Chapter 11

If one jumps from the 16th floor and ends up in this state, it's not really considered ugly. It's just that the sight of the bleeding cat's body still evokes some pity.

After all, this white and yellow cat was probably just an innocent stray, right?

I was silent for a while, wondering if the dent on the car hood was a warning to me. I didn't walk up to it but instead turned around and went to the convenience store in the neighborhood to buy a grass mat for a pillow and a plastic bag before returning.

Pushing aside a few aunts who were gossiping, I put the cat's body into the plastic bag, wrapped it in the grass mat, and used a cloth from the car to wipe the blood off the car hood. I then silently drove away, amidst the puzzled looks and whispers of the aunts.

I didn't kill the cat, but it died because of me. This cat, to some extent, was affected by my and Old Zhou's involvement. I felt I should give it a proper burial, sending it off with a bit of mental energy. This is a cause and effect, a form of kindness.

Sometimes, the essence of kindness is not excessive sympathy but a natural respect, a respect that transcends any barriers, regardless of gender, race, or species—equal respect for all things.

This is a principle the old man explained to me when he was being unusually serious. At such times, his language skills would rise from elementary school level to that of a university professor.

Although I was very worried about Old Zhou, my car still headed without hesitation to the outskirts of the city. In a more secluded area, I chose a good tree, climbed up, and hung the wrapped cat's body.

Cats are inherently very spiritual, and their bodies should not touch the ground. The reason is not what people say—that touching the ground will turn them into demons and harm others. Instead, their strong spirituality also means strong yin energy. If a complete cat's body touches the ground, it can easily gather the yin energy of the earth, which can linger and hinder the cat's reincarnation.

Standing under the tree, I took out three incense sticks from the trunk, recited a Taoist prayer, and presented it to the heavens, explaining the reason: this cat died because of me, and I should do this for it.

Otherwise, accepting what one cannot bear is a burden.

After handling everything, I turned around and drove back to the city, but my mood was somewhat heavy, or rather, I felt a sense of pressure.

I've said before that if the person Old Zhou offended was associated with weasels, foxes, or even snakes, it would be easier to handle. After all, these animals are easy to communicate with spiritually. But if it's a cat, it's definitely not easy to handle.

People in folklore don't like cats, thinking they are evil. Places where strange events often occur are usually accompanied by the presence of cats. This is also often depicted in many movies and novels.

Actually, in the eyes of practitioners, it's far from that. If you were to rank the most spiritually protective animals, it would be roosters and cats.

Because they correspond to the White Tiger and the Vermilion Bird.

Just as roosters like to peck at yin insects like centipedes, these insects often fear roosters, not because they are natural enemies, but because the roosters' yang energy is their nemesis.

Compared to hens, roosters have even stronger yang energy, which is a natural trait of all species on this planet.

If you can find a true five-colored rooster, it would be considered a treasure by Taoists.

As for cats often appearing in places with strong yin energy, it's actually a misunderstanding. Why? Because cats have a natural instinct to ward off evil, and evil entities also avoid them. So, their presence in such places is not a burden.

Sometimes, this instinct manifests in such a way that when a person walks into a place with bad energy, the appearance of a cat can make it safer. The cat might have already driven away evil entities or neutralized some bad energy. But people, seeing this often, mistakenly think that places with cats are bad.

So, it's a huge misunderstanding.

As for the Four Symbols, the Azure Dragon and the Black Tortoise, they have nothing to do with warding off evil, and I didn't think much about it.

Actually, I have a very good impression of cats. Even though they are lazy, proud, and hard to truly bond with, they ward off evil out of interest, just like they catch mice out of interest. In reality, they bear the blame but continue to do good things, right?

At least, they catch mice, don't they?

Thinking about this, I realized why I felt so troubled. A cat, with its strong spirituality and innate ability to suppress evil, turning into a harmful 'cat' feels like a police officer turning into a criminal.

If a police officer becomes a criminal, wouldn't their counter-investigation skills be very strong?

For something like a cat, if it goes down the wrong path, it can be very difficult to deal with. My master once told me a story about cat spirits, commenting, "A cat has nine lives, not because its physical body is strong and can be killed nine times. It means that a true cat spirit has an incredibly powerful soul, as if it has nine lives, making it very difficult to handle. When a cat becomes a spirit, it stirs up storms, and every time it must be dealt with seriously."

I started to get a headache. As a child, I found stories about cat spirits quite terrifying, but my mind also became more active. If I really can't handle it, would it be justified to go up the mountain to find my master and senior brother?

Thinking about this, my hand involuntarily trembled, and the car almost veered off the lane, causing the car behind me to honk in dissatisfaction.

Looking up, I realized I had driven past the entrance to my neighborhood, and it was a miracle I hadn't had an accident.

At home, I gathered the necessary items. Out of some consideration, I also took a soul-calling talisman, hoping Old Zhou wouldn't be too unlucky, or it would really take a lot of effort.

What I feared was that even after all the effort, I might not be able to solve the problem, and Old Zhou's condition couldn't be delayed for too long.

I quickly returned to Old Zhou's house. The whole day passed by watching TV and eating, and during this time, Old Zhou woke up several times, each time screaming in terror about the cat. To avoid causing him permanent damage, I couldn't knock him out too many times.

So, I had to use a towel to gag him, and I wondered if he would try to kill me when he regained consciousness.

If you don't pay attention to time, it passes quickly. When the credits of a boring TV show finally rolled, I checked the time and saw it was already past 11 PM.

I got up, turned off the TV, and also turned off all the lights in the house. At this time, if Old Zhou's close relatives were here, the soul-calling would be simpler. Unfortunately, even if they were here, I wouldn't dare to involve them.

So, I cleared the living room and placed a bowl of clear water in the center. I then arranged 18 candles in a specific pattern, washed my hands, and burned incense, beginning the ritual.

Since I couldn't find Old Zhou's soul, setting up the water bowl to 'ask the way' was necessary. Here, I had to offer some benefits and offerings to the wandering spirits, just like street vendors who have the most up-to-date information.

Don't think there are many wandering spirits in a city. After all, most people enter the cycle of reincarnation, and the number of wandering spirits is not large. Over time, they become familiar with each other, and they know about any disturbances in the city, especially the appearance of new wandering spirits.

Even the remnants of a soul that has been startled count.

If I get a hint, the water bowl will naturally react.

My spiritual senses are not outstanding, and such communication and summoning spells are usually beyond my capabilities. However, I am a freak with exceptional soul power. With just a bit of spiritual sense as a guide, my powerful soul power can make the spell's effect exceptionally strong.

Even for communication spells.

It's like if my voice isn't loud enough, can I use a megaphone?

At this moment, I was completely focused, and my feet began to step in the pattern of the ritual. I recited the incantation, and the spell to communicate and summon wandering spirits began.