Volume One, Chapter Thirty-Four: The Green Hills Keep Their Firewood

“Junior Sister? Junior Sister?” As soon as the ropes were untied by the divine tortoise, Qi Yuanxiao anxiously called out Zhao Lingyao’s name. He didn’t know how to perform soul projection, but he understood that if her soul couldn’t return, it would be the end!

“Senior Brother... I’m here...” came the plump girl’s voice from the ground beside the red zither.

“How are you, Miss Zhao?” Yibing hurried over.

“I’m fine! Quick, check on Miss Mei and Miss Jade!” The plump girl panted heavily.

Yibing rushed towards the now visible Mei Niang and Han Yu. The seven-tailed fox and the little white rabbit lay curled up, eyes tightly shut, motionless. Yibing felt their breaths—weak, but steady enough. Scattered nearby were various objects, including the jade bangles and the demon mirror. He quickly gathered them, tucking them safely away for the time being.

“Fix that tail...” the seven-tailed fox murmured feebly. Yibing then noticed a fox tail drooping behind the white rabbit; he picked it up and stashed it as well.

“I wonder if it can still be reattached...” Mei Niang muttered.

“How could it not be?” Yibing asked, puzzled.

The seven-tailed fox forced a bitter smile. “Go and make that demoness tell us the transformation method first!”

Yibing turned, seeing Red Qin glaring viciously, panting heavily. Remembering how she had ridden him up the mountain, anger surged, and he strode over, demanding, “Tell me, how do I turn them back?”

“You can kill me, but I won’t say a word!” Red Qin spat, her body becoming increasingly translucent.

“If you don’t, I’ll...” Yibing made a gesture as if to choke her.

“Go ahead!” Red Qin braced herself heroically.

“Smash it!” Han Yu’s voice, barely audible, suddenly broke through—she had regained consciousness.

Red Qin’s expression changed instantly. Without hesitation, Yibing shattered the ‘Sheep-Eating Mirror’ against the ground. Red Qin opened her mouth in panic, and in that moment, transformed into a small red-beaked sparrow.

Hong Kun was the first to react! Sensitive to plump figures, the sudden appearance of the plump girl alerted him that all the sheep in the pen had reverted to human form. Without waiting for the female demons guarding them to react, Hong Kun and Jin Guishan leapt forward, quickly subduing them.

“Let’s rescue Yibing and the others first!” Jin Guishan, worried about his junior sister’s soul, consulted Hong Kun.

“But they...” Hong Kun looked at the people in the sheep pen with concern. Except for a few like Xuan Shan, most were still dazed, especially Ruzhen, who remained lost and lifeless. Some couldn’t even stand. These people couldn’t fight, or perhaps not even walk out on their own.

“Junior Sister, you stay here with a few others and help Xuan Shan protect them! We...” Jin Guishan’s words were cut off as several female demons rushed in.

After a brief silence, alarm whistles sounded. Knowing they’d been exposed, Hong Kun and the others confronted the intruders. Though they had no weapons, their magic was more than enough to deal with the demons. However, more and more female demons poured in. To protect the helpless companions, they retreated into the sheep pen. Whips turned to serpents, writhing like arrows, striking into the pen. Hong Kun and Jin Guishan dodged expertly, but the defenseless companions were repeatedly bitten and entangled. Hong Kun grew anxious, quickly reciting incantations and drawing a circle around the sheep pen to ward off the demons.

“I wasn’t mistaken, was I? Cough... That night outside Yuan Cave, and again outside Sun-Moon Temple’s window, I saw that little red-beaked sparrow—it’s this little temptress!” Mei Niang coughed and tried to stand, but her forelegs gave out and she collapsed.

“Better to stay put!” Hong Peng advised. They had been restored to their original forms; their cultivation likely destroyed. Survival was luck enough.

“Not long left anyway...” Mei Niang laughed bleakly, turning to Han Yu. “But at least I have this little temptress for company!”

“Bah... cough... I’d rather die than be with... an old temptress like you...” Han Yu struggled to catch her breath.

“Don’t say that... We can all survive...” The plump girl’s voice came from beside Red Qin.

“Junior Sister, can you still move?” Qi Yuanxiao asked urgently.

“...I can’t move... Take my body out first, let me recover, and I’ll come find you...” Her soul was clearly immobilized.

“What are you saying? I’ll bring your body right over...” Qi Yuanxiao started to rush out, but Hong Peng pulled him back.

“Don’t act impulsively! First, we don’t know if everyone has truly reverted to human form. If not, you’ll face them alone—far too dangerous. Second, if the old demon returns, we may not be able to protect everyone. Better we move together!” Hong Peng explained calmly.

“You’re right! But how do I bring my junior sister’s soul out? I can’t leave her here alone. If...” Qi Yuanxiao conceded.

“Yes, if the old demon comes back... she can see Miss Zhao’s soul!” Yibing interjected, reminding everyone of the demon’s earlier threat to destroy the plump girl’s soul.

“You’re the best, plump girl! I’ll take you out!” The divine tortoise slowly crawled over to the red-beaked sparrow.

“You can take her soul out?” Everyone gaped in disbelief.

“Hmph! I’m a divine tortoise—what can’t I do? Come, climb on slowly!” The tortoise beckoned as if it could see her.

“You can see her?” Han Yu’s ears perked.

“Shut up! Can’t see! Can’t see!” The tortoise shook its head evasively.

“Divine Tortoise, then I...” The plump girl was both startled and delighted.

“Hurry up! Hurry!” The tortoise urged impatiently.

Everyone held their breath; the palace was so quiet a pin drop could be heard. After a moment, the tortoise began crawling again, Yibing instinctively following, but was forced to circle as the tortoise moved round and round.

“Hey! Plump one, why are you hiding? I want you to carry me!” the tortoise called out, exasperated.

“Huh? Oh, right!” Yibing realized, “Wait a moment! I need to find something to carry Miss Mei and Miss Jade together!” He ran to the bedside jade table, spotting a three-tiered pastry box of suitable size.

He emptied the pastries; each layer fit the tortoise and the rabbit, but was a bit small for the seven-tailed fox. He grabbed a silk curtain, returned, and assembled his cargo.

“I want the top!” The tortoise demanded as soon as it was placed in the box.

“Alright, alright!” Yibing placed Han Yu in the box, gesturing to her. Han Yu had no energy to spar with the tortoise.

“Brother Mu, take the sparrow too!” The plump girl said suddenly.

“Junior Sister! That demoness...” Qi Yuanxiao protested.

“She’s so kind-hearted!” the tortoise muttered.

“Alright!” Yibing obediently placed the red-beaked sparrow in the third box.

“Miss Mei, the box is too small; you’ll have to settle for being tied outside.” Yibing stacked the boxes, then wrapped the seven-tailed fox with the silk and secured her atop, to prevent her from slipping.

“Hehe, being above the divine tortoise is wonderful!” Mei Niang chuckled, making the tortoise push at the box lid in annoyance.

Hong Peng led, Yibing in the middle, Qi Yuanxiao at the rear; the three opened the palace doors stealthily. The female demons outside were distracted, guarding against external threats, and were easily subdued. Hearing shouts outside, they knew everyone had reverted to human form, and felt relieved.

Arriving at the sheep pen, they saw a hundred female demons surrounding it, but unable to enter, as if blocked by an invisible wall.

“Senior Brother set up a demon ward!” Hong Peng whispered.

“Oh, right!” Yibing recalled their master’s scrolls mentioning such wards.

“Stand back!” Inspired by the ward, Hong Peng recited an incantation, waved his hands, and conjured a wall of fire, pushing it forward. The female demons screamed and retreated, fearing their faces would be burned.

“Follow me!” Hong Kun led everyone out of the sheep pen to join Hong Peng.

“Let’s retreat to the back hall first!” Hong Peng, holding off the demons, called out.

“Brother, this way!” Qi Yuanxiao led, Hong Kun followed with the others.

Passing an iron door, the tortoise shouted, “Weapons are inside! Weapons are inside!” They burst in, finding their weapons piled high. With weapons, their advantage grew. Though Hong Peng’s fire wall weakened, Xuan Shan and others joined the fight, quickly gaining the upper hand, but with many wounded, they dared not press the attack, falling into a stalemate.

“There’s another door at the back!” the tortoise called out.

“Withdraw first!” Hong Kun glanced at Xuan Shan, who nodded. The group fought and retreated, following the tortoise’s directions, turning left and right, soon reaching a door identical to the main entrance. The female demons guarding it fled at the sight of their numbers.

“Block them!” Hong Kun instructed Hong Peng while reciting an incantation. Hong Peng conjured a fire wall, desperately keeping the pursuing demons at bay. Seizing the moment, Hong Kun drew a semicircle in front of the door, then led everyone out. The female demons, cursing loudly, were trapped outside the ward, powerless to pursue.

Outside Qingyin Palace, sunlight bathed them, and it was a while before they could open their eyes. Looking closely, they found themselves atop the western peak of Yin-Yang Mountain, with Sun-Moon Temple visible below. Without delay, they hurried down the mountain toward Sun-Moon Temple. Upon entering, they found it deserted. Not daring to linger, they hurried through the valley, moving away from Yin-Yang Mountain. After running several miles, with no pursuers in sight, they stopped at a fork in the road.

“Brother Jin, everyone, gratitude needs no words. Let’s part ways here!” Xuan Shan said, cupping his hands in farewell.

“No need for thanks! Fellow cultivators should help each other,” Jin Guishan replied warmly.

“Alas... shameful...” Xuan Shan sighed, dragging the dazed Ruzhen along, leading his disciples away. The other sects also took their leave, and soon only Hong Kun’s group and Jin Guishan’s remained.

“Thank you, Divine Tortoise!” Hong Kun hurried to Yibing, addressing the pastry box. Without its guidance, their fate would have been uncertain.

“No need to thank me! It was the plump girl who told me what to say!” the tortoise admitted sheepishly. It had been whispering instructions from her all along.

“Plump girl?!” Hong Kun looked at the still dazed girl.

“It’s Miss Zhao’s soul! She’s resting on the tortoise’s back!” Hong Peng explained. Hong Kun was amazed—not only could the young girl project her soul, but the tortoise could carry it.

“Junior Sister, are you alright? Can you return on your own?” Jin Guishan pushed her body before Yibing.

“I’m alright! Please, Brother Mu, open the box!” Her voice was faint as silk. Jin Guishan frowned deeply.

“Certainly, Miss Zhao!” Yibing set the box down, unwrapped the seven-tailed fox and placed her gently on the ground, then took down the three boxes. With foxes, tortoises, rabbits, and sparrows all together, Hong Kun’s head nearly exploded, and Bi Yi’s face darkened.

“Divine Tortoise, please!” As soon as the tortoise was placed on the ground, the plump girl gently requested. The tortoise crawled to the foot of her body.

After a moment, the previously blank-faced plump girl’s eyes began to move, but her once rosy cheeks turned pale. He Lingchi hurried to support her.

“Brothers, we must take our leave. My junior sister’s soul is damaged—I must hurry her home for healing,” Jin Guishan, anxious, bid farewell to Hong Kun.

“Thank you for taking care of my junior brother, Brother Jin. I will certainly repay your kindness someday!” Hong Kun returned the salute.

“Miss Mei, Miss Jade, Divine Tortoise, until fate brings us together again! Brother Mu, farewell!” Though her soul had returned, the plump girl was clearly injured, barely able to walk.

“You...” Yibing was momentarily speechless.

Only when Jin Guishan and his group had disappeared did Yibing turn back in disappointment, only to find the other three staring at him.

“Senior Brother, Senior Brother, Senior Sister!” Yibing greeted them one by one, but they remained silent, all eyes shifting to the pastry box.

“Senior Brother, without Miss Mei, Miss Jade, and Divine Tortoise, I might never have seen you again! As for this demoness, we can’t just leave her in the wild, can we?” Yibing explained, understanding their thoughts.

“Let’s return to Banyue Dune first,” Hong Peng said, glancing at Hong Kun, who nodded reluctantly.