Hei Mao didn’t quite understand what “taking a couple of hugs” meant, but he did understand that his little brother was concerned about whether he’d washed properly.

And then his little brother expressed even more concern, telling him to dry his fur properly. Whatever his brother said, Hei Mao immediately followed.

Before long, the hulking figure of Hei Mao—easily dozens of times the size of an orange tabby—was sprawled out on the ground like a big, black glutinous rice pancake. His head rested on a hard rock, and he exposed his soft, fluffy belly, inviting his little brother to play on it.

As he felt the faint weight of his brother on his stomach, Hei Mao’s heart swelled with joy. Just like that cat at the foot of Mount Wuye had once said, this feeling is simply amazing.

Meanwhile, Shi Qian stood on Hei Mao’s belly, almost swallowed up by the dense, soft fur.

As expected, no matter how tough and rugged a fluffy creature might seem, their belly was always soft.

However, standing on someone’s stomach was no small matter. At first, Shi Qian didn’t dare move too much, sticking to small, tentative pats and strokes on his big brother’s fur.

Seeing this, Hei Mao became very enthusiastic: “Squeak! Squeak!”

“Brother, you can roll around and play! I’ll watch over you. You won’t fall off.”

Who could resist that kind of invitation?

Shi Qian tested the waters a bit before running in circles and rolling around on the big, black fur carpet, his curiosity as a young cub driving him to explore this new “territory.”

When he got tired, Shi Qian flopped down just like his big brother, lying flat.

Resting on this oversized fluffy cushion, Shi Qian lazily issued a command to his system: [Alright, 1958, pull up the locator map. Let’s see where Aotian is.]

Earlier, Shi Qian had realized that Mouse Mom was testing him and Hei Mao for their “graduation exam.”

According to the habits of spirit beasts, Mouse Mom would soon chase them out of the nest, leaving them to begin their independent lives.

Once they were out and free to move as they pleased, it was only natural to think about progressing the mission.

Given the lack of information about the hidden danger’s cause and timing, Shi Qian figured it would be safest to get close to the male protagonist early to prevent any surprises.

1958 projected the protagonist’s location onto a map.

Looking at it, Shi Qian muttered, [So far away…]

[Mission?] He thought. [Maybe later.]

Shi Qian added with a sigh, [With my tiny legs, who knows how many years it’ll take to reach Long Aotian’s side.]

1958 responded, [Brother Qian, if you use your Five Elements Escape Technique at full speed, it’ll only take about half a month to get there. I suggest leaving sooner rather than later, or you might not catch up to Long Aotian at all.]

Long Aotian’s life philosophy was clear: humiliate enemies, flaunt his power, and if he couldn’t win, retreat temporarily to come back stronger and crush them.

In his world, enemies were everywhere, and cannon fodder was as common as stray dogs.

With this constant chaos, Long Aotian’s agility and survival instincts were unparalleled. Shi Qian vaguely remembered from reading cultivation novels that later in the story, teleportation arrays became a thing—allowing the protagonist to cross dimensions in the blink of an eye. Catching up with him would be like chasing a rocket.

Feeling a growing sense of urgency, Shi Qian nodded in agreement. He resolved that as soon as he left home, he’d head straight for Long Aotian.

As for these remaining days before leaving, they’d be the perfect opportunity to recover his strength and practice his skill sets.

Meanwhile, with his little brother no longer playing, Hei Mao—exhausted from hunting and fighting—started feeling drowsy. Within moments, he was snoring, lost in sweet dreams.

Brother Mouse’s belly rose and fell like a rocking bed, and a full Shi Qian quickly dozed off as well.

The two brothers slept for half a day, and when they woke up, there was still no sign of Mouse Mom.

Hei Mao glanced outside and realized it was mealtime again.

“Squeak squeak?”

“Little brother, want me to take you out for some meat?”

“Squeak!”

“Sure!”

Shi Qian, who had woken up slightly earlier, had secretly practiced walking. Feeling confident he wouldn’t stumble now, he was ready to venture out.

The two brothers set off, one leading and the other following. Hei Mao’s stride was powerful, each step covering several of Shi Qian’s, and he moved with a pace that was almost a run.

Shi Qian watched as Brother Mouse charged forward like a gust of wind, and a familiar sense of self-doubt crept into his heart.

But Hei Mao quickly realized his little brother couldn’t keep up. He turned back, scooped Shi Qian up with a paw, and placed him on top of his head.

“Squeak squeak!”

“Hold on tight, little brother!”

Standing in his new “high perch,” Shi Qian’s view suddenly expanded. Looking at the wide top of Brother Mouse’s head, he reached out to grab hold of one of Hei Mao’s ears.

Hei Mao’s ear twitched slightly but then stilled as he steadily began walking forward. His pace wasn’t as quick as before, but it felt like he was holding his head higher, each step exuding a confidence that could make even his own mother do a double take.

Amid this steady pace, Shi Qian felt touched by Brother Mouse’s considerate strength.

As they left the cave, Shi Qian took in the expanse of Mouse Mom’s territory.

The vegetation on Mount Wuye was lush, with layer upon layer of smaller hills rolling into the distance. The five towering peaks of the mountain stood out prominently, arranged in a line like a mighty serpent stretching across the land.

Crossing the lake at the entrance, Shi Qian felt as though he had stepped into a forest. The air was fresh, carrying the scent of grass and trees, and he couldn’t help but feel relaxed and refreshed.

For Hei Mao, a seasoned fighter, he knew exactly which parts of the mountain housed the most delicious spirit beasts.

As they startled two old mountain pheasants into flight, Hei Mao’s excited voice rang out:

“Squeak squeak squeak squeak!”

“The little pigeons down the mountain are said to be super tasty! Their meat is so tender!”

Down the mountain?

Shi Qian immediately became interested and nodded in agreement.

The two brothers swiftly made their way down the mountain, giving Shi Qian a chance to take in the entire view of the main peak.

The towering, treacherous trees in the high areas stood tall and steep, surrounded by a lingering mist, while cranes and other birds chirped, creating a scene that seemed like an immortal realm. The lower regions, on the other hand, were filled with blooming flowers and lively little creatures, hopping around in an adorable, carefree manner, almost like a return to the mortal world.

The further they descended, it seemed as though the spiritual energy began to fade. Shi Qian thought to himself that this must be why their family lived higher up on the mountain.

Before long, they reached a vantage point where they could see the road below. Hei Mao stopped, gently placing Shi Qian down.

It was their first hunting trip together, and Hei Mao solemnly reminded him, “Squeak.”

“I’m hunting nearby. Don’t make a sound.”

Shi Qian nodded.

Hei Mao continued, “Squeak squeak!”

“If anything happens, call me!”

Shi Qian nodded again, and only then did Hei Mao leave.

In the blink of an eye, Hei Mao, such a large figure, vanished from sight. Shi Qian was momentarily stunned, realizing that Hei Mao had used an evasion technique.

Well then, why didn’t he use it to descend?

Shi Qian puffed out his chubby cheeks, feeling a bit touched but also realizing that he had been tricked by his older brother.

However, thinking about his “cuteness,” he decided it was forgivable. After all, it was true that he was ridiculously adorable.

Shi Qian smugly stretched his limbs and took the opportunity to practice his evasion technique as well.

Such a non-human skill—it was strangely exhilarating, and he couldn’t help but feel an intense rush of excitement, as though he were incredibly powerful.

Before long, Hei Mao returned, carrying several plump pigeons in his mouth.

Shi Qian saw that Hei Mao was about to eat them raw and, wanting to make a better meal, found a way to prepare a “beggar’s chicken.”

The aroma of the cooked food drifted into the air, making the surrounding beasts smell it and peek their heads out, salivating. Hei Mao dashed out to patrol the area, scaring all the creatures away with a single glance.

“Squeak!”

“Brother has never eaten such delicious chicken before!”

“Squeak!” Shi Qian followed with a squeak, though he wasn’t quite skilled at it yet.

“It’s pigeon! But chicken can be cooked this way too.”

After the brothers ate the pigeons, Hei Mao went off to catch more, rampaging across Wuye Mountain like a tyrant, leaving Shi Qian dazzled and having a lot of fun.

On their way home, Shi Qian learned about Hei Mao’s dream—he wanted to become the King of Hei Mao.

Shi Qian immediately sang a couple of lines, “The King calls me to patrol the mountains, I’ll turn the world upside down,” which made Hei Mao so happy that he wished his mother wouldn’t return home tonight, so he could enjoy this wonderful little brother all to himself.

Well, Mouse Mom did return quite late, but she brought a very nourishing beast cub for the two kids. With Shi Qian’s help, they had another delicious barbecue.

During this time, Hei Mao got beaten up twice, enduring Mouse Mom’s temper, and the family atmosphere remained quite harmonious.

After eating their fill, the three of them fell fast asleep.

Of course, Shi Qian was only pretending to sleep.

The process of transmigrating had been very exhausting, and after surviving the first day, the next step was that 1958 would enter sleep mode. Only if Shi Qian proactively contacted it would they be able to reconnect and communicate again.

Moreover, each time they connected, it required points. Right now, if Shi Qian needed it, he’d have to write an IOU.

Taking advantage of the free time, Shi Qian chatted with 1958 for a long time and even analyzed what to do next.

The identity of a treasure-hunting mouse made finding a “litter box cleaner” quite suitable. But considering the low status and high risk of demon beasts in the cultivation world, it was crucial to be cautious when selecting a litter box cleaner. A kind, responsible female cultivator was the first choice.

Additionally, the litter box cleaner’s choice needed to be someone close to Long Aotian.

Since the protagonist’s wife and sister were numerous, there was a relatively broad selection range.

They chatted into the late hours of the night in the sea of consciousness. Shi Qian reluctantly said goodbye to 1958 before finally falling asleep.

However, when Shi Qian woke up from his sleep, his brother was gone.

He was given another round of milk to replenish himself, and the Giant Rat King picked up the little cub, preparing to send it off as well.

Shi Qian, a bit confused, found himself by a strange road, thinking about the joy from yesterday, but today they were all about to part ways.

The Giant Rat King looked serious: “Squeak—”

“Kid, you and your brother both have the royal bloodline of the Mouse Clan. You must go out and experience the world, you cannot let down our clan’s great cause—”

Looking at the small cub’s frail body, the Giant Rat King comforted him again, “Squeak squeak.”

“Kid, you are a treasure-hunting mouse, and righteous cultivators really like your kind. Don’t worry too much.”

Shi Qian nodded, pretending not to notice the worry in Mouse Mom’s eyes.

He raised his paw and patted his chest. “Squeak squeak!”

“Mom, don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself out there!”

The Giant Rat King was very pleased, lowering its head to lick Shi Qian’s back.

Shi Qian: …

He was still a little worried about how a single mouse could survive out there.

“Squeak?”

“Mom, where’s my brother?”

“Squeak squeak squeak!”

“He’s been sent far away. Don’t go looking for him!”

In order to give both cubs some real training, the Giant Rat King deliberately separated the older one and the younger one. Otherwise, the older one would probably help the younger one with everything, even wiping his face.

After giving his instructions, the Giant Rat King turned around and left with a graceful step.

Shi Qian had already mentally prepared for departure, so he wasn’t upset. Looking at Mouse Mom’s retreating figure, he thought to himself that Mouse Mom must be pretending to be calm.

Look at how fast she’s running—what’s she trying to hide?

How could a mother not feel heartache when sending her own cubs out into the world?

Once Mouse Mom’s figure disappeared, Shi Qian sighed inwardly: Truly, the heart of a mother is always filled with love. She’s probably hiding somewhere nearby right now.

Thinking of this, Shi Qian replayed the environmental scan from his graduation test in his mind and carefully began to move away from his original spot.

But he couldn’t sense even the faintest trace of Mouse Mom’s scent.

She really left?

Did she really leave such a fragile little mouse like me here?! Not even a second glance?

Shi Qian looked around and felt that something was off. Recalling Mouse Mom’s impatient rock-flipping actions, a suspicion popped into his mind.

He swiftly turned back, launching a counterattack.

Using his escape technique, he returned to the entrance of his own home and blocked the path of another unfamiliar giant rat inside the cave.

It was a male.

Shi Qian looked at Mouse Mom, who had a guilty smile, and thought: There’s some maternal love, but probably not too much.

But in Shi Qian’s memories, he had never seen Mouse Dad. Being a single mother must be tough, especially with two cubs to raise.

Shi Qian moved forward and hugged Mouse Mom’s right front leg. “Squeak squeak!”

“Mom, I’m back to wish you happiness in your remarriage! Don’t miss me too much!”

The cultivation world is vast, and the mountains are high. It’s hard to say goodbye.

After speaking, Shi Qian elegantly let go of her leg and left without any hesitation.

Seeing the little cub wave his hand, Mouse Mom called out and tossed something into the air, which was caught by the wind and landed right in Shi Qian’s palm.

Shi Qian grabbed the handkerchief embroidered with green bamboo, then casually waved his back to Mouse Mom, continuing on his way without looking back.