Chapter 47: Forging the Cat Demon

It turned out that in the second year after Zhao Huo returned to his ancestral home, he learned from various sources that his eldest brother, who had followed Li Zicheng, had not enjoyed a single good day.

After Li Zicheng stormed into Beijing, full of pride and ambition, he swiftly led his troops eastward and fought a decisive battle against Wu Sangui at Shanhaiguan Pass’s “Piece of Stone.” But unexpectedly, Wu Sangui betrayed his country, colluding with the Manchus both inside and out, catching Li Zicheng off guard and extinguishing his dream of founding an empire.

After being defeated by Wu Sangui, Li Zicheng fled desperately back to Beijing. He hastily ascended the throne in the Forbidden City but soon abandoned the people, leading his troops back to his hometown in Xi’an.

Before retreating, Li Zicheng once again revealed his bandit nature.

In his rage over defeat, he took out his frustration by ordering the burning of the Forbidden City and ruthlessly slaughtering many palace maids and loyal ministers of the previous Ming dynasty.

Zhao Huo’s eldest brother, Zhao Dao, also perished in that calamity. Not only did he die, but in the chaos of sword and flame, even his remains were nowhere to be found.

The death of Zhao Dao profoundly shook the soul of Zhao Huo, the second brother.

Suddenly, Zhao Huo realized that his desperate plan to “fortify a stronghold for self-preservation” amid the chaos was fragile, naive, and laughable in the face of war and disaster.

While mourning his eldest brother’s tragic fate, he also came to the stark realization that even Li Zicheng himself—who commanded hundreds of thousands of troops and had one foot already in the imperial throne—was toppled overnight in this cataclysmic upheaval. How could his own family, a humble butcher clan beneath Stone Peak in southern Lu, with its scant numbers, expect to remain untouched simply by wielding a few rustic guns and swords?

In that instant of clarity, Zhao Huo despairingly concluded that fortifying a stronghold to protect the Zhao lineage was an impossible dream.

If his entire clan was to survive peacefully on this land, they would have to rely on a far more formidable power.

Suddenly, Zhao Huo thought of a certain ancient book and a legend, along with the mystical powers said to be contained within that legend!

In short... he thought of a desperate, unconventional solution.

With this idea in mind, on a moonlit night, Zhao Huo gathered over two hundred men, women, and children from the entire Zhao family village. He told them a shocking secret.

He said that born into a chaotic era, for self-preservation, he was about to break the taboos left by their ancestors. According to the legend, he would create a creature called the “Fire-Tailed Lian,” an “underworld beast” that, relying on its power, could safeguard the prosperity and safety of the Zhao clan.

At first, his idea was met with unanimous opposition from the Zhao family.

The elders with experience told Zhao Huo that the “Fire-Tailed Lian” was merely a culinary myth, a tale passed down by butchers’ whispers, and should not be taken seriously.

According to the legend, ancient master butchers, skilled in “Mohist secret arts,” could forge such a monster. It was born from the yin energies of heaven and earth, lord of the shadow soldiers, and chief among hundreds of cats. Used properly, it could bring fortune and peace to a household; used improperly, it could bring disaster and wipe out a clan.

But since it was just a legend, how could it be taken seriously? Zhao Huo’s plan to use a mythical beast to guard their home was absurd!

Moreover, no one knew the exact details of how to create the “Fire-Tailed Lian.” Acting rashly might backfire and bring calamity upon the entire family.

Faced with everyone’s doubts, Zhao Huo let out a cold, amused laugh. Amid their astonished gazes, he pulled a book from his bosom.

He placed the book in his palm and told them, “This book is called ‘Zhou Dietary Prohibitions.’ It’s one of the secret scrolls I managed to snatch from the palace during my escape from the capital amid the chaos. The method to create the Fire-Tailed Lian is contained within.”

As he spoke, Zhao Huo handed the book around for the clan to inspect and explained its origin.

He told them the book was extraordinary, originally written by a polymath during the Eastern Zhou period. Later, this scholar angered the Zhou king and fled westward to Sichuan to avoid persecution. The book was confiscated and archived by the Zhou court.

The book is divided into three parts: the upper section covers dietary taboos; the middle section deals with food-related poisons and curses; the lower section explains nurturing beasts and creating monsters through food. It covers everything, astonishingly complex—a sort of “compendium of culinary arcana.”

However, because it spoke extensively of shamanistic curses and supernatural matters, it was banned by subsequent dynasties after the “Witchcraft and Curse” incidents during Emperor Wu of Han’s reign. It was forbidden for publication. Even the copy Zhao Huo held was a facsimile from the Ming Chengzu’s compilation of the “Yongle Encyclopedia.”

At this point, Zhao Huo, with a hint of madness, urged his clan, “The method to cultivate the Fire-Tailed Lian lies within this all-encompassing wondrous book. If we follow it exactly, how can we go wrong?”

He then extolled the virtues of the Fire-Tailed Lian.

He said this creature understood human nature, consumed decay and corruption, and could protect the land. Most importantly, once the method to control it was mastered, the entire Zhao family could live peacefully amidst the chaos, far from the ravages of war.

With Zhao Huo’s persistent encouragement, the Zhao clan soon changed their minds. They held rituals, trained cat spirits, and summoned shadow soldiers according to the “Zhou Dietary Prohibitions.” Eventually, they created the Fire-Tailed Lian—a monster with a tail covered in writhing worms.

At this point, I suddenly understood. All of this was the legacy of the Zhao ancestors.

Three hundred years later, the Zhao family no longer needed the Fire-Tailed Lian’s protection. This once-guardian wild cat king had become a local tyrant near Zhao Village, colluding with some demon or sorcerer to bully women and snatch travelers’ luggage along Old Qi Road.

The very “underworld beast” meant to protect the village had turned into a malevolent spirit harming the people.

Truly, the predecessors planted the tree... only for the descendants to set it aflame.

After hearing all this from Zhao Shuihe, I should have dispelled most of my doubts, yet at that moment, I sensed something odd in her words.

These matters could be considered the Zhao family’s dark secrets. If so, why was she sharing them so openly with me, an outsider? Could it be that she had taken a liking to me?

Unable to resist, I asked Grandma Zhao, “Why are you telling me all this so plainly? You don’t really treat me like an outsider, do you?”

“Of course not,” Zhao Shuihe replied with a strange smile. “You’re the only disciple the Zhao family has in southern Lu. If I didn’t share some of our heritage with you, how could you call me Grandma? Besides... you’ll have to help me with some things in the future.”

Her words sent goosebumps down my spine.

Help her with things? I had a bad feeling about this.

So I instinctively took a step back and said, “What do you mean? I’m willing to help with anything you ask, but don’t expect me to help the old Zhao family carry on their bloodline.”

“Get lost!” Zhao Shuihe snapped in anger, swinging a fist that landed a slap on me. She cursed, “You shameless fool.” Then she confided, “I have my brother’s mission... I want you to help me destroy the Lantern King and the mastermind behind it.”

Her words perfectly matched my own desire.

We had to destroy that monster; otherwise, it would keep dragging its gang of cats and offsprings after me day and night, and I wouldn’t be able to rest.

So I nodded and asked if she had any specific plans.

But just as Zhao Shuihe was about to reveal her brilliant idea, her phone suddenly rang inside her bag.

She quickly took out the phone, staring at the numbers on the screen, her brow furrowing deeply.