"Come, let's eat!"
Xiao Liuer, a waiter at the restaurant, placed a steaming bowl of boiled lamb in front of Du ke and Thirteen. He also reached out and patted Du ke's head.
After patting him, Xiao Liuer exclaimed, "Ah, the texture feels just like silk!"
"Xiao Liuer, after delivering the food, hurry back and do your work. Don't be lazy."
"I'm coming, boss."
Before leaving, Xiao Liuer patted Du ke's head once again, then got up and returned to the shop to attend to the customers.
The lamb meat piled high in the oversized bowls emitted a tantalizing aroma. As the steam rose, the scent of the meat wafted into the noses of cats and dogs. Du ke also heard the sound of Husky swallowing saliva.
Looking down and seeing Husky's drooling expression, Du ke playfully slapped his head.
"If you want to eat, then eat. Don't dawdle."
With permission granted, Husky immediately buried his head and began to eat eagerly. Du ke didn't eat, but instead jumped down from his back and went to the nearby restaurant.
"Boss, the fox slave has arrived."
A customer noticed Du ke entering and the boss, who had just gone inside, came out again, curiously watching Du ke.
"What's the matter? Doesn't suit your taste?"
Du ke stood up on his hind legs and made a bow, expressing his gratitude.
The surrounding diners, as well as the boss, were all amazed.
"Wow, such intelligence!"
"Ordinary cats eat and run, but this one is incredibly smart!"
"Boss's generous treat, the white fox bows in thanks. This will be a great story!"
"Yes, just based on today's scene, I will come to the boss's place for breakfast from now on!"
...
Amidst the laughter and conversation of the customers, the boss thanked everyone with clasped hands.
"Thank you all for your support, thank you all for your support!"
After expressing his gratitude, the plump boss squatted down and reached out to pat Du ke's head. However, he noticed his oily hands and retracted them, smiling, "Come here when you're hungry. Besides, a mouthful of meat is guaranteed."
Du ke bowed once again in thanks. At this moment, Husky had finished eating the lamb meat, but he ate too much and started hiccuping.
"Hic, hic, hic..."
Husky, hiccuping, ran to Du ke's side and looked at him with a pitiful expression. Seeing this silly dog hiccuping non-stop and looking so pitiful, Du ke covered his face with his paw.
But Du ke still raised his paw and patted Thirteen's back, trying to make him feel better.
This scene attracted a group of diners, who marveled at it.
"Xiao Liuer, bring some soup!"
The boss, seeing the dog choking, called out to his waiter.
"Alright, you two can rest here for now. Remember to come when you're hungry."
The boss smiled and instructed them, then turned and entered his own shop to continue working.
Before long, Xiao Liuer brought over some warm soup. Thirteen saw the soup and immediately buried his head and started drinking.
Taking advantage of the dog drinking, the cat sat next to him and focused his attention, entering the Black Cauldron space.
Inside the Black Cauldron space, the Vari-colored Tongue Grass remained inside the wooden box.
Under the control of his mind, the Shapeshifter Grass flew out of the wooden box and went straight into the Black Cauldron, where it was wrapped by the tongue of fire and began to be refined into a pill.
The cat, which had been transformed by the Shapeshifter Grass, waited silently.
Under the roasting flames, the Shapeshifter Grass quickly withered and twisted, wrinkling into a ball.
As the flames continued to burn, impurities were removed from the Shapeshifter Grass, leaving behind the most essential medicinal properties.
Before long, the Black Cauldron shook, and a pill the size of a thumb flew out.
As the pill flew out, before the residual heat dissipated, Duke threw it back into the Black Cauldron for a second refining.
Although one refining was enough, why not put in a little more effort to achieve something better?
After the Shapeshifter Pill entered the Black Cauldron, Duke's physical strength was once again drained. Duke's body swayed, and he shook his head forcefully.
It seemed that his physical strength was drained quite severely. Could there be some special effect from the second refining of the Shapeshifter Pill?
At this time, Thirteen finally ate and drank his fill.
"Meow!"
Thirteen, now full of energy, was back to his lively self.
"Meow, woof!"
Thirteen circled around Duke, and Duke understood the meaning. He turned over and climbed onto Thirteen's back, squatting down as if riding a horse, letting Thirteen carry him out of the shop.
The customers still eating in the mutton shop found this scene quite marvelous.
"In the past, cats and dogs were sworn enemies, and they would definitely fight when they met. But today, this pair of cat and dog has really opened my eyes!"
"Indeed, who knows who raised them, they are so intelligent!"
"Oh, the Cat Slave Festival is coming soon this year. I wonder if we'll get to see this cat there."
"We should. Although our Mao City is ruled by humans, everyone knows that cats are the kings here!"
"Last year, that cat that took the first place even had the title of Snow-stepping Gentleman, right?"
"I wonder what title this cat will have this year!"
"Let's wait and see. It's still a while away!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
"Eat meat, eat meat! Shopkeeper, bring another clove of garlic!"
...
"Sugar Lili, Sugar Lili, it's time to come back."
In front of a yellow-walled, black-tiled house, a plump woman shook the bell in her hand and shouted loudly, calling her cat back home.
Just as the woman was calling out, a big orange cat, as if made of caramel, ran over along the wall, howling as it came.
However, soon a black-and-white spotted dog with a white cat on its back rushed past the big orange cat, scaring it so much that it leaped three feet high.
Duke didn't pay much attention to the big orange cat that he had scared. He just let Thirteen traverse the streets and alleys, heading to a quieter place.
After going out of an alley, Thirteen entered a long street and walked briskly.
Duke, who was squatting on the dog's back, adjusted his posture, adapting to the dog's rhythm of exerting force. He glanced at the tricks posted on one side and the shadow play on the other side.
There were also brothels on the street, with courtesans leaning against the pavilions, singing sweet songs in their charming voices.
And, more importantly, there were cats everywhere.
Regardless of whether it's a white cat, a black cat, a spotted cat, or a lynx, cats of various colors can be seen.
Many cats involuntarily cast their gaze upon this unique and independent member of their kind. After all, it's not uncommon to see fierce cats that can make dogs howl, but it's rare to find a cat that can ride a dog like a horse.
Thirteen and Duke swiftly left the bustling street and eventually stopped on a dam.
The willow trees planted on the dam hadn't sprouted tender buds yet, and the partially frozen river surface still had floating ice.
As Duke stood beneath a willow tree, he opened the space within the Black Cauldron.
He took out two Blood Food Pills for the cat, broke one in half, and gave half to the dog.
Gulp!
After swallowing the Blood Food Pill, Duke's stomach was purified and filled with vitality. His body quickly became warm, and most importantly, the stamina drained by the Black Cauldron was rapidly replenished.
He took out a Clear Water Pill and tossed it to the silly dog for him to lick. Duke himself took out the Second Refinement Tongue-Altering Pill.
Looking at the Tongue-Altering Pill, which was no bigger than a soybean, Duke sniffed it and felt his mouth watering.
Unconsciously, the cat swallowed a mouthful of saliva and swallowed the Tongue-Altering Pill in one gulp.
Once the Tongue-Altering Pill entered his throat, it immediately turned into a medicinal force and entered his body.
This medicinal force circulated through Duke's limbs and bones before surging into his throat.
Just as the medicinal force took effect, Duke coughed.
"Cough!"
The coughing cat suddenly felt as if his throat was filled with numerous hairy caterpillars, tickling and causing him to cough incessantly.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Duke couldn't stop coughing, his eyes tightly shut, and he even spewed out thick phlegm.
Seeing Duke in such a condition, the Husky stopped drinking water and anxiously circled around him.
Under the effect of the Tongue-Altering Pill's medicinal force, the itching in Duke's throat became even more intense, and he coughed up a white, thick phlegm.
The phlegm coagulated into a lump and didn't dissipate when it fell to the ground, truly nauseating.
But after expelling this mouthful of phlegm, Duke felt the itching in his throat subsiding, replaced by an indescribable coolness.
This coolness spread throughout his throat and tongue, causing Duke to instinctively stick out his tongue.
Under the influence of this coolness, his tongue became cold and numb, like sucking on a melted and then chilled throat lozenge.
His throat felt cool and refreshing, while his tongue was icy and numb. This made Duke unable to help but curse.
"Damn it, why is this pill so difficult to endure!"
After uttering these words, Duke suddenly became stunned because he hadn't spoken them in his mind but had actually spoken them out loud using his own tongue.
"I..."
Duke tentatively opened his mouth, uttered a word, and his ears trembled repeatedly. An indescribable delight overwhelmed his body and mind.
"I can speak?"
"I can open my mouth again!"
"Oh my, it was so difficult. I can finally speak again!"
"Thirteen, Thirteen!!"
Duke hugged the Husky and shook him vigorously. "I can speak, I can speak again!"
"Wow hahaha! I can speak again!!!!"