It was impossible to tell how much time had passed when Xiao Bangchui suddenly jolted awake—she had actually cried herself to exhaustion and fallen asleep.
Her eyes ached terribly, and her throat felt dry and scratchy. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around. It was nearly dark, the warm glow of sunset bathing the courtyard. The woods were quiet, with only the sound of the wind. Normally around this time, unless her Master was off gambling or drinking, he would have returned by now.
She leaped up and dashed out the door, calling, "Master!"
No one answered. The small courtyard felt strangely empty now—no pungent smell of smoke or alcohol, no unpredictable white-haired old man.
As darkness slowly fell, silence enveloped everything. Xiao Bangchui felt an unusual loneliness closing in on her like a tide—was she truly alone from now on? If she waited, would her Master return?
Still just a child, her eyes stung again, and she wanted to cry.
Xiao Bangchui pinched herself hard and wiped away the useless tears. She refused to cry—never again. Just as her Master had said, she had to toughen up like a man now that she was alone, and men didn’t shed tears easily.
After calming down, she reread her Master’s letter over and over, growing increasingly uneasy. His tone was vague, mentioning only that he had to leave for some matter. But if it were something ordinary, he would never have bought her clothes, left her money, or written such a farewell-like letter.
So, he must have encountered grave danger—something life-threatening, something he knew he might not survive. That was why he had prepared everything this way.
No, she couldn’t just sit here idly. She had to find her Master! But… she knew nothing, hadn’t even mastered the Arcane Arts. Even if she found him, what could she do?
Xiao Bangchui suddenly hated herself. Why wasn’t she a prodigy like that senior brother of hers, who grasped everything effortlessly? At the thought of him, inspiration struck—the senior brother! The No Moon Court! Since he was so capable, she would go find him! She’d locate her senior brother, and together they’d rescue their Master!
But what was the No Moon Court? In all her years with her Master, she’d seen and heard much, yet she’d never once heard those three words. Was it some secretive sect?
Mulling over it wouldn’t help. Xiao Bangchui haphazardly reheated the braised radish and ate her fill. After the meal, she fetched water and took a thorough bath. She carefully removed the silk skirt her Master had bought for her, folded it neatly, and placed it in the blue cloth bundle. Changing back into her old, faded, patched-up clothes, she tied her hair up into a bun—once again, she looked like a tomboy.
Though she didn’t know where the No Moon Court was, she would ask for directions and search slowly. First, she’d find her senior brother, then discuss their Master’s situation with him.
The mountain forest at night was eerily quiet, with strange sounds occasionally echoing from afar. Thick foliage blocked out the moonlight, leaving the surroundings pitch-black. Yet Xiao Bangchui, carrying her bundle, moved swiftly through the rustling undergrowth.
She had lost count of how many times she’d traversed this mountain path with her Master. If she walked quickly, she could reach the town by dawn. In the past, whenever they descended the mountain at nightfall, her Master would always insist on stopping to light a fire and rest—he never allowed them to travel at night. Now that he wasn’t here, her boldness as a child took over, and she happily trekked the mountain path alone in the dark.After half an hour, the view suddenly opened up before her. This was a barren cliff face hundreds of zhang deep, its shape resembling a tiger's maw—hence why Master called it Tiger Jaw Cliff. The cliff edge was strewn with jagged rocks, and Xiao Bangchui searched among them briefly before finding a hemp rope as thick as an arm.
Because this mountain's terrain was extremely treacherous with no ordinary paths up or down, she and her master always ascended and descended via Tiger Jaw Cliff. The rope had been replaced with a new one just days prior, strung with small bronze bells from top to bottom. Xiao Bangchui yanked the rope hard and shook it vigorously, sending a cascade of tinkling sounds echoing up from the depths below.
Good—the rope seemed intact.
Wiping her sweat, Xiao Bangchui felt genuinely exhausted after walking most of the night. She glanced up at the crescent moon hanging on the horizon—likely around the hour of the Ox. She should reach the town by daybreak. After eating some dried rations, she leaned against a large wind-blocking rock to rest, intending only a short break. But a full stomach made her drowsy, and having never stayed up all night before, the cool night breeze soon lulled her eyelids shut.
She didn't know how long she'd slept when waves of scorching breath, reeking of blood, suddenly fanned across her face.
Xiao Bangchui jolted awake. Her eyes flew open to two ghastly green orbs the size of bronze bells hovering before her. She gasped, her entire body freezing solid.
A beast? No... too enormous... not a beast.
It stood several zhang tall, covered in snow-white fur, with four clawed limbs planted on the ground—each talon as thick as a human leg. Nine magnificent tails swayed behind it. The creature lowered its head to stare at her with those eerie green eyes, pointed ears erect—a fox? A gigantic Fox Demon?
Those chilling green eyes studied her silently. Moments later, Xiao Bangchui watched dumbstruck as its massive head leaned closer—was it going to eat her?! She stiffly tried to shrink back but was already pressed flush against the rock. The demon sniffed her, then fixed its intelligent gaze on her again.
Xiao Bangchui thought she heard it whimper softly. Only then did she notice its white fur was matted with blood, a grievous wound on its foreleg gushing crimson. Being hunted?
She opened her mouth to speak when shrill whistling erupted from across the cliff—like a thousand bamboo flutes screaming at once. The Fox Demon's eyes flashed with urgency. It whimpered again, gazing at her pleadingly.
"I—" she managed one syllable before the deafening whistling sound was upon them. Everything happened in a flash—dark figures shot onto the cliff top, followed by a sword gleam and a thunderous shout: "Halt!"
The razor-sharp blade stopped two inches from Xiao Bangchui's forehead. That piercing bamboo-flute shriek emanated from the glittering sword. She stopped breathing, feeling her nose itch as severed locks of hair drifted down, sliced by the sword's wind.
"A human?!" someone bellowed.
"A little boy?! A mortal?!"
"Preposterous! What mortal would be at Green Mound at this hour?!"A hand reached out towards her, effortlessly lifting her up. Under the pale moonlight, Xiao Bangchui finally got a clear look at the person holding her—a middle-aged woman dressed in a black-and-white robe. Her face was strikingly beautiful, yet her gaze was sharp and piercing as she scrutinized Xiao Bangchui with a mix of surprise and suspicion.
Behind the woman hovered two long swords, their blades gleaming like cold stars—the very weapons that had nearly sliced off her head moments ago.
"...Whose child are you? What are you doing on the mountain so late at night?" the middle-aged woman asked, softening her voice.
Xiao Bangchui remained silent, quietly observing the group before her: one woman and three men, all clad in flowing robes with an otherworldly air, divine weapons circling around them. The elderly man with a grizzled beard even stood steadily several feet off the ground, balanced atop a large gourd.
Who were these people? They could fly—were they Celestials? She and her Master had lived on this mountain for years, never encountering outsiders. The only path up and down was through Tiger Jaw Cliff, a natural barrier impassable to anyone but the two of them. Yet these people had flown up here?
Her eyes drifted to the large pool of blood on the ground—likely left by the Fox Demon from earlier. But where had it gone? It had vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Is this child frightened out of her wits? Why won’t she speak?" The middle-aged woman waved a hand in front of her face. "Did you see the Demon? Can you tell us which way it went?"
Xiao Bangchui hesitated. Should she say anything? She recalled the pleading look in the Fox Demon’s eyes. Did Demons have hearts too? Had it been begging her? Glancing at the group before her, she wondered—were they hunting that Fox Demon?
"Let me ask her."
A young man in white stepped forward, bending down to lock eyes with her. His gaze was as cold as ice, sending a shiver down her spine. He whispered, "Little one, did you see a large white Fox Demon just now?"
His voice was even colder than his stare, like the frigid springs of the underworld. At the sound of it, her body trembled uncontrollably, and an overwhelming urge to submit and confess everything surged within her. Startled, Xiao Bangchui eyed him warily and took a subtle step back, still refusing to speak.
"Zhen Yunzi, he’s just an ordinary mortal child. Was it necessary to use the 'Celestial Sound Word Spirit Great Art' on him?" The middle-aged woman frowned, her expression clearly displeased.
Zhen Yunzi smiled faintly. "You exaggerate, Long Jing Yuanjun. I merely thought it prudent—after all, we’ve pursued that vicious Fox Demon for months, nearly subduing it at Green Mound, only for this strange child to appear out of nowhere. Now the Demon is missing, and I must be cautious."
Long Jing Yuanjun fell silent, turning back with a sigh. "Mr. Zhou, Dongyang Zhenren, the Fox Demon is cunning beyond measure. It must have fled far by now. What should we do?"
The two men behind her sighed in frustration. Zhen Yunzi said calmly, "Let’s question the child first."
He crouched down, staring intently at Xiao Bangchui, and asked softly, "Why are you here?"
Again, that uncontrollable urge to obey him grew stronger. Xiao Bangchui pressed her lips together tightly. She wanted to run—but these people could fly. They must be incredibly powerful. Even if her Master were here, escape would be impossible.
"Such a young child must be terrified out of her wits. Zhen Yunzi, give her a moment to recover."Long Jing Yuanjun recalled how her flying sword had nearly severed the child's head moments ago. No wonder the child was still speechless with fear. Feeling a twinge of guilt, she crouched in front of Xiao Bangchui and softened her voice, whispering gently, "Little one, don't be afraid. Did you see any Monsters?"
Xiao Bangchui stared at her, then suddenly burst into loud, wailing sobs. Long Jing Yuanjun was startled by the outburst, and before she could react, the child clung to her arm, crying uncontrollably and repeatedly shouting, "There are Monsters!" Long Jing Yuanjun frowned as her sleeve became soaked with snot and tears, but since it was just a child, she could hardly reprimand them. She had no choice but to endure it silently until the crying subsided.
However, the wails had barely begun when Zhen Yunzi, his gaze icy, stepped forward and lightly touched Xiao Bangchui's head. His palm was as cold as ice, sending a chilling sensation that seemed to seep into the child's skull. Then, in a voice as quiet and cold as a mountain spring, he commanded, "Stop crying."
The cold energy gradually spread downward, as if enveloping Xiao Bangchui's entire body. The child shivered involuntarily, and the wailing ceased instantly.
"Master Zhen Yun," the old man who had been standing on the gourd suddenly spoke, his tone gentle, "He's just a mortal child. Please don't be harsh."
Before the words had fully faded, a hand gently pulled Xiao Bangchui away, and the biting cold vanished at once.
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