Chapter 53: The Heroine

Mu Xuejun entered the village on her own without waiting for Bai Heng to actively seek her out.

That afternoon, a woman in white clothes came walking down the mountain path.

She was tall and slender.

Half a head taller than some of the adult men in the village.

She wore plain white martial attire, with a long sword hanging at her waist.

Her black hair was tied up.

Her eyebrows were clear and bright, full of heroic spirit.

She looked like a heroine wandering the jianghu.

She arrived at the village entrance and stopped.

She looked around.

Seeing several villagers chatting under a tree, she walked forward and cupped her fists in salute.

“Several big brothers, I am passing through this place and would like to borrow a place to stay in the village for a few days. I wonder if it would be convenient?”

Her voice was clear and crisp, carrying a hint of straightforwardness.

The villagers were stunned for a moment, sizing up this suddenly appearing woman.

She was good-looking, dressed cleanly, and spoke politely.

At a glance, she was clearly a young lady from a wealthy family from outside.

These days, more and more unfamiliar outsiders were coming.

An older villager asked, “Where does the girl come from? Where are you going?”

The woman in white smiled.

“From the north, heading south. I have no fixed place. I go wherever I end up.”

She paused.

“I heard the scenery in these mountains is quite nice, so I want to stay a few more days to enjoy the spring view.”

Her words were fine and without issue.

But recently, too many outsiders had come to the village, and the empty houses had long been occupied.

The village head heard the news and hurried over.

After listening to the woman’s words, he said with difficulty, “Girl, I’m truly sorry. All the houses in the village that can be lived in are already occupied. Why don’t you go take a look in town?”

The woman in white slightly furrowed her brows and was about to say something.

Suddenly, a figure walked out from the crowd.

It was Granny Jiang.

She walked up to the woman in white and looked up at her.

Then she raised her hand and pointed toward the direction of her own courtyard.

She then nodded to the woman.

The woman in white was taken aback.

“Old lady, are you telling me to stay at your place?”

Granny Jiang nodded.

The village head quickly said, “Granny Jiang, your courtyard is already small, and you still have Lin Lan living there. Adding one more person, how can it fit?”

Granny Jiang waved her hand, pointed toward the courtyard, then pointed at the woman in white.

The meaning was clear: squeeze in a bit, and it can fit.

The woman in white looked at her and suddenly smiled.

That smile carried an indescribable meaning.

She cupped her fists in salute.

“Thank you, old lady.”

Granny Jiang nodded and turned to walk back.

The woman in white followed behind at a leisurely pace.

Bai Heng squatted on the hillside, watching this scene from afar.

She suddenly felt like laughing in her heart.

She watched the woman in white follow Granny Jiang into that small courtyard nestled against the old locust tree.

Mu Xuejun.

Even if she turned to ashes, Bai Heng would still recognize her.

That big cat actually had quite a playful heart.

Pretending to be a mortal heroine was indeed a good idea.

But she had ended up in Granny Jiang’s hands.

A mid-stage Golden Core demonic cultivator.

That playful big cat who had just transformed was probably not used to it.

Bai Heng withdrew her gaze and gently flicked her tail.

Let’s just watch and see.

In the days that followed, that woman in white settled down in the village.

Beyond Bai Heng’s expectations, Mu Xuejun adapted quite well.

The villagers knew her surname was Mu and her given name was Xue.

They all called her Miss Mu.

Mu Xuejun quickly became familiar with the villagers.

She had no airs about her and possessed a straightforward, cheerful personality.

She smiled and greeted everyone she met.

If anyone needed help, she would lend a hand without hesitation—carrying water, chopping firewood, helping tidy courtyards.

She did it all with proper form.

The villagers said this girl was good.

She truly lived up to being a jianghu wanderer.

However, her stature and appearance were quite striking in this mountain village.

Everywhere she went, people would take a few extra glances at her.

She paid it no mind and continued doing what she needed to do.

Bai Heng squatted on the hillside, watching her walk back and forth through the village.

She secretly observed in her heart.

This big cat truly had some skill.

She followed the path of orthodox cultivation.

After transforming, her demonic aura was not obvious, and her presence was gentle and upright.

If she did not actively exert pressure, she looked no different from an ordinary human woman.

Occasionally, some blind cultivators tried to probe her, and she would release a tiny trace of pressure.

Just that tiny trace, flashing by in an instant.

It was enough to make those cultivators’ hearts tremble with fear, yet they could not find any handle to grasp.

This big cat was playing quite happily.

Bai Heng watched the changed expressions on those cultivators’ faces and found it amusing in her heart.

Mu Xuejun quickly became familiar with the Qin family as well.

It began one day when she was washing clothes by the stream and encountered Qin Yu, who was also washing clothes.

Qin Yu’s leg had just healed.

Li Lianhua kept her from running around, so she could only help with some light tasks.

She squatted by the stream, washing a few small garments and humming a song.

Mu Xuejun saw her and took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

“Little sister, what’s your name?”

Qin Yu looked up and saw a tall, beautiful older sister.

She blinked.

“My name is Qin Yu.”

Mu Xuejun smiled.

“Qin Yu. That’s a good name.”

She squatted down next to Qin Yu, washing clothes while chatting with her.

Qin Yu had originally been a bit shy.

But this older sister spoke kindly and smiled warmly, so she gradually relaxed.

“Sister Mu, where are you from?”

“From the north.”

“Have you been to many places?”

“Been to some.”

“Is it fun?”

Mu Xuejun thought for a moment.

“Fun, but not as fun as here.”

Qin Yu did not understand but laughed along anyway.

When she returned that day, Qin Yu told her mother about it.

Li Lianhua kept it in mind and went the next day to take a few looks at Miss Mu.

She looked quite proper.

So Li Lianhua also felt at ease.

Later, when Qin Yun went into the mountains to hunt, he would occasionally run into Mu Xuejun.

She said she was entering the mountains to enjoy the scenery and pick some wild vegetables.

The two would exchange a few words.

It was quite ordinary.

As they interacted back and forth, the Qin siblings became familiar with her.

One day, Qin Yun was about to head up the mountain to bring food to Bai Heng.

As soon as he stepped out the door, he saw Mu Xuejun standing outside the courtyard.

“Qin Yu said there’s a white fox living in the mountains. I’ve always wanted to see it. Can Sister Mu take me there?”

Qin Yun hesitated for a moment.

He instinctively felt that he should not casually bring outsiders to Sister Bai Heng’s place.

But this Sister Mu, after interacting over these days, was indeed a good person.

He thought for a bit and nodded.

“Alright. But Sister Mu, you have to promise me you won’t scare her.”

Mu Xuejun nodded seriously.

“Don’t worry. I’ll just watch from afar.”

The two walked up along the mountain path.

When they reached the edge of that patch of forest, Qin Yun stopped and looked around.

“Sister Bai Heng!”

He called out.

A moment later, a flash of white leapt out from between the trees and squatted on that familiar rock.

It was Bai Heng.

She wore that moon-white spring shirt, which shimmered with a faint luster under the sunlight.

Qin Yun turned back to glance at Mu Xuejun and said in a low voice, “Sister Mu, that’s Sister Bai Heng.”

Mu Xuejun gazed at that white fox, her eyes widening slightly.

She quickly stepped forward and stopped at a distance of two zhang.

“Heavens, is this the fox immortal Qin Yu mentioned?”

Her voice was filled with amazement.

“So beautiful! This fur color, these eyes, this posture—I have wandered the lands for so many years and have never seen anything like this!”

Bai Heng squatted on the rock and rolled her eyes at her.

This big cat is acting quite well.

Mu Xuejun continued speaking.

“Qin Yu was right. She really is intelligent. Look at how she looks at people—she understands everything!”

She turned her head to look at Qin Yun.

“Qin Yun, you’re familiar with her. Will she allow me to get closer?”

Qin Yun scratched his head.

“Not really. But you can try. Just don’t get too close.”

Mu Xuejun then walked forward a few steps, stopped at a distance of one zhang, and squatted down.

“Fox immortal sister, you’re really beautiful.”

Bai Heng looked at her.

This big cat’s playful heart is truly heavy.

She gently flicked her tail.

Mu Xuejun then laughed.

“She wagged her tail! She likes when I praise her!”

Qin Yun watched from the side and suddenly felt something was strange.

He noticed Bai Heng rolling her eyes.

It did not seem like what he had imagined.

He had never seen Sister Bai Heng make this kind of expression before.

He could not quite put his finger on what was wrong.

He just felt… as if they knew each other.

He thought for a moment and said, “Sister Bai Heng, Sister Mu, you two chat first. I’m going into the mountains to hunt.”

Bai Heng glanced at him.

Mu Xuejun also looked toward him.

“You’re not going to watch?”

Qin Yun shook his head.

“You two chat. I’ll be back in a little while.”

With that, he turned and walked toward the depths of the forest.

He walked very quickly, as if afraid of delaying something.

Bai Heng watched his back disappear into the forest.

She withdrew her gaze and looked toward Mu Xuejun.

Mu Xuejun was still squatting there, smiling as she looked at her.

Fox and tiger stared at each other for a moment.

Mu Xuejun spoke first, her voice returning to normal.

“Sister Bai, it’s been a year since we last met. You’ve gotten a bit chubbier.”

Bai Heng’s tail paused.

Mu Xuejun laughed.

“You’re still the same as always, still so fond of playing. Now that you’ve finally transformed, you have to properly experience playing around.”

She stood up, walked to the side of the rock, and sat down next to Bai Heng.

“Someone is still thinking about you. Your days are going quite well, with people sending food and making clothes for you.”

“Living this kind of immortal life, getting a bit rounder is understandable.”

Bai Heng did not reply.

Mu Xuejun looked at her, her gaze carrying a hint of seriousness.

“Sister Bai, I came to remind you—this place is not peaceful.”

Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.

Mu Xuejun continued.

“Those cultivators are growing more numerous. Even I, who just transformed, can sense the tension. You’re only at the second tier. Staying here is too dangerous.”

She paused.

“Come back to Qixia Mountain with me. It’s quiet and safe there.”

Bai Heng remained silent for a moment.

“I can’t leave.”

Mu Xuejun looked at her but did not ask why.

She simply nodded.

“I understand.”

She turned her head and gazed toward the direction where Qin Yun had disappeared.

“Is it for that boy? You can’t bear to part with him?”

Her tone carried a hint of teasing.

“I heard fox immortals are quite sentimental. Sister Bai, have you developed feelings for that youth?”

Bai Heng acted as though she had not understood the teasing and said flatly, “The Qin family treats me well.”

Mu Xuejun laughed.

“Fine. I won’t ask.”

She stood up and stretched lazily.

“I’m just here to join in the fun. If the situation doesn’t look right, I’ll run.”

She lowered her head to look at Bai Heng.

“Before, when I was a big tiger, mortals would either run or shout to fight and kill upon seeing me. I’ve envied the interesting things in the human world for a long time.”

“Now that I’ve transformed, I naturally have to experience it properly.”

She paused.

“Besides, I’ve also heard the saying about entering the secular world to temper one’s state of mind. This is the perfect time to try it.”

Bai Heng looked at her.

She felt some emotion in her heart.

This big cat was still the same as a year ago.

Living freely and thinking things through clearly.

She gently flicked her tail.

“Then be careful.”

Mu Xuejun laughed.

“Don’t worry. I’m here to play, not to die.”

Afterward, the two sat and chatted idly for quite a while.

She waved at Bai Heng.

“That boy should be back soon. I won’t disturb you two anymore.”

With that, she turned and walked a few steps before looking back.

“Sister Bai, if anything happens, come find me. I live in Granny Jiang’s courtyard.”

Bai Heng nodded.

Mu Xuejun then smiled and left.

Sunlight spilled over her body.

That white outfit was especially conspicuous in the forest.

Bai Heng watched her back disappear into the forest.

She withdrew her gaze and looked in another direction.

There, Qin Yun was walking out from the forest, carrying several wild rabbits in his hands.

He saw Bai Heng and quickly walked over.

“Sister Bai Heng, did Sister Mu leave?”

Bai Heng nodded.

Qin Yun squatted down beside her and placed the wild rabbits on the ground.

“How did your chat go?”

Bai Heng looked at him and suddenly asked, “What do you think of her?”

Qin Yun thought for a moment.

“Sister Mu is quite a good person. Straightforward and not pretentious.”

He paused.

“But…”

Bai Heng looked at him.

Qin Yun scratched his head.

“I can’t really say. It’s just that the way she looks at you… seems like it’s the first time she’s seeing you.”

Bai Heng’s tail moved slightly.