Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan
Two weeks later, at dawn in a humble inn room within a small border town of the Great Jin Dynasty, Yuan Ming, having cultivated the Xia Use Technique throughout the night, slowly opened his eyes.
After entering the fourth level of the method, the speed of his cultivation had noticeably slowed, but this was expected and not worth fretting over.
He glanced outside the window to see the dancing shadows of trees, reminiscent of his room at the Huolian Hall.
"I wonder where Xiying is now?" Yuan Ming mused. A thought struck him, and he decided to check on Xiying. It was just after dawn, and he figured Xiying was likely still asleep.
Yuan Ming sat cross-legged once more, meditating for a long time until nearly noon before taking out the Heaven-Stealing Mirror.
Yuan Ming twirled a piece of black incense between his fingers, contemplating. He couldn't directly possess Xiying's shadow body, but if he possessed Xiao Yao, he would surely see Xiying. He was somewhat at a loss.
"It's up to you now, Guoguo," Yuan Ming said with a focused smile.
With that, he lit the black incense, and as its tip ignited, a red glow flickered. The rising smoke blurred his vision, filling his mind with the image of a silver cat as the room's scenery faded away.
***
After an indeterminate amount of time, Yuan Ming's vision cleared, but he was met with the sight of a figure shrouded in a gauzy skirt. He was taken aback.
On the half-covered white embroidered shoe was a brilliantly stitched orchid, exquisitely beautiful.
"Feet?" Yuan Ming was startled.
"Guoguo, how did you get to the ground again? Your feet are dirty, come here for a hug," a pleasant female voice rang out.
Then, Yuan Ming saw the embroidered-shoe-wearing foot step back as a pretty young woman bent down, cradling the silver cat under its arms and lifting it up.
Through Guoguo's eyes, Yuan Ming saw the woman's beautiful face. Although Xiying's soul resided within her, it still felt somewhat unfamiliar.
Especially from Guoguo's unique, elevated perspective, the sight of Xiying's softly contoured chest was a novel experience for Yuan Ming.
He instinctively wanted to turn his head away, but when Xiying saw Guoguo suddenly twist its head to the side, she thought something had caught its attention and looked in that direction too.
All she saw was a plum tree outside the pavilion, nothing more.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, forcibly turning Guoguo's head back towards her chest.
Reluctantly, Yuan Ming had to turn his head away again, his mind cluttered with distracting thoughts, not realizing that Guoguo's actions were almost entirely influenced by him.
Seeing Guoguo struggle, Xiying didn't insist and placed it on the stone table in front of her, sitting down herself.
On the small stone table was a pot of tea with six cups, one already filled with fragrant tea infused with spiritual energy.
"Guoguo, it's so boring staying here. In a few days, we'll go out and have fun," Xiying said, resting her head on her snow-white arm and gazing at the silver cat.
Yuan Ming looked into her bright eyes, feeling as if he could see the shadow within, and his mood instantly brightened.
Just as Yuan Ming was secretly delighted, the silver cat's ears perked up at the sound of distant footsteps, and it looked towards the outside of the pavilion.
Two figures were approaching along the winding path from the pavilion, one after the other.
Xiying's expression darkened slightly as she saw them, her brows furrowing as she muttered, "Annoying, here they come again."
Soon after, a man and a woman entered the pavilion. The man in front, dressed in a white brocade robe with a carved jade crown, had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, quite handsome but with a slightly upturned corner of his eyes, giving him a somewhat sinister charm.
Following him was a woman in a water-green blouse, with a graceful figure and spring-like almond eyes, her gaze often subtly resting on the man in front.
"Ying'er," the man in brocade called out affectionately as he entered the pavilion. The woman behind him frowned at the sound, her eyes flashing with jealousy as she looked at Xiying.
The silver cat, hearing the call, couldn't help but turn around, not wanting to see the man.
"Stop it, Guanchen. I've told you many times not to call me that; we're not that close," Xiying said, raising her hand to stop him.
The brocade-clad man seemed puzzled and said, "Ying'er, you've changed so much towards me since your trip to the Northern Territory. Haven't we met several times?"
"We've only met three times. Keep calling me that, and I'll ask you to leave," Xiying responded coldly.
"Alright, alright, it was love at first sight for me. I believe one day you'll accept me. No matter how late that day comes, I'll wait for you, even if it takes forever," Guanchen declared passionately, causing Xiying to roll her eyes.
Yuan Ming felt a chill in his heart, twisting uncomfortably in his body, while the spring-eyed woman looked at the man with a mournful gaze.
"What do you want? If there's nothing important, leave," Xiying said with a look of disdain.
"Ying, don't go too far," the woman who had been silent finally couldn't hold back and scolded.
Xiying turned her head to look at her, her eyes filled with undisguised disgust.
"My cousin has been showing you kindness repeatedly. It's one thing not to accept him, but why treat him like this?" the woman said angrily.
Yuan Ming couldn't help but laugh inwardly, and Guoguo stood up on the table.
"Fu Yao, don't be rude to Miss Xiao," Guanchen said before Xiying could speak.
"My cousin, I just can't stand it," Fu Yao immediately teared up, looking pitifully aggrieved.
"Miss Xiao, my cousin is ignorant; please don't mind her. I came to see you because I know you're preparing a birthday gift for the Lai family's ancestor. I recently acquired a Dragon Saliva Pearl from the South Sea, the size of a chicken egg, very precious, perfect for a birthday gift," Guanchen said, still trying to win Xiying over with a peachy gaze.
"No need, I've already prepared the birthday gift myself. The Dragon Saliva Pearl is a good item; you should keep it," Xiying refused without a second thought.
"Miss Xiao, why make such distinctions between us?" Guanchen began, but before he could finish, Xiying slammed her teacup onto the table, her patience with Guanchen wearing thin.
Just as she was about to slap the table, someone else couldn't stand it any longer.
"Get lost quickly," Yuan Ming's voice echoed silently within the silver cat.
In the next instant, Guoguo suddenly leaped from the stone table, swiping its paw at the teacup in Guanchen's hand.
Guanchen, being a cultivator, noticed the silver cat's odd behavior, but by the time he reacted, it was too late.
With a "Bang" the silver cat's paw struck Guanchen's teacup, and he felt it fly out of his hand.
The pavilion fell silent, everyone stunned, with Xiying and Fu Yao both looking at the silver cat in disbelief.
"What are you all staring at? I just had a thought, and Guoguo acted on it, or rather, pawed it?" Yuan Ming realized.
He then understood that although humans and beasts are different, his replicated incense couldn't control a person's actions, but the enhanced version could influence simple actions of the possessed through constant suggestion.
But Guoguo was just a cat, with undeveloped intelligence and a weaker spirit than humans, making it easier to be influenced by his thoughts.
"Ah, cousin, are you alright?"
"I don't like you; I think you and your cousin are well-suited. Cherish what's in front of you," Xiying said, affectionately picking up the silver cat.
Now inhabiting Xiao Yao's body, she had to be somewhat restrained in her actions. Guanchen's eyes flickered with hesitation, but he quickly concealed it.
Still maintaining the demeanor of a noble son, he said, "No harm done. How could I take offense at a cat, especially a spiritual pet? I'm too fond of it."
"This isn't a spiritual pet; it's my good friend who understands my heart," Xiying said with a light smile.
Yuan Ming felt Guoguo's joy, and before he could fully savor Xiying's kiss, he lost sight through the silver cat's eyes.
In the pavilion, Guanchen's gaze dimmed as he stared blankly at Xiying's departing figure. Fu Yao tried to speak several times but found no words, her heart filled with sorrow.
Yuan Ming returned to his own body in high spirits, humming a tune unconsciously.
"The beloved travels south, her traces elusive in the world. In the vastness of heaven and earth, my spirit reaches out, but where will the journey lead? Only the shadow flows ceaselessly." He soon left the inn, the small town, and rode a green cloud crane straight towards the capital of the Great Jin Dynasty.