Chapter 19 – Being an Author is a High Risk Occupation

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Since Pei Bufan refused to leave no matter what, Ziche Duanyuan had no choice but to find a small inn to stay in for the time being. Many of the inns near the major sects were run by the sects’ own stewards¹ and served as a source of income. Staying here at least meant they wouldn’t have to worry about troublemakers who didn’t know their place² coming to stir up trouble. Although the inn Ziche Duanyuan chose was small, it was still within the Tianwu Sect’s sphere of influence.

Upon entering, they saw the innkeeper sitting behind the counter. The innkeeper, like Pei Bufan, was a cat. The difference was that this one was a Nine-Tailed Cat.

The very same kind of unlucky Nine-Tailed Cat from the legends, who had to constantly grant people’s wishes, lose a tail, and get stuck in a vicious cycle,³ forever unable to ascend to immortality.⁴

Of course, that was just a legend.

A Nine-Tailed Cat would grant wishes, but only for its first master or their descendants. After it grew its ninth tail, it would sever one tail to fulfill a wish as a way of repaying its debt of gratitude. After that, once it cultivated its ninth tail again, it could ascend to immortality. The problem was, by the time a cat demon cultivated its ninth tail, its first master was almost always long dead, so it had to fulfill the wish for their descendants instead. A person who had never owned a cat would suddenly meet one who said it could grant them a wish, and thus the legend of the Nine-Tailed Cat was born, mistakenly leading people to believe that the cat demon could grant wishes for anyone it met.

The cat demon on the counter had currently only cultivated his third tail. Three long, white tails swished back and forth behind him. His delicate face was lowered, fingers flicking across an abacus as he muttered, “Last month’s net profit was 17 mid-grade Spirit Stones. This month is less than halfway over and I’ve already made 24. Damn it!⁵ Mass recruitment events really are profitable! I told those old coots⁶ we should hold more of these events, but they said I was being unreasonable!! This is money, money! I’m rich, I’m rich, I’m rich, I’m rich, I’m rich…”

Ziche Duanyuan: “…”

Pei Bufan: “…”

Seeing a customer arrive, the cat-boy youth instantly swept the abacus away and put on a smile. “Yo, fellow Daoist,⁷ here to stay at the inn? Or to stay at the inn?”

Was there a difference between the two?

“I recommend staying at the inn. We don’t have many rooms left, so if you don’t act fast, they’ll be gone. The price isn’t expensive, just three… no, five low-grade Spirit Stones a day!” The cat-boy thought for a moment and added, “Water and meal fees are calculated separately!”

Innkeeper, have you fallen into the eyes of money?⁸

This price might be a bit steep for a rogue cultivator,⁹ but for a bona fide whale¹⁰ like Ziche Duanyuan, it was less than nothing. “One superior room.” The rich Ziche Duanyuan tossed the cat-boy a mid-grade Spirit Stone. One mid-grade Spirit Stone was equivalent to 100 low-grade ones, enough to stay for a very long time even with daily baths and meals. Not to mention, most cultivators abstained from eating grains¹¹.

Seeing the Spirit Stone, the youth’s eyes lit up. He practically pounced on it, scooping it up and hugging it to his chest. His smile became a fraction more genuine. “Of course, all the rooms in this establishment are excellent. May I ask if you require any special services?” He shot a flirtatious wink.

So this kind of service exists everywhere!! And it looks like the innkeeper himself is going to provide it! Pei Bufan excitedly poked his head out to size up the youth. With the slender appearance of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old, he was a qualified shou¹² from looks alone! At least an eight out of ten!

Noticing the small head suddenly appear on the male lead’s chest, the youth paused, looked closely at Pei Bufan, and then gave a suggestive smile. “Oh, you already have a companion. In that case, pretend I didn’t say anything. By the way, our inn also provides special items, wouldn’t you like one~~” He winked again.

Completely ignoring those words, Ziche Duanyuan asked, “Where is the room?”

“Upstairs, first door on the left!” The youth pointed upstairs. Seeing another young man step through the entrance, he abandoned Ziche Duanyuan and went to greet the newcomer.

“Are there any rooms left?” Hearing the newcomer’s voice, Ziche Duanyuan’s steps faltered, and an irrepressible fire of anger and hatred ignited in his heart.

Sensing his aura leak out, both the cat innkeeper and the newcomer looked at him in surprise.

Pei Bufan let out a low whimper, calling the male lead back to his senses.

“You can’t do that, Bufan,” Ziche Duanyuan’s lips curved as he pinched Pei Bufan’s ear. “If you run around again, I’ll get angry…” He said this as he walked up the stairs and into the room.

His body leaned against the door, arms hanging limply as Pei Bufan leaped from his embrace. Ziche Duanyuan was still completely immersed in the nightmare of his past life.

That voice was very familiar. It was Wu Jueshi’s voice.

He didn’t hate this person; on the contrary, he was somewhat grateful. It was just that his appearance made Ziche Duanyuan unable to stop recalling his previous life.

Wu Jueshi was an enigma. Even up to his death, Ziche Duanyuan never knew which sect he belonged to, nor did he ever reveal his cultivation level. Ziche Duanyuan had no idea what his true strength was.

The first time he met this person in his past life, the man had acted as Zhong Yanqing’s lover, opposing him at every turn, his words implicitly and explicitly threatening him to break up with Zhong Yanqing. But when he met this man again after his downfall, he wasn’t by Zhong Yanqing’s side. He didn’t seem obsessed with Zhong Yanqing at all and had instead helped him, allowing him to turn danger into safety during a crisis.

Although he hadn’t escaped the fate of death in the end, at that moment, this person had truly helped him.

To this day, he still didn’t understand this man’s motives. He never expected to meet him in this life in the remote Tianwu Sect.

Recalling the events of his past life, Ziche Duanyuan’s heart could not find peace. Hatred made his qi and blood surge. Sensing that the blood vessels throughout his body were on the verge of bursting, Ziche Duanyuan hastily reined in his qi and began to meditate.

Pei Bufan licked his paws. He had been lying on Ziche Duanyuan’s chest the whole time, so he knew very well. The male lead’s body had tensed up the moment he heard that man’s voice. But who was that man? He didn’t remember such a character in the original novel! In his book, Ziche Duanyuan only had one connection to the Tianwu Sect: he had once hooked up with a shou from there, a fox demon, he seemed to recall.

Of course, after a few flings and a few nights in bed to get a secret treasure, the two had broken up amicably. That fox demon was also someone who played the field and held no lingering attachment to the male lead, dropping him to find a second spring.¹³ Or was it the Nth spring?

This kind of temporary bed partner only appeared occasionally and didn’t count as a major plot development. And judging by the male lead’s state, it was more likely this was an enemy from his past life. But Pei Bufan had made a list of everyone who had screwed over the male lead in his past life, and the Tianwu Sect had nothing to do with it!

Where did this man pop out from?

Randomly overturning the original plot to create new characters, how could you do this to me, the author?!¹⁴ The path we’re on is already so far from the original story. If you tell me this is now just a f*cking fanfic,¹⁵ how am I supposed to survive?! It’s not easy for me, okay!! Please stop screwing me over!!¹⁶ I’m already risking my life just to do these missions. If the character settings are changed again, there won’t even be a walkthrough, so what am I supposed to do now?!¹⁷

Seeing the male lead surrounded by wisps of spirit qi, an idea suddenly flashed in Pei Bufan’s mind. Wo qu, if I don’t run now, when will I?! Once he starts meditating, it could be for a few hours or even a few days. I still have a mission to do!!

Although the male lead had set up a restriction spell,¹⁸ because his qi was unstable, he was in a rush to isolate himself from others. He also didn’t consider the little black cat an “other,” so Pei Bufan could pass freely through the barrier. It was far too careless!

Go ahead and cry when you wake up from your meditation and find the cat gone!

He took out a Transformation Card and turned into a cat-tailed youth, then rummaged naked through his System-provided inventory for clothes. Good thing he hadn’t thrown out the ones he stole last time! So clever!

Just as Pei Bufan was about to put on the clothes, he suddenly looked at Ziche Duanyuan. A smirk appeared on his lips. He smugly wiggled his bare little butt at the male lead, then pulled on the clothes and swaggered openly out the door.

The man from before was no longer in the main hall; he must have gone to his room. Only the cat-boy youth was left, flicking his tails while working the abacus. Seeing Pei Bufan come downstairs, he gave a smile.

“I really didn’t expect to see a kinsman~~” the youth said, resting his chin on his hand. “I’m already over 200 years old, from the Nine-Tailed Spirit Cat branch. According to seniority, you should call me Uncle.”

Pei Bufan was a little dumbfounded. He scratched his head. “I’m… from the Firewood Cat branch.”

The youth’s eyes widened, and then he burst out laughing with a pfft. “Hahaha… that’s a good one.”

Pei Bufan stared at him with a deadpan face. He wasn’t telling a joke.

After laughing his fill, the youth wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. He looked up, saw Pei Bufan’s expression, and asked in disbelief, “…No way, you really think you’re a Firewood Cat?”

Pei Bufan stared at him with dead-fish eyes.¹⁹

“Wo qu!! Where did this idiot come from!! Firewood Cat!! How could something like that possibly gain intelligence, let alone shapeshift!” The youth waved his hand dismissively. “Was it those foolish humans who told you that? Tsk tsk, they can’t even tell the difference between an Oil Rat and a Seeking Rat. You’re better off guessing on your own than listening to them.”

An Oil Rat was a common rodent. A Seeking Rat, however, was a mid-level spirit beast with a sensitive nose and a natural affinity for heavenly treasures.

“As a kinsman, I can see your race at a glance!” The youth poked Pei Bufan’s nose. “Listen up, kid! You are from the great Nether Cat branch, a divine beast! You rule over the Netherworld, and all nether beasts must bow before you! Don’t lower your status and lump yourself in with those things that can only roll around and meow! It’s too embarrassing!”

Wow!

Nether Cat! That thing… he really didn’t know about it!!! He definitely didn’t write this thing into the original novel!

But it sounded so high-class and impressive!!²⁰ So he was from such a badass²¹ race? But… aren’t divine beasts supposed to be able to talk and shapeshift from birth? Why did he still have to curl his tail around a brush and rely on Transformation Cards?!

Could it be that he was born the wrong way?!

“It’s a pity… the Nether Cat branch has difficulty procreating, and awakening their legacy²² isn’t easy either. If I hadn’t seen you, I would have thought they were extinct.” He glanced Pei Bufan up and down. “You haven’t unlocked your legacy yet, have you? It’s not easy for you to have gotten this far on your own.”

…Finding out that my entire family might be wiped out right after I was born feels really weird.

And what’s with that look? Is that disdain? We’re both in a semi-humanoid form, what right do you have to look down on me?

“Hm? Are you talking about me?” Sensing the anger in Pei Bufan’s eyes, the youth’s body shifted, and the tails behind his butt and the ears on his head retracted. “I only maintain a semi-humanoid form because many humans like it. It makes it easier to earn Spirit Stones! Uncle here is about to save up a hundred million! Then I’ll use the Spirit Stones to build myself a huge castle!!!”

Pei Bufan: …That’s a nice dream, please keep at it… Uncle…

********

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Reika’s Notes:

• This text was translated by Kotori Translates, and given to BC Novels to publish.
• I helped with the footnotes, formatting, grammar, etc., the usual stuff that is needed to post this on the website.
• Please let me know if there are any errors. Thanks for reading!

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1. 执事 – A title for a person in a position of responsibility within a sect or organization, like a deacon, manager, or steward.
2. 不长眼 = Literally “to not have eyes.”
3. 死循环 – Literally “dead loop.” A modern term meaning a vicious cycle or an endless, repeating problem with no escape.
4. 登仙 – A key concept in xianxia, meaning to achieve immortality and become a celestial being or deity.
5. 妈蛋 – A softer, cuter internet slang version of the curse word 他妈的, which is equivalent to “f*cking hell” or “damn it.”
6. 老不死的 (lǎo bù sǐ de): Literally “old and not dying.” A very disrespectful and common term for old people, similar to “old fossil” or “old coot.”
7. 道友 – “Friend of the Dao.” A common and polite form of address between cultivators.
8. 掉钱眼里了 – A common idiom meaning to be obsessed with money, to the point where it’s all one can see or think about.
9. 散修 – Literally “scattered/loose cultivator.” Refers to cultivators who are not affiliated with any sect or clan and cultivate independently. They are often less wealthy and have fewer resources.
10. 土豪 – A popular internet slang term for a rich person, often one who spends money lavishly. It can be translated as “nouveau riche,” “whale” (in a gaming context), or simply “rich guy.”
11. 辟谷 – Inedia, the Daoist practice of abstaining from grains (and eventually all food) to purify the body and advance one’s cultivation. It is a common ability for high-level cultivators in xianxia novels.
12. 小受 – BL (Boys’ Love) terminology. Shou (from the Japanese uke) refers to the receptive or “bottom” partner in a relationship. Pei Bufan is rating him on a scale of “bottom-ness.”
13. 第二春 – Literally “second spring.” An idiom for finding new love or success later in life.
14. 情何以堪 – A classical phrase meaning “how can this be endured?” It’s used to express extreme embarrassment, shame, or frustration. Here, it conveys the author’s despair at the plot going off the rails.
15. 同人 – The Chinese term for “doujin” or fan-created works, such as fanfiction or fanart.
16. 坑我 – A popular slang term meaning “to screw me over,” “to trap me,” or “to make things difficult for me.”
17. 肿么破 – Cutesy internet slang for 怎么办, which means “What should I do?” The baby-talk spelling emphasizes a feeling of cute, whiny despair.
18. 禁制 – A barrier, seal, or restriction spell commonly used in xianxia to trap people, protect areas, or seal powers.
19. 死鱼眼 – “Dead-fish eyes.” A common term in anime/manga culture to describe a character’s blank, emotionless, or deadpan stare.
20. 高大上档次 – A popular slang phrase combining three words (高档 high-grade, 大气 magnificent, 上档次 classy) to describe something as being high-end, impressive, and luxurious.
21. 牛掰 – A slightly different and less common way of writing the popular slang term 牛逼 , which means “awesome,” “badass,” or “f*cking cool.”
22. 传承 – Inheritance or legacy. In a xianxia context, this often refers to innate bloodline memories, powers, and knowledge that can be “awakened.”