“My name is Bai Muyao.”
Zhuang Youbai extended her hand, her eyes shimmering with anticipation. “Can I shake your hand too?”
Bai Muyao was somewhat puzzled but politely reached out. To her, this was merely a standard courtesy. However, the little fox standing on her shoulder, chest puffed out, appeared extremely dissatisfied.
She watched with wide eyes as Bai Muyao shook hands with someone again. Why do these people constantly need to shake hands? Is it absolutely necessary? Although Xu Qing felt a crawling sensation under her skin, she could hardly stop such a common interaction. The little fox was frustrated to no end but remained helpless.
Yet, the handshake didn’t end as expected.
Bai Muyao thought it would be a simple gesture, but Zhuang Youbai gripped her hand tightly and refused to let go.
“Soft… it’s really so soft!” A doting smile appeared on Zhuang Youbai’s face. She even placed her other hand over the back of Bai Muyao’s hand and began to rub comfortably. “This feels so nice.”
Bai Muyao: “!?”
Finally unable to bear it, the little fox leaped down, swiped Zhuang Youbai’s hands away with her paws, and jumped back onto Bai Muyao’s shoulder. She glared at Zhuang Youbai with an unhappy expression, her eyes clearly warning: Don’t go too far!
Bai Muyao: “…”
Zhuang Youbai sighed. “Talk about being overprotective. I can’t even touch her once…”
You call that rubbing and fondling a “touch”?!
Zhuang Youbai then explained that she had approached Bai Muyao simply because she wanted to get to know her. “The way you exposed that scoundrel just now was simply too cool!” Zhuang Youbai covered her cheeks, her eyes glowing with admiration. “Sister Bai, how can you be so cute and so cool at the same time? You’re absolutely charming!”
Faced with the praise, Bai Muyao replied, “Thank you for the compliment, Senior Zhuang. It was merely luck.”
Zhuang Youbai waved her hands hurriedly. “Don’t call me Senior! Sister Bai, just call me Youbai!”
Bai Muyao nodded. “Then Youbai may call me Muyao.”
Zhuang Youbai laughed. “I think ‘Sister Bai’ sounds much better!”
Zhuang Youbai’s cultivation years were likely not shorter than Bai Muyao’s, and she was presumably older. Though Bai Muyao found the title choice confusing, she didn’t refuse.
Zhuang Youbai shifted the topic to the fox on her shoulder. “Even if it isn’t your spirit pet, it seems very protective of you.”
“This Senior saved me,” Bai Muyao explained. “I am deeply grateful to her.”
“Senior? What an interesting way to address it.” Zhuang Youbai chuckled. “So, do you plan on taking ‘Senior’ with you into the Monster Beast Valley?”
“That is not for me to decide,” Bai Muyao said. Since the fox had helped her, she couldn’t make decisions on the creature’s behalf.
Zhuang Youbai looked curious. “How strange. You aren’t familiar with each other, yet you’re so close, and it protects you so fiercely.”
Bai Muyao paused; she didn’t quite understand why either. She turned to look at the little fox, but the creature immediately turned her head away to avoid eye contact. Regardless, she didn’t dislike the fox’s proximity, especially after being saved by her.
Zhuang Youbai added, “I see it is a spirit beast with some spiritual energy, yet it could sever the hand of a Golden Core cultivator. Its strength must be extraordinary. It protects you so much—it probably likes you a lot. Taking it to the Monster Beast Mountains would be a good choice.”
At the mention of the word “like,” the little fox’s ears twitched, though no one noticed.
“This…” Bai Muyao hesitated.
Zhuang Youbai smiled. “I’ll leave you to it, Sister Bai. I’m going to see when we’re departing.”
“Alright, Youbai.”
As Zhuang Youbai left, only Bai Muyao and the fox remained. While the crowd waited to depart, Shi Shuyan was still dealing with the aftermath of the thief.
Just as Bai Muyao was about to set “Senior” down, the little fox nimbly leaped to the ground herself. She didn’t leave, however. Instead, she stared at Bai Muyao with a cold, contemplative gaze.
Bai Muyao didn’t dare be disrespectful. She said formally, “Senior saved me. If you have any requests, please let me know!”
To onlookers, this was a bizarre sight. A Golden Core cultivator addressing a small fox as “Senior” was hard to believe. While powerful spirit beasts existed, everyone assumed this fox was just a common creature. Despite it severing the man’s arm, many who probed with spiritual energy found no fluctuations coming from it. Thus, most believed it had merely caught the man off guard with raw physical strength.
Bai Muyao’s respectful dialogue with the fox seemed incomprehensible to them. After all, how could a fox understand human speech?
Meanwhile, Xu Qing was playing the part of an ordinary fox. She knew she couldn’t respond and was weighing whether to leave. Having been exposed in this form, she would need to change her appearance again if she wanted to keep following Bai Muyao. Otherwise, among so many Golden Core cultivators, someone might eventually notice something off, which would be troublesome.
Fine, I’ll just change my appearance, she thought.
Just as Xu Qing was about to leave, Shi Shuyan returned from her duties. The little fox stopped in her tracks.
Shi Shuyan told Bai Muyao, “Everything is handled. I wanted to see if you needed anything else.”
“I am fine!” Bai Muyao replied.
As Shi Shuyan prepared to leave, a figure suddenly came stumbling toward them.
“Whoa!!! Get out of the way!! I can’t stop, aaaaaah!!!”
Before Shi Shuyan could react, she was slammed into by the newcomer. Bai Muyao cried out, “Watch out!”
Shi Shuyan lost her balance and toppled forward toward Bai Muyao. Bai Muyao instinctively reached out to steady her, and the two ended up in an accidental embrace.
The little fox almost lost her restraint and rushed over to knock that red-haired woman away. Fortunately, Shi Shuyan quickly regained her footing and pulled away from Bai Muyao’s arms.
Shi Shuyan turned back, annoyed. “Shi Hua, what is wrong with you?”
Shi Hua scratched her head, feigning innocence. “My foot slipped! Sorry about that, Captain Shi!”
Shi Shuyan frowned. “Be more careful next time.”
Shi Hua nodded repeatedly, then smiled meaningfully. “I saw you two chatting. You seem to get along quite well!” Her smile carried a hint of mischief.
Shi Shuyan was confused. “I was just informing Bai Muyao that we are ready.”
“Oh?” Shi Hua raised an eyebrow. “Talking more can improve the… relationship, you know!”
Surprisingly, Shi Shuyan didn’t argue and actually nodded. “You have a point.” She turned to Bai Muyao with a smile. “I’m heading over first. Remember to come over soon.”
“Uh… alright,” Bai Muyao managed.
Once Shi Shuyan left, Shi Hua leaned in toward Bai Muyao and whispered, “Shi Shuyan is so beautiful, don’t miss your chance.”
Bai Muyao was shocked. “Sister Shi, what are you”
Shi Hua didn’t give her a chance to finish and hurried away. Left in a daze, Bai Muyao was snapped out of it when the little fox jumped back onto her shoulder.
The little fox glared at the departing pair, her eyes full of displeasure. Give me a break! Why do I have to keep changing forms just to follow her? Why do I have to be so cautious just to avoid being noticed? I am Xu Qing! To think I have to… no! I can’t keep hiding like this!
She had made her decision.
“Senior, you…”
Before Bai Muyao could ask if she was leaving, she was suddenly pounced on and knocked to the ground. She sat up, dazed. “Senior?”
The little fox poked Bai Muyao’s pocket with her nose. Bai Muyao froze, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a meat bun a leftover from earlier.
“Does Senior want to eat the bun?” she asked tentatively.
The little fox remained expressionless, staring coldly at her. That aloof demeanor actually reminded Bai Muyao of her Senior Sister, Xu Qing. She shook her head to dispel the strange thought and handed the bun over. “Senior, please enjoy.”
The little fox took a bite and finished it in a few mouthfuls. Afterward, she hopped back onto Bai Muyao’s shoulder and lay down lazily, clearly having no intention of leaving.
Bai Muyao was at a loss but couldn’t exactly drive her away. And so, the little fox took her “afternoon nap” on Bai Muyao’s shoulder. Just like that, Bai Muyao began the journey to the Monster Beast Mountains with the fox in tow.
The woman who had wanted to claim the fox was watching with jealousy, muttering under her breath, “She wouldn’t let me have it, but clearly she wanted it for herself!” However, she couldn’t make a scene and suppressed her resentment for now.
On the other side, Shi Hua looked at Bai Muyao with a smirk, scribbling away on a piece of white paper. It was a sketch of Bai Muyao along with the girl, Zhuang Youbai.
“Hehe!” Shi Hua laughed inwardly. “Bai Muyao, once I record these intimate moments with others and hand them to Senior Sister Xu Qing, she’ll see what a flirt you are! Then she’ll see your true face and ignore you forever!”
This was Shi Hua’s plan: “Operation: Make Xu Qing Hate Bai Muyao.” She now had “evidence” of ambiguity between Bai Muyao and Zhuang Youbai, as well as the conversation with Shi Shuyan. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more proof so Bai Muyao wouldn’t even have a chance to defend herself.
Shi Hua turned her gaze toward the team leader, Shi Shuyan. With her red hair and heroic bearing, she was the perfect “big sister” type gentle and reliable. If she could get Bai Muyao and Shi Shuyan to interact more…
Having decided, she glanced back at Bai Muyao and noticed the little fox. At first, she thought nothing of it, until the fox suddenly opened her eyes and cast a cold, sharp glance at her.
That frigid gaze made Shi Hua’s heart tremble. For a split second, she was reminded of Xu Qing. Could this fox be—
No way! Why would Senior Sister Xu Qing do something so ridiculous!
The little fox gave Shi Hua a dismissive look and went back to lounging lazily. Seeing such a lackadaisical attitude, Shi Hua was certain this couldn’t be the aloof, hardworking Xu Qing. The fox simply happened to share a similar temperament.
Shi Hua stopped worrying and began planning how to get Bai Muyao and Shi Shuyan together.
As for Xu Qing, she recognized Shi Hua but didn’t care. Whatever reason Shi Hua had for being here was irrelevant to her. Furthermore, she told herself she shouldn’t be too obsessed with Bai Muyao. Her goal was to find the “heart demon” that was hindering her cultivation. Whoever Bai Muyao interacted with should have nothing to do with her.
From now on, I shouldn’t care so much! she told herself.
Soon, the party entered the Monster Beast Mountains.