Douluo Continent: Starting with a Tom Cat

“You’re an outsider, and you’re only a Soul Master. You can’t save this shop. After all, I’ve got my eye on it. You’d better get lost.” Ma Yan suddenly said with a sinister grin.

Two yellow spirit rings appeared on his body, and the oppressive aura of a Great Spirit Master swept over Shen An.

"Oh, what if I don't agree?" Shen An said, squinting.

“When have you ever given your permission to do what I, Ma Yan, do? In Soto City, I, Ma Yan, have a hundred ways to make you unable to survive. Brothers, smash it!” Ma Yan said with a sneer.

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing quietly appeared beside Shen An, her soul power surging. "Try smashing one!" the girl said coldly.

Ma Yan looked up at the sound and saw Zhu Zhuqing's curvaceous figure. What a gorgeous girl! His eyes lit up with intense lust.

"Hey, there's a chick here too. She's got a hot body. If you're willing to spend the night with me, I'll consider letting you keep running the business."

Looking at Zhu Zhuqing's cold and aloof appearance, Ma Yan felt even more excited. This kind of thing was the most exciting to play with.

Zhu Zhuqing glared at Ma Yan with ill intent, a chill running through her heart. She was about to punish this arrogant clown who didn't know his place.

Shen An said calmly, "I'll handle it. He dared to insult you, I won't let him get away with it."

The piano music stopped abruptly, and Tom immediately ran over, stood with Shen An, and glared at Ma Yan and the others.

Someone is trying to ruin my livelihood and even trying to steal my future mistress. This is too much of a bullying for a cat, it's unforgivable.

Ma Yan and the others stared in astonishment at the menacing Tom. What was that?! The one who had just played the piano was actually a cat!

There are many important figures in the empire who love music. If I capture this cat and present it to them, wouldn't wealth and glory befall me?

Ma Yan stared at Tom with burning eyes. He had really struck gold; first, there was this stunningly beautiful girl, and now there was this magical cat.

Originally, I just wanted to teach Ma Yan a lesson, but after discovering that Ma Yan was showing such disgusting covetousness towards Zhu Zhuqing and Tom, I changed my mind.

Shen An had already sentenced Ma Yan to death in his heart; this man had already found his way to his doom.

Flander then lazily said, "If you're willing to give me this cat, or give me fifty percent of your teahouse's future profits, I can help you solve this."

He really is a shrewd businessman, trying to take advantage of the situation.

Shen An remained unmoved by Flander's behavior of not offering help but instead trying to take advantage of the situation.

Although Flander's cultivation level makes resolving the current situation a trivial matter, why should he intervene out of a sense of justice when they are not related?

"No need, I can handle it." The Nine-Leaf Sword Grass instantly appeared in Shen An's hand, its emerald green blade containing an incomparably sharp sword intent.

"If you dare to smash my shop, I don't mind leaving you with some bruises," Shen An said calmly.

Something's not right. Such powerful sword intent, such a sharp sword. There's something strange about this kid.

Flander was surprised. With his cultivation level of 78, even a Soul Saint could feel the unparalleled sharpness from this sword.

There was even a tiny bit of threat!

Ma Yan, who was facing Shen An head-on, felt this pressure even more. It was like a sword hanging over his throat, and he would lose his life if he was not careful.

Oh no, we've messed up!

But Ma Yan still considered himself to have some standing in Soto City, so how could he possibly leave in disgrace? He's just a Soul Master, and my Soul Power is more than ten levels higher than his. Let's take him down!

Martial Soul Possession! Just as he was about to activate his Martial Soul to attack Shen An, some beast hair appeared on his body, and then the ever-increasing aura suddenly dissipated, and a sword appeared on his neck without him even noticing.

How could Shen An just stand by and watch Ma Yan unleash his power? It wasn't that he was afraid of him, but this was his teahouse. If Ma Yan damaged anything in the teahouse, Shen An would be heartbroken.

Therefore, Shen An decided to strike first and quietly used his first soul skill, Chasing Wind and Lightning, to get such speed that Ma Yan had already placed his longsword against Ma Yan's neck before Ma Yan could react.

Ma Yan felt the sharp edge against his neck, and dared not even look directly at the longsword. Cold sweat soaked his clothes, and he stammered:

"Spare me! My uncle is a white-robed deacon of the Spirit Hall. If you spare me, I'll never dare to provoke you again!"

Ma Yan usually acts arrogantly and domineeringly, relying on his uncle's position and his own cultivation as a Great Soul Master. He has never encountered such a situation before.

His heart was in his throat, fearing that Shen An might kill him in a moment of passion.

I won't kill them. It's unlucky to kill on the day I just opened my business. But if they dare to covet Tom and Zhu Qing, they will be punished severely.

Shen An flicked his wrist, leaving two sword marks on Ma Yan's face, one for Zhu Zhuqing and one for Tom, which was quite reasonable.

Shen An's sword was so fast and sharp that Ma Yan didn't feel it at first.

It wasn't until liquid dripped onto the ground that he covered himself with it and realized it was his own blood. He collapsed to the ground like a spineless mollusk, making terrified noises.

"Get out of here, killing you would be an insult to my sword."

Flander's eyes gleamed. What an amazing young man! His level is definitely not higher than 20. He defeated a Great Soul Master so easily.

Even though this great soul master was nothing more than a good-for-nothing in Flander's eyes, it was still astonishing enough.

Wait, an out-of-towner? And so young. Shrek Academy is recruiting students in about ten days. Hmm, looks like another genius boy attracted to our academy.

Flander thought to himself with satisfaction that he suddenly really wanted to see the day Shen An entered the academy only to find out that he was the dean. How interesting that would be!

If Shen An could hear Flander's inner thoughts, he would definitely laugh at Flander for being so naive.

Family members, we've encountered a scoundrel who sees a genius and thinks he should become his disciple.

Chapter 21 System, Give Me a Lottery! (Please add to your favorites) (Please continue reading)

Ma Yan covered his face and slunk away. He thought he was an easy target, but he turned out to be a diamond in the rough. It wouldn't be long before the news of what happened here spread, and his reputation was completely ruined.

After walking about ten meters away, Ma Yan turned back and looked at the teahouse with resentment.

Zhu Zhuqing gently pursed her lips behind Shen An, her beautiful eyes shimmering with tears. It felt so good to have someone protecting her like this.

Shen An greeted the customers outside with a beaming smile: "The trouble has been resolved. My shop has just opened, and I hope you can all come and support me. My name is Shen An, and today is my first day of business, so I'm giving everyone a 20% discount!"

"Tom, go play a tune for everyone to liven things up."

Flander looked down at his tea. 20% off? What about mine? He picked up the teacup and downed it in one gulp in a fit of anger. You little swindler!

"But it doesn't matter. Soon you'll be coming to my academy to study and pay my tuition. I'll take a few dozen more gold soul coins from you."

Flander got up and left, but before leaving, he came up to Shen An and said in a profound tone, "Young man, we will meet again soon."

Shen An gave a polite smile, thinking to himself, "Are you crazy? Everyone's in Soto City, are we not going to miss each other again?"

The melodious sound of a piano, like the gentle tinkling of a clear spring, rang out once more. The people who entered the teahouse discovered that the beautiful music they had been listening to was actually being played by a cat.

"Holy crap? This can't be real. How could a cat possibly play the piano, let alone play it so well?"

The customers were all speechless with astonishment, and even the tea that they had previously thought was a bit pricey now tasted incredibly delicious.

Wait a minute, something's off about this tea. It's not regular tea, but it tastes amazing!

Every sip is so smooth, the rich aroma of milk and tea is unforgettable, and this sweet taste is simply addictive.

This money was well spent!

With such a magical cat and this unique milk tea, this teahouse is bound to be a hit; all the customers had this thought in unison.

After a complete piano piece was played, Tom gracefully jumped down and bowed to the crowd, a gesture that drew enthusiastic applause from all the customers.

"This cat is amazing! How can it be so intelligent?"

"Boss, could this amazing cat play another song? I'd like to bring my family here to broaden their horizons."

Seeing this, Shen An said loudly, "Everyone, this cat is named Tom. He is a very important partner of mine and a member of my family. This teahouse is named after him."

"As for playing the piano, Tom has his own ideas, and he's tired today."

"But don't worry, I promise that Tom will play a piece every Wednesday and Sunday from now on, at random times."

Although the customers had some reservations about Shen An's words, they accepted them.

They opened at noon and were busy until around 6 p.m. It wasn't that they ran out of customers, but rather that Shen An had used up all the raw materials he had bought.

Customers leaving the teahouse spread the word to their friends and family that the newly opened teahouse had a particularly magical cat that could play the piano. Some didn't believe it, while others came to see for themselves, though they were skeptical.

Come and see, we can't just leave it at that, right? Once you order Shen An's milk tea, you'll be instantly captivated by its multi-layered flavor. Shen An's recipe is centuries ahead of the light tea and plain water of Douluo Continent.

The teahouse was getting busier and busier. Some people drank one cup after another and didn't want to leave, while others were drawn in by Tom. Eventually, Shen An and Tom were too busy to keep up, so Zhu Zhuqing had to join in and help make the milk tea.

"Milk Tea Sister's version of Zhu Zhuqing makes a limited-time appearance."

Zhu Zhuqing, with her fair skin, beautiful face, and hot figure, along with a magical cat that could serve dishes, drove the guests even crazier. The teahouse was packed, and the area outside was also crowded with people.

As a result, Shen An closed his business too early. After seeing off the last batch of customers, Shen An hung a sign with the words "Closed" outside the teahouse.

"Finally I can rest, I'm exhausted," Shen An said wearily, slumped in his chair.

"Meow~" Tom agreed wholeheartedly.

Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, only gently massaging her forearm. Business was booming, and even with her cultivation as a Great Soul Master, she was somewhat overwhelmed with work.

After a short rest, Shen An took out the money he had received that day and prepared to have Tom count it to see how much revenue he had made that day, while he himself opened the system panel.

[Fame Value 17508] And this value is still fluctuating. This value should be the largest amount of fame value Shen An has obtained.

Shen An looked excitedly at the fame points that were a huge sum of money for him. Could he then start the lottery?

Hmph, I've been holding it in for so long, I can finally have some fun.

System, give me a lottery draw!

"Give me a ten-pull first," Shen An silently prayed.

Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained [Montezuma Elegy Stilton Cheese: Cheese from Tom and Jerry. It is recommended not to remove it casually, otherwise you may very well cause a disaster?]

Ding! This item has been detected as having a certain degree of danger. Therefore, the summoned item storage space has been opened. The host can store the summoned items in this space.

[Tom's dream cat's scarf: Wear it and you can have Tom completely under your thumb]

[Solar-powered refrigerator: as the name suggests] [Cola x100] [Retro game console]...

Ding! Guaranteed reward triggered: a small Soul Power Experience Pack.

Goodness, Shen An looked at the items he had acquired and summarized them: they were either props from the Tom and Jerry world or some everyday technological items.

Does the system only allow summoning items from the Tom and Jerry world and Minecraft?

No, the guaranteed reward also dropped a Soul Power Experience Pack. There must be some pattern I haven't discovered yet, or maybe my reputation value isn't high enough.

Moreover, since Tom can be summoned, other companions may be able to be summoned in the future, and the mysterious items drawn may be related to the companions summoned.

Shen An carefully examined the item he had drawn. He had seen the cheese prop in the previous episode, and it was extremely dangerous. No one but Jerry could withstand it. The smell alone could penetrate a wall. It was best not to move it if possible.

[Solar Refrigerator] This is a good thing. There has never been such a novel thing in the Douluo world. It will be more convenient to store items in the future.

The rest were all everyday items like cola, potato chips, and game consoles.

As for the "Tom's Dream Cat's Scarf," Shen An felt a chill run down his spine when he saw the system's description of it.

He recalled an episode where poor Tom was manipulated by a white cat, who molded him from a cat into a donkey with upturned snouts, and even forced him to sign a contract of servitude. Just thinking about it made him shudder.

Shen An glanced at Tom, who was counting money next to him, and thought, "This is a heinous crime, it's better not to take it out. He doesn't want to see Tom hanging upside down."

Chapter 22 I'm Doing This for Your Own Good (Please Add to Favorites) (Please Continue Reading)

Shen An wasn't in a hurry to draw the lottery with the remaining fame points. Since the guaranteed reward was soul power cultivation, he wasn't going to be obsessed with getting a miracle in a single draw. It was better to just rely on the guaranteed reward.

As for the future development of the milk tea shop, Shen An plans to operate it for six hours a day, preparing only 300 cups of milk tea each time, and adopting a scarcity marketing strategy. After all, Shen An's original intention was to promote his reputation rather than simply make money.

Tom, who was standing nearby, also counted the quantity, which was about 36 gold soul coins. After deducting the cost of buying the shop and labor, the net profit was about 30 gold soul coins. It has to be said that milk tea is really profitable.

The milk tea in Shen An's shop is not cheap. The cheapest one costs one Silver Soul Coin, and the price of the cheapest cup of milk tea is equivalent to several days' living expenses for an average family.

Shen An divided the money into three parts and gave them equally to Tom and Zhu Zhuqing.

At first, Zhu Zhuqing refused to accept the money, but Shen An insisted on giving it to her. Zhu Zhuqing was a cultivation fanatic, and he was already deeply moved that she would set aside her cultivation time to help him. If he didn't give her the money, Shen An wouldn't be able to live with his conscience.

Tom was extremely excited as he held his share of the money, his eyes practically glowing with the image of gold soul coins, just like a money-loving little kitten.

With the shop on the right track and its reputation steadily rising, money kept flowing into Shen An's pocket. Shen An felt extremely happy, and life was becoming more and more promising.

It wasn't until Zhu Zhuqing brought up a topic during dinner that Shen An instantly lost his enthusiasm.

“Shen An, my martial soul is the Netherworld Cat, which is already one of the best among high-level martial souls on the continent, but I can sense that it is far inferior to your martial soul.”

“But you’re about my age, and your soul power hasn’t even reached the Great Soul Master level yet, which is really unacceptable,” Zhu Zhuqing said, her beautiful eyebrows furrowing.

Shen An smiled helplessly. He couldn't say that he had only obtained his martial soul less than a week ago; no one would believe him anyway. Besides, his situation was different; he had a cheat code.

"Most importantly, your combat ability is too poor. Although you performed well in your sparring with me yesterday, that was because I didn't really intend to hurt you. If it were a life-or-death battle, you would have suffered a great loss."

"Therefore, I want you to cultivate with me. You also need to meditate and cultivate your soul power every night. During the day, when I have free time, I will teach you some basic moves," Zhu Zhuqing said earnestly to Shen An.

After sparring with Shen An, she noticed these problems. Instead of working hard to become a powerful Soul Master, Shen An was obsessed with opening a shop. Well, although the milk tea was indeed delicious, it was such a waste of his talent!