I Am a Cat (4)

A full five kilometers—Little Wei ended up changing her posture three times along the way, making the journey feel segmented before she finally reached the cultivation zone.

It was all because the staff was too fast. She couldn’t keep up at all. Before she could even react, the entire cat was practically dangling mid-air.

"This is the place. Find a safe spot, and you can start cultivating," the staff said, glancing around.

Little Wei, however, was certain this was a desolate, horror-tinged wilderness, with a dilapidated shack in the distance.

This wasn’t even the outskirts anymore.

How could a mere five-kilometer distance feel like worlds apart from where they’d just been?

This was utterly ridiculous.

"Well, we’re far from that smog-filled area now. At least here, you won’t get a respiratory infection while cultivating," the staff remarked, sitting down beside Little Wei.

She was also here to guard Little Wei during her cultivation.

At that moment, Little Wei suddenly remembered something important.

The staff still didn’t have a proper name.

Damn Luo Bo for being so unreliable—why hadn’t she reminded Little Wei about this back in the spatial realm?

Meanwhile, the tiny milk loli inside the spatial realm sneezed loudly.

Little Wei didn’t have time to dwell on naming right now. She quickly stood on the soft grass, facing the silver moon, gently absorbing its essence into her body.

To speed up the cat’s transformation into human form, Little Wei didn’t recklessly absorb the world’s energy with her soul this time. Instead, she channeled it all into the original host’s body.

The cultivation speed was a bit slow, but it wasn’t a big issue.

The staff even helped by absorbing and converting energy to speed things up.

By the next morning, Little Wei could already feel the immense energy surging within her.

"You can try turning human now," the staff said, observing Little Wei’s condition with a faint smile.

"So soon? Didn’t it take you way longer back then?"

The staff: "..."

"Human forms within this world are different from mine. Besides, the original host had already cultivated for a while. I extracted the impurities from her body, so her potential has improved. Staying in human form for a while is definitely possible."

"Really?" Little Wei was a little skeptical.

"Try it and see for yourself," the staff replied.

Little Wei let out a soft meow.

In the next instant, she found herself enveloped in a dense white light. A pale, delicate arm stretched out, and for a brief moment, Little Wei panicked, fearing she might be naked.

Luckily, the transformation came with clothes.

As the light dissipated, a white-clad girl with ash-gray cat ears appeared before the staff.

The girl in the gauzy dress walked up to the staff and lightly smacked her head.

"Hmph, so now it’s my turn to bully you?" Little Wei grinned, her smile bright and pure.

The staff: "..."

Whatever. She was used to it by now.

"Should we head back?" The staff checked the time—dawn was approaching.

"Of course! Li Jiewei will worry otherwise," Little Wei said, concerned about her little owner.

Being able to transform now was perfect. She could stay close to Li Jiewei and keep an eye on the people around her.

"You’re that afraid of making her worry?" the staff asked.

Little Wei shot her a sidelong glance.

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

She wasn’t fooled—there was definitely teasing in that tone.

"Nothing, just asking. Besides, I’m sick of eating your dog food every day. Can’t we try something angsty this time?"

Little Wei responded by kicking the staff.

"Buzz off. I only go for happy endings."

The staff whimpered.

"And yet you ran off so fast in the last world. Youyin-jie was heartbroken."

Little Wei: "..."

She had no comeback for that.

"They’re all the same person," Little Wei muttered.

The staff thought about it—true. Besides, Youyin had already merged into Si-jie’s soul.

Si was Youyin, and Youyin was Si.

So weird.

Weren’t their personalities still different?

The staff racked her brain but couldn’t make sense of it.

"There’s no need to overthink it. Even if they’re soul fragments, they’re all connected—essentially reincarnations," Si’s voice echoed in the staff’s mind.

Reluctantly, the staff dropped the subject.

"Do you think of them as separate individuals?" Si asked again.

The staff nodded quickly.

"Theoretically, yes. But their personalities are all shaped from me. I am them. You can call me by any name—Ning Moqing, Mu Miao, Yuan Qiaoqiao, Ji Cheng, whatever—and I’ll instinctively respond."

Si’s words finally brought the staff some clarity.

Logically, they were all Si-jie’s reincarnations. Once reunited, they’d remember everything.

Hmm.

Still kinda feels like a harem novel, though.

"My wife has a billion soul fragments?"

Interesting.

Her soul was fired up now.

She wanted to be that kind of protagonist too.

"Go to sleep. You’re the female lead," Si doused her enthusiasm with cold water.

The staff: "…QAQ"

Ugh, whyyy? She was a cute boy, damn it!

"Quit spacing out and take me back," Little Wei snapped, annoyed at the staff’s distraction.

"Coming, coming."

But before leaving, the staff had one last question for Si.

"Did Youyin leave any message?"

"I’m happy. I think… I’ll be with Gu Wei forever now." That was Youyin’s voice.

But the staff knew it was Si-jie speaking—just with Youyin’s essence.

This was more like fusion, not absorption.

She’d misunderstood Si all along.

"Puppy, where have you been playing? You’re back so late!"

Little Wei’s return was indeed delayed. The moment she entered the bedroom, Li Jiewei walked in from the living room—clearly just finished breakfast.

"A cultivation academy came to our school today to recruit students. I really wanted to go, but they said I don’t have the talent for it," Li Jiewei sighed, cradling Little Wei in her arms.

"I wonder when I’ll be able to earn my own money," she murmured.

Little Wei meowed softly and licked Li Jiewei’s hand.

"Ah! That tickles!" Li Jiewei yanked her hand back, giving the cat a mock-stern look.

"You’re lucky I spoil you so much. But good news—I only have classes this morning. I can take you out in the afternoon."

She ruffled Little Wei’s head affectionately.

Little Wei nuzzled into Li Jiewei’s palm.

Her sister’s hand was so warm.

She was Li Jiewei’s puppy.

The realization hit her—she was the shameless one all along.

"Alright, I know you’ll miss me, but I’ve gotta go now." Li Jiewei planted a big kiss on Little Wei before leaving.

So embarrassing.