Chapter Thirteen: Strictness

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This time, the Black Cat was much more cautious; it was not enough for Pan Yun to simply agree—it required a contract. Both the Black Cat and Pan Yun understood the binding nature of such a pact. Through a ritual that communicated with heaven and earth, using one’s spiritual power and soul as a medium, the contract was inscribed. Anyone who violated it would face divine punishment. It was like raising one’s hand to swear an oath, with the difference that the former would inevitably be enforced, while the latter might not.

Once the human and the cat entered into this contract, from that moment on, whenever Pan Yun cultivated, the Three Jade Spirit Realms within her Dantian Palace would automatically seize the portion of spiritual energy owed to the Black Cat.

At last, Pan Xiaohei relaxed, sprawling on its side and flipping over to expose its belly. It let out a long “meow” and sighed incessantly. Life in the spirit realm was harsh—perhaps this was heaven’s way of testing it?

Nearby, Pan Yun gathered some firewood, moved the burning fire pit aside, swept the ashes to the edge, then spread branches and leaves on the scorched ground. She retrieved her quilt from her spirit realm space and lay down on the warm branches and leaves, sighing contentedly.

Since leaving the Pan family, she finally had a peaceful night’s rest.

“You keep watch,” she said.

Pan Xiaohei did not refuse; it was not tired anyway. Half its body slipped under the quilt, its head resting against Pan Yun’s, gazing blankly at the starry sky.

Because of the contract, Pan Yun knew that the spirit realm would neither dare nor be able to return to its true form at this moment. She trusted it to guard through the night. As a well-experienced spirit, this was a skill it should possess.

So she allowed herself to drift off to sleep. It was not until the sunlight spilled over and the chirping of birds rang in her ears that she finally opened her eyes and awoke.

Sitting up, Pan Yun stared blankly for a moment before folding her quilt back into her spirit realm space. She then asked, “Can your world-body—the one that allows your soul to exist eternally—enter this place? If that world is self-contained, does it have food and drink? Or is everything, like data, only virtual?”

Pan Xiaohei could not answer. If it knew, would it still be wasting time chatting with Pan Yun here? It would have long since broken its seal and roamed freely.

Judging by its vacant expression, Pan Yun knew it truly did not know.

It seemed everything was illusory; only saving her father and brothers was real.

Pan Yun rubbed her empty stomach, extinguished the embers and the fire sparks, patted her hands, and stood up. “Let’s go. We’re heading to Datong.”

Pan Xiaohei spread its paws, and Pan Yun scooped it into her arms and headed north.

She had gained some cultivation but was still far from fasting. After walking all morning, hunger gnawed at her.

Because of her weakness and lack of food intake, her face turned pale and her lips whitish, clear signs of blood deficiency.

From afar, she spotted the city gate and brightened, quickening her pace while holding Pan Xiaohei.

Near the gate was a tea stall, propped up by a few pieces of wood and roofed with thatch. Besides tea, it sold baked cakes, noodles, buns, and steamed bread.

Pan Yun evidently could not wait to eat inside the city and hurried over, finding a table. “Sir, two buns and a bowl of noodles, please.”

“Right away,” the vendor replied briskly, swiftly placing two buns on a plate to serve. He then looked up and noticed the customer was a child with a dirty face and messy hair. Her clothes looked as if she had rolled in the grass, and the light bundle on her back was obviously not something that could pay. His motion faltered.

But after a brief pause, he smiled and brought over the buns. “Enjoy, little guest. I’ll bring you noodles next. We have vegetarian, egg, and meat noodles.”

Pan Yun did not want to embarrass herself, but considering the long journey to Datong ahead and her lack of funds, needing to speed up, then catch or rent a carriage, and eat and rest along the way, she suppressed her craving and said, “Vegetarian noodles, please.”

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The vendor agreed and went to prepare the noodles.

Pan Yun rummaged through her bundle and pulled out a bowl she had taken from her original room in the spirit realm. She tore a bun in half, ate one half herself, and placed the other half in the bowl for Pan Xiaohei.

The vendor, seeing her feed the cat from her own bowl, closed his mouth and silently continued cooking.

Pan Xiaohei squatted on the table, eating carefully with its paws, neither messy nor wasteful.

While eating, Pan Yun said to it, “See, I told you I’m kind. I hate stealing and deceit most of all. You treat me sincerely, and I will return that sincerity. As long as I have buns, I’ll share half with you, and the noodles too.”

“Meow—”

Pan Yun smiled and stroked its head.

The vendor brought the cooked noodles, a large bowl full to the brim. Pan Yun glanced at the other tables and raised an eyebrow slightly.

This vendor was quite kind, giving her extra noodles.

True to her word, Pan Yun shared a good amount of noodles with Pan Xiaohei.

The two ate carefully, and Pan Yun drank the last drop of broth.

Nourished by the grains, her complexion gradually regained color; her stomach felt as comfortable as her heart, and she felt joyful.

She glanced at the price list hanging on a wooden board beside her, took out a copper coin, and paid. “Sir, the bill, please!”

Standing at the city gate, Pan Yun sighed, “Truly, the one thing you must never betray is good food.”

She walked happily toward the gate, casually glancing at the two characters emblazoned above: She County.

There were two lines of people waiting to enter, and she chose one at random, standing curiously at the front.

She saw that everyone entering had to present a paper to the soldier guarding the gate for inspection; those with many belongings had their luggage checked as well.

Pan Yun fell silent. After a moment, she turned and asked the person behind her, “Do you really need a travel permit to enter the county town here?”

The young man behind her was momentarily stunned. He instinctively looked past her to the person in front, who did not turn back. Unsure whether she was asking on behalf of an official, he replied, “Yes, here in She County, it’s been required for some time. Did your elders forget to bring theirs? Or are you not from our county?”

Pan Yun did not answer his questions but continued, frustrated, “What if someone from outside wants to enter town to buy or sell vegetables? Do they need a permit too?”

“You just need to carry your household registration. Locals don’t need permits; it’s only when leaving the county that you do.” The young man curiously asked, “Outside the county, is there no permit to enter or exit the city?”

Pan Yun thought carefully about her journey. Naturally, no permit was needed to leave the city. They did not carry heavy goods. Only two cities had checked their permits, but since the three traveled together, the guards only glanced at Tao Ji’s permit, ignoring hers and Xuan Miao’s.

Given such laxity, she thought she could slip in and out easily. But looking ahead, even those bringing children into the city had their elders carry household registrations.

Where could she get a permit or household registration?

Well, she did have one—those two human traffickers’—but their description didn’t match.

Seeing her distress, the young man kindly explained, “Recently, human traffickers have been rampant. There have been many cases of children being abducted, so our county has tightened checks severely. Not only are permits and household registrations required to enter, but also to leave the city. Even farmers going out must carry their registration.”

Well, this county magistrate was strict.

After observing for a while and confirming she couldn’t sneak in, Pan Yun decisively turned and left the line.

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The young man behind her gaped, watching her go. After she had left some distance, he tapped the shoulder of the person ahead. “Brother, isn’t that your child?”

The man turned and glanced back, then said, “What child? I have no children.”

Pan Yun had already gone far, returning to the tea stall.

She contemplated taking a shortcut to bypass She County and head north.

Sighing, she accepted that she would have to sleep outdoors again tonight.

Estimating her and Pan Xiaohei’s appetites, she told the vendor, “Pack me ten large buns.”

The vendor, now knowing she wasn’t poor but simply untidy, happily agreed. He packed ten buns into two paper bags, five per bag.

Pan Yun took the bags, paid, and asked, “Sir, going north of the city outskirts, is it faster to go east or west?”

The vendor hesitated, then said, “Entering the city is fastest.”

Obviously. She already knew that.

Pan Yun replied, “I’m not entering. I’m going to stay with my aunt. My mother is gone; I’m remarried. My stepmother doesn’t accept me, but I don’t remember where my aunt lives—only that she said it’s halfway to the northern outskirts, near the north city gate.”

The vendor: …Who gives directions like that?

He hesitated and then asked, “Young lady, is your aunt reliable? Why don’t you go into town and ask the county office? They can send an official to escort you. There are so many traffickers outside; you don’t want to fall into their hands.”

Pan Yun asked, “Are there many traffickers here?”

“Many. Several children were lost near Anyang, and last month, two went missing here in She County. Their parents cried themselves to death.” The vendor saw that, though dirty, her face was fair and tender, her hands soft and delicate—clearly a cherished child. So he advised, “Your father must love you, maybe just doesn’t show it. I think you should go home. The adults will worry if they can’t find you.”

“I know,” Pan Yun said. “I’m just scaring them a bit. I’ll stay at my aunt’s for a few days, and when my father comes looking, I’ll go back.”

Pan Yun insisted on the quickest way to the northern outskirts. The vendor gave directions: “Follow that road west for a long way, then turn north. There’s a river—a moat. Follow it, and you’ll reach the north city gate. But the village is far from the moat, so I guess you might have the address wrong.”

Pan Yun insisted, “No, it’s correct. Thanks, sir.”

She hugged the bags of buns and left.

Just as she reached the side of the path, a group of officials were driving a crowd out of the city.

She stopped to watch.

A group of ragged people were being shoved out by the officials. The lead officer, hands on hips, cursed, “If you dare sneak back in again, next time you’ll all be sent to the mines!”

Pan Yun listened to their murmurs: “I heard there’s an imperial inspector from the capital, so the county won’t allow any beggars.”

“Alas, these people are being driven out, but how will they survive? There are so many children among them.”

“Go from village to village; if you meet kind people, they’ll give you some rice to stew. Somehow, you’ll get by.”

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