Yu Wei had always been able to smell the “information” emanating from others, much like animals communicate through pheromones.
The scents of most ordinary people were faint, nearly imperceptible; previously, she had only detected unusual fragrances from Ning Suyi and Yu Chengyan.
Even the little cat demon could not fully interpret what these pheromones meant. Usually, they were subtle, but when Ning Suyi and Yu Chengyan experienced emotional fluctuations, the scents became far stronger, often leaving her feeling hungry.
Yet these aromas could be sensed but not eaten, and eventually, her hunger would turn into appetite, prompting her to eat several bowls more than usual to satisfy herself.
This was the first time she encountered a scent so intense and delectable that it nearly confused her sense of smell with reality; the man had done nothing, yet he shone like a luminous pearl in the darkness.
The little cat had not even seen his face; it had no energy to think. To its feline eyes, he was nothing less than a perfectly roasted rib, alive and succulent.
The cat froze in place for a moment, then its hunting instincts kicked in, and it sprinted straight toward Xie Jianbai.
The little cat demon’s actions were completely unexpected for Xie Jianbai. His brows knit, body shifted slightly, and he vanished in an instant.
The white cat came to an abrupt halt, eyes wide with confusion, staring at the empty mountain path.
Where was its catnip? Such a large, fragrant catnip, gone?
Though the cold-sweet scent still lingered in the air, not a single human figure was in sight.
For the first time in its life, the little cat sniffed the air seriously.
Xie Jianbai, hiding in a nearby tree, noticed the cat pivoting and ran toward his location again.
Xie Jianbai: …
Another unforeseen situation.
This little demon had low cultivation; how could it have detected his position?
Xie Jianbai’s plan, promised to Yu Chengyan, had been sincere. He had come merely to observe secretly, not to meet Yu Wei, and never expected to be discovered.
If it could find him, the little demon must possess some talent he had not yet discovered.
Xie Jianbai ceased hiding, reappearing before the little cat demon.
The white cat, having just leapt into the grass, immediately sensed its catnip had returned. It lifted its head, intending to take a closer look, but a wave of dizziness and drowsiness overcame it.
The little cat shuffled a few steps, struggling to focus, but the corner of the man’s white robe kept doubling before its eyes. It staggered, ultimately rolling onto its back and collapsing on the grass.
Its last impression before losing consciousness was being enveloped by a cold aura, colder than snow.
Two hours later, dawn painted the horizon pale, and the rooster in the dining hall began crowing.
The white cat slept soundly in a tree, utterly comfortable. It licked its lips, intending to stretch, then suddenly startled awake, opening its bright blue eyes.
“Meow?!”
It paused in confusion, realizing where it was, its body resting on its script book. Overnight, its unconscious claws had scratched deep grooves into the book’s cover.
The cat lifted its head, dazed for a moment, sensing it had forgotten something, though it could not recall what. It remained still for a while before giving up, focusing instead on grooming its back.
Later, Yu Chengyan arrived at the creek where he, Yu Wei, and Ning Suyi often met. Surrounded by forest, with a small clearing between two mountains, this valley had become their secret base, inaccessible to ordinary outer sect disciples without magical tools or feline agility.
Last night, Yu Chengyan had been drenched in cold sweat from his father’s murderous intent. Though they had reached an understanding, he had slept uneasily and arrived early to prepare soup for Yu Wei.
Upon arrival, he saw Yu Wei sprawled on the grass, engrossed in her script book.
“Why are you up so early?” Yu Chengyan asked, frowning. “Did you stay up all night reading again?”
His foster mother Ning Suyi was strict in most matters but utterly indulgent with Yu Wei.
Yu Chengyan had finally managed to curb Yu Wei’s habit of binge-reading scripts, but Ning Suyi could not resist even a single night, giving her access.
“I didn’t stay up all night,” Yu Wei said confidently.
Though she had intended to, she had unknowingly fallen asleep, missing part of the night.
Yu Chengyan glanced at the book; she had just started reading.
“Then read a bit more,” he said gently. “Meal time will be soon.”
Sensitive, Yu Wei sensed his unusually softened demeanor.
She pondered, then tentatively said, “I want a snack.”
Yu Chengyan looked hesitant but opened his ring, handing her a plate of pastries.
Her eyes widened, curiosity piqued. “What’s going on? You’re unusually agreeable today.”
Normally, Yu Chengyan required her to finish meals before any snacks, yet today he compromised.
He felt slightly guilty. His parents always seemed to see through such nuances.
Yu Chengyan’s mind had been chaotic overnight, alternating between pride in meddling in relationships and fear of disrupting parental arrangements. He felt the need to make amends, grateful that Yu Wei was easily placated.
After a while, he brought a balanced four-dish meal with soup, calling, “Ah Wei, time to eat.”
“I’m coming!”
Yu Wei, ever eager for meals, immediately sat down.
Yu Chengyan cleaned up the utensils, enjoying the ordinary family-like routine despite being able to use magic.
Once finished, he turned to see Yu Wei, normally a voracious eater, sitting dazed with her chopsticks in hand.
The scene felt familiar, and a bad premonition arose.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Yu Wei, after a few bites, murmured weakly, “I don’t know… I just have no appetite today.”
She could not articulate her feelings—everything tasted bland, empty.
Yu Chengyan’s premonition worsened; in his memory, his mother’s last years were similar, losing interest in his cooking and eating little.
But he had only been cooking for her for less than three months!
Feeling defeated, after breakfast he escorted Yu Wei back to the outer sect and hurried to the Xuantian Immortal Sect library.
The disciples maintaining the library noticed he spent the entire morning there, leaving with a pile of books, curious about what a prodigious foster son of Bai Hao had studied. To their surprise, the books were:
Eight Essential Culinary Systems for the Cultivation World
Chef’s Private Collection of Recipes
Culinary Supplements That Captivate Cultivators
…
The disciples were left bewildered. They quickly understood the importance of culinary supplements and eagerly began reading.
Yu Chengyan’s borrowing of books was also transmitted to Xie Jianbai.
At that moment, Xie Jianbai was on Sword Peak’s training terrace, assessing Elder Xiao Ziyi’s skill. Xiao Ziyi was talented but merely a normal cultivator, far below the level of Xie Jianbai or Yu Chengyan.
By comparison, Yu Chengyan, though at the peak of the Golden Core stage, had comprehension and understanding of swordsmanship beyond the cultivation world, reaching celestial standards.
Yet as a heart demon-based cultivator, in the eyes of heaven, he was on equal footing with demon cultivators. How could the heavens allow him to ascend?
A possibility flashed through Xie Jianbai’s mind, darkening his face.
On the training terrace, Xiao Ziyi felt the Sword Venerable’s aura suddenly turn cold, trembling, thinking he had erred.
At that moment, the news of Yu Chengyan borrowing cookbooks reached Xie Jianbai, further fueling his irritation.
His emotions, usually as still as dead water for millennia, now churned uncontrollably on his first day back in the mortal realm.
Xie Jianbai loved order, rules, and procedure; this mother-son pair lived squarely in his “red zone,” nothing felt right.
He was deeply vexed.
He also recalled the little cat from last night, still not weaned. He deeply wondered how the future could possibly unfold for him to develop affection for her.
The path of slaughter had already damaged his eyes, leaving him blind for millennia. Yet his mastery of true qi allowed him to sense his surroundings like a bat, without hindering movement.
Last night, the little demon had collapsed at his feet, energy so weak it could vanish at any moment. Xie Jianbai had watched it for a long time, carefully maintaining his principle of sparing the innocent.
How could such a small creature detect his hidden position?
Xie Jianbai sat expressionless, increasingly frustrated.
He could not understand it. So vexing.
By the hour of Xu, after the disciples had finished dinner, it was the perfect time to revisit the outer sect. Yu Chengyan had surely returned to Yu Wei by now.
Xie Jianbai decided to inspect the little demon’s true form.
She was pure and straightforward; last night, he had barely exerted effort, merely deploying a simple illusion to mislead her. This time, he restrained his power entirely—she shouldn’t be able to detect him.
Xie Jianbai, meticulous in all things, first revisited the previous “scene of the event,” and immediately sensed a figure sitting on the steps, cat ears twitching, exuding a joyous demonic aura.
Since becoming Yu Chengyan’s fated companion, Yu Wei’s status in the outer sect had risen sharply, no one interfered with her affairs.
She did not know why she had come to sit here; she had felt unfulfilled all day, always slightly hungry.
Yu Wei sat on the steps reading her script when a familiar pheromone reached her from nearby.
The scent was cool and sweet, like a frozen liqueur dessert, mysterious and enticing.
The girl lifted her head and instinctively moved toward it, almost like following a scent in search of food.
Xie Jianbai realized he had been discovered again, furrowing his brows.
He hid in the forest, but the tiny demon, even smaller than his son, accurately tracked him.
Xie Jianbai stopped hiding, this was not his usual habit.
Standing under a tree, he waited coldly for Yu Wei to approach, pondering how she achieved this.
After a while, the girl appeared before him. Xie Jianbai looked up and said, “You…”
Before he could finish, he noticed her state seemed unusual: her body temperature slightly high, steps unsteady.
If he could see clearly, he would notice a faint blush on her fair cheeks; the closer she got, the more intoxicated she appeared.
Yu Wei staggered forward, tripping over roots and stones, then lost control and reverted to her cat form.
The cat struggled between roots, moving clumsily, stumbling as Xie Jianbai observed with furrowed brows. Approaching him, its weakened front paws failed to clear a root, and with a push from the hind legs, its chin struck the wood.
About to perform a forward flip crash, Xie Jianbai reacted instantly, catching the little cat.
The moment his fingers exerted force, he immediately eased it.
Yet the cat remained in his grasp, head nuzzling his hand like a drunken blur, almost tipping him over.
Xie Jianbai blinked rapidly, using his other hand to stabilize it.
The little white cat lifted its head and, with precision, bit his hand deeply, clinging without release. Blood appeared instantly.
A sharp, fleeting pain spread across Xie Jianbai’s hand, shooting through his entire body. His back shivered, every nerve triggered, as if a tsunami of shock struck, leaving his mind momentarily blank.
In the darkness of his otherwise sensationless world, this tiny pain ignited fireworks across his senses.