Chapter 52 Just Passing By

Chapter 52: A Timely Arrival

"Tell me everything."

Though anxious, Chen Hui recounted the day's events.

"Today, after we agreed to admire the flowers, we went to Huangxi Village to visit Lin Sui's younger brother. Upon arriving, the villagers told us that Lin Sui's brother had been forcibly taken to the back mountain by a group of noble youths out hunting."

"That’s a lie! The ones with my son are all sons of good families—they would never force anyone!" Madam Xue rose, both relieved to hear of her son's whereabouts and furious at Chen Hui's slander, unable to hold back her rebuke.

Bai Xiuming shot an icy look at Madam Xue. "I'm asking questions here. If you dare interrupt again, get out."

Madam Xue shrank back and fell silent.

Chen Hui continued, "Lin Sui's brother had previously led those same young men into the mountains, where they encountered a demon. They pushed him out as bait, nearly killing him. Lin Sui feared they wouldn’t spare her brother this time and rushed into the mountains to find him. A Chan stayed behind at her brother’s house, while I went into the mountains with Lin Sui."

"What time did you enter the mountains?"

"I don’t know the exact time, but it was before noon."

Bai Xiuming nodded. "Go on."

"Lin Sui and I searched for a long time but only found traces of blood. Just as we were about to continue, a thick fog suddenly rose in the mountains. Four shadowy figures emerged from the mist, seized Lin Sui, and vanished before I could catch up."

"Are you certain they were ghosts?"

Chen Hui hesitated slightly. "I could sense their *yin energy*—they were undoubtedly spirits. At first glance, they looked no different from ordinary people, but they moved unnaturally fast, appearing and disappearing with the mist."

"Moving in daylight..." Bai Xiuming mused briefly before turning to Princess Funing. "Your Highness, I need a favor."

"What is it?" This was the first time the Princess had encountered such a situation—both worried for the missing and oddly thrilled.

"Please send someone back to the capital to summon Jiang Kai and Feng Yang from the Bright Mirror Bureau with reinforcements."

"Understood. I’ll have the guards return at once."

The journey from Lotus Garden to the capital took little more than an hour, but with the curfew approaching, only the emperor’s golden pass could open the city gates for the Princess’s men.

After speaking with the Princess, Bai Xiuming turned back to Chen Hui. "What happened next?"

Chen Hui replied, "Since the ghosts resembled villagers from the foot of the mountain, I went back to find A Chan. But when I returned, she was gone. I asked the neighbors and villagers, but none had seen her."

With that, Chen Hui bowed solemnly to Bai Xiuming. "My lord, A Chan is frail. If she’s truly in danger, she won’t be able to defend herself. I beg you to help."

"Take me to Huangxi Village."

Bai Xiuming’s command left Chen Hui momentarily puzzled—how would they get there? But the next moment, he seized her arm, and in the blink of an eye, they stood outside Lotus Garden.

Chen Hui was stunned. Could this be the legendary "Shrinking the Ground into Inches"?

Bai Xiuming shot her an impatient glance, and Chen Hui quickly pointed toward Huangxi.

After two more directional corrections, they arrived in the village within moments.

Chen Hui led Bai Xiuming to Gao Luo’s house, where the door remained wide open, untouched since A Chan’s disappearance.

Bai Xiuming did not enter but stood at the threshold for a moment. He reached out, brushing his fingers along the doorframe—it was damp.

Though it hadn’t rained, the wood was slick with moisture, a clear sign that *yin* beings had visited, and not just one or two.

"Where did you enter the mountains?" he asked.

Chen Hui pointed toward the back mountain and described the approximate path she and Lin Sui had taken.

"My lord, those ghosts didn’t seem interested in me. Should I accompany you to guide the way?" she suggested.

"No need."

At that moment, Bai Xiuming seemed to hear something. He lifted his gaze toward the mountains, now consumed by nightfall, and vanished in an instant.

The tiger demon carried A Chan through the forest as night deepened, the moon obscured by the mist swirling around the beast.

The once-vibrant mountains and lush trees were now nothing but indistinct shadows. Even the tiger beneath her was jet-black, making it impossible to focus on anything.

A Chan gave up and let the tiger demon lead her downhill.

As they descended, she pondered: Lin Sui had been taken by *chang* ghosts, but Chen Hui hadn’t—likely because she wasn’t human, and the ghosts had no interest in her.

If Chen Hui realized she was missing, she would probably go to Bai Xiuming.

Would Bai Xiuming come for her?

A Chan wasn’t sure, nor would she bet her life on someone else. So she talked the tiger into seeking Bai Xiuming instead.

Unfortunately, she didn’t know the straight path from these mountains to Lotus Garden, so she directed the tiger to Huangxi first.

As the trees thinned along the path, she knew they were nearing the forest’s edge.

Then, the tiger abruptly halted.

"What’s wrong?" A Chan asked.

"A human cultivator is ascending the mountain."

Her heartbeat quickened inexplicably. "Perhaps someone finally noticed the missing noble sons and came searching."

"Perfect. Saves me the trouble of hunting him down."

Far from alarmed, the tiger’s voice was practically giddy.

It had sensed the intruder’s aura—only at the Third-Realm, no match for it.

A Chan chuckled, leaning forward to pat the tiger’s neck. "Put me down, tiger. I’d only hinder you in battle."

"Very well. After I eat him alive, I’ll give you his head."

"Then I shall await your victory here." A Chan gazed toward the foot of the mountain, though she could see nothing in the dark.

Bai Xiuming stood at the mountain’s base, staring into the darkened woods.

Every detail of the terrain was visible to him—including the red-robed A Chan, perched atop the tiger demon, grinning like they’d known each other forever.

So much for the zombie’s whining that she was "frail and defenseless."

After half a day together, she already seemed like the tiger’s partner in crime.

A roar shook through the mountains, shaking the trees and sending birds fleeing.

As the tiger demon charged at Bai Xiuming, it fantasized about eating the cultivator, taking his *demon core*, and rising to become a Great Fourth-Realm Demon.

But the human who had been powerless under its claws in the past now stopped its paw mid-strike with just one hand.

The black tiger demon opened its jaws to bite, but the human figure suddenly disappeared right before its eyes.

Then, it only felt a searing pain on its back: "Roar—"

A Chan leaned against a nearby tree, listening to the continuous roars from below the mountain, her pounding heart slowly calming.

With such pitiful howling, it seemed the tiger demon wouldn’t have the chance to deliver Bai Xiuming’s head to her.

When the final roar echoed, A Chan also heard the black tiger demon’s shriek of agony: "Fox spirit, you deceived me!!!"

A Chan allowed herself a small smile. How could it be called deception?

Really, she had merely forgotten to tell the black tiger demon that the cultivator it wanted to devour had once slain a Fourth Realm black dragon.

After the black tiger demon’s screams, the surroundings went dead silent—not even the chirping of insects or birds could be heard.

A Chan waited by the tree for a long while, but no one came. She found herself frowning.

Had Bai Xiuming left after killing the tiger demon?

She was still on the mountain, her life hanging in the balance—hadn’t he even thought to look for her?

She felt a flash of anger. She tentatively took two steps forward, only for her bare toes to stub on a rock. As she yelped in pain and bent down, someone grabbed her by the waist, lifting her into the air.

"Huh?" A Chan kicked her legs, realizing she was being hauled over his shoulder like a sack, heading downhill.

"Lord Bai, where’s your horse?" When he didn't answer, she gave his waist a pat.

Bai Xiuming hesitated a beat. "Didn’t ride one."

"Then can we change positions? I’m getting dizzy."

"So demanding."

A Chan sniffed. "I just escaped death by tiger—I was almost eaten by that tiger demon. Don’t you feel any sympathy for me?"

Bai Xiuming stopped and lowered her to the ground. He bent down to her level. "Rather than sympathy, I’m more curious why that tiger demon called you a fox spirit."

"Oh, that? Of course, I played it." A Chan’s tone was casual. "If I hadn’t deceived it, I’d have been eaten long before you arrived."

"What else did you tell it?"

"Plenty… Lord Bai, I wasn’t even wearing shoes when I was captured. My feet hurt." She complained in a small voice.

Bai Xiuming gave her a long look before turning and crouching. A Chan’s face immediately broke into a grin as she climbed onto his broad back, clinging to him.

Hooking his arms under her thighs, Bai Xiuming made his way steadily downhill. "Now, will you talk?"

"I promised it a Fourth Realm fox spirit’s demon core to help it advance, and even offered to introduce it to a female tiger."

"And it believed you?"

"Of course. I didn’t lie." Her tone was matter-of-fact. "Though I haven’t seen them myself, everything I told it exists in my memories."

"Just that?" Bai Xiuming prodded.

"Well…" A Chan hesitated when it came to the crucial part. "The rest isn’t important."

"Such as?"

"Such as… I also recommended you to it." She chose her words carefully.

"Recommended." Bai Xiuming repeated the word. No wonder the black tiger demon had come charging at him so eagerly—it had been completely taken in by her.

"I had no choice." A Chan protested. "If I hadn’t sent it after you, it might’ve taken me far away."

Running off with a tiger demon—how humiliating would that be?

"What about the others who were taken?"

"Still on the mountain." A Chan bragged. "Thanks to my clever talking, the tiger demon forgot about eating them and came straight down."

At this, she suddenly realized Bai Xiuming had headed straight down with her without searching for the others.

So… had he really been looking for her?

"Lord Bai." Her face pressed against his neck, she turned slightly, eyelashes fluttering. "Did you come specifically to save me?"

"No."

"Oh? Then why are you here?"

"Passing by."

A Chan laughed, tightening her arms around his neck. "You're lying. You came to save me."

Bai Xiuming remained silent.

Rocked by the steady motion, A Chan’s eyes grew heavy. As she drifted off, she whispered in his ear, "Thank you for saving me."

That made twice now.

For many years, no matter how dire things got, she had never expected anyone to come help her.

Bai Xiuming was the only one who would.

After Bai Xiuming left, Chen Hui had been waiting at the foot of the mountain.

She had heard the tiger’s roars from the back hills, her heart in her throat as she debated whether to go up and check. Before she could decide, she saw Bai Xiuming descending.

Not spotting A Chan beside him, Chen Hui’s heart sank, dread washing over her.

Only when they drew closer did she notice A Chan sound asleep on Bai Xiuming’s back.

Chen Hui was about to offer to take A Chan from him when Bai Xiuming said without turning, "The tiger demon is dead. The *chang* ghosts will scatter. You can go up and search for the others now."

Chen Hui stiffened. As a living corpse, she naturally had no fear of the mountain at night.

Lin Sui and Gao Luo’s whereabouts were unknown—if she went now, there might still be time.

But…

Hesitating, she glanced at A Chan before finally saying, "Then I’ll leave A Chan in your care, Lord Bai."

"Hmm."