Chu Qiguang's hands instantly stiffened, and he was overcome by a sense of horror as he stared at the talking cat before him.

All of the fantastical stories about fox immortals and cat fiends that he had heard from the old men of the village over the past few days were now flashing through his mind one after another.

Judging from these stories, they certainly did not take kindly to humans.

The orange cat swayed its head from side to side as it continued, "The fact that you're able to remain calm and composed even after hearing me speak shows that you do indeed possess a fine disposition. On top of that, you also like cats, right? That's even better! Liking cats is a hugely advantageous trait. All heroes throughout history have been fond of cats, and only those who like cats are true heroes. Come now, scoop me up in your arms, and we'll continue."

Chu Qiguang felt rather apprehensive. He didn't dare to pick up the cat fiend, so he put on an innocent expression and said, "M-my legs have gone numb, so I can't stand up."

"In that case, keep petting me, and don't stop," the orange cat urged him.

Chu Qiguang continued to pet the cat as he began, "So you..."

"There's no need for you to speak aloud," the orange cat said. "Just think hard about what you want to say to me, and I'll be able to hear it."

Chu Qiguang muttered, "In that case..."

The orange cat stiffened slightly after hearing Chu Qiguang's thoughts, then grumbled, "I can't turn into a woman! I'm a tomcat!"

Chu Qiguang heaved a disappointed sigh, then exclaimed, "Hey, so you can actually hear my thoughts! Are you a fiend?"

The orange cat calmly licked its paws as it replied, "I am an immortal among cats wandering the human world. The heavens guided me here to the Wang Clan Village to wait for you."

Chu Qiguang ran a brief experiment, and he discovered that the orange cat was indeed unable to hear him as long as he thought to himself normally. It was only able to glean his thoughts when he was purposefully trying to transmit them to it.

Thank heavens it's not a true mind-reading ability. Looks like I can keep my thoughts private when I want to. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

He asked internally, "Do fiends and immortals truly exist in this world? In that case, are there also cultivators?"

"Of course, but they might be different from what you're imagining," replied the cat.

A myriad of emotions welled up in Chu Qiguang's heart after hearing the orange cat's answer.

So there really is supernatural power in this world. I wonder what this cat wants with me...

The orange cat seemed to have been able to guess Chu Qiguang's thoughts from his expression. A strange smile appeared on its face as it whipped its tail from side to side and stood up. It then performed a big stretch, arching its bottom up high while laying its chest flat against the ground.

"Come to the rear mountain to see me at midnight. I have a massive opportunity fated for you."

With that, the orange cat turned to depart, vanishing out of sight in a flash.

Following the orange cat's departure, an exasperated look appeared on Chu Qiguang's face.

He grumbled to himself, "This shitty village is always pitch-black at night, and there isn't even a night watchman! How am I supposed to know when it's midnight?"

***

Chu Qiguang's heart was full of questions as he continued on his way home, and the bizarre scene of the cat suddenly opening its mouth to speak was still occasionally flashing through his mind.

The dirt path beneath his feet had turned to mud after a bout of rainfall, and he regularly came across both human and animal excrement strewn carelessly onto the ground. For someone accustomed to living in a big city, the foul stench had Chu Qiguang's brow constantly furrowed in distaste.

On the side of the path were some old women who were kneeling on the ground. Their clothes were in tatters, and their sleeves had been reduced to nothing more than strips of fabric, but the god statue before them was impeccably clean. There was also an incense burner and a candlestick neatly placed before them, and they were kowtowing over and over again amid the incense smoke while chanting something with devout and fervent looks on their faces.

Impoverished, dirty, underdeveloped, outdated, superstitious—that was Chu Qiguang's appraisal of the Wang Clan Village.

Over the past few days, Chu Qiguang had not just been observing the world around him, but also going through Ergou's original memories.

Most of the memory fragments had likely been forgotten by Ergou himself, but they were presented to Chu Qiguang as clear as day during this process.

There were many things that Ergou had seen and heard in passing and then simply forgot. There was gossip from the neighbors, brief snippets from the young master of the Wang Clan, and even casual conversations between passing bailiffs from the county office...

All of the memories scattered all over the depths of Ergou's subconsciousness throughout his life had been firmly integrated into Chu Qiguang's mind, providing him with over a decade's worth of information on the Wang Clan Village and Azure Sun County.

All of this information, combined with the observations that he had made over the past few days, had allowed him to thoroughly familiarize himself with the Wang Clan Village and even the county at large.

Ergou's memories are even clearer than my memories from back on Earth! Is this a benefit of transmigration?

Suddenly, after taking only a few more steps, Chu Qiguang was struck by an intense sense of nausea, followed by uncontrollable trembling, sweating, and overwhelming waves of agitation sweeping through his mind.

His expression instantly darkened.

Looks like my condition has followed me here. I thought I was cured after transmigrating.... The doctor was right; this is a purely mental condition that doesn't have anything to do with my body.

Ergou's frail body made it even more difficult for Chu Qiguang to ward off the effects of this chronic condition, and a whole host of strong impulsive urges began to wreak havoc in his mind.

I wonder if the supernatural powers in this world can cure me.

He was only just barely able to make it back home, and he reached out to press a hand against the door for support.

The earthen walls of the house had been so heavily eroded by wind and rain that the mud bricks had been exposed, a clear sign of age and wear.

Inside the courtyard, there was virtually nothing but this mud house and some farming tools, putting the household's impoverished condition on full display.

A thin and frail little girl who appeared to be six or seven years of age was doing a handstand against the wall. There were two cats in front of her, rubbing against her in an affectionate display.

Chu Qiguang knew that this was Ergou's younger sister. A perplexed look appeared on his face, and he asked, "What are you doing upside-down?"

"I'm thinking that by standing upside-down, I can keep what I ate in my stomach so I won't be hungry," his sister replied.

Chu Qiguang heaved a resigned sigh, then suddenly began gasping for air, and his face turned deathly pale. At the same time, his entire body began to tremble. He looked as if he were a drug addict suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

His sister took a puzzled glance at him, following which a look of realization appeared on her face as she exclaimed, "You must be dying to take a dump, right?"

“...”

Chu Qiguang gave her a forced smile as he replied, "I ate something bad, and my stomach hurts a little..."

His voice trailed off into a pained groan as he thought resentfully to himself, I have to do something! This is way too painful when it flares up!

His sister returned to her feet, then she picked up a white cat and offered it to Chu Qiguang.

She said, "You can wipe your ass with this. I saw that cats groom themselves, so they'll clean their own fur after you're done!"