Chapter 204: Mice Fear Cats? That’s Just a Rumor

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Mice Fear Cats? That’s Just a RumorIn Tianshui City, inside an elegant teahouse. Shen An was quietly sipping tea—real tea this time, not bubble tea. "My sister told me, Shen An, you saved her, so I must repay you. How about... pledging yourself to me?" Shui Yue’er’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She felt as if fate itself had arranged this—the connection between her and Shen An was simply too strong. Shui Yue’er’s burning gaze made Shen An uncomfortable. She was way too enthusiastic, almost overwhelming. "Shui Yu’er is your sister? Your biological sister?" Shen An put down his teacup calmly, shifting the topic. "She’s my mother’s sister’s daughter. Ah, it’s complicated. What do you think of my earlier offer? I’m serious." Shui Yue’er said with hopeful eyes. Nearby, Shui Yu’er was playing with a cat—well, the cat was also playing with her. The little kitten and the girl were having a blast. Jerry, the mouse, nibbled his snack glumly. So annoying—why did everyone like cats so much? Wasn’t the mouse just as cute? "Then why did you take Shui Yu’er outside the city and leave her alone at the city gate?" Shen An ignored Shui Yue’er’s gaze and changed the subject again. Shui Yue’er’s youthful face flushed a bit embarrassed. "I just went to buy her some candied hawthorns. They’re really tasty—I couldn’t help but get two more sticks." "Yu’er’s innate soul power is at level nine now. She can get her first soul ring. I’m planning to take her hunting soul beasts in the nearby enclosed forest." Innate soul power level nine—that’s quite a talent. Shen An looked at Shui Yu’er’s little face, which was being tugged and stretched by Tom the cat like dough, and sighed a little. Of course, Tom’s expressions were even more exaggerated. His cat face was like clay in Shui Yu’er’s hands, twisted into all sorts of shapes. A donkey, a cat, a little mouse—Shui Yu’er was having the time of her life. The Shui family’s genes were really excellent, Shen An thought, recalling Shui Yue’er and Shui Bing’er. Each of them alone was undeniably a genius. "Shen An, how about it? Just say yes to me. Or rather, just let me repay you." Shui Yue’er, seeing no reaction, moved closer to Shen An without a sound. She was very much a visual type, and Shen An fit her ideal perfectly. Elegant, otherworldly, handsome, and powerful—Shui Yue’er even fantasized about what their future children’s names would be. "Well, why don’t you take Shui Yu’er to hunt soul beasts first? It’s getting late, better to go early and come back early." At these words, Shui Yue’er suddenly realized her mistake. Damn, she hadn’t even handled the main business yet—she’d only been thinking about love talk. She wasn’t very reliable to begin with, and this time she’d volunteered to take Shui Yu’er to get a soul ring. If they came back empty-handed, her old man would nag her non-stop. "Shen An, I’ll take Yu’er to get the soul ring first. Remember to stay in Tianshui City a few more days. Later, I’ll take you out for a good time." Shui Yue’er grabbed Shui Yu’er’s small hand and dashed out. Shen An smiled. This girl’s martial soul didn’t seem like a water attribute, but more like fire—so fiery and energetic. Taking Tom and Jerry, Shen An left the teahouse, ready to find a place to settle. Since he was here anyway, he might as well go to the Great Spirit Arena to raise his reputation and get a feel for Tianshui City’s local customs. The afternoon sun was warm and gentle. Having just done a good deed, Shen An was in high spirits. But then he noticed a small dark cloud, about his height, hovering above him—and right under the cloud was Tom, looking gloomy. At this moment, Tom walked with a limp, looking weighed down by some heavy thoughts. "Tom, what’s wrong?" Shen An felt he should care about his cat’s mental state. Tom heard Shen An and made shy hand gestures, his cat face growing even sadder, his large eyes misty. Then he grabbed Shen An’s leg tightly, hands folded as if begging. Shen An was speechless. The cat thought he was going to abandon it and run away with Jerry? Tom was such a sensitive soul. He pinched Tom’s face and squeezed it into all kinds of funny shapes. "You silly cat, we never left you behind. You were the one who lost us while driving, making Jerry and me run half the day and get exhausted." Tom’s face immediately brightened, then shyly smiled—it was just a misunderstanding. Jerry clapped his paws and laughed so hard he almost fell over, finding Tom’s cowardly act hilarious. Tom glared sharply at Jerry, claws flicking out ready to strike, but then thought better of it. Feeling guilty for leaving Jerry behind, Tom let it slide. Shen An, who had been a bit tense, relaxed. This was a public street—no need to make a scene. Suddenly, nearby, a group of young girls in sky-blue school uniforms, all pretty and fresh-faced, spoke with surprise. "Look, there’s a cat and a mouse! But why isn’t the little mouse running away? Isn’t it scared of the cat?" Jerry’s ears twitched. What did "mice fear cats" mean? He was not happy. He was the weakest in the family, yet nobody bullied the cats? Shen An tensed. With Jerry’s temper, could he stand people saying "mice fear cats"? Sure enough, the next moment Jerry glanced around at the group of beautiful girls, determined to change everyone’s view today. Mice fear cats? That’s just a rumor. A tiny cat? What’s there to fear? Mustering all mouse courage, knock the cat down. Ancient prejudice? Must be overturned. Jerry clenched his tiny fists, walked up to Tom’s feet, grabbed him high, then hurled him far away. Tom was confused as to why he suddenly soared through the air. Wham! He crashed hard, scattering everywhere. He hit several vendor stalls on the way, and Jerry even grabbed some tomatoes from a nearby stand, throwing them precisely at Tom’s handsome face. "Ha ha ha ha ha!" Seeing Tom knocked out cold so easily, Jerry laughed wildly. He strutted proudly over to the group of girls, giving a thumbs-up, signaling, "What’s there to fear about a little kitten?" The female students from Tianshui Academy looked at Jerry in amazement, praising him in unison: "Wow, you’re amazing!" "You’re the strongest little mouse we’ve ever seen." "And the cutest little mouse too!" With every compliment, Jerry’s cheeks flushed redder and his little tail wagged faster and faster, spinning like a helicopter blade. By the end, Jerry’s face was steaming red. Overwhelmed by praise, he actually took off on the spot, flying up like a helicopter. Shen An hurriedly took out some gold soul coins to compensate the vendors Jerry had accidentally damaged. He gave a little extra—normal folks worked hard for their money. Just then, he turned to see the oblivious Jerry and the amazed girls. Shen An twitched at the corners of his mouth—Jerry was totally wrapped around their fingers. Who would’ve thought this small Tianshui City had so many girls skilled in mouse psychology? Oh no, more like child psychology. Xue Wu stared at Jerry, amazed by the magical little mouse that could actually fly just by spinning its tail. Tom, lying on a vendor’s stall, shook his head hard to clear it, then angrily glared at Jerry. "That’s too much bullying a cat!" Grabbing an iron hoe nearby, Tom charged behind Jerry, swinging it fiercely—thrusting up, sweeping sideways, slamming down. The iron hoe flashed like a tiger’s roar behind Tom. Jerry seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, smoothly dodging all attacks while striking flashy poses. Tom was out of breath but still couldn’t land a hit. Jerry didn’t even look—he just used one hand to prop against the iron hoe. Tom gripped hard and tried to pull it free; the iron hoe bent but wouldn’t come loose. Finally, Jerry calmly relaxed his grip. "Bang!" Tom, using all his strength, kept getting his head banged by the iron hoe, his face squashed into a square shape. "Pfft hahahaha." Xue Wu and the others covered their mouths, laughing hard—this was just too funny. Jerry glanced back at Tom: "Gotcha, little kitty." Then the little mouse wagged his tail and gracefully gave Xue Wu’s arm a delicate kiss. He loved those who praised him the most. Xue Wu was laughing so hard her whole body shook like a flower in the wind. She hadn’t expected that taking her junior out for a stroll would lead them to such an amusing little mouse. This level of absurdity was almost on par with that "Cat-and-Mouse Musician" story Shui Yue’er had mentioned. Tom, regrouping after his defeat, once again lunged at Jerry. Watching the two little troublemakers brawling in the middle of the street, Shen An couldn’t help but feel helpless. The two of them had turned their scuffle into a miniature whirlwind. Even if he wanted to intervene, there was no way he could get in between them. Very quickly, that whirlwind spiraled farther down the street. While many pedestrians wisely stepped aside, several street vendors weren’t so lucky. Their wares were blown into a complete mess. Shen An had no choice but to hurry after them, tossing coins along the way to appease the aggrieved vendors. Instantly, the streets glittered with the golden shimmer of Soul Coins. "Hey—wait!" Xue Wu reached a hand out in the direction Shen An had left, a trace of disappointment on her pretty face. She really had wanted to get to know that magical cat and mouse better. Unfortunately, Shen An had already vanished without a trace. "You two, enough fighting. I’m going to find us a hotel now, so behave." Shen An pointed sternly at Tom and Jerry. Only the heavens knew how many Soul Coins he had scattered today—all to clean up the chaos left in their wake. They even attracted the city guards, who nearly arrested the two of them. It wasn’t until Shen An flashed his soul master credentials that the whole matter was finally settled. Tom and Jerry nodded solemnly, even raising their tiny paws as if making a sacred vow. "Sigh... fine. Let’s just go," Shen An muttered, seeing how earnest they looked. He decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. Surely a cat and mouse’s promise had some credibility... probably...? With that, Shen An wandered the streets with Tom and Jerry, looking for a decent hotel. This one’s too shabby. That one’s too old. And this one—just a glance told him it was that kind of love hotel. Totally inappropriate. He couldn’t very well have Jerry waving a little whip and torturing Tom, could he? Just imagining it made Shen An shudder. Before he knew it, he’d arrived in front of a grand and imposing gate. Four large characters were emblazoned on it: Tianshui Academy. Girls in the academy’s uniform strolled in and out, long legs on full display, very eye-catching. Shen An naturally took a few extra glances—he was a healthy young man, after all. Who wouldn’t enjoy looking at beautiful girls? He couldn’t help but grow curious. What kind of place was a school full of nothing but girls? He definitely wanted to check it out one day. Finally, after walking and browsing, Shen An settled on a high-end-looking hotel. Money wasn’t a concern for him, so of course he wouldn’t shortchange himself. After checking in, he asked for directions to the Great Soul Arena. Since he was already here, how could he not stir up some fame? Before long, he arrived at the Tianshui Great Spirit Arena. Right away, Shen An noticed the heavy feminine aura in the air—about seventy percent of the audience were women. Even the soul masters stepping onto the stage were mostly female. Having already completed registration, Shen An watched the matches on stage with mild interest. Though in his eyes, the combat techniques and soul skills being used were fairly average... Still—gorgeous women duking it out? Extremely easy on the eyes. Around the arena, various vendors sold snacks and drinks. They were all positioned toward the back. Tom’s eyes lit up the moment he saw the snacks. His mouth instantly began to water. Jerry, too, looked the same—these two gluttons never had any resistance to good food. Shen An handed Tom a handful of Soul Coins. Clutching the money, Tom immediately ran off, thrilled. Delicious food, here I come! Jerry decided to conserve his energy. He’d just wait for Tom to bring it back and reap the rewards. But as Tom walked farther, he started feeling uneasy. Why were so many eyes locked on him? His pace slowed. Nervously, he turned to look behind him—only to find a group of female soul masters. As everyone knew, most female soul masters had little resistance to cute cats. Especially a soft, pitiful-looking cat like Tom. No one knew who reached out first, but suddenly a flurry of delicate hands descended upon him. Tom was seized and groped relentlessly. "Meowwwww!" A piercing feline shriek echoed across the Tianshui Great Spirit Arena. Eventually, Tom returned, arms full of snacks, tears streaming freely behind him. He was no longer clean. He’d been touched... by hundreds, maybe thousands of women. Shen An fell silent. Just moments ago, that cat had gone out bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Now he was bald in patches, and crying his eyes out. "Honored soul master, it’s your turn. As you hold a Gold Spirit Arena Emblem and are at the Soul Ancestor level, we don’t currently have a matching opponent." "So your next match will be against a Soul King-level fighter with a Silver Spirit Arena Emblem." Shen An gave the staffer a charming smile and followed her to the stage. This had all been agreed upon during registration. The young female attendant blushed at his smile. He’s so handsome... and so young, but already holds a Gold Emblem? Should I ask for his contact info later? Meanwhile, in the lounge on the opposite side— At the Star Dou Great Forest, Leng Yingqiu addressed Shui Bing’er, the top student of Tianshui Academy. "Bing’er, today your teacher will face a Soul Ancestor with a Gold Emblem. Watch carefully." "Anyone who earns a Gold Emblem must be extraordinary. Learn what you can." Shui Bing’er nodded gently. "Don’t worry, Teacher Leng. And please be careful." Leng Yingqiu smiled. "Relax. The gap in rank isn’t so easy to bridge. I am still a teacher at Tianshui Academy, after all. I have confidence." "Today, I’ll give you a lesson through combat." — In the Star Dou Great Forest. After months of disappearance, Tang San was currently absorbing the soul ring of a Man-Faced Demon Spider. Tang Hao stood nearby, marveling at how blessed his son truly was. The Eight Spider Lances were indeed fearsome—they could siphon an enemy’s soul power and life essence for one’s own use. Tang San had now ascended to Soul King. And the soul ring he was absorbing came from a terrifying 15,000-year-old Man-Faced Demon Spider. Ordinary soul masters were advised not to take a fifth ring beyond 12,000 years. But Tang San had chosen one even older, in pursuit of greater power. Tang Hao wasn’t worried about whether his son could handle it. He had already helped Tang San fuse with a 100,000-year-old Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone. The enhancements to his body were tremendous. Combined with Tang San’s naturally powerful spiritual force, he had both the physical and mental fortitude to absorb it without issue. A fourth ring of 8,000 years. A fifth ring of 15,000 years. Even that Shen An couldn’t compare—Tang Hao felt a stir of pride. After some time, Tang San opened his eyes, brimming with energy and smug satisfaction. Both his fourth and fifth rings vastly exceeded the norm. Who else could match that? "Father, now that I’m a Soul King, can’t I capture more soul masters to drain their power?" Murderous intent and greed gleamed in his eyes. He hadn’t had enough. The thrill of gaining power so easily was intoxicating—he craved more. At this rate, he’d soon become a Soul Emperor, Soul Sage, maybe even a Douluo. Perhaps he’d even shatter his father’s record as the youngest Titled Douluo in history. Tang Hao said flatly, "Xiao San, although absorbing soul power this way won’t harm your foundation, you are growing too fast. You need time to stabilize." "At Soul King level, your combat skills are already enough to dominate the upcoming Soul Master Tournament." Tang San answered reluctantly, clearly dissatisfied. Tang Hao sighed to himself. His reasoning was twofold: yes, Tang San needed time to consolidate his power, but also... A string of high-level soul master disappearances would surely alert the Spirit Hall. What’s more—Tang Hao suddenly realized—Tang San’s method of stealing soul power and life force was more sinister than anything the evil soul masters of old had ever done. If Spirit Hall ever found out, he feared Qian Daoliu would personally come to kill them both. Tang Hao had since figured out that Qian Daoliu didn’t truly try to kill him back then. Otherwise, no one could’ve escaped from the most powerful Limit Douluo in the sky. But Tang San... was different. If Qian Daoliu found out about this, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike. Back in the day, the Spirit Hall had hunted down evil soul masters with a vengeance. No one more so than Qian Daoliu himself, Elder of Judgment. Sensing his son’s rising desire, Tang Hao comforted him. "Xiao San, for now, focus on training the Disorder Wind Hammer Technique. After the Soul Master Tournament, I’ll take you somewhere special." "In that place, your power will skyrocket." Tang San nodded enthusiastically. He couldn’t wait to appear at the tournament, publicly humiliate Shen An, and then soar to even greater heights.