Chapter 6: Opening Your Eyes 

Domestic cats?

Chen Xi was initially stunned, but then he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, this had directly fallen into his hands. If it had been anything else, he might have been helpless. But, of all things, the ones falling ill were cats—domestic cats, the very type he was most familiar with.

As a litter box cleaners not only could he handle regular minor issues, but even when it came to surgeries, Chen Xi knew a thing or two.

Therefore, sometimes, when a problem is served up to you on a silver platter, if you don’t want to step on it, you can’t help but walk right into it. At the same time, his thoughts shifted, and he remembered the setup he had made for the Moonlight Celestial Beasts earlier. Although it had come earlier than he expected, it was still a very convenient and appropriate time.

With this thought, Chen Xi lowered his head, suppressing the smile in his eyes. He intentionally put on a dramatic expression and said to Immortal Wu Yi, “I’m just afraid that if I go, the Moonlight Celestial Beasts might be displeased.”

“No need to worry, someone will handle it for you,” Immortal Wu Yi said, mistakenly thinking Chen Xi was threatening him. His expression darkened, and he casually pointed to Zhou Cheng beside him, instructing him to take over Chen Xi’s duties.

Every day, each cave had scheduled food supplies. By routine, the food for the Moonlight Celestial Beasts was nearly the same as the day before when Chen Xi had prepared it. Given that the methods were already familiar, Zhou Cheng only had to follow the same procedure. Even if it wasn’t perfect, it would be good enough to get by. The most important thing at the moment was the issue with the Mucheng Cave.

“That’s best,” Chen Xi said with a smile, then followed the guide immortal into the teleportation array heading to Mucheng Cave. As he passed Zhou Cheng, he unusually spoke in a gentle tone, “I wish you a bright future.”

Resigned to despair?

A trace of doubt rose in Zhou Cheng’s heart. However, the other immortals took Chen Xi’s compliance as a sign of having no way out, and not a single one of them noticed the deep meaning in his eyes.

These immortals, so high and mighty, could really use a lesson!

—

Mucheng Cave

The noise, chaos, and overwhelming panic were palpable.

As soon as Chen Xi stepped out of the teleportation array, he was surrounded by various anxious voices.

Outside Mucheng Cave, many immortals had gathered, along with a few celestial beasts. Chen Xi didn’t pay much attention to them. His gaze immediately shifted to the interior of the cave.

It was cold and damp.

This is actually the living space for kittens less than a month old? Chen Xi couldn’t help but shiver. He then saw a bunch of fur dumplings huddled together deep within the cave.

Indeed, compared to the Moonlight Celestial Beasts, these Moonshadow Celestial Beast kittens resembled Earth’s domestic cats much more closely. Their orange fur, soft and floppy, with ears that hadn’t fully developed yet, lay flat against their heads. They were tiny, even smaller than a palm, looking no more than ten days old.

At present, the situation of these Moonshadow Celestial Beasts was very serious. Their eyes and noses were clogged with mucus, and their mouths were slightly open, struggling to breathe.

Cup-shaped? No, it should be nasal congestion, Chen Xi’s mind immediately flashed with the diagnosis.

Nasal congestion, similar to a human cold, was one of the most common ailments in cats. Although it wasn’t a major illness, for such young Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, it could be fatal. Unfortunately, these Moonshadow Celestial Beasts couldn’t tolerate Immortal medicine, and with no other treatment options, they were left to their fate.

Now it made sense, no wonder they wanted him to take the blame. Chen Xi stood at the entrance of the cave and gave the crowd a cold glance before striding inside.

“Thank you for your hard work, Young Chen,” the physician at the door said hurriedly, offering a few polite words. Although his attitude remained arrogant, there was some sincerity in his expression. After all, Chen Xi’s arrival had prevented a lot of disaster for them.

“Heh, I don’t want to be thanked by a group of cowards who only know how to pass the blame.” Chen Xi clearly saw the relief on their faces and became even more disdainful of these immortals. He made a sarcastic remark from the bottom of his heart, not caring whether they were embarrassed or angry, and directly headed toward the kittens.

—

The Moonshadow Cave was true to its name, with massive rocks blocking the sky and leaving no trace of light. Only a few faint candlelights on the stone walls barely illuminated the surroundings.

This wouldn’t do. Cats are among the animals that love sunlight the most. Normally, they enjoy basking in the sun and soaking in its warmth. How could they possibly be comfortable when ill in such conditions? However, this wasn’t the time to dwell on these matters, he had to find a way to act quickly.

After a simple check of the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts’ condition, Chen Xi had a rough idea of what to do. Fortunately, it was just nasal congestion with no other complications, so treating it wouldn’t be difficult.

However, the problem was that these celestial beasts were still too young for some medications. But the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts inherited the strong resilience of Earth’s orange cats. Their self-healing abilities were exceptionally strong. As long as they were given the right opportunity, they could recover quickly.

Chen Xi rummaged through the medicine chest left by the physician. He selected a few herbs: Mianyang Flower, whose juice had the same composition as Earth’s mild saline solution, and Xuerui Grass, which had anti-inflammatory properties, similar to broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory medicine for pets on Earth.

After carefully preparing the herbs, Chen Xi mixed the saline solution and began cleaning the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts. The damp cloth wiped across their eyelids and noses, removing the hardened mucus that had stuck to their fur, revealing the pale skin underneath.

Next, he cleaned the insides of their eyes.

This method had never been used in the Celestial Realm. The physicians left at the entrance couldn’t help but show disdain.

The reason these celestial beasts were housed on Beast Island was that they could not tolerate the intense immortal spiritual energy, which could cause them to explode and die. Even the food they ate couldn’t be too high-level, or it would pose a deadly risk. Yet, Chen Xi casually took a few celestial herbs and began to treat them. His boldness was astonishing.

However, only ten minutes later, those who had mocked him were all slapped in the face.

“Meow~” The hoarse mew of a kitten echoed intermittently from within the cave. After Chen Xi administered the Xuerui Grass, the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, who had been declared critically ill by the physicians, all opened their eyes.

Although their eye sockets were still swollen, they could indeed open their eyes now. The mucus was significantly reduced, and more importantly, they appeared much livelier.

“What… what’s going on?” Everyone was stunned. The physicians especially looked on with disbelief.

However, Chen Xi paid them no mind and continued observing.

Sure enough, as time passed, the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, which had been sluggish and weak, regained most of their energy.

At last, Chen Xi felt at ease. It seemed his earlier guesses were correct. Although these Moonshadow Celestial Beasts had physical issues, they were far stronger than Earth’s kittens. Give them an energy source, and they could recover quickly on their own.

He gently rubbed one of the furry little heads and leaned down to kiss its soft pink nose, only for it to reach up with its tiny paw and hold onto his wrist.

“Feeling better?” Chen Xi asked softly, his lips curving into a gentle smile. The warmth of the smile reflected in the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts’ clear eyes.

They liked this human.

The kitten licked the back of Chen Xi’s hand with its barbed little tongue and snuggled closer, holding onto him tighter.

The medicine had worked wonders.

Who could have predicted that the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, which had been declared beyond saving just minutes ago, would be revived in Chen Xi’s hands? Not only had they recovered physically, but their spirits had also been significantly restored.

“Chen Xi, he must be a mortal, right?” someone muttered in awe. However, all that answered him was silence.

Outside the cave, all the immortals were at a loss for words. The self-important physicians were blushing, as if they had been publicly slapped. As for the celestial beasts waiting outside, they began to call out excitedly.

“Thank you,” one of the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts’ kin lowered its front limbs, bowing its head to Chen Xi in gratitude.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry,” Chen Xi shook his head, then focused his attention back on the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts.

—

After asking the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, Chen Xi activated the mechanism in the cave, allowing sunlight to pour in. At the same time, he found a soft cushion and placed the few kittens on it. After covering them with a thick quilt, he turned around and headed to the place where he usually prepared meals.

A cat needs to eat in order to recover well, so Chen Xi prepared to start cooking.

“Useless.” Outside, the doctors couldn’t help but sneer again as they watched Chen Xi’s actions.

Although the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts weren’t as picky as the Moonlight Celestial Beasts, they were still ill, and wouldn’t easily eat. Chen Xi’s small kindness was destined to be in vain.

However, it was obvious to everyone that this attitude was just them trying to salvage their pride, attempting to save face.

Eggs and milk were the first two ingredients Chen Xi selected. After hesitating for a moment, he also picked a few oranges.

The palm-sized oranges were swiftly sliced in half by Chen Xi. He hollowed out the center of the fruit, running a small knife along the inner wall, smoothing out the previously uneven surface. In just a few seconds, he had made a beautiful orange bowl.

The golden egg yolks mixed with milk, transforming into an enticing custard. After adding a spoonful of powdered sugar and juice extracted from the orange flesh, the color became even warmer. Just looking at it felt soothing. The only downside was that the cooking technique was too simple, lacking the complexity that had wowed people when he made food for the Moonlight Celestial Beasts.

“This Chen Xi must be out of ideas,” some of the immortals who had seen him cook before shook their heads. Although they couldn’t tell much about the cooking technique, just watching it, they knew this time his method wasn’t impressive, and they doubted the sick Moonshadow Celestial Beasts would appreciate it.

The few doctors were even more disdainful, all muttering, “With this incomplete dish, not only would the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts not eat it, even those without spiritual intelligence wouldn’t go near it.”

“That’s not necessarily true. After all, this Chen Xi was able to serve the Moonlight Celestial Beasts, so there might still be some mystery to it,” an immortal who couldn’t stand their arrogance spoke up in fairness. “And even if they don’t eat, what can be done? Just by bringing them back to life, he deserves a reward from the higher-ups.”

“Heh, just a mortal,” one of the doctors sneered, and they fell silent, secretly hoping to see Chen Xi make a fool of himself.

However, Chen Xi didn’t notice any of this. He was focused on making the final preparations.

Cold water went into the steamer, and on the large white porcelain plate in the bamboo basket, six small orange bowls were arranged in the shape of flowers. The egg mixture inside began to steam, filling the air with a particularly sweet aroma. Mixed with the fresh scent of oranges, it dispelled the heavy mood in the cave.

“Meow~” The Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, who had been lying weakly together, were drawn to the scent and couldn’t help but open their eyes, trying to locate the source of the smell. Their pink noses twitched, and their eyes, full of longing, began to glisten with tears.

Seeing this, Chen Xi quickly bent down, gently rubbing their heads, and softly reassured them, “Wait a little longer, it will be ready soon.”

As he continued to comfort them, the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts gradually quieted down. The delicious food in the pot was slowly cooking as time passed.

Chen Xi took the plates from the steamer, and the steamed eggs in the orange bowls released an inviting fragrance.

The deep orange and golden custard alternated, complementing each other like the warm winter sun blooming over pristine snow. After sprinkling a layer of sweet maple syrup and adding a handful of crunchy almond slices, it was perfect for this sunny afternoon.

“Meow…” The hungry kittens couldn’t wait any longer. Although they still lacked strength, they desperately clawed at the blanket under them, trying to stand up.

“Here it is, don’t rush,” Chen Xi quickly scooped some onto a spoon, blew on it to cool it down, and brought it to the kittens’ lips.

The egg custard, with the addition of milk, was even softer and smoother than pudding. The slightly sour sweetness from the orange flesh perfectly masked the eggy taste. The almonds added a chewiness that made it delicious and easy to digest, perfect for sick kittens.

Soon, the kittens eagerly ate, all holding onto Chen Xi’s wrist, unwilling to let go. Some even boldly, despite their weak legs, climbed into his lap, trying to snatch the spoon filled with the custard.

—

While Chen Xi turned the situation around, things were not looking good in the main hall.

Zhou Cheng, who had been sent by the Immortal Wu Yi to replace Chen Xi in preparing food for the Moonlight Celestial Beasts, had just started handling the ingredients when, inexplicably, the Moonlight Celestial Beasts became furious, even showing real anger. Now, their lives hung in the balance.

Watching his subordinate being sent back through the teleportation array, Immortal Wu Yi’s face darkened. At the same time, a few immortals who were somewhat skilled in beast taming also changed their expressions after carefully examining the scene in the water mirror.

This Chen Xi… is really cruel!

—

Author’s Note: 

Moonshadow Celestial Beasts: I like, I like Xixi QAQ