Peking Opera Cat: I Became A Zi's Brother

The morning light gradually rose higher beside the bamboo forest, and the spots of light that shone through the gaps between the leaves swayed on the bluestone slabs.

Bai Tang hummed the last line of "Meditation Tune" following Rong Guang's tune. The star melody in his palm slowly gathered, and a faint golden light meandered down along his fingertips, leaving a shallow, regular mark on the grass - this was the thirteenth time today that he successfully made the melody flow along the trajectory, sinking from his chest to his fingertips, and then steadily injected into the ground, without a trace of disorder.

He raised his paw and looked at the remaining warmth of Xingyun in his palm. His ears perked up and he turned to grin at Mo Yun and Rong Guang:

"It worked! Hahahaha! It really worked this time! The force and direction of the meteorite just now were very stable. I'm sure I can control it now with at least a 90% chance of success!"

Rongguang put down the bamboo teapot in his hand, walked forward and patted him on the shoulder, with a smile in his eyes:

"Not bad, much steadier than when I first practiced this morning. You see, as long as you calm down and stop thinking about 'speed' all the time, your rhythmic power will naturally follow."

Mo Yun stood beside the stone table, his fingertips just touching the rim of the teacup when he paused. He lowered his eyes to glance at the ripples in the cup, then raised his hand and gently placed the cup on the table. The sound of the celadon porcelain colliding with the stone surface was particularly clear among the bamboo forest.

He raised his head, his gaze passed over the rooftops of Dongqiang Town, and looked towards the misty mountains in the distance - that direction was not the southwest where Pan Zong was located, but the unknown depths further north, shrouded in morning mist. A glimmer of watery light flashed in his eyes, with a bit of elusive concentration.

Bai Tang noticed his gaze and leaned over to ask curiously:

"Brother Mo Yun, what are you looking at? Are you thinking about the matter of Pan Zong?"

Mo Yun retracted her gaze and looked at him, her tone calm but with unquestionable certainty:

"Well, it's time to set off for Panzong. You now have 90% control over the meteorites, which is just enough to deal with the remnants of Chaos you may encounter along the way."

"Are you really leaving?"

Bai Tang's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated.

"But...should we wait a few more days? What if I'm not proficient enough..."

"No need to wait."

Rong Guang interrupted him, took out a cloth bag from his pocket and handed it to Bai Tang.

"Here's the wrist guard the owner sewed for you last night. It's lined with cotton thread soaked in rhyme energy to help you cushion the recoil of the meteorite. Also, I prepared some candies and medicine for you. They'll be useful on the road."

He paused, and his tone became more serious:

"The road to Pan Zong passes through Duanyun Pass, which is Pan Zong's territory and is definitely patrolled by Chaos spies. Remember, when you get there, don't be as reckless as you were in Dongqiang Town. Listen to Mo Yun in everything. He's more familiar with water rhyme detection than you are and can sense danger in advance. If you encounter a situation where you can't win, don't force yourself, retreat first. Our goal is to understand Pan Zong's movements, not to fight Chaos head-on."

Bai Tang took the cloth bag, hugged it tightly in her arms, and nodded heavily:

"I understand, Big Brother! I won't be impulsive this time. I will definitely listen to Brother Mo Yun!"

As he was speaking, light footsteps were heard in the corridor.

The owner's mother-in-law came over carrying a small bamboo basket with two bags of dry food and a bottle of ointment in it.

She walked up to Bai Tang, handed him the bamboo basket, and put a very faint smile on the corner of her mouth. She raised her hand and patted his head gently. Without saying a word, she took out a small wooden plaque with the words "Dong Qiang" engraved on it from her arms and put it into his palm - that was the amulet that the elders in the town would give to children when they went out.

Bai Tang held the wooden sign, her nose feeling a little sour:

"Master, don't worry, I will be fine. Once we find out the situation of Pan Zong, we will come back to inform you!"

The owner's mother-in-law didn't respond, but just nodded slightly. Her eyes swept over Bai Tang and Mo Yun, and finally fell on Rong Guang, with a look of entrustment in her eyes.

Rong Guang understood and nodded heavily:

"Master, don't worry, I will guard Dongqiang Town and wait for them to come back."

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from the distance, accompanied by a familiar shout:

"Bai Tang! Brother Mo Yun! Senior Brother!"

Bai Tang turned around and saw Tofu and Tangyuan running towards him, panting, carrying a cloth bag.

Tang Yuan ran up to him and stuffed the cloth bag into his arms:

"Bai Tang, this is what Doufu and I prepared for you! It contains your favorite osmanthus cake and some marinated meat made by another cat. You can eat it if you get hungry on the road!"

Tofu also nodded, his eyes red:

"We heard you were leaving, so we went to town to buy it before daybreak. You...you must be careful when you get to Panzong. The cats in Chaos are very fierce, so don't force yourself on them."

Bai Tang looked at the bulging cloth bag in his arms, then looked at the red eyes of his two little friends. He felt warm but a little bitter in his heart.

He raised his hand and rubbed Tangyuan's head, smiling and said:

"Don't worry, I'm very powerful now. I can control 90% of the meteorites. I'm sure everything will be fine! When I come back, I'll tell you about my journey and teach you how to practice rhythm, okay?"

"really?"

Tangyuan's eyes lit up, then drooped again.

"But... I still don't want you to leave. If you leave, there will be no one to accompany us to the back mountain to collect bird eggs, and no one to practice martial arts with us."

Tofu also whispered:

"We were talking yesterday about how, once you've mastered Meteorite, we'll go fishing in the creek outside of town..."

Bai Tang's heart softened, he squatted down and looked at his two friends:

"I'll be back soon. You just wait here in town. Once Brother Mo Yun and I have figured out Pan Zong's situation, we'll come back to find you. Then, we can go fishing and get bird eggs together, okay?"

"Ok!"

Tofu and Tangyuan nodded heavily. Tangyuan took out a small peace knot tied with a red string from his pocket and stood on tiptoe to tie it around Baitang's wrist.

"This is what Aunt Wang made for me yesterday. She said it can keep me safe. I'm giving it to you. If you carry it with you, it will be like Doufu and I are accompanying you."

Bai Tang looked at the red peace knot on his wrist, which was particularly conspicuous in the sunlight. He nodded vigorously, his voice a little choked:

"Thank you, Tofu and Tangyuan. I will definitely bring it with me and come back safely."

Mo Yun glanced at the sky and reminded:

"It's getting late, we should set off. If we're any later, we might run into a Chaos patrol on the road."

Bai Tang took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed deeply to the owner, Rong Guang, Doufu, and Tang Yuan.

"Master Granny, Senior Brother, Tofu, Tangyuan, I'm leaving. Take care!"

The owner's mother-in-law still had the same indifferent look, but there was a little more tenderness in her eyes, and she waved her hand gently.

Rongguang walked forward and patted him on the shoulder:

"Go ahead, remember what I told you, be careful."

Tofu and Tangyuan also waved their claws, their eyes red:

"Bai Tang, Brother Mo Yun, have a safe trip!"

Bai Tang and Mo Yun turned around and walked towards the mountain path outside the town.

After walking a few steps, Bai Tang couldn't help but look back. He saw the owner's mother-in-law standing in the corridor, her figure looking particularly gentle in the morning light; Rongguang was leaning against the door frame, waving at him;

Tofu and Tangyuan were still standing there, standing on tiptoe to look over here, their tiny figures becoming smaller and smaller in the morning mist.

He bit his lip, waved his hand vigorously, then turned around and followed Mo Yun's footsteps, walking step by step into the morning mist on the mountain path.

The bamboo forests on both sides of the mountain path are lush and green. The morning dew drips from the bamboo leaves, hitting the stone slabs and making a "tick-tick" sound.

Bai Tang held the wooden sign in his palm, the peace knot on his wrist swayed gently, and the cloth bag in his arms was heavy, filled with the concern of the owner's mother-in-law, Rong Guang's instructions, the thoughts of Tofu and Tang Yuan, and his promise to his companions.

"What are you thinking about?"

Mo Yun's voice sounded beside him.

Bai Tang came back to his senses, shook his head, and nodded:

"I was thinking, when we return from Zuozong, we must protect Dongqiang Town and everyone else."

Mo Yun glanced at him, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes:

"That's good. However, the most important thing now is to do well in the task at hand."

"I understand. Now let's hurry up and head straight to Panzong!"

……

Ten days later

"We've finally reached the border. Thank you for your hard work, Xiaobing!"

"Roar……"

He raised his hand, and a wisp of water charm condensed on his fingertips. He gently pushed it forward, and the water charm spread in the air, turning into fine water lines, spreading forward.

"The territory of Broken Cloud Pass is just ahead. I'll use Water Rhythm to explore the road first to see if there are any spies of Chaos."

Bai Tang nodded, then slowed down his pace and vigilantly observed the movements around him.

He could feel that Mo Yun's water rhythm was like an invisible net, spreading out silently and covering an area of ​​dozens of feet in front of him.

Not long after, Mo Yun's fingertips moved slightly, and Shui Yun was retracted.

"How is it? Is there anything going on?"

Bai Tang asked anxiously.

"There are two patrol teams of Chaos soldiers at the fork in the road three miles ahead."

Mo Yun's tone was calm.

"They are just ordinary Chaos soldiers with weak rhyme power. We just need to avoid them."

"Bypass?"

Bai Tang was stunned for a moment.

"Why not just attack them? I can control meteorites now, I'm sure I can defeat them!"

Mo Yun glanced at him with a helpless look in her eyes:

"Have you forgotten what Rongguang told you? Our goal is to find out Pan Zong's movements, not to get entangled with these random soldiers. If we start, the noise will be too loud and will alert the guards in front. It will then be difficult to get close to Pan Zong."

Bai Tang scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed:

"Oh, yes, I forgot. So how do we get around them?"

Mo Yun pointed to the hillside on the right:

"Go up this way and follow the ridge. You can avoid the fork in the road. But the road on the ridge is not easy to walk on. Follow me closely and don't fall."

"it is good!"

Bai Tang nodded immediately and followed Mo Yun up the hillside.

The road on the ridge is indeed difficult to walk on, with gravel and weeds everywhere, and it is easy to slip if you are not careful.

Bai Tang walked very carefully, holding on to the ground with his claws tightly. Occasionally, his feet slipped, and Mo Yun would reach out to pull him up.

After climbing for about half an hour, the two finally reached the ridge.

Standing on the top of the mountain and looking down, you can clearly see the Chaos Soldiers at the fork in the road below - a total of five cats, all wearing black Chaos Armor, holding spears in their hands, pacing back and forth aimlessly, the Chaos patterns on the armor glowing with a strange black luster in the sunlight.

“Fortunately, I got around it.”

Bai Tang breathed a sigh of relief and whispered.

Mo Yun didn't say anything, just stared at the mountains in the distance.

Bai Tang followed his gaze and saw a faint black outline under the distant sky. That was the direction of Panzong - Panzong was built on the "Black Stone Cliff". The entire sect was shrouded in chaotic airflow. From a distance, it looked like a huge black stone standing among the mountains.

"Is that Panzong?"

Bai Tang asked softly.

"Ah."

Mo Yun nodded.

"But we can't go straight through. There are three checkpoints below the Black Stone Cliff, all guarded by the elite of the Panzong, and Chaos spies patrolling the surrounding area. We have to find a place to stay first, and then find a way to get closer."

At this moment, Mo Yun's eyes suddenly changed, and the water rhyme condensed on his fingertips again, and he probed in the opposite direction of Pan Zong - that was the north he had looked at in Dongqiang Town before.

After a while, he retracted Shui Yun and frowned slightly.

"What's wrong? Is there something going on?"

Bai Tang noticed his abnormality and asked quickly.

Mo Yun shook her head, with a hint of uncertainty in her tone:

"Nothing, just now when I was using rhyme to explore, I vaguely felt a strange rhyme fluctuation in the north. It was very faint, as if it was covered by something."

"Strange rhythmic fluctuations?"

Bai Tang was stunned for a moment.

"Is it Chaos?"

"Not like."

Mo Yun pondered and said,

"The rhythmic energy of chaos is cold and gloomy, carrying a breath of destruction, while this fluctuation... is very gentle, like the rhythm of water, but purer and more powerful than water."

He paused,

"But it's also possible that I'm misperceiving. After all, the distance is too far, and the area is shrouded in thick fog, so Shui Yun can't detect it clearly."

Bai Tang scratched his head:

"Whatever it is, let's take care of Panzong's affairs first. Once we understand Panzong's situation, if we have time, we can go to the north to take a look?"

Mo Yun glanced at him and nodded slightly:

"Okay. Let's go. We have to find a place to stay before dark."

The two cats continued walking along the ridge. As the sun gradually rose higher, the morning mist on the mountain path dissipated, revealing the winding mountain road.

Bai Tang walked behind, looking at Mo Yun's back, and suddenly felt a little at ease - although Mo Yun didn't talk much, he could always give the most reliable advice at critical moments. With him by his side, no matter how dangerous the road was, it seemed not so scary.

He looked down at the star rhyme in his palm. A light golden light was gently dancing in his palm, very steady and very warm.

He thought of the days in Dongqiang Town, the smile of the band owner's grandmother, Rongguang's teachings, the care of Doufu and Tangyuan, and Wusong, Dafei and the others - he wondered how they were doing now, whether they were also working hard to practice their rhythmic power, and whether they were also thinking about reuniting as soon as possible to fight against chaos together.

"Brother Mo Yun,"

Bai Tang suddenly spoke,

"What are Wu Song, Da Fei and the others doing now?"

Mo Yun paused and looked back at him:

"They should be recuperating in their respective sects and training their rhyme power. They, like you, want to become stronger quickly and overthrow Chaos as soon as possible."

"Ok!"

Bai Tang nodded vigorously.

"Once we return from the Judgment Sect, we'll go find them! Then, we'll work together to liberate the remaining sects, drive out An and Hun Dun, and restore Maotu to its former self!"

"..."

Mo Yun looked at the light in his eyes and smiled faintly:

"Yes. As long as we don't give up, we will do it one day."

The two cats continued to move forward. The wind on the ridge gradually grew stronger, making the bamboo leaves rustle.

Bai Tang tightly grasped the wooden plaque in his palm, the peace knot on his wrist swayed in the wind, and the cloth bag in his arms was heavy, but it gave him infinite strength.

"Sugar, perhaps the friends you've been waiting for are coming soon, and the cat I've been waiting for is also coming soon..."