Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time

Chapter 1019: A Strange Cat And Man

The women continued fawning over the red cat enthusiastically.

Qing Luan had already completely lost her composure and was currently crouched beside the railing while trying to tempt the cat over with pieces of dried spirit fish she had bought from a nearby stall earlier.

"Come here little one," she coaxed softly.

The cat stared at her lazily.

Then after a moment, it actually walked over with elegant little steps before allowing Qing Luan to scratch beneath its chin.

The woman nearly melted on the spot.

"Oh heavens, it’s even softer than it looks!"

Xuan Qing quickly joined in as well, carefully petting the cat’s back while smiling brightly.

Even Madam Cold Fang seemed strangely captivated.

Han Yu found the sight utterly surreal.

The terrifying Peak Dao Treading realm expert who could freeze armies alive was currently sitting calmly near the riverbank while gently rubbing a cat’s fluffy ears with a surprisingly delicate expression.

The cat itself seemed to enjoy the attention immensely.

Its tail swayed slowly behind it while soft purring sounds escaped continuously from its throat.

Han Yu reluctantly had to admit something.

The creature was genuinely adorable.

Actually...

It was probably the cutest animal he had ever seen in his entire life.

Its red fur almost looked silky beneath the lantern lights while its golden eyes reflected the river beautifully. Every movement it made appeared elegant and strangely refined.

Compared to this cat...

Even Chitterfang suddenly seemed significantly less adorable.

If the fat rat ever heard such thoughts, he would probably stage a dramatic protest for several months.

Han Yu almost snorted imagining the scene.

Still as he watched the cat more carefully, something began bothering him. The feeling grew stronger the longer he observed it.

Then suddenly, realization struck him.

"Hang on..." Han Yu muttered while narrowing his eyes slightly.

He stepped closer toward the cat carefully.

"That cat..."

His spiritual senses focused more closely.

Then Han Yu’s expression changed instantly.

"Is it at the Core Condensation realm!?" he blurted out in shock.

The three women froze.

Only then did they realize they had become too distracted by the cat’s cuteness to actually examine it properly. Qing Luan immediately spread her senses toward the animal. A moment later her eyes widened too.

"It really is!"

Xuan Qing looked equally startled.

"At the Peak Core Condensation realm too..."

Madam Cold Fang’s brows furrowed.

"A spirit beast like this wandering around openly inside the city?" Qing Luan asked in disbelief.

"Could it belong to someone?" Xuan Qing guessed. "A tamed beast perhaps?"

"It must be," Madam Cold Fang replied calmly while continuing to observe the animal carefully. "A spirit beast this strong would not behave so peacefully otherwise."

Han Yu remained silent.

Something still felt wrong.

Core Condensation spirit beasts certainly existed everywhere. The Blood Sect itself kept many such beasts. But those creatures were usually large, savage and intimidating.

This cat looked...

Too small.

Too harmless.

Too perfect.

Even Chitterfang had grown larger after reaching the Core Condensation realm despite remaining relatively compact compared to normal beasts.

Though now that Han Yu thought about it, the rat was roughly the same size as this cat. Han Yu almost laughed imagining Chitterfang furiously demanding equal praise for his appearance.

Still the strange feeling inside Han Yu only deepened.

He decided to verify things personally.

Quietly, Han Yu activated his soul senses. Ever since reaching the Soul Refinement realm, Han Yu had discovered that his soul could perceive things ordinary spiritual senses could not.

He could directly observe the strength of another being’s soul. Even if someone concealed their cultivation base perfectly, traces still remained visible at the soul level.

Ordinary cultivators possessed stronger souls as their cultivation improved.

Spirit beasts were the same.

Though none compared to actual soul cultivators.

Han Yu’s soul quietly extended toward the cat.

But the moment it touched the creature... Han Yu’s entire expression froze.

What he saw... Was not a cat.

Inside that tiny fluffy body, Han Yu saw the silhouette of a colossal beast towering nearly ten meters tall.

An ancient monstrous creature. Its mere presence radiated overwhelming pressure beyond anything Han Yu had ever experienced before.

Compared to this being even the Blood Sect Ancestors felt insignificant. The difference was like comparing a candle flame to the sun itself.

Han Yu’s soul instantly recoiled violently as fear exploded inside him instinctively. His consciousness snapped back into his body immediately as he subconsciously staggered backward.

The women noticed at once.

"Han Yu?" Xuan Qing asked in confusion.

Before he could answer though—

"GRRRR!"

The cat suddenly arched its back aggressively and growled directly at him.

Its previously adorable demeanor vanished instantly.

The sudden hostility startled everyone.

"Did you scare it?" Qing Luan asked accusingly.

"Han Yu!" Xuan Qing chided him immediately while protecting the cat instinctively.

Madam Cold Fang however narrowed her eyes sharply now. Unlike the others, she immediately sensed something strange from Han Yu’s reaction. Han Yu rarely lost composure so openly.

Especially not from a mere Core Condensation spirit beast.

Before Han Yu could explain anything though...

Footsteps approached quietly from behind them.

"There you are."

A calm male voice spoke.

The group turned around simultaneously.

The moment Han Yu saw the man approaching, his pupils contracted slightly.

The newcomer was impossibly handsome.

Even Han Yu had to admit that.

The man stood over a hundred and eighty centimeters tall with long black hair tied loosely behind his back and a well groomed beard that somehow enhanced his appearance further instead of diminishing it.

He wore plain black cultivator robes without any decorations whatsoever.

Yet strangely...

Those ordinary robes somehow appeared exceptionally elegant on him.

His bearing felt natural and effortless.

Every movement carried a strange dignity that could not be imitated.

Most shocking of all, Han Yu sensed absolutely nothing from him.

No Qi fluctuations.

No spiritual pressure.

Nothing.

The man seemed completely mortal.

And yet... Han Yu’s instincts screamed danger.

Pure danger.

The kind that made every hair on his body stand upright.

The handsome man smiled faintly after arriving beside them.

"I hope he didn’t bother you," he said calmly.

His voice sounded warm and pleasant.

The red cat immediately leapt onto the man’s shoulder afterward.

"Come on, Shrubby," the man said casually while scratching beneath the cat’s chin.

The cat instantly returned to its previous adorable demeanor and rubbed affectionately against the man’s face.

Han Yu’s eyes twitched slightly.

Shrubby?

That terrifying monster was called Shrubby?

Meanwhile Qing Luan finally spoke awkwardly.

"Ah... no, your spirit beast didn’t bother us at all. We just thought it was very cute."

The man chuckled softly.

"He certainly enjoys attention."

The cat puffed its chest proudly afterward as though agreeing completely.

Han Yu however remained completely tense internally.

He could not understand what exactly this man was.

Because if the cat possessed a soul that terrifying...

Then what about its owner?

Han Yu discreetly tried extending his soul senses toward the man.

The instant he did—

The handsome man’s eyes suddenly shifted toward him.

Directly toward him.

Han Yu’s scalp turned numb instantly.

Because for a split second... It felt like the man had seen straight through everything.

Not just his appearance.

Not just his cultivation.

Everything.

His soul.

His secrets.

His schemes.

All of it.

Han Yu forcibly suppressed the instinct to retreat immediately.

The handsome man merely smiled calmly though.

Then he suddenly spoke.

"You have quite an interesting soul."

Han Yu’s heart nearly stopped.