Qiu'er seemed delighted to see Bibi Dong first thing in the morning.
The little creature clumsily shook its fluffy fur, then hopped down nimbly from the couch with its stubby legs. It scurried over to Bibi Dong's feet, nudging her calf with its tiny head while its delicate tail wagged happily.
Bibi Dong looked down at the adorable, innocent little thing by her feet and smiled. "Little one, are you awake?"
"Meow meow!"
Qiu'er nodded enthusiastically, circling Bibi Dong's legs twice while blinking its large golden eyes.
Bibi Dong bent down, extending a slender finger to gently tap Qiu'er's moist, cool little nose. Her voice softened as she gave a deliberate warning: "I'm going out. You stay here and play. Whatever you do, don't wander off. Wait for us to come back, understand?"
"The soul masters outside are dangerous. They won't care how cute you are—they'll kill you for your soul ring!"
"Do you understand?"
Meow—?!
Hearing that it would be left behind alone, Qiu'er's previously excited gaze immediately dimmed. At the mention of being killed for its soul ring, it shrank back slightly, its neck retracting instinctively.
Then, abruptly lifting its head, its voice filled with flattery:
Meow~
It was as if it were pleading, 'Where are you going? Take me with you! Please take me!'
Bibi Dong: "…."
There was a hint of helplessness in Bibi Dong's eyes, but they still carried a trace of affection.
"It's not convenient to bring you along. You'll be safe here. Be good."
Meow! Meow meow!
Qiu'er suddenly became frantic, hopping around in place. Its two small paws tugged at Bibi Dong's pant leg, and it stretched its little head up as far as it could, emitting a series of urgent, pitiful cries.
As it called out, it even stuck out its pink little tongue, trying to lick Bibi Dong's dangling fingers. Its small body wriggled, and its fluffy tail swung like a cheerful windmill. Every movement it made was an earnest plea:
'Take me with you! Take me with you!'
This irresistibly cute display of begging was almost too much for Bibi Dong to resist.
Bibi Dong's elegantly arched brows furrowed slightly.
She was always strong-willed, decisive, and unyielding. Taking a little spirit beast along to track Dai Chengfeng? It was utterly absurd.
She had intended to put on a stern face and ignore it completely.
But Qiu'er didn't give her the chance.
Seeing that its earlier attempts at cuteness hadn't worked, the little creature promptly rolled onto its back, exposing its soft, pinkish belly. Its four tiny paws curled up against its chest as it gazed at her with big, teary eyes, emitting soft, plaintive whimpers of Mm… Meow Mm…
The level of adorableness doubled instantly.
Bibi Dong's hand, which had been about to pick it up and return it to its nest, froze mid-air.
Looking at the little one's stubborn, "I'm not getting up until you agree" demeanor, its defenseless belly-up posture, and those golden, heart-melting big eyes…
Even the formidable Empress's stern facial features softened just a tiny bit.
"Truly… there's no dealing with you!"
Bibi Dong bit her lip, taking a deep breath. Her voice betrayed an undeniable fondness…
Then, she bent down and scooped up the wriggling little creature from the floor.
"Shh—!"
Before Qiu'er could let out a happy chirp, Bibi Dong silenced it with a stern glare and a finger pressed to her lips.
She placed it firmly on one of her shoulders and whispered:
"If you want to come, no noise, no revealing our presence. Otherwise, I'll send you right back!"
Qiu'er immediately clung tightly to the fabric of Bibi Dong's shoulder with its tiny paws, nodding its head vigorously like a pecking chick:
"Meow!"
It instantly became incredibly well-behaved, even lightening its breathing. Only its strikingly bright golden eyes remained, alert and excitedly scanning their surroundings.
"Little rascal…"
Bibi Dong muttered under her breath, no longer delaying.
She focused her mind, and her immense spiritual power spread out like an invisible web, silently pinpointing the faint trace of Dai Chengfeng's presence as he descended the stairs at the end of the hallway.
"Let's go!"
With a flicker of movement, she opened the door soundlessly.
Qiu'er, perched on her shoulder, quickly lowered its head, doing its best to disguise itself as a golden scarf draped over Bibi Dong's neck.
The corridor was empty and quiet.
Dai Chengfeng seemed unaware, continuing his unhurried descent down the stairs. Soon, he exited the Swan Hotel.
Bibi Dong and Qiu'er quietly followed him. Both human and beast suppressed their auras, moving like shadows. They used the sparse morning pedestrians and the shadows of buildings to perfectly conceal their presence.
Qiu'er, perched on Bibi Dong's shoulder, mimicked her movements perfectly. Its small body pressed tightly against her neck, its fluffy golden fur flattened as much as possible, its breathing so light it was nearly inaudible.
Only its gleaming golden eyes, brimming with pure curiosity, remained fixed unwaveringly on Dai Chengfeng's retreating figure.
Where was he going so early?
Who was he meeting?
After about ten minutes of tailing him, Dai Chengfeng showed no signs of suspicion. He simply continued walking at a steady pace, while Bibi Dong's curiosity only grew stronger.
In truth, Bibi Dong didn't care if there were other women around Dai Chengfeng.
Given his status and strength, it was only natural for him to have some romantic entanglements.
Besides, she wasn't anyone special to him, so why should she bother?
However, his two consecutive nights of not returning home…
It made her feel like something unpleasant might be happening.
At her level, with her vast spiritual power and extraordinary perception, what others might call a "sixth sense" or a "gut feeling" was often not baseless. Instead, it was a vague premonition of potential danger sensed by her powerful soul.
Ultimately, Bibi Dong chose to trust her instincts.
If that was the case, then she would personally confirm things for herself…
She wanted to see exactly what Dai Chengfeng was up to.
And to ensure that he wasn't in any danger.
Thus, one person and one beast—one driven by an instinctive concern, the other purely by affection and curiosity—followed Dai Chengfeng from a discreet distance.
Fortunately, they couldn't see his face.
At this moment, Dai Chengfeng was seething internally…
In fact, the instant Bibi Dong and Qiu'er's presence appeared in the hotel corridor, Dai Chengfeng's boundless spiritual power had already detected the faintest trace of soul force fluctuations—and another unmistakable, pure life-force aura belonging to a spirit beast.
Aside from Bibi Dong and Qiu'er, who else could it be?
But soon, the corners of Dai Chengfeng's mouth curved upward ever so slightly. "Good thing I'm not meeting Qian Renxue. If they want to follow, let them follow…"
"Just as well—it'll put your mind at ease."
And so, one person and one person-plus-beast pair, one ahead and one trailing behind, passed through several bustling streets. The morning's tranquility gradually gave way to the clamor of the day.
Finally, Dai Chengfeng came to a stop in front of a magnificent building.
The structure was primarily constructed of pristine white jade, adorned with dazzling gold embellishments. In the rising sunlight, it reflected an almost blinding brilliance.
The massive arched entrance stood open, and above it hung a plaque adorned with several enormous gemstones. The radiant characters proclaimed its identity—[Seven Treasures Auction House].
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow