Half a month later, in a humble inn room within a small border town of Da Jin.

Dawn, at the crack of dawn.

Yuan Ming, after a night of cultivating the Moonlight Technique, slowly opened his eyes.

After entering the Fourth Level of the cultivation technique, the speed of his cultivation noticeably slowed down, but this was within expectations and not something to be overly concerned about.

He glanced outside the window and saw the shadows of the trees swaying, which reminded him somewhat of his house in the Fire Refining Hall.

"I wonder where Xi Ying is now?" Yuan Ming couldn't help but think.

The next moment, a thought arose in his heart: check on what Xi Ying was doing now.

Given that it was just after daybreak, and considering that Xi Ying was likely still in bed, Yuan Ming sat cross-legged again and meditated for quite some time, all the way until nearly noon, before he took out the Stealing Heaven Tripod.

Yuan Ming twirled a stick of Black Incense between his fingers, pondering in silence.

He obviously couldn't just possess Xi Ying, or rather, Xiao Ying directly; and possessing Xiao Yao might not guarantee seeing Xi Ying either, presenting a bit of a dilemma for him.

"Guoguo, it's up to you," Yuan Ming said with a focused gaze and a smile.

Having said that, he inserted the Black Incense and flicked the incense tip with his fingertip, lighting it immediately.

A flash of red light appeared on the head of the incense. As the smoke curled up, Yuan Ming's vision blurred, with only the figure of the silver cat coming to mind.

Time passed indeterminably, and Yuan Ming's vision cleared to see only a white embroidered shoe covered by gauzy skirts, beautifully stitched with a bright orchid flower.

"A foot?" Yuan Ming was taken aback.

"Guoguo, why have you run down to the ground again? Your feet are dirty, come here for a hug," a pleasant female voice said at that moment.

Then, Yuan Ming saw the embroidered shoe step back as a pretty young woman stooped down, cupping the silver cat under its arms and lifted it up.

Through Guoguo's eyes, Yuan Ming saw the woman's beautiful face, and though he knew the soul inside her was Xi Ying, he still felt unaccustomed to it for a moment.

In particular, witnessing the gentle peaks of Xiao Ying's chest from the strange high angle through Guoguo's eyes was a unique experience Yuan Ming had never had before.

He instinctively wanted to turn his head away to avert his gaze.

Xi Ying, seeing Guoguo suddenly turn its head to the side, thought something on that side attracted it and followed its gaze, but only saw the plum tree outside the pavilion with nothing there.

"What are you looking at?"

She forced Guoguo's head back around, facing her chest once again.

Yuan Ming, left with no choice, turned his head away again. His mind flooded with distracting thoughts, barely noticing that Guoguo's movements were almost entirely influenced by him at the moment.

Seeing Guoguo struggling a bit, Xi Ying didn't force the matter and then placed it on the stone table in front of her before sitting down herself.

On the stone table, a pot of tea was brewing, with six tea cups, one of which was already filled with tea, the aroma mingling with spiritual energy, wafting through the air.

"Guoguo, it's so boring staying here. In a few days, we'll go out and have fun," Xi Ying said, resting her head on her snow-white arm like a lotus root, staring at the silver cat in front of her.

Yuan Ming, looking into her bright eyes, felt as if he could see through the pupils to the shadow within, and his mood lightened considerably.

Just as Yuan Ming was silently delighted, the silver cat's ears suddenly perked up, hearing footsteps in the distance and looking toward the outside of the pavilion.

He saw two figures, one after another, walking this way along a winding path leading from the pavilion.

Xi Ying had also turned her gaze in that direction by this time, but her expression turned slightly somber, and her brows furrowed as she said, "How annoying, they're here again."

Soon after, a man and a woman entered the pavilion in succession.

The one in the lead was a young man dressed in a white Cloud Brocade Robe, wearing a carved jade crown, with striking features and a handsome appearance. Only the slightly upturned corners of his eyes gave him a somewhat wicked charm.

The woman following him was wearing a water-green blouse; her figure was slender and elegant with promise in her apricot eyes, glances occasionally landing on the man ahead of her.

"Ying'er!" As soon as the man entered the pavilion, he affectionately called out.

The woman behind him frowned upon hearing this, her gaze shifting to Xi Ying with a clearly jealous expression in her eyes.

The silver cat, upon hearing this shout, involuntarily turned around, unwilling to see the person.

"Stop it, Guan Chen. I've said many times, don't call me that, we're not that familiar," Xi Ying looked at the man in the brocade robe and hastily raised her hand to stop him.

The brocade-robed man looked puzzled but showed no displeasure, instead expressing confusion as he said,

"Ying'er, after a trip to the North Territory, you have changed your attitude towards me so much? But we've met several times, haven't we?"

As he said this, he poured himself a cup of tea.

"We have met only three times. If you continue calling me that, I'll ask you to leave immediately," Xi Ying coldly replied.

"Alright, alright, then I'll call you Miss Xiao. I fell in love with you at first sight. I believe there will come a day when you will accept me. No matter how late that day is, I will wait for you, even if it means waiting until the end of time," Guan Chen declared his feelings with passion. Hearing this, Xi Ying rolled her eyes, Yuan Ming felt a chill in his heart, and Guoguo wriggled uncomfortably, while the woman with the yearning gaze watched the man wistfully.

"Are you done or not? If you have nothing else, please leave," Xi Ying said with a look of disgust.

"Xiao Ying, don't go too far," the previously silent woman finally couldn't hold back and snapped angrily.

Xi Ying turned her head to look at her, her eyes not hiding her sympathy.

"My cousin is fond of you; he has made advances many times. You could just refuse him, so why treat my cousin like this?" the woman said furiously.

Hearing this, Yuan Ming couldn't help but find it amusing, and Guoguo also stood up from the table.

"Fu Yao, don't be so impolite to Miss Xiao," said Guan Chen before Xi Ying could speak.

"Cousin, I just can't stand it..." Fu Yao immediately looked teary-eyed and aggrieved.

"Miss Xiao, my little cousin is ignorant, don't mind her. I came to you because I know you are preparing a birthday gift for the Xiao Family's Ancestor. I have recently collected a Dragon Saliva Pearl from the South Sea; it's the size of a chicken egg and extremely precious, perfect as a birthday gift," Guan Chen said to Xi Ying, again with an adoring and peachy-eyed expression.

"There's no need, I have already prepared the birthday gift myself. The Dragon Saliva Pearl is a fine item; you should keep it for yourself," Xi Ying refused without a second thought.

"Miss Xiao, why must there be a distance between us..."

Guan Chen hadn't finished speaking when "smack," Xi Ying set her teacup down on the table with force. She had grown weary of Guan Chen's annoyance and her anger was starting to get the better of her.

Just as she was about to land a slap, someone else couldn't take it anymore.

"Get out of here," Yuan Ming's Divine Soul issued a silent growl within the silver cat.

The next instant, Guoguo suddenly leaped up from the stone table, raising a paw and swiping at the teacup in Guan Chen's hand.

After all, Guan Chen was a Cultivator and immediately noticed the silver cat's abnormality.

But by the time he reacted, it was too late.

With a "bang," the silver cat's paw struck Guan Chen's teacup, and he felt it fly out of his hand, not knowing where it disappeared to.

Silence descended upon the pavilion; everyone was somewhat stunned.

Both Xi Ying and Fu Yao turned to look directly at the silver cat, faces full of disbelief.

Yuan Ming, within the silver cat, was also taken aback: Why are you all looking at me? It was just a thought; how did Guoguo act so swiftly?

He then realized that humans and beasts are different after all. The Black Incense he replicated couldn't control human actions. Even when enhanced, it could only influence simple movements of the possessed person by continuous suggestion.

But Guoguo was after all just a cat, a spirit beast with undeveloped consciousness, and its Divine Soul was not as sophisticated as that of humans with Innate intelligence and was thus more easily influenced by his thoughts.

"Ah, cousin, are you alright?" Fu Yao was ultimately concerned about her cousin and was the first to shout out in concern.

"Ah, I'm sorry, but look, even Guoguo doesn't like you. I think you and your little cousin make a great match. Cherish the one before you," Xi Ying said, cuddling the silver cat affectionately.

After all, she was currently in Xiao Ying's body and had to act a bit more reserved.

A hint of hesitation flashed in Guan Chen's eyes but he concealed it well.

Still maintaining his noble demeanor, he said, "It's no trouble, why would I mind a cat, let alone a spirit pet that I would like very much!"

"This is not a spirit pet; it's my good friend. The one who understands my intentions the best," said Xi Ying with a light smile.

Yuan Ming felt Guoguo purr contentedly, rubbing its head affectionately against Xiao Ying.

"Ha ha, no wonder it's so perceptive; only such a perceptive Guoguo is worthy of you," Guan Chen laughed heartily.

Xi Ying could no longer endure this man's pestering, so she excused herself and left in a hurry, cuddling the silver cat and not bothering with the tea utensils.

"Guoguo, well done!" It wasn't until they were far away that she kissed the silver cat on the mouth, praising it.

And Guoguo, touched by the affectionate gesture, was even happier.

Yuan Ming had yet to savor Xiao Ying's kiss when suddenly everything went dark, and his vision from the silver cat was lost.

Back in the pavilion, Guan Chen's gaze dimmed as he watched Xiao Ying's retreating figure.

Fu Yao wanted to say something several times but felt there was nothing to say, feeling unspeakably bitter.

...

Yuan Ming returned to his own body, his mood greatly lifted, and he couldn't help but hum a tune.

"A fair maiden travels south as I head north, their traces hard to find across the world.

Mists and smoke waver between heaven and earth, Divine Thought connects with spiritual awareness.

Where does the future lie? Only shadows rush on endlessly."

He soon left the inn, leaving behind the small town. Riding on his Green Cloud Crane, he headed straight for Da Jin Capital.

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