike her usual cheerful demeanor, she seemed troubled, her brow furrowed.

A crowd of rejected applicants lingered outside the gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of the lucky few who would be chosen.

Luo Nianshang dispelled her concealment spell and settled beside Fu Yuan, the cat still in her arms.

Her sudden appearance startled the Elders and Fu Yuan. They hastily knelt, bowing low.

“Greetings, Ancestor!”

Luo Nianshang, her attention focused on the cat in her lap, began to stroke its head. The cat, annoyed, swiped at her, its claws retracting at the last moment. Luo Nianshang remained unharmed.

The crowd erupted.

“Ancestor? Is it really her?”

“She looks exactly like the portrait! It’s the Sword Saint!”

“Sword Saint! I can die happy now!”

“Even though I wasn’t chosen, this was worth it! I’m going to brag about this for the next ten years! No, twenty!”

Amidst the excited chatter, a young woman, her features plain and unremarkable, stood out, her demeanor calm and composed.

She, too, was looking at Luo Nianshang, but her gaze held a different quality, a subtle intensity that set her apart from the others.

Fu Yuan, seeing Luo Nianshang’s discomfort, rose to her feet, her voice gentle but firm as she addressed the crowd. “Silence!”

The excited chatter died down, but the crowd continued to stare at Luo Nianshang with adoration. They longed to be in the cat’s place, basking in the glory of the Sword Saint’s attention.

Bai Jingxue squirmed, uncomfortable with the scrutiny. She looked up to see the envious gazes directed at her.

She sighed, acknowledging the female lead’s undeniable popularity.

“Let the testing resume,” Fu Yuan announced.

Bai Jingxue felt Luo Nianshang relax slightly, a hint of amusement creeping into her own heart. To think that someone so powerful could be so afraid of people.

Her amusement was short-lived. Luo Nianshang’s voice, transmitted directly into her mind, resumed its incessant chatter. Bai Jingxue tried to tune her out, but it was a futile endeavor.

“I’m still not used to this,” Luo Nianshang sighed. “I’m much more comfortable alone.”

“I performed a divination on myself,” she continued. “It seems I need to take on a disciple to progress further in my cultivation.”

“But what if I’m a terrible teacher?”

Bai Jingxue covered her ears with her paws, but the voice was in her head now. She couldn’t exactly rip her own brain out.

Suddenly, she missed Lü Qingyan’s mindless chatter. At least the dog was decisive, a creature of action. This melancholic, indecisive side of Luo Nianshang was exhausting.

Perhaps, the next time they encountered the Demon Lord, she could suggest a trade. The Demon Lord might be a bit hypocritical, but at least she wasn’t a constant source of existential angst.

As Bai Jingxue contemplated switching sides, Luo Nianshang’s gaze was drawn to a young woman dressed in red.

Her features were ordinary, yet Luo Nianshang couldn’t tear her eyes away. She stared for so long that the woman finally looked up.

Their gazes met, but the woman didn’t react with the same excitement as the others. She simply smiled, her expression calm and composed.

Luo Nianshang was the first to look away, her heart pounding in her chest. She was confused by her own reaction.

Soon, it was the woman’s turn to be tested. She stepped before a transparent crystal and placed her hand upon it. A blinding red light filled the air, silencing the crowd.

The Elder overseeing the test announced in a trembling voice, “Single fire spiritual root, A-grade spiritual energy. Pass!”

Even Fu Yuan was stunned. The purer the spiritual root, the better. And an A-grade level of spiritual energy was the highest possible. This wasn’t just “good potential.” This was exceptional talent, second only to the Sword Saint herself.

Luo Nianshang’s voice echoed in Bai Jingxue’s mind.

“I feel a connection with this one. Perhaps I should take her as my disciple. With her talent, she can learn on her own. I’ll only need to offer occasional guidance.”

Bai Jingxue, however, felt a surge of unease. The woman’s aura felt strange, familiar in a way she couldn’t quite place. Then, a minor detail from the novel surfaced in her mind.

The Demon Lord, in a moment of vulnerability, had confessed to the male lead that before her spiritual root had been shattered, it had been a supreme-grade single fire spiritual root.

And judging by the timeline, the Demon Lord’s spiritual root shouldn’t have been shattered yet.

Could this be an act of revenge?

Despite her reservations about Luo Nianshang, she didn’t want to see the female lead suffer. She shook her head vehemently.

Seeing the cat’s strong reaction, Luo Nianshang decided to observe further. However, by the end of the day, the woman in red was the only one who had passed the test.

Luo Nianshang, trusting in fate, approached the woman. “What is your name?” she asked, her voice cool and detached.

The woman looked up, a gentle smile gracing her plain features. “Hong Ying,” she replied.

Luo Nianshang, sensing her calmness, relaxed slightly. She unhooked a jade pendant from her belt and offered it to Hong Ying. “Would you be my disciple?”

Bai Jingxue saw the flicker of triumph in Hong Ying’s eyes as the pendant was presented.

But what truly confirmed her suspicions was the familiar scent of spiritual energy emanating from the woman.

It wasn’t Lü Qingyan’s aura.

And the only person who would be in such close proximity to Lü Qingyan was the Demon Lord.

Bai Jingxue was about to protest when she noticed Hong Ying staring at her, a subtle threat in her eyes.

“The Master’s cat seems quite intelligent,” she purred.

Luo Nianshang, misinterpreting her words as a compliment, encouraged Hong Ying to pet the cat.

Bai Jingxue froze as Hong Ying’s hand lingered on her neck, her fingers pressing down slightly.

It was a warning.

Logic dictated that she remain calm. She suppressed her urge to lash out, her concern for Luo Nianshang growing with each passing moment.

In the original story, the main conflict had revolved around the male lead. Jealousy and rivalry had been the norm.

Now, the only conflict stemmed from their opposing factions. Could it be that Luo Nianshang had received the inheritance from the secret realm? Was the Demon Lord here to steal it?

Lost in her paranoid musings, she didn’t realize they had returned to Luo Nianshang’s chamber until they were inside.

Perhaps deeming the spartan surroundings too harsh for her new disciple, Luo Nianshang snapped her fingers, transforming the bare stone chamber into a more comfortable dwelling.

“It’s not much,” she said, “but a cultivator should not be concerned with material possessions.”

“Your teachings are wise, Master,” Hong Ying replied dutifully.

Luo Nianshang, unsure of what to do next, struggled to recall the basics of cultivation. She decided to start with the fundamentals of guiding spiritual energy into the body.

She sat on her newly acquired bed and began to meditate. “Observe,” she instructed.

Hong Ying nodded obediently.

But Luo Nianshang, lost in her meditation, forgot all about her new disciple.

As Bai Jingxue watched in horror, Hong Ying turned towards her, a predatory smile spreading across her face.

“Remember, little kitty,” she purred, her voice laced with malice. “Too much intelligence can be a dangerous thing.”