The elder also told them that in a few days, the town would hold its annual New Year's celebration and invited them to join. The day after the festival, he would arrange for them to use the town's mysterious tool to exit through a hole in the protective dome and return to the surface. After discussing, A Jun and Xiao Xi happily agreed—since they were already here, and the opportunity was rare.
Experiencing this special and friendly town, everything felt fresh. But A Jun gradually noticed many similarities to their hometown—like the clothing, which was all traditional Hanfu, though in older styles.
That evening, as the brothers wandered through a food street, A Jun's feather-letter found them—it was from his pen pal whom he had never met.
"Xiao Jiu's letter!"
A Jun was surprised but delighted, sensing nothing unusual. He eagerly opened and reread it, then quickly found a spot to write a reply.
Unbeknownst to him, in a hidden corner far away, a pair of glowing eyes was watching them.
The feather-letter spread its wings and flew off with A Jun's message, soon disappearing from sight. At that moment, the eyes in the corner shifted focus, checked something, then quickly returned to attention.
Then, a girl's figure began approaching A Jun and Xiao Xi. Her wheat-colored face was framed by oversized glasses, her hair tied in a mid-ponytail, wearing a slightly pilled sweater and loose jeans. She quietly arrived at the entrance of the food street, just one step away from A Jun—but chose to stay hidden nearby and observe.
But A Jun, with his extraordinary intuition, quickly sensed something strange. He turned to look—but saw no one.
He chuckled at himself, recalling past suspicions, and shook his head, reminding himself to stay alert. What he didn't know was that while he was reflecting, the girl reappeared.
She was a resident of the town, with the same feline features as the locals. She had come to greet A Jun, the visitor—but was stopped by her mother and pulled back home. The girl held a feather-letter too, unwillingly protesting and trying to sneak away, but her mother gave her no chance.
The mother understood her daughter's thoughts, knew about the unexpected guests, and understood what should and shouldn't be done. She wanted to help her child. Under her mother's persuasion, the girl had to obediently return home—but she hadn't given up in her heart.
Though Peach Blossom Abyss wasn't large and could be explored in a day, every corner had its own charm—delicious food, beautiful scenery, unique architecture. A proper visit could easily take several days. And outside the protective dome, the fish-type beasts made it feel like an aquarium.
A Jun and Xiao Xi kept eating, drinking, walking, and pausing. Everywhere they went, they found something new and were warmly welcomed. The whole town felt like one big family—doors left open, joy everywhere.
This false alarm turned out to be a moment of relaxation for the children. They were enjoying an unexpected, wonderful adventure in the midst of their journey.
Unknowingly, the second day had arrived. The town awakened early to the cheerful sounds of its people, with festive energy filling every corner.
Peach Blossom Abyss held its annual temple fair at this time of year. The props and scenes that had been set up earlier were now fully activated after careful design—everywhere was a stunning landscape, every spot a perfect photo opportunity.
A Jun, having slept soundly, felt refreshed and full of energy. He got up early and pulled the still-drowsy Xiao Xi to join the festivities. Xiao Xi, having gamed all night, hadn't slept much, but his spirit was high and his excitement palpable—he'd heard that today would feature even more special festival delicacies.
A Jun truly envied Xiao Xi's robust constitution. Of course, such late-night habits weren't good, and as the older brother, he often advised against them. But once in a while was understandable—after all, even a spring can't be wound too tight.
The two brothers strolled happily through the festive town streets—watching, eating, playing. The atmosphere was lively, lanterns hung everywhere, joy and harmony filled the air.
Yet amid the bustling celebration, A Jun once again sensed a faint psychic ripple—similar to yesterday's, but weaker. It was that girl again, smiling wide with her steel-braced grin, watching the boy from afar. This time, she had used the festival as an excuse to slip away from her mother's watch—but now she had a bodyguard. More precisely, a "spy" sent by her mother, standing nearby to observe A Jun. She was also a town resident, the girl's best friend, childhood companion, and cousin.
"I say, Jiu'er, which one is it? That chubby one? Hmm, not bad looking…"
The girl's friend squinted for a while, pondering, then said with confusion, "—But if it's the skinny one… nah, too frail. Looks like a sickly kid!"
"You don't understand!"
The girl suddenly grew flustered. She knew her friend always spoke bluntly and a bit rudely—though she was used to it, this time she couldn't hold back. Frowning, she snapped back, then adjusted her glasses, widened her eyes, and muttered as she gazed at A Jun, "He's strong and kind—he'll get better!"
"Hey now! Why so worked up—I was just stating facts…"
Seeing the girl upset, her friend smiled gently, put an arm around her shoulder, and said warmly, "So he's the one you've been thinking about, huh? Well, as long as you like him. Personally, I think he's not good enough for you… Oh right, if you like him, what about that other guy?"
"What? Don't be ridiculous—we're just friends!"
The girl, visibly nervous, nudged her friend with her elbow, paused, then added, "That guy? Who?"
"You tell me…"
Her friend replied helplessly, then pointed into the distance. Suddenly, a short-haired American Shorthair cat darted over.
"Ah, what are you doing here, Little Dimples?"
The girl picked up the cat in surprise, petting it with her friend while asking, "What do you want us to see?"
"Hey, Jiu'er, those glasses are ancient. The prescription's way off. I told you to change them, but you won't…"
Her friend sighed, glanced at the girl, then looked toward the corner—but the figure from earlier had vanished.
"Oh come on, I can still see fine. They're not broken!"
And so the two chatted, bickered, and laughed, while the cat perched on their shoulders, meowing in agreement.
Meanwhile, A Jun felt like someone was talking about him. He sneezed several times, but couldn't figure out why—probably caught a chill. Then Xiao Xi dragged him around, squeezing through crowds, and he stopped thinking about it.
"Hey, little brothers—is this your first temple fair?"
Just as the girl and her friend stopped their banter, a few girls their age approached A Jun and Xiao Xi, greeting them with smiles. They wore custom Hanfu for the festival, beautifully dressed—each one a little beauty.
"Haha, yeah, it's our first time here…"
Xiao Xi, ever the extrovert, quickly struck up a conversation, fitting right in and clearly popular. A Jun, however, grew uncomfortable. He wasn't good at socializing, and the girls' friendliness made him flustered.
Of course, small talk is polite. After chatting with Xiao Xi for a while, the girls exchanged glances. One of them, mature-looking and most elegantly dressed, gracefully approached A Jun, hoping to engage him. The others watched expectantly.
—Peach blossoms were slowly approaching, but A Jun only wanted to flee. He hadn't expected this, and was overwhelmed. His awkward and panicked expression made the girl think he was just shy.
"I have to help him!"
Meanwhile, the girl watching from afar couldn't stand it anymore. She knew A Jun's situation well and was determined to step in—but her friend stopped her.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"To help! Look at them—he must be miserable!"
"How do you know? Maybe he likes it… Who'd have thought that guy would attract peach blossoms!"
"Ugh, don't pull me—you don't understand…"
"Oh? You know him so well. What are you two talking about—how do you know all this?"
"We're… just friends. What's wrong with that?"
"Oh! Then why are you so anxious… jealous, maybe?"
"No way!"
The girl was stunned by the question. Her friend smiled mischievously, teasing her. The girl grew more deflated, wanting to speak but holding back—yet still unwilling to give up.
"This is… just standing up for justice, okay?"
"Hehe… sure, hero girl. But if you go now, won't you blow your cover? How will you explain it later? We just happened to pass by and saw you surrounded by pretty girls—trying to be a hero?"
Faced with this, the girl hesitated. Her earlier resolve drained away. She stood reluctantly, touched her cat ears, and stared into the distance, worried.
"Alright—don't worry. You think those girls will eat him alive?"
Her friend comforted her, patting her and saying, "Come on, it's getting late. Auntie will be worried."
Just as the girl hesitated, unwilling to leave, a figure appeared in her line of sight—Xiao Xi. As A Jun's closest friend, he knew exactly what was going on. Spotting the problem, he quickly abandoned the "forest" and rushed to A Jun's side, cleverly made up an excuse, and pulled his brother away.
Seeing A Jun rescued, the girl finally sighed in relief, her frown fading into a smile. Then she followed her friend home to report in.
By dinnertime, A Jun and Xiao Xi arrived as promised at the clan chief's home. The elder had invited them to a family banquet and specially prepared a table full of delicious dishes to welcome them—upon hearing this, the girl was overjoyed. Of course, she should have been able to attend as well, being the clan chief's granddaughter, but her mother disagreed. The girl had to use every trick she knew to persuade her. Her mother, unable to resist her daughter's determination, reluctantly gave a roundabout approval—but…
At the table, besides the clan chief and several town elders, the girl's mother was also present. She sat directly across from A Jun, holding a small tabby cat with round eyes, a pink nose, and a custom hoodie—delicate and adorable.
The dinner was abundant and relaxed, without any formality. Xiao Xi happily enjoyed all kinds of dishes. Though the elder said they were just home-style meals, they were things he'd never tasted before—like savory salted tripe and sweet, juicy grilled wheat gluten. Xiao Xi was thrilled, while A Jun politely picked his food with care. The clan chief didn't mind—he already understood A Jun's situation.
As A Jun cautiously ate and answered the elders' questions, his attention kept drifting—drawn to the adorable cat. Its fluffy, round head and big blinking eyes stared at A Jun, and he occasionally glanced back. Their eyes met now and then, as if they were communicating. This eased A Jun's initial tension at the table and reminded him of his own kitten.
A Jun smiled at the cat, thinking of teasing her a bit. The cat seemed to understand, meowing with a wide grin, as if smiling back at him. A Jun also noticed a shared trait—they both had a small canine tooth in the same spot, equally cute.
Gradually, A Jun relaxed at the table, no longer feeling restrained or nervous. He responded smoothly to the girl's mother's questions, leaving a good impression.
After dinner, they chatted briefly with the elders. A Jun and Xiao Xi prepared to return to the inn early to rest—tomorrow was an important day. The clan chief had arranged for them to leave the town at the hour of You (around 5–7 PM), giving A Jun plenty of time to prepare. The boys waved goodbye with smiles, and A Jun didn't forget to interact with the cat. It was clear she liked him—and he liked her too. Perhaps it was because he had a natural affinity for strange beasts.
The next afternoon, A Jun and Xiao Xi, led by the clan chief and others, arrived at a mysterious building in the center of town. A Jun had long been curious about it—its shape resembled a hun tian yi, an ancient astronomical instrument now lost to history. He'd only seen fragments about it in books—a wondrous device for observing cosmic mysteries.
The clan chief explained that their clan loved astronomy and celestial phenomena, so the building was modeled after the hun tian yi.
Inside, the intricate structure and its operational system amazed A Jun. The town's craftsmen were as skilled as those in White Tiger County.
There were also many lunar-themed details and models.
The clan chief introduced everything while leading the boys to the building's center, where a massive telescope-like device stood. Called the Curved Mirror, it was used to observe the stars. It was huge, aimed at a tiny hole in the sky. To A Jun, it looked more like a launch tower. According to the elder, they could use it to return to the surface.
Following the elder's instructions, the boys stepped onto the central platform, ready to depart. Just before activation, the cat in the girl's mother's arms began meowing incessantly. A Jun noticed immediately. He paused and walked over to say goodbye—but the cat had other plans. She leapt toward A Jun's shoulder but didn't have enough strength. A Jun, startled by the sudden move, instinctively stepped back, crouched, and caught her gently.
He was already used to this kind of thing. The cat was lighter than Xiao Fei—he'd just been caught off guard. The girl's mother, standing opposite, gave the cat a helpless look, smiled, and walked over. Though she hadn't spoken much at dinner, she now patiently and calmly gave A Jun some instructions.
The cat's name was Xiao Jiuwuo. She originally belonged to her husband, who worked far away in Emperor North City. The cat often acted out, and now, knowing about A Jun and Xiao Xi, she refused to eat. Since they couldn't leave the town themselves, they entrusted A Jun to take her along.
—Well… as the saying goes, it's hard to refuse kindness.
Xiao Xi cheerfully accepted on his brother's behalf. A Jun seemed hesitant, but deep down he was happy—just worried about whether he could take good care of her.
The girl's mother seemed to read his thoughts and reassured him: Xiao Jiuwuo was easy to care for—just feed her well. Aside from being a bit rough and stubborn, with occasional mood swings. Then she handed over a huge box of luggage—like moving house.
A Jun smiled and nodded firmly. The cat meowed loudly at the girl's mother, then meowed again near A Jun's ear—like saying, "Hello! Please take care of me."
—Hello!
After the little scene, the children politely bowed to the elders and stepped onto the viewing platform. The moon had just reached the hole in the sky.
Bathed in moonlight, the device activated. Just as A Jun had imagined, the giant launch tower smoothly sent the three of them out of the beautiful, mysterious town—watched by the elders and an unfamiliar gaze.
A Jun looked at the cat, pointed to his baseball cap, and whispered that she could hide inside for safety. Though he knew she couldn't understand—she seemed to get it and slipped inside the cap.
But as they reached the apex of the parabolic path, despite all of A Jun's preparations—even with the elder slowing the speed, and with Xiao Xi and the cat by his side—his body once again reacted strangely. Panic crept in. After all, this speed was much faster than gravity's pull.
—What now?
A Jun, seasoned as he was, couldn't calm himself. But he knew if he held on a bit longer, they'd be safe—land was already in sight. He channeled energy with one hand to suppress the internal chaos, while the other hand protected the cap.
The cat, sensing his distress, poked her head out and meowed encouragement. Her voice entered through his ear and into his heart—like a new force, a beam of light supporting him. Though his body felt terrible and he might faint again, A Jun, empowered by this energy, grew stronger. He gritted his teeth and endured—finally landing safely.
With Xiao Xi's support, they reached a large tree. A Jun regulated his breath and ate some snacks—of course, sharing a bit with the cat. Xiao Xi busied himself setting up camp. They would sleep here tonight and continue their journey early tomorrow.
In no time, a simple outdoor home was set up—windproof, rainproof, fully equipped, warm and cozy. But that wasn't all. Shortly after the two children fell into the Ruo River, the Beast Management Bureau received a stern reprimand and military order from the royal family. They began deploying more personnel and tightening control over the beast protection zone. Now, emergency posts were stationed every short distance, each staffed with at least one sixth-rank guardian. The supervision was so strict, not even a fly could sneak through…
Thanks to Xiao Xi's cooking, dinner felt especially heartwarming. Though the camping tent had automatic cooking equipment, nothing beat a homemade meal. Besides, Xiao Xi's mother had reminded him to take good care of his brother—otherwise, he'd be scolded. So A Jun and the little cat enjoyed a hot, loving dinner together at the same table.
To be fair, Xiao Xi's cooking was excellent—no less than the delicacies of Peach Blossom Abyss. The cat ate happily. As Jiu'er's friend had said, this chubby boy was quite something. To win someone's heart, you must first win their stomach.
After dinner, the kids played games. The cat seemed excited watching from the side. A Jun figured she must like it too… and sure enough, she joined in joyfully. The game didn't require direct communication—it had a built-in language translator and used motion controls. Players could even choose beast-type characters.
Thus, Xiao Jiuwuo became A Jun and Xiao Xi's teammate in the game. What surprised them even more was her movement, reflexes, and micro-control—she was even a bit better than A Jun. The brothers were amazed. Of course, compared to semi-pro Xiao Xi, she was still a bit behind. But for Xiao Jiuwuo, her gaming skills were already impressive.
Yet for kids, game time always flies. Before they knew it, it was bedtime. As the older brother, A Jun gently pulled Xiao Xi and Xiao Jiuwuo away from their immersive experience. He habitually planned to have Xiao Jiuwuo sleep in his room—for easier care. But strangely, this move startled the cat. She immediately hid under the couch cushion, crying out.
Xiao Xi was puzzled, mumbling about A Jun's kitten back home. That helped ease the awkwardness. Xiao Jiuwuo calmed down—perhaps she understood A Jun's kindness but wasn't ready to share a room. Maybe they weren't familiar enough yet.
So A Jun gave his room to the cat and slept on the living room couch. But the cat seemed reluctant. Still, she had no choice. They tugged back and forth for a while before finally settling down.
At night, A Jun occasionally checked on Xiao Jiuwuo. Just as the aunt—Jiu'er's mother—had said, she was like Xiao Fei and Xiao Xi: a restless sleeper. She often rolled around, lost her blanket, or ended up on the floor. A Jun smiled and shook his head, then skillfully and habitually tucked her in. Of course, he also checked on his brother.