Chapter 95 The Vengeful Spirit Cat

That trace of stagnation was almost instantly suppressed by her by force, her footsteps shifted in a strange manner, and in a split second, her figure drifted backward several feet, standing firmly.

Jiang Huoyu raised her hand to rub her head; the shame and annoyance on her face had long been replaced by shock and anger, her voice trembling slightly from indignation.

"Chen Mu, are you sick?! It's one thing to suddenly attack, but to use such an underhanded trick."

"What are you trying to do? Kill me to silence me?"

Chen Mu did not answer her questioning; he only gave her a deep look, his eyes already carrying unprecedented gravity.

The deterrent effect of the Soul-Loss Art, even if just a trace, was by no means ordinary.

Yet this Jiang Huoyu only experienced a brief delay before instantly returning to normal. What did this mean?

It meant that Jiang Huoyu's Divine Soul strength, or her resistance to Soul Power attacks, far exceeded his estimation.

He was now at the Late Stage of the Dao Entry Realm and possessed various martial arts at Perfection. Even against an expert who had just entered the Heart-Awakening Realm, he might not be without the power to fight by relying on the Soul-Loss Art and the soul-slaying blade.

Yet the Soul Power contact he had just probed with was like a clay ox entering the sea, having no effect at all.

This woman was indeed hiding deep; her true strength was definitely not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

Heart-Awakening Realm, or even higher? Chen Mu dared not be certain.

However, a woman who possessed such strength, had a mysterious background, and carried strange treasures, yet kept staying in the home of a lowly Demon Suppression Division officer like himself, clearly had other motives.

Alarm bells immediately rang in Chen Mu's heart.

He no longer attacked, just quietly looking at Jiang Huoyu, the playful expression on his face completely vanished.

"You should leave."

Chen Mu suddenly spoke, his voice flat and carrying a sense of detachment.

Jiang Huoyu was rubbing her head and froze upon hearing this; the anger on her face had not yet dissipated, but it was now joined by a few traces of astonishment.

"Leave? Chen Mu, what do you mean? Are you kicking me out?"

"Yes!"

Chen Mu's answer was crisp and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.

"My temple is small and cannot accommodate a great Buddha like you."

"You've seen it too; I have piles of trouble right now and can barely protect myself. It's too dangerous for you to stay here."

Jiang Huoyu scoffed upon hearing this, as if she had heard a huge joke.

"Dangerous? Chen Mu, what do you mean? Where is it dangerous here? Have you been flattered into stupidity by those people today? Or were you angered into confusion by Xu Changze?"

"Could it be that you're afraid I'll drag you down? Or... are you afraid I'll discover some secret of yours?"

Her gaze suddenly became sharp, attempting to find a flaw on Chen Mu's face.

Chen Mu met her gaze, his tone without a ripple.

"It's not them who are dangerous; it's you."

"Your strength is unknown, your motives are unclear; keeping you by my side is like hugging a tiger and sleeping with a dragon. I am used to being alone and do not like having too many uncertain factors around me."

"Besides, I only took you in before for the sake of Zhao Xiong. I originally thought you were just temporarily in distress, but now it seems that is not the case. So, please leave, before I change my mind and truly treat you as an enemy."

These words were straightforward to the point of coldness.

In truth, he did not really think Jiang Huoyu would pose any threat to him. At least for now, there was no obvious hostility.

But he had to pressure her to see the real reason why she insisted on staying here and refused to leave.

Monitoring him? Or was there another motive?

The situation in Yunmeng City was treacherous and unpredictable, with Xu Changze watching like a tiger from the sidelines; he could not keep such an unfathomable variable.

The expression on Jiang Huoyu's face froze. Looking into Chen Mu's bottomless eyes, she felt a sudden, inexplicable panic, and her face turned a mix of pale and red.

Immediately after, an inexplicable feeling of grievance and irritation welled up in her heart. She bit her lip and suddenly raised her voice.

"Chen Mu, do you think I want to stay in this dump of yours? I can't eat well, can't drink well, and I even have to sleep in a pile of firewood, all while having to deal with your attitude."

"I... I have a reason for staying!"

Chen Mu swept a glance at her indifferently and replied with only one word.

"Speak!"

Jiang Huoyu's shoulders slumped. She bit her lip, carrying a rare trace of compromise, and then quickly walked to the corner of the courtyard, picking up the black cat and walking over.

"Here, it's because of it. I'm waiting for it to grow up!"

Chen Mu glanced at the jet-black kitten. The cat had been sleeping soundly, but was suddenly startled awake, opening its eyes to look at Chen Mu and letting out a lazy meow.

It looked entirely unremarkable.

"It?"

Chen Mu frowned slightly, clearly not quite believing this explanation.

"Yes, this is no ordinary cat."

Jiang Huoyu gently stroked the black cat's fur, her eyes becoming somewhat complicated.

"This is a very rare breed called a Soul-Devouring Spirit Cat. It feeds on resentment and is extremely difficult to raise."

"But if it can grow successfully and devour enough resentment and baleful Qi, it will undergo Awakening, becoming a powerful Yao Beast companion with an innate ability to suppress resentful spirits and evil creatures."

She paused and looked at Chen Mu again.

"The reason I insisted on staying at your place—or more accurately, staying in Yunmeng—is because it's good enough here."

"The resentment, Death Qi, and Yin Qi in this city are simply too thick. The Ghostly Creatures in the Zhao residence are just the tip of the iceberg, and it's very beneficial for its growth."

Chen Mu's heart stirred.

Yunmeng City's overwhelming resentment—was it because of the Ghostly Creatures in the Zhao residence, or was it the collusion between Xu Changze and the Yin Division that caused the imbalance of Yin and Yang, making it difficult for resentful spirits to disperse?

Or did this city itself harbor even deeper secrets?

Chen Mu's gaze moved back and forth between the black cat and Jiang Huoyu.

Jiang Huoyu saw that he still harbored wariness in his eyes, pursed her lips, and continued to explain.

"As for my cultivation, my family is from a prestigious background; one must have the power to protect oneself when traveling, right? Isn't it normal to hide a little bit? I haven't tried to harm you."

"Besides, that clan uncle of mine, Zhao Xiong—the things he gave you must have helped you quite a bit, right? If we wanted to do you harm, why would we go through all that unnecessary trouble?"

Chen Mu was silent for a moment, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of his sword.

Jiang Huoyu's explanation was a mix of truth and lies; he naturally would not believe it entirely. The Soul-Devouring Spirit Cat might be real, but its true identity and specific purpose were likely far more complicated than just raising a cat.

However, she at least admitted to hiding her cultivation and gave a relatively reasonable excuse for staying.

Chen Mu looked at the black cat for a good while. The black cat also tilted its head and stared back at him, its eyes full of innocence and curiosity.

Keeping Jiang Huoyu certainly carried risks, but she and this spirit cat might, at certain times, become unexpected variables or sources of assistance, especially when facing Xu Changze and the deeper, hidden evil spirits in Yunmeng City.

And driving her away would probably not be that easy; forcing a falling out would only be counterproductive.

In the end, Chen Mu withdrew his gaze and walked toward his bedroom.

"If you want to stay, then stay."

"But the rules remain the same: remember to pay for rent and food. If I hear you bad-mouthing me again..."

Chen Mu paused, not finishing his sentence, but the meaning was self-evident. He closed the bedroom door behind him.

Leaving only Jiang Huoyu standing in the small courtyard, still holding the black cat. She pursed her lips at the tightly closed door and muttered softly.

"Stingy! Miser! Violent maniac!"