Chapter 16 Eternal Cat Corpse (1/3)

Zhang Yuanqing, carrying the cat corpse, stepped over the threshold. To prevent this monster from "playing dead," he swung it and smashed it against the doorsill.

The skinned cat was severely injured, its limbs kicking wildly, and it seemed to faint again.

Only then did Zhang Yuanqing feel relieved enough to toss the big cat into the coffin. He bent down, picked up the coffin lid, and resealed it.

At this moment, his teammates followed him into the house. Noticing that the skinned cat was gone and seeing the coffin resealed, Guan Ya asked in surprise, "Why did you put it back in?"

*I told you it was an experiment. How am I supposed to answer that?* Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head, looking at the red ropes and purple talismans scattered on the ground, and said, "Li Chunfeng, do you know what these are?"

Everyone looked at Li Chunfeng. The knowledgeable scholar stroked his chin, examining the coffin, then picked up the paper talisman and red rope from the ground, sniffed them, and offered a guess: "Red ropes to lock resentment, purple talismans to nurture evil. Strange, this coffin is both a seal and a breeding ground for the monster."

*Worthy of a scholar, a walking database.* Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Can you restore the red ropes and purple talismans?"

Li Chunfeng said, "Restore them? No, you misunderstand. Just tie them randomly, there's no particular method."

*Just tie them randomly? I thought I had to ink-mark the entire coffin like an ink craftsman, and if I missed even one mark, something terrible would happen.* Seeing Li Chunfeng pick up the red rope, Zhang Yuanqing quickly took it.

"I'll do it!"

Immediately, he wrapped the red rope around the surface of the red-lacquered coffin, tying it in tight knots. Then, at Li Chunfeng's suggestion, he picked up the purple talisman and stuck it to the coffin opening.

*So, what exactly is he trying to do?* His teammates stared at him blankly.

The instant Zhang Yuanqing stuck on the purple talisman, a Spirit Realm notification only he could hear rang in his ears:

[Ding! You have triggered the hidden quest—Eternal Cat Corpse (1/3)]

[Eternal Cat Corpse: This is a cursed monster, constantly emitting the power of the curse. Do not approach it, or you will be contaminated by the curse and turn into a wild cat.]

[Note: I want it to never be released!!] [Quest Item: A piece of broken jade]

*I really triggered the hidden quest. My prediction was correct. The Demon Lord's "restraint of killing" refers to this.* Zhang Yuanqing was overjoyed.

According to the Demon Lord's prediction, the hidden quest item was left behind by Yin Yang Sanren. The level of that legendary figure wasn't low. *I wonder what kind of item he would leave behind. If it's a rule-based item, I'll hit the jackpot.*

Zhang Yuanqing suppressed his joy and anticipation, shifting his attention back to the hidden quest itself.

"Who cursed this monster? According to the note, the person who cast the curse has an unforgettable hatred for it, wanting it to never be released.

"I understand. So, don't kill the skinned cat, because killing it would release it, violating the wishes of the caster. In that case, the hidden quest points to the caster.

"But who could the caster be?"

Zhang Yuanqing gathered his thoughts and said to his companions, "My guess has been verified. Next, let's review what happened."

Huo De Xingjun was too lazy to think. "You're the captain, you go first."

The others nodded in agreement.

After their shared hardship, the team's cohesion had increased considerably, and trust had grown in their hearts.

Zhang Yuanqing paused for a few seconds, choosing his words.

"Let's start with the background story of Yin Yang Town. Everyone heard the story that Granny Wang told earlier. Part of this story is true, but some of it is false, such as the curse of the Yin Yang Sanren's descendants.

"I've read several Yin Yang Town walkthroughs. The previous groups of Spirit Realm Hunters who entered the instance didn't mention the curse, and they had interacted with the residents of the town. Something this big should have been discovered long ago.

"So, the curse Granny Wang spoke of is false, but the cat transformation curse does exist. And the person who was cursed is her son."

Zhang Yuanqing looked at the red-lacquered coffin.

The other teammates nodded as they listened, agreeing with Zhang Yuanqing's analysis.

"That makes sense," Guan Ya nodded. "And to add to that, the cat transformation curse should only be triggered by following Granny Wang's storyline. The previous Spirit Realm Hunters didn't follow this route."

She smiled at Zhang Yuanqing. "You continue."

As a scout, her observation and analytical skills were much stronger than Zhang Yuanqing's, but she certainly wouldn't seize this opportunity to build up the captain's prestige, at most filling in any gaps.

Zhang Yuanqing continued, "So, where did her son's curse come from?"

Queen's eyes darted, remembering something, and she answered quickly, "Granny Wang said that her son couldn't control his lust and ended up in this state."

As soon as she spoke, everyone except Huo De Xingjun looked at the scarecrow in Guan Ya's hand.

To be made into a scarecrow for a curse by Granny Wang, with such hatred, this Xu Xiuer must have done something she couldn't forgive.

Combining what Granny Wang had said with her son's fate…

"I understand!" Huo De Xingjun finally reacted, excitedly saying, "This Xu Xiuer cursed her son! But who is Xu Xiuer?"

Zhang Yuanqing prompted, "Of the only six people in the town, who is named Xu?"

"Who?" Huo De Xingjun asked.

Zhang Yuanqing almost blurted out, "Are you kidding me?" and said, "Xu the Widow!"

Huo De Xingjun suddenly understood.

If the person who cast the curse was Xu the Widow, then the hidden quest pointed to her, a very clear target. Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but recall the Demon Lord's lament: slaughter and beauty.

It seemed that the Demon Lord, a lecher who had scattered his descendants in different nurseries, must have done something indescribable to Xu the Widow.

The round-faced youth, Chi Ou, said excitedly, "Then our next target is very clear: this Xu the Widow. We must set off immediately and complete the side quest before the evil faction, arriving at the town's central square."

The others looked excited, but Guan Ya frowned, her eyes on Zhang Yuanqing.

Zhang Yuanqing said, "We definitely need to find Xu the Widow, but there's one thing I don't understand. Li Chunfeng, you know the most and have the broadest experience. Do you think that hanging a cat corpse outside can complete a powerful curse?"

The others didn't know why he asked this. Li Chunfeng was stunned for a moment, then fell into deep thought. After a dozen seconds, he slapped his head, saying, "That's not right! That's not right!"

"What's not right? What's wrong?" Seeing Li Chunfeng's expression of enlightenment, Huo De Xingjun asked anxiously, "Explain it clearly."

Li Chunfeng said in a deep voice, "The cat corpse is the medium, but not the source of the curse. It's like a voodoo master trying to curse a target, they'll find a way to get their photo, birthdate, blood, flesh, hair, etc. These things are mediums, but the real source is the power of the voodoo master.

"Where is the source of the power that turns us into cats? I thought it was Granny Wang, but Granny Wang is clearly an ordinary person, otherwise, how could she be bitten to death so easily? Besides, the scarecrow is proof."

Everyone immediately looked at the scarecrow in Guan Ya's hand.

"This is just an ordinary scarecrow. The cursing method is childish and laughable. If Granny Wang were a voodoo master, she wouldn't have made such a clumsy scarecrow," Li Chunfeng said.

The taciturn Li Li Yuan Shang Cao said, "That's true, it's a suspicious point, but how does this relate to the quest storyline?"

Zhang Yuanqing didn't respond to Li Li Yuan Shang Cao's question, saying, "Of course, it's related. If we don't clarify all the suspicious points, it may not seem like much now, but later in the instance, we might miss many opportunities or even lose the chance to turn the situation around due to the information gap.

"The higher the difficulty of the instance, the more we can't be blind and deaf. We must get to the bottom of everything."

As an S-level clearer, his views earned everyone's respect. Li Li Yuan Shang Cao slowly nodded, agreeing with the captain's statement.

Zhang Yuanqing continued, "Alright, let's get back to the topic. What if, I mean, what if the curse power is emitted by the cat in the coffin? Wouldn't that make sense?"

*This also fits the hint in the hidden quest!*

*The cat is emitting the curse.* Li Chunfeng thought for a moment, his eyes lighting up. "Yes! The person who set up this ritual saw this point, so they used the curse cat, heh, I'll call it the Curse Cat, so they used the power of the Curse Cat to set up the ritual, so that everyone who enters the house is cursed."

Zhang Yuanqing said, "But then, the question arises again. Who set up the cat corpse ritual? Granny Wang is clearly an ordinary person, so someone must have taught her."

"Is it Xu Xiuer?"

The round-faced youth, Chi Ou, guessed.

"No," Zhang Yuanqing denied immediately.

"Why?" Chi Ou was unconvinced, and Queen and the others looked at Zhang Yuanqing with questioning gazes.

Zhang Yuanqing spoke eloquently, stating his thoughts: "The cat corpse ritual and the coffin for nurturing the Curse Cat should have been taught by the same person. Everyone, think about it, what is the purpose of these two things?"

Queen picked up, "The coffin is to seal and nurture the Curse Cat, and the cat corpse is to collect the curse power."

Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "The cat corpse has another function, which is to curb the curse on the Curse Cat, to curb its madness and bloodlust."

Hearing this, everyone suddenly remembered that after the cat corpse ritual was broken, the Curse Cat became fierce, violent, and lost its mind.

Li Chunfeng suddenly understood. "So, the existence of the coffin and the cat corpse is to suppress the Curse Cat while nurturing it. If these things were done by Granny Wang, then it can be understood. She wants to guard her son, protect her son, and not let him become a complete monster.

"But from the perspective of an enemy, the more painful and crazy the other party is, the more she will vent her hatred."

Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "So, the curse and the arrangement of the cat corpse ritual came from different people. The person who cast the curse is Wang Xiuer, so who is guiding Granny Wang in arranging the cat corpse and coffin? What is his (her) relationship with Granny Wang and her son, and what role does he (she) play in it?"

A figure flashed through everyone's mind. Huo De Xingjun rarely kept up with the pace of thinking and said, "It should be one of the five remaining people. Could it be the mage that Master Zhao invited who has this ability?"

Guan Ya nodded approvingly, smiling. "This instance is getting more and more interesting. What kind of relationship exists between the six people left in the town? What role do they play in the population loss of the town?"

Having reviewed everything he needed to say, Zhang Yuanqing said, "We should find Xu the Widow as soon as possible."

His teammates had no objections. Queen touched the ring on her left ear, smiling. "Although the situation was dangerous just now, and we almost wiped out, I have great confidence in the next task. We have analyzed this high-difficulty instance very thoroughly and clearly, without much confusion or incomprehension.

"As long as we're not confused, no matter how difficult the path is, I have confidence."

Huo De Xingjun expressed his agreement. He was surprised that his teammates could analyze such a complex instance so clearly. They were all intelligent people, especially this Yuanshi Tianzun.

"As long as we're not confused, no matter how difficult the path is, I have confidence."

Huo De Xingjun expressed his agreement. He was surprised that his teammates could analyze such a complex instance so clearly. They were all intelligent people, especially this Yuanshi Tianzun.

Although he didn't show any particularly brilliant combat power in the previous battle, in the subsequent review, this official genius who had cleared two S-level instances in a row had shown the quick wit and intelligence that Huo De Xingjun recognized.

Chi Ou, Li Chunfeng, and Li Li Yuan Shang Cao didn't say anything, but subconsciously carried out the instructions issued by the captain and turned to walk out of the room.

The group walked towards the patio, Guan Ya and Zhang Yuanqing lagging behind. The seasoned driver smiled. "Not bad!"

Just as Zhang Yuanqing was about to respond, he saw the seasoned driver's gaze move down, and she raised the corner of her mouth. "Very good."

Zhang Yuanqing's cheeks burned, and he rarely showed embarrassment. After all, he was just a college student who had never had a girlfriend, the kind who would never back down verbally, but would be a wimp when things got real.

Usually, it was the limit to just flirt and drive with the seasoned driver, but the exposure just now had exceeded the college student's psychological bottom line.

Being critiqued at this moment made him feel a little overwhelmed.

Seeing his embarrassment, Guan Ya smiled triumphantly, feeling that she was still the more skilled one.

"What are you laughing at?" Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yuanqing forced himself to say, "Then are you satisfied? Were you scared? I clearly saw shock and surprise in your eyes."

Guan Ya chuckled. "I certainly won't announce your size, but Queen might. Women are gossipy, and she glanced at you several times just now."

"" Zhang Yuanqing almost caught up with Queen to discuss the issue of hush money.

He didn't want to find out that when he went out, the Hunters on the official forum were all discussing Yuanshi Tianzun's size.

This was a weight that a twenty-one-year-old young man couldn't bear. Blacksmith Shop.

Li Xianzong sat on the ground, panting heavily.

He was covered in blood, his left arm was twisted, and he had multiple knife wounds and blunt weapon injuries on his body.

The other five companions were also covered in wounds, some lying on the ground, some sitting against the wall, greedily breathing in the air.

*Reincarnation Paradise*

Around them were overturned forging tables, cracked furnaces, charcoal scattered on the ground, broken ironware, and Wang the Blacksmith, whose head had been chopped off.

He fell on a pile of red-hot coals, his blood mixing with the charcoal. A few meters away was the head that Li Xianzong had personally chopped off.

Besides Wang the Blacksmith, there was another corpse—the bald strongman.

The gaunt middle-aged man supported himself on his knees and stood up, kicking the bald strongman's corpse, cursing, "He died just like that? I don't even know his name."

Li Xianzong gasped, grinning. "Why do you need to know his name? People like us lick blood from the knife's edge. When it's time to die, we'll naturally die, dying a worthy death."

"That's right. If we know the name, then we're friends. What's the point?"

"Hehe, it's good to die, early death, early transcendence, away from this damn world." The other companions echoed with a chuckle.

They never cared about life or death, the enemy's, the unrelated person's, including their own. People who were immersed in killing were numb to death like ordinary people weren't.

Li Xianzong waved to the gaunt middle-aged man and said, "Go look in the shop. There should be clues inside."

The gaunt middle-aged man immediately entered the depths of the shop. He returned a few minutes later, stunned. "Boss, this shop is a bit strange."

ps: Correct the typo first and then change it later.