Given Chu Zhe’s budding love trial, Yu Rong and Sect Master Li Xiangyan decided to act swiftly.
The original plan—waiting for Bai Yu Jun to refine her cross bone and speak—was scrapped.
Instead, Chu Zhe would lead the Clear Void trio to Chang’an(长安) for the Tang Emperor’s birthday.
As the imperial guardian sect, Pure Yang’s next leader attending personally was a grand gesture.
The two elders orchestrated the journey to maximize Chu Zhe and Xu Ling’s interactions, ordering them to travel on foot instead of flying.
(Chu Zhe found the mission baffling.)
Xu Ling was ecstatic, Yang Mu indifferent, and Bai Yu Jun reluctant (Why leave free pills and lessons?).
But… Chang’an sounded fun.
…………
The quartet meandered out of Pure Yang’s gates.
Xu Ling chattered nonstop beside Chu Zhe. Yang Mu buried himself in “A Disciple’s Guide to Traveling the Mortal World.”
Bai Yu Jun, noting this, bought a stack of books at the first town—reading while refining her crossbone.
Their procession drew stares and bows. Pure Yang’s reputation was unshakable—imposters had been swiftly eradicated in the past.
Chu Zhe yearned to converse with Bai Yu Jun, but the beauty remained silent, engrossed in her books.
(Awkwardly, he settled for small talk with Xu Ling.)
“Why haven’t I met… Bai-shimei before?”
“Oh! You mean Big White? You’re always in seclusion—of course you haven’t! Master brought her from the mountains.”
(Xu Ling, ever the open book, answered everything.)
“Her hometown must be remote.”
“Super far! The Ten Thousand Mountains! She’s been with us five years.”
Chu Zhe frowned. Five years was enough to know every disciple.
“Duh! Yu Jun’s a demon! Master wouldn’t break sect rules! Though… I think it’s fine. Good demons exist! Humans aren’t all saints—just look at our traitors!”
Xu Ling prattled on—until realizing Chu Zhe had frozen mid-step.
“Senior Brother?”
His face paled.
“A… demon?”
“Yep! Yu Jun is Big White—the white serpent Master brought back! She just transformed recently. Who knew she’d be a girl?”
“Transformed… serpent…”
The image of the ethereal maiden in his mind shattered, replaced by a coiling snake.
His world upended.
Then—
Bai Yu Jun and Yang Mu walked past.
Tilting her head, she studied Chu Zhe’s ashen face. (Did he regret gifting the sword?)
Yang Mu, nose in his manual, glanced curiously at his senior brother. (Why stare so intently?)
“Senior Brother?” Xu Ling waved a hand before his eyes.
“…I’m fine.”
Chu Zhe stomped ahead, his mind a whirlwind of “demon.”
…………
Bai Yu Jun focused on refining her crossbone—channeling demonic energy to erode the bone gradually.
(Too forceful risked throat damage; too gentle was ineffective.)
By nightfall, they took shelter in a dilapidated mountain shrine.
A campfire crackled, drying the damp air.
Yang Mu toasted flatbreads for Xu Ling and Chu Zhe. Bai Yu Jun, uninterested, sat far from the flames—snakes disliked heat and pungent herbs (like the realgar powder sprinkled for insects).
(Resisting amphibian snacks was hard.)
Bored, she gazed at the moon—blurry but enormous.
Arms wrapped around her knees, she listened to the night’s chorus.
Inside, Chu Zhe watched her lonely silhouette, heart aching.
(A demon, eating scraps, sitting apart from humans…)
Xu Ling and Yang Mu slept soundly, treating this as a leisurely trip.
The fire dimmed to embers, casting flickering shadows on Chu Zhe’s face.
…………
At dawn, Bai Yu Jun hunted four pheasants. Yang Mu plucked and roasted them—
Xu Ling drooled at the aroma.
As they set off, Chu Zhe slipped Bai Yu Jun a jade vial without a word.
Inside—five high-grade Ningling Pills!
(Compared to discarded dregs, this was luxury!)
Swallowing one, her digestive system surged—
Crossbone refinement accelerated!
Soon, her throat loosened—the obstruction gone!
Excited, she tried to speak—
“Ah… oh… mmm…”
The trio turned, baffled by her gagged gestures.
“Big White? What’s wrong?” Xu Ling rushed over.
“Mmm… ah…”
Bai Yu Jun clutched her throat, frustrated.
(Why couldn’t she talk? Had she damaged her vocal cords?)