The male supporting character was actually myself.

Thinking back to her husband's youthful vigor and his renowned genius throughout Junxi Town, she felt a pang of sadness.

However, after going to Kyoto to participate in some clan martial arts tournament, not only did he fail to achieve his ambitions, but he was also completely exhausted and had to be carried back! At that time, she was newly pregnant, and her husband was treated coldly, making her depressed and like she was dead. Those days were really hard to get through.

She knew nothing about cultivation and was just an ordinary person, so she had long been looked down upon by her in-laws and sisters-in-law in the Gu family.

She had a brilliant husband to back her up before, so she didn't have to suffer. But after he became disabled, he gave up on himself. She finally endured humiliation and gave birth to a son who was capable of cultivation and had considerable talent. She was able to hold her head high in the Gu family and live a few years of peaceful life.

Unexpectedly, her son was rebellious and arrogant. He couldn't stand his father-in-law's behavior and, in a fit of anger, argued with her and her husband, dragging them away from the Gu family home. Now, their lives are in dire straits and they are struggling to make ends meet.

"Sigh...when will this kind of life ever end?" She came out of the thatched hut and looked at the burning red clouds on the horizon, sighing softly. "Either I can cultivate to become an extraordinary person and find a job to live a life of ease; or I can honestly be an ordinary person and make a living."

The father and son were determined to be the best and most outstanding, and one wrong move could cost them their lives…

This wasn't the life she wanted, but her husband and son wouldn't listen to her at all, only saying things like "womanly sentimentality" and "long hair and short brains." She didn't crave wealth and luxury; she just wanted her family to be together in harmony. Even if it was hard and tiring, she didn't care; a peaceful, happy life without any fear of death was enough!

"Huh? Host, it seems the atmosphere in the wild pseudo-host's family isn't very good." The fluffy ball squatted on the treetop, shaking the hamster's running wheel with its paws, and meowed: "The scroll is quite emotionally engaging, with all that talk about moving away from the Gu family with his parents in a fit of youthful rage. It seems quite heroic, but the reality looks extremely tragic."

Even if he manages to make a comeback and fight back in the future, he can't let his parents suffer so much hardship and hunger now, can he?

Miao thinks that even if you're going to show off, there should be a limit. You should at least make sure your family can live comfortably before making threats, causing a scene, and moving out.

They have nothing, their father is sickly, and their mother is just an ordinary person. If it weren't for the lucky old man who lives with them, their parents probably wouldn't have made it through this winter. Tsk tsk tsk, what a filial son!

Jiang Chen was already dizzy from being shaken around. His big black eyes were spinning and all he could see were golden stars. Being rolled around on the wheel by the fluffy ball made him feel even more nauseous, and he couldn't even meow in his babyish voice.

"Let's go find the filial son!" The little white cat looked back at its host, who seemed to still be sleeping, and then took it upon itself to drag its running wheel and hopped off towards the barren mountain.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Holy crap...

Jiang Chen couldn't hold on for more than five minutes after setting off. The cat was so dizzy that it was completely disoriented.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he vaguely heard the fluffy ball's excited squeal, "Host, look! The wild pseudo-master is indeed hiding in the mountains refining medicine! Meow~ It's already successfully refined and ready to be used at home."

Looks like there are some scraps left over; I guess I'm planning to take them to the town auction house to sell for money and show off...

"Host, you're awake, meow? Shall we proceed with our original plan and test the wild pseudo-master's character as we see fit?"

"Meow~" Jiang Chen's consciousness was scattered, and he only let out a weak meow instinctively. The little white cat thought he agreed, so it directly removed the prop effect and let it lie limply in the grass along Gu Xingzhou's inevitable path.

In a state of extreme dizziness, he shook his paws to slowly accept the presence of his limbs, and then tried to arch his back to barely get up.

However, Jiang Chen's efforts ultimately failed, and the cat tumbled and rolled halfway through the grass.

"Rustling!"

A sudden rustling sound came from the bushes not far away, and Gu Xingzhou, who was overjoyed at his first successful pill refining, immediately became alert!

Could there be wild animals?

He licked his lips and clenched his fists, thinking that if any fool bumped into him, he would have a chance to practice the new boxing technique that his beautiful master had just taught him!

Even if a peak-level expert's fists are no match for a beast, with the protection of his beautiful master, he can always easily kill it.

My parents would be very happy to be able to carry back a large wild beast to kill and eat, and we could even sell its hide in town for some money. Besides, there were those imperfectly refined potions that I didn't want; they'd definitely fetch high prices at the auction!

"Hehe, I've really hit the jackpot today!"

Gu Xingzhou rushed forward excitedly, but after running only a few steps, he saw a sickly little black kitten lying in the grass, looking like it was about to die. It was probably too sick, as its limbs were still twitching and kicking the grass, making rustling sounds.

"Pah!" He immediately frowned and spat. "What bad luck, it's just a sick cat that's about to die."

The excitement and anticipation he had just felt vanished instantly, and Gu Xingzhou was very unhappy. Even a wild rabbit would have been fine; at least he could catch it, kill it, and eat it.

This sick, dying kitten probably doesn't have much meat on it. Cat meat is sour and tough, making it unpalatable and completely useless!

"Meow?" The fluffy ball of fur, who was squatting beside its host, licking his fur and stroking his belly, immediately turned pale upon hearing this. "Say that again? Let me tell you, meeting my host is a blessing from eight lifetimes. If you don't know what's good for you..."

Before it could finish speaking, it saw Gu Xingzhou kick it from above!

"Host, be careful!" The little white cat was so frightened that it pounced forward and hugged his small body. The next second, Gu Xingzhou kicked the fluffy ball and the little black cat away together.

Never before had she been treated like this. Holding the little black cat, the fluffy ball of fur was furious and its fur stood on end as it flew through the air. "How dare you treat my host like this! You just wait and see!"

"If my personal old man is gone, I'm telling you, if you don't take him away, I'll change my surname to yours!"

"What the hell are you doing?! %￥￥￥＃@..."

Gu Xingzhou, who couldn't hear the little white cat's curses at all, kicked the sick cat away and felt great. He had already planned to go home, eat, and cleanse his marrow properly. Tomorrow, he would go to town and ask his beautiful master to help him conceal his presence and sell the scraps he didn't want at the underground auction for a high price!

From the moment I become an apprentice, my life will undergo a complete transformation!

The scorn and cold treatment I suffered in the past will all be a thing of the past. I, Gu Jixingzhou, will use my strength to crush those good-for-nothings in the Gu family, and after obtaining the qualification to go to the capital to participate in the martial arts tournament, I will cripple Gu Qinglang! I will become the most shining star in the Great Sui Dynasty!

"thump!"

The little black kitten traced an arc in mid-air. In his dazed state, Jiang Chen subconsciously used his soul artifact to wrap his frail body before finally falling onto the rocky beach. His little body lay stiffly with his tongue lolling out and his little head tilted to the side, where he remained motionless.

The little dumpling had never seen anything like this before.

Its host is always confident and in control. Even when it was tricked by the protagonist in other mission worlds and fell from the rooftop and was seriously injured, it was not a big deal. So why is it suddenly not okay now?

"Waaaaah... Host, it's all my fault, I didn't protect you well!" The little white cat burst into tears, frantically performing CPR while meowing incoherently. "Main system, please look! That wild thing killed my host! You have to kill it for me! Waaaaah... What should I do? If my host is like this, I can't live either..."

While crying and searching for medical supplies, Jiang Chen shook her little hand and pushed away the fluffy ball of fur that was pressing on her chest, saying, "Be quiet for a while, I'm carsick and need to take a nap..."

ha?

Motion sickness?

The little white kitten stopped crying abruptly, pressed its ear to his chest and listened carefully. Surprisingly, his heart was beating very steadily, and...

Within seconds, the soft snoring sound unique to kittens could be heard.

Fluffy dumpling: …（⊙＿⊙；）…

Is this asleep?

It thought for a moment, then lay down to guard it, its eyes half-closed, and began to purr. The cat and the system slept on the rocky beach until the moon was high in the sky.

"Meow~" Jiang Chen finally felt that his soul and body had become one. He scrambled up, stretched, and sharpened his claws on the rock, calling out, "Let's go find Gu Xingzhou to settle the score! Damn it, even the main character doesn't dare to lay a hand on me, and you dare to kick me?"

The fluffy little ball bounced along beside her, chiming in, "That's right, I've already reported it to the main system, let's go get him!"

"Ah!"

Inside the dilapidated thatched hut, Gu Xingzhou sneezed and shivered a few times.

The Marrow Cleansing Elixir was completely different from what he had imagined. This light green liquid emitted a faint fragrance after being mixed with water. However, after taking off his clothes and sitting in the wooden basin to practice his cultivation technique, he discovered that the Marrow Cleansing Elixir, which was soaking his body, was sometimes as hot as magma and sometimes as cold as ice, making him shiver.

My beautiful master said this is a necessary process to remove impurities from the spiritual marrow, and as long as you grit your teeth and get through it, things will become smoother and smoother later on.

Once the spiritual liquid has expelled all the impurities, the entire body's meridians will become as clear and transparent as crystal, making it much easier to absorb the spiritual energy from heaven and earth or from spiritual herbs.

"How boring..." Hong Luo sat in the dark void. Her powerful divine sense could perceive that the boy was undergoing a marrow cleansing test, and she really had nothing to do.

She didn't know how long it would take for him to be able to provide her with a large amount of spiritual energy. She stretched out her semi-transparent hands and looked at them for a while before sighing. It was already good enough that she could wake up. As for the rest... she would take it slowly. She hoped that the young man would not disappoint her.

The night is already deep.

A gentle breeze blew through the dark thatched hut, where Gu Feiyue and his wife were clearly fast asleep.

Jiang Chen nimbly walked across the dilapidated thatched roof and jumped directly onto the windowsill.

Under the bright moonlight, its small body cast a black silhouette on the yellowed window paper.

Gu Xingzhou sensed the kitten approaching his home, but he dismissed it in an instant. It was just a stray cat; there were plenty of wild animals in the wilderness, and it wasn't surprising that small animals would occasionally appear near the thatched hut at night.

"Why did you kick me?" But the next second, the black silhouette suddenly opened its mouth and spoke in human language, "We have no grudge against each other, I did not provoke you, why do you want to kill me?"

Gu Xingzhou was startled and snapped out of his meditation. He stared in horror at the black shadow on the windowsill. After a few moments of confusion, he suddenly remembered the rumors circulating in the streets and tentatively asked, "You...you are the demon cat?"

Junxi Town is located in a remote area, so naturally no demons live there.

However, merchants from bustling cities often bring back bizarre and fantastical tales, claiming that demons inhabit the area. They are said to be no different from humans in ordinary times, but their ability to transform into their original forms, such as cat demons or rabbit demons, is truly fascinating.

At this moment, Gu Xingzhou, who was young but had always been an old Chengdu resident, was shocked to suddenly encounter a cat that could talk.

Hong Luo, who was bored and blowing bubbles inside the ring, noticed this scene and became excited. She came out of the ring and floated in mid-air, asking curiously, "Are you really a demon cat? Why is there no demonic aura on your body?"

"Wow! Host, the old man who's always with the wild pseudo-master is actually a great beauty!" The little white cat blinked its deep blue eyes in surprise and said, "It would be a real shame if he didn't run away with her!"

Jiang Chen squeezed his small body through the wide doorway, looked up and stared at the semi-transparent woman in the red dress with his big, black gem-like eyes for a moment before replying, "It's probably my innate skill; I was born without any demonic aura. But I am indeed a demon cat, only I am still too young to transform into human form."

He shifted his dark, bright eyes to Gu Xingzhou and said coldly, "You haven't answered my question yet. Why did you want to kill me? If it weren't for the fact that demon cats are naturally more resilient, I would be dead by now if you kicked me!"

As a member of the demon race, Hong Luo felt an immediate sense of kinship with the first demon she saw after waking up;

In addition, the kitten was just too cute, so she couldn't help but soften her heart and frown slightly as she asked, "When did you hurt it? If it were a fierce wild beast, that would be one thing, but to hurt such a harmless kitten, your bloodthirsty nature is a bit too much."

Seeing that his beautiful master was displeased, Gu Xingzhou immediately became anxious;

What's more, the little black kitten was actually a legendary demon cat. He couldn't let such a lucky encounter slip by easily, so he hurriedly explained, "No, no, no, I really didn't mean to!"

"I was just a little drunk and lying down in the grass to rest for a while, and you cursed me for being unlucky and kicked me, sending me flying and crashing onto the rocky beach. Is that not intentional?"

Jiang Chen didn't give him any face and snorted coldly, "I was lying here peacefully and didn't provoke you. Instead, you came over to disturb my rest and even cursed and hit me."

So what if you're human?

How can you be so cruel to an innocent kitten?

If it were an animal that hasn't developed intelligence in your human diet, that would be fine; at least killing it would satisfy your cravings. But I'm a cat that can't be eaten!

What benefit would you gain from killing me?

I've been traveling and enjoying the scenery of Kyoto all the time, and everyone, whether superhuman or ordinary, has been tolerant and kind to this weak little kitten. You're the first one to try and kill me without any reason, which shows you're too vicious and bully—you're no good!

From Kyoto?

Gu Xingzhou's eyes lit up as he grasped the key point; he had to find a way to subdue this demonic cat and bring it under his command!

Putting aside other benefits, just being able to learn about the situation in Kyoto is well worth the money!

"I have unintentionally hurt Brother Cat, it is truly my fault." He hurriedly got up from the basin, bowed respectfully, and said with a sincere face, lying without the slightest embarrassment, "There was indeed a misunderstanding, please let Brother Cat hear my explanation."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to his beautiful master and said sincerely, "This afternoon I made a chance discovery in the desolate mountains. I was so excited that I got carried away and slipped and tripped when I walked to where Brother Cat was staying."

So, the 'bad luck' words that Brother Cat heard while drunk were just something he blurted out at the time. Perhaps he lost his footing and kicked Brother Cat afterward, but the forest was overgrown with weeds and visibility was obstructed, so I truly didn't know I had accidentally injured Brother Cat. Please forgive me!

"Hey! Tui!" The little white cat, clutching its two short paws, was so angry that its whiskers trembled. It spat and cursed, "Clumsy acting! If it weren't for the stolen halo covering your face, do you think you could have fooled anyone?"

Sure enough, Hong Luo's expression hardened slightly under the halo.

After teaching the boy how to refine pills in the afternoon, she returned to her ring space to rest. She didn't bother to check the situation outside, so she was unaware of this whole affair.

But Gu Xingzhou's sincere attitude didn't seem like he was lying, and the little demon cat really hadn't suffered any real harm...