Chapter 2: Want to Raise a Cat?

In his deep slumber, Lin Chuyun rapidly sifted through the Original Host’s memories.

The Original Host’s memories began from the age of ten. At that time, he had just been brought back to the sect by the Star Point Sect’s previous leader, Fang Tianyuan.

The Star Point Sect was the number one major sect in the Cultivation World. As the Sect Master, Fang Tianyuan was only one step away from the Tribulation Transcendence stage. Because the Original Host was brought back by the Sect Master himself, everyone in the sect treated him exceptionally well. The Original Host was also very well-behaved back then and didn’t cause any trouble.

It wasn’t until Fang Tianyuan entered closed-door cultivation that the Original Host’s true nature gradually surfaced.

The Original Host was an intensely jealous person. Just because his Junior Brother reached Foundation Establishment faster than him, he grew to hate him from the bottom of his heart, even going so far as to scheme and nearly get his Junior Brother killed.

Later, when the Original Host wanted to consume a pill to forcibly form his Nascent Soul, the Eldest Senior Brother stopped him. In front of the entire sect, the Original Host raged, calling the Eldest Senior Brother a stingy, selfish miser, unworthy of his role as Acting Sect Leader, for begrudging his own Junior Brother a single pill.

Incidents like this piled up, one after another. One by one, the other martial brothers and sisters grew cold and heartbroken towards the Original Host, eventually cutting off all contact completely.

As for the disciple Feng Xixing, the Original Host had never truly intended to take him on. He was merely jealous of Feng Xixing’s talent, so he deliberately snatched him away from Second Senior Sister. But after bringing him under his wing, not only did the Original Host embezzle Feng Xixing’s spirit stones, but he also turned a blind eye when other disciples bullied him.

As a Direct Disciple, Feng Xixing lived a life worse than an Outer Disciple’s.

And then, the Original Host met Bai Linghan—the beloved, universally-adored protagonist of this book.

The Original Host revered Bai Linghan as a god. In his memories, Bai Linghan was a blazing ball of light, so bright Lin Chuyun felt his eyes were about to sear blind. His words sounded like Buddhist chants, complete with their own echoing effects.

To curry favor with Bai Linghan, the Original Host gave spirit stones, spirit tools—everything he could give. A dignified Immortal Lord, yet he couldn’t produce a single spirit stone from his own pockets.

And this time, the whole incident started because Bai Linghan casually mentioned wanting to participate in the Thunder Echo Grotto’s trial. The sect’s quotas, however, had long been decided. So the Original Host came to poison his own disciple, intending to give Feng Xixing’s spot to Bai Linghan.

And precisely at that moment, Lin Chuyun transmigrated into this body.

Reading the memories filled Lin Chuyun with both anger and a bitter ache in his heart. If the Original Host stood before him right now, he might not be able to resist the urge to give him a solid beating.

This was where the memories ended, and Lin Chuyun slowly awoke from his stupor.

He felt as if something was slightly off with his body, yet he couldn’t quite put a claw on what it was. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes, only to meet Feng Xixing’s gaze falling upon him.

Complex, and… forcibly restrained.

Lin Chuyun froze for a second. It all rushed back to him in an instant—before losing consciousness, his mind had blanked out and he’d downed that cup of tea. Could he have also succumbed to Qi Deviation too?!

The thought jolted him into action. Lin Chuyun scrambled to stand up—

And landed flat on his back, all four paws in the air.

Lin Chuyun: “…”

Feng Xixing: “…”

He tried getting up again, and then—paws in the air again.

Lin Chuyun stopped moving. Hesitantly, carefully, he looked down at himself.

Black fur, fluffy all over, soft pink paw pads, and… looking at the tiny, swishing tail flicking back and forth in front of him, Lin Chuyun couldn’t help himself. He smacked it with a paw.

And the jolt of pain made him let out a direct “Meow!”

Lin Chuyun stiffened.

Did he just meow? Did he just meow?? Did he really just meow?!!!

Why in the world did he just meow?!!!

Lin Chuyun’s fur completely exploded out in shock. He looked at Feng Xixing—

“Meow meow meow meow meow meow!”

What is going on?!

“Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow!!”

Why am I meowing!!

“Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow?!?!”

Did I really turn into a cat?!?!

“Meow…”

I…

Lin Chuyun fell silent. He curled into a tight ball and began questioning his entire existence.

Feng Xixing watched the black dumpling on the bed, his brow arching slightly.

The furry dumpling, so full of energy just moments ago, now looked like it had been drenched in rain. Its ears drooped pitifully, its tail wrapped itself tightly around its body, shrinking into an impossibly soft, round ball.

He truly hadn’t known that his cold-hearted, unfeeling Shizun had such an adorable side. What surprised him even more was that Lin Chuyun had suddenly drunk the poisoned tea himself.

That’s right, Feng Xixing knew that cup of tea was poisoned, because he had lived through this once before.

In his past life, because he mistakenly trusted Lin Chuyun, he drank the poisoned tea and underwent Qi Deviation. In his madness, his Spirit Platform lost stability, and he Fell Into the Devil Path. For the following centuries, Feng Xixing struggled ceaselessly against the erosion of Devil Qi, until finally, he gave up. He allowed the Devil Qi to control him completely and destroyed the entire Cultivation World.

When the Heavenly Tribulation struck down upon him, Feng Xixing barely felt any pain. He just thought… he could finally get a good night’s sleep.

Unfortunately, when he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the day he was framed by Lin Chuyun.

Lin Chuyun.

Merely thinking that name made it difficult for Feng Xixing to suppress the hatred in his heart. He was certain that as a disciple, he had never wronged this Shizun of his. Even when Lin Chuyun completely neglected and ignored him, he never uttered a single word of complaint.

Yet just to give Bai Linghan a single spot, Lin Chuyun could poison him without a shred of hesitation.

All for just a spot…

A crimson-red glint flashed within Feng Xixing’s eyes, and his gaze upon the black dumpling on the bed turned icy cold.

Now that Lin Chuyun had drunk the poisoned tea himself, he had lost all his Spirit Power. Feng Xixing could completely, silently dispose of this enemy of his. Lin Chuyun had already severed all ties with everyone anyway; even if he disappeared for years, no one would discover it.

And even less would anyone suspect him, a Direct Disciple who hadn’t even formed his Core yet.

The temperature in the room steadily dropped. Feng Xixing’s hand slowly reached towards Lin Chuyun on the bed. Countless ice frost particles trailed his movements, freezing over the bedframe inch by inch, creeping closer to the black dumpling at the center.

Just as Feng Xixing’s fingertips were about to touch Lin Chuyun, a soft, fuzzy tail suddenly swished quickly across his wrist.

Ticklish, downy, and carrying a hint of warmth.

Feng Xixing’s movement came to an abrupt halt.

The little black dumpling on the bed was still quietly curled up, but his tiny tail had somehow mischievously escaped and was now wagging left and right with exceptional enthusiasm.

Now that he noticed it, this black cat that Lin Chuyun had become was entirely jet-black, save for the very tips of his four paws and the end of his tail, which were touched with a little white.

Feng Xixing looked at the Lin Chuyun—the Black Dumpling—who showed absolutely no wariness in his presence. He narrowed his eyes slightly. The blood-red color in them gradually receded, and the frost on the bed stopped its advance.

Although he knew this was just an illusion of cuteness, Feng Xixing found himself strangely unable to strike. He stared at Lin Chuyun in silence for a long moment. Feng Xixing raised an eyebrow, and a smile returned to his lips.

Well, if he can’t strike now, then he’ll let him keep his little life for the time being. After all, if he decides he wants to act later, it’ll just be a tiny bit more trouble.

As for right now…

Lin Chuyun was still in the depths of self-isolation when he suddenly felt himself floating, weightless. He was so startled his fur exploded. Flustered, he looked up to see Feng Xixing’s face getting closer and closer, ever closer…

The soft downy fur on his belly registered a sensation of warmth, and a faint current of air brushed past.

Until Feng Xixing lifted his head, Lin Chuyun hadn’t even registered what just happened.

What just happened?

His little disciple had picked him up and then… then… Lin Chuyun couldn’t continue the thought. He was now profoundly grateful that he was a pitch-black cat, so no matter how furiously he blushed, it couldn’t be seen.

Looking at Feng Xixing, who seemed to be contemplating doing that again, Lin Chuyun slapped a paw directly onto his face and yelled, his fur completely puffed out: “Meow meow meow meow meow!”

Wicked disciple, put me down right now!!!

Unexpectedly, Feng Xixing actually obediently placed him back down. Lin Chuyun looked up in confusion. Could Feng Xixing actually understand him?

“I am sorry, Shizun.” Feng Xixing knelt on one knee by the bedside, his expression carrying a hint of apology. “Shizun was simply too adorable. This disciple couldn’t resist for a moment. Please punish me.”

Feng Xixing lowered his head, a gray hair ribbon falling past his cheek. It dangled and swayed right before Lin Chuyun’s eyes…

Lin Chuyun endured it. He endured it again. He end—he couldn’t endure it! Lin Chuyun realized in despair that it wasn’t just his outward appearance that had turned into a cat’s; even his instincts were affected. Now, just seeing a moving strip of cloth made him desperately want to pounce and bite it.

So, really, this couldn’t be blamed on him.

Lin Chuyun nibbled at the corner of Feng Xixing’s hair ribbon, taking a single breath to earnestly repent.

It was the hair ribbon that made the first move.

Feng Xixing felt the disturbance coming from his head and lifted his head in slight confusion. Caught off guard, Lin Chuyun was pulled up along with the ribbon. He instinctively wanted to yelp, and as he looked down, he saw the distance between himself and the ground.

It might have only been about a meter high, but for a tiny kitten, that was incredibly high!!!

Lin Chuyun scrambled in a fluster… no, he pawed in a flurry, flailing on Feng Xixing’s shoulder, trying to find a new foothold.

It was mentioned earlier that Feng Xixing’s hair ribbon was already on the verge of breaking. If Lin Chuyun had just hung quietly, it might have held on a bit longer. But under such violent struggling from Lin Chuyun, the hair ribbon could only let out a helpless groan and snap into two pieces.

Lin Chuyun only had time for a “Meow!” before he was caught safely in Feng Xixing’s palm. His entire fluff-ball body was puffed up to maximum, his large cat eyes full of lingering fright from the near fall.

“…Shizun?” Feng Xixing let out a light cough, barely suppressing the laughter in his eyes before calling out again softly. Taking advantage of Lin Chuyun being distracted, he snuck in a couple of strokes on the fluff ball. “Can you… change back?”

Lin Chuyun slowly came back to his senses. He completely missed the fact that the young man was secretly petting him again. Hearing Feng Xixing’s question, the emerald-green cat eyes were filled with utter dejection. He meowed softly and shook his head.

His turning into a cat was likely linked to the poison in that tea. But the problem was, the Original Host didn’t know what toxin was in the tea either. The middle-aged man had prepared everything.

At this thought, Lin Chuyun’s whole being slumped. He had absolutely no idea what to do now. The Original Host’s relations with others were terrible; he didn’t even have anyone to ask for help.

Was he just supposed to stay a cat forever???

Lin Chuyun splayed all four paws out, melting into a cat pancake in Feng Xixing’s palm.

In stark contrast to Lin Chuyun’s mood, Feng Xixing was quite satisfied with the current situation. After all, if Lin Chuyun turned back into human form, Feng Xixing wasn’t sure he would be so merciful.

At the very least, he wanted to be fully satisfied before Lin Chuyun could die.

“Shizun, don’t worry.” Feng Xixing murmured soothingly, his other hand gently smoothing down the fur on the kitten’s head. “It might just resolve itself in a few days.”

Lin Chuyun found having his head petted strange, yet simultaneously, it felt so incredibly good, so good he just wanted to purr.

The soft, milky purring sound of a tiny kitten quickly filled the room. Lin Chuyun froze mid-nuzzle against Feng Xixing’s fingers, tears instantly streaming down his furry face. He retreated into a corner and went right back into self-isolation.