Transmigrated Into the Body of a Sickly Villain's Kitten - Chapter 16

When Fu Rou opened her eyes, she could still feel the lingering dull ache in her chest.

The sun had already risen, and the thick mountain mist gradually dispersed. The light pierced through the clouds, casting a golden glow upon Shi Yao, as if she were gilded.

Shi Yao’s fingers brushed the tips of the cat’s ears. Fu Rou instinctively twitched her ears, frantically dodging Shi Yao’s touch. Eventually, annoyed by the teasing, she turned to look at Shi Yao, who was beaming with joy, and her irritation instantly melted away.

The beautiful woman’s eyes and brows were brimming with delight. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders, a few strands obscuring the crimson mole on her eyelid, giving her an unexpectedly innocent appearance.

“How was your sleep?”

“Meow~” Not bad, just had a strange dream.

In the dream, Shi Yao seemed somewhat youthful, but her mermaid form was breathtakingly beautiful.

That delicate sense of fragility, the tenderness in her gaze that seemed to hold deep affection, it was all like a sweet, intoxicating wine, leaving one craving for more.

Fu Rou realized she didn’t dare dwell on yesterday’s dream, afraid she might lose herself in it if she wasn’t careful.

The little kitten wriggled out of Shi Yao’s embrace, crouched beside her, and looked up at the rising sun. With her front paws stretched out and her rear slightly raised, she stretched lazily, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

Even a stretch from such a pretty cat was utterly adorable.

Unable to resist, Shi Yao reached out and vigorously rubbed the cat’s head. “The spiritual energy on Mount Wuqi is so abundant. Although you haven’t been here long, your cultivation has improved significantly. By all logic, you should have been able to take human form long ago. Why do you still remain like this every day?”

Fu Rou: “Meow!” Mind your own business!

Shi Yao burst into laughter, taking full advantage of Fu Rou’s tolerance for petting to freely ruffle her fur.

Once the little cat transformed into human form, she probably wouldn’t allow such liberties anymore.

Who knew when the restriction on her would be lifted?

Fu Rou was picked up by Shi Yao again, belly up, and subjected to relentless rubbing.

She had initially resisted, but her body simply adored being petted and stroked like this. Though it wasn’t as exhilarating as catnip, it still brought her immense spiritual satisfaction, making her feel as if she were floating on air.

Fu Rou: Dreams abandoned, now a useless cat.

While the two were still playing on the rooftop, Zhou Ping and Guan Jin in the backyard had begun to fight.

The ancient mansion had plenty of rooms to stay in, but yesterday, Shi Yao had casually assigned Zhou Ping a place before heading to the rooftop to flirt with Fu Rou, leaving Zhou Ping utterly bewildered.

He found an empty room to rest and meditate.

Having been out of human form for so long, Zhou Ping still felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. As dawn broke and the sun rose, he had just opened his eyes when the door was violently kicked open.

Guan Jin had spent the previous day filming makeup tutorials and posting a farewell essay. Exhausted from all the work, she hadn’t noticed any unfamiliar presence when she rested at night. Who would have thought that upon waking, she’d sense an overwhelming pressure?

Instinctively alarmed, she located the source of her discomfort and kicked the door open. Spotting Zhou Ping inside, she immediately frowned and shouted, “Who are you? Why are you here?!”

Zhou Ping was momentarily stunned, then offered a gentle smile. “I am a guest… brought here by the Goddess Honored Master?”

Zhou Ping had no idea who resided in this ancient mansion, but since Shi Yao had summoned him here, he naturally had to prioritize harmony.

Who could have expected the woman at the door to be so hot-tempered? After hearing his explanation, she immediately flung a branch of flowers at him.

Zhou Ping reacted swiftly, dodging it just in time.

The frown on his face made him look fierce, a stark contrast to the gentle, approachable demeanor he had displayed earlier. Once steady on his feet, he rolled up his sleeves, inhaled the peony fragrance lingering in the air, and grinned. “A peony demon, huh? Come on, let’s spar a bit!”

While Fu Rou was still being petted by Shi Yao, she heard the sounds of a scuffle and commotion nearby, causing her cat form to tremble.

Little cats are easily startled. Shi Yao held Fu Rou tighter, gently smoothing down her fur. “It’s alright, they’re just fighting.”

“Meow?” Who’s fighting whom?

Could it be the young man who followed Shi Yao in yesterday fighting with Guan Jin?

Ke Fan was calm by nature, and Liang Zhuo wasn’t the type to stir up trouble. After some thought, it seemed only those two could be the ones clashing.

Shi Yao detected the questioning tone in that meow and smiled mischievously. “Your ‘Brother Ping Tou’ knows quite a few secrets. He told me a lot yesterday, so I invited him to stay here for a while as a thank you. Let’s guess which of those two will win?”

Bro-Brother Ping Tou?!

That man in the long gown from yesterday, who seemed so refined and gentle, was actually Ping Tou?

During her month in the back mountains, she had seen Ping Tou’s fight fiercely, but his human form and true form had such a… Contrasting cuteness?

By the time Ke Fan and Liang Zhuo arrived at the scene after hearing the commotion, they saw their revered master holding the little kitten on the rooftop, watching the spectacle. Guan Jin’s arms were already restrained by Zhou Ping, leaving her unable to move.

“You’re a fire-attributed peony, bright and beautiful in appearance, but your temper is just too foul. You’ll need at least another five hundred years of cultivation to achieve anything significant. Otherwise, you’re just an ordinary spirit. I didn’t provoke you or pick a fight, yet you came at me ready to brawl. I’ve disabled both your arms, let’s see if you still dare to act so arrogantly!”

“Hold it right there!” Ke Fan stepped forward, pressing down on Zhou Ping’s hand, and said sternly, “Who are you? This is Wuqi Mountain, how dare you act so recklessly here?”

Zhou Ping found it somewhat laughable. “Do I need to recount from start to finish who the reckless one really is? The Divine Immortal Lord is watching. Do you really think I’m causing trouble without reason?”

Shi Yao’s hand, which had been stroking the cat, paused. She hadn’t expected Zhou Ping to have the nerve to shift the focus onto her.

She chuckled lightly. “Words should be listened to patiently. There’s no need to rush into anything. Zhou Ping, I should thank you for disciplining my subordinate, but this is indeed not a place where you can call the shots.”

Since Shi Yao had spoken, Zhou Ping had no intention of continuing the fight with Guan Jin. He was a smart man and knew when to yield. He released his grip, straightened his clothes slightly, and bowed to Ke Fan and Liang Zhuo nearby. “I am Zhou Ping.”

After watching the drama unfold for so long, Fu Rou suddenly found it quite entertaining.

Brother Ping Tou truly was accomplished in both literary and martial arts, knowing exactly when to advance and when to retreat.

Shi Yao descended from the rooftop with Fu Rou in her arms and stood before Guan Jin, smiling without saying a word.

Guan Jin knelt on the ground, completely stripped of her earlier domineering demeanor.

“Honored Master, Guan Jin admits her fault.”

“You’re not at fault; the mistake was mine for not taking the initiative to guide you.”

Fu Rou placed the kitten on the ground. Fu Rou took two steps closer to Guan Jin, her little cat face wearing a serious expression as if she were intently listening to something.

Guan Jin seemed to have been struck by a nerve and buried her head even lower.

Ke Fan and Liang Zhuo stood nearby, not daring to speak. Fu Rou began, “As my subordinate, you’ve been dutiful and responsible, handling work-related matters quite well. Beyond that, I have no need to interfere further. Whether you’re a beauty blogger or Liang Zhuo is a food blogger, those are your freedoms. However, over the years, haven’t you visibly changed? Restless, snobbish, quick-tempered, every day I see you leading your fans online to pick fights left and right, filled with hostility, as if you expect everyone to cater to you. Ke Fan was the one who brought you back. His nature is aloof, yet he treated you exceptionally well. He let you cultivate on Wuqi Mountain, taught you how to enhance your cultivation. And you? You don’t even know how to write the word ‘respect.’ During the days you were reverted to your original form, your mind was still preoccupied with those brand-limited contracts, showing no remorse whatsoever. When you were allowed to take human form to repair the wall, you didn’t even think to apologize to Youyou first. And when a new guest arrived, you immediately resorted to violence without a word. Truly impressive.”

The peony, queen of flowers, is inherently proud and complacent. Someone with Ke Fan’s temperament couldn’t control her, and Fu Rou was too lazy to bother, which led to her current disposition.

After being reprimanded so harshly by Shi Yao, Guan Jin’s eyes welled up with tears, but at the same time, a hint of secret delight stirred within her: “Honored Master, since you’ve known all along, why… why…”

Only now are you saying this.

Guan Jin felt immensely wronged. She had always admired the Honored Master, and her actions were like those of a neglected child acting out to gain parental attention, both infuriating and pitiable.

Shi Yao lifted her gaze, her eyes devoid of any emotion to the extreme: “Ke Fan was the one who brought you back. Although you later worked for me, in some ways, I am merely your superior. As long as you fulfill your duties, how you grow and how your character is guided are not my responsibilities.”

Fu Rou had been listening to Shi Yao’s inner thoughts and happened to look up just as Shi Yao mentioned the word “responsibility,” their eyes meeting.

She recalled the time when Youyou insisted that Shi Yao take responsibility.

Was this the reason?

The moment Shi Yao saw the kitten, her gaze softened like melting glaciers, turning into a pool of spring water.

Clearly, her words were meant for Fu Rou.

In this world, there was only one cat she would take responsibility for.

Zhou Ping stood to the side, lost in thought.

The little white kitten had grown beautifully now, with a graceful figure and eyes as clear and lovely as glass.

Exactly like the cat he had once seen in a painting.

The schemes of the cultivation world had persisted for centuries. Their goal was simply to obtain spiritual energy for cultivation, as achieving immortality or godhood far surpassed the limitations of a mortal body.

But this cat was beyond their control.

As he pondered this, the little white kitten’s gaze suddenly turned toward him. For some reason, Zhou Ping felt a pang of guilt, as if he had been seen through in that very moment.

Guan Jin remained kneeling there with a face full of despair, while Ke Fan shook his head helplessly and sighed, “By any measure, Guan Jin is not even five hundred years old yet. Why not let her continue cultivating in her original form, Master…”

“Just drive me down the mountain, Master! After all… you’ve never had a place for Guan Jin in your heart…”

Tears streaming down her face, Guan Jin lifted her head, looking utterly pitiable.

In the Master’s eyes, she was nothing. If that was the case, it would be better to leave.

Ke Fan closed his eyes, thinking to himself that this demon was beyond redemption.

If he had known things would come to this, perhaps he should never have brought this peony demon back in the first place. Letting her fend for herself in the wild might have been better than this.

A flicker of confusion crossed Shi Yao’s brow, followed by a cold, mocking laugh, as if she found the situation amusing. Her tone was dangerously sharp: “Fine. I could drain all your cultivation and throw you down the mountain. That’s not out of the question.”

Guan Jin trembled all over, her eyes filled with disbelief. Hearing Shi Yao’s heartless words, her grief deepened even further.

“Meow~” She’s playing the reverse psychology card!

After hearing the inner thoughts of everyone present except Shi Yao, Fu Rou felt that this world was far too noisy.

Everyone had their own hidden agendas, and it was starting to annoy her.

That meow pulled everyone’s attention to Fu Rou. She tilted her head, twitched her ears cutely, and circled Liang Zhuo a couple of times.

“Master, the Immortal Lord must be hungry. Shall I take her to eat?”

“Go ahead.”

The tense atmosphere was broken by Fu Rou’s meow. Guan Jin was no match for Shi Yao, she wasn’t as ruthless. She cried so hard she couldn’t even speak. In the end, it was Ke Fan who swallowed his pride and pleaded on her behalf. Shi Yao took the opportunity to offer a compromise, transforming Guan Jin back into her original form and sending her to the back mountain to cultivate alone as punishment.

“Is that spirit sparrow still alive?”

“Yes, its external injuries are slowly healing, but its internal injuries haven’t been treated yet.”

Shi Yao nodded, somewhat satisfied with Ke Fan’s handling of the matter. She turned to Zhou Ping and asked, “Can you act?”

“Act?” Zhou Ping looked puzzled.

“Yes. Later, pretend you’ve secretly infiltrated the medicine hut. Understood?”

Zhou Ping nodded as if he understood perfectly.

Fu Rou ate especially quickly today. Liang Zhuo watched with concern and said, “Slow down. This fish was caught from the Crescent Moon Pond this morning, it’s tender and juicy. There’s plenty more, no need to rush.”

No need to rush? Fu Rou was in a hurry to finish her meal and find out why Shi Yao had brought that Brother Ping Tou back!

She chomped down the fish in a few bites, not even bothering to sit properly and lick her paws clean as she usually did after eating. As soon as she finished everything on the plate, she dashed out like a bolt of lightning.

Liang Zhuo scratched the back of his head, muttering to himself in confusion, “What’s gotten into her?”

When Fu Rou reached the medicine hut, she suddenly stopped and quietly leaped onto the roof.

The little kitten was just passing by, definitely not eavesdropping!

She lay flat on the roof tiles, ears slightly drooped, and closed her eyes as if dozing off.

“The mission my master gave me isn’t finished yet! I can’t leave!”

Was that the spirit sparrow’s voice? It sounded quite agitated.

Zhou Ping’s voice rang out repeatedly: “If you don’t leave now, you might lose your life here. Didn’t your master agree with Sect Leader Zhou back then to leave Yun Mi here for the future? Why are you trying to take her away now?”

“What do you know! The master wants me to bring her back because she hasn’t fully refined Yun Mi yet. It’s only three days short, do you have any idea how much could go wrong in those three days?!”

“Back then, it was your master who took advantage of Shi Yao’s weakened state to send those cats in. Now you’re saying they were sent in too early. So, this is how Tianluo Forest operates, I’ve truly seen it all now.”

Ling Que couldn’t out-argue Zhou Ping, nor did she share his penchant for sarcasm. She took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions, and said seriously, “Since you’ve already infiltrated this place, help me take Yun Mi away!”

“I’m afraid not.” Zhou Ping refused decisively. “Yun Mi woke up prematurely and has forgotten everything. If you want to take her away, it won’t be that simple.”

“So, we should just let her stay by Shi Yao’s side?! Let Shi Yao regain the power of prophetic speech?! All these years, Shi Yao must have been nursing hatred in Wuqi Mountain. If she returns, the entire cultivation world will be destroyed. We must eliminate her to resolve this grave threat!”

“Since you know of my grudge against the cultivation world, help me deliver a message.”

At that moment, Shi Yao stepped into the medicine hut. Seeing Ling Que’s agitated state, she smiled faintly, bearing none of the terrifying, world-destroying aura of the legendary great demon king. Yet her words sent chills down their spines: “Instead of trembling with fear while exploiting others to gain spiritual power from Wuqi Mountain, why not face me openly in a fight? I’m ready anytime. Once I’m dead, won’t all the spiritual energy of Wuqi Mountain be yours?”