Chapter 56: About to Depart

These past few days, the cool demonic power within Bai Heng’s body had been circulating faster and faster.

At the base of her tailbone, the second tail that had been gestating for a long time was already showing faint signs of breaking through. 

She could feel that the threshold was right before her eyes. One more step and she would cross it.

This state could not be hidden from those who were paying attention.

That night, she was squatting at the cave entrance absorbing moonlight when she suddenly sensed two familiar auras leaving the village at the same time.

Grandma Jiang and Mu Xuejun.

The direction they were heading was the forest where the mountain god temple stood.

Bai Heng understood.

She stood up, shook out her fur, and followed them silently. 

The moonlight was bright, illuminating the mountain path clearly. 

Bai Heng walked along the familiar route at an unhurried pace. 

When she reached the edge of the forest, she slowed down and swept her spiritual sense lightly across the area.

Inside the mountain god temple, Grandma Jiang and Mu Xuejun were already there.

The restriction had been activated. 

A faint layer of light enveloped the entire dilapidated temple.

Bai Heng pushed the door open and entered.

“You’re here.”

Inside the temple, Grandma Jiang sat cross-legged on the stone steps beneath the statue. Mu Xuejun nodded at her.

Grandma Jiang’s voice was calm.

Bai Heng nodded and squatted in front of her.

Mu Xuejun walked over and sat down beside her, her gaze falling on Bai Heng.

“Little sister Bai, you can’t hide it from us.”

Her tone was direct.

“You’re about to break through, aren’t you?”

Bai Heng was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Soon.”

Grandma Jiang looked at her, her gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.

“You should know this best yourself. That threshold is right in front of you. You can’t afford to delay.”

Bai Heng said nothing.

Mu Xuejun picked up the thread.

“Grandma Jiang and I have discussed it. You must break through.”

She looked at Bai Heng.

“This place is getting more chaotic by the day. With your second-tier strength, protecting yourself is already difficult, let alone protecting others.”

Bai Heng lifted her head and looked at them.

Both of them were looking at her, their gazes equally serious.

Bai Heng thought for a moment and didn’t bother with false politeness.

“Alright. But there is one thing I want to ask of you.”

Grandma Jiang raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Speak.”

Bai Heng looked at them.

“While I’m away for these few days, please keep a close watch on the Qin siblings and on this village.”

Mu Xuejun nodded readily.

“You don’t even need to say it. I was already planning to stay here and watch over everything anyway.”

Grandma Jiang also nodded.

“Don’t worry.”

She paused.

“Not to mention that I can step into the late Golden Core stage at any time and can barely handle various situations. That girl Lin Lan should have also told you that if anything happens, you can go to her.”

Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.

Grandma Jiang looked at her, her gaze carrying a hint of deeper meaning.

“She said the same thing to me.”

Bai Heng recalled what Lin Lan had said the night she came to find her.

“If that day truly comes, you can come find me.”

So she had said the same words to Grandma Jiang as well.

Grandma Jiang continued.

“If necessary, Feng Lingyu can come out. Whether in terms of strength or identity, she can temporarily stabilize the situation. Also, I just received news that a large group of array and mechanism masters from the Wang family have also been invited to the secret realm area.”

Bai Heng’s heart stirred.

The Wang family.

One of the three great clans of the Li Kingdom, famous for their arrays and mechanisms.

“They are still trying to crack the secret realm’s mechanisms?”

Grandma Jiang nodded.

“Yes. Those major sects and great clans still haven’t given up. Until they confirm that the secret realm cannot be opened, or until they find a way to open it, they won’t allow anything to happen to Yun Zhuo.”

She looked at Bai Heng.

“My informant estimates that they will continue trying for at least half a year.”

“For cultivators who measure their closed-door cultivation in years, half a year of attempts is something they can easily wait out. So during these six months, Yun Zhuo will be relatively safe.”

Bai Heng felt a slight sense of relief in her heart.

Half a year.

That was enough.

Grandma Jiang took out two items from her robes and handed them to Bai Heng.

One was a neatly rolled piece of beast skin with simple lines drawn on it. The other was a palm-sized jade disk, pure white throughout and engraved with fine, dense patterns.

Grandma Jiang pointed at the rolled beast skin.

“From here eastward, this is the route I chose for your seclusion. After crossing three mountain peaks, there is a valley with a spiritual spring inside. It is a place I discovered years ago.”

She then pointed at the jade disk.

“This is the array disk for the concealment formation I set up. Once you activate it there, no one below the late Golden Core stage will be able to detect your aura.”

Bai Heng accepted the two items and carefully stored them in her sea of consciousness.

“Thank you, Grandma Jiang.”

Grandma Jiang waved her hand.

“No need to thank me. Breaking through properly is more important than anything else.”

Mu Xuejun smiled from the side.

“When you come back, we can watch the excitement together again.”

Bai Heng looked at her and gently flicked her tail.

The three of them talked for a while longer before Bai Heng took her leave.

Walking out of the mountain god temple, the moonlight was thick.

She glanced back.

At the temple entrance, Grandma Jiang and Mu Xuejun stood there, watching in her direction.

Bai Heng nodded, then turned and disappeared into the night.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Qin Yun came up the mountain.

He carried a bundle on his back and walked up the familiar mountain path through the morning dew. When he reached the edge of that forest, he stopped and looked around.

“Bai Heng jie!”

He called out.

A moment later, Bai Heng leapt out from the forest and squatted on that usual rock. 

Today she was wearing the moon-white spring shirt, which gleamed faintly in the morning light.

Qin Yun walked over, set the bundle down, and arranged the food as usual.

Bai Heng did not eat immediately. She only looked at him.

Qin Yun sensed something was different and lifted his head.

“Bai Heng jie, what’s wrong?”

Bai Heng was silent for a moment before speaking.

“Qin Yun, I’m going to be away for a while.”

Qin Yun froze.

He looked at Bai Heng, opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

Bai Heng continued.

“There are some things I have to do. At most a few months, and I’ll be back.”

Qin Yun remained silent.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

“Where to?”

Bai Heng shook her head.

“I can’t say.”

Qin Yun nodded and didn’t ask further.

He looked at Bai Heng, his gaze carrying a hint of reluctance, yet he made no attempt to stop her.

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow.”

Qin Yun lowered his head and looked at the food on the ground.

A moment later, he lifted his head and forced a smile.

“Then I’ll stay with you a little longer today.”

He sat down beside the rock and watched Bai Heng eat.

Bai Heng ate slowly, occasionally lifting her head to glance at him.

Qin Yun chattered on.

“My mother said that in a few more days, the bamboo shoots in the mountains will be ready to dig. I’ll bring you some fresh ones then.”

“Qin Yu talks about you every single day. When I go back and tell her you’ve gone out, she’ll definitely cry.”

“Mu jie has been running up the mountain a lot lately, saying she’s enjoying the scenery. I think she’s coming to see you.”

Bai Heng listened while eating slowly.

When she finished eating, she lifted her head and looked at Qin Yun.

Qin Yun was also looking at her.

One person and one fox simply gazed at each other.

After a long time, Qin Yun stood up.

“Bai Heng jie, then I’ll head back.”

He paused.

“You… take care.”

Bai Heng nodded.

Qin Yun turned to walk down the mountain. After a few steps, he suddenly looked back.

“Bai Heng jie.”

Qin Yun stood there, morning light spilling over him and casting a soft halo.

“No matter what you’re going to do, you’ll definitely succeed!”

With that, he turned and ran, running so fast that he quickly disappeared into the forest.

Bai Heng squatted on the rock, watching his figure disappear. A hint of relieved smile appeared in her eyes.

The fresh morning breeze blew past, lifting the hem of her moon-white clothes.

She gently flicked her tail.

That night, Bai Heng did not cultivate.

She only squatted at the cave entrance, gazing at the village below.

The lights were scattered, no different from usual.

In the small courtyard beside the old locust tree, Grandma Jiang’s room still had its lamp lit. In the room next to it, Lin Lan and Mu Xuejun should already be asleep.

In the Qin family courtyard, only one room still had its light on. She didn’t know who hadn’t gone to sleep yet.

Bai Heng watched that single point of light for a long time.

Then she turned and walked back into the rock cave.

The next morning, before dawn had even broken, Bai Heng left.

She didn’t disturb anyone. She simply followed the mountain ridge and traveled eastward in silence.

When she crossed the first mountain, the sky had only just begun to lighten. 

She stopped and looked back. She could only see a vague outline.

When she crossed the second mountain, the distant Qingxi Village was hidden in the morning mist. 

The sun had already risen. Bai Heng watched for a while, then withdrew her gaze and continued forward.

Sunlight spilled through the mountain forest. It gradually grew warmer. Birds called from the branches, their cries rising and falling.

Bai Heng did not stop. She kept moving.

The third mountain was taller.

By the time she climbed it, it was already afternoon.

Standing at the summit, she looked down.

The valley was right before her.

The forest was lush and green. 

A small stream flowed through the valley, sparkling under the sunlight. 

At the bottom of the valley was a pool of water. It must be the spiritual spring Grandma Jiang had mentioned.

Bai Heng took a deep breath and walked down into the valley.

That day, Qin Yun went hunting in the mountains as usual and made a detour to the patch of forest where Bai Heng normally stayed.

“Bai Heng jie!”

He called out.

There was no response.

He called out again.

Still no response.

The forest was silent. There was only the rustling sound of wind through the leaves.

The rock where she usually squatted was empty.

Qin Yun stood there in silence for a long time. Then he squatted down and placed the food he had brought onto the rock.

“Bai Heng jie, this is today’s.”

He said softly.

After that, he stood up, took a deep breath, and walked deeper into the forest.

He still had to hunt today.

He tightened the bow and arrows on his back. His steps were steadier than usual.