Seeing Xiaoyu approaching with ill intent, Ali cowered and retreated. Xiaoshu stood up, subtly scraping the ground with her heel, signaling the raccoon family to flee quickly. While the raccoons couldn't outrun Ming Xiaoyu in a straight sprint, they were certainly less than half as intelligent as a human.

The little kittens, seeing the two figures suddenly stand up, thought some fun was about to happen and showed no inclination to run. One calico kitten actually darted in front of Xiaoshu to investigate.

At this moment, Xiaoyu saw clearly, and a strange smile spread across his face as he headed straight for them from a distance. A chill went down Xiaoshu's spine. She bent down, scooped up the calico kitten, held it behind her, and stepped forward to place her body between the raccoons and Ali, facing the rapidly approaching Xiaoyu with a stern glare.

Xiaoyu’s eyes were blazing red, his murderous intent fully exposed, as he swung his scythe toward them. Xiaoshu, having weathered countless battles, was no longer the inexperienced high school student she once was. Seeing him like this, she felt no fear and preemptively stepped forward, seizing the wrist of the arm raised in mid-air, and sharply demanded, "What are you doing?"

That shout was truly terrifying. Ali couldn't help but burst into tears, and the other kittens scattered in fright, disappearing into the undergrowth. Only the raccoon father and mother remained perfectly composed, standing still in their original spot, watching the horrifying scene unfold with expressionless eyes.

"I wasn't going to do anything," Xiaoyu said, realizing Xiaoshu had grasped his raised hand. He consciously let his arm drop, adopting a slightly roguish expression as he laughed, "If we kill one of their kittens first, the big ones will willingly show us the entrance."

"You, you…" Xiaoshu was so furious she couldn't speak. She felt the companion she once shared everything with was drifting further and further away, as if he had transformed into someone else, yet entirely not—it was impossible to tell friend from foe.

Just as they stood locked in a stalemate, one glaring angrily and the other radiating hostility, a large raccoon emerged from beneath a tree. It walked straight between the two figures and treated Ming Xiaoyu’s leg like a large trunk, sinking its sharp claws into the trouser leg and scrambling swiftly upward. It climbed to his waist, used the belt as a foothold to spring onto his shoulder, and settled there calmly.

Xiaoshu was startled by the raccoon’s sudden action and stood stunned in front of Xiaoyu. Xiaoyu suddenly seemed like a different person; he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and the bloodshot redness instantly vanished from his eyes, revealing a pair of clear, transparent orbs on his handsome face. The killing intent was completely gone. The raccoon on his shoulder chirped softly at Xiaoyu, who turned his head, rubbing his ear against the creature's soft fur, his agitation subsiding.

"Finally quiet now," Xiaoyu murmured, looking down at the scythe in his hand with shame.

"What exactly happened? I could barely sense the old you in there," Xiaoshu pressed, striking while the iron was hot. She reached out to take the scythe from Xiaoyu’s hand, hoping to make him 'surrender his arms.'

Unexpectedly, Xiaoyu tucked the scythe behind his back without answering Xiaoshu’s question, merely stating calmly, "Let’s go. It will take us back." He then softly asked the raccoon, "Where is the entrance to Shadow Villa?"

The raccoon on Xiaoyu’s shoulder mewed twice toward the ground. Another large raccoon trotted over to a clearing near the thicket and stopped there, facing East, standing perfectly still.