Chapter 2: The Diviner

Zhang Yi and I stepped out of Da Xiong's house; the sky had already turned dark. In the distance, a bright light glowed from a courtyard at the street corner—that was Grandpa Yu's home. The light spilled through the windows onto the small path outside, casting a warm, golden hue, as if beckoning us forward.

We pushed open the creaking wooden door and entered. Grandpa Yu was sitting by an old wooden table, holding a yellowed ancient book in his hands. A flickering oil lamp cast unsteady shadows on his face. Upon hearing our footsteps, he looked up, a hint of doubt flashing through his cloudy eyes.

"It's late. What brings you two here?" Grandpa Yu put down his book, his voice hoarse.

"Grandpa Yu, something happened." I quickly stepped forward and told him everything about Da Xiong's encounter with the cat demon.

After hearing the story, Grandpa Yu's already wrinkled face seemed to crease even deeper. His brows furrowed tightly as he asked, "Are you saying… a cat demon appeared?"

We nodded. Grandpa Yu let out a long sigh, looked at us, and asked, "Do you know the history of the world we live in?"

His sudden question caught us off guard. We exchanged confused glances and shook our heads.

Grandpa Yu stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and paced slowly around the room. "This continent we live on is called the Tianyuan Continent. Over a thousand years ago, humans arrived on this land and fought the beastmen for survival. The beastmen, though incredibly strong, were simple-minded. In the end, they were driven into the deep mountains and forests. Later, the demon race appeared."

"The demon race?" Zhang Yi's eyes widened. "What's that?"

Grandpa Yu stopped pacing and looked at us with deep, solemn eyes. "The demon race is a far more terrifying existence than the beastmen. Not only did they control the half-beastmen, but they also brought with them powerful demonic creatures. Over a hundred years ago, the great human kingdoms united and barely managed to fend off the demon race's invasion. In the end, the Dragon Guards sacrificed their lives to seal the demon king, bringing us this century of peace."

"The Dragon Guards?" I murmured the name, a strange sense of reverence welling up in my heart.

Grandpa Yu nodded. "After the war ended, humans rebuilt Baqi City and Gobi Earth City, and a dojo was established at the site of the demon king's seal. Our border village, too, is said to have produced a Dragon Guard warrior back then, which is why this place is called the Land of the Dragon Guards."

"But… what does this have to do with the cat demon we encountered?" Zhang Yi couldn't help but ask.

Grandpa Yu sighed and said, "About fifty years ago, a fortune-teller known as the 'Divine Seer' traveled around, proclaiming that in fifty years, the demon race would inevitably return to the human world, bringing catastrophe upon mankind."

"The Divine Seer?" I had never heard of such a person. "Who was he?"

Grandpa Yu shook his head. "No one knows. Only that his divinations were incredibly accurate. His real name, where he lived, and why he made that prediction—none of it is known. But he also said that before the demon race returns, there would first be monsters."

"So, Grandpa Yu, you're saying… the cat demon is a harbinger of the demon race?" A chill ran down my spine, and unease settled in my heart.

"Perhaps." Grandpa Yu sighed. "If it truly is the demon race, then we're in trouble."

The room fell silent, the only sound being the faint flickering of the oil lamp. Grandpa Yu walked over to his bookshelf, pulled out a worn-out book, and handed it to me. "This is The Chronicles of Tianyuan. It records some legends about the demon race and beastmen. Take it with you—perhaps it will be of some help."

I took the book, feeling its heavy weight in my hands. Zhang Yi peeked over and muttered, "More books again…"

Grandpa Yu chuckled, patting Zhang Yi's shoulder. "You young ones should learn as much as you can. If the demon race truly returns, we must stand together and fight. Only then will we have a sliver of hope."

By the time we left Grandpa Yu's house, the night was deep and still. The village was quiet, save for the occasional chirping of insects in the distance. Zhang Yi and I walked in silence, each lost in thought.

Just as we neared the village entrance, a cat's cry pierced the air. We turned toward the sound and saw a black cat dashing across a rooftop, disappearing into the night.

"This isn't good. Let's hurry back." A foreboding feeling gripped me, and I pulled Zhang Yi along as we rushed toward Da Xiong's house.

When we arrived, we ran straight to the backyard, startling Lu Xi. He had been practicing swordsmanship, swinging a blade under the moonlight that glowed with a faint green hue.

"What's wrong?" Lu Xi steadied himself and lowered his sword stance.

"We just saw a black cat on our way back," I said, still catching my breath.

"A black cat?" Lu Xi glanced around. "I don't see any. Besides, it's just a cat—what's the problem?"

"Hopefully, nothing." I looked around but found nothing unusual. Still, an unease lingered. In my memory, cats held grudges. Da Xiong had stabbed the cat demon earlier—would it seek revenge? And before they encountered the cat demon this afternoon, they had also seen black cats…

"Meow…"

A cat's cry came from inside the house—Da Xiong's room.

"This is bad! Da Xiong's room!" I shouted and sprinted toward it. Lu Xi and Zhang Yi followed closely behind.

As we rushed inside, we saw Da Xiong still asleep on his bed. But on top of him, a black cat crouched, its eyes glowing an eerie green as it stared at us.

"Meow…" The black cat let out a low growl, almost mocking, as if taunting us. I exchanged a glance with the others, and we instinctively formed a half-circle around the bed. Lu Xi, holding his bronze sword, stood in the center with his blade slightly raised, ready to strike. Zhang Yi and I took positions on either side, eyes locked onto the cat's every move.

Just as we closed in, the black cat suddenly leaped—straight toward me. I reflexively stepped back but stumbled over a stool and fell hard onto the floor.

In that split second, Lu Xi's sword flashed, striking toward the cat. But the creature twisted mid-air, dodging the blade effortlessly. It landed, bared its fangs at Lu Xi, and let out a low, guttural snarl.

The cat seemed wary of Lu Xi but quickly shifted its gaze back to me. Frantically, I reached around, searching for something—anything—I could use to defend myself. My fingers grasped a small pouch. Without thinking, I hurled it at the cat.

The bag burst open in mid-air, scattering powder over the cat's body.

The cat screeched and leapt away, darting through the window into the darkness.

"What now?" Zhang Yi asked, panting.

"We chase it!" I looked down at my hand, realizing the powder was glowing faintly green—it was phosphorescent powder.

"Grab your weapons. Let's find their lair and wipe them out!" The lingering danger and near-death moment ignited a fire in my chest. I clenched my fists, determined to tear that black cat apart.