Chapter 159: The Yellow Weasel

She, despite her leg troubles, used a cane to go from house to house, asking if anyone wanted a kitten. In those days, people barely had enough to eat, let alone extra food to feed a cat. Who would willingly take in a cat? So, day after day, Granny Zhang returned home disappointed.

That day, fate had its own plan. Early in the morning, Granny Zhang went out searching for someone who might want the cat. The cat, with nothing better to do, was sunbathing in front of the thatched hut. Yang Baosan happened to see it and flew into a rage. “This old hag not only eats three meals a day off me, but now she’s raising a cat to eat too!” Filled with anger, he picked up a brick and hurled it at the cat.

The brick struck the cat with a sickening thud, nearly shattering its skull. It should have died instantly, but driven by the thought of the kittens inside her, the cat somehow staggered to her feet and stumbled away. Yang Baosan was stunned when the cat didn’t die immediately. Watching it disappear into the distance, he made no move to chase after it. In the afternoon, when he saw Granny Zhang return with her cane, he stormed into the rice field and shouted, “You old hag! You eat my food and wear my clothes, yet you do nothing all day but raise a cat! Are you just burning with nothing better to do? Are you trying to provoke me?”

Hearing his words, Granny Zhang immediately sensed something was wrong. In her haste to get back to the hut, she almost fell. As she approached, she called out, “Huangmao! Huangmao!” But no cat came running. Instead, she saw a puddle of blood at the door, with a few drops trailing away. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she cried, “Oh, my poor child! You’ve taken several lives with you! Huangmao! Huangmao!” Sobbing loudly, she followed the trail of blood. Behind her, Yang Baosan continued to curse the old woman for being a nuisance.

Following the trail, Granny Zhang reached the edge of a field and saw the cat. Its head was a bloody mess, clearly dead. Yet on its belly were four wet kittens, suckling hungrily at their mother’s teats. Somehow, knowing death was near, the cat had managed to drag itself here, give birth to all her kittens, and only then passed away. (Note from Lao Jiu: This actually happened! A cat hit on the head and dying before giving birth was witnessed by my senior in Northeast China! Here we marvel at the greatness of a mother’s love.) Standing beside the cat, Granny Zhang wept bitterly, then buried the adult cat and took the four kittens home. Every day, she fed them thin porridge sweetened with sugar. Within half a month, the sugar was gone, and Granny Zhang was at a loss.

But then, the largest of the four kittens, the yellow one, somehow caught a field mouse and brought it home. The four kittens tore into it and devoured it completely. From then on, the cats no longer ate a single bite of Granny Zhang’s food, instead hunting birds and mice on their own. As they grew older, the four cats began playing in the woods during the day and bringing Granny Zhang several birds at night. Carefully roasting the birds, Granny Zhang could occasionally enjoy a rare taste of meat, which delighted her greatly.

Fearing her son might harm the cats again, she went to him and threatened to report him to the town government for being unfilial if he dared touch the cats. This frightened Yang Baosan. If such rumors spread in the town, it would bring him nothing but trouble.

So, with the cats for company, Granny Zhang lived a much happier life than before. She named the kittens according to their fur colors: the largest yellow one was Da Huang (Big Yellow), and the others were Huazi (Spotted), Xiao Bai (Little White), and Xiao Hui (Little Gray). Last winter, the four cats somehow brought home a black puppy, barely weaned. Granny Zhang took the puppy in and named him Heizi (Blackie). Da Huang and Heizi became great friends, rarely fighting. Da Huang especially loved sitting on Heizi’s back, running wildly all over the mountains. Watching them, Granny Zhang felt her heart filled with joy.

Life was going along fine until a few days ago, when on the day Yang Baosan hosted a banquet, Granny Zhang had just fallen asleep when she suddenly heard strange cries and a sharp laugh. Startled awake, she saw Da Huang pacing back and forth by the bed, occasionally whimpering softly. At her age, she knew something was seriously wrong. She got up and went looking for Yang Baosan, but barely exchanged a few words before being sent back.

The next day, Granny Zhang realized something was terribly wrong. Heizi and the four cats stayed inside the house and didn’t go out. Watching them, she grew increasingly anxious, thinking, *Could it be that my time has come? These animals must know and are staying to see me off!* She wasn’t afraid of dying, but she worried about what would happen to these little creatures without her.

As dusk approached, Heizi grew restless and didn’t even touch the porridge in his bowl. Sitting by the bed, Granny Zhang kept calling Heizi’s name, tears streaming down her face. “If I go, you all must go up the mountain together. Don’t stay in the house!” Before she could finish speaking, she saw Heizi and the cats nuzzle each other, then approach the bed. In the fading sunlight, she saw tears in Heizi’s eyes. Granny Zhang was so frightened her body went numb. If a house pet cried, it meant great danger was near.

She didn’t dare delay and got up again, intending to speak to her unfilial son. But just as she was about to leave, Heizi tugged at the hem of her pants, holding her back.

Granny Zhang felt slightly reassured and thought perhaps the danger was meant for her. In the blink of an eye, night fell. Suddenly, a fierce wind howled outside the hut, and strange noises echoed now and then. Granny Zhang turned pale with fear. Though she wasn’t afraid of death, the reality of it made her heart pound with unease.

“Jiji! Jiji!” Something outside sounded like a large group running like the wind, suddenly in front of the house, then behind it. Granny Zhang smelled a foul stench and collapsed onto the bed, not knowing what strange creature had arrived. Heizi suddenly stood up, the four cats growled and darted around the room, making Granny Zhang chant “Amitabha” repeatedly.

Heizi let out a low growl, pushed open the door of the hut, and charged outside. Startled, Granny Zhang called out for Heizi. As the door opened, she saw several flickering green lights, like ghostly flames, which terrified her beyond words. Then she heard Da Huang yowl, and the four cats, their tails stiff with tension, all rushed outside together.

The cats cried out in terrifying shrieks while Heizi barked wildly, running around outside. Something else laughed mockingly, occasionally letting out a “jiji” sound. Granny Zhang kept chanting prayers, begging the Buddha to protect her little companions from being harmed by the evil creatures. Not long after, she heard Heizi cry out in pain, and she sat bolt upright in bed. A cold gust of wind blew the door open. She saw Heizi standing motionless at the threshold. Just as she was about to call him, she noticed a dark shadow sitting behind Heizi. The shadow let out a couple of “jiji” sounds, seemingly triumphant, and slowly stood up from Heizi’s back.

Shaking all over, Granny Zhang couldn’t speak. The shadow appeared about the size of a baby, with limbs like a human infant, but its eyes glowed red in the darkness, exuding an eerie evil. Just then, a low growl came from behind the shadow, and Da Huang leapt forward, pouncing on the dark figure. The shadow screamed, and suddenly, green lights flickered outside, filling the air with a sinister aura. Another gust of wind blew the door shut. Granny Zhang didn’t sleep a wink all night. At some point, the noise outside quieted down, and the cats returned, their cries filled with sorrow. But Heizi was nowhere to be seen.

The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, Granny Zhang rushed outside. A trail of blood led all the way to her vegetable garden. When she reached it, she nearly fainted. There lay Heizi, covered in blood, his belly torn open. He had long since passed away. Granny Zhang cried bitterly, struggling to bury the dog. As she was doing so, she saw Yang Baosan and Liu Yuzhi, their faces ashen, carrying a small bag and hurrying out the door.

For several nights in a row, there was no peace. Three cats died, each with a large hole torn in their bellies. Granny Zhang was heartbroken, not knowing what evil creature had come upon them. Liu Dashao, deeply frightened, said, “Oh my, Granny, these creatures you’ve raised are spiritual beings! Something must be coming after them!”

Hearing this, Yang Baosan flew into a rage, “I told you not to raise strange animals, and now you’ve attracted evil spirits. There you go!”

Liu Dashao quickly replied, “You mustn’t blame Granny. When a cat comes to beg for food, there’s a reason behind it!”

Yang Baosan asked, “What kind of reason?”

Liu Dashao explained, “These are guardian cats. If your household has a good person, such cats will come. If you keep them, your home will be safe and peaceful for the whole year. But if you chase them away, you’re driving away the peace that came to visit. It’s considered very unlucky for both the person and the family!”

Yang Baosan listened, his mouth dry, unsure whether Liu Dashao was trying to trick him, but he dared not say anything. Granny Zhang wiped her tears and said, “Now there’s only Da Huang left. I haven’t seen him at night. I don’t know if he’s alive or dead!” With that, she burst into tears again.

As Liu Dashao was about to comfort her, suddenly a low growl came from outside, followed by a loud *claw-scratch* on the door. Yang Baosan’s legs nearly gave out as he cried, “Oh my, Mr. Liu!” Liu Dashao turned around quickly. In the dim light, he saw a large yellow cat with black spots standing majestically at the door. With a mighty roar, the room’s lantern flickered.

Granny Zhang was overjoyed and cried out, “Da Huang! You’re still alive!” Liu Dashao gasped in awe, “What a cat! A spiritual cat!”

Yang Baosan asked in shock, “Wait, Mr. Liu, you’re saying this cat is…”

Liu Dashao happily replied, “This isn’t just any cat!” His words startled Yang Baosan, who immediately ducked behind Liu Dashao, trembling, “Oh my, Mr. Liu, if it’s not a cat, then it must be a demon…” Liu Dashao thought to himself, *Why does this man always jump to conclusions when he’s scared?* He smiled bitterly and said, “What I mean is, this cat doesn’t look like a cat at all—it looks more like a little tiger.”

Seeing two people in the room, Da Huang remained cautious. He let out a low growl, his fur bristling, his tail and body stiff as a straight line. He opened his mouth, revealing two sharp fangs. Granny Zhang gently called out, “Da Huang, Mr. Liu here is a good man. Don’t be scared. He’s here to help you!”

Hearing Granny Zhang’s words, the fierce look in the cat’s eyes softened. He lowered his tail and slowly walked into the room.

Seeing the cat walk in, Liu Dashao’s eyes lit up. “This cat is truly extraordinary! People say ‘wolf walk, tiger step,’ but this cat’s every step is like a tiger’s!” As he reached out to touch it, the cat let out a cry and jumped to Granny Zhang’s side.

Yang Baosan, anxious about his home, urged, “Mr. Liu, we can examine the cat tomorrow. Let’s go check my house first!”

Liu Dashao was truly worried. From Granny Zhang’s story, he realized that whatever was outside was targeting the spiritual creatures she had raised. As for the Lin Anxing matter, though still unsolved, it had nothing to do with the recent disturbances. He was just thinking of a way to push forward when strange noises came from outside, like a small gust of wind. Though both Liu Dashao and Yang Baosan were sitting inside, they couldn’t help feeling a chill.

The cat suddenly stood up, eyes wide, whiskers trembling, and let out a mighty yowl—”Miao wu!” This startled Yang Baosan so much he crouched behind Liu Dashao, crying, “Oh my, Mr. Liu, here it comes again!”

Liu Dashao turned and said, “Extinguish the lamp and protect Granny!” Then he pulled out a Tian Shi Sword from his bag—the sacred treasure of the Longhu Mountain sect, passed down from Zhang Enpu.

Yang Baosan trembled as he blew out the lamp, puffing several times before finally extinguishing it. He heard Granny Zhang cry out, “Oh no, Da Huang… don’t run outside!”

The cat leapt from the bed, squeezing through the door and darting outside. Liu Dashao, intrigued, crept to the door and peered through the crack to see what was coming.

Outside was pitch black, with dozens of green glowing spots moving like they were forming a formation—sometimes east, sometimes west. As soon as the cat reached the doorway, it was surrounded within twenty steps. Liu Dashao thought to himself, *Those spots must be eyes!*

Then came the “jiji” sounds, and Liu Dashao immediately understood, whispering to Yang Baosan, “It must be yellow weasels causing trouble!”

Hearing that the creatures haunting his house for days were just yellow weasels, Yang Baosan’s face turned red with anger. He grabbed a broken stick from the floor and rushed toward the door.

Liu Dashao quickly blocked him, saying, “Oh my, Captain Yang, you can’t just charge out. These yellow weasels might not be so simple!” Yang Baosan, furious and eager to take out his anger by killing a few weasels, paused upon hearing Liu Dashao’s words. He thought for a moment, then hastily dropped the stick and sat back on his mother’s bed, asking, “Mr. Liu, are they yellow weasels that have turned into demons?” Liu Dashao shook his head, “They probably haven’t become demons, but yellow weasels usually have a musky smell. Why does this one smell so foul? I think it’s already become a monster!”

Yang Baosan said, “Aren’t they the same? Demons and monsters—they’re all things that take lives!” Liu Dashao didn’t say more, just softly hushed him and continued watching outside.

Outside, Da Huang was surrounded by a group of yellow weasels but showed no sign of panic. His thick tail, as wide as a child’s arm, swirled in the air, his body low to the ground, growling softly. As his tail swayed behind him, it kicked up dust from the ground, scattering some of the surrounding weasels. The stance he took was awe-inspiring.

Liu Dashao thought to himself, *If it were just these dozens of yellow weasels, they couldn’t have caused so much trouble.* He wanted to see what this tiger-like cat could do, so he crouched by the door, silently watching the small tiger face off against a pack of wolves.

The yellow weasels, emboldened by their numbers, though somewhat fearful of the fierce cat, slowly closed in again. One weasel, about the size of a house cat, must have been the leader. Quietly, it crept up behind Da Huang, silently approaching, intending to strike from behind.

Da Huang, his triangular ears erect, subtly turned his ears and detected the approaching danger from behind. Still pretending not to notice, he continued growling at the front. As the yellow weasel crept within a few steps and saw the cat still unaware, it bent its hind legs and prepared to pounce.

Liu Dashao, watching in suspense, was about to shout to scare the weasel and help the cat.

But just as the weasel moved, Da Huang, instead of dodging, suddenly leapt straight up with a loud “Miao wu!” soaring nearly two feet high. His powerful body twisted mid-air with surprising agility, turning his body around. As he landed, he crouched low, then sprang forward like a tiger pouncing on prey, charging straight at the crouching yellow weasel.

This sudden counterattack was like lightning. The yellow weasel barely saw a blur before the cat’s sharp claws grabbed its throat. A sharp pain shot through its neck as the claws dug into its fur and skin. Having landed the first strike, the cat bent its body, gripping the weasel and springing upward with a powerful leap, nearly a foot high.

The weasel screamed in agony as the cat, with a mighty kick from its hind legs, sent it flying a foot away, blood spewing from its mouth. It staggered to its feet, let out a couple of “jiji” cries, and collapsed again.

With this decisive strike, the cat intimidated the smaller weasels, who retreated in fear. Liu Dashao watched closely, silently exclaiming, *Excellent!* He thought to himself how rare it was to see such a spiritual creature among domestic animals, truly a marvel of nature.

Liu Dashao had sharp eyes and saw clearly as a smaller yellow weasel rushed forward, grabbed the half-dead one, and dragged it away. Liu Dashao thought to himself, *These yellow weasels must either be manipulated by some evil force or have gained some spiritual power. Otherwise, they wouldn’t know how to retrieve their dead.*

Just as the small weasel was still in shock, from the darkness emerged another yellow weasel, as large as a small dog. Its green eyes gleamed with cunning. Without any visible effort, it darted forward in three quick leaps and stood before Da Huang. Liu Dashao noticed that this weasel was missing one ear, and its fur was somewhat dark—likely an ancient monster.

Da Huang knew a powerful enemy had arrived. A deep growl rumbled in his throat, his eyes wide and alert. His body tensed like a bow, ready to strike the one-eared weasel with lightning speed. But the one-eared weasel was unfazed, casually moving left and right in front of the cat. Da Huang couldn’t predict its next move and had to stay alert, his eyes never leaving the one-eared weasel for a second. Liu Dashao, watching from the door, was sweating in his hands.

At this critical moment, a much smaller yellow weasel sneaked up behind Da Huang. When it was less than half a foot away, it crouched low, then leapt up in a flash. Light on its feet, it soared over a foot high, diving from above straight onto Da Huang’s back. As its paws touched the cat, its sharp little mouth opened wide, aiming for the back of the cat’s neck.

Liu Dashao whispered, “Oh no!” He realized how cunning these yellow weasels were. This tactic of feinting one side and attacking the other was truly extraordinary. Gripping the Tian Shi Sword tightly, he prepared to rush out if the cat was in danger.

Inside the dark room, Yang Baosan and Granny Zhang dared not look. Hearing Liu Dashao’s “Oh no!” they didn’t know what had happened. They were too afraid to ask, their hearts filled with worry and fear.