“The door. ” Luoshan Zi whispered to the Teiths and Sue, then walked forward, with some talismans in hand, staring the shadowy creature right in the yellow, glowing eyes.

Being someone that had lived in the South Eastern District for most of her life, Luoshan Zi had heard of the story of the cat granny before. It was more than just an urban legend, for the elders and even her parents used to tease her when she was still a child. “If you don’t behave, the cat granny’s gonna come and get you” used to be a common threat and warning. But right now, it was the first time she ever laid eyes on the actual cat granny in the flesh. And somewhat horrifyingly, it looked exactly like the blurry picture that was once on the front page of an old tabloid she read when she was still in primary school.

Slightly messy long hair, jaundiced face, scratches on both sides of her face like whiskers, and a full mouth of tainted, sharp teeth. Right now, it seemed that most of her attention was placed on Luoshan Zi, while her eyes kept scanning every corner in the room, seemingly searching for her target.

The Teiths were in a state of panic, they could barely move at this point. Sue was in a better stage, and she kept pulling them, even though her body was trembling. Luoshan Zi felt the chills in her body as well, as she moved to the front of the Teiths, blocking the cat granny’s view.

The cat granny frowned lightly, then opened her mouth and let out a threatening hiss. This was not a cat’s voice, nor a human or an old woman’s - it was more bellowing, echoey, and even came with a barely audible sharp ting. She gradually moved to the sliding glass door between the living room and the balcony. The sliding door was shut and locked from inside, but when she put her fingers on the lock’s position from outside, a twisted, crooked finger creeped out of the lock’s hole and started turning it. After a few tries, the lock clicked open.

The living room was silent, with only the sound of the stove with a pot of burning oil and the creaks of the sliding door’s wheels turning. Luoshan Zi took a deep breath to push her fear down. Then, her Qi started accelerating in her meridians. The air was becoming gradually more foul with the prolonged presence of the cat granny. And Luoshan Zi worried that the incense ash with lard and butter would not be able to hide the civilians here much longer.

“What are you doing? Go out the door!” Luoshan Zi turned back and whispered to the Teiths.

The cat granny’s eyes opened wide just when Luoshan Zi finished her sentence. She slammed open the sliding door, and lunged at Luoshan Zi with a scream. Her arms swung forward at Luoshan Zi, her long, sharp nails and her boney ready to tear into this human.

“Shit! Go!” Luoshan Zi jumped up facing the cat granny, sticking her middle and index fingers up on both hands. Her forearms were instantly coated with a layer of green energy like translucent jade.

A loud clunk exploded as Luoshan Zi’s forearm blocked the cat granny’s wrists. The layers of green cracked up and crumbled, the foul dark energy left two scorch marks on the cafe owner’s skin. She did not have time to worry about these, as her fingers turned and aimed. Before the cat granny made another move, slender and sharp blades of glowing green Qi shot out from Luoshan Zi’s finger tips. Dark tar gushed out of the cat granny’s eye sockets along with a deafening screech.

Luoshan Zi kicked the cat granny in the chest, sending the creature into the wall and ceiling while riding the force back down on the ground. Ashes leaked through her fingers - the talismans in her palms were all but expended in her last attack. And a chilling pain started seeping into her leg through the sole of her feet.

“Go! What are you waiting for!?” Luoshan Zi pushed her Qi more to squeeze this chilling and corrosive energy out of her body: “GOGOGO! LEAVE!”

The Teiths finally regained their strength and ability to move. Brian opened the door, and Samantha ran outside while holding Kevin in her arms.

Luoshan Zi rolled to her right and snatched a lit candle from the ground, as well as Tae Kuo’s short peachwood sword. With a quick run of her left palm along the relatively dull edge of the peachwood sword, she sliced a thin gash on herself and coated the sword with her blood.

The cat granny squirmed and groaned on the ground for a short while. She fell on a bag of blessed rice, her skin was burned yet it did not seem to impact her mobility. Before Luoshan Zi could follow up with another attack, she already crawled up, with her arms in the ready. Her left arm was blocking her face and her right was lowered, ready to retaliate any attempts coming her way. Her eyes were destroyed, and the dark tar continued to seep out, flowing down her face and dripping on the ground.

The cat granny turned around, seemingly searching for traces of Luoshan Zi somewhat aimlessly. After planning for a brief moment, Luoshan Zi picked up a shoe by her side using her left foot toes, and kicked it in the direction of the kitchen.

The cat granny growed, and immediately lunged at the direction of the shoe. Luoshan Zi stamped forward the moment she saw the cat granny’s back, with her peachwood sword ready to plunge.

But the next moment, the explosive feeling of danger struck her. Her step slowed for one mere moment, just in time for the cat granny to swiftly turn back and swung her claw right at her chest.

This creature did not lose sight. She could still see, through a hidden eye located on her throat.

A sharp pain came from her right forearm. Even though she retracted the sword the moment she sensed the danger, the dark nails still sliced through the jade energy layer. The flow of her Qi was interrupted by this attack, and a grueling agony coursed through the entire right half of her body.

With a quick step using her left foot, Luoshan Zi backed into a wall while holding her right forearm. There was no room for her to dodge, and it seemed she was out of energy to escape as well.