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A terrible beast had infiltrated Qing Jing Peak. Cang Qiong Mountain Sect was built in a mountain range with dense spiritual energy and excellent fengsui, so creatures came from far and wide to cultivate. Few made it to one of the peaks, at least without bipedal legs and a pass token. Even birds often ran afoul of the wards around each named peak.
Which made the beast sitting on a cushion across from Shen Qingqiu inside his very own home particularly offensive.
It was clean, small mercies. Snow-white fur covered the thing from snout to tail. While its claws were currently retracted, Shen Qingqiu's door, floor mats and cushions all bore signs of their existence. Sharp, green eyes watch Shen Qingqiu's thin hand raise and lower his teacup as he drank.
The disgusting interloper was a multifold problem. Generally speaking, one's residence being chosen by a spiritual beast was a good omen of the highest order. It would denote the location as auspicious and its owner as a pure soul.
However, this beast clearly held Shen Qingqiu in contempt. It growled, baring its teeth as Shen Qingqiu refilled his tea.
Shen Qingqiu was already saddled with enough bad karma to last a hundred lifetimes, but he was sorely, fiercely tempted to kick the mangy thing off the mountain.
Regrettably, the Bai Zhan brute had already seen the creature trailing along behind Shen Qingqiu in the sect. Not only was he an insufferable lout, but the event had proven the beast's spiritual capabilities. Despite being ten pounds soaking wet and not even knee-height, it sprinted fast enough to hitch a ride on Xiu Ya when Shen Qingqiu traveled to Qiong Ding Peak for a meeting.
Shen Qingqiu set down his teacup.
The cat stretched out one pristinely white paw to bat the thing off the low table. The metal charms on its collar of green silk jingled with the motion.
Ning Yingying was due for several reflection essays.
The creature smacked with its paw until the teacup reached the very edge and Shen Qingqiu stopped it with a touch from his fan. The cat howled its displeasure and stood before rubbing the entire length of its body against the table hard enough for the teapot to rock in place. It drew its claws and kneaded the cushion beneath it with gusto. It looked Shen Qingqiu in the eye and yowled.
"Are you quite done?"
The cat stared for a moment before sneezing. Having lost all sense of gravitas, it grumbled deep in its chest and settled back down on the cushion. The cushion itself was also the product of Shen Qingqiu's too-light hand with Ning Yingying. It was sloppily embroidered with paw prints and had green ribbons looped and tied to hold feathers and bells for the beast to play with.
"One day, beast," Shen Qingqiu said, pointing at it with his fan, "I will be rid of you and no one will ever find the body. Perhaps I'll eviscerate you alive and eat your core. Do not for an instant assume I do not know how."
It had the audacity to yawn at him before closing its eyes.