Chapter 60: Just How High is That Cliff? Super High! Part 2

Chen Ji was filled with question marks. His aptitude for learning this stuff was only average at best. Look at how long he’d been practicing the Five Thunder Talisman without any success. The Five Ghosts Transport Technique was just as complex—how could he possibly pick it up in a matter of minutes?

But the White Tiger was watching him, showing no intention of stepping in. With no other choice, Chen Ji steeled himself and gave it a try. He picked up the marker, about to test it on the ground, when he suddenly said, “Forget it. A few items will do.”

Gems were nice, but they were hard to sell! He wasn’t exactly short on cash right now, so why take so much? Hadn’t he just received a huge sum that morning?

Chen Ji suddenly realized this.

It was his fault—those glittering treasures had dazzled his eyes, making him instinctively want to take it all.

He rubbed his brow. Besides, the Five Ghosts Transport Technique wasn’t something easy to learn. This wasn’t like the Five Thunder Talisman, which called down vast heavenly thunder. No, this summoned ghosts and spirits. With his constitution, even with Xiangxiang by his side, who knew what might happen?

Indulging in needless greed and inviting ghosts wasn’t a wise move.

“Xiangxiang, what do you think?” Chen Ji asked, looking toward the White Tiger. After all, it was the one who had gone to such lengths to bring him here.

The White Tiger remained silent and still, looking like an oversized plush toy. It seemed to have no opinion on Chen Ji’s actions whatsoever.

Chen Ji understood. Its message was: Up to you.

Chen Ji dumped the jewels from the Magic Pocket back into the basket, then returned nearly all the ones from the basket as well. He only kept a few gems and a handful of gold bars. The White Tiger rose, ready to leave, when Chen Ji suddenly said, “What about these bones? Should we take them out?”

The White Tiger tilted its head. Chen Ji gazed at the bones, sensing somehow that they weren’t recent. If the cave’s occupant was a demon, it certainly wasn’t an ordinary one. Would a demon that had eaten people let the souls go free?

Probably not.

Chen Ji checked his phone. No signal. He’d been wondering whether to call the police—but investigating the scene would be incredibly difficult. Even the entrance was plagued by intermittent demon winds.

The White Tiger placed a paw on Chen Ji’s hand, covering the phone. Chen Ji looked up at it. “You don’t want me to call the cops?”

The White Tiger leaned in close, its forehead touching Chen Ji’s. A thought suddenly appeared in Chen Ji’s mind: 【Soon, a demon will move in. Dangerous for humans.】

It was as if someone were reading the words aloud, though it might have just been Chen Ji’s imagination.

Chen Ji paused, then couldn’t help chuckling as he rubbed its head. “So our Guai Guai can speak human words after all…”

The White Tiger shot him a glare it just couldn’t hold back.

Chen Ji laughed even harder. Once he’d had his fill, he pulled out another Magic Pocket—this one a bit larger. He stepped forward, bowed toward the skull, slipped on gloves, and carefully gathered the scattered bones in the cave chamber, placing them all inside.

Since a demon would soon take up residence here, humans wouldn’t be able to enter easily anymore. Chen Ji decided not to push it. This natural cavern held immense research value—every stalactite had taken tens of thousands of years to form. He couldn’t just blow the place up over a single set of bones.

So he’d take the bones out for now. Later, he could check with the System Cat for a solution—maybe recreate a similar scene. Then he could report finding them in the mountains.

Chen Ji stuffed the bones into the basket as well. He held out both hands. “Guai Guai, time to go up.”

The tiger’s tail coiled around Chen Ji’s waist, pulling him onto its back. Chen Ji’s cheek pressed against the White Tiger’s fur, where he could clearly see bits of dirt and ash mixed in. He turned off his flashlight… Fine, fine. Bath time for Xiangxiang once they got home.

The White Tiger carried Chen Ji back. Aside from squeezing through the crevices and the entrance—which Chen Ji had to manage himself—the rest was all on the tiger. By the time they emerged from the mountain cave, the sun was setting.

The landscape glowed in shades of gold and crimson, the entire mountain range ablaze like fire. He took a deep breath of the air. “Let’s head home.”

The White Tiger’s response was to leap straight off the cliff. The cliff was tough to climb but easy to jump from. They’d had to take the long way around on the way in, descending from the peak. Now they could take the shortcut straight down.

The moment Chen Ji landed, he scrambled to the side and threw up.

The White Tiger sat nearby, watching him politely.

Once Chen Ji finished vomiting, he still felt dizzy and disoriented. Glancing back at the oh-so-polite White Tiger, he had every reason to suspect it was getting revenge.

[Whoa, signal’s back at last.] The System Cat’s voice suddenly appeared. [Chen Ji, did you snag any good eats today?]

The System Cat had blocked Chen Ji’s consciousness the moment they entered the cave. It was truly terrified of dark, cramped places. With the White Tiger around, Chen Ji would be fine, so it simply refused to tax its own circuits. What if Chen Ji made it out okay but its CPU fried from fear?

Chen Ji was still on his way home, lacking even the courage to open his eyes—he was afraid he’d hurl again if he did. [Nope…]

[Aw?] The System Cat sounded disappointed. [I figured that cave would have something tasty. Not even one? Don’t those spots usually have birds or snakes or something?]

Chen Ji replied, [Stop talking. If I say anything else, I’ll puke…]

The System Cat shut up. It stretched lazily on the windowsill. With its useless owner returning empty-handed today, it was time for the cat to shine! It leaped down from the windowsill and headed to the kitchen, dragging out a few boxes of Self-Heating Hot Pot. Chen Ji didn’t look in any shape to cook, so hot pot it was!

It also fetched a bag of Crispy Pork Bites, opened the Air Fryer, dumped them in, set it to 180 degrees for twenty minutes, and hit start!

At Chen Ji’s current pace, he’d be home in under twenty!

The System Cat hunkered down by the Air Fryer, sniffing the savory aroma wafting out. Midway through, it shook the basket for even cooking, then turned to tear open the hot pot packaging, adding water and seasonings before starting it.

Sure enough, just as the hot pot and Crispy Pork Bites were nearly ready, Chen Ji’s location synced with the Mountain Lord Temple.

Chen Ji felt like every inch of him was numb, his hair a windswept mess. He dragged himself through the door, utterly drained. He set the basket aside and caught the scent of mushroom soup. “I’m starving…”

He’d puked up lunch, and now that he was recovering, the hunger hit hard.

The System Cat padded over to his leg and looked up. [Hot pot and Crispy Pork Bites are ready in the kitchen!]

Chen Ji lifted a hand slightly, and the System Cat hopped onto his leg, nuzzling his palm. Chen Ji smiled. “Such a good kitty…”

He leaned down and planted a kiss on the System Cat’s head.

The System Cat let him, resting its paws on Chen Ji’s shoulder. [Go eat! Then bath and bed. Your activity level’s way over the limit today!]

Chen Ji nodded and headed to the kitchen. Pushing open the door, he spotted the White Tiger passing by outside. “Xiangxiang, come on—to the kitchen for food. I’ll open some canned cat food for you…”

The White Tiger glanced at him once, then turned and headed back to the room. Chen Ji blinked in confusion. “Xiangxiang? Where are you going? Not eating?”

The White Tiger didn’t look back. Chen Ji was baffled, but he was too exhausted and his stomach was starting to ache from hunger, so he let it go.

Then something occurred to him, and he shouted after the White Tiger’s retreating form. “Xiangxiang, you’re filthy right now! No getting straight on the bed—bath first! I’m wiped out today, so rinse off yourself. I’ll give you a proper wash tomorrow!”

The White Tiger’s step faltered, nearly tripping over itself. It quickened its pace—it wasn’t letting Chen Ji bathe it!

It would wash itself!

Once in the room, the White Tiger instantly transformed into a stern-faced young man. He locked the door behind him, glanced down at the dirt on his body, and headed into the bathroom.

He tilted his head back under the shower spray, eyes squeezed shut. Suddenly, they snapped open. He hadn’t turned on the light, but those cyan-blue eyes gleamed coldly in the dimness.

He felt irritated. He knew Chen Ji saw him as just an ordinary demon—maybe even just a slightly larger cat. But today, watching Chen Ji dote on that fat, useless cat that did nothing but eat, the realization hit him crystal clear.

There was no real difference between them. However Chen Ji treated that Fat Cat was exactly how he treated him.

The young man’s lips pressed into a thin line. It was fine this way, really. But he couldn’t shake this inexplicable irritation.

Chen Ji carried his meal to the side room door. The old house’s soundproofing wasn’t great, and he could hear the water running inside—White Tiger must be bathing.

He chuckled softly and set the food by the door. He’d said he’d open a can for Guai Guai, and he had: the mousse-like meat paste gave off a fresh blueberry scent, smelling just like a big bowl of soft, fragrant cake.

He had no idea why it was upset today. Was it still mad about getting stuck in that rock crevice? Had it affected him that much?

He’d even given it an out—said it could shrink or turn human. Guai Guai just wouldn’t. Not his fault.

Cats were hard to read, big or small—except for the System Cat, which was on the level of a digital pet.

The water kept running, but no other sounds came. Guai Guai had to know he was outside. With that in mind, Chen Ji called out, “Guai Guai, food’s by the door. Eat after your bath.”

“Guai Guai, make sure to wash your belly and butt. You got into some dirty water today—clean up good, or you’ll get sick.”

A dull thump came from the bathroom, like an impatient tail smacking the tiles.

Chen Ji wasn’t letting it off. “Baobao, you’re an adult tiger, not a kitten. Don’t slam the floor—you’ll crack the tiles!”

He’d almost said, ‘You’re a mud truck,’ but what if he pissed off Guai Guai and it snuck off in the night? Better not.

The bathroom fell silent again.

Chen Ji smiled and returned to the kitchen.

With the big kitty taken care of, it was time to tend to the one on the shrine.

Hot pot it was!