After the Lantern Festival, the snow gradually lessened.
It still fell now and then, but only in thin layers that melted as soon as the sun came out. The accumulated snow in the mountains began to thaw, revealing the withered yellow grass beneath and the damp earth.
The streams swelled, flowing with a clearer, more lively murmur than they had in winter.
Bai Heng crouched at the entrance of her rock cave, gazing at the slowly changing mountain forest.
Spring was almost here.
She could feel it in the demonic energy flowing through her body. The cool stream inside her had grown stronger, moving with smooth, effortless grace and no longer catching or stalling. The still-forming second tail at the base of her spine now showed a faint outline.
It would not be long.
She thought this quietly to herself. But with the current situation so unclear, it was not a good time to find the right moment or place to break through.
One day, Qin Yun came up the mountain again.
He carried no food this time, arriving empty-handed and walking along the muddy path. When he drew near, he stopped roughly two zhang away from her.
“Miss White.”
His expression was different from usual.
Bai Heng looked at him without moving.
Qin Yun was silent for a moment before he suddenly asked, “Are you… going to leave?”
Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.
Qin Yun gazed at her, his eyes carrying an indescribable emotion.
“These past few days, I keep feeling like you’re waiting for something. Once it arrives, you’ll go.”
He paused.
“I don’t know why I think that. I just… feel it.”
Bai Heng looked at him and said nothing.
Qin Yun waited a while. When she remained silent, he was not disappointed.
He smiled.
“Even if you leave, it’s only right. You’re a fox immortal. You can’t stay in these mountains forever.”
He sat down at the edge of the rock and gazed into the distant forest.
“I just wanted to tell you… thank you for these past days.”
Bai Heng’s tail moved gently.
Qin Yun continued.
“My mother says meeting a spiritual fox immortal like you is our family’s good fortune. We should cherish it and not try to force anything.”
He turned his head and looked at her.
“So if you need to go, you don’t have to tell us. You can leave quietly.”
Looking into those clear eyes, Bai Heng felt a faint softness in her heart.
This youth possessed a clarity beyond his years.
She did not answer. Instead she leaped down from the rock, walked over to him, and crouched at his feet.
Qin Yun paused.
Bai Heng lifted her head and looked at him.
Her gaze clearly carried meaning.
Qin Yun stared for a moment, then smiled.
“Alright. I won’t say anything more.”
He reached out and gently stroked the top of her head.
The touch was light, tentative, and careful. His palm brushed her soft fur and quickly withdrew.
Bai Heng did not pull away.
Qin Yun’s hand hovered in the air. When she showed no reaction, he slowly lowered it again and gently rubbed the top of her head.
“So soft.”
He said quietly.
Bai Heng narrowed her eyes slightly and let him continue.
Sunlight bathed the human and the fox, warm and gentle.
After a long while, Qin Yun withdrew his hand and stood up.
“I should head back. I still need to help my father chop firewood.”
He waved at her.
“Miss White, I’ll come again in a few days.”
Bai Heng looked at him and gently swished her tail.
Qin Yun turned and walked down the muddy mountain path.
Bai Heng remained crouched where she was, watching his figure gradually recede until it disappeared into the woods.
She lowered her head and felt the spot on her head where he had rubbed her.
The sensation still lingered there.
The next day, Qin Yu came up the mountain as well.
She carried her small basket on her back and skipped cheerfully along the path. When she saw Bai Heng, she called out from afar.
“White Fox Immortal!”
Bai Heng leaped down from the rock to meet her.
Qin Yu ran over, crouched down, and began pulling things from her basket.
“Look what I brought you.”
It was wild vegetables.
Fiddlehead ferns, shepherd’s purse, and several other kinds Bai Heng could not name—tender, green, and still carrying the fresh scent of earth.
“The wild vegetables in the mountains are sprouting. I picked a lot. Try them.”
She arranged the vegetables neatly on the ground, her eyes sparkling.
Bai Heng lowered her head to sniff, picked up a fiddlehead fern in her mouth, and chewed it slowly.
It was slightly bitter but carried the crisp freshness of spring.
Qin Yu watched her eat, smiling until her eyes curved.
“Is it good? My mother says you should eat wild vegetables in spring to clear out the heaviness of winter.”
Bai Heng nodded.
Qin Yu kept talking.
“In a few more days, the flowers in the mountains will bloom. It’ll be so pretty then. I’ll take you to see them.”
She suddenly remembered something.
“Oh right, White Fox Immortal, did my brother come see you yesterday?”
Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.
Qin Yu blinked.
“When he came home, he kept spacing out. My mother asked what was wrong, but he said nothing. I know something’s on his mind.”
She looked at Bai Heng and asked seriously, “White Fox Immortal, do you know what he’s thinking about?”
Bai Heng did not answer.
Qin Yu waited a while and did not press. She simply sighed.
“My brother’s grown up. He doesn’t tell me his troubles anymore.”
The little-adult look on her face made Bai Heng narrow her eyes in amusement.
Qin Yu stayed with her a while longer before reluctantly saying goodbye.
Bai Heng watched the little girl skip away until she disappeared into the woods, thinking about what she had said.
Qin Yun had something on his mind?
She shook her head and stopped dwelling on it.
That night, Granny Jiang went to the mountain god temple again.
From afar, Bai Heng saw the hunched figure vanish into the woods. She waited half an hour before following silently.
The temple door was ajar.
When she pushed it open and entered, Granny Jiang was already sitting on the stone steps beneath the deity statue, looking at her.
“You’re here?”
Bai Heng nodded and crouched in front of her.
Granny Jiang raised her hand and activated the restriction, getting straight to the point.
“After spring arrives, the situation will become even more chaotic.”
She looked at Bai Heng.
“The news I’ve received says more Golden Core cultivators have been appearing in the area. On the surface the village is still only Foundation Establishment, but behind the scenes the major sects have already started moving people in.”
Bai Heng listened quietly.
Granny Jiang continued.
“They still haven’t made any progress with the secret realm. They’ve turned the outer region inside out, but the core area remains sealed. The longer it stays closed, the more convinced they are that the key is with Yun Qing, and the more tightly they’ll watch this place.”
She paused.
“Also, I’ve started having people leak the matter of the stolen spiritual root. Just a little, nothing detailed. Enough to make them start wondering.”
“When things truly turn chaotic, that small seed of doubt will become a blade.”
Bai Heng nodded.
Granny Jiang stood up, walked to the temple entrance, and looked out at the night.
“Soon.”
Her voice was soft.
“Once the snow melts completely, the roads will open. Everything that’s coming will arrive.”
Bai Heng walked over and crouched beside her.
The human and the fox stood there quietly, gazing outside.
After a long while, Bai Heng suddenly spoke.
“Granny Jiang.”
“Hm?”
“Qin Yun… that boy seems to have sensed something.”
Granny Jiang turned to look at her.
Bai Heng briefly recounted what Qin Yun had said the day before.
When she finished, Granny Jiang was silent for a moment before sighing.
“That boy is more perceptive than his father.”
She paused.
“That’s fine. When the time comes, at least he’ll have some warning.”
Bai Heng nodded.
Granny Jiang looked at her and suddenly asked, “What about you? Are you reluctant to leave?”
Bai Heng did not answer.
Granny Jiang smiled.
“It’s normal to feel reluctant. You’ve spent so much time with them. That whole family is honest and kind.”
She withdrew her gaze and looked out at the night.
“But when it’s time to go, you still have to go.”
Bai Heng said nothing.
They stood there a while longer before Bai Heng took her leave.
As she stepped out of the mountain god temple, she glanced back.
The hunched figure still stood at the doorway. When she looked back, Granny Jiang gave a small wave.
Moonlight bathed Granny Jiang, stretching her shadow long across the ground.
Bai Heng withdrew her gaze and disappeared into the night.
The second day of the second lunar month—the day of the Dragon Raising Its Head.
According to village custom, this was the day for haircuts, eating fried beans, and offering sacrifices to the earth god.
Qin Yun came up the mountain again.
This time he brought many things: fried beans, pastries, and a small piece of cured meat.
“My mother told me to bring these. She said today is a good day, so I should bring you some food.”
He arranged everything neatly and sat down at the edge of the rock.
Bai Heng ate slowly.
Qin Yun watched her for a moment before suddenly saying, “Miss White, I got my hair cut today.”
Bai Heng lifted her head and looked at him.
His hair was indeed shorter, revealing the clean line of his neck.
“My mother says getting a haircut on the second day of the second month brings energy for the whole year.”
He touched the top of his head and smiled.
“I think it feels a little cold.”
Bai Heng looked at him and narrowed her eyes slightly.
Qin Yun continued.
“My father says once the snow melts completely, he’ll take me deep into the mountains for one more hunt. The game is leaner in early spring, but the pelts are better.”
He paused.
“I’ll bring you some fresh meat then.”
After Bai Heng finished eating, she lifted her head and looked at him.
Qin Yun stood up.
“I should head back. I still need to help my father chop firewood.”
He waved at her.
“Miss White, I’ll come again in a few days.”
Bai Heng looked at him and gently swished her tail.
Qin Yun turned and walked down the muddy mountain path. After a few steps he suddenly looked back.
“Miss White.”
Bai Heng gazed at him.
Qin Yun stood there, opened his mouth as if to say something, then stopped.
In the end he simply smiled.
“Never mind. I’m going.”
He turned and walked quickly down the mountain.
Bai Heng crouched on the rock, watching his figure gradually recede until it disappeared into the woods.
She suddenly noticed that the youth’s back looked a little taller than when she had first met him.
She withdrew her gaze and looked toward the distant mountains and forests.
Most of the snow had already melted, revealing the dark, damp earth and withered grass beneath. In some places, tiny green shoots were already poking through.
Spring really was almost here.
She stood up and slowly walked back into the rock cave.