High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2751: Chapter 972: May 4

The unexpected encounter with Lin Guo did not cause any ripples in Zheng Qing’s timeline.

Just like his third transaction with the Trident Sword, it passed swiftly, becoming a byte in his densely packed schedule.

It was like a small pebble falling into Lin Zhong Lake, the ripples easily swallowed by the vast body of water.

Such is life.

Every day, every moment, every instant is made up of countless tiny, insignificant details. While immersed in these details, people always feel the weather is fine and everything is ordinary. Only when one steps away from the details, stands at a higher perspective to see the broader picture, can one glimpse the grand waves of the era crashing onto the shore.

Zheng Qing, for the time being, does not yet have the ability to step away from the details.

So this Monday, he followed the routine of every Monday: attending class, attending class, eating, attending class, attending class, eating, attending class, completing small tasks, and sleeping.

Unlike last week, now when he falls asleep, the Gem Cat will wander outside on his behalf, enjoying a rare leisure. When he wakes up in the morning, the nocturnal cat becomes a gemstone of energy, providing him with endless energy during the day.

In theory, tonight should be no different.

Until the Gem Cat crawled out onto the window ledge of dorm room 403 to open the window, and was startled to see a ginger face pressed against the glass, staring intently at it.

The black cat trembled in shock, nearly falling back into the dorm room.

Returning to its senses, it recognized the owner of that furry, ginger face.

It was the Yellow Flowered Cat from San You Bookstore.

This brought both surprise and a trace of resentment to the black cat.

”Not sleeping at night, blocking someone’s window to scare a cat, what is your intention?” the Gem Cat grumbled in a low voice as it climbed out the window, glaring at the Yellow Flowered Cat. ”The bookstore is empty all day, dust accumulating three feet thick, such a waste of a good location! If you don’t want to run the store, give me the key and I’ll do it...”

Yellow Flowered Cat stared at it with an inscrutable gaze.

Her gaze made the fur on the back of the Gem Cat’s neck stand on end, its muttering growing quieter. She then let out a snort, flicked her tail, and turned, leaping into the depths of the night.

The Gem Cat hesitated for a few seconds, then darted after her.

Because of its small size, the Gem Cat had to run at full speed to barely keep up with the leisurely figure ahead. Just as its vision blurred and it felt it would soon revert to a stone, the Yellow Flowered Cat finally stopped.

The Gem Cat sprawled out beside the Yellow Flowered Cat, panting heavily, and only after a while did it manage to struggle back onto its feet, looking around with soft paws and tail.

Then it discovered that the two cats had stopped beneath a towering Holly tree.

Holly trees are scholar trees; it is said that in ancient times, sages lectured under them, being models of virtue. Because of their good symbolism and high medicinal value of bark and leaves, many are planted in the school, some as old as four or five hundred years, and even some thousand-year ancient trees.

The tree before Zheng Qing had a rugged stature, standing majestically, and appearance alone suggested it was at least three hundred years old.

While this analysis flashed through its mind, the Gem Cat also meticulously surveyed up and down, trying to spot a familiar figure among the branches or beneath the tree—thinking that the Yellow Flowered Cat surely didn’t bring it to a random tree and must have done so under someone’s instruction.

But after searching for a long time, it still didn’t see the figure of the gentleman.

It had to retract its gaze, tilt its head, and look at the Yellow Flowered Cat again, face full of puzzlement: ”—So late at night, you’re not sneaking off to eat fish snacks, why bring me here?”

Veins of annoyance popped on the Yellow Flowered Cat’s forehead.

”The old man is looking for you!” it gritted through its teeth, concise and terse.

The Gem Cat scanned its surroundings again, full of suspicion: ”Couldn’t he just send a Green Bird to call me to the bookstore? Or come to me in a dream? Why bring me under this tree...and where is he?”

”Close your eyes! Take a deep breath! Listen carefully!”

The Yellow Flowered Cat flicked its tail, then abruptly swatted the Gem Cat, making it stagger.

The Gem Cat sat up, tugged at its ears, obediently closed its eyes, though its mind was on other matters: it wondered whether the White Jade Cat would be impatient at its absence at the Cat Fruit Tree, whether it would be angry, and how it would apologize tomorrow.

Perhaps because its eyes were closed, its hearing became exceptionally acute.

At first, it could only hear the soft chirps of distant birds and the low hums of insect beasts; gradually, it heard the rustling of Twin-tailed Squirrels darting between branches, the swoosh of owls spreading their wings through the nocturnal sky, and the sharp flaps of bats speeding past; then followed by the rustle of leaves colliding, the whisper of the late wind sweeping across treetops, the scuttle of oil beetles turning over shrubs, and more.

Various subtle, unrelated sounds blended together, weaving a colorful night. The Gem Cat felt its perspective lifting higher and higher, seeing more with closed eyes than it typically did with them open.

Those sounds steadily accumulated within its ear canals.

Until a certain moment.

They coalesced into a familiar but indistinct voice—

”...you must learn... a higher perspective... young... don’t... too complex...”

The Gem Cat suddenly opened its eyes, took a step back, only to have the familiar voice vanish completely. It looked at the tree in front of it incredulously, then quickly turned to scrutinize the Yellow Flowered Cat beside it.

The Flower Cat sat upright and poised under the tree, head raised, eyes closed, ears pulled flat, seemingly oblivious to the young cat’s movements beside it.

There was no doubt the voice belonged to the gentleman.

But like it had asked earlier, why hadn’t the gentleman summoned it to the bookstore, or directly into a dream?

The Gem Cat with a serious expression closed its eyes again.

This time, it composed itself, silently chanting the Heart Sutra and the Calming Incantation, and with ease, entered a meditative state, achieving a deeper level of ’tranquility’ than before.

Then it heard clearer sounds.

”You have come?”

The gentleman warmly greeted.

The Gem Cat seemed to feel the gentleman standing right by its side, even reaching out to pat its head. It resisted the urge to open its eyes, maintaining its meditative state.

”Sir? Where are you?” It asked in its heart.

”I am here, and also there.” The gentleman answered philosophically, then changed the subject with a hint of laughter in his tone: ”—Do you know why I’m looking for you today?”

”Are you planning to help me catch that big crow?” This was the first thought that flashed through Zheng Qing’s mind.

Those crows had almost become an obsession for him.

”Crow? Well, they are your task and destiny. I won’t interfere lightly.”

The black cat seemed to sense the gentleman gently shaking his head beside it: ”I believe you can resolve this on your own—I’m calling you because today is your birthday. Child. Happy birthday.”