"Sister Bai Zhi, why didn't you wake me when you got up!"
Just as it was admiring the moonlit night of this foreign land, a slightly trembling call entered Bai Zhi's heart.
Though that voice feigned calmness, it couldn't hide the joy, shyness, and nervousness that nearly spilled over.
A speck of golden light flickered twice and arrived beside Bai Zhi. In one leap, it landed atop its head and refused to budge, merely rubbing lightly with its scales.
"Silly Bai Tian, long time no see." Bai Zhi's tone was casual—though it had only been seven days, really.
"Huh? Sister Bai Zhi, you're not chasing me off?" Bai Huahua suddenly realized, pleasantly surprised.
"Fine, then get off."
"I don't wanna."
"Then just this once."
"Okay~"
After the little snake cheerfully agreed, she didn't move at all, and didn't speak either.
"Why did you go quiet?"
The little snake was silent for a moment, then said in a silly, innocent voice, "I... just being close to Big Sister like this makes me really happy."
"If I talk to Sister Bai Zhi, I won't be able to focus on feeling it."
"..." Bai Zhi was momentarily stunned into a wry smile.
Right, there was still an account to settle with this silly little sweetheart...
It said sternly, "Let me ask you—didn't I tell you to watch over the little ones and not come back?"
Bai Huahua rolled about on the spider's body. "But I sensed that Big Sister was in danger. And that human Big Sister trusts came to take the little ones away—that's when I came back."
For Lin Binbin to find the exit of the underground river based on the spider familiars' senses wasn't difficult at all.
"Hmph. So disobedient. Do you believe I'll punish you?" Bai Zhi's words suddenly turned cold, brimming with threat.
"Big Sister can punish me. I don't regret it." The little snake acted as if boiling water couldn't scald her, utterly unafraid of electroshock therapy.
Crackle!
A faint blue-violet electric arc abruptly zapped across the little golden-white snake's smooth body.
"It hurts..." The little snake's eyes welled with tears, looking pitiful and wronged.
Bai Zhi silently rolled its eyes. The power of that arc just now was clearly no different from a light flick on your forehead, all right?
What kind of injury are you trying to fake here?
You should be thanking me, not complaining.
Just as it was about to increase the severity of the punishment,
Bai Zhi suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.
Not because the drowsiness had returned—it was hunger.
'Satiety' had plummeted to 30%!
Forcibly suppressing the urge to treat Bai Huahua as emergency rations, Bai Zhi jumped down from the valley peak and returned to the courtyard.
This courtyard had been specially prepared for it by Yang Shining and was staffed with a maidservant living in a side room. The maidservant handled the courtyard's logistics and served as a messenger between Bai Zhi and Yang Shining. When Yang Shining wasn't around, it could go to the maidservant first.
And if Bai Zhi didn't summon her, the maidservant wouldn't come out to disturb it.
Within the courtyard was a small pavilion. On the stone table inside the pavilion were fruits and sweets, prepared as instructed for Bai Zhi's consumption.
It was worth noting that ordinary venomous insects and Gu creatures now had virtually no effect on Bai Zhi's Vitality improvement. At most, the effect was negligible. Bai Zhi had discovered this as early as after completing its sixth evolution.
"Eh? I think the Holy Maiden sister is here." Bai Huahua suddenly said.
Gorging itself on the food, Bai Zhi had long since sensed Yang Shining's arrival.
"H-Holy Maiden... sister? Who taught you that form of address..."
"It was the Holy Maiden sister herself."
You, Yang Shining, have no shame, constantly pinning the "Holy Maiden" label on yourself. As someone who's received a modern college education, don't you feel embarrassed at all... Bai Zhi grumbled silently.
As the Holy Maiden, Yang Shining normally had no sect affairs to handle. Naturally, she also lived within the Saintess's mansion, and her living quarters were adjacent to Bai Zhi's courtyard. Wang Miaoyin was also in Yang Shining's quarters.
Bai Huahua, having been here for seven days, had already gotten quite familiar with Yang Shining. The reasons included, of course, the tasty treats Yang Shining provided to deliberately curry favor, as well as the aura around her that easily drew demonic creatures close.
"All right, go off to the side. The adults need to discuss serious matters." Bai Zhi said righteously.
"But..."
Bai Huahua had just been about to say she hadn't eaten her fill yet when the spider gave a kicking leg, sending her sliding with a whoosh into the water-filled stone vat outside the pavilion, scaring the koi inside into turning belly-up.
She would never have imagined that the aloof, noble Sister Bai Zhi in her eyes would find such an excuse just to guard its food.
Yang Shining, carrying a bundle of things, stepped into the pavilion.
"Lord Bai Zhi, I've brought you some of the Jiuli Sect's scriptures suitable for demonic creatures to cultivate." Saying this, Yang Shining placed several jade slips on the stone table.
"I understand."
Bai Zhi responded, its mouth never stopping. The hunger made it no longer care about maintaining its image in Yang Shining's eyes.
"What is the stance of your Jiuli Sect's elders?" Bai Zhi asked.
Yang Shining nodded. "The Council of Elders is all aware that I brought you into the grotto-heaven and didn't press further. Of course, they don't have the authority to press me further anyway. By the sect's rules, Holy Sons and Holy Maidens answer only to the Sect Master."
The Jiuli Sect's internal hierarchy, from lowest to highest, was divided into: ordinary disciples, Spirit Officers, Protectors, Elders, Holy Sons/Holy Maidens, and the Sect Master.
Among them, even the lowest-ranking ordinary disciples could cultivate the Jiuli Sect's methods and possess weak Transcendent abilities—but they couldn't command demonic creatures or Gu insects. They generally served as the basic logistical personnel of the Jiuli Grotto-Heaven, such as the maidservant serving Bai Zhi.
Only those at the rank of Spirit Officer and above could command Gu and demonic creatures. Or rather, only those capable of commanding demonic creatures and Gu could be promoted.
According to Yang Shining, the number of Spirit Officers and Protectors within the sect exceeded a thousand—truly a major sect.
What was interesting was that half of the Elders were shapeshifted demonic creatures with profound, unfathomable power. This made Bai Zhi entertain the thought of wanting to meet them—to see if there were any fox-eared girls, wolf girls, cat-eared girls, and the like.
As for the Holy Son, who held equal status with Yang Shining, he was not in the grotto-heaven. He seemed to have gone out to train in the world and hadn't returned for several years.
Seeing Bai Zhi remain silent, Yang Shining said, "Lord Bai Zhi, please rest assured. You may continue resting here as long as you wish. Even if the Sect Master emerges from closed-door cultivation, I will explain to him."
As if I'd be afraid of him... Bai Zhi thought. Wait—in my current state, I actually am a little afraid. Who knows how long it'll take to recover to my full strength.
"Mm. We'll stay like this for now. Tomorrow, I'll leave your mansion and take a stroll around Autumn Mountain."
"Shall I accompany you? I could also guide you around." Yang Shining's eyes lit up, a hint of anticipation in her voice.
"No need!" Bai Zhi refused outright.
I still can't accept walking alongside a person right now. One reason is that my perspective is too low...
It feels very undignified. Who knows, someone might think you're walking me on a leash...
Even now, it had to stand on the stone table just to meet Yang Shining's eyes directly.