Chapter 60: Eyes in the Forest

Mirror Moon Art transformation was something Bai Heng had no intention of telling anyone.

It was not that she did not trust Granny Jiang or Mu Xuejun.

Those two — one a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, the other a fifth-tier transformation great demon — had both treated her sincerely and were trustworthy.

Yet this kind of matter, if they did not ask on their own initiative, there was no need for her to speak of it.

The more people who knew, the greater the risk of exposure.

A trump card remained a trump card precisely because few people knew of its existence.

Bai Heng squatted on the rock and gazed at the distant mountain forest.

Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the ground.

She could sense several gazes sweeping across this patch of forest from different directions.

After reaching third tier her perception had grown much sharper; those probing glances, though hidden, could not escape her divine sense.

They flashed past and quickly withdrew.

They were probably only confirming who Qin Yun was in contact with.

Once they saw it was her, the little fox demon who had been missing for half a year, they lost interest.

Bai Heng withdrew her gaze, leaped down from the rock, and walked slowly through the forest.

She deliberately moved at an unhurried pace, occasionally lowering her head to sniff the grass at the roadside or raising her head to look at the birds in the trees, putting on the appearance of foraging so that she still seemed like a newly awakened little demon.

At her current level, third tier was equivalent to Foundation Establishment; she had already reached the stage of fasting and no longer needed food.

Yet before returning to this mountain forest she had used Heavenly Fox Concealment to suppress her aura back to second tier.

In the eyes of those observers she was merely an insignificant little fox not worth their attention.

She continued “foraging” among the trees, occasionally picking up a few wild fruits in her mouth to give the appearance of eating.

If one was going to act, one had to act the part completely.

Toward evening Qin Yun indeed came again.

He carried two cleaned pheasants and one wild hare strung together with grass rope, all neat and fresh.

When he reached the edge of the forest he stopped and called out.

“Sister Bai Heng.”

Bai Heng emerged from behind the bushes and squatted on the rock.

Qin Yun quickly walked closer and placed the string of game on the ground.

“Brought these for you. Hunted today. Very fresh.”

Bai Heng looked at the game and sighed inwardly.

She had wanted to say it was unnecessary; with her current cultivation she truly no longer needed food.

Yet the words reached her lips and she swallowed them back.

She had to keep a low profile.

A little fox demon that had only recently awakened its spiritual intelligence refusing to eat would be far too abnormal.

She nodded and picked up the hare in her mouth, placing it beside her.

Qin Yun sat down nearby and watched her.

Bai Heng hesitated for a moment.

She did not want to waste too much of the Qin family’s resources, so she spoke.

“Qin Yun, there is no need to bring so much food every day from now on.”

Qin Yun was slightly startled.

Bai Heng casually found a reason.

“I do not want to eat too much. If I grow too fat it will not look good.”

Qin Yun froze.

Then his face slowly turned red.

“Sister Bai Heng, are you still remembering that time I said you were fat?”

Bai Heng did not speak.

Qin Yun scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed.

“I was thoughtless back then and said it offhand. Do not take it to heart.”

Bai Heng shook her head.

“It is not because of you. It is my own idea.”

Qin Yun looked at her, was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“All right. Then I will not bring any every day from now on.”

He paused.

“Occasionally I will bring some novel and delicious things for Sister Bai Heng to try. Is that all right?”

Bai Heng nodded.

Qin Yun smiled.

The two talked for a while longer.

Qin Yun told her, one by one, everything that had happened in the village over the past half year.

“The village has grown larger. Quite a few strangers have come. Some opened shops, some stayed and did not leave. My father says some of them really do seem like merchants, while others do not.”

Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.

Qin Yun continued.

“Qin Yu that girl talks about you every day. When she knows you have returned she will definitely be overjoyed.”

“Sister Lin Lan is still the same, not fond of speaking, yet she is very good to Qin Yu.”

“Granny Wu is also the same; her body is still sturdy.”

When he spoke of Mu Xuejun his tone became somewhat strange.

“Sister Mu and Brother Xu… their relationship is somewhat odd.”

Bai Heng looked at him.

Qin Yun thought for a moment and organized his words.

“Sister Mu and Brother Xu often drink and talk together. Every time, Miss Lu stands to the side without speaking, simply watching with a somewhat gloomy expression.”

He paused.

“Sister Mu says Miss Lu is… jealous. I do not really understand.”

Bai Heng narrowed her eyes slightly.

That big cat certainly knew how to play.

Qin Yun spoke of other trivial matters — whose family had added a new member, whose family had built a new house, whose chickens and ducks had run into someone else’s courtyard again.

Bai Heng listened and occasionally responded with a sound.

The sky was nearly completely dark.

Bai Heng spoke.

“Qin Yun, I know you have many things you want to say.”

Qin Yun stopped talking and looked at her.

Bai Heng gazed at him, her tone unconsciously carrying a trace of an elder’s manner.

“The sky is about to turn dark. Whatever you want to say, save it for later. I will wait here for you. If you want to speak, I will listen.”

Qin Yun looked at her and suddenly smiled.

That smile held reassurance, steadiness, and a trace of youthful brightness.

“Good.”

He stood up and patted the dirt from his clothes.

“Then I will head back. Sister Bai Heng, see you tomorrow.”

Bai Heng nodded.

Qin Yun waved at her, turned, and walked down the mountain.

After a few steps he looked back once more.

Bai Heng was still squatting on the rock, watching him.

Qin Yun smiled, turned around, and quickly disappeared into the twilight.

Bai Heng watched that direction for a moment, then turned her head to look toward the forest on the other side.

A voice suddenly came from the forest.

“Little White sister returned and did not even tell me a word.”

Bai Heng simply looked in that direction.

Mu Xuejun stepped out from behind a clump of bushes, white clothes and long sword, tall and graceful, smiling as she looked at her.

“Not coming to find me to play — are you afraid I will delay something for you?”

Bai Heng looked at her, a trace of helplessness rising in her heart.

This big cat.

Mu Xuejun smiled.

“You sensed it early on, did you not? You sensed it yet wanted to see when you would come find me. Clearly you knew long ago, yet you waited an entire day and only cared about talking with that youth.”

She sat down beside Bai Heng and carefully looked her over.

“You lost weight.”

Bai Heng’s tail paused.

Mu Xuejun spoke half-jokingly.

“Could it be that these past six months you missed us so much you could not eat?”

Bai Heng said flatly.

“No. These past six months my heart held only breakthrough and cultivation.”

Mu Xuejun looked at her and suddenly laughed aloud.

“You this little fox are becoming less and less interesting.”

She laughed for a while, then her expression gradually grew serious.

“Still, focusing on cultivation is the right thing to do.”

She paused.

“Quite a few newcomers have arrived in the village. Some of them are not easy to deal with.”

Bai Heng’s ears twitched slightly.

Mu Xuejun did not elaborate. She simply patted Bai Heng’s head.

“Late at night, go to the usual place.”

Bai Heng nodded.

Mu Xuejun stood up and stretched lazily.

“All right, I am heading back. That Miss Lu from the Lu family should be waiting for Xu Cheng at the village entrance again right about now.”

When she said this her tone carried a trace of mischievous amusement.

Bai Heng looked at her.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself quite a bit.”

Mu Xuejun smiled.

“Life in this world — is it not just about finding some joy?”

She waved at Bai Heng and turned to walk down the mountain.

After a few steps she looked back again.

“Oh, that pink one looks quite good. Qin Yu that girl has decent taste.”

Finished speaking, she left with a smile.

Bai Heng squatted on the rock, lowered her head, and looked at the light pink spring shirt she was wearing.

She gently flicked her tail.

Night gradually deepened and moonlight filled the mountain forest.

Bai Heng squatted at the entrance of the rock cave and gazed at the village below the mountain.

Dots of lamplight — many more and much brighter than half a year ago.

The newly built inn and shops all hung lanterns that stood out especially clearly in the darkness.

She watched for a while, stored the game Qin Yun had given her into her spiritual consciousness, and turned to walk back into the cave.

There was still business in the latter half of the night.

She lay down on the dead leaves, half-closed her eyes, and waited quietly.