Chapter 338: Why Don’t You Rent a Cat to Take Care of for a Few Days?

Late at night, the upper floor was warmed with a charcoal brazier. The Daoist lay stiffly on the bed, covered with a quilt, while the cat curled up next to the brazier for warmth.

“Lady Calico, are you heading out to banish evil and exorcize demons? Should I accompany you?”

“Hm?” The cat, curled into a ball near the fire, turned her head to look at him.“You’re coming too?”

“To keep you company, of course.”

“But you’ve been quite lazy recently,” the cat pointed out, recalling his earlier words.

“True,” Song You admitted after a brief pause, “but on second thought, since you’ve accompanied me on my travels across the world, how can I not go with you when you’re heading out to drive away evil?”

“Are you worried about me?” The cat turned her head again, staring straight at him with an expression of contemplation.

“Obviously not. You possess vast divine powers and immense magical strength. You’re also smart, vigilant, and independent—why would you ever need my concern?”

“Exactly. Back when I was the Cat God and helped people catch mice, I always went alone.”

“Exactly. I thought so too.” The Daoist remained lying flat on the bed, his eyes open.

Darkness surrounded him, but with a slight turn of his head, he could see the faint crimson glow emanating from the brazier. He could also make out the small black silhouette curled up beside the firelight.

After a brief pause, he continued, “It’s just that I’ve thought about it and realized I’ve grown somewhat attached to you. Besides, when I travel the world, no matter where I go, I’m happy as long as you’re by my side. So, I assumed you might need me in the same way I need you.”

“I see...” The small figure by the fire murmured, seemingly falling into thought.

She appeared to be deliberating, and perhaps even a bit troubled. The silence in the darkness stretched on for quite some time.

Eventually, her voice came again, “Daoist priest, don’t feel sad. I also want your company, and I like you too. It’s just that this time, it’s not very convenient to bring you along. Why, you ask? Mainly because we’ve left quite a bit of money at home—all of it earned through my hard work. It’s needed for rent payments, and it can’t be stolen. So, I’d like to ask you to stay at home and guard the house...”

After listening, Song You fell into silence.

The more he thought about it, the more familiar those words sounded. It was as if he had heard them somewhere before.

Well, well...

So that long silence earlier—this little creature wasn’t thinking but digging through her memory, wasn’t she?

“

Ahem, ahem

...”

Suddenly, the room was filled with the sound of a series of coughs.

The sound of coughing naturally didn’t come from the cat, nor from the Daoist. Both human and cat turned their heads simultaneously, following the noise to discover that it was coming from the room next door.

The coughs were quick and light, resembling the result of someone unsuccessfully suppressing their laughter.

“Alright then,” Song You said, choosing not to argue further with Lady Calico.

Earlier that evening, Lady Calico had finished wiping the table and then carefully inquired about the details from Heroine Wu again.

Lady Calico was extremely cautious.

Martial artists in the

jianghu

who took on commissions to exorcize evil spirits and fail were still able to preserve their lives. Even ordinary folk using crude methods managed to retreat unscathed. Now, Lady Calico wasn't quite at the level of General Chen, who commanded legions. But with Lady Calico commanding a hundred fierce wolves, a mighty tiger, and two mountain gods, she was certainly a small warlord in the feline world.

Moreover, her mastery of fire techniques was exceptional, and as a cat, she naturally surpassed humans in agility and reflexes. Her speed and acuteness outmatched those of most

jianghu

experts. During her travels with the Daoist in the north, she often assisted him in exorcizing demons and battling undead ghouls. Her confidence wasn’t born of recklessness but of careful deliberation.

Although a cat’s thoughts weren’t as intricate as a human’s, Lady Calico had survived alone in the wild since she was young. Her caution and survival instincts far exceeded those of the Daoist. In their journeys, camping in the wilderness, whenever they encountered danger or sensed something amiss, it was always her who warned Song You.

“Well then, there’s no need to remind you to be careful, nor is there anything more to advise you about. Please go with peace of mind, Lady Calico. I’ll guard the house, and may you return swiftly.”

“Got it!”

“Lady Calico, go to sleep.”

“Daoist priest, if you really can’t bear being without me, just rent a cat to take care of for a couple of days tomorrow.”

“Lady Calico, you’ve got to be kidding me. Since when did renting a cat become a thing?”

“Can’t we rent just about anything in Changjing? You can rent donkeys and horses, so why not cats?”

“

Cough, cough, cough

...”

“The woman next door always eavesdrops on our conversations.”

“The walls are just this thin; there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“That’s true...”

The small black figure by the brazier stood up, stretched lazily, and shook itself. With a twist of its body, it leapt toward the bed.

“Can I secretly cuddle your feet while sleeping tonight? Oh, and I mustn’t say it out loud...”

“...”

***

The next morning...

Since Lady Calico had taken the bounty from Changjing County through Heroine Wu and wasn’t accompanied by Heroine Wu to guide her and split the reward this time, the county office had sent two constables, including an elderly leader and an official dressed in uniform. When they saw Song You, they greeted him respectfully.

“Greetings, sir.”

“Greetings.”

“I’ve long heard that a highly skilled cultivator resides on Willow Street in the western part of the city, renowned for banishing demons and subduing evil. Many of the unresolved demon-related bounties in Changjing were handled by you, sir. Unfortunately, I’ve never had the opportunity to pay my respects. It’s truly an honor to meet you in person today.”

“You’re too kind, sir,” Song You replied, maintaining the formalities despite his slight exasperation.

“The evil disturbances in Peach Blossom Village have persisted for some time. We’ve sent several people there to perform exorcisms, but none succeeded. The higher authorities have been pressing us relentlessly. Now that you’re back, sir, we can finally address this lingering concern of the county office. Considering Peach Blossom Village is half a day’s journey from Changjing, we’ve arranged for a carriage to take you there.”

“Sir, you misunderstand. I must remain in Changjing today. The one who accepted the exorcism bounty this time is my young attendant. The task of banishing the evil spirits will be handled solely by her.”

“Hm?” The official, still maintaining his respectful posture, turned his head in the direction Song You indicated.

Sitting on a stool was a little girl dressed in a tricolored outfit. Her feet didn’t even touch the ground, but she was strikingly beautiful, her expression serious as she stared directly at him.

“Oh...” The official quickly smiled and said, “Since you are an immortal master, sir, it’s only natural that your attendant is extraordinary as well. I’m sure that she can easily deal with the mere wicked creature.”

Lady Calico gave a barely perceptible series of nods.

“When might it be convenient to proceed?”

“Immediately,” the Daoist replied.

At the same time, the little girl slid forward, slipping off the stool and landing gracefully on the ground, continuing to fix her gaze on the official.

“Then, may I ask—“

“My name is Lady Calico,” the little girl interjected.

“Lady Calico...”

The official mulled over the name briefly before continuing without missing a beat. “Then, Lady Calico, may I ask you to set out? The elder leader will escort you and explain the details of the situation at Peach Blossom Village along the way.”

“Alright.”

The little girl walked toward the carriage, turned to wave goodbye to the Daoist, and then climbed aboard. Moments later, she stuck her head out from the carriage window, her bright eyes fixed unblinkingly on him.

She didn’t say a word, just stared straight at him.

The Daoist stood at the doorway, watching her leave.

At the same time, a swallow took off from the rooftop, flapping its wings and darting haphazardly through the air before following the departing carriage.

“Sir, you seem to have a deep bond with your attendant,” remarked the official.

“Indeed,” the Daoist replied.

“And such a lovely attendant she is.”

“Indeed.”

The carriage swayed as it moved, turning a corner and disappearing from view.

The county official remained standing behind him, hands still clasped in a respectful salute, his expression warm and smiling, as if he had more to say. The Daoist, also smiling, returned the gesture. Then he picked up a green jade bamboo staff from the side and said, “Please excuse me, sir. My attendant is still young. While I have great confidence in her abilities, I’ll follow discreetly to ensure her safety.”

“Oh, of course, of course,” the official responded quickly. “In that case, I’ll take my leave as well.”

“Take care, sir,” the Daoist replied.

Song You turned back and closed his door.

Upstairs, the neighboring heroine leaned halfway out of her open window, grinning as she watched him.

The Daoist, pretending not to see her, grasped his staff and headed toward the city gates.

***

Peach Blossom Peaks was half a day’s journey from Changjing.

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Though Song You had been there before, his memory of the path was hazy, and he had nearly forgotten the way. Fortunately, the swallow flew ahead, darting high into the sky and vanishing momentarily into the clouds, then reemerging to guide him in the right direction. Additionally, Lady Calico wore a small wooden tag, allowing Song You to sense her location, ensuring he wouldn’t stray off course.

By afternoon, the carriage arrived at Peach Blossom Village.

The village, surrounded by hills filled with peach trees, now appeared desolate. The once-thriving village had been large and populous, but most residents had fled due to the zombie problem—some to stay with relatives, others to the city.

Only those without family, money, or the ability to travel remained, spending their nights praying that the creature wouldn’t come and worrying about where to sleep to avoid being found by the wandering menace.

They lived in constant fear.

However, hiding indefinitely wasn’t a solution either. Peach Blossom Village, supported by its extensive peach orchards that stretched for li, had been relatively prosperous. Abandoning their homeland and relocating wasn’t just emotionally difficult; the financial loss would be immense.

The villagers often gathered to discuss potential solutions.

Today, they had pooled their money again and invited a master from Qingxiao Temple in Donghe County, dozens of li away. The master had only recently arrived when news came that the government had also invited an expert.

This time, the village elder himself had escorted the expert, accompanied by a young constable and a hired carriage, giving the impression of great importance. The villagers assumed the expert must be extraordinary, raising their hopes that the evil creature would finally be dealt with.

If this attempt failed, no matter how much the peach orchards earned, the villagers would have no choice but to leave.

The carriage finally slowed to a stop.

A swallow swooped down and landed on a rooftop.

When the elder pulled back the curtain to welcome the expert, however, what stepped off the carriage was a young girl, looking no more than ten years old. She wore a tricolored outfit, her hair styled into two buns. Though undeniably beautiful, with a fair complexion that seemed almost otherworldly and large, bright eyes, her youthful appearance was entirely at odds with what they’d expected of a master.

The girl stood where she had landed, her small hands clenched into fists at her sides, her little face stern. Her eyes darted around curiously, occasionally scanning the villagers, as if waiting for something.

The villagers exchanged bewildered glances.

“What are you standing around for? This is the expert invited by the county office, called Lady Calico!” the elder shouted, raising an eyebrow. “A few years ago, when that courtesan ghost haunted Peach Blossom Peaks for so long, it was Lady Calico’s master who took care of it. Now, hurry and pay your respects to Lady Calico!”

“Oh, oh! Greetings, Lady Calico!”

“Greetings, Lady Calico...”

The villagers hurriedly bowed and greeted her, their voices rising in a chaotic chorus.

Lady Calico remained still, her small face expressionless. Yet, she suddenly held her breath, and as she faced the villagers’ reverent bows and calls, she was momentarily transported back to the days in the Cat Temple.

This feeling... utterly fascinated her.