Tales from Miraland - Shapeshifter Neko
A young man saw a beautiful woman one night, he's so possessed that he went to find her and never came back. A lady encountered an elegant and literate man. But they ended up not together and the lady fell sick for months.
Obtained during the Ancient Atlas hell event the poem that accompanies this suit suggests that this cat demon can transform into either man or woman:
The moonlight in the midnight turns into Jinhua. Living in remote valley, it moves in the night. It can change into a man or woman, or remain invisible as a cat. With human souls as food, its Qi is purely Yin. Those who encounter it will fall ill slowly.
The item descriptions tell about a kitten who is taken in by the master of a mansion. The kitten doesn't understand emotions but it understands the master's warm hands. The master practices sword dancing on moonlit nights but one night the master dies and her face lies staring at the sky. The kitten, named Jin Hua, eats the flesh and souls of humans hoping if it becomes powerful enough it can bring back the master's warm hands. It learns it can shapeshift into man or woman or be invisible as a cat and lures in many people, eating for survival. Eventually it meets an ancient witch whose hands and face are similar to the masters and stays with her for awhile, but eventually it grows tired and dives into the Ancient Sea. Plum blossom thorns many wounds on its body but it eventually Jin Hua wakes up by Cloud River crying for it now understands human emotion.
The lore that accompanies the suit is a much longer version of the sad story:
The moon is a crescent. It's what gives me life. The moon is a full moon. It's the dim light that I always look up at. I am a demon who feeds on flesh and soul.
When I was young, my master used to fondle my head and say, 'Kitten, kitten, it's so lucky that you don't have a human heart, so you are free from all the troubles.' Back then, I was just a kitten and I could only purr while rubbing her head.
One day, mater fell suddenly. Her hands no longer warm, her body became stiff. Why? Maser, why don't you touch my soft hair and praise me anymore?
When I was weak, I could regain power after a dip of human blood and eat several strong souls. I brought back dozens of corpses, their bodies still warm, and countless souls, but my master didn't respond to me. And the others in the mansion fled screaming about demon. The originally big mansion is now empty. Only I'm left. When I gradually understood it is the Yin Qi from my cultivation that led to master's illness. I jumped onto her embrace and tried to lift her hand with my head, but it slipped down.
I left the mansion and i walked around the whole world and searched every corner. I did something I had never done before. But no matter how hard my pursuit was, my master never came back. The elder demons said there was a powerful witch Tai Qi in the Kingdom of Ancient Sea. Living deep in the Cloud River, she had eyes that can see through Yin and Yang. I thought she must be the one who can bring back my master.
I am a bewitching demon, born with skills of tricks but never informed of the reason. Tai Qi quickly accepted my presence. She reached out to touch my fur. Her fingers are soft and warm, reminding me of my master. She said I'm her only friend. What is a friend? There are only things you can eat and things you cannot eat in the world of demons.
I dropped ginger grass juice into my eyes, fooling her that demons could cry. She actually believed and lent me her eyes. I see into the nether world with her eyes, but there are only strange clouds and lingering ghosts, no master. Is her soul lost in the mortal world? Did he fail to find her way home after I left? Or maybe he's on the road to the next life and has forgotten me already? I begged Tai Qi to reverse Yin and Yang and bring her soul back. I could not understand her face. She went silent after a long while said, 'Sure.'
When the spell was cast, mountains collapsed and rain poured down. In the light of lightning, Tai Qi's hair looked pale like snow. I felt so suffocated. What is the pain from? Because of Tai Qi's white hair? Or the failure of the spell? I could not tell.
Tai Qi lost all her power. She didn't look sad, but a little lost, looking at me with sorry. I knew she could do nothing to me anymore. Now that it's a life, use life as the cost. Cloud River? The boundary of Yin and Yang? Whatever it is, I will cross it. I will go against the rules.
Tai Qi went all panicked. She rushed over to stop me from jumping down, but we fell into the rapid torrents together. The water of Cloud River took Tai QI away. Like a fish, she fell into the deep. I, with my hands dipped with human blood, somehow buoyed up and, after a push by Tai QI, floated toward the opposite bank.
There is a soft light in her white eyes. There is a familiar warmth from her hands. With that sad smile, she disappeared into Cloud River. Why smile? I'm a bewitching demon. I contaminated your pure heart. I made you fall into Cloud River. Why is that sad but soft smile on her face, just like my master before her leaving?
'The kitten keeps screaming. Are you sad? Don't be sad, three years are not that long for human or cat. You will meet various people. Do stay strong and live on.' I lowered my body to look at the currents of Cloud River. I seemed to hear my master's words before her leaving. 'Human's heart is so complicated but fragile. If it may, let me be an innocent kitten.' Across the deep rivers, I saw the remotest place. Eyes of Tai Qi. Reflected in her eyes, Moonlight shines down profusely. It's more beautiful than what I see.
The water is gone, but there are also waterfalls that take it back. The world is huge, but the remote moonlight will keep my company. Somehow, the eyes are filled with warm water. The final emotion of Tai Qi lingers in my heart. Teardrops fall into Cloud River. Will you hear me, Tai Qi.
'Jin Hua… Tai Qi, my name is Jin Hua.' In a trance, I felt my body rose and flew across Cloud River.
