Volume Two. Chapter Two: Demons and Monsters

Since the pond was closest, Bing was the first to lead his martial aunt straight toward the divine turtle. Yet, upon reaching the water's edge, they saw no sign of the creature. Bing hurriedly called out in a loud voice, "Brother Turtle! Brother Turtle! Please come out for a moment!"

After quite some time, ripples appeared on the surface, and the divine turtle slowly floated up. It gazed lazily at Bing and Daoist Xifeng.

"Brother Turtle, this is my martial aunt, Daoist Xifeng!" Bing desperately winked at the turtle, fearful it might say something outrageous.

"Not bad, little chubby," the turtle replied with a yawn, then sank right back down.

"Hey, Brother Turtle!" Bing was instantly flustered.

"Let it be," Daoist Xifeng was unconcerned.

"Oh..." Though Bing found it odd, he dared not ask further and promptly led his martial aunt toward the courtyard where Hanyu and Meiniang resided.

Before they even entered, Daoist Xifeng frowned deeply—the demonic aura here was overwhelming. Entering the east wing, they found the seven-tailed fox curled up on the bed. At the sight of Daoist Xifeng, Meiniang involuntarily trembled; this person was like an immortal descended from the heavens, so pure and reserved that even her modest attire could not conceal her otherworldly air.

"Miss Mei! This is my martial aunt, Daoist Xifeng!" Bing hurried to the bedside. Meiniang tried to rise but found her limbs powerless; after two failed attempts, she could only collapse back down.

"Greetings, Master’s Wife! I am injured and cannot properly salute—please forgive me!" Meiniang lifted her forepaw in a futile attempt at courtesy.

"Don't talk nonsense! She's my martial aunt!" Bing turned pale with fright. Meiniang was mortified, wishing she could slap her own mouth—how could she have called her Master’s Wife? Cultivators of the righteous path never marry!

"Hmph! You vile fox spirit, full of wicked deeds, and now you dare spew nonsense before me!" Daoist Xifeng, incensed, raised her hand to strike.

"Martial aunt, please don’t!" Bing quickly grabbed her sleeve.

"I'm sorry, Daoist! It was a slip of the tongue, not meant as any insult. I know my sins are great—you would be justified in whatever you do to me. Even if you kill me, I would utter no word of complaint," Meiniang said calmly. From the day she arrived, she had been prepared for this outcome.

"At least you know your own guilt," Daoist Xifeng glared and pressed a finger to her forehead. Meiniang squeezed her eyes shut in terror.

"Martial aunt..." Bing cried out.

"What are you shouting for, you wretched disciple? Not only did you give your master's elixirs to this demon, you even dare disobey your martial aunt for her sake!" Daoist Xifeng suddenly turned, scolding him so harshly that Bing fell to his knees with a thud.

"Daoist, it’s all my fault! It’s all my fault! He only gave me the medicine when he saw I was dying, and since then, I have harmed no living thing! My life is forfeit—please, do not punish him for my sake!" Meiniang pressed her fox head to the ground, kowtowing desperately. Daoist Xifeng’s expression softened; she thought, This demoness even dares to take responsibility—perhaps Bing was not wrong to pity her.

"Hmph! You demon! Today, I’ll spare you this once, for your courage to own your misdeeds. But if you ever commit evil again, I’ll see your soul scattered to the winds!" Daoist Xifeng said coldly.

"Thank you, Daoist! Thank you! I will truly change for the better!" Meiniang was overjoyed; she never expected such mercy.

"You’re lucky to have met this chubby one and taken my immortal pill—otherwise, your fate would have been sealed! Mind your future!" Daoist Xifeng finished with a light smack to Bing’s forehead. "Why are you still kneeling?" Bing bounced to his feet.

Hanyu lived in the western wing opposite. Though she saw Daoist Xifeng arrive, she paid no heed, lying curled on her bed with eyes closed. If not for the old Daoist tying her fate to this fat boy, she would never have landed in such misery. Daoist Xifeng knew her stubborn nature and took no offense. She stepped forward to touch Hanyu’s forehead, but Hanyu turned away at once.

"Must I really chant a spell to check you?" Daoist Xifeng said angrily.

"Miss Yu, just let martial aunt take a look," Bing pleaded.

"It’s all your fault!" Hanyu grumbled, but she no longer resisted.

"Oh heavens! The lifesaving pills I gave you, you handed them out as gifts!" Daoist Xifeng was truly angry now.

"Martial aunt, she was injured saving me; how could I let her die?" Bing pleaded.

"You think I wanted to take them? He forced them on me! I’ll return them—just kill me already!" Hanyu cried.

"Enough..." Daoist Xifeng raised her hand again.

"Martial aunt, you were the one who bound me to her! If she dies, the bond is broken—wouldn’t that be defying you?" Bing replied slyly.

"So now it’s my fault?" Daoist Xifeng smacked Bing on the forehead.

"I wouldn’t dare!" Bing stuck out his tongue.

"Isn’t there one more?" Daoist Xifeng turned and left the room. Bing hurried after her.

"You little chub! How generous of you, handing out precious elixirs like sweets! No wonder you sounded awkward at the pavilion—you were hiding the truth from your martial aunt!" Daoist Xifeng twisted Bing’s ear as soon as they left the west wing.

"Martial aunt, I know you care for me! I ate all your pills, and you even gave me two more for protection. But I gave them all away and feel terribly guilty about it. When I mentioned giving one to Meiniang, I saw you weren’t pleased and dared not say more for fear of upsetting you. I truly meant no deception," Bing explained earnestly.

"Sigh. Once given, they’re yours to use as you see fit. I’m just angry you gave one to a demon. Still, she seems genuinely repentant; if that’s so, the pill was not wasted. Come, you’ve none left to give that sparrow demon anyway," Daoist Xifeng sighed.

Hongqin was confined in the largest main hall. It was embarrassing—Hanyu and Meiniang both wanted the main house but refused to share, so after a heated quarrel, they settled in the east and west wings, leaving the main hall for Hongqin by default. At the sight of Daoist Xifeng, Hongqin felt a chill; she didn’t know this person, but her righteous aura was intimidating. Things were looking grim—her cultivation in jeopardy, her very life now uncertain.

"Martial aunt, this is the demon sparrow," Bing pointed to the caged Hongqin.

Without a word, Daoist Xifeng went to the cage and pressed a finger to Hongqin’s forehead. Hongqin did not flinch, only closed her eyes. After a moment, Daoist Xifeng withdrew her hand, and Hongqin opened her eyes in confusion.

"Why choose the path of a demon?" Daoist Xifeng stared at her. Hongqin was taken aback.

"Martial aunt, she really is bad—she harmed many Daoist friends and even rode on my back..." Bing stopped himself mid-sentence, regretting it instantly.

"Then why bring her back?" Daoist Xifeng struggled not to laugh.

"I never meant to take her. She was gravely wounded—barely alive and no threat. But Miss Zhao insisted I bring her!" Bing muttered.

"That chubby girl?"

"Yes! And later I realized she was right—if the old demon returned and rescued her, she might wreak havoc again. Better to bring her back for you to judge than leave her corpse for the wilds."

"My judgment is no longer the point," Daoist Xifeng said thoughtfully, glancing at Hongqin.

After leaving the annex, Bing escorted Daoist Xifeng to the main hall. Hongkun and the others had long heard of her arrival but, seeing her engaged in conversation with Bing, dared not interrupt and waited outside.

"Greetings, martial aunt!" At the first glimpse of Daoist Xifeng, the disciples all knelt in unison.

"Rise," Daoist Xifeng waved them up and strode into the main hall, with Hongkun and the rest following close behind.

First, Hongkun reported all they had learned on their journey and recounted their search for Bing. Daoist Xifeng's face darkened—her two senior brothers had managed to lose a junior! If not for the company, she would have scolded them harshly. Hongkun noted her displeasure and was deeply uneasy, knowing he had failed as an elder brother. Thankfully, Bing, apart from gluttony, had done nothing to disgrace their sect. One could say, at worst, he had gathered a troupe of spirits and monsters; at best, he had subdued demons and converted a fox spirit from evil to good. Had he turned out like Ruzhen’s line, Hongkun would never have faced their master again.

After hearing Hongkun’s account, Daoist Xifeng shared her own findings. She had searched the mountains and visited every immortal’s abode but found no trace of Daoist Menghong. The only clue was word of a strange Daoist by the Luo River, but her investigation yielded nothing. Still, she was confident their master was not in mortal danger.

Afterward, Hongkun asked Daoist Xifeng for guidance on their next steps. She advised a period of rest and regrouping. Clearly, finding their master would not be a quick matter, and their cultivation should not be neglected. Better to wait and see how events unfolded before making further plans. The others readily agreed, all hoping Daoist Xifeng would remain as their anchor. She herself intended to stay, so she decided to reside at Banyue Mound for a few days.

With her arrival, discipline returned at once. Each morning, the disciples rose early to recite incantations and practice talisman writing, spent the mornings in meditation and study, and the afternoons in energy cultivation and alchemy—busy from dawn to dusk. Though it was hard work, their resolve to rescue their master left them without complaint.

Daoist Xifeng was especially attentive to Bing. She inquired closely into his studies and, hearing him rattle off methods of heaven, earth, and man in no particular order, furrowed her brow—her senior brother’s madness seemed to grow worse. She knew well he taught by separating the arts, and Bing had learned everything backwards and jumbled. Yet, against all odds, he was alive, and had even managed to muddle through every danger. Remembering how he survived both the Chaos and Primordial elixirs, Daoist Xifeng marveled: Truly, fate led her brother to take this disciple.

Determined, she began helping Bing organize his knowledge, but soon found he simply could not focus. When asked how his mad master had taught him, Bing blushed furiously before confessing that he learned while eating. Though Daoist Xifeng was skeptical, she tried giving him two baked buns. To her astonishment, it worked—what he once could not memorize, he now recited flawlessly; what he failed to understand, he now grasped with ease. Daoist Xifeng was left speechless with surprise.

Perhaps out of respect for his martial aunt, Bing studied with unprecedented diligence. In just over ten days, he caught up to his peers. Daoist Xifeng was gratified and full of praise, but Bing’s main concern was still for Hanyu and Meiniang. He pestered his martial aunt for a remedy, and at last, worn down by his persistence, she instructed him to gather some celestial herbs from Banyue Mound and prepared medicinal decoctions for Hanyu and Meiniang.

"In the future, whatever wrongs they commit will be your responsibility as well—are you prepared for that?" Daoist Xifeng warned him meaningfully. Bing nodded silently.

Sure enough, within days, Hanyu and Meiniang improved markedly. Though not yet able to run or jump, their spirits brightened each day. The two constantly pestered Bing to take them out, and, at his wits’ end, he finally prepared two baskets and carried them out whenever he could. At first, they enjoyed the scenery, but quickly grew bored and insisted on visiting the divine turtle. Thus began daily uproar at the pond with a turtle, a rabbit, and a fox bickering endlessly. With one voice against two, the turtle inevitably lost and would dive in frustration.

As for Hongqin, her condition worsened by the day, eating less and less. Each time Bing saw her, he was tempted to share some medicine, but remembering his martial aunt’s warning—and knowing she could not be saved—he always refrained.