Bai Xuci stood outside the grand hall, still bewildered. He looked at his fingers, extending and flexing them. They seemed fine. Why was Fu Lin’s expression so serious? He couldn’t figure it out.
He leaned against the wall, bored, waiting. The demon lord had mercifully given him more magical power, allowing him to transform again, but hadn’t mentioned his “illness,” only instructing him to wait. An attendant would guide him.
Bai Xuci looked around, seeing no one. Was he the only one? That didn’t seem right. Shouldn’t the demon lord be surrounded by attendants? Why was it so quiet?
He frowned, still confused. He noticed a small puddle reflecting a handsome young man in white. He leaned closer, touching his forehead. When had the swelling gone down? There was a wisp of dark mist on his head, which he brushed away.
A tree spirit, with messy leaves on its head, rushed into the hall, leaving a trail of fresh mud. It seemed to have just emerged from the ground.
“Huff, huff…” it panted.
Bai Xuci worriedly leaned in.
“Are you looking for—”
“The Venerable Lord?” the tree spirit asked.
“He’s gone,” Bai Xuci replied.
The tree spirit looked sad, shedding leaves. Bai Xuci caught some, placing them back on the spirit’s head, trying to comfort it.
The tree spirit wiped its forehead with a branch, gratefully taking the leaves, carefully placing them back on its head.
“You’re the little demon the Venerable Lord asked me to bring?” It asked, though still disappointed.
Bai Xuci was curious.
“Yes, but… what’s wrong? You seem anxious,” he asked politely.
The tree spirit sighed, shedding more leaves.
Bai Xuci: “!!” A branch waved, green spiritual energy swirling. The falling leaves stopped, returning to the spirit’s head.
Bai Xuci was amazed! It was an automatic, controllable hairstyle. No more worries about hair loss! Even if hair fell, it could be summoned back!
“I’m sorry, I’ve been anxious lately, I couldn’t control it,” the tree spirit explained, still looking dejected. It had been resting underground when summoned; it rushed out and forgot to brush off the dirt.
Bai Xuci, admiring the hair, offered sympathy.
“Don’t be anxious; otherwise, you’ll keep losing your hair…” he said, cleverly substituting “leaves” for “hair.”
The tree spirit knew this; it seemed to be losing more and more leaves.
The atmosphere lightened. “Hello, I’m here to guide you in serving the Venerable Lord. Call me ‘Asan’,” it introduced itself.
Bai Xuci looked at the leaves and realized it was a cedar tree.
He followed Asan, learning some information. Cedar was Lin Mountain’s main tree species, mostly at the foot of the mountain. They’d lived peacefully, but recently, people frequently came to cut trees for a large project. Asan wasn’t concerned; humans usually didn’t cut down many trees. But a new official wanted a luxurious mansion and was cutting down trees excessively. The foot of the mountain was almost barren. They planned to clear the area to build a hunting ground.
Bai Xuci’s heart sank. He hadn’t been down the mountain for a while. Was Lin Da Niang’s family okay? Without the forest, would their little hut still be there?
“But this is Lin Mountain. Aren’t they afraid?” Many demons lived here. It seemed strange that humans could openly cut down so many trees.
Asan sighed. “Before, no human dared to approach; we lived happily. But… rumors spread. To prove their love, a man must demonstrate bravery on Lin Mountain before marrying.”
Bai Xuci frowned.
“Some came and left safely. We weren’t concerned about humans.” The “we” meant the demons.
“But this sparked interest. Someone who returned safely fabricated a terrifying story to boost their fame…” “The plan succeeded.”
Asan was tired. People continuously came to test their “courage,” annoying the mountain demons. A few humans were hurt, trying to deter them, but the half-true atmosphere only excited the townspeople more; they formed a “monster-hunting team.”
Bai Xuci, engrossed, tripped over a stone. Asan used a branch to catch him.
“So now?” Bai Xuci asked, adjusting his clothes.
“Demons at the foot of the mountain have indeed harmed some people. This alarmed the human court. They sent a new official to handle the situation, and the solution is…”
Bai Xuci understood. “To cut down all the trees, proving there are no demons, to calm the people?”
“Exactly.”
They reached a palace. Bai Xuci was disturbed. Firstly, the demon lord’s mountain couldn’t be burned at will; secondly, those who initially tested their courage were foolish!
“What’s the plan?” Bai Xuci asked, helping Asan brush off dirt.
Asan cleaned himself and planted himself back in the ground. Bai Xuci was confused. Why had he cleaned himself then?
“We were going to inform the Venerable Lord, but ordinary demons rarely see him; we only get summoned…”
Bai Xuci wasn’t listening carefully but understood. Asan couldn’t do anything; the demons could move, but the cedar trees couldn’t. They were waiting to be cut down. The demon lord was apparently hard to see.
“What do I need to do?” Bai Xuci remembered his task.
Asan was confused. “Wait to be summoned, of course!”
After a pause—
“What does that mean? The Venerable Lord wants me to work in the side hall, and I… wait for summons?”
Asan moved a branch. “What else? The Venerable Lord doesn’t like being disturbed. The bedroom usually has no other attendants. When needed…”
“You’ll be summoned; go then.”
Bai Xuci realized: this was non-mandatory work! Show up when needed, otherwise, be free. Not bad.
Hoping the demon lord wouldn’t summon him, he went to his room and threw himself on the bed. He thought of Asan’s story. Lin Mountain wouldn’t be cut down, but if things went too far, would the demons… He remembered Lin Da Niang’s baby. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. Things seemed difficult.
Meanwhile—
Fan Yue looked at the Xuanling Mirror, showing the Yan Yue fish, a treasure stolen from the Qingyun Sect. It seemed aware of being watched.
“It has developed sentience.”
Xuan Li knelt below, reporting, “Qingyun Sect searched for this spirit beast for years, using it to stabilize the cultivation of Elder Lian Qian. It fell to Lin Mountain two years ago?”
Fan Yue showed no strong emotion, remembering the wet, dying rabbit. He frowned. Without his intervention, would the rabbit have been eaten? He clicked his tongue, put away the mirror, and turned.
“Have you found out? Information about the empty spirit body.”
