Chapter 11: The Dignity of a Shizun, Ah… Wuwu…

The turmoil behind the two of them continued for nearly two hours before subsiding. Feng Xixing remained hidden in the tree the entire time, unmoving.

At first, Lin Chuyun thought he avoided trying to save anyone because he couldn’t defeat that unknown entity. But it didn’t take long for Lin Chuyun to recall the matter of Xin Changfeng being unable to see Feng Xixing.

So… were these events all an illusion?

As if guessing what the little black cat was thinking, Feng Xixing hooked a finger around his restless little tail and murmured, “You could say it is an illusion, or you could say it isn’t.”

When the first light of dawn broke and everything settled, the bloodstains on the ground seemed as if wiped away by something, gradually disappearing before their eyes. Along with them, the bodies of the villagers that had lain on the ground, as well as the monster that had been hiding in the dark, all vanished one by one.

Feng Xixing leaped down from the tree, standing at the village entrance, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Meow…?” Lin Chuyun still hadn’t figured out what his little disciple had meant by that.

Feng Xixing reached up to rub his little head and was about to explain when they both heard a faint sound from behind them, like footsteps approaching. Feng Xixing promptly pushed the little kitten back into his robes and hid him away again.

He turned his head and saw Xin Changfeng—who had died the night before—standing behind him, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

Thankfully, Lin Chuyun hadn’t seen this—Feng Xixing’s first reaction was actually that. Otherwise, this rather timid little black cat would likely have thought he’d seen a ghost and been so terrified his fur would stand on end.

Xin Changfeng looked Feng Xixing up and down, then asked, “Young sir, who are you looking for?”

Feng Xixing had already anticipated this and didn’t panic in the slightest. He simply smiled and said he was lost and wanted to ask for directions. Xin Changfeng pointed him toward the same town as before. This time, Feng Xixing didn’t mention staying the night. He merely expressed his thanks and walked off in the direction Xin Changfeng indicated.

Only when the village was a considerable distance behind them did Lin Chuyun finally poke his head out. He was in such a hurry that he slipped a paw on Feng Xixing’s collar. “Meow meow meow?”

Why doesn’t Xin Changfeng recognize you anymore?

Feng Xixing gathered the little black cat in his hand and stroked the fur along his back. “Because he no longer remembers what happened yesterday.”

“…Meow?” The little black cat tilted its head.

Feng Xixing didn’t explain further. Instead, he held the little black cat in one hand while using the other to shield it from the somewhat glaring sunlight. The little kitten’s jade-green pupils slowly rounded out. Seeing that his little disciple wasn’t going to elaborate, he let out a huge yawn, hugged the tip of his tail, and settled down in Feng Xixing’s palm.

A little kitten needs a great deal of sleep each day. After a whole night of fear and anxiety without proper rest, he simply couldn’t hold on any longer under the warm, cozy sunlight.

When will I change back… That final thought drifted through Lin Chuyun’s mind before he promptly fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke up, his little disciple hadn’t even tucked him back into his robes, but was still holding him aloft just like that. The little black cat lazily stretched—Lin Chuyun discovered that even when he elongated his body, he still wasn’t as big as Feng Xixing’s palm.

The movement in his hand caught Feng Xixing’s attention. He looked down to see a mischievous little tail already weaving out, swaying left and right to announce its existence.

“Meow…”

Watching the little black cat poke its way out from his palm, Feng Xixing narrowed his eyes, suppressing the urge to lock it back inside. He smiled faintly. “Shizun, you’ve awakened.”

Lin Chuyun responded offhandedly, completely oblivious to how milky and soft his meow sounded. He stood up and stretched again before surveying his surroundings.

Feng Xixing had returned to the hillside from before. On the ground lay the fresh corpse of a Demon Beast.

“Meow?” Lin Chuyun raised his head to look at Feng Xixing.

Why did we come back here?

Feng Xixing bent down and stored the Demon Beast’s corpse into his Storage Bag. “This disciple is about to undergo Core Formation.”

Lin Chuyun froze for a moment, then nodded with sudden understanding.

For Core Formation, one naturally needed to find a safe location. This mountain didn’t have many Demon Beasts; most were ordinary wild beasts yet to gain sentience. The one Feng Xixing had killed was already the most powerful Demon Beast here.

Having resolved that threat, Feng Xixing quickly selected a closed-off mountain cave for his seclusion. The only difficulty lay in how to settle Lin Chuyun.

Truthfully, Feng Xixing himself didn’t understand why he had dared to let Lin Chuyun know he was about to undergo Core Formation.

Core Formation was different from Foundation Establishment. If Foundation Establishment failed, one could simply gather Spirit Power and try again. But if a cultivator was disturbed or attacked during the Core Formation process, it could cause severe damage to the Qi Sea.

This was precisely why cultivators undertaking Core Formation always sought a safe place alone, setting up layers of Barriers before they could form their core with peace of mind.

Yet here he was, considering letting Lin Chuyun stay with him inside this cave.

Feng Xixing thought he must have gone mad.

He lowered his gaze, watching the little black cat wandering around inside the cave. His mind was a chaotic mess, yet he still remembered to use Spirit Power to protect the little black cat’s paws, preventing those small white paws from picking up any dust.

If all of this from Lin Chuyun was just a deception…

“Meow meow meow! This place is good!” Lin Chuyun turned his head back, satisfied, and meowed at Feng Xixing a few times.

In truth, he didn’t really understand these things, but following the Original Host’s memories, he had inspected this cave. Whether in terms of concealability or structural solidity, this cave was more than sufficient.

Yet his little disciple seemed lost in thought, his gaze resting silently on him, as if contemplating… which part of his flesh would be the tastiest.

But Feng Xixing had already reached the Fasting Stage!!!

Lin Chuyun’s fur bristled slightly. Instinctively, he wanted to hide in a corner, but at the same time, he felt that Feng Xixing wouldn’t harm him. Hesitating for a few seconds, Lin Chuyun forcefully suppressed his instincts and meowed at Feng Xixing. “Meow…”

Di-Disc-disciple, what’s wrong?

Feng Xixing snapped back to his senses. The detachment on his face gradually faded, replaced by an expression of warm familiarity. “It’s nothing. Xixing was merely worrying: if Xixing goes into seclusion, what about Shizun?”

The dangerous aura around his little disciple slowly dissipated, as if he had transformed back into that obedient and thoughtful youth. Lin Chuyun eyed him suspiciously for a moment before processing what Feng Xixing had said.

Normally, Core Formation for a cultivator took three days, seven at most. But if Lin Chuyun went more than two days without eating an Ice Crystal, he would start feeling hungry. If it went past three days… he might very well faint from starvation.

“Meow…” That does seem to be a problem…

Lin Chuyun began to worry in earnest now, and even felt a faint frustration. He was too useless as a Shizun. Not only could he not protect Feng Xixing, but he constantly caused his disciple worry over him.

“How about…” Feng Xixing bent down and scooped up the dejected little kitten, carefully inspecting the pads of its paws. Only when he confirmed they had no dust on them did he continue, “Shizun enters seclusion with this disciple?”

“Meow meow meow meow meow…” No no no no no no…

Lin Chuyun shook his head vigorously. That was far too dangerous. Even if he didn’t intend to harm his little disciple, if he lost control just a little and released even a trace of Spirit Power, it could disrupt his little disciple’s Core Formation.

Seeing this, Feng Xixing narrowed his eyes.

The final result of their discussion was this: Feng Xixing condensed Ice Crystals into a small Spirit Orb, which he hung around the little black cat’s neck, so that Lin Chuyun could lick it simply by lowering his head.

The Spirit Orb was weightless and stored enough Spirit Power for Lin Chuyun to last seven days. Feng Xixing had wanted to store more, but Lin Chuyun stopped him without hesitation.

His little disciple’s lips were already pale. If he released any more Spirit Power, his Core Formation would surely fail.

Lowering his head for Feng Xixing to hang the Spirit Orb around his neck, Lin Chuyun tried licking it once to confirm it worked, then lifted his head and meowed at Feng Xixing.

Go on, Disciple. Your master will stand guard and make absolutely sure no one disturbs you.

Feng Xixing half-knelt down, the tip of his finger gently brushing against the little black cat’s cheek. Lin Chuyun thought his little disciple was afraid of failing Core Formation and even took the initiative to nuzzle against his finger. “Meow meow meow.”

Don’t worry. You’re the one who will become the Devil Lord.

Feng Xixing could roughly guess that Lin Chuyun was trying to comfort him. He didn’t explain himself. Instead, he looked at Lin Chuyun with a hint of expectation and asked, “Shizun, this disciple… may he hold you for a moment?”

Lin Chuyun looked down at himself, then at Feng Xixing before him.

He wasn’t even as big as Feng Xixing’s face right now. How on earth was he supposed to hold him?!

Yet before Lin Chuyun could even speak, Feng Xixing took his silence as consent. He bent down and brought the little black cat up beside his cheek, gently rubbing against the soft fur of the little black ball’s belly.

He had to admit, ever since that first time, he had been longing to do it again.

Caught completely off guard, Lin Chuyun could only bat at Feng Xixing’s ear with his paws, but didn’t dare extend his claws. The force he used was indistinguishable from playful affection. Coupled with Feng Xixing gently stroking his fur while holding him, Lin Chuyun simply couldn’t suppress his instinct and ended up purring.

The dignity befitting a Shizun was completely gone!!!

Feng Xixing could feel the slight, rhythmic warmth against his cheek, and that utterly undeniable heartbeat.

He suddenly realized he no longer wished to kill Lin Chuyun. But conversely, he was beginning to find it intolerable for Lin Chuyun to be away from him. Feng Xixing narrowed his eyes. An impulse rose within him to seal the cave entrance right now and lock the little black cat inside with himself.

But he knew that if he did that, he would certainly provoke the ire of this fussy little kitten.

Feng Xixing released him just before Lin Chuyun’s fur could bristle. Lin Chuyun bolted from his arms at once, jumping onto a nearby boulder. His belly felt ticklish, but under his disciple’s watchful gaze, Lin Chuyun couldn’t bring himself to lower his head and groom his own fur.

“Meow meow meow!”

Alright, alright, you’ve had your hug. Get inside, quickly!

Feng Xixing nodded. He cast one final deep look at the little black cat, then slammed his fist against the cave entrance. Several falling stones swiftly dropped down, sealing the entrance completely, and the tremor ceased.

Without his little disciple present, Lin Chuyun suddenly felt the surrounding area seemed far too silent. The forest breeze blew over him, inexplicably carrying a chill.

The little black cat squatted on the boulder for a while, then slowly lay down, his jade-green eyes fixed intently on the stones blocking the entrance. The tail behind him drooped down forlornly.

“Meow.”