chapter 24
24. Cat and Girl
The cat jumped onto Lin Dongming.
“Meimei?” Bai Zhiqing was slightly stunned. “Come here.”
The cat lifted its eyelids to glance at Bai Zhiqing, thought for a moment, then jumped over and was caught in Bai Zhiqing’s arms.
“Meimei is the name you gave her?” Lin Dongming was stunned.
“Right. You didn’t tell me her name,” Bai Zhiqing complained a bit.
Lin Dongming was puzzled, “Why call her Meimei?”
“Because she’s like a little sister. And she’s also a female cat.”
“This way of thinking is really simple and direct,” Lin Dongming complained.
Bai Zhiqing rolled her eyes, “Mind your own business. So what’s her name?”
“She was originally a stray cat. I just adopted her recently and haven’t given her a name yet,” Lin Dongming said. “How about we just call her Meimei.”
“Is it really okay to be so casual?” This time it was Bai Zhiqing’s turn to be puzzled.
“It’s fine,” Lin Dongming smiled. “She seems to like this name too.”
“I feel like this isn’t the truth,” Bai Zhiqing glanced at Lin Dongming.
Lin Dongming tested, “Want to hear the truth?”
“Of course.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lin Dongming said. “If she can’t get through the Foundation Establishment barrier on her own, her lifespan won’t be much anyway. Just morning birth and evening death.”
“Senior Brother Lin is so cold,” Bai Zhiqing complained. “Then why did you adopt her? If you really don’t care about her.”
“Just feed her some spiritual items, give her a chance at Foundation Establishment,” Lin Dongming said indifferently. “The rest is up to her.”
From Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment required cleansing meridians and cutting marrow. There would be ant-gnawing, bone-eating pain that many people couldn’t endure. Some even died from the pain.
Cultivation was going against heaven itself—each stage was harder than the last. No matter how well Lin Dongming treated others, he couldn’t take their place in Foundation Establishment or Core Formation.
“Could it be that Senior Brother Lin is afraid she won’t successfully establish her foundation, and he’s already invested too much emotion?” The little fox’s eyes turned rapidly. “Senior Brother Lin is also a soft-hearted person.”
“Troublesome,” Lin Dongming rolled his eyes. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave. I need to report the demonic cultivator matter to Master and the sect master, and also check on that Wenxin Heavenly Sect cultivator’s condition.”
“Oh?” Bai Zhiqing raised an eyebrow. “Is that Wenxin Heavenly Sect sister pretty?”
Lin Dongming was stunned—he hadn’t expected Bai Zhiqing to care about this. “…Should be considered good-looking. But I didn’t pay much attention.”
“Is that so?” Bai Zhiqing said somewhat sourly. “But Senior Brother Lin is going to befriend her, right?”
“Not wrong to say that,” Lin Dongming shrugged. “I don’t have the protection of the sect master or elders. Having more friends means more paths of retreat. Besides…”
“Besides what?”
“Besides, the Wenxin Heavenly Sect can refine a type of Spirit Cultivation Pill that helps demon beasts increase their cultivation.”
Bai Zhiqing couldn’t help but laugh, “I find that Senior Brother Lin is also quite awkward. What did you call it? Oh right, tsundere!”
Lin Dongming’s face darkened, “That’s not how you use that word.”
“Really? I don’t think I’m wrong,” Bai Zhiqing said teasingly. “I’ve heard Senior Brother Lin’s explanations from senior and junior sisters—saying one thing but meaning another is being tsundere, right?”
Lin Dongming didn’t want to discuss this topic anymore, “If you’re fine, I’ll leave first.”
“Wait!” Bai Zhiqing called out to Lin Dongming.
“What is it?” Lin Dongming turned around.
“Do you know what that jade pendant you gave me last time is for?” Bai Zhiqing asked.
“Is it that hard to figure out?” Lin Dongming said. “Usually, don’t you just inject spiritual power to activate it?”
“It seems to require a tremendous amount of spiritual power,” Bai Zhiqing took out the jade pendant Elder Tuoba had given her previously. “And it’s all written in ancient script—completely incomprehensible.”
“Try using the spiritual power from spirit stones,” Lin Dongming said. “If that doesn’t work, you can draw a spirit gathering formation. You shouldn’t lack spirit stones.”
“Fine,” Bai Zhiqing helplessly tossed it back into her storage ring. “I’ll try next time.”
Lin Dongming left Bai Zhiqing’s residence, walked a short distance, then flew on his sword toward the middle of Heavenly Sword Peak, heading to Han Xiangjun’s residence.
“…Hmm? At Weiyang Hall?” Lin Dongming sensed Han Xiangjun’s spiritual power in the direction of Weiyang Hall, so he changed his destination.
Halfway there, he encountered an even more familiar person: his dumpling-headed junior sister.
Junior Sister quickly walked up to Lin Dongming, “Senior Brother, are you here to report about the demonic cultivator?”
Lin Dongming nodded.
“Perfect. Master is with the sect master and elders—come on.”
Lin Dongming looked confused, “The elders are there too? What’s… happening?”
“Today the Wenxin Heavenly Sect disciples are having a friendly sparring match with the Heavenly Pole Sword Sect disciples, so the sect master and elders all came.”
“Friendly sparring…” Lin Dongming thought for a moment. “I suppose it’s indeed better than the Azure Sea Blade Sect and Suspended Temple.”
Especially the Azure Sea Blade Sect—they really wished they could trample the Heavenly Pole Sword Sect underfoot. In comparison, the Wenxin Heavenly Sect was indeed much better, but this kind of competition always had the meaning of competing secretly.
After all, they couldn’t have the elders fight. Especially Lin Dongming’s master, the Moonlit Sword Immortal at that level. Although she was usually just a lazy sleeping beauty, if she really fought, they’d probably have to bring out the Heavenly Pole Sword Sect’s protective formation.
The young Moonlit Sword Immortal had also been invincible among her peers, even more so than the current Yuan Jianyi.
“Is that Wenxin Heavenly Sect disciple alright?” Lin Dongming asked Junior Sister.
Junior Sister tilted her head cutely, “You mean Senior Sister Mo Qingxue? She was injured quite badly and was sent back early by the Wenxin Heavenly Sect people. So Senior Brother Yuan Jianyi, who was scheduled to fight her today, is a bit unhappy. He’ll probably have to spar with Senior Sister Su Li, who’s second in the Wenxin Heavenly Sect.”
“It doesn’t matter—the result would be the same,” Lin Dongming shook his head. “Even if Mo Qingxue were completely uninjured, she wouldn’t be a match for Senior Brother Yuan Jianyi. The Wenxin Heavenly Sect people know this too.”
“Speaking of which,” Lin Dongming asked curiously, “why is Junior Sister here? Did Master ask you to participate in the sparring too?”
Junior Sister shook her head, “No. Master said I’m still too young with shallow cultivation. I should wait until I’ve at least cultivated to late Core Formation.”
“Then the reason for having you participate is?”
“Master said watching more battles would greatly benefit my cultivation, so she brought me along.”
But Lin Dongming hadn’t received any notice to come observe the battles—he’d only heard about such an event. He couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh, “Master really favors Junior Sister.”
Among all the disciples under the Moonlit Sword Immortal, only Junior Sister received her greatest favor. Sometimes Lin Dongming felt Master treated him fairly well, but compared to Junior Sister, it was nothing.
The two passed through the corridor to the side hall, where Zhaoyue