The Eternal Fragrance

So he wasn't asleep? Xiao Bangchui sat beside him while Ji Tongzhou snored sweetly nearby. She whispered, "What do you want to ask?"

"That... where are you from?" Lei Xiuyuan asked somewhat timidly.

Xiao Bangchui shook her head: "I don't know. I used to live with my Master on a mountain called Green Mound."

Come to think of it, she'd first heard the name "Green Mound" from Dongyang Zhenren.

"...Green Mound?" Lei Xiuyuan clearly froze for a moment. If he remembered correctly, wasn't that a demon-infested restricted area?

"Mm. Don't ask me my surname—I don't know that either."

"What about your parents? Did they abandon you?"

"...I don't know."

Seeing her expression darken, Lei Xiuyuan immediately regretted his questions. "I was just asking casually... Big Sis, how old are you?"

"Ten."

"Ah..." Lei Xiuyuan seemed surprised. "So you're actually younger than me. Then I shouldn't call you Big Sis."

How could she be younger than him! Xiao Bangchui glared at him. This kid was so thin and short, he looked no older than seven or eight—how could she be younger than him?!

Lei Xiuyuan was uncharacteristically smug: "I'm eleven, older than you."

How had he been living all these years? At eleven, he only looked seven or eight? Xiao Bangchui continued glaring at him suspiciously.

He pulled out his preliminary selection letter from his pocket and unfolded it. Sure enough, it read: "Lei Xiuyuan, age 11."

"I only had it slightly better than you. I used to have parents, an older brother and sister, but later they were all killed, leaving just me." Lei Xiuyuan's eyes reddened slightly before he suddenly asked, "Have you heard of Gaul Country?"

Gaul Country—it sounded somewhat familiar. When she was five or six, her Master had probably taken her there once. She only had fragmented impressions, but the scenes there seemed extremely brutal and cruel.

"I'm from Gaul Country. And if I'm not mistaken, Ye Ye and the Bai Li sisters are probably from Gaul too. Though their accents are almost undetectable now, I recognize the surname Bai Li—they used to be nobility in Gaul."

Xiao Bangchui nodded slightly. No wonder the surname "Bai Li" had sounded familiar. The Ge Lin sisters carried themselves differently from ordinary girls—so they'd been nobility.

"Gaul Country no longer exists. Four years ago, it was annexed by the neighboring country Wugou. Though the Gaul people resisted desperately, the other side had Celestials backing them... Ye Ye once said that the more royal you are, the more you must cultivate. Gaul fell precisely because its royalty had no Celestials. Before Celestials, mortals resisting desperately are as powerless as leaves in a gale. Gaul's entire royal family died on the battlefield. Wugou used tyranny and heavy taxes to try to subjugate the officials and commoners—any who disobeyed were executed without mercy. My father was once the Vice Minister of Rites. Because he wrote a poem satirizing the government while drunk, our entire family was purged. Everyone over seven, male or female, was beheaded as a public example... I was already eight then. The official conducting the purge took pity on me as the youngest child and reduced my age by one year to spare my life... On execution day, I hid in the crowd and watched—my parents, my sister, my brother... they all died... Since then, I've wandered the world alone, until I met Brother Lu... But then, Brother Lu was killed too, I..."Lei Xiuyuan's tears fell into the fire with soft patters. His whole body trembled before he roughly rubbed his eyes as if trying to force the tears back in.

"Good thing I met you guys," he forced a smile. "Big Sis, always having you look after me... I'm so useless. If I were alone, I don't even know if I could pass the Second Selection."

"We still don't know if we'll pass the Second Selection now either," Xiao Bangchui poked the fire with a branch. "I haven't done much to look after you. No need to say that."

The two children fell silent. The forest was utterly still, with only the faint crackling of the fire breaking the quiet.

After what felt like an eternity—long enough that Xiao Bangchui was nearly asleep—a series of mournful, weeping cries suddenly echoed from afar. Like birds, yet also like a chorus of wailing women. Birds in the forest abruptly took flight in a great rustling wave as the pervasive Miasma began rippling gently like water, spreading in undulating waves.

Xiao Bangchui immediately dropped the branch. Beside her, Ji Tongzhou, who had been sound asleep, stirred and mumbled, "What's that sound?"

She pressed a finger to her lips, signaling silence, and listened intently. The sound came from due east—those sorrowful, intermittent cries seemed mixed with other voices. The wind from the east grew stronger, making their hair and clothes flutter wildly.

"Let's check it out." She quickly extinguished the fire, and the three of them moved as one, sprinting toward the source of the noise.

The further they ran, the sparser the trees became, until finally, a distinct path appeared in the forest. Xiao Bangchui's heart leaped—a path meant they were close to getting out of these woods!

Ahead, the path took a sharp turn. As they rounded the corner, the sight before them froze them in their tracks. In the dim forest stood an enormous Fox Demon, its fur white as silver, nine long tails swaying and shifting in the air—beautiful beyond measure, yet terrifying in equal degree. It was howling at the sky, its cries mournful and plaintive. Around it, scattered in groups of three or four, were about a hundred children. Some were shouting chaotically, while others were methodically attacking with Curse Seals.

"So huge! And a Nine-tailed Fox Demon!" Ji Tongzhou's voice cracked. "The legendary Nine-tailed Fox Demon!"

But Xiao Bangchui felt a different kind of shock. This Fox Demon... it looked just like the one she'd seen that night! Only smaller. Could it be the same one?

Suddenly, a cold, mocking laugh sounded in her ear—a hoarse voice filled with disdain and anger.

"...Old Sir?" she whispered.

The mysterious Old Sir finally responded: "This is just a counterfeit, not a real Demon. Hmph..."

"How do you know it's a counterfeit?" she pressed urgently.

No answer came. He had retreated back into endless silence.

"You over there! Just gonna stand and watch?!" Several children busy attacking the Fox Demon with Curse Seals yelled at them. "Come help already!"

Ji Tongzhou was the first to charge forward. A Fire Element Talisman was already pinched between his fingers. Flames roared to life, streaking through the air like a meteor before striking the Nine-tailed Fox Demon's abdomen. The fire expanded, charring large patches of its snow-white fur.

"So strong!" Voices of awe and admiration rose around them. Ji Tongzhou stood tall and proud, his arrogance restored—he had finally reclaimed some of his dignity."Big Sis? Aren't you going to join in?" Lei Xiuyuan noticed Xiao Bangchui standing dazed to the side, drawing angry glares from several people, and quickly tugged at her sleeve.

Xiao Bangchui gave a bitter smile. Truth be told, she had no idea how to use Curse Seals. Although she'd learned that peculiar breathing technique, she still didn't understand what it felt like for spiritual energy to enter the body. Curse Seals required internal spiritual energy to activate—it wasn't as simple as just throwing them out for effect.

She slowly pulled out a Curse Seal from her bag and tentatively tossed one. The paper fluttered weakly to the ground without any impact, immediately drawing scornful looks from the other children.

"Big Sis, that's not how you throw them," Lei Xiuyuan said, more anxious than anyone about her being looked down upon. "First hold the Curse Seal in your hand and imagine it as part of yourself. Only when it's filled with spiritual energy can you throw it."

If it were really that simple, she would have mastered it long ago.

"Don't worry, take your time. I'll go help first." Sensing she might not want others to see her struggling, Lei Xiuyuan tactfully moved away.

But taking it slow wouldn't help... Standing idly by wasn't her style. Xiao Bangchui picked up several stones and hurled them one after another at the Fox Demon's eyes. Yet each stone was deflected three feet before reaching it—not a single one hit its mark.

"What are you doing?" a girl nearby finally snapped. "Trying to hurt a Monstrous creature with stones? You're just slacking off!"

"Shut it," Xiao Bangchui shot back with a glare. "You're just standing there doing nothing too."

The girl retorted angrily, "That's because I've used up all my Curse Seals!"

"Then keep quiet."

Xiao Bangchui couldn't be bothered to argue. She'd been feeling something was off from the start—no matter how many Curse Seals everyone hurled at the Fox Demon, it remained rooted in place, neither attacking nor moving, only letting out terrifying screeches and swishing its tail. Could it be... immobile? The old man had said it was a fake, not a real Demon, likely prepared by the Young Phoenix Academy for practice, meant to test the children's adaptability.

If she guessed right, only by defeating this Fox Demon could they truly pass the Second Selection.

Lei Xiuyuan had somehow slipped behind the Fox Demon. The children seemed to have coordinated a tactic—suddenly, forty or fifty of them simultaneously threw Water Element Talismans. Waves transformed into layers of ice, quickly freezing the Fox Demon's paws to the ground.

Clever! Xiao Bangchui silently praised. But the ice wouldn't hold it for long. With a few struggles, large chunks began to crack. At the same time, countless Curse Seals were unleashed—some bursting into flames, others crackling with lightning, some gleaming with golden light, others shimmering with frost. The barrage of attacks struck the Fox Demon all at once. Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the very ground trembled. Thick mist, flames, and black smoke erupted instantly, forcing Xiao Bangchui to cover her mouth and nose as she dropped to the ground.

After a moment, the smoke and mist gradually cleared. The Fox Demon's once snow-white fur was now battered beyond recognition, its massive body collapsed on the ground, motionless—whether dead or alive, no one could tell."Success!" someone shouted, and the children erupted into cheers. Lei Xiuyuan, the crybaby, was so excited he started weeping again. Ji Tongzhou stood with his arms crossed, grinning smugly. When he glanced back and saw Xiao Bangchui standing there dazed, he felt he could finally hold his head high.

"Know what real strength is?" He had completely forgotten about the time Xiao Bangchui beat him until his face was bruised and swollen. His impression of her as vicious and ruthless had now turned into that of a useless fool. "Hah! I saw it all—throwing rocks at a Fox Demon? If you’ve got no strength, you’d better scram!"

Xiao Bangchui cracked her knuckles loudly, and Ji Tongzhou immediately turned and walked away.

"Look! There’s a door over there!" someone else suddenly yelled. Sure enough, at the end of the path, a golden-glowing door had appeared out of nowhere. Xiao Bangchui’s heart raced—passing through the forest before noon meant clearing the Second Selection. As long as she stepped through that door, she could enter the Young Phoenix Academy!

Many children couldn’t hold back and rushed toward the door. But the ones at the front were suddenly flung backward and collapsed to the ground as if they had fainted without warning. Those behind them immediately stopped in their tracks, exchanging bewildered looks—why couldn’t they leave?

Then, without warning, the Fox Demon that should have been dead suddenly stood up silently. Under the terrified gazes of the children, it let out a long howl toward the sky. To Xiao Bangchui, its voice felt almost tangible, like a giant hand squeezing her heart, making it hard to breathe.

A fierce wind erupted, whipping up dust and debris, stinging their eyes. She quickly shut hers, hearing screams and cries of pain all around. Lei Xiuyuan seemed to be calling for her, but his voice sounded distant, as if from miles away, too muffled to make out clearly.

After what felt like an eternity, the wind died down. Xiao Bangchui slowly opened her eyes. Almost none of the children were still standing—most had collapsed unconscious, with only a handful kneeling weakly, barely conscious.

"...Big Sis..." Lei Xiuyuan’s weak voice came from beside her. He was crouched on the ground, his face pale and twisted in pain. "Demon Qi... such strong Demon Qi!"

Demon Qi? Xiao Bangchui was confused. What Demon Qi? She didn’t feel anything at all.

Her gaze shifted to Ji Tongzhou, who was also ashen-faced, seemingly enduring some unbearable pressure. Still, he was in slightly better shape than the others—he was barely managing to stay on his feet.

The few still conscious wore expressions of despair. The massive Fox Demon they had supposedly subdued was standing again, its nine long tails swaying and shifting just as before. The only difference was that this time, it seemed to be emitting an overwhelming Demon Qi, knocking out those who couldn’t withstand it.

And... it seemed like she was the only one who could move freely without feeling anything. Xiao Bangchui couldn’t figure out why.

What now? If they didn’t truly defeat it, they couldn’t leave through the door. But what could she do? Ordinary rocks couldn’t harm Monsters, and she didn’t know how to use Curse Seals. Was she just supposed to stand there staring at it?

Suddenly, that hoarse voice spoke in her ear: "Hmph, stealing my things and daring to use them here... Fine. Even if it’s less than a thousandth of its power, it’ll still be of some use. Little girl, walk forward—go right up to it."Here it was again—that mysterious old man. Xiao Bangchui began to wonder if she had been possessed by some powerful old ghost. Why was she the only one who could hear his voice?

"What are you spacing out for, you fool?! Why do I have to repeat myself every time I talk to you?" The old man was furious.

"I can't see you. Who are you?" Xiao Bangchui whispered.

"That's none of your business. Want to pass the Second Selection? Then hurry up and go! Otherwise, I'm going straight to sleep!"

Right—she had to pass the Second Selection.

Xiao Bangchui immediately strode toward the ferocious Fox Demon. Lei Xiuyuan cried out in alarm, "Big Sis! Don’t go over there! It's dangerous!"

She seemed not to hear him. Standing firmly beneath the Fox Demon, she tilted her head up to look at it, her lips moving silently—whether speaking or chanting, no one could tell. Soon, she raised her right hand and gently pressed it against the Fox Demon’s fur— snap —as if something had lightly shattered. The Fox Demon’s body instantly dissolved into countless specks of light, scattering into fragments. A sheet of white paper drifted down from midair, inscribed with a Curse Seal. It really had been an artificial demon manifestation.

The overwhelming demonic pressure that had weighed on them all vanished in an instant. Lei Xiuyuan scrambled over, his eyes reddening as he opened his mouth, ready to burst into tears.

The next moment, someone clamped a hand over his mouth. Xiao Bangchui held his chin and said flatly, "Do you dare not cry?"

Ji Tongzhou had also approached, staring at her as if she were a ghost, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Only four or five of the other conscious children remained, and they all gathered around. Each of them wanted to say something, yet none knew how to begin—what kind of ability was this? A single touch, and the Fox Demon was subdued? And it had even revealed its true form—a fake demon created by an Immortal Technique cast on a sheet of paper. The real Second Selection wasn’t the miasma-filled forest; it had been this Fox Demon all along. Recalling how they had painstakingly strategized, exhausting their Curse Seals and Spiritual Power, all their earlier pride and fervor had been utterly shattered by her light touch. In that moment, everyone understood what it meant for there to always be someone greater beyond the known.

After who knew how long, one of the children finally moved. In the end, no one spoke—no one knew what to say. One by one, they passed through the golden-glowing gate, and this time, no one was repelled. Ji Tongzhou opened his mouth, but it took him a long while to finally utter, "...I’ll go first."

Lei Xiuyuan was still rubbing his eyes, but the expression on his face had shifted from shock and worry to fervent admiration.

"Big Sis, you really are the strongest!" His eyes sparkled. "Truly, the capable stay hidden! I want to be as amazing as you someday!"

Strong? Xiao Bangchui remained silent. It wasn’t her who was strong—it was that mysterious person hidden within her body. He was the true master who stayed hidden.

"Let’s go too," she said, not wanting to dwell on it any longer. The two of them stepped through the gate together.