Chapter 423: The Cat God and the Cat Kingdom

The small boat once again docked beside the sailing ship.

The Yaksha descendant, agile and strong, climbed up the rope hanging from the large ship. Within a few quick moves, he reached the deck and flipped himself aboard. Standing upright, he respectfully cupped his hands and bowed toward the boat below.

“I must once again thank you, sir, for saving our lives.”

“And I thank you, Mr. Ye, for guiding us,” Song You replied as he stood aboard the small boat. He then addressed the rest of the crew on the ship. “Thank you for your hospitality. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Thank you, Immortal, for saving our lives.”

“Thank you, Immortal...”

The rest of the crew bowed repeatedly, their gratitude overflowing.

“May I ask your name, Immortal?” Mr. Jia couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing this, Song You could only give a helpless smile. He responded once more, “My surname is Song, given name You. I am a Daoist from Yizhou. I set sail from Lan’an in Langzhou. The cat with me is Lady Calico, and the swallow is named Yan An. He’s actually a descendant of a celestial being called Swallow Immortal. If you ever visit the temple in the commandery city, you might find a statue of one of his ancestors there.”

He was indirectly telling them—he really wasn’t an immortal.

“It’s almost noon now, and judging by the current conditions, the fog should be lifting soon. I suggest you start preparing to set sail,” Song You said with a bow before heading east.

His words had barely left his mouth when the weather shifted—

A gentle breeze suddenly swept across the sea, causing ripples to form on the water’s surface. The fog followed the wind, dispersing as countless tiny particles scattered into the air. Within moments, the dense mist was gone.

This was common at sea—the weather could change as swiftly as flipping the pages of a book.

By then, the small boat had already drifted far into the distance.

Song You continued heading east, rowing from daylight until dusk.

The sea remained calm, so calm it seemed as though last night’s storm had never occurred, leaving no trace behind. Perhaps this, too, was a kind of forgiveness unique to the vast ocean.

But by nightfall, when the swallow returned from the opposite direction of the sunset, it informed Song You that it had flown dozens of li east and circled the surrounding area, yet had seen no signs of the Fierce Beast Kingdom—or even any islands as large as the Yaksha Kingdom.

Only then did Song You realize that when the Yaksha said “a day’s rowing,” it might not be the same concept as what humans understood. And at his leisurely pace, even if he continued rowing for another day, he might still never reach it.

Clunk...

Song You simply tossed the oars aside.

He wasn’t rowing anymore.

The evening sea had only small ripples, and the setting sun hung low on the horizon, scattering countless tiny flecks of golden light across the water. The view stretched in all directions, empty and vast—no land, no islands, just the small boat drifting quietly, alone yet free.

The Daoist reclined lazily, holding a coconut.

Nearby, the little girl sat fishing off the side of the boat.

Perhaps this part of the sea was naturally sparse in marine life, or perhaps the little girl, after days of fishing, was no longer the novice she once was. Either way, she had been fishing for quite a while without catching anything.

The little girl remained fully focused, like a predator waiting patiently for its prey.

The Daoist, unbothered, simply watched the sunset.

The sun gradually sank below the horizon, and the fading light at the edge of the sky looked like the last struggle of daylight. But it wasn’t long before the sky surrendered, giving way to a sprawling canvas of stars.

The night sky, vast and unbroken, stretched endlessly—something rarely seen on land, where mountains and clouds often obstruct the view. Here, nothing hid the sky, and it was filled to the brim with stars, vast, mysterious, and awe-inspiring.

Suddenly, a light flickered beneath them.

Song You shifted his gaze from the stars and turned toward the source. His three-colored Lady Calico was already perched at the edge of the boat, her head poking over the side, eyes wide and unblinking as she stared down at the surface of the sea.

Somehow, the sea had filled with countless glowing jellyfish—perhaps they had always been there, their presence hidden until the sun took its final bow, leaving the stage to them. The jellyfish drifted lazily through the clear waters, their numbers so vast they seemed like a reflection of the star-filled sky above, illuminating the surrounding sea.

The glow also lit up Lady Calico’s face.

Song You saw her wide, round eyes open in awe.

Splash...

The little girl, engrossed in the sight, couldn’t help but reach her hand into the water, creating ripples that spread across the surface.

The jellyfish weren’t disturbed in the slightest. They continued to drift, relaxed and serene.

Their translucent skirts fluttered, and their tentacles swayed lazily.

Just then, Song You noticed a faint red glow coming from inside his bag.

He pulled it out for a closer look—

It was the stone gifted to him by the Yaksha that morning. Ye Xinrong had left it with Song You before they parted ways.

On the surface, the stone looked ordinary, with a grayish-yellow exterior resembling common rock. However, inside, it contained a red crystalline core that resembled a murky ruby, emitting a dim red glow. Most of the stone’s surface was covered by the thin outer layer of rock and soil, allowing very little light to shine through, making its glow appear hazy and diffused. Only a small exposed spot remained uncovered, where the light shone more brightly.

“

If you tap it lightly, its light focuses into a beam...”

Song You recalled Ye Xinrong’s words.

Holding the stone in one hand, he gently tapped it with the other.

Tap.

The stone’s glow intensified, and sure enough, it emitted a focused beam of light. The ray emerged from the small exposed section, slanting downward and casting a red spot on the surface of the sea.

Splash...

A hand suddenly swiped across the water, sending droplets flying and ripples spreading outward.

This time, the jellyfish were startled and scattered, drifting away into the depths.

“Hm?”

Lady Calico stared at the water in confusion, looking left and right before turning her head to face the Daoist. Finally, she noticed something was amiss.

“What’s that?”

“A stone.”

“Why is it glowing?”

“Because it emits light.”

“...?”

The little girl stared at the Daoist, and the Daoist stared back at her.

Moments later—

The small boat flickered repeatedly with red light, while the calico cat pounced left and right, trying to catch it. The boat rocked continuously, and ripples spread across the water as Lady Calico chased the glowing red spot.

Above, the night sky was dazzling with stars, and below, the sea was filled with patches of glowing blue from the jellyfish.

***

Another day passed.

The small boat continued drifting alone on the vast ocean. Not even a single seabird was in sight until a tiny black dot appeared in the distance, gliding toward them with wings outstretched. The swallow landed gently on the edge of the boat.

“Sir, I still haven’t found a large island,” the swallow reported. “But up ahead, there’s a small island about twenty to thirty li long from east to west, and ten or so li wide from north to south. It’s about the size of a few villages. There are quite a few land animals on it, though I’m not sure how they got there.”

“Land animals?”

“There are cats, dogs, and even monkeys. Most of them were either eating or sleeping when I saw them,” the swallow added, a bit embarrassed. “I didn’t dare fly too close.”

“I see...”

Song You glanced at the last opened coconut on the boat, its water already half-drunk. He then said, “We’re running low on fresh water and coconuts. It’s about time we found a place to restock, so let’s pay the island a visit.”

“I’ll lead the way,” said the swallow.

“Thank you.”

The swallow flew ahead, guiding them.

The small boat sailed against the setting sun, drifting farther and farther into the distance.

Eventually, a small island slowly emerged on the horizon.

Splash...

Following the swallow’s directions, Song You steered the boat around half the island before landing on a sandy beach. He dragged the boat ashore, away from the reach of the waves.

Lady Calico seized the opportunity to leap off the boat.

However, just as Song You finished pulling the boat to a safe distance from the water and turned around, he noticed that Lady Calico was standing motionless on the beach, staring intently at a patch of grass in the distance.

“What is it?”

Lady Calico briefly turned her head to glance at him but quickly turned back, continuing to fix her gaze on the grass.

Song You followed her line of sight.

The patch of grass was dense and overgrown, but upon closer inspection, he could just barely make out a pair of eyes hidden within, watching Lady Calico closely.

It appeared to be another cat.

Meow!

Suddenly, a deep, low-pitched cat cry came from the grass.

Rustle, rustle...

In the distance, the grass and trees shook violently, the sound growing louder as the disturbance quickly approached. Within moments, cats of various sizes and colors leapt out from the underbrush, surrounding Song You. Their backs arched, fur bristled, and eyes locked onto him with intense suspicion.

“Hmm?”

Song You froze for a moment, meeting their gazes before bowing slightly and cupping his hands in greeting. “There’s no need for alarm, everyone. My name is Song You, a Daoist from Great Yan. I drifted to this island while traveling at sea. My fresh water and coconuts have run out, and I was simply looking for a place to resupply. I mean no harm.”

He spoke using a spell that allowed communication with animals.

As soon as his words fell, the cats visibly paused, momentarily stunned.

But then, a black-and-white cat stepped forward and spoke in a low, stern voice, “Nonsense! If you truly drifted here, how would you know our language?”

“...?”

Song You was taken aback.

Lady Calico was also taken aback. Even the swallow froze in surprise.

The three of them—one person, one cat, and one bird—turned to look at each other, exchanging confused glances.

Song You quickly recovered and cupped his hands once again. “Isn’t the language we’re speaking the language of Great Yan?”

“What’s Great Yan?”

The black-and-white cat continued to glare at them, particularly at Lady Calico.

Its instincts told it that this calico cat was not to be trifled with. There was something about her presence—a regal and commanding aura that not even a king or general could match.

Just then, a voice sounded from behind the group. “What’s all this commotion? Why the panic? How could you be so rude to our guests?”

A large orange cat strode over lazily, its voice deep and magnetic. “Our language originated from the Celestial Empire on the mainland across the sea. Our ancestors came from there as well. Ten years ago, someone from the Celestial Empire even drifted ashore here. You ignorant youngsters wouldn’t know about that, would you? Making such a fuss—how disgraceful!”

“General Huang...”

The group of cats immediately retreated, their fur flattening back to normal as they all sat upright in a circle around Song You. None of them licked their paws or scratched themselves—they displayed impeccable etiquette.

Song You was stunned, watching the scene unfold in disbelief.

The large orange cat walked over, stood up on its hind legs, and respectfully bowed to Song You.

“Greetings, Your Excellency.”

“Greetings to you too, Mister,” Song You replied politely.

“Huh? I called you ‘Your Excellency,’ but you just called me ‘Mister’? Are you looking down on me?”

“My apologies. It’s just a habit,” Song You explained, bowing again to correct his mistake. “Your Excellency, I meant no offense.”

“Good.” The orange cat nodded. “I am Huang Zhuang, the General of Sea Patrol from the Cat Kingdom. And how may I address you?”

“I am Song You, a Daoist from Yizhou in Great Yan,” Song You said, maintaining his composure. “According to the customs of Great Yan, people usually address Daoists as ‘sir.’“ He gestured toward Lady Calico, who was still in a daze. “This is Lady Calico, who travels the world with me. She was once the Cat God worshipped near Jinyang Road in Great Yan.”

Despite being momentarily frozen in thought—doubting her existence and questioning her place in the world—Lady Calico instinctively responded out of habit. “Greetings...”

“C-Cat God?” The group of cats gasped in shock.

“She was indeed once revered as a Cat God by the people of Great Yan,” Song You explained on her behalf. “However, she has long since retired from that role.”

“What abilities do you have to be called a Cat God?” the orange tabby asked skeptically, eyeing her with suspicion.

“Lady Calico is quite formidable,” Song You said.

“I can breathe True Fire, summon Mountain Gods, and conjure large wolves and fierce tigers!” Lady Calico instinctively explained. As soon as she finished speaking, she casually opened her mouth and spat out a burst of True Fire.

Whoosh!

The flames spread over a large area, their heat intense and overwhelming.

Instantly, the beach erupted in a chorus of terrified yowls.

“

Meow

!!”

All the cats on the scene jumped high into the air as if they had rehearsed it, clearly scared out of their wits.

When they landed, they exchanged bewildered glances with each other.

They had never witnessed such a display before and were still in shock, struggling to process what had just happened.

“Our apologies, we didn’t mean to offend,” General Huang quickly straightened up and bowed, now visibly more respectful and cautious.

Lady Calico, however, still had her eyes wide open.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

She kept turning her head, glancing alternately at her Daoist companion and the talking orange tabby, unsure of how to respond.

Meanwhile, the swallow continued circling high in the air, too scared to come down. With so many cats around, it was a bird’s worst nightmare.