The black cat never strayed far from Jason, even during sleep. At noon, Jason took a nap on the couch, and the black cat lay quietly at his feet. They had a unique, harmonious bond. As if to further prove its intelligence, the cat nudged Jason's shoes over to him with its paws when he woke.
Jason found himself growing fond of the little creature, feeling a sense of attachment from it.
For lunch, Jason made pancakes, pouring a cup of milk for himself and a little for the black cat. He even shared a piece of his pancake with it.
When Jason put the pancake in the dish, the little black cat skillfully pushed the pancake out of the soaking milk, keeping them separate. The cat would take a bite of pancake and then lap up some milk, much like a human would. This amusing behavior elicited a chuckle from Jason.
After the meal, the black cat jumped onto Jason's lap, meowing softly as a sign of gratitude. Jason would then wipe the milk residue from its mouth and whiskers with a napkin. Satisfied and clean, the cat would then curl up on the couch and close its eyes, indicating it was nap time.
In this peaceful atmosphere, they awaited the return of Cathy and Royce around five in the afternoon. Cathy prepared dinner, with Royce assisting, resulting in a sumptuous meal. However, Jason suggested that Cathy set out four plates, and a portion of food was evenly divided.
"This is for him!" Jason pointed at the black cat lounging on the couch, whistling for its attention. The cat then leaped joyfully onto the chair. Seeing its short stature, it decided to jump onto the dining table. However, it did not immediately start eating and seemed to wait for the others.
Cathy laughed happily, reaching out to pet the little black cat. To her surprise, the cat's demeanor brought her a natural sense of familiarity. As the people started their meal, the black cat began eating as well. This time, Jason gave it a bowl of soup and some sliced steak in a separate dish.
"Tomorrow, I'll buy some medicinal herbs. Cathy will use silver needles to guide the energy in her body, hoping to break the witch's curse. The key is to allow her to regain her own body," Jason revealed after dinner, offering a glimmer of hope. "We have a good chance of success."
"Really? My God..." Royce suddenly covered his face, his voice choked with emotion as he looked at Cathy. She was stunned, she never dared to hope, but since Jason had said so, she believed he could do it, which made her tremble subtly with excitement.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Jason reassured her, patting her shoulder gently.
Early the next morning, Jason left the house. Although Cathy and Royce wanted to accompany him, he declined their offer. He wanted to gather some medicinal herbs personally. By noon, Jason returned with a large bag of herbs. After sorting through them, he started to brew a medicinal concoction in a large pot in the kitchen. After an hour or so, he called Cathy and Royce, who rushed back gleefully.
Cathy stripped down and immersed herself in the bathtub. Jason then used silver needles to inject the medicinal energy into Cathy's body. He also set up a magical formation in the bathroom, called the Azure Dragon Blood Array. This array has the power to cleanse the soul, suppress evil spirits, and alter one's fate.
Cathy, who was initially destined to die, would now have a new lease on life. The witch's curse eroding her body would be lifted as all curses and witchcraft would be thoroughly cleansed from her. Cathy's body was filled with silver needles as if she had become a human pincushion.
Royce initially wanted to stay by the door to witness Cathy's transformation. However, the process turned out to be so daunting that it was almost unbearable to watch.
"Hmph!"
Jason's peach wood sword moved slowly and then suddenly pointed forward at Cathy's forehead. A beam of light flashed and disappeared. Immediately, Cathy's body emanated a faint glow.
"Collect—"
With a flick of Jason's sword, all the silver needles embedded in Cathy's body flew out and hovered in the air. As Jason drew his sword back, all the needles collected in his hand. The peach wood sword then disappeared from his hand.
Cathy's body suddenly went limp and she collapsed into the bathtub. Jason gestured to Royce: "Your turn. Help her out. Everything is done. Now, that's it."
Royce rushed over and helped Cathy up. When he looked up, Jason had already left. As he reached the stairs, the little black cat jumped onto his shoulder.
About two hours later, Cathy and Royce came down from upstairs. Cathy appeared refreshed while Royce was visibly elated. Approaching Jason, Cathy bowed and broke down in tears before she could utter a word. Royce reached out to steady her, patting her gently.
"Thank you, Mr. Jason." Cathy finally managed to control her emotions. Despite only saying a sentence, it was the most sincere words from her heart.
As soon as she woke up and realized that her body was no longer puppet-like, she was overwhelmed by joy and gratitude. However, all this was thanks to one person, Jason. Thus, she couldn't wait to come down and express her gratitude to Jason in person.
"Sit down. Royce mentioned earlier. Are you going to a party?" Jason asked. "Go ahead, don't worry. And remember... with your new body, don't drink too much."
Cathy nodded repeatedly. To be honest, she would believe whatever Jason said without a shred of doubt.
Jason simply nodded, then gently stroked the top of the little black cat's head. The touch seemed to please the cat, and it jumped down, settling comfortably on Jason's lap, purring softly.
As night fell again, a beautiful woman appeared within a dense forest. She donned a dress and held a small wand, sprinting lightly through the foliage. Her golden locks billowed in the wind, her skirt fluttered, and her bare legs glinted in the moonlight, all of which amplified her innocent appearance.
"I love Jason's beautiful flowers, for they are not as beautiful as I am; I love the melodies of Jason's birds, for they do not sing as enchantingly as I do. I love the white snow atop Jason's mountains, for it isn't as pure as my fair skin…"
Her song was captivating, stirring up the chirping birds within the forest.
As the woman passed by, the tall grass automatically parted to both sides, and the trees swayed along with her song. The wild beasts nearby ceased their howls, falling into silence.
Suddenly, the singing stopped.
The woman in the dress stood at the edge of the dense forest, with an abyss lying beneath her feet. She smiled faintly, and with a wave of the wand in her hand, a layer of dark clouds enveloped the forest. After the initial joy, she suddenly felt a chilling fear.
This was a sensation she had never experienced before.
Although the mirror had already told her that she was now the most beautiful woman in the world, it came at a great cost. If she were to die again, she would only have one life left. The looming prospect of this no longer allowed for the nimble steps and billowing skirt she had just moments before.
More importantly, her beauty now required more fresh blood to maintain. Otherwise, aging would quickly ravage her face and skin, and all her beauty would be nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
As the darkness of night descended, a party had already begun...