9
Conflict in the Forest
Although Qian Lingyan had deliberately spoken to provoke Bi Ling, it was mostly in jest. He didn’t dislike this cat girl who was with Yang Mutong and said, “Bi Ling… Grandma… It’s cold and windy, and you’ve just finished bathing. You should go inside the treehouse to avoid the wind and not catch a chill. If the water cools, I’ll call you.”
Bi Ling was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Qian Lingyan to say such a thing and was quite touched. “You’ve got a conscience after all,” she said, her tone turning sorrowful. “The Yang family is truly good.”
Qian Lingyan thought to himself, Although I’m from the Qian family, I’m also half a member of the Yang family, so what Bi Ling said isn’t wrong.
“By the way, Lingyan, can you tell me what your mother is like?”
Qian Lingyan was puzzled and asked, “Why bring up my mother?”
“It’s nothing, really. It’s just that when Mutong saw the letter from your mother, he was overjoyed and rushed over in a hurry. I’ve never seen him like that before, so I was a bit curious.”
Qian Lingyan thought that since his uncle and niece hadn’t seen each other for over a decade, it was only natural for them to be overjoyed upon reuniting. However, he didn’t understand why they hadn’t been in contact all these years, nor had he ever heard Yang Yi mention her family matters.
Qing Lingyan spoke of his mother at length, showering her with every word of praise he could muster. Bi Ling smiled softly, quietly listening to the young boy boast about his mother. Through this conversation, the relationship between the two gradually grew closer.
“Bi Ling… why do you insist on me calling you Grandma? Wouldn’t it be better if I called you Sister? What girl likes being called old?” Qian Lingyan always felt awkward calling her Grandma and hoped to change it.
But Bi Ling grew serious and said, “You humans place great importance on seniority. How can you address me so carelessly? If you call me Sister, wouldn’t that make me two generations younger than that stinky guy? That simply won’t do. I like it when you call me Grandma, understand?” Bi Ling glanced toward Yang Mutong’s treehouse, her expression softening.
Qian Lingyan naturally couldn’t see Bi Ling’s expression, but when she mentioned Yang Mutong, her tone sometimes became as gentle as when Huang Ying spoke to him. A strange thought suddenly crossed Qian Lingyan’s mind: Bi Ling doesn’t like being called Grandma—she likes being called Granny. Startled by this thought, he quickly pushed it out of his mind.
Qian Lingyan hadn’t slept all night and, feeling comfortable soaking in the barrel, he unknowingly dozed off. When he woke up, it was nearly dusk, and the cloth strip over his eyes was gone.
Opening his eyes, Qian Lingyan felt a cool, refreshing sensation in both eyes, which was quite pleasant. He could see farther than before, though there were no other noticeable changes.
Yang Mutong had already returned from gathering herbs. Seeing Qian Lingyan awake, he had him step out of the wooden barrel and get dressed. Then, taking out a porcelain bottle, he applied two drops of medicinal liquid to Qian Lingyan’s eyes. This time, however, no medicinal paste was applied; he only needed to keep his eyes closed for a quarter of an hour.
Qian Lingyan hadn’t eaten for a full day and night. Exhausted earlier, he had forgotten his hunger, but now that he was rested, his stomach growled loudly.
“Grandpa, what are we having for dinner?”
“Fish,” Yang Mutong replied, leading Qian Lingyan and Bi Ling deeper into the forest.
Yang Mutong led the two of them climbing trees and scaling rocks, clearly very familiar with this forest. Before long, the three arrived at a riverbank. The river surged and roared, its currents swift and fierce, yet it had not frozen over. This river was not only made of water but also of fish.
Qian Lingyan did not know what kind of fish these were. They were over a foot long, with silver scales and white bellies, plump and delicious. They swam in schools, migrating long distances, likely heading downstream to spawn, just passing through this area.
Yang Mutong removed his shoes and socks, rolled up his pant legs, and waded into the river. “Yan’er, come down and help me catch fish. Little kitten, you start the fire.”
Although the river had not frozen, the water was still bone-chillingly cold. Qian Lingyan stepped into the river, his legs trembling from the cold.
Yang Mutong extended his hand, transforming it into an eagle’s claw, and executed the move “Eagle Seizes Rabbit.” His claw plunged into the water and clamped onto a fish. The fish remained completely unharmed, but no matter how frantically it struggled, it could not escape the grip of that eagle claw, a testament to Yang Mutong’s profound skill.
Qian Lingyan naturally knew this move “Eagle Seizes Rabbit” as well. He too transformed his hand into an eagle’s claw, his strike fierce and imposing, producing a sharp whistling sound as he executed it. Unexpectedly, the fish was incredibly fast. Qian Lingyan only managed to brush its back, letting it slip away from under his hand.
By then, Yang Mutong had already caught another fish. Qian Lingyan watched Yang Mutong perform “Eagle Seizes Rabbit” once more and was left utterly stunned. Yang Mutong’s strike was no less powerful than his own, yet it produced no sound at all, and when it entered the water, not a single splash was raised.
Seeing Qian Lingyan’s expression, Yang Mutong laughed heartily. “Yan’er, when you use Qi, you only consider its power, but you haven’t considered the many other wonderful applications of Qi. In my move, the Qi merges with the environment—no sound in the air, no ripples in the water—and it has its own unique advantages.”
Qian Lingyan took the lesson to heart, thanked his grandfather, and redoubled his own practice. Indeed, Qian Lingyan had never truly cultivated Qi techniques, so his Qi’s power was far from sufficient. Using Qi the way Yang Mutong did was actually more suitable for him. Fortunately, from studying the “Beast-Form Fist,” he had gained some control over his Qi, and it had become more condensed. However, compared to any known attribute-less Qi, his own Qi was as docile as a lamb.
Qian Lingyan’s focus was primarily on practice, so his accuracy suffered. From start to finish, he didn’t catch a single fish, but he had begun to grasp the fundamentals of this method of using Qi.
Yang Mutong caught two fish and then stopped, saying he wanted Qian Lingyan to practice more, while he went ashore to rest.
Qian Lingyan had practiced enough and began trying to catch fish in earnest, but he still only managed to brush their backs, always letting them slip away.
Puzzled and unsure why, just as he was wondering, Bi Ling waded into the river and shouted, “Hey! Old man, why doesn’t your grandson know anything?”
Yang Mutong also came to the riverbank and asked, “What’s the matter?” Qian Lingyan also hoped Bi Ling could clear up his confusion.
Bi Ling spoke up, “The fish is in the water, and its shadow floats above it. Naturally, you should aim your claw beneath the fish’s shadow. Why would you strike at the shadow itself?” As she spoke, she reached out her hand and scooped up a plump, delicious fish.
At Qian Manor, Qian Lingyan never had to catch fish himself—they simply appeared on the dining table. How would he know this principle? Moreover, his mind was entirely focused on using Qi, so he hadn’t noticed anything amiss.
Yang Mutong’s expression suddenly turned somewhat troubled, and he spoke haltingly, “Then… would you be willing to teach Yan’er the technique of ‘Fish-to-Shadow Transformation’?”
Bi Ling was momentarily taken aback, then turned her head away and said, “I won’t teach you.”
“Oh.” Seeing that Bi Ling was unwilling to teach him, Yang Mutong didn’t press the matter and left dejectedly to check on the firewood.
Bi Ling had actually hoped that Yang Mutong would beg her, but to her surprise, he simply turned and walked away. Stamping her foot in frustration, she muttered under her breath, “If you were willing, why wouldn’t I be?”
The river gurgled loudly, and Qian Lingyan couldn’t quite make out what Bi Ling had said, but from her expression, she seemed somewhat resentful.
Although Bi Ling was unwilling to teach, her method of catching fish was indeed effective. In no time, Qian Lingyan had caught five or six fish, which delighted him, and he felt grateful to Bi Ling nonetheless.
By the time Qian Lingyan came ashore, his hands and feet were numb from the cold. Fortunately, he had caught over a dozen fish, enough for dinner that night.
By then, it was already dark, and the three of them gathered around the fire to prepare the fish for roasting.
Yang Mutong, however, took out a medicine bottle. Inside was an ointment of unknown composition, pale red in color and emitting a faint fragrance. Yang Mutong said, “Yan’er, the river’s cold Qi is too intense. It seeps through the skin and enters the blood and Qi. If not cleared in time, it could harm your body. Come, apply this ointment—it will help dispel the cold.”
As soon as the ointment touched his skin, Qian Lingyan felt a warm current flow into his flesh, an incredibly soothing sensation. He spread the ointment on his hands himself, but since it was inconvenient to apply it to his feet, Yang Mutong helped him.
Qian Lingyan inadvertently looked up and saw Bi Ling’s expression—a mix of shyness and anticipation. He thought to himself, It seems her desire to become my grandmother might be genuine. But Grandfather is usually so eccentric and carefree, how could he possibly understand Bi Ling’s feelings?
Humans and demons had always been at odds. Even if the two of them ended up together, they would receive no blessings from either side. Was it really worth it? Qian Lingyan silently weighed the pros and cons of the matter in his heart.
Naturally, Yang Mutong was unaware of the thoughts swirling in Qian Lingyan and Bi Ling’s minds. He said, “Yan’er, in a moment, help the little kitten apply the ointment.” Although Yang Mutong was not well-versed in social norms, he knew that men and women should maintain propriety. However, since Qian Lingyan was still young, there was no need for such reservations.
Bi Ling looked somewhat disappointed, and Qian Lingyan noticed it immediately. He said, “Grandfather, my hands are still numb from the cold. Why don’t you help her instead?”
Yang Mutong, unaware of Bi Ling’s feelings, hesitated. Thinking he was unwilling, Bi Ling said, “Forget it. If you’re not willing, just let me freeze to death.”
Hearing this, Yang Mutong realized Bi Ling didn’t mind him applying the ointment for her. He said, “Little kitten, wait a moment. Who said I wasn’t willing?”
After applying the ointment for Bi Ling, Yang Mutong kept his head bowed low, using his Qi to circulate through her meridians and help dispel the cold. Bi Ling also lowered her head, her gaze tender as she looked at Yang Mutong’s disheveled hair. She gently bit her index finger, afraid she might laugh out loud from happiness.
In the flickering firelight of the night, fish oil dripped into the flames, sizzling and crackling. Before long, the aroma of roasting fish filled the air. Bi Ling drooled, her eyes gleaming with a green light—though, of course, her eyes were naturally green. Seeing her like this, Qian Lingyan couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. He had almost forgotten that Bi Ling was a cat girl.
This time, two fish were roasted, one for Bi Ling and one for Qian Lingyan, while Yang Mutong continued grilling. Taking a bite of the roasted fish, the fish oil sizzled out, filling the air with the aroma of fish. However, the fish was just off the fire, so hot that it made Qian Lingyan’s teeth ache.
Qian Lingyan took a bite and found the taste not as good as expected. But then again, with no oil, salt, or seasonings available here, satisfying one’s appetite was difficult. Still, since Qian Lingyan had caught the fish himself, he ate with great delight.
After finishing the roasted fish, all three had greasy mouths. The river water was cold, making it inconvenient for them to wash up. Yang Mutong, being unkempt, didn’t mind—he simply grabbed a few leaves, wiped his mouth, and called it a day.
But Qian Lingyan and Bi Ling couldn’t possibly follow Yang Mutong’s example. As they discussed how to heat water, Yang Mutong spoke up, “You youngsters are so troublesome. Fine, I know a place with a hot spring. I’ll take you there.” Qian Lingyan and Bi Ling cursed him for not taking them to the hot spring earlier.
Bi Ling tore a strip of cloth from the hem of Qian Lingyan’s clothes to wipe her mouth first. Qian Lingyan could only smile wryly. Since his clothes were already torn, he also ripped a piece from his own hem.
The three hurried through the forest, with Qian Lingyan trailing behind. By now, Bi Ling’s cat tail had grown back to help maintain her balance. Qian Lingyan watched the swaying tail with amusement. Suddenly, he realized that while he had struggled to see in the dark last night, tonight felt no different from daytime. This was undoubtedly the effect of Yang Mutong’s medicinal liquid, a thought that quickly dawned on him.
“Yan’er, you and the little kitten head straight north from here. You’ll reach the hot spring soon. This old man has a fire-aligned fate and can’t stand water, so I won’t be joining you.”
With that, Yang Mutong vanished in a flash. He loved watching beasts hunt at night, using it to refine his fist techniques.
Qian Lingyan and Bi Ling paid him no mind and continued north. Beside a large tree, they simultaneously halted. Flickering firelight was visible not far away—clearly, someone was there.
Bi Ling climbed the tree, and Qian Lingyan followed, curious to see who was camping in Rizhao Forest. From the canopy, they spotted the hot spring nearby. A fire burned beside it, with five burly men drinking and chatting. Three more men were soaking in the hot spring, though the steam made it hard to see them clearly. Another hot spring lay farther away, likely occupied by two women, though Qian Lingyan couldn’t be sure from the distance. If they were men, he thought, why not just share the larger spring?
Bi Ling turned to Qian Lingyan, her expression asking what they should do.
Qian Lingyan looked back at her, noticing her eyes up close for the first time. To avoid detection, Bi Ling’s eyes weren’t glowing with their usual fluorescence. Yet even so, they remained stunningly beautiful and profound—their jade-green hue carried a watery softness, and in them, Qian Lingyan seemed to glimpse the vast expanse of stars, silently marveling at their beauty.
Bi Ling nudged him, snapping him out of his reverie. “Why not just greet them and join in?” he suggested.
Bi Ling frowned. “Fine, but these people aren’t ordinary. Be careful.” She harbored a dislike for humans, especially Demon-Slayers. These individuals, fully armed and appearing in Rizhao Forest, were clearly Demon-Slayers.
“What makes them unusual?” Qian Lingyan asked.
“Look at such a large group of people, yet we didn’t notice any traces of them on our way here. If it weren’t for the firelight, it’s hard to imagine so many people suddenly appearing.”
“That’s true. Should we go back and discuss this with Grandpa first?” Qian Lingyan also grew cautious.
“No need for that. I don’t want to go back and be looked down upon by that annoying guy. Besides, he might have already discovered this group and is deliberately messing with us.” Bi Ling pouted.
Qian Lingyan lowered his head in thought. His grandfather was indeed capable of doing something like that.
By the fire, five burly men drank wine and boasted about their glorious battles against various ferocious monsters. Just as they were chatting and laughing heartily, they saw a teenage boy emerge from the forest, followed by a girl. The girl’s graceful figure stood a head taller than the boy, making them look like siblings.
The five burly men stopped their conversation. One of them, with dark skin and several scars on his face, held a simple broadsword and stepped forward. He appeared to be the leader of the five and asked, “Who goes there?”
Meanwhile, the five people soaking in the hot spring heard the commotion and, unsure of what was happening, had no choice but to change into their clothes and head over.
The newcomers were none other than Qian Lingyan and Bi Ling. As Qian Lingyan approached, he could see clearly: the man who had spoken earlier wielded a simple broadsword, while the other four consisted of two with spears, one with a staff, and one empty-handed.
Bi Ling and Yang Mutong usually lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests, avoiding interaction with others, so she instructed Qian Lingyan to respond. Qian Lingyan said, “We’ve come into the forest and are covered in grime. We’d like to join you all for a soak in the spring, if that’s alright.”
While they were speaking, the three men and two women from the hot spring arrived. Among the three men were two middle-aged and one young man. The two women consisted of one young woman and one teenage girl.
One of the middle-aged men spoke up, asking, “What’s going on?” His tone was quite rude, clearly indicating he was the leader of the group.
The burly man with the broadsword explained the intentions of Qian Lingyan and Bi Ling. Seeing that the two were of unknown origin, the middle-aged man, unwilling to invite trouble, said, “The Xu family of Fengyuan City is here on official business. We apologize for blocking your way.” This middle-aged man was none other than Xu Kuan, the head of the Xu family.
Qian Lingyan, young and hot-tempered, felt his anger flare up. He thought to himself, This hot spring isn’t owned by your damn Xu family. Even though there’s an order of arrival, it’s too domineering to try to drive people away with just a single sentence.
While Qian Lingyan grew angry, Bi Ling, not wanting to get entangled with humans, said, “In that case, at least let us wash our faces.”
Seeing that Bi Ling didn’t want trouble, Qian Lingyan suppressed his anger.
However, the other side refused to let it go. Another middle-aged man said, “Kid, what kind of expression was that just now? You truly don’t know your place. I could crush you with a single finger, you know? As for the girl, if you want to wash your face, that’s fine, but this kid here shouldn’t even touch a drop of water.” The speaker was Xu Kuan’s brother-in-law, Li Haisheng, a man with an arrogant and domineering nature who loved to bully the weak.
Hearing this, Bi Ling was extremely displeased. Although the other side had more people, they might not necessarily be a match for the two of them. Besides, Yang Mutong was nearby, so if a fight broke out, she certainly wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. It was only because Bi Ling didn’t want trouble that she had backed down. Unexpectedly, the other side was so rude. Bi Ling’s spiritual Qi began to circulate within her, and she was already prepared to take action.