[ Ding! You have been cursed. ]
Zhang Yuanqing heard the Spirit Realm notification in his ear.
[ A curse? Did I accidentally drink Parkinson's cat hair? ] he thought wryly, trying to find humor in the grim situation.
He instinctively tried to use his skills but discovered he had lost all his abilities, along with his connection to his Inventory.
[ After transforming into a cat, all my powers have vanished. ]
[ A curse... This must be the power of a Witchcraft Master. Yin-Yang Town is a team-based instance, so the presence of Evil Class elements is understandable. But when was I cursed? I didn't sense anything at all. ]
[ Was it the tea? No, Queen and Li Chunfeng didn't drink any. ]
His gaze swept over his six companions. Huode Star General Cat stood frozen, fur bristling. Chi Ou and Li Chunfeng, both transformed into ginger cats, darted their heads left and right, mewling incessantly, still shaken by their sudden transformation.
Grass on the Plain, however, was examining his new feline body with curious fascination. Though his expression was serious, he didn't seem particularly averse to being a cat.
Queen Cat crouched on the ground, surrounded by scattered clothes and shoes. Two silver rings dangled from her pointed ears, and she pawed at them frantically, mewing urgently.
Are her earrings Items? They don't seem to be working. So even if we retrieve our Items beforehand, they'll still be sealed, Zhang Yuanqing thought, glancing at Guan Ya.
Guan Ya Cat remained the calmest. The moment Granny Wang cried out, "My son!", she silently retreated on all fours.
"My son, come out! Your mother has brought you two beautiful girls. Finally, you have women to keep you company. Ah, you never could control your lust, and that's why you've ended up like this."
"These girls are fair-skinned and delicate, with exquisite features. My son, what are you waiting for?"
Granny Wang's voice was hoarse and aged, each cry like a soul-summoning chant.
Creak~
Across the courtyard, the tightly shut door creaked open. All the cats—no, all the cats—immediately craned their necks to stare.
Through the crack in the door, they could see a coffin resting on two wooden stools in the center of the room. The coffin was painted crimson red, and red threads and a purple Talisman lay scattered on the floor.
The red threads and Talisman were meant to bind whatever lay inside the coffin. Guan Ya Cat, being a Scout, immediately deduced this detail from her earlier observation.
Scritch, scritch~
From within the coffin came the sound of fingernails scraping against wood—a chilling, terrifying sound.
Then, the coffin lid sprang open, tumbling to the ground with a resounding clang.
A grotesque male face emerged, its features feline yet undeniably human, an unsettling blend of ugliness and horror.
Even more terrifying, as it crawled out of the coffin, the cats realized it was a Great Cat that had been skinned alive, its blood-red flesh exposed to the air.
The Great Cat stood about a meter tall, its blood-red tail flicking gently behind it, ending in a bony spur.
Its face was twisted into a snarl, its eyes gleaming with bloodlust and lustful malice.
A chill ran down Zhang Yuanqing's spine as he sensed a primal threat rooted in his very genes. He instinctively arched his back, bared his teeth, and hissed.
His companions reacted similarly.
The Great Cat moved with lithe grace, its predatory gaze locking onto the seven cats in the hall.
Zhang Yuanqing hissed, "Meow meow meow (We've triggered the plot. We must kill this monster cat to escape)."
His six companions stared blankly at him.
Though transformed into cats, they couldn't understand feline speech.
Just then, Guan Ya, who had been watching the blood-soaked Great Cat intently, let out a sharp meow, warning, "Meow meow (Be careful)!"
In the next instant, the dripping, skinned Great Cat lunged forward in a red blur, targeting the seemingly weakest among them, Li Chunfeng.
Li Chunfeng displayed the agility befitting a cat, his tail shooting straight up as he darted sideways like an arrow.
But the Great Cat was faster. It swiftly overtook Li Chunfeng, pounced, and bit down on his neck, then raised its head and shook him violently.
Li Chunfeng let out a piercing scream.
The Black Cat Huode Star General, transformed from the Huode Star General, leaped into the air with a shrill cry, lunging at the Great Cat.
Crack!
The Great Cat's bone-spiked tail lashed out like a whip, sending the Black Cat flying. It crashed to the ground, convulsing.
The power gap between the two sides was immense. Compared to the Great Cat, the other cats were as weak as mice.
Seeing Li Chunfeng about to have his neck snapped, Zhang Yuanqing darted forward, dodging the Great Cat's tail strike, and launched himself into a pounce.
He landed on the Great Cat's neck, bared his fangs, and bit down hard on its ear.
"Aow~!"
The Great Cat roared in pain, its jaws loosening. Li Chunfeng tumbled free, the fur on his neck stained crimson with blood, and fled in terror.
As he reached the wall, the adrenaline wore off, and he collapsed weakly to the ground, his eyes glazing over as he let out a low, mournful whimper.
In just one exchange, a team member was already on the brink of death.
The Great Cat shook its head twice, but Zhang Yuanqing clung fast. It lowered its head, extended its padded paw, and raked its claws down Zhang Yuanqing's back.
Blood welled up in crimson streaks across Zhang Yuanqing's back, dark red blood flowing freely.
Forced to release his grip, Zhang Yuanqing tumbled off the Great Cat's head and fled with lightning speed.
Blood streamed from the Great Cat's ears as it furiously pursued Zhang Yuanqing. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through its tail—Chi Ou had clamped down on it.
"Aow~!"
The Great Cat whirled around and bit down on Chi Ou's neck. To its surprise, this plump Ginger Cat had thick skin and layers of fat; its sharp teeth failed to immediately pierce through.
The Great Cat tilted its head back and shook its head violently again.
In that instant, Zhang Yuanqing charged back, leaping onto the Great Cat's back. The Queen Cat and Guan Ya Cat pounced from the left, while the Huode Star General and Grass on the Plain attacked from the right.
The cats swarmed the creature. There was no retreat; this Human-Faced Cat had nearly killed Li Chunfeng in a single exchange. Any hesitation now would doom the entire group.
The Human-Faced Cat, still clutching the plump Ginger Cat in its jaws, rose to its hind legs. Its paw pads extended, revealing razor-sharp claws. With a swift motion, it pinned the Queen Cat and Grass on the Plain with its left and right paws, respectively.
Then, with a flick of its tail—
Crack!
Zhang Yuanqing, who had leaped high into the air, was sent hurtling against the wall like a tennis ball.
He collapsed to the ground, blood oozing from his mouth and nose. Several gaping wounds now riddled his chest and abdomen, gurgling with blood.
Guan Ya, who had avoided the initial attack, raked bloody streaks across the Human-Faced Cat's face with her sharp claws. Meanwhile, the Huode Star General clamped its jaws onto the Human-Faced Cat's abdomen, tearing off a chunk of flesh.
The Human-Faced Cat shrieked in agony, its body twisting violently, its tail whipping the Black Cat away with a brutal strike. It then lunged at Guan Ya, snapping its jaws.
But Guan Ya, tail arched high, darted backward with agile grace, narrowly evading the razor-sharp teeth.
Forced to retract its head, the Human-Faced Cat spat out the half-dead Ginger Cat, seized the Grass on the Plain beneath its right paw, and with a violent jerk of its head, snapped the Grass on the Plain's neck with a sickening crack.
The sound sent a chill through every cat present.
The Human-Faced Cat casually flung the Grass on the Plain aside.
The Grass on the Plain lay limp on the ground, its limbs twitching weakly, its abdomen heaving in ragged breaths. It had only minutes left to live.
Zhang Yuanqing, huddled against the wall, felt his heart sink into the abyss.
Li Chunfeng was already gasping for breath, his life ebbing away. With its neck broken, the Grass on the Plain would likely die even faster. The Huode Star General, struck twice by bone spikes, was critically wounded and unable to fight.
Zhang Yuanqing's own condition was no better.
The only uninjured cats were Guan Ya and the Queen, but the latter was pinned beneath the Human-Faced Cat's paw, leaving Guan Ya as the sole combatant.
This was the path to total annihilation.
After biting through Grass on the Plain's neck, the Human-Faced Cat didn't attack Guan Ya. Instead, it lowered its head, sniffing the Queen Cat incessantly, its nostrils twitching.
What is it going to do? A bad feeling surged in Zhang Yuanqing's heart.
The next moment, his premonition came true. As the Human-Faced Cat continued to sniff, a deep crimson organ emerged from the bulging pouch on its abdomen. The repulsive creature was in heat.
Sensing the danger, the Queen Cat began to struggle violently, emitting a piercing shriek.
The Black Cat Huode Star General tried desperately to stand, but blood loss and pain prevented him from rising. He could only let out angry, helpless cries.
At this moment, Granny Wang, who had been observing from beneath the courtyard, chuckled. "Girl, don't resist. My son has been trapped in this hellhole for years. He's so lonely. Just indulge him a little—he won't kill you. These others are doomed, but you can survive."
The Queen's piercing shriek echoed through the courtyard, her eyes filled with helplessness and despair.
Guan Ya arched her back, preparing to pounce.
The Human-Faced Cat bared its teeth at her, issuing a warning while arching its own back and pressing its lower body against the Queen.
Guan Ya feigned another pounce, and the Human-Faced Cat immediately froze, baring its teeth at her again.
The two creatures locked in a tense standoff.
Guan Ya kept glancing at Zhang Yuanqing. If she charged now, the Queen's fate might be transferred to her.
The Human-Faced Cat's size, speed, and strength made it an insurmountable opponent for them in their current state.
She's stalling for time, hoping I can find a solution? Zhang Yuanqing understood Guan Ya's strategy. His mind raced, but he couldn't think of a way out of this predicament.
They couldn't use Items; otherwise, he could have used the Demon Subduing Pestle's Purification to break the curse.
A physical confrontation offered no hope of victory.
The Spirit Realm's notification didn't specify a duration for the curse, meaning it was likely permanent.
Think, think!
Panic surged through him, but the more he panicked, the less clearly he could think.
Just then, Zhang Yuanqing noticed Li Chunfeng, who was on the verge of death by the wall, struggling to turn his head and look up, gesturing toward the cat corpse hanging from the ceiling beam.
Cat corpse?
An idea struck Zhang Yuanqing like lightning.
What's the source of the curse? The Yin-Yang Town strategy guide made no mention of a cat transformation curse, contradicting Granny Wang's claim that it originated from the Yin-Yang Wanderer's descendants.
What's the medium of the curse? Since teammates who hadn't drunk the tea had also transformed into cats, it couldn't be the tea.
Could it be the cat corpse hanging from the beam?!
Forcing himself through the pain and exhaustion, Zhang Yuanqing scrambled to his feet and clumsily charged toward the pillar. Claws extended from his padded paws, he struggled to climb the pillar toward the rafters.
Below, Granny Wang's face twisted in panic. "Son, hurry! Kill him!" she shrieked.
The Human-Faced Cat tilted its head, its gaze fixed on Zhang Yuanqing scaling the pillar. With a casual flick, it leaped onto the pillar and swiftly closed the distance.
"Meow (fuck)!"
A jolt of terror shot through Zhang Yuanqing's scalp. Adrenaline surged as death loomed. He threw himself into a desperate leap.
The instant he left his spot, the Human-Faced Cat took his place.
Zhang Yuanqing spread his limbs mid-air, his claws hooking precariously onto the body of a skinned cat corpse. He clung on by a thread, narrowly avoiding a fatal fall.
He scrambled up the corpse, baring his sharp teeth, and with a snap, severed the hemp rope.
Both cats plummeted downward.
As the corpse fell, an invisible barrier seemed to shatter, and an icy wind swept through the living room.
"Awoo~"
The Human-Faced Cat crashed to the ground from the pillar, writhing in agony. Its human features rapidly reverted to feline form, transforming it into a monstrous cat.
The last vestiges of rationality in its eyes were consumed by madness and bloodlust.
Dense bone spurs erupted from its flesh and blood.
Within seconds, it transformed into an even more grotesque and terrifying creature.
It slowly rose to its feet, shook its head, and let out a low, guttural growl.
Granny Wang's face paled as she rushed forward, trembling. "My child, hurry, get back in the coffin!"
The Human-Faced Cat—no, the monstrous cat—whipped its head around at the sound, pounced on Granny Wang, and sank its sharp teeth into her neck.
Crack!
The neck bone snapped, and crimson blood gushed forth.
The Great Cat pinned Granny Wang's body with its massive paws and began tearing into her flesh with savage bites.
Granny Wang's limbs twitched violently before falling still.
At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing heard his own bones crackling as the cat fur receded into his pores and his paw pads gradually transformed back into human hands.
Guan Ya snatched up her clothes and fled. Glancing back, she saw the Queen Cat curled on the ground, still shaken. She dragged her clothes over and slapped the Queen Cat awake.
Startled, the Queen Cat realized her body was returning to normal. She immediately grabbed her clothes and followed Guan Ya through the courtyard and into the room.
It's finally over, Zhang Yuanqing thought, reluctantly chasing after the retreating figures of his two female teammates.
Within seconds, his limbs transformed, his toes and fingers elongated, and he reverted to human form.
The Curse had lifted!
Li Chunfeng by the wall, Grass on the Plain by the courtyard, and Huode Star General by the table all returned to their human forms, completely naked.
However, their injuries remained, leaving them on the brink of death.
Mrowl...
Sensing the change behind it, the Great Cat turned its blood-soaked head and saw Zhang Yuanqing rising to his feet.
It bared its teeth instantly, its snow-white fangs stained crimson with blood and shreds of flesh.
Abandoning Granny Wang's corpse, the Great Cat lunged forward in a blur.
Now that he could see it clearly, Zhang Yuanqing realized how weak it truly was. He stepped forward, seized the Great Cat by the neck, and summoned the Blade of Bloodlust with his other hand.
But as he prepared to plunge the blade into the creature's skull, he suddenly recalled the demon lord's words: If I can resist beauty and slaughter, I might trigger a hidden quest.
Beauty was understandable, but what did "resist slaughter" mean?
How could one complete this Instance without killing?
It couldn't refer to killing within the Orderly or Evil Factions; otherwise, the demon lord wouldn't have survived and cleared the Yin-Yang Town quest.
Could "no killing" mean not killing the monsters in the instance?
Zhang Yuanqing swung the monster up and slammed it violently to the ground.
The creature instantly went still, its chest rising and falling as it slipped into a semi-conscious state.
At that moment, Guan Ya and the Queen emerged from the room, fully clothed. They glanced at Zhang Yuanqing's naked body before quickly averting their eyes. Guan Ya strode over to Li Chunfeng and knelt beside the dying man, a syringe filled with a pale golden liquid in her hand.
She pierced the syringe into Li Chunfeng's neck vein and injected half the golden liquid. Then, she administered the remaining half to Huode Star General and Chi Ou.
"Why didn't you save him?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, turning to Grass on the Plain.
The Wood Spirit Youth groaned, opened his eyes, and sat up. "I don't need it," he said. "I have a recovery skill. Wood Spirits automatically activate revival when near death, but it can only be used once a day."
He cracked his neck, the joints popping audibly. "I already revived earlier. Sorry, I was just playing dead."
Just then, Li Chunfeng, Huode Star General, and Chi Ou all rose to their feet.
"Life Elixir? You actually have Life Elixir? Even though it's diluted, this stuff is a strategic resource of the Five Elements Alliance," Li Chunfeng said gratefully. "Thank you, thank you."
This woman must hold a high position within The Officials.
"That was close! I almost died! This is just an A-rank instance? How fucking hard is an S-rank one?" Huode Star General cursed, then turned to Guan Ya to express his gratitude:
"I owe you my life, and I'll repay it."
Guan Ya glanced at the room full of naked men and smiled. "Hurry up and get dressed. Do you think it's honorable to parade around like a bunch of hairy caterpillars?"
"..."
After the men had dressed, the Queen sighed softly and approached Zhang Yuanqing, whispering:
"Thank you. If you hadn't broken the curse, I can't imagine what would have happened to me."
Just don't develop a phobia of men, Zhang Yuanqing thought, not taking credit. "Li Chunfeng gave me the clue."
Li Chunfeng added, "The curse's medium was the cat corpses, which formed a Curse Formation. I suspected it all along, but you were too busy dealing with that monster to notice. By the way, why are you still keeping it? Kill it already."
"Let's keep it for now. I want to run an experiment," Zhang Yuanqing said, glancing around at his teammates. "Has anyone received any Spirit Realm prompts yet?"
The others shook their heads.
"Looks like there won't be any prompts. These types of instances are the most troublesome," Zhang Yuanqing sighed.
Guan Ya pulled a straw doll from her pocket. "We found this in the room earlier."
The roughly crafted doll was made of straw, its body pierced with thin needles. A piece of paper was pasted to its front, bearing the name:
"Xu Xiuer"
Xu Xiuer. Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a moment. "In the first S-rank spirit realm I experienced, the instance information had to be deduced and deciphered by the Spirit Realm Walkers themselves. This Yin-Yang Town seems to be the same."
"Fortunately, Granny Wang provided enough information. Let's review what we know. But first, I want to run an experiment with this."
With that, he picked up the half-dead Great Cat and headed toward the room.
What's he planning? The others exchanged puzzled glances before hurrying after him.