Ning Caichen tried repeatedly to surface from the bathtub, but each time Xiaoqian gently pushed him back under. Sensing his growing need for air, she took a deep breath and dove down to share it with him, their lips meeting briefly in the murky water.
More than ten minutes passed before Xiaoqian finally allowed him to emerge, only after she was certain the tree demon grandmother and Xiaoqing had truly departed.
"Miss Xiaoqian, I..." Ning Caichen immediately turned his back and moved to the far side of the pavilion as soon as he surfaced. Though visibility in the water had been poor, he'd still glimpsed more than propriety allowed. More importantly, squeezed together in the confined space, he'd inadvertently touched things he shouldn't have.
"Master Ning, there's no need to apologize," Xiaoqian said softly, quickly donning her robes before placing her delicate hand over his mouth. "Please don't feel guilty."
"But I—"
"Master Ning, there is no 'but.' Xiaoqian is not human, but rather... a ghost." She hoped this revelation would ease his conscience.
"Miss Xiaoqian, I actually already knew you were a ghost," Ning Caichen replied, surprising her completely.
"Since you know what I am, why did you still come here tonight?" Xiaoqian's voice carried a note of resentful confusion.
"Miss Xiaoqian, even if you are a ghost, you're a good ghost. To be honest, I came here tonight as part of a plan to draw the snake from its hole..."
Ning Caichen proceeded to explain the strategy he and Gustave had devised.
"But why didn't your friends appear when grandmother came tonight?" Xiaoqian asked with concern. "They wanted to use you to catch the big fish, the tree demon grandmother, but she stayed here for so long without any sign of them. Weren't you in pointless danger?"
"I don't understand why Brother Gustave and the others haven't acted yet," Ning Caichen admitted, equally puzzled.
"By the way, Miss Xiaoqian, I heard the tree demon say you're to marry the Black Mountain Demon in three days?" For Ning Caichen, his friends' absence was a minor concern compared to Xiaoqian's impending fate.
"Xiaoqian has lived a miserable life," she began, her voice trembling. "I was murdered by bandits and buried beside the tree demon's roots. Since then, I've been under her control, forced to do terrible things. Recently, the Black Mountain Demon passed through this area, took a fancy to me, and demanded that I be given to him in marriage."
She covered her face with her sleeves and began to sob. Even in death, she could find no peace.
"Miss Xiaoqian, don't despair! I swear I'll rescue you from both the tree demon grandmother and the Black Mountain Demon!" Ning Caichen declared passionately, his heart aching for her suffering.
"Master Ning, please leave immediately! Go as far away as possible," Xiaoqian pleaded urgently. "You can't defeat them. Even if your Brother Gustave and his companions possess great skills, they're no match for the Black Mountain Old Demon. You have no idea how powerful he is!"
She didn't want to drag Ning Caichen down because of her troubles. Though they'd met only twice, she'd already fallen in love with this somewhat naive but incredibly kind scholar.
"Miss Xiaoqian, you must believe me, and believe in Brother Gustave and the others. Brother Gustave possesses tremendous magical power - he can definitely defeat the Black Mountain Demon!" Ning Caichen didn't fully comprehend the demon's strength, but he was certain Gustave and his companions could handle any threat. After all, he knew Gustave's master was a legendary sage.
"Master Ning..." Xiaoqian started to argue further, but a rooster's crow pierced the pre-dawn air.
"Master Ning, I'll come see you tomorrow night." With those parting words, she vanished, and the Water Residence immediately returned to its daytime state of ruin and decay.
Ning Caichen sighed heavily, gathered his belongings, and departed the desolate location.
When he returned to Lanruo Temple, he heard voices inside - Gustave and his companions had returned. He hurried in eagerly.
"Brothers, the tree demon appeared tonight! Why didn't you show yourselves?" Ning Caichen asked with obvious frustration.
"Brother Ning, please be patient and let me explain," Gustave said calmly.
"Very well, Brother Gustave."
"When we were preparing to act tonight, we overheard the tree demon grandmother mention a name - the Black Mountain Demon..." Gustave proceeded to explain their plan to eliminate the Black Mountain Demon in three days.
"Excellent!" Ning Caichen exclaimed with relief. He'd been wondering how to tell Gustave and the others about the Black Mountain Old Demon. After all, even if they killed the tree demon, Xiaoqian would still be trapped under another master's control. Now that Gustave had decided to eliminate the Black Mountain Old Demon, Xiaoqian could achieve complete freedom.
His earlier resentment evaporated completely.
Time passed swiftly, and soon night fell again. Because the tree demon wanted both the Black Mountain Demon and Gustave's group to suffer mutual losses, she deliberately created an opening that allowed Xiaoqian to slip away and seek out Ning Caichen.
"Master Ning! Master Ning!" Xiaoqian called softly from outside Lanruo Temple, not daring to enter rashly.
Ning Caichen, who had been warming himself by the fire, leaped up with joy and rushed outside.
"Miss Xiaoqian!" His face lit up at the sight of her.
"Master Ning, Xiaoqian came to persuade you to leave immediately. The Black Mountain Old Demon is truly formidable - even my grandmother doesn't dare provoke him..."
She began to explain the dangers involved, hoping to convince him to flee, but Ning Caichen had already made his decision. He interrupted gently:
"Xiaoqian, may I call you that?"
She nodded.
"Then you don't need to address me so formally. Just call me Caichen."
"Xiaoqian, come inside with me." He took her hand and began leading her toward the temple.
"Caichen, what are you doing?"
"Xiaoqian, you'll understand if you come with me."
Rather than answering her question, Ning Caichen continued pulling her deeper into the temple. After navigating several turns, they reached a particular room. He opened the door.
"Ah!" Xiaoqian gasped in shock. Four men sat inside, yet she hadn't sensed their presence at all when she'd entered the temple grounds. Clearly, all of them were accomplished cultivators.
"Xiaoqian, don't be afraid. These four are my dear friends - they won't harm you," Ning Caichen assured her.
"Caichen?" She looked at him uncertainly.
"Miss Xiaoqian, please come in. We mean you no harm," Gustave said kindly.
Xiaoqian studied Ning Caichen's expression, finding only steady determination in his eyes. Choosing to trust him, she stepped into the room.
"Miss Xiaoqian, Brother Ning has told us about your situation with the tree demon grandmother and the Black Mountain Demon. I asked you here because I have a proposal to discuss with you."
Xiaoqian remained silent but nodded for him to continue.
"The four of us plan to ambush the Black Mountain Demon on the night he comes to marry you, and eliminate this demon king who's been terrorizing the region. For this plan to work, we need your cooperation. You must behave normally over the next few days without revealing any suspicious behavior. Simply wait quietly for the wedding ceremony."
Gustave's voice grew more intense. "When the underworld passage opens wide and the Black Mountain Demon emerges, we'll strike to destroy him."
The plan was elegantly simple - another fishing strategy, using Xiaoqian as bait to lure out the Black Mountain Old Demon. None of them knew how to enter the underworld unless their target came to them voluntarily.
"But that Black Mountain Demon..." Xiaoqian's voice carried deep concern about whether Gustave and his companions could truly defeat such a powerful enemy. Over the years, quite a few skilled cultivators had perished at the Black Mountain Old Demon's hands.
"Miss Xiaoqian, I understand your worries. Please observe!"
A ball of crackling lightning materialized in Gustave's palm, dancing back and forth with barely contained energy. While Ning Caichen might not fully grasp its significance, Xiaoqian could clearly sense the terrifying power contained within.
"Xiaoqian understands. She will definitely help you eliminate the Black Mountain Demon!" All her concerns vanished in that instant.