Transmigrated Into the Body of a Sickly Villain's Kitten - Chapter 24

The water sphere burst the moment Shi Yao approached. This was the first time Fu Rou had her scruff grabbed; all four of her limbs froze mid-air, unable to move, her little face scrunched up as if awaiting the judgment of fate.

Whimper… How infuriating! Completely immobilized!

After returning to the bedroom, Shi Yao casually knocked over the incense burner that had been burning nearby and, from who knows where, splashed a puddle of water all over it. The incense inside emitted only one last wisp of curling smoke.

The fragrance in the room suddenly faded.

The little kitten was tossed onto the bed by Shi Yao. She rolled over and stood up, about to let out a meow, when she saw Shi Yao’s eyes reddening at the corners as she angrily scolded, “Why aren’t you behaving? Didn’t you say you’d never leave me?!”

“I didn’t! I wasn’t!”

Fu Rou was also furious. She thought, You actually pretended to be asleep to trick me! Was this all just a setup for some forced romance?

She had only wanted to explore the surroundings a bit, she wasn’t trying to run away!

Huh? Wait… How come she could suddenly speak again? Wasn’t she supposed to be an innocent little kitten?

Shi Yao’s expression had never been so vivid before. It shifted from shock to scrutiny, then gradually turned into admiration and fervor. Fu Rou, being very close to Shi Yao, observed every nuance of her gaze from start to finish.

Fu Rou was a bit slow to react. Suddenly deflated, she collapsed onto the bed and lifted her hand to examine her slender fingers.

Had she… turned into a human?

Without any warning at all?!?!?

She had thought turning human would involve some dramatic, feverish, agonizing process, but it was this simple?

Shi Yao’s throat moved. She reached out and gently stroked Fu Rou’s delicate cheek, her expression intoxicated, even somewhat crazed: “Your appearance is a bit different from what I imagined.”

Back in the Ghost Realm, the figure Shi Yao had seen was Youyou, dressed in a luxurious black robe, her pure white, soft hair pinned up with golden hairpins. From behind, she had looked like an exceptionally gentle woman.

Now, seeing her face up close, Shi Yao noticed the blue eyes were just as she remembered. However, she hadn’t expected the infamous Demon Empress, renowned throughout the world, to have such a charming and delicate appearance, enchanting without being seductive, with a small round face and cherry lips, as adorable as when she was a kitten.

Yet, her aura complemented her features, making the overall impression not particularly discordant.

Fu Rou also noticed that she was now wearing the same outfit the Demon Empress had worn in her dream.

In ancient times, black was a color of great nobility, but why was she…?

Shi Yao took in Fu Rou’s reaction. Leaning in closer, she detected a naturally soft, soothing fragrance emanating from Fu Rou. Their eyes, one blue, one black, met, and for a moment, neither spoke.

At a time like this, not doing something would truly be a disservice to Shi Yao’s years of longing.

She fixed her gaze on Fu Rou’s plump, rosy cherry lips and was about to lean in when Fu Rou, as if suddenly snapping to her senses, quickly covered Shi Yao’s mouth with her hand.

This is terrifying. Shi Yao’s eyes look like she’s about to jump me right here and now.

Fu Rou had clearly underestimated Shi Yao.

Shi Yao continued to press her body downward, and Fu Rou’s hand was pressed against her own lips. They shared their first kiss in this lifetime, separated only by that slender hand.

Her heartbeat began to race uncontrollably. Fu Rou felt a surge of panic and used all her strength to try and push Shi Yao away, but Shi Yao remained unmoving, still hovering over her.

Shi Yao had been gazing into Fu Rou’s eyes all along.

Those enchanting eyes were truly beautiful, no wonder He Qingye had been so infatuated with her, unable to forget her for thousands of years, still longing to find her sovereign.

Shi Yao slowly rose and pulled back. Fu Rou wiped her hand disdainfully on Shi Yao’s clothes, and Shi Yao chuckled softly, “I’ve imagined countless scenarios of what it would be like when you became human, but I never expected it to be like this.”

Fu Rou sat up, took a deep breath, and let out a cold laugh. “I didn’t expect it either.”

Her voice was crisp and melodious, and Fu Rou suddenly realized she felt somewhat unaccustomed to not meowing anymore.

“Now that you’ve regained your human form, you’d better explain to me clearly, why did you try to leave?”

At the mention of this, Fu Rou couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. She straightened her robe and sat upright, frantically racking her brain for a response, while Shi Yao watched her with an amused expression, waiting for her to begin her performance.

Fu Rou realized there were advantages to being a cat, after all, Shi Yao couldn’t understand what she was saying. She could just meow a few times and get away with it. But now, she actually had to explain herself—what a headache.

“Can’t think of an excuse? That’s fine. Let’s do something else instead.”

Fu Rou looked up and met Shi Yao’s intense gaze as her body drew closer once more. Shi Yao’s fingers rested on her shoulder, then slowly trailed down her arm in an unmistakably intimate gesture.

Fu Rou could no longer maintain her composure. She braced her hands on the bed and scrambled backward.

“I can explain! I didn’t mean to run away!!! Stay back!!!”

“Not running away? Then what were you doing? Scouting the route? Planning your escape for later?”

Fu Rou: “…”

Could this person read minds? How did she guess so accurately?

“The scenery was particularly beautiful tonight, and I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d go out and take a look. Is that not allowed?”

Shi Yao nodded dismissively. “Fine.”

She wasn’t particularly interested in the answer anyway.

It had been her intention to test Fu Rou, to personally lead her down the mountain path. Now that Fu Rou couldn’t resist the temptation to explore, it was hardly her fault.

Seeing Shi Yao momentarily lost in thought, Fu Rou wanted to push her away and create some distance. Whenever she encountered a beautiful woman, she couldn’t help but blush and feel her heart race. But just as she tried to get up, she froze in place.

The light in Fu Rou’s once-bright eyes slowly dimmed, and the smile on her face instantly stiffened.

A flood of chaotic memories surged into her mind, as if a voice in her head was compelling her to do something.

Fu Rou abruptly shoved Shi Yao away and rushed to the large mirror where she often admired her adorable feline reflection.

Frowning, she stared at the face in the mirror, identical to her own, and felt bewildered by the voice she had just heard herself speak with.

“Who am I?”

Why had she come here? Why did the person in the mirror have her face? And why was she wearing this black robe she had seen in her dreams?

Is she Youyou? Yun Mi? Or Fu Rou?

When Shi Yao was pushed away by Fu Rou, she was clearly stunned, but there was no time to think too much. She followed behind Fu Rou, watching as the reflection in the mirror grew increasingly dazed and frenzied. Fu Rou’s hands pressed into the dressing table, leaving deep imprints of her fingers, clearly, she was exerting immense force.

“Don’t think about those things! Calm your mind and focus your energy, you must not lose control!”

Shi Yao slapped her palm against Fu Rou’s back, channeling spiritual energy into her. Fu Rou stared into the mirror, her expression growing darker and darker.

Her mind was flooded with fragmented, chaotic memories. That beautiful face began to twist into something almost monstrous.

Fu Rou spoke to her reflection, “You didn’t let me die. Instead, you made me live as a fool for over a thousand years. Is this my punishment? Huh?”

After a moment, she started giggling foolishly again, “I’ve completed a hundred good deeds. Why did I have to do things I never wanted to do? So boring… Wait, aren’t I the owner of a cat café?”

Fu Rou’s laughter grew louder and louder, gradually turning into screams, “Is all of this a dream? It must be a dream, right? Huh? Tell me! Say it!”

She pulled her hands out of the dressing table, splinters of wood flying everywhere, and smashed the mirror in front of her into pieces.

With a loud crash, the mirror shattered completely. Fu Rou coughed up a mouthful of blood, splattering it everywhere, before collapsing weakly backward.

Shi Yao caught her.

They fell to the ground together, Fu Rou lying in Shi Yao’s arms, the corners of her lips stained bright red with blood. She was struggling against the immense power raging inside her.

That force sought to seize her consciousness, and she was in excruciating pain. A clear tear traced its way down from the corner of her eye.

Shi Yao’s expression was filled with frantic anxiety. Her eyes reddened, brimming with tears, “You are Youyou. You are mine. Everything else is false, just a dream. Don’t think about it. Listen to me, okay?”

Her blurred vision slowly cleared, and her consciousness gradually returned to normal. Seeing Shi Yao’s face, Fu Rou suddenly revealed a gentle, faint smile.

Slowly, she raised her hand, her fingers still coated with wood splinters and trembling, she touched Shi Yao’s face, tracing the crimson mole on her eyelid.

“Shi Yao, you were never at fault. You are not a bad person, nor are you some… cough… great demon. Truly.”

Finally, having spoken these words, Fu Rou felt an immense sense of relief wash over her, “I am on the verge of losing myself. If that thing takes over my mind, you must kill me. You must! I’m begging you, please help me…”

For her, death would be the greatest release.

Fu Rou’s words were slow and deliberate. Shi Yao wiped the blood from her lips, “It won’t happen. You will be fine. Trust me. Now, readjust your inner energy, calm your mind, and meditate. I will protect you!”

“I have no strength left. Let me… sleep for a while.”

Fu Rou slowly closed her eyes.

She was too tired.

Shi Yao brought Fu Rou to the medicine hut. When Ke Fan saw Shi Yao carrying someone in, his eyes nearly popped out of his head, wondering who could possibly be held so preciously by the Honored Master. But when he caught sight of Fu Rou’s snow-white hair, his eyes widened in shock.

“Your Majesty…”

Fu Rou had completely fallen into a state of unconsciousness. Shi Yao no longer had the patience to scrutinize Ke Fan’s reactions. She watched as Ke Fan hastily took out a handkerchief, placed it over Fu Rou’s wrist, and began checking her pulse.

Beads of sweat gradually formed on Ke Fan’s nose. “This is a high-level Soul-Severing Curse from the demon realm. Its onset is unpredictable and requires immense spiritual power to suppress. My Lord, I can temporarily use a spell to counteract the two conflicting forces within her, but to completely break the curse, the caster must be eliminated.”

“Two conflicting forces?”

Shi Yao’s eyes turned dangerously fierce. She raised her hand and snapped the cord tied around her leg. A golden pearl slowly floated above Fu Rou’s head, emitting a soft, radiant glow and an overwhelming power that gradually enveloped Fu Rou’s body.

Even in her sleep, Fu Rou appeared deeply unsettled, her brows furrowed tightly. Shi Yao gazed intently at her face before turning to Ke Fan. “Stay here and watch over her.”

“My Lord, where are you-” Before Ke Fan could finish his sentence, Shi Yao had already vanished.

He took a deep breath and began casting a spell. Slowly, alongside the golden light of the pearl, a faint green glow enveloped Fu Rou’s chest.

Why was Yun Mi Immortal Lord now the Monarch? And how had the Monarch ended up in such a state?

Ke Fan dared not dwell on these questions further and focused on channeling his spiritual energy to alleviate some of Fu Rou’s suffering.

…

Meanwhile, Qi Wushuang had been pestered by the cultivation sects these past few days, and her patience was wearing thin.

To confront the being atop Wuqi Mountain, the cultivation world had begun gathering the nine artifacts scattered across the mortal realm. They had already collected seven and were only two away from completing the set.

Although there was still some time before Shi Yao’s period of weakness, Qi Wushuang couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running short.

She had been invited to a mobilization meeting and sat at the head table, listening to the cultivators argue back and forth. Silently, she lowered her gaze.

She recalled Shi Yao’s words to her, and gradually, her resolve began to waver.

Were they truly pursuing a righteous cause?

Suddenly, a pale blue flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening roar of thunder.

Everyone in the room sensed that something was amiss.

Qi Wushuang reacted swiftly, moving to the window to observe the sky and the direction of Wuqi Mountain.

“The Demon Sovereign has emerged.”

Panic began to spread among those present. Just as the clamor of voices grew incessant, the conference room door was violently kicked open, crashing to the ground.

Shi Yao tossed the corpse of a spirit sparrow onto the conference table, surrounded by an overwhelming aura of killing intent. “Since you’re all gathered here, I won’t have to hunt you down one by one.”