Chapter 106
"Well, it’s fine. I was destined to die anyway; it’s just a matter of timing... At least before I go, Su Xin and Lingxi Valley have found a way out. That means I won’t have to seek help from the Yaochi Sacred Land."
Yun Baiyu seemed to recall something and shivered.
Three years ago, she had the fortune to visit the Yaochi Sacred Land for healing.
But she never wanted to go back there again in this lifetime.
…
…
"Wuliang Tianzun! The opening needle technique is perfected!"
After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Chen Huai'an finally reached full proficiency with the opening needle technique by noon.
"But my money is running out."
Chen Huai'an let out a bitter laugh. Spending money to level up was quick, but if the opening needle turned out to be useless, he would really be in tears.
Still, no matter what, things were better now than before.
In the past, he was utterly lost about how to make money.
Now, even when he was broke, he could still take on missions at the Demon Slaying Bureau.
Chen Huai'an washed his hands and sanitized them, pulling out the set of silver needles. Just as he was about to apply one to his leg, he suddenly paused: "No, it’s my first time using the needle; I should be cautious."
His eyes darted around.
If humans could open their meridians, then cats could too.
If he messed up with the cat, he could support it for a lifetime. But if he got messed up himself, could the cat take care of him?
With that thought, his guilt vanished.
"Let’s try it on Ba Ji first!"
…
…
------------
Chapter 112: It’s a Taotie!
【Not good! There’s a killing intent!】
Ba Ji, in the midst of its training, flipped over, feeling a suffocating sensation as if a python was coiling around it.
It looked around but found no threats.
Until the door to the next room opened.
Chen Huai'an stepped out with the silver needles, and his eyes scanned the room, landing on Ba Ji by the water basin on the windowsill.
After the big blue fish came back to life, he had moved it to the windowsill; after all, the bathtub was meant for bathing. But he did get a larger baby bath for the big blue fish, so at least its tail wouldn’t be hanging out.
"Ba Ji, today I bring you an opportunity!"
Chen Huai'an approached step by step, a kind smile on his face.
But to Ba Ji, that gentle smile was more terrifying than a raging Xingtian.
【Oh no! An opportunity? This is a memory awakening, and it wants me dead!】
Ba Ji’s fur bristled, and it turned to run.
Its current strength wasn’t enough to break through the sealed windows and doors, so it could only find a place to hide.
Ba Ji ran, and Chen Huai'an chased after it.
The living room turned into chaos.
Chen Huai'an ducked under tables and rummaged through the coffee table. After several attempts, he finally cornered Ba Ji against the wall.
"How strange! Ba Ji is usually so obedient, easy to hold and grab. Why is it so scared today?" Chen Huai'an caught his breath, looking at the trembling ball of fur with a puzzled frown.
Then he remembered Lin Lingling, who had just moved in, and it all clicked.
Cats are incredibly sensitive creatures with a strong sense of territory.
They perceive all beings as either cats, big cats, small cats, or two-legged cats, and they mainly rely on scent to distinguish friend from foe. Especially for a stray like Ba Ji, unfamiliar scents would definitely raise alarms.
It was a stress response.
"Don’t be afraid, Ba Ji. Even if you end up disabled, I’ll take care of you for life! I’ll get you the best cat food! And find you a calico wife!" Chen Huai'an squatted down, casting a dark shadow over Ba Ji as he spoke words that sent shivers down its spine.
【Is this my fate?】
A hint of desolation flickered in Ba Ji’s eyes.
In that grand era, it had been captured and tamed by the Celestial Clan to guard Xingtian’s head. After the great calamity, it had to sleep to survive but gained freedom. Yet now, just after awakening, it found itself in the jaws of danger again.
Was it destined to be a mere watchdog?
【No, I can’t give up so easily!】
【I’ll fight to the death if I have to!】
Ba Ji fixed its gaze on Chen Huai'an’s outstretched left hand, its eyes flashing with determination. It crouched low, ready to pounce.
But in the next second, it felt a sudden numbness in its neck.
Its body went limp.
"Looks like a feint works best." Chen Huai'an chuckled as he lifted the black cat. He had lured it with his left hand while his right swiftly grabbed the back of Ba Ji’s neck, successfully securing it.
For a big cat, grabbing the scruff might not work, but for a small cat like Ba Ji, it was a sure thing.
【Damn it, this weak body!】
【Get me moving!!!】
Ba Ji struggled fiercely, but its paws could only slide slightly, its body stiff as if frozen in ice.
"Ow—!"
"Ow woo—!"
Hearing the commotion, Chen Huai'an curiously lifted Ba Ji to his face, looking into its terrified eyes and chuckling, "Wow, Ba Ji, you can bark like a dog? No, that sounds more like a wolf!"
He sat down on the sofa with Ba Ji in hand.
To prevent Ba Ji from moving while he applied the needle, he kept his right hand firmly gripping the back of its neck while his left hand moved like a flurry of petals, swiftly unwrapping the needle set and deftly pulling out a silver needle.
"Don’t worry, this will be quick. Who knows, you might even turn into a super cat! I’ll film you doing backflips and barking like a dog. If it goes viral, you can earn your own cat food."
Backflips? Bark like a dog!?
Ba Ji’s eyes were filled with humiliation.
It was an ancient fierce beast, a Taotie!
It was a Taotie!
The Celestial Clan had captured it to guard Xingtian’s head.
Though it was a bit degrading, it still had some prestige.
But this human wanted it to stoop so low?
It opened its mouth to let out a roar, but Chen Huai'an’s hand was already like lightning, plunging the needle into its body. This time, without grabbing its neck, it couldn’t move at all, not even its eyes.
"Jie jie, healing the cat! If my technique works, you’ll thank me later!" Chen Huai'an’s lips curled into a smile, and as the veins of Ba Ji appeared in his vision, his eyes radiated a commanding golden light.
Upon meeting that gaze, Ba Ji’s mind went blank, and it saw the shadows of Fuxi, Wu Peng, and Shennong… They gradually merged with Chen Huai'an, as if the one holding the silver needle wasn’t Chen Huai'an, but these ancient sages.
Even if it could move, it wouldn’t dare to.
"Truly, this is the perfected opening needle technique!"
Chen Huai'an worked quickly, his thoughts clear as if guided by a divine hand, and he couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
At this moment, applying the needle to Ba Ji felt entirely different from before.
First was the control of force and timing, and second, he could clearly understand what effect each needle would have and see the various issues with Ba Ji’s body.
One thing was very strange.
Ba Ji usually walked with a limp.
But in reality, its legs were perfectly fine.
Could it be a neurological issue?
That was easy to fix; just needling would do.
For opening the meridians, addressing a neurological issue was no big deal.
However, dealing with the nerves was more complicated; it would require a hundred more needles, and it might hurt a bit. He hoped Ba Ji could endure it.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, his hands became a blur.
A row of silver needles pierced Ba Ji’s forehead.
"Ow—!!!!"
…
Creak—
The door to the master bedroom opened a crack.
Lin Lingling cautiously peeked outside.
She had been meditating when she suddenly heard a few spine-chilling howls, quite tragic. Though she was scared of what might be happening, her job was to observe Chen Huai'an, so she steeled herself and came out to investigate.
And what she saw left her stunned.
Chen Huai'an was sitting on the sofa, using a set of silver needles to treat the cat demon.
Just the act of needling wasn’t particularly unusual.
What was remarkable was how fast Chen Huai'an’s movements were; his hands moved like butterflies flitting through flowers, and her eyes couldn’t keep up, only catching glimpses of shadows.
She had already opened the most crucial Ren and Du meridians, and her strength had skyrocketed. Her reflexes were far beyond those of an ordinary person. At this moment, if she were to compete in the Olympics, she would undoubtedly break several world records.
Yet even with her abilities, she still couldn’t keep up with Chen Huai'an’s speed!
"This... is this the legendary Qilin Arm?"
Lin Lingling sighed in awe.
Table of Contents
