The Rat Cultivator

Wu Yuan had no patience for the squabbling furballs in front of him. His attention was focused entirely on his own hand, his brow furrowed in thought.

It jumped out too easily, he mused, flexing his fingers. I didn’t use my full strength, sure, but my grip isn’t something a weakling can just shake off casually.

That gray rabbit isn’t as fragile as he pretends to be. He’s hiding something.

Bibo and Big Old Black, however, remained oblivious to Wu Yuan’s silent analysis. They assumed he had simply released the creature out of mercy.

Before Wu Yuan could dwell on it further, the white rabbit demon, Little White, marched over. She was dragging the gray rabbit by his long ear, her face puffed up in self-righteous anger. She pointed a trembling finger at Wu Yuan.

“Listen up! This Moon Rabbit is our Boss now,” she declared. “Hurry up and pay your respects!”

The gray rabbit, rubbing his sore ear, muttered indignantly, “What Moon Rabbit? Look at him! He’s clearly just a white mouse.”

“Huh?”

Little White slammed her hands onto her hips, her eyes widening into perfect, threatening circles. She loomed over him, exuding the tyranny of an older sister.

The gray rabbit folded instantly. He shrank back, lowered his head, and squeaked, “Boss!”

Wu Yuan massaged his temples, a headache already blooming behind his eyes.

They’re submitting way too fast, he thought, eyeing them warily. I have no leverage here. Is this some kind of trap?

Still half-doubting their intentions, Wu Yuan sighed and decided to set the record straight.

“Let me clarify a few things,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “First, I am not a Moon Rabbit. I am a Spirit Gathering Mouse.”

He paused, fixing his gaze intently on the gray rabbit to catch any flicker of deception. “Second, are you truly pledging allegiance to me? Think this through before you answer. There is no turning back.”

The gray rabbit immediately leaped up, pointing an accusatory finger at his sister. “See! I told you the Boss wasn’t a Moon Rabbit! You wouldn’t believe me!”

Little White didn’t hesitate. She tackled her brother, pinning him to the dirt. “If I say he is, he is!” she shrieked. “From now on, you listen to me!”

Wu Yuan watched them wrestle in the dust, shook his head, and let out a long, weary sigh.

“Wahhh! Boss! We have to go back to that evil Goat villain now, but you absolutely can’t forget about Little White!”

“Little White will be thinking of you every single breath!”

The white rabbit clung to Wu Yuan’s thigh like a burr, wailing theatrically. She wiped a generous mixture of tears and snot directly onto his fur.

Wu Yuan looked down at the miserable creature attached to his leg. With a resigned expression, he reached into his robe and pulled out a Golden Thread Peach. He stuffed the glowing fruit into her arms.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough,” he said, patting her head awkwardly. “Work hard. Once the Goat Demon is dead, you can come back and stay.”

The effect was instantaneous.

Little White clutched the Golden Thread Peach, and her tears evaporated as if by magic. A radiant, greedy smile split her face.

“I knew Boss was the best!” she chirped, nuzzling the fruit. “I’ll tear that Goat Demon apart myself so Boss can have fresh mutton stew tonight!”

The gray rabbit, Little Gray, looked at Wu Yuan with an apologetic expression that seemed to say, ‘I’m sorry she’s like this.’

“Boss,” Little Gray said, his tone turning serious. “That Goat Demon isn’t simple. Once you have a plan, just contact me. I will cooperate fully.”

He glanced at the darkening sky. “It’s getting late. If we delay any longer, he’ll get suspicious. We need to go.”

With that, Little Gray grabbed his sister by the scruff of her neck and dragged her back toward the forest.

Little White’s voice echoed through the trees as she was hauled away. “Boss! You have to remember meeeee!”

Once silence returned to the clearing, Bibo turned to Wu Yuan, his brow furrowed. “Great King, do you think those two are trustworthy?”

Wu Yuan glanced at Little Yellow nearby. The pangolin was still pouting, clearly annoyed by the rabbits’ presence, but he sensed no killing intent from the creature.

“It should be fine,” Wu Yuan said coolly, turning back to the Beaver. “Whether they are trustworthy or not is irrelevant. It won’t change the outcome.”

He mentally checked the Karma Pearl.

[Intelligence: White. The Rabbit Demons pose no danger.]

Wu Yuan relaxed slightly. When Bibo had first joined, the intelligence had been Green—indicating a slight risk. Pure White meant absolute safety. The system’s judgment was absolute.

“Great King,” Bibo said, his anxiety not fully assuaged. “Even so, we are both at the early stage of Qi Condensation. I am definitely no match for that Goat in a direct fight. If he comes… what then?”

“We don’t fight him directly,” Wu Yuan said, his gaze shifting to the Spirit Mulberry Tree in the distance. “We use the Formation.”

“But how do we lure him into the valley?” Bibo asked. “He was extremely cautious during the day. He won’t just walk in.”

Wu Yuan’s lips curled into a faint smile. “That,” he said, turning his head, “will depend on Big Old Black.”

Big Old Black, who had been picking his teeth and looking thoroughly bored, froze when he heard his name. His ears perked up, and he puffed out his chest.

“That’s right! Leave it to me!” he declared loudly, trying to look reliable. “Boss, you can rest easy!”

Then, his expression crumbled into confusion. He leaned in eagerly. “Uh, Boss… what exactly do I have to do? Just give the order, I promise I’ll smash it!”

Wu Yuan considered the rat’s limited intellect and opted for simplicity.

“Undercover work might be a bit… complex for you,” Wu Yuan said slowly. “But since the Goat Demon wants to sow discord, we’re going to let him. When the time comes, I need you to play the role of a traitor.”

“Coordinate with the rabbits. Your job is to bait him into the valley. Remember to adapt to the situation—don’t be too eager, or you’ll give it away.”

Meanwhile, inside the Goat Demon’s damp cave.

“You’re back this late?” The Goat Demon sat on a stone throne, his rectangular pupils narrowing. “Did you sneak off to slack off again?”

Little White snorted, crossing her arms defiantly. “Slack off? We can’t even eat our fill here, and you expect us to run marathons? Be grateful we’re helping you at all!”

“We risked our lives out there gathering intel for you!”

Seeing the Goat’s face darken, Little Gray quickly stepped in, pulling his sister behind him. He put on a servile, flattering smile.

“Great King Goat, please quell your anger! We ran into a few complications on the road, that’s all.”

Little Gray scurried forward, presenting a bundle of fresh green grass as a peace offering.

“We saw something interesting,” Little Gray whispered conspiratorially. “That big black rat—the one from earlier today? He snuck out at midnight to steal leaves from the Spirit Mulberry Tree. We spotted him.”

“We had to hide in the bushes for a while to avoid alerting him,” he added, wiping imaginary sweat from his brow.

The Goat Demon’s expression shifted. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. “That Beaver really is incompetent. He can’t even control his own subordinates? Letting them pilfer such a precious spirit plant right under his nose…”

Little Gray nodded vigorously. “Exactly! How can a Beaver manage a pack of rats? He’s probably just suppressing them with brute force. They don’t respect him.”

“If they’re stealing food, there’s internal friction,” Little Gray suggested. “When they start fighting among themselves… that’s our chance.”

The Goat Demon nodded slowly, a cunning glint appearing in his eyes. “Yes. We will watch and wait. If we can fan the flames of their discord and make them kill each other, we can reap the benefits without lifting a finger.”

Little White rolled her eyes, kicking a pebble. “I say we just charge in! Smash the formation, grab the tree, and run. Can they even catch us?”

“Once we have the Spirit Mulberry Tree, who cares about the rest?”

The Goat Demon sneered at her, his voice dripping with condescension. “Fool. The tree is secondary. The key is eliminating the Beaver and that rat colony.”

“Only when they are dead will Little Green Mountain be truly clean. Leaving enemies alive is the mark of an amateur.”

“The Great King is wise!” Little Gray chimed in immediately. “Why waste effort when we can use strategy? We must plan carefully.”

He turned to his sister, feigning frustration. “See? I told you. This is why the Great King is in charge.”

Little White threw her hands up. “Fine! But I’m not going back to find that black rat. You go if you want. I’m not risking my neck again.”

Little Gray’s face paled, and he turned back to the Goat Demon. “Great King… this matter is of utmost importance. If a subordinate like me handles it, things might go wrong.”

“With your immense power and divine abilities, Great King, only you can ensure this is done perfectly.”

The Goat Demon lifted his chin, his vanity thoroughly stroked.

“True,” he agreed, smoothing his beard. “Very well. Find an opportunity to lure that black rat out. I will speak to him personally.”

The two rabbits exchanged a fleeting glance.

Little Gray bowed low. “Rest assured, Great King. I will not fail you.”