Chapter 69.2 Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip~
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Li Jinyu never dreamt that he would encounter such a situation.
Just a moment ago, he had accepted that he would continue living as Emperor Jingchang, as a human, and had begun to anticipate and envision a life together with Huo Caiyu. However, the Heavenly Dao played a joke on him, transforming him back into a hamster.
Is there anything more ridiculous in the world?!
Outside, Huo Caiyu’s voice was getting closer and closer, and Li Jinyu was so anxious that he almost wanted to jump up.
He tried to gather his spiritual power, attempting to transform into his human form. Didn’t the black cat tell him that after receiving the gift from Emperor Jingchang, he could freely transform into a human?
However, his spiritual power spread throughout his body, but it had no effect whatsoever.
Li Jinyu was frantically moving around under the covers.
Suddenly, with a “whoosh” sound, the entire blanket was lifted up, and Huo Caiyu’s slightly perplexed face appeared in front of Li Jinyu.
Used to the equal gaze when they were nearly the same height, now facing the “giant” Huo Caiyu, Li Jinyu was still somewhat unaccustomed.
But now, it wasn’t a matter of whether he was accustomed or not… Huo Caiyu’s gaze was clearly locked onto him.
Li Jinyu instinctively crouched down, clasping his two front paws together, looking at Huo Caiyu with a pitiful expression, with only one thought in his mind:
He had been exposed!
He could only hope that Huo Caiyu, based on their bond, wouldn’t seek out any high-ranking monks or Daoists…
Huo Caiyu furrowed his brows, lowered his head, and carefully examined the chubby and adorable little hamster in the blanket. He muttered to himself in confusion, “Dumpling? How did you end up here?”
Li Jinyu: “…”
For a moment, he didn’t know whether he should breathe a sigh of relief or feel disappointed.
“Your Majesty?”
Huo Caiyu glanced at the empty dragon throne and furrowed his brows before setting down the blanket.
He bent down, gently picked up Li Jinyu in his hand, and said, “I’ll take you back first.”
Although he didn’t know why His Majesty had placed Dumpling on the bed, a small hamster like this could easily be squashed if not careful. If something happened to it, His Majesty would be devastated.
Li Jinyu nestled in Huo Caiyu’s palm, feeling the warmth of his hand against his belly. However, he couldn’t help but feel extremely nervous inside.
The real Dumpling was in the hamster cage. If Huo Caiyu took him there, wouldn’t it give away his true identity?
Since he hadn’t been exposed yet, he wanted to seize this opportunity!
He cautiously lifted his head and aimed in a direction, then swiftly darted out of Huo Caiyu’s palm when he wasn’t paying attention!
Huo Caiyu knew that hamsters were delicate pets and should be handled with care, avoiding using any force, so he let Li Jinyu slip away.
Taking a couple of steps forward and bypassing the screen, he was astonished to see Dumpling comfortably nibbling on peanuts in his own cage.
So hamsters were actually domesticated?
Huo Caiyu walked over, checked the cage, and noticed that the entrance above Dumpling’s cage was open. He closed it with a swift motion and added some water for Dumpling before turning around to continue searching for His Majesty.
Li Jinyu crouched under the round table, listening as Huo Caiyu’s footsteps gradually faded away, quietly relieved in his heart.
Emerging from under the table, he looked at Dumpling, who was almost the same size as him, through the cage. He raised his head and then lowered it, feeling somewhat indignant.
Clearly, there was a significant difference in appearance between him and Dumpling!
How could Huo Caiyu not recognize it?!
Saying “I love you” but mistaking both him and Dumpling!
Li Jinyu watched Dumpling in the soft bedding with envy. He jumped onto the entrance of the hamster cage, ready to enter and enjoy the desired pile of wood shavings. Suddenly, he felt a strong force behind him, pressing the entire hamster against the cage.
He turned his head and came face to face with the massive head of a black cat.
Li Jinyu was startled and instinctively wanted to run. However, the cat’s paw was firmly pressed against his back, leaving him with no means of escape.
After the instinctive fear subsided, Li Jinyu was filled with excitement. He was just contemplating whether he should go to the Prince’s residence to seek help from the black cat!
Unexpectedly, the black cat came on its own!
“Chonky, Chonky!” Li Jinyu turned his head, his ears trembling with excitement. “I can’t change back into human form! Please help me!”
The black cat’s face turned somewhat gloomy. It gnashed its teeth as if wanting to say something but was interrupted by Li Jinyu’s sudden plea. It furrowed its brow and said, “What’s all this fuss? Didn’t you already change back?”
“But I can’t change back to human form anymore!”
“What happened?”
“In the morning, the last trace of Ziwei imperial aura from Huo Caiyu transferred to me, and after a few minutes, I turned into what I am now,” Li Jinyu explained the morning incident like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube. He looked at the black cat with hope in his eyes and said, “Please enlighten me on what’s happening to me.”
The black cat squinted its eyes, released its paw, and scrutinized Li Jinyu up and down. Suddenly, it sneered, “There’s no particular reason, you’re just too weak.”
Li Jinyu: “?”
“Maintaining a human form requires a considerable amount of spiritual power. Previously, you were able to maintain your human form because that body didn’t belong to you,” the black cat rolled its eyes, “Now, all the Ziwei imperial aura has transferred to you. You are free, but you have to sustain your human form on your own. However, your meager amount of spiritual power can only maintain it for a short while. Do you understand?”
Li Jinyu: “…”
Seriously?!
Li Jinyu was aware of his incompetence as a demon before, but he never imagined he would be this powerless!
He could only sustain his human form for less than ten minutes by himself?!
“If you’re willing, you can retain some of your original features to save spiritual power,” the black cat bluntly struck him. “Like ears and tail… but even then, it won’t last more than an hour, right?”
Li Jinyu: “…What should I do now?”
Even if he hid his ears and tail like before, it wouldn’t guarantee that he would only appear for less than an hour every day, right?
The black cat looked at him, seemingly lost in thought, and suddenly spoke, “If you’re so troubled about it, I have an idea.”
Li Jinyu grasped onto the lifeline, “What is it?”
“Your main issue now is insufficient spiritual power. Find a way to improve your cultivation or replenish your spiritual power,” the black cat suggested, “I happen to have several quick methods for that.”
Li Jinyu became cautious, “I won’t kill anyone.”
Most expedited cultivation methods for spiritual entities came with karmic consequences. Li Jinyu just wanted to live a peaceful life with Huo Caiyu without stirring up any unnecessary trouble.
“Don’t worry,” the black cat rolled its eyes again, “In this world, there are many natural sources of spiritual power. No need to kill anyone.”
“What are they?”
“If we talk about the most effective method, it would be going outside Beiyue Pass. Isn’t Huo Caijin currently attacking Jiao Kingdom? The fortune of Jiao Kingdom is gradually dissipating, and fortune is the most effective energy source.”
The black cat spoke up to this point, casting a sidelong glance at Li Jinyu with some unwillingness, “Originally, I planned to get rid of Huo Caiyu and absorb the fortune of the Di Dynasty by leveraging the fluctuations caused by the future Emperor’s death. But you completely disrupted my plan.”
Li Jinyu awkwardly chuckled and whispered, “Isn’t there anything closer?”
Jiao Kingdom was too far away.
“Something closer would be searching for ancient sites left by previous dynasties and absorbing the residual fortune there, or finding some spiritual veins or mountains for cultivation. Of course, that’s a matter of chance rather than certainty,” the black cat pointed northward, “Speaking of which, the closest option would be to go to Mount Tianqi and absorb the spiritual power and fortune in the Imperial Mausoleum… But I think you probably wouldn’t be willing.”
Absorbing the fortune of the Imperial Mausoleum would directly seize the fortune of the Di Dynasty.
If the fortune of the Di Dynasty was affected, it would be a disaster for the nation and its people.
After contemplating for a while, Li Jinyu finally made a decision, “Then let’s go to the northeast.”
The previous dynasty before the Di Dynasty had established a sacrificial altar in the Mount Yuan of the northeast. After the Di Dynasty overthrew the old dynasty, they abandoned it and started conducting rituals near the capital.
“But first, I need to leave a message for Huo Caiyu.”
Li Jinyu didn’t want Huo Caiyu to know about his cultivation as a spiritual entity just yet, but he couldn’t disappear without a reason.
He knew very well the tremendous repercussions that would arise if the Emperor suddenly went missing from the palace.
The black cat nodded indifferently, “Suit yourself.”
Li Jinyu was still quite small in stature, making it inconvenient to spread out a piece of paper.
Fortunately, he wasn’t an ordinary hamster. Using his own spiritual power, he barely managed to dip the brush in cinnabar and left a few words on the snowy paper.
Finally finished writing, Li Jinyu took a breath and tossed the brush aside, looking at the black cat with hope, “Can you help me with directions? Or perhaps draw me a map?”
Surprisingly, the black cat was accommodating, “I’ll take you there.”
Li Jinyu was momentarily stunned, then felt touched, “In times like these, it seems that one can rely on a fellow villager after all!”
Leaning against the black cat’s neck, Li Jinyu sincerely said, “I didn’t expect you to be so concerned about helping me.”
“I’m just repaying a favor,” the black cat turned its head, suddenly smiling tenderly, its tone becoming very gentle, “That book, ‘The Secret Techniques of Long Yang,’ you placed it beneath my cat bed, didn’t you?”
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Just when we were getting some romantic moments and now he’s leaving ŏ̥̥̥̥םŏ̥̥̥̥. ୧(-᷅ہ-᷄)୨
Thanks for the update tho!
???????????? Li Jinyu’s demotion is hilarioussss.
Saying “I love you” but mistaking both him and Dumpling!
I laughed so hard ????????
Thank You for the chapter (⸝⸝⍢⸝⸝) ♥