Late at night, the entire Spirit Stream Mountain was pitch black. Wind howled over the hills. All was silent—even birds and beasts made no sound.
In this darkness, Bai Xiaochun tied one of the blue ribbons around his arm and dashed forward at high speed toward the chicken pens. He weaved through the underbrush until he reached the area.
From a distance, he saw the chickens sleeping. A few wandered around. One was walking toward him.
Crouching in the grass, Bai Xiaochun licked his lips, waiting. As the chicken neared, he approached the fence and was about to pull out his bamboo cricket when suddenly he froze, sensing danger.
A low shout rang out behind him. Figures burst forth, and balls of flame lit up the night.
"You damned chicken thief, finally caught you!"
"We've waited days for this. There's no escape!"
Seven or eight disciples rushed at him, furious and determined to bring justice.
Bai Xiaochun froze in shock, then his eyes rolled and he straightened up calmly.
"Quiet! Keep your voices down!" he snapped, standing tall and showing off the ribbon on his arm.
Everyone was stunned.
"Look closely! I'm the leader of the thief-catching team!" he declared sternly.
Some recognized him from earlier. One disciple asked suspiciously, "White Junior Brother… what are you doing here so late?"
"As the team leader, I gave up my cultivation time to patrol and protect the chickens. But your shouting surely scared the thief away!" he scolded.
They looked at one another awkwardly, guilt surfacing. The skeptical disciple hesitated but still harbored doubt.
Before he could question further, Bai Xiaochun took the lead again.
"No wonder so many chickens are being stolen! Look—this fence is damaged!" He pointed at a section broken during a previous theft.
They inspected it and gasped. They hadn't noticed that before.
"And that chicken over there! It's wandering freely. What are you doing?!"
Their faces turned red with embarrassment.
"This is the most isolated area and should be under close watch! But I've been here a while, and you just now show up!" he sighed dramatically.
"I'd wager this area lost the most chickens." His words struck home. They had indeed chosen to guard this area because it had the most losses.
They looked at him with growing respect.
The skeptical disciple stepped forward and bowed.
"We were wrong, Brother Bai. Thank you for your dedication. We'll fix the fence right away."
The others also apologized sincerely. Bai Xiaochun offered a few more stern suggestions before striding away.
Watching him leave, one of them muttered, "Junior Brother Bai is a good man."
Once out of sight, Bai Xiaochun felt the cool sweat on his back. That was close.
But he was still hungry.
He sneaked to other chicken areas to see if any opportunities arose. He walked cautiously, eyes sharp, ribbon fluttering in the wind.
High above, a faint figure stood unseen in the night sky—it was Zhou Xinqi.
Noticing Bai Xiaochun, she smiled, her eyes filled with admiration.
"This junior is truly dedicated and responsible."
She flew back to her cave, feeling reassured.
An hour later, Bai Xiaochun returned home with two chickens. He plucked them, tossed them in the pot, and soon delicious smells wafted through the air.
He ate heartily, sighing with content.
A month passed. Bai Xiaochun diligently roamed the mountain every night. Still, chickens continued to disappear.
The chicken caretakers were frustrated, but Bai Xiaochun seemed even more committed. He guarded one area for four straight days and nights once.
His tireless effort earned admiration. Even Zhou Xinqi noticed and sent him the jade pendant as a reward.
Though the thief was never caught, Bai Xiaochun's name spread far and wide.
And the mysterious chicken thief—now dubbed the "Chicken-Stealing Maniac"—became a legend. Along with the little turtle, they were dubbed the two great mysteries of Spirit Stream Mountain.
Even disciples from Green Crest Peak and Violet Cauldron Peak had heard of them.
As the thief vanished and chickens stopped disappearing, Zhou Xinqi finally felt relieved.
Little did she know, Bai Xiaochun was the very man she had come to trust and praise