Chapter 40: Cat’s Paw Goes on Top! Part 1

Gu Jingshan stood on the main peak with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the forbidden area shrouded in thunderclouds in the distance. His brows were tightly furrowed. Faint footsteps approached from behind, but he didn’t turn his head.

“Still no movement?” Dan Li walked up beside Gu Jingshan, looking at the thunderclouds with the same worry in his eyes.

A month ago, thunderclouds had appeared over the forbidden area, but nothing else had happened since. The clouds just lingered there, never descending, as if they were silently accumulating an immense, stored power.

The disciples in the sect didn’t actually know what that place was, but they all knew Immortal Exalt Fang was in closed-door cultivation there. Because of this, the atmosphere within Star Point Sect grew heavier by the day.

Though Immortal Exalt Fang had been in closed-door cultivation for years, with Gu Jingshan acting as Acting Sect Leader to handle all matters, the significance Immortal Exalt Fang held in the hearts of the sect’s disciples was ultimately different. If Immortal Exalt Fang truly failed his Tribulation…

Every disciple refused to imagine that possibility.

“Don’t worry too much,” Dan Li said, turning to Gu Jingshan, trying to console him. Ever since the thunderclouds appeared a month ago, Gu Jingshan had been on the main peak and hadn’t left it for a single step.

Gu Jingshan didn’t move, his gaze still fixed on the thunderclouds. He hadn’t told his junior brothers about his last conversation with Shizun. Telling them would only add to their worries.

But no matter how he replayed it in his mind, it felt like Shizun had a premonition and had said those words for a reason.

Seeing he couldn’t persuade him, Dan Li sighed and brought up another matter. “The Disciple Tournament starts in five days. Registration from the disciples of each peak has finished.”

The Disciple Tournament was held every three years, open to anyone from the Foundation Establishment Stage up to, but not including, the Nascent Soul Stage. Participation was voluntary; no one was forced to join.

Normally, Gu Jingshan would handle all of this, but right now his mind was completely occupied by the thunderclouds, with no thoughts to spare for other things. By seniority, the Second Senior Sister of Spirit Water Peak should be handling it, but she was currently in closed-door cultivation. As the third in line, Dan Li was forced to step up and manage the affairs.

Gu Jingshan gave a slight nod when he heard this. “Sorry for the trouble, Junior Brother.”

Dan Li didn’t say anything more. Seeing that Gu Jingshan had no intention of continuing the conversation, he took his leave.

Currently, he not only had to handle the tournament, but also his original duties at Spirit Herb Peak. On top of that, a report of the former Steward of Spirit Fire Peak withholding Spirit Stones from the disciples had landed on his desk. Dan Li had been so busy these last few days he was nearly dizzy.

Spirit Cloud Peak.

Feng Xixing looked at the little black cat sitting hunched at the edge of the bed, his back turned to him, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. “Shizun, don’t be angry anymore.”

The little black cat didn’t move a muscle; even its tail was pinned firmly under its paw, refusing any overtures of surrender to the enemy.

“Shizun, Xixing truly cannot be at ease.” Feng Xixing sighed, his voice laced with worry. “Shizun still can’t control Transformation. What if there’s an urgent matter and you need to make an appearance?”

The little black cat’s ear tips twitched, swiveling back before quickly turning forward again.

Seeing Lin Chuyun wavering, Feng Xixing added more weight to his words, his voice growing more dejected. “Is Shizun blaming Xixing for being meddlesome?”

The little black cat’s ear tips swiveled toward him. The tail trapped under the paw, taking advantage of his inattention, quietly escaped and flicked back and forth behind him at Feng Xixing with great speed.

“Since Shizun dislikes Xixing, Xixing will stop bothering Shizun…”

Before Feng Xixing could finish his sentence, the little black cat spun around in a flash. Its front paws pressed down on the back of his hand as it meowed at him in clear annoyance, “Meow meow meow meow!”

Just you try to leave, Disciple!

Feng Xixing couldn’t understand Lin Chuyun’s words, but he could fully understand the little black cat’s expression. His original plan was to coax Lin Chuyun out, so he naturally couldn’t leave just like that. “Then… is Shizun still angry?”

The little black cat sat back down in a huff. Its front paws didn’t retract, still resting on Feng Xixing’s hand. “Meow…”

It’s fine if I’m not angry anymore, okay?

Lin Chuyun flicked his tail with a bit of unhappiness. He wasn’t really angry, just a bit worried.

Two days prior, Xu Quanfeng of Spirit Wind Peak had visited Spirit Cloud Peak. He informed Feng Xixing that the Spirit Sword would be finished refining the day after tomorrow, and Feng Xixing would need to go to Spirit Wind Peak for the next three days to personally nurture the Spirit Sword with his own Spirit Power.

This meant Feng Xixing needed to spend three days at Spirit Wind Peak without leaving for a single step.

But Lin Chuyun couldn’t follow Feng Xixing there, because during the nurturing of a Spirit Sword, if another person’s Spirit Power mixed in, the sword’s recognition of its master would be completely chaotic.

Feng Xixing, however, couldn’t rest easy leaving Lin Chuyun alone on Spirit Cloud Peak. After all… there was still Bai Linghan, who could come looking for Lin Chuyun at any moment.

Although he could use Restriction to prevent Bai Linghan from entering the bamboo hut, what if Bai Linghan used some trick to lure Lin Chuyun out of the hut? Even a thousand Restrictions would be useless then. Finally, after a long, hesitant deliberation, Feng Xixing decided to ask Feng Wu to look after Lin Chuyun for three days.

What Lin Chuyun was unhappy about wasn’t that Feng Xixing asked someone else to care for him. After all, Lin Chuyun knew he was too scared to live here alone as a cat. The thought of being a lone cat at night, listening to the wind howl outside, was already enough to make his fur nearly puff out in sheer fright.

The problem was this final choice of person. Why did it have to be Feng Wu? Couldn’t it be someone else?!

But Lin Chuyun also knew Feng Xixing had already explained the reasoning to him before.

Only three people in the sect currently knew he could turn into a cat: Gu Jingshan, Dan Li, and Feng Wu.

Since the thunderclouds appeared a month ago, Gu Jingshan hadn’t once left the main peak, so Lin Chuyun naturally felt too embarrassed to trouble the Eldest Senior Brother. And Dan Li had been insanely busy during this time. Plus, Spirit Herb Peak had too many disciples; if one accidentally wandered into Lin Chuyun’s room, it would be another huge hassle.

After all calculations, only Feng Wu’s Spirit Beast Peak was truly appropriate.

It was full of Demon Beasts anyway, so even an extra little Cat Demon wouldn’t make anyone think of Immortal Lord Lin. Furthermore, considering the issue of the Demon Core inside his body, Lin Chuyun did have some questions he wanted to ask Feng Wu.

The little black cat sighed, accepting reality. The current problem was… would Feng Wu really agree to let him stay at Spirit Beast Peak for three days? Looking out at the still-peaceful window, Lin Chuyun had a strong suspicion Feng Wu wouldn’t even come to pick him up.

Looking past the window, Lin Chuyun once again saw the thunderclouds in the direction of the main peak. Thinking of the Original Host’s master, his mood sank further with worry.

In the original book, Fang Tianyuan ultimately failed his Tribulation.

Calculating the timeline, it was right around this part of the plot. First, thunderclouds appeared over the forbidden area of Star Point Sect, lasting for over a month. Then the entrance to the forbidden area opened, and Fang Tianyuan appeared to begin his Tribulation Transcendence.

However, the Lightning Tribulation for Ascension was simply too terrifying. The Heavenly Thunder struck a full eighty-one times, each strike more vicious than the last. Fang Tianyuan managed to endure until the final lightning strike, but in the end, he still failed.

This feeling of everyone else still holding onto hope while he already knew the final outcome was deeply unpleasant. It was why Lin Chuyun had been somewhat listless for the past month.

He even… desperately wanted to do something, anything, to change the ending.

But the problem was Fang Tianyuan was currently at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, undergoing the lightning tribulation for Ascension. He was merely at the Nascent Soul Stage; a single bolt of lightning would probably obliterate him.

He also had no way to tell anyone else this information. Lin Chuyun could guarantee that if he went to Gu Jingshan right now and told him Fang Tianyuan would fail his tribulation, Gu Jingshan would definitely, without a moment’s hesitation, cleave him in two with a single sword strike first.

Lin Chuyun let out a very deep sigh, his eyes fixed on the thunderclouds with worry.

Seeing the little black cat was finally done throwing its little tantrum, Feng Xixing let out a breath of relief. The little tail had secretly inched over again, coiling around his wrist.

His left hand was still pinned under the little black cat’s front paws. Looking at the small white paws resting on the back of his hand, Feng Xixing secretly pulled his hand back, touching the fluffy little white paw.

It was immediately pressed down upon by the little white paw again.

Feng Xixing blinked slightly, looking up at the little black cat. He found Shizun hadn’t noticed what he’d done at all, still staring out the window, lost in thought.

So, he secretly pulled his hand out again, but this time, before he could reach over to touch the cat’s paw, it was pressed right back down.

Feng Xixing: “…”

Unconvinced, he tried a few more times, finding that even while distracted, the little black cat would very seriously, very deliberately press his hand under its paw.