Chapter 86: Third Sister (A Short Chapter, Added for Monthly Vote)

Cheng Xinzhan handed over the orchid. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but when it had been delivered from Redwood Ridge, it had been specially packaged. The woman took it, examining it closely while murmuring to herself.

“The leaves are shaped like tongues, vivid green and lustrous, with slender roots and short stems, and both the flower and leaves are fragrant... This is a Lady’s Slipper! The finest among orchids, and it’s been put into dormancy—its survival rate is extremely high.”

Cradling the orchid, she asked, “Fellow cultivator, would you be willing to part with this Lady’s Slipper? The price is negotiable.”

Cheng Xinzhan wasn’t familiar with such things and asked, “A friend gave it to me. What is it used for?”

The woman simply replied, “For admiration.”

He was a little surprised. “Just for admiration?”

Not wanting Cheng Xinzhan to think she was downplaying its value to buy it cheaply, the woman explained, “Its main value really is for viewing pleasure—Lady’s Slipper has very little medicinal use, and I wouldn’t deceive you. Ask anyone and they’ll say the same. Though this orchid hasn’t yet bloomed, its form is already graceful, and once it flowers, the blossom will be uniquely pouch-shaped, with subtle colors and a long blooming period, exuding a delicate fragrance and attracting bees and butterflies—truly a treasure among orchids. However, it only grows on the perilous cliffs deep in the Miao Mountains and is extremely hard to obtain.”

Cheng Xinzhan nodded. “And what price would you offer for it?”

After a moment’s thought, the woman answered honestly, “The Lady’s Slipper is rare indeed. To orchid lovers like us, it’s worth its weight in gold. Whether this is a white, red, or purple variety is still unknown, but its value should be between one and five gold. I’m willing to offer three gold—how about it?”

The price was unexpectedly high; Cheng Xinzhan hadn’t realized its worth. He nodded in agreement.

The woman’s eyes lit up at his acceptance.

“Meow~”

Just as she was about to take out the money, the one remaining kitten suddenly let out a cry.

The woman paused, then laughed and stroked the kitten. “So you’re not mute after all, little Calico. No one wants you, but from now on, you’ll stay with me.”

Hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan glanced at the kitten, then at the other tabby cats gathered around the woman. Looking closely, he noticed that each of the kittens had some sort of imperfection—one was missing an ear, another limped, one had a broken tail—yet they frolicked happily around her, clearly well cared for.

Did she keep all the unsold kittens herself each time?

He looked over the calico kitten again. Its fur was truly beautiful. He thought, if in the future he had to go out and couldn’t bring White Dragon along, the dog would be lonely guarding the cave alone—why not find him a companion?

With that thought, he asked, “Fellow cultivator, when Master Yao just now asked the price of this kitten, you said three gold?”

The woman nodded, then realized what he meant. “Fellow cultivator! Have you taken a liking to the little Calico?”

He nodded, but voiced a concern. “Are they easy to care for? My White Dragon is very easy to keep—I’ve hardly had to do anything for him.”

She asked, “Is your White Dragon a male or a female?”

“Male.”

She smiled. “Then there’s no problem. White Dragons are special in that the males raise the young. They’re fierce and clever hunters but gentle and attentive as caretakers. This little Calico is over four months old already, so she won’t die easily. Just let White Dragon look after her—there’ll be no trouble.”

Cheng Xinzhan recalled that back in the Miao village, White Dragon had indeed been raised by his father and only went to his mother to nurse.

“Then let’s trade the kitten for the orchid.”

The woman’s smile bloomed brighter than the flowers embroidered on her dress as she picked up the kitten and handed her to Cheng Xinzhan.

He hurriedly took the kitten, who curled up in his arms, sightless eyes blinking, twisting about until she found a comfortable position and nuzzled his chest, letting out a soft mew.

“It truly must be fate. Before you arrived, little Calico had never made a sound—we all thought she was mute. Now that you’re here, she’s called out twice.”

The woman laughed as she spoke.

Cheng Xinzhan looked down at the kitten in his arms and smiled as well.

“Fellow cultivator, there are three packs of cat food left here—two are staple food, one is fish jerky. There’s no one else left to buy them, so they’re all yours. Be good to little Calico in the future, won’t you?”

She gave him all the remaining cat food from her stall, and Cheng Xinzhan thanked her.

“If you’re keeping a cat for the first time and anything happens—if she gets sick or refuses to eat—come find me at Mount Ni. My name is Qu Jihan.”

He nodded and thanked her again.

He then asked, “Do you have any methods for helping spirit pets absorb energy and transform? I originally prepared one for White Dragon—now I’ll need one for the kitten, too.”

“Of course,” Qu Jihan replied. With so many cats and dogs in her courtyard, how could she not? She wanted them around for many years to come.

“This is ‘The Cat’s Spine Path,’ and this is ‘The Dog’s Mountain Search.’ They are breathing methods for cats and dogs, similar to those used by cultivators. Just have your pets practice according to the illustrations.”

She handed over two booklets. Flipping through, Cheng Xinzhan saw vivid sketches of cats and dogs leaping and stretching.

He accepted them and asked, “How much do I owe you for these?”

She replied, “I saw you still have plenty of chicken blood vine—give me five more segments.”

It was half transaction, half gift.

Cheng Xinzhan thanked her and took his leave.

When he returned to Mount Mingzhi, the dog came bounding over to greet him. Cheng Xinzhan smiled, crouched down, and brought out the calico kitten, holding her up to the dog.

The dog’s eyes were full of curiosity as he sniffed the kitten thoroughly, then reached out to lick her.

“Meow~”

The calico kitten gave another gentle cry.

The dog happily circled around Cheng Xinzhan.

He laughed, set the kitten on the ground, and opened a new bag of dog food, pouring some of the meat chunks into a bowl.

From the moment Cheng Xinzhan took the food from the cave stone, White Dragon’s nose had been twitching and his tail wagging so fast it was a blur.

But when Cheng Xinzhan set the bowl before him, instead of devouring it, the dog gently picked up the wobbling kitten and placed her next to the bowl, urging her to eat first.

Cheng Xinzhan chuckled, patting the dog’s head. “This is yours.”

He then picked up a stone, shaped it with his magic, and quickly made a new bowl to set beside the dog’s, filling it with cat food and bringing over the calico kitten.

Only after seeing the kitten begin to eat did the dog finally tuck into his own meal with gusto.

Watching the kitten, Cheng Xinzhan said with a smile, “You need a name soon, or you’ll end up the next ‘Wait-a-bit’—and that wouldn’t do. Let’s see, what would suit you?”

He looked at the calico’s tricolor fur and said, “Qu Jihan just called you little Calico, so let’s name you Third Sister. Now there are three of us in Carefree Cave: I’m the eldest, Wait-a-bit is second, and you’re just right as Third Sister, ha ha.”

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