"Then... how about I have Nine-Tails accompany you?"
Yang Shining's chest pendant flashed, and the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox leaped out from within. Ever since Bai Zhi had reverted from its half-human form back to spider form, the black crystal pendant had been returned to Yang Shining.
According to Bai Zhi's memory, it was precisely thanks to the black crystal pendant that its physical body had been remolded and it had avoided being assimilated by the eerie purple light and falling into an endless eternal slumber.
"What use would this little... big fellow be following me around?"
Bai Zhi glanced at the aloof pink fox, its gaze inadvertently sweeping across the vast expanse of snow-white softness on Yang Shining's chest, and asked flatly.
In terms of size, the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox was more than just a little smaller than the spider.
"Nine-Tails might not be very powerful, but escorting you around Autumn Mountain is more than sufficient. Of course, I don't mean that Lord Bai Zhi couldn't handle the dangers on the mountain yourself. The main purpose is so you can stroll at ease, leaving the troublesome matters to Nine-Tails."
Only then did Bai Zhi reluctantly nod. "Mm, you've thought this through quite well."
"Mew woo woo..."
Thump!
The moment the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox lifted its head to voice its displeasure, Yang Shining rapped it sharply on the forehead.
The whimpering instantly stopped. Two snowy-white fox paws clutched its forehead as it sulked with grievance. Nine-Tails would never have imagined that its master would strike it over a spider.
Ever since its master had been injected with that bewitching liquid by the spider, the woman had acted as if she'd lost her soul, no longer cuddling and kissing it as she used to.
And now, to make matters worse, it had to serve that detestable spider!
Watching the pink fox get disciplined from the side, a strangely comfortable feeling welled up in Bai Zhi's heart...
That's what you get for baring your teeth at me!
...
After Yang Shining carried the fox away, Bai Zhi picked up the cultivation scripture jade slips she had brought and began reading.
Perhaps related to the 'Spirit-Devouring Body' talent, Bai Zhi quickly grasped the method of absorbing and circulating spiritual energy in a demonic creature's body. Combined with the Jiuli Grotto-Heaven's unique herbal resources for cultivation, it faintly felt that its Vitality had a trend of rising.
Truly miraculous. This way, it no longer needed to eat those venomous insects and Gu creatures, or devour spiritual essence, to advance.
However, once it left the grotto-heaven, this wouldn't work anymore.
Because the outside world's spiritual energy had declined, making it difficult for ordinary demonic creatures to improve normally. Instead, anomalies were reviving and mysteries were descending upon the human world—forming an extremely sharp contrast with this natural, ancient Jiuli Grotto-Heaven.
Spiritual energy was a unique, mystical substance within the Jiuli Grotto-Heaven—a highly condensed form of nature's spiritual essence. This differed from the outside world, where the spiritual energy content was so low as to be nearly negligible. This was precisely why the Jiuli Sect had taken root in the Jiuli Grotto-Heaven, developing rapidly and nurturing so many powerful demonic creatures.
Spiritual energy blazed like fierce flames within the demon spider's body.
This sensation persisted. Only after Bai Zhi had circulated its spiritual energy for over three hours did the Vitality value finally show a change—increasing by 1 point, reaching 700!
Bai Zhi even felt its progress was very slow. If Yang Shining or the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox knew this, they'd be jealous to death.
After all, when the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox first met Bai Zhi, its Vitality had been 108. Now it had only risen to 109.
Of course, in the Jiuli Sect's eyes, there was no such concept as "Vitality," but the change of this single point reflected a significant improvement in the purity and total amount of spiritual energy.
Bai Zhi cultivated a while longer, raising its Vitality to 701, but ultimately couldn't resist the overwhelming drowsiness surging from the depths of its soul, and once again fell into a deep, heavy slumber.
The next day, the sun rose as usual.
Bai Zhi left the Saintess's mansion—a little golden-white snake atop its head, a pink Nine-Tailed Fox trailing behind—and began its autumn excursion.
Autumn Mountain earned its name precisely because, unlike the verdant green of other peaks, it was dyed entirely in red across all its forests year-round.
Having been away from the wild for less than eight days, Bai Zhi once again stepped onto the soft black earth. The feeling was both familiar and dear.
The familiar sensation of stepping on something squishy. The dear scent of damp soil.
"Big Sister, I heard from S-Saintess... Sister Ning say there's a waterfall at the mountaintop. Shall we go see it together?" Bai Huahua was also very happy, though it was unclear whether it was because she could go out and play, or because she was with Bai Zhi.
Under Bai Zhi's forceful demand, Bai Huahua had dropped the "Holy Maiden" from her form of address for Yang Shining.
Because it didn't fit Bai Zhi's understanding of Yang Shining. Slapping both the labels "attendant" and "Holy Maiden" onto one woman was too jarring and contradictory.
"A waterfall at the mountaintop? Interesting. This mountain truly has marvelous sights everywhere."
Bai Zhi had no fixed route in mind, so it decided to follow Bai Huahua's suggestion and continue toward the summit. The path was covered in fallen leaves, the cliffs steep and the road slick, rugged and hard to traverse. But for the demon spider, this clearly posed no problem.
Light leaps, climbs, silk-spinning, gliding—all in one fluid motion.
Along the autumn-dyed mountain path, stones brushed against idle clouds, the breeze danced and brushed past the streams. Beside the path, clusters of wildflowers bloomed, their sunlit thickets shading the wild crossing. Thick shade, orioles singing and swallows chirping. No human voices could be heard, no human silhouettes seen—truly, visitors here were rare.
Nine-Tails was clearly very familiar with this place and effortlessly kept up with the spider and snake.
Though Nine-Tails said not a word the entire way, it dared not slack off, because being so alone in such close proximity to the demon spider, it still couldn't help but have some psychological trauma...
Back when it dared to show dissatisfaction toward the demon spider, that was only when its master was beside it...
"Sister Bai Zhi, can't we ditch this fox?" Bai Huahua suddenly transmitted in a secretive whisper.
"What's wrong?" The demon spider asked, puzzled.
Bai Huahua glanced at Nine-Tails. "Isn't it better with just me and Sister Bai Zhi together?"
Bai Zhi chuckled. "She's our bodyguard. Can't waste her."
Also, mainly, I'm afraid of getting lost... Bai Zhi silently added.
Since the Saintess's mansion was built at a high altitude, Bai Zhi's group arrived at the mountaintop before long. Following the sound of rushing water, they pushed aside layers of green leaves and branches and beheld a waterfall suspended against the sky.
The waterfall plunged from a hundred-meter-high cliff, its force tremendous, forming a surging river that plummeted straight into the valley bottom. The roaring of the current was deafening, yet not jarring. Instead, it gave Bai Zhi a soothing, calming sense of tranquility.
The upper rock face of the waterfall jutted forward, and from crevices in its midsection, over a dozen smaller waterfalls branched off. To the left of the waterfall, red leaves blanketed the landscape in a scene of elegant beauty. To the right, lush greenery flourished, brimming with vitality.
Peering down from the cliff's edge at the waterfall's plunge point, the valley-bottom lake churned and roiled, yet just a dozen zhang away from the waterfall, the lake's surface was as calm as a mirror.
No wonder Yang Shining had recommended Bai Huahua come here. Not only was the scenery of peerless beauty, but it also lifted the heart and spirit.
Even for an Eldritch creature like me, it offers considerable benefit. I can clearly feel the exhaustion deep in my soul easing somewhat... Bai Zhi thought, struck by realization.
The effect was even better than simply sleeping.
And moreover... within the lake water at the valley bottom, something seemed to be hidden.
It felt just like... spiritual essence?!