Peking Opera Cat: I Became A Zi's Brother

"Are you still here..."

Mo Zi's eyes were as sharp as torches, staring intently at the surging chaotic black fog, as if he could see through it and see the conspiracy behind it.

She knew that the situation here was extremely precarious and that she couldn't afford to lose even a moment. So, she decisively turned around and faced her fellow Star Luos. Her voice was low, yet it radiated undeniable strength:

"This place is extremely dangerous. The Chang Zong Zong Palace might hold the key to balancing An. We must set off immediately!"

"Okay, sister..."

Xiaoqing understood what she meant, and with a swish, her sleeves spread out, drawing two graceful arcs in the air, like a nimble dragon. She gracefully leaped to the front of the team.

"I'll explore the way first, everyone follow me closely!"

Da Fei walked with steady steps, the heavy "dong dong" sound of his footsteps shaking the ground slightly. He came to the end of the team like an iron tower and said in a muffled voice:

"I'll cover your rear. No danger will get close to us!"

Bai Tang clenched his fists, trying to calm himself down, but his eyes still couldn't hide the confusion and anxiety:

"I...I will definitely work hard and won't hold you back."

Wu Song folded his arms across his chest, making a crisp buzzing sound. His stick trembled slightly, and his eyes, sharp as torches, scanned the surroundings coldly.

"If there's any obstacle, I'll make sure it never comes back!"

Mingyue clasped her hands together, and a soft light flowed through her palms, like the warm spring sun, dispelling some of the haze:

"Don't be too anxious, just focus on your own safety."

……

The Xingluo troupe officially embarked on the journey to Changzongzong Palace.

In the dense forest, sturdy trees block out the sun, and damp mist permeates the air, exuding a sense of oppression and weirdness.

Occasionally, the low growls of unknown wild beasts, "Awoo-Awoo-", could be heard, echoing in the quiet woods, making one's hair stand on end.

The fallen leaves under his feet rustled. Mo Zi did not play the Fengming Jade Flute, but relied on his keen perception to lead everyone through the intricate paths.

"Humph……"

She was agile, like an elf in the dark night, easily avoiding the crisscrossing tree roots and thorns hidden in the dark, and "whoosh" passed the obstacle in front of her.

"Uh--"

As he walked, Bai Tang's steps became slower and slower, and his eyes were filled with confusion and fear.

The scenes in the illusion played over and over in his mind like a nightmare: it was originally a seemingly peaceful and tranquil village, with blue bricks and gray tiles, curling smoke from cooking, and the air filled with the aroma of food.

He and his friends walked into a small restaurant and enthusiastically invited a white-haired old lady to have dinner with them.

The old lady had a kind smile on her face. Just as she was about to take the dishes, suddenly, "boom--" the black chaos quickly swallowed up the entire village like a surging tide.

The houses collapsed with a loud roar, the villagers cried out in despair, the old lady's kind face was instantly distorted, and finally completely submerged in darkness.

The feeling of despair that suffocated the cat was like a poisonous snake that tightly wrapped around him and could not be shaken off.

"Sugar, what's wrong?"

Xiaoqing noticed that Baitang was acting strangely, stopped and asked with concern.

Her voice was gentle, with a hint of worry.

Bai Tang was stunned for a moment, his eyes wandering, and he shook his head subconsciously:

"I... I keep thinking about the things in the illusion, those horrific scenes, and I feel like those dark shadows will rush out and devour us at any time."

His voice trembled slightly, his hands clenched unconsciously, and his body swayed slightly.

"Um?"

Mo Zi walked to Bai Tang, stretched out his hand, and gently patted his shoulder, his voice soft but full of power:

"Bai Tang, the illusion is over. It was just a false illusion created by the flute master. Look, we are all fine. As long as we stick together, nothing can hurt us."

Her eyes were firm, like the brightest stars in the night sky, bringing a sense of comfort to Bai Tang.

"it is good--"

Not long after they left, a wide river blocked their way.

The river roared and galloped like a wild horse, the sound of the flowing water was deafening, and layers of white waves splashed up.

The rushing water constantly hits the river bank, as if it wants to sweep everything to the bottom of the river.

After observing carefully for a moment, Mo Zi quickly formed seals with his hands, and the light blue rhythmic energy condensed in his palms, and the light became brighter and brighter.

Then, she pushed forward with all her might, and "whoosh" a row of ice-blue stone steps condensed on the river surface.

The stone steps exude a faint chill, forming a sharp contrast with the surging river.

"Everyone be careful and follow the stone steps across the river."

Mo Zi warned, his voice echoing on the river.

The cats stepped onto the stone steps carefully, taking every step extremely cautiously, for fear of falling into the river by accident.

Just when we were about to reach the other side, a strong wind suddenly blew over, carrying sand and gravel. The sound of the wind was like the roar of a devil.

The strong wind caused the river to shake violently, and cracks began to appear on the stone steps, making a creaking sound.

Da Fei was quick-eyed and quick-handed. He stretched out his strong arms like steel and grabbed Bai Tang who was about to fall, and stabilized his body.

He pulled Baitang to his side and shouted:

"Everyone stay calm, don't panic!"

After crossing the river, everyone took a short rest on the shore.

Wu Song observed his surroundings vigilantly, his brows furrowed, and said:

"This journey has been too peaceful, perhaps even abnormally peaceful. I'm afraid even greater troubles are waiting for us later."

His voice was low and tinged with worry.

"Hmm~"

Mo Zi nodded, looking towards the rolling hills in the distance. His eyes penetrated the swirling clouds and mist, as if he had already seen the outline of Chang Zong Zong Palace:

"The road ahead will definitely not be easy, we must be extremely alert."

Just then, a colorful bird flew over the treetops, chirping crisply.

But the cats did not let down their guard at all. After all, beneath this seemingly calm surface, who knows how many dangers are hidden...

Mo Zi withdrew his gaze from the rolling mountains and suddenly noticed that Hai Piao was curled up on the side, trembling all over.

"Oh no, Haipiao has a fever!"

Mingyue screamed and rushed to Haipiao in an instant. Her hands were glowing with warmth as she carefully diagnosed him.

In the blink of an eye, the air around seemed to freeze, and the originally tight travel plan had to be paused.

Bai Tang's face was filled with anxiety. He rushed to Hai Piao and called out in a tearful voice:

"Haipiao, wake up, you must hold on!"

Haipiao closed his eyes tightly, his little face flushed red, he let out a slight moan from time to time, and sweat soaked the fur on his body.

"There's a water source nearby. I'll go get some!"

Xiaoqing waved her sleeves and turned into a green afterimage, rushing towards the stream.

The branches and leaves rustled as she moved back and forth. After a while, Xiaoqing came back with water. Her chest was heaving violently because she ran so fast.

She quickly soaked the wet cloth in water, wrung it dry, and gently applied it to Haipiao's forehead. Her movements were so gentle as if she was afraid of hurting Haipiao.

"Haipiao, get well soon..."

Xiaoqing muttered in a low voice.

Da Fei carefully took off his cloak and gently covered Hai Piao with it, his tone full of heartache:

"Don't catch a cold again."

Then he bent down and collected dry leaves around him, intending to provide a softer resting place for the sea drifter.

He carefully examined each leaf and picked out those with impurities.

Wu Song frowned, slowly pulled out his whistle stick, and looked around vigilantly:

"I'm patrolling the area to prevent any danger from approaching."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared into the dense woods, and the leaves rustled in the wind.

Mo Zi squatted down and gently stroked Hai Piao's hot forehead, his eyes filled with worry:

"This fever came on suddenly, what happened?"

She turned to look at Mingyue and asked anxiously:

"How is he doing?"

The light in Mingyue's hands flickered slightly, and her expression eased slightly:

"It's okay, it's just a common fever. It might be because he was too tired from traveling, and caught a cold at night. I will do my best to treat him and make him recover as soon as possible."

As he spoke, Mingyue closed his eyes, beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead, and the halo of his hands became more and more intense, trying to force out the cold air in Haipiao's body.

As the night deepens, the temperature gets lower and lower.

Bai Tang stayed beside Hai Piao, not daring to close his eyes for a moment.

From time to time, he would reach out and touch Haipiao's forehead to see if the wet cloth had dried. If necessary, he would immediately call Xiaoqing to change the water.

Mo Zi looked at the gradually darkening sky and said decisively:

"We can't continue on our journey, so let's rest here for one night."

After saying this, the rhythmic energy around Mo Zi surged like a surging tide, his hands quickly formed seals, and the light blue light spread out all over the place.

In the blink of an eye, a crystal barrier slowly rose around everyone, protecting them firmly.

The barrier emits a soft light, not only isolating the cold of the night, but also driving away the darkness.

"Everyone takes turns to keep watch, and everyone should make sure to rest."

Mo Zi arranged everything in an orderly manner.

"I hope Haipiao will feel better tomorrow morning."

The cats nodded and took their positions within the barrier, quietly guarding the sleeping Sea Drifter.

This night seemed particularly long because of Haipiao's illness, but fortunately, with the company of his friends, the dawn of hope seemed not far away.