The scroll in my hands felt quite weird.

My worries had been for naught it seemed, given that the old man knew what I was looking for and had helped me find it in a few seconds. I had no clue how he did it, or how he knew about my intentions, but he helped me in exchange for nothing. When asked how he knew, he’d simply replied.

“Do you think you’re the only Elder—or Sect Leader even—who came to get it? To surpass the limits put on oneself by the heavens? Nay, kid.” He’d shook his head. “There were countless who came, countless who researched and found ways. However, why it remains hidden and forbidden is only due to the Elders and Sect Leader having a monopoly over it.”

After he'd said that he gave me the scroll with something written on it—I had no time to check its contents.

“Just don’t taunt the heavens too much, Wu Ryujin,” He’d warned. “They’re like a child in some ways. So be wary. Xianlong’s death wasn’t painless.”

I’d grown curious at Xianlong’s mention, and catching on to my curiosity, he’d given some more information. “Xianlong had been killed.” I knew that. “Because he’d dared taunt the heavens too much. It had been so much that the Elders at the time had no other choice. Ask Rui if you dare.” He chuckled.

“Why give this to me?” I asked and sighed, caressing the scroll.

“I wonder.” The old man had chuckled and vanished, a wisp of crimson mist emanating from his body and entering my sleeve where Noodles coiled around my arm, fully awake. “Take care of her, would you?”

That had been the last of his words, and now I was returning back home with a way to make them go higher in their Cultivation.

***

I raised a hand to my face, shielding my eyes from the sun’s piercing rays as I strolled through the bustling streets of the city where I’d met that healer chick. I was surprised I hadn’t encountered that brat already.

My steps led me to a quaint little teahouse nestled in a quiet corner of the city. Steaming tea’s aroma wafted through the air, accompanied by the clinking of porcelain and the hushed murmurs of patrons chatting away in their conversations.

Seated at a low wooden table, I ordered a simple meal, letting my thoughts drift as I sipped the fragrant tea before digging into the meal.

A sudden commotion shattered the stillness. Pottery shattered and raised voices ripped through the air like thunder.

“You dare!”

My eyes snapped open, and I turned to see a young man standing in the doorway, his robes billowing as though carried by a tempest.

With a dismissive flick of his hand, he sent a teapot crashing to the ground, its shards skittering across the floor.

“Pathetic!” he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt as he surveyed the teahouse’s occupants. “Is this the best this pathetic city can offer? A bunch of weaklings indulging in their feeble pastimes?”

Noodles stirred within my robe, a soft hiss sounding from her. I placed a calming hand over the serpent. I shook my head and lowered my head, continuing with my meal silently. There was no need to fuck with some new schmuck. That wheat sect kid had yet to return and make a fuss. I had no plans of doing it again, one time was enough. I didn’t even let more of this pass through my head and just continued with my meal.

Thankfully, the guy made some mess and went away when the guards came. He didn’t seem to be from around here. Well, not my concern. Shaking my head, I returned back to my journey home. My mission with the wheat sect young master had been put on hold for a bit, given he hadn’t appeared for some reason.

***

The journey had been mostly calm. Every day brought steady steps forward toward my home. Sighing red mist, I stepped on the bridge that teetered on top of a deep ravine filled with red mist. Now this right here was a curious place. Crimson Ravine. Said to connect with the depths of the Bleak Abyss Gorge.

The crisscrossed bridges shook as Red Mist sprang forth from the depths and rose up to the sky in a gravity-defying manner.

The sight was surreal, and I drew in a breath.

However, suddenly bridges were snapping like twigs as a massive beast came flying from below, jumping up in the air akin to a whale. The creature let out a furious roar. People around me screamed and some were left crying in fear. I froze. Wasn’t this supposed to be safe? Why would they make bridges over something like this!?

With all the thoughts running rampant in my mind, I did the only thing I could do—I ran. I sprinted as if my life depended on it, which it probably did. A thought kept coming back to bother me again and again. I needed to recover and regain my cultivation. Fast. This shit wouldn’t do. What if the Elders were planning something? What if I was already in some sort of trap and was only falling further?

I clutched the scroll tighter. It held a recipe for an elixir of sorts. Typical xianxia drugs, I tell you, and I was going to make my Disciples do them.

***

It took quite some time to return back home given I had no Xinran to ride this time around. I chuckled and entered the mansion after nodding at the guards. They nodded back respectfully.

I stopped in my tracks and gazed at the place for a moment. Same as ever. How long had it been since I arrived in Ryujin’s body? I had no clue; I hadn’t been keeping track of time as much as I should. Shaking my head, I strode inside, my feet tapping on the ground faster and faster up to the training field in the back.

Renji and Kai were on the ground and Biscuit was sitting on top of them, hissing. The boys were trembling, and she seemed more amused than anything. Had her intelligence increased somehow? She appeared more expressive than ever.

“Hey,” I called out and they all stiffened. Biscuit turned her neck around as if she were a robot with big eyes and then stood there for a second more. Just as her eyes met mine, she bolted toward me, kicking off them. They whimpered and got up while Biscuit slammed right into my stomach.

“Oof!”

Air got kicked out of my lungs, she’d gotten stronger. I sighed and pulled her up, rubbing her head before showering her with pets and scratching. As I did that, something appeared out of nowhere akin to a sudden bolt of lightning.

- System Panel -

Name Biscuit Sex Female Race Cat Template First Disciple of the Demonic Sect Elder Cultivation Awakened Realm (68% Purity) Talent Rank 5 Exceptional (There is no talent higher than this) Constitution Sun Goddess Physique (Suppressed) Bloodline Sun Goddess (Suppressed) Affinity Suppressed Path Path of the Obsidian Star

- Scriptures & Techniques -

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

[Solar Ascendance Sutra (Low-Grade Cultivation Scripture)] - [Power: Low]

Comprehension: Low

Progress: 10%

- System Perks -

[Quest System]

[???]

- Overall -

???

My eyes widened seeing her cultivation as well as everything else. How? How was this possible? She was a cat dammit. I sighed; I knew too well that she couldn’t be just a normal cat. There had to be more to this than what met the eye. Her growth was too much.

Interested in her Path—which she had gained this early somehow—I was surprised once more when I looked more into it. What the actual fuck? With this, wasn’t she way overpowered? Though, cats usually slept most of the day so I wondered how good it actually would turn out to be.

Not to mention her Progress with her cultivation sutra was good too, she was already at 10% and she would level up the sutra—as in, gain enlightenment—if she were to complete it for once.

“Meow~” Biscuit mewed, rubbing her cheek against mine and I shrugged my thoughts off, turning over to Renji and Kai. I nodded at them, and they bowed in respect.

“Welcome back, Master!”

I smiled, it felt good to be back.

“Anyhow, Renji, Kai,” I spoke, addressing them as my eyes locked with Biscuit for a moment. “I think it’s time I officially introduce you to your senior sister.” I grabbed Biscuit moved her toward them. “Biscuit. She’s your senior sister.”

They nodded without much reaction. Strange. It left me a bit surprised. I had no clue why they were acting like this. I shrugged it off. “How’re you doing?” I asked them, intrigued by what had happened. Had they improved their cultivation?

I used [Identify] and my eyes flashed over their status, taking everything in.

- System Panel -

Name Li Renji Sex Male Age 13 Race Human Template Demonic Protagonist, Type D Cultivation Mortal Realm (68% Purity) Talent Rank 1 Trash (Suppressed Due to Yin Heart Physique) Constitution Yin Heart Physique Bloodline None Affinity Supressed Path None

- Overall -

He who has been deemed trash due to a presumed “disease” that suppresses not only his affinities and Eclipse Heart, but his talent as well.

- System Panel -

Name Wang Kai Sex Male Age 13 Race Human Template Enemy turned Friend Cultivation Mortal Realm (82% Purity) Talent Rank 2 Average-Talent Constitution None Bloodline None Affinity Wood Path None

- Overall -

He who is the enemy of the protagonist and then is put in his place, only to turn into a friend and minion.

I noticed Renji had slowed down, probably his Constitution finally kicking in or he was near exploding. It could be that. Kai surprised me a little, though. He'd crossed eighty percent somehow. Honestly, it didn't really strike as strange, I was sure that cultivators could at least cross seventy-five percent cap put on them, the problem should be after that, However, Kai's growth was still very much a surprise to me,

“We have been alright!”

“We have been alright!”

Renji and Kai both intoned at the same time, their backs straight and eyes flickering to Biscuit before they looked away as she hissed. Interesting. Something must have happened. I wonder what.

“Senior Sister has been giving us pointers, Master! We are humbled. We are grateful for her teachings!” Kai said, and my lips thinned into a line. Biscuit? Pointers? What’s happening?

I immediately knew what they could be referring to and that just cemented my belief that Biscuit was a wolf hidden in sheep's clothes—a cat in this case.

“I see, that’s nice. What about your Cultivation?”

“It has been going great, Master! But I noticed that I’m reaching my limit for Purity! Any more and I would go boom!” Kai said, and then flushed. “I—I mean explode!”

Eyebrows raised, I looked at Renji. “I see that you have stagnated,” I spoke.

His shoulders deflated, “It’s that disease, Master. I’ve… reached a bottleneck.”

“I see, I guess it’s time to cure it then,” I said, and his eyes twitched wide. I looked over at Biscuit one more time and couldn’t help but sigh. She was quick, and if Renji and Kai’s words were to be taken seriously, she knew martial arts—somehow—as well. Even my cat was doing better than me. I smiled self-deprecatingly.

Noodles stirred in my sleeve, and I realized I hadn’t introduced her yet either. I wondered how they’d react. Hopefully good. More precisely, I was worried about Biscuit’s reaction. I didn’t want to leave her out, so I continued, “Though before that…”

I put Biscuit on Renji’s shoulders and he stiffened along with Biscuit. Biscuit’s face contorted a bit, but she reigned on her emotions and sat there silently. I glanced and saw Kai sweating in his place.

Pulling my sleeve, I grabbed Noodles, and she coiled around my hand, coming out and staring at the three with wide, blinking eyes.