Chapter 9

The Heart of the Monster in the Rumors Seems to Really Be Just a Little Dog.

It was already deep into the night when Zhu Yu found Chi Shu, who hadn’t yet gone to rest.

After knocking, Zhu Yu went straight to the point: “Do you have time now?”

“What is it?” Chi Shu asked, holding a candle holder. His tone was neither good nor bad.

Zhu Yu replied, “I heard you are studying at the Heavenly Realm Academy. My father has expressed a desire to send me there, but I rarely come to the Suizhou, and I don’t know much about the academy. I wanted to ask about it in advance.”

When he first saw him, Zhu Yu recognized him immediately. The young master from the Ghost Realm, often referred to by the Dragon King as a gentle and virtuous gentleman.

However, the expression on this “gentleman’s” face was far from pleasant, and there was nothing gentle about it either.

“Ask about the situation…” Chi Shu repeated, “At this hour?”

Zhu Yu replied with confidence, “Since you haven’t gone to sleep yet, why not?”

Chi Shu furrowed his brow slightly without making it obvious and turned around, saying, “Come in.”

“No need.” Zhu Yu waved his hand casually. “The formation here is close by, and the pressure makes me uncomfortable. Let’s talk at my place.”

With an attitude that left no room for refusal, he made his demand without causing irritation.

Chi Shu thought for a moment.

The Dragon Clan didn’t interact much with the Ghost Realm, but they were still considered on relatively good terms.

After a moment of thought, he followed Zhu Yu.

On the way, he took the initiative to bring up the topic: “Compared to the Heavenly Realm Academy, the Hejiang Academy isn’t much different.”

“True.” Zhu Yu said indifferently, “But when I go to the academy, I’m not concerned about whether the place is good or bad.”

“Not concerned about good or bad? Then do you care about the academy’s expenses?”

Zhu Yu glanced at him and chuckled, “Look at you, and you can still joke around.”

Chi Shu replied coldly, “I’m just speaking the truth.”

After exchanging a few words, Zhu Yu couldn’t help but start to secretly analyze.

This person was quite good-looking, but his temperament was too indifferent, and his words weren’t pleasant either.

It seemed that he wouldn’t be able to win Peipei’s favor.

Suddenly, Zhu Yu stopped in his tracks, and the smile on his face gradually faded.

Chi Shu stopped with him, ready to ask with a look, but saw the fierce and terrifying aura in Zhu Yu’s eyes, as though he wanted to devour him alive.

But in the blink of an eye, his bright eyes returned to normal.

He thought it was just an illusion and asked, “Is there something unusual?”

“Nothing.” Zhu Yu continued walking forward, his voice so faint it was almost inaudible. “Someone dared to touch my things, that’s all.”

Chi Shu didn’t usually concern himself with other people’s private matters, so he didn’t ask any further.

—

After confirming the two had left, Yu Pei quietly sneaked into the Stone Pavilion, but hesitated at the entrance.

She stared at the wildly bouncing pink furball. “It can’t be going through a mutation, can it?”

What is this?

A party atmosphere?

System: “The novel didn’t mention anything about the heart of the monster mutating.”

This is troublesome.

Yu Pei didn’t enter and cautiously asked, “If I get close to the heart of the monster, will it detect me?”

After all, the heart of the monster had just disappeared, it hadn’t died.

Moreover, unlike last time, she wasn’t in a misty form when entering the Stone Pavilion.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness.” The system replied, “He’s already removed the heart. The heart is just a vessel for part of his power. With the Demon-Suppressing Formation in place, as long as he doesn’t enter Demon God Mountain, even if someone gets close to the heart, he won’t know.”

Yu Pei nodded.

According to the storyline, the monster’s heart wouldn’t appear for a long time. If everything went smoothly, she would have completed her mission by then.

She lowered the hand resting on the doorframe and stepped inside.

Upon hearing the noise, the furry little creature stopped mid-air and looked at her.

Its black fur still tinged with a faint pink, and its round eyes were sparkling.

“Guji~” It called out softly, no different from a baby animal.

System: “Your Highness, be careful! This furry creature is definitely pretending.”

“Mm.” Yu Pei responded, taking an especially light step.

The furry creature didn’t react, just staring at her blankly.

Yu Pei took another step forward.

Suddenly! The furry creature, like a pufferfish in danger, started to rapidly expand.

Not good.

She instinctively sensed danger and quickly retreated behind the door.

At the same time, the furball shot out countless sharp black spines, dense like rain.

With a few “shhk” sounds, the black spines easily pierced through the Demon-Suppressing Formation and continuously embedded themselves into the stone walls. Moments later, those black spines, smaller than silver needles, had corroded the wall made of top-tier spirit stones, creating holes of varying sizes.

Through the crack in the door, Yu Pei saw the holes that had been corroded. The sturdy spirit stone, as hard as iron, had been eaten through, releasing thick black liquid and emitting faint white smoke.

It seemed that the furball wasn’t unable to escape the Demon-Suppressing Formation.

It was just that, due to Su Zhan’s malicious intent, it had been purposely left here.

The system screamed in alarm: “As expected! It was pretending during the day, and now it’s finally showing its true form! Your Highness, be careful!”

The furball’s body continued to expand, and in the blink of an eye, it grew from the size of a fist to the size of an inflated balloon.

Another wave of black spines launched toward her, but Yu Pei pressed two fingers together and whispered: “Lingguang Technique Six, Trap.”

A red air flow shot out and rapidly expanded into a net that covered the sky, enveloping the dense black spines completely.

With a motion of her hand, the net tightened abruptly.

The two forces collided with a loud crash, and the black spines, like small beasts stuffed into a bag, were violently thrown around, unwilling to submit.

The system reminded: 【Please note, the mission time limit is only ten minutes left.】

Yu Pei raised her hand and gently twisted the earring on her left ear.

The red net wrapping the black spines tightened once more.

After just a few breaths, the movement inside gradually subsided.

“I thought you were some obedient little thing, almost got tricked by your little rogue self.” Yu Pei looked at the “puffed up” furball, “I was still wondering if you were a cat or a dog, but now I see you’re actually a hedgehog.”

The furball seemed dissatisfied and puffed up a little more.

Yu Pei, with no expression, threatened: “If you keep shooting those spikes around, be careful, I’ll pluck every single one of your hairs.”

—

Zhu Yu lay down to rest.

Chi Shu was still discussing the academy: “The Heavenly Realm Academy will admit new disciples at the beginning of next month, but… most of the disciples there dislike the demon race, and some immortal masters also look down on them. If you go, it’s best to keep your identity hidden.”

Zhu Yu had one hand resting on the table, slowly moving his fingers, occasionally tapping lightly.

Bored, he tapped twice when suddenly he heard a voice: “I thought you were some obedient little thing, almost got tricked by your little rogue self.”

Zhu Yu froze.

Peipei?

How could it be her?

He was so familiar with her voice that even the smallest sound, like a breath, would be unmistakable.

So, what she was talking about was going after that heart?

But what use would she have for that heart? Could it be that she believed the rumors and thought that consuming the heart could truly enhance her cultivation?

While thinking this, he heard another sentence—

“I was still wondering if you were a cat or a dog, but now I see you’re actually a hedgehog.”

Cat, dog…

Zhu Yu tried to recall what the heart of his looked like.

His memory was starting to blur.

But that chaotic mass indeed resembled a kitten or puppy.

As far as he remembered, she hadn’t had any dealings with such little creatures.

Did she like them?

—”If you keep shooting those spikes around, be careful I’ll pluck every single one of your hairs.”

Hearing the words “shooting spikes,” Zhu Yu finally realized the reckless things he had just done.

Realizing he had made a mistake, he furrowed his brows, his expression showing irritation.

Chi Shu noticed the change in his expression and thought that his words had upset Zhu Yu.

He pondered and said, “There’s a reason why disciples at the academy dislike the demon race. There’s no need to take offense.”

Zhu Yu suddenly raised his eyes and looked at him. “How could ordinary cats and dogs be likable?”

Chi Shu didn’t respond immediately.

After a long pause, he spoke, somewhat disapprovingly, “Even if they cause disdain, there’s no need to think of yourself as a little pet to win people’s favor.”

Zhu Yu: “…”

What kind of nonsense was he saying?

Chi Shu added, “Moreover, even if they’re cat demons or dog demons, some people still don’t like them.”

But Zhu Yu had already stopped listening to him.

He leaned back and the red jade chain tied in his ponytail swayed, scattering a few glints of light.

How exactly did those cats and dogs gain favor?

One threat wasn’t enough. Yu Pei raised her hand again, and a faint spiritual aura circled in her palm.

It seemed to say: If it dared to shoot spikes again, she would take action.

But the fluffy little thing, which had just been so tough, suddenly deflated, revealing two glistening round eyes.

It was at this moment that Yu Pei noticed its eyes were wet and red, looking like it was about to cry. It seemed like its earlier actions weren’t really what it wanted to do.

Before she could investigate further, it flipped over, exposing its soft belly and wriggling from side to side.

“Aw——!”

Come on, pet it! Pet me!

Yu Pei: ?

Was this fluffy thing like a cow-cat, so unpredictable?

Out of caution, she didn’t rush to approach it, instead, she observed her surroundings.

Most of the poisonous spikes it had shot earlier exploded upon colliding with the pressure of the formation, with only a few near it still remaining.

If she was collecting evil aura, just one poisonous spike would suffice.

Yu Pei carefully moved closer to the demon-slaying formation.

Inside, the fluffy creature was still wriggling on the ground. When it saw that she wasn’t responding, it conjured a black mist-like tail, spinning it like a propeller. But it was shaking so quickly that its hind end started to lift off the ground, nearly floating away.

Yu Pei ignored it.

She picked up the poisonous spikes and placed them into the pre-prepared ceramic bottle. When she added the third one, the system prompted her: 【Congratulations, the mission has been completed. The reward will be distributed shortly. The opportunity is precious, the player can also collect some interaction points!】

A reward?

She was about to ask more when the fluffy creature suddenly darted out of the formation and directly crashed into her arms.

“Aw…”

It was in her arms.

So happy!

【Interaction Points +1.】

Yu Pei instinctively shoved it away as it tried to sneak attack again.

The little furball flew through the air in an arc, fell to the ground, bounced a few times, and finally stopped steadily.

But soon, it hopped back up, making little sounds, not showing any sign of anger.

Seeing it being so obedient and clingy, Yu Pei grew suspicious.

Could it be that it attacked her earlier not out of intent, but because it didn’t recognize her?

To test this hypothesis, Yu Pei took a candy out of her sleeve.

“Here.” She cautiously extended her hand. “Want some candy?

The fluffy creature stared at the transparent candy in her palm.

After a long while, it transformed two soft tentacles, carefully cupping them around the candy.

It clumsily unwrapped the candy wrapper, taking more than two minutes to fully expose the candy.

But it didn’t eat it.

Instead, it used the candy wrapper as a cushion and then held it out in front of her.

“Rao…rao.” It awkwardly mimicked her, trying to pronounce the syllable for “candy.”

Yu Pei was still processing it: “For me?”

“Gururu!”

It’s for you!

What to do?

Seeing its bright, eager eyes and its tail wagging, Yu Pei was stunned.

The heart of the rumored giant monster… seems to really be a little puppy.