Civet cat sitting in the Civet Cat Temple, the soul does not follow the incense return

Dawn.

The morning sun rises, rays of golden light pass through the clouds, casting a golden hue.

Du ke bathes under the rising morning sun, his white fur glowing gold from the rays of light as if gilded.

With his spirit immersed in the Black Cauldron, the cat transfers the light of the rising morning sun into the cauldron.

The moment the golden elixir leaps out from the cauldron, his mouth opens slightly before closing again.

And in the instant his mouth opens and closes, several elixir pills have already rolled down his throat.

Sun Essence Pill, Moon Blossom Pill, Tempered Bones Pill, Blood Feast Pill - as the effects of the four types of pills are triggered in his body, Du ke's eyes suddenly widen.

As the efficacy spreads within, Du ke assumes the tiger panther stance, while in his mind is outlined a demonic figure with three heads and six arms, supporting heaven and earth.

His flesh and skin ripple as a roar like that of a tiger or leopard rumbles within Du ke’s body.

The tiger leopard thunder sound that Dr. Sun Xiang had mentioned before has unknowingly been cultivated.

It’s unclear whether it is due to the Demon Seal meditation or the effects of swallowing the Double Refining Transformation Pill.

But the cultivation of the tiger panther stance’s tiger panther thunder sound is set.

Now with the tiger leopard thunder sound, the speed of his Tempered Bones has also increased tremendously.

The completion of Tempered Bones is just around the corner.

The vibrations from the tiger leopard thunder sound radiate through his bones and muscles. Amidst the chorus of sinews and bones, the efficacy of the ingested pills is rapidly absorbed.

Although he has unlocked the aura in the Spirit Cat cultivation technique, he cannot neglect his martial arts cultivation.

The Spirit Cat method is very powerful indeed, but the fragility of the cat's body is an obstacle that all Spirit Cats are unable to overcome.

On the first night he met Qian Sui, caught off guard, the black cat managed to get near and gave him a beating.

With that personal experience, plus Su Xiuwu’s lecture at the Martial Pavilion that those who incorporate martial arts into their path exceed their peers,

he knows that even if there is a new cultivation method soon, he must not abandon martial arts.

Du ke multitasks, visualizing demonic diagrams in his mind while physically practicing the tiger panther stance without rest.

While Du ke cultivates, Qian Sui leaps onto the roof and squats on the roof ridge. As the black cat grooms himself, he stares at the white cat prowling and frolicking on the roof like a tiger or leopard.

As a Spirit Cat with Entry Realm cultivation, coupled with a Spirit Cat’s ability to perceive things through their aura, Du ke’s current physical changes have all been picked up by Qian Sui.

A flash of annoyance appears in Qian Sui’s eyes, his claws also retracting.

This guy still refuses to give up on cultivating martial arts. Why must a Spirit Cat be so obsessed with this?

Just what kind of environment was he raised in before coming to Mao City?

He's been completely led astray!

But let him practice if he so wishes.

Anyway, his aura has awakened. Once he officially starts cultivating his aura, he probably won’t have time for martial arts anymore.

Having thought thus, Qian Sui lies prone on the roof ridge, silently waiting for Du ke to finish cultivating.

It isn’t until three poles in the sun that Du ke finally ends his cultivation, the white cat's body steaming hot as if freshly taken out of a steaming basket.

Scalding hot to the touch, heat emanates from his entire body.

Shaking himself, Du ke roars loudly.

The reverberating tiger's roar draws the attention of many.

No one’s heard of anyone keeping tigers in Mao City!

“Meow?”

Seeing Du ke stop, Qian Sui asks if he’s done.

“I’m done. Aren’t we going to the Spirit Cat Temple now?”

Du ke hasn’t forgotten today’s plans. As Qian Sui turns to leave without another word, Du ke rolls his eyes.

This stubborn tsundere. Would it kill him to say an extra sentence?

Though complaining inwardly, he still follows Qian Sui.

As the black and white cats leave the shop via the roof at the same time, Shi San sits waiting expectantly at his kennel entrance, gaze fixed on the curtained door, awaiting the white cat's appearance.

One hour, two hours, three hours... One time period, two time periods...

The white cat still does not appear, only the knife sharpener and customers coming to deposit and collect knives going in and out.

Shi San slumps at the entrance to his kennel, a whine squeezing from his throat.

Master Cat must have been led away by that little black cat again. This is barkingly frustrating!

Finding new cats and forgetting old dogs?

No, it must be the black cat's fault!

Of course, my wonderful Master Cat would never forget me!

It must be the black cat's fault!

Everything’s her fault!

..........

Mao City, Cat Market.

Dense crowds fill the market located in the city center. Fragrant guests, travelers, pedestrians, hawkers, officials - all manner of folk come and go incessantly.

Inside the market, roads stretch straight and wide, able to accommodate four carriages traveling abreast.

Shops and stalls line both sides of the roads, packed tightly together, loud peddling noises filling the skies.

The lively and bustling street scene gives rise to swirling mundane dust, swallowing all these masses.

Aside from humans, there are naturally cats too.

There are even more cats in the Cat Market, with special cat passages built into the eaves of street-front shops to facilitate the cats’ movements.

Cats of various colors are distributed throughout the entire market. Stately orange cats sit Buddha-like at shop entrances, round bodies sinking into the cushions beneath them.

Demure white cats squat under trees, clear eyes reflecting passing pedestrians.

There are also lively calico and cow cats leaping about and frolicking on the rooftops, unable to sit still.

Roof cats survey the streets from their heights, surrounded by cats of all colors hoping to absorb some spiritual energy.

The black and white pair of cats stand out among the many felines, walking one in front the other straight towards the center of the market.

As Du ke follows behind Qian Sui, they pass by a group of cats, catching the curiosity and tilted heads of the group.

The family feeding this group of cats steps out of the shop door carrying a bamboo container filled with dried fish. Grabbing a handful, fish jerky is scattered towards the cats, instantly shifting their attention away.

By then, the black and white duo have already disappeared without a trace.

Before long, Du ke follows Qian Sui to a temple entrance.

The white-walled black-tiled temple hall is free of specks, upturned eaves flying, copper bells on high, roof guardian cats surrounding, mouths agape.

The temple entrance faces all four cardinal directions, welcoming fragrant guests from far and wide.

Amidst the coming and going of incense guests, censer smoke everlasting, subtly scented smoke ascends straight into the clouds.

In front of the temple stands four cat statues, one noble and aloof, one cold on the outside but passionate within, one sly and cunning, and one dull and introverted.

Qian Sui pays no heed to the four cat statues, obviously long used to them, though Du ke takes an extra glance.

Despite being worn down by time, the four stone carvings clearly correspond to their Four Great Spirit Cats.

Stepping into the temple, a cross-shaped bridge outlines four ponds, filled with fishes swimming within, rippling the waters.

At the center of the bridge stands a statue with an obscured face. The statue bears a three-chi long chest on its back, four cats at its feet.

Du ke looks twice at this statue but Qian Sui continues ignoring it.

Other than that dull gourd, aside from visiting as kittens, once the other Spirit Cats come of age, they prefer wandering in and around Mao City instead of staying cooped up here.

Felines are naturally carefree and unfettered, disliking restraint.

Spirit Cats even more so.

Therefore, aside from that branch of Dull Gourd, Spirit Cats basically can’t be seen here.

Qian Sui does not enter the main palace hall, instead bringing Du ke to the back of the hall. As Du ke passes the front of the main hall, he steals a peek inside.

The hall enshrines over thousands of memorial tablets, offerings on the altars, candle flames everlasting, wisps of smoke lingering like an immortal realm.

With Du ke’s vision, it is easy to make out what is carved on these memorial tablets. What is engraved at the forefront is even clearer.

【Yellow Jade Slave, drove away snakes and protected masters, safeguarded homes, enjoys eternal incense】

【Sly Faced Civet, saved masters from danger, never abandoned in adversity, enjoys eternal incense 】

【Water Gourd, fished and hunted to feed young till grown, enjoys eternal incense】

.........

These memorial tablets clearly chronicle the great and small contributions to Mao City made by cats over the past few hundred years.

Though only short descriptions remain, it reflects how the people of Mao City appreciate and dote on cats.

The Spirit Cat Temple enshrines not only the Four Great Spirit Cats, but even more so these Spirit Cats, allowing them eternal incense smoke so their souls may remain to protect all living beings.

“What that night demon said about Mao City being my hometown is indeed true!”

Du ke silently thought about the words that the demon had said that night. In this Mao City, cats are favored and prided. Moreover, records are kept and incense is offered in worship. It's not as simple as just the home of the spiritual cat.

The spiritual cat may have left behind deeds here before, but in the hundreds of years since then, the stories left behind by the countless cats raised and living on this land are even more numerous.

Mao City, the ancestral land of cats under heaven.

The reputation is well-deserved!