"I thought you knew, Your Excellency." Quan Yingdong picked up the already boiling kettle and began to make tea. "After all, when you found Yan Jing, I seem to have told you about it on the phone."
At the beginning of the year, before Lin Fan returned to the Special Affairs Office, he helped Xue Ping with a search and rescue mission on the road.
It was also during that mission that she accidentally discovered Yan Jing and held her in her hand for a short while.
It was also for this reason that it suddenly became smaller during the Chinese New Year, leading to a series of hilarious chaos afterwards.
Lin Fan snorted silently and smiled. "I knew about the Thousand Years Master, but I didn't know it was a little black cat."
Those who know won’t talk about it, and those who don’t know won’t think of asking.
By accident, the horrifying scene of "Minister Lin boldly petting the cat and hitting the head of His Majesty" was created.
Quan Yingdong also shook his head and chuckled, "This is really a huge misunderstanding."
Lin Fan took the teacup he offered with both hands and placed it in front of him. "The name Thousand Years Old Master is so majestic and powerful. Who could have imagined, who could have imagined..."
A big monster that lived for a few years should have a prototype of a lion, a tiger, or even a leopard. Why is it just a kitten?
It's like putting up a "Dangerous Dog Inside" sign outside the door, and then you do your homework and push the door open with all your caution, only to find a teacup dog inside that's no bigger than your palm...
Regardless of whether it's evil or not, this feeling of disparity is hard to describe...
"Have you heard of the saying that black cats can ward off evil spirits?" Que Yingdong could understand Lin Fan's psychology very well. When he first knew that it was the Thousand Year Old Lord, he was stunned for a long time.
"I've heard of that." Lin Fan nodded. "But some people also say that black cats attract evil. I don't know who's true."
"In ancient times, cats that were completely black were also called black cats, named for their reddish fur. However, pure black cats are actually rare." Quan Yingdong took a sip. "Throughout history, people have always believed that cats have psychic abilities, and black cats are the most psychic."
Although Lin Fan loved these little animals, he had never studied them before, so he listened very carefully.
"The ancients believed that black cats could ward off evil spirits, ward off evil, and suppress evil. Because their tails are curled, similar to those of a Qilin, they are also known as Qilin tails. In fact, any round-haired animal with a curled tail can be called a Qilin tail..."
Quan Yingdong was the head of the weapon refining team. Due to the demands of his job, he had dabbled in a lot of ancient legends. As he was talking, he unknowingly strayed off topic. Fortunately, he caught himself in time and changed the subject.
"Many ancient feng shui books record the benefits of black cats. It's said that yellow eyes can ward off evil, green eyes can attract wealth, and the saying that evil spirits can't enter the Qilin's tail is widely circulated among all walks of life."
"So, the ancients mostly used black cats to protect their homes. If a family had a black cat, they would keep it at the south-facing doorway. That way, as long as the cat was there, it would protect the family's descendants forever."
"Yeah," Lin Fan nodded. "I've heard the story of the black cat guarding the soul. It says the old lady died a long time ago, and because the black cat was guarding the house, the Black and White Impermanence couldn't enter the house to capture the soul, so the old lady never knew she was dead. Is that true?"
"Uh... I don't know about that. But if it's a black cat like Lord Qiansui, then there is no doubt about it." Quan Yingdong did not miss any opportunity to praise his superiors.
Next, he told Lin Fan about the legends of black cats in various countries.
In ancient Egypt, it is a god that can drive away the dead and control life and death.
In Central Europe, they believed that black cats were the souls of witches and were defined as the embodiment of evil. During the witch-elimination campaign, they encountered unprecedented disasters.
Later, when the Black Death broke out, black cats were considered the source of the Black Death. They became messengers of hell and completely transformed into evil.
"But wasn't H plague spread by rats?" Lin Fan dug out this vague history from his limited memories.
"Yes, it was actually because a large number of cats were killed during the hunting operation that the plague spread, but somehow the cats were blamed." Que Yingdong curled his lips and poured Lin Fan another glass. "So in this world, every drink and every bite has cause and effect."
He then went on to tell some interesting stories about black cats in other countries, some that bring wealth, some that bring bad luck, some that bring romance, and some that are the god of death and are wanted by everyone as soon as they appear.
Lin Fan listened with great interest.
"So, the same species has different meanings due to different cultures and customs? Isn't this idealism?" Lin Fan concluded.
All black cats are the same; it’s the people who are different.
"I'm telling you this simply to say that the legend of black cats is ancient and widespread around the world, and many of them hold high status. On the other hand, there aren't many legends about majestic and powerful beasts. Even if there are, the endings aren't particularly happy."
"I know," Lin Fan said, raising his hand with a grin. "You're trying to tell me that even if it's something I already know, I shouldn't make preconceived notions and generalize!"
Quan Yingdong was stunned. Is this what he meant?
Isn't he just telling stories?
However, since Lin Fan had already elevated him, he would not lower himself. With an unfathomable smile, he filled her glass again.
"Master Qiansui has lived for a long time and has a wide range of knowledge. For us in the weapon refining team, he is simply a living encyclopedia, so everyone privately calls him the ancestor."
"I see." Lin Fan nodded. "I thought it really was your ancestor."
Old monsters know a lot, and considering their age, it is not surprising to call them ancestors.
"But if that's the case, then Elder Qian and Senior Brother should know a lot, right?" Lin Fan thought about the other two big guys in the institute.
"Yes, they are equally knowledgeable. But as for the eldest brother... you know." Quan Yingdong lowered his eyelids and scratched his nose.
Although I don't want to admit it, not everyone can withstand the intimidation of the eldest brother.
On weekdays, people are busy hiding, so how could they come up and ask questions?
Besides, it’s not urgent for them to refine the equipment now. If they encounter something they don’t understand, they can just wait and there is no need to go up and ask.
"What about Mr. Qian? Mr. Qian is a very good person." Lin Fan asked again.
"Old Man Qian is very good, but he's an orthodox cultivator, entering the Dao as a human, and has dabbled in all sorts of things... ahem, there are more of those who entered the Dao as demons." Quan Yingdong chuckled, "After all, when Old Man Qian was seriously meditating, our ancestors were still wandering around. After all these years, this habit hasn't changed."
So Mr. Qian stayed at the Special Affairs Office, and His Excellency was always wandering around like a dragon, never staying anywhere for long.
"Besides, we're not from the same department, so it's not appropriate to keep going to him and disturbing Elder Qian's cultivation." Quan Yingdong added, "Of course, it's because we're not in a hurry to identify him. If we were in a hurry, we wouldn't have these concerns."
Lin Fan nodded and asked the question he wanted to know most.
"Who is more powerful, Master Qiansui or Elder Qian and the others?"
Through Quan Yingdong’s introduction, we can see the various abilities of the black cat, as well as Lin Fan’s own sublimated thoughts. Haha, it’s true, the poor student thinks too much.
