Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Second Master Huang declared Chen Ji's vitality severely depleted. System Cat ran three diagnostic checks, yet still decided Chen Ji needed a hospital—his data simply screamed "problem."

Even if a hospital offered no cure, it was surely safer than staying home.

System Cat nuzzled through Chen Ji’s clothes, retrieving his phone. The screen was a spiderweb of cracks, unresponsive. It planned to repair the phone; better safe than sorry. If anyone investigated and found Chen Ji’s phone off but successfully making calls, that would be a huge mess.

Suddenly, the two-meter-eight-tall Second Master Huang stooped into the bedroom, a box clutched in one claw. Seeing System Cat’s bewildered stare, he snatched Chen Ji’s phone, grumbling, "Shoo, shoo! Stealing Chen Ji’s phone? Scram, you little pest!"

Second Master Huang knew what a phone was and how indispensable it was to modern humans—carried like a precious treasure. If this wretched cat made off with it and lost it, Chen Ji would surely be upset upon waking.

System Cat was nudged aside with moderate force. It instinctively meowed, and Second Master Huang snorted, tearing open the box. As he did, a pungent, bitter aroma filled the air—inside lay a meticulously cleaned and beautifully preserved ginseng root.

Second Master Huang eyed the ginseng, thick as two fingers, then glanced at Chen Ji, muttering, "How is this supposed to be eaten? Looks like it could choke him to death... Well, let’s try it first and see..."

System Cat: …?!

"Chen Ji! Chen Ji—! Wake up! Wake up! Second Master Huang is trying to choke you to death!" System Cat cried out in alarm.

System Cat had expected to fake an electric shock to rouse Chen Ji, but before its second cry, Chen Ji was already awake. His eyes were bloodshot, yet unusually sharp and alert. Only upon recognizing Second Master Huang and System Cat did his expression soften.

Pleased to see Chen Ji awake, Second Master Huang tossed the ginseng into his lap. "Good, you’re awake. Eat this, and make sure to have plenty, okay?"

"Thank you, Second Grandfather," Chen Ji said, looking at the ginseng. "Where did this ginseng come from?"

Second Master Huang waved a dismissive paw. His Dharma Form vanished behind him, and the small weasel leaped onto the bed, curling up in Chen Ji’s lap, belly exposed. "Oh, someone asked me for a favor and gave it as a thank-you gift."

Chen Ji was skeptical—people usually offered chickens, ducks, or fish to the Yellow Weasel for help. Since when did they give ginseng?

"You’d better eat it quickly, okay? With your vitality this depleted, your organs will start failing if you don’t replenish it soon," Second Master Huang added. "Maybe take a bite or two first?"

Chen Ji’s deep, dark eyes fixed on Second Master Huang. He reached out and rubbed its belly, then lowered his head to bite off a small ginseng tendril, holding it in his mouth. A bitter fragrance instantly filled his mouth. "Second Grandfather, what happened to me?" he asked.

Second Master Huang’s ears twitched. "How should I know, okay?"

He paused, then continued, "Who did you offend? To lure you out with a dream-invasion technique right under Grandfather Mountain’s nose... Did you get badly hurt in the dream?"

Chen Ji had no idea what the dream-invasion technique was. Second Master Huang briefly explained—it was a method often used by supernatural beings and ghosts to enter someone’s dreams and inflict harm. Injuries sustained in the dream would manifest in reality, explaining Chen Ji’s severe vitality depletion.

More powerful spirits could not only invade dreams but also manipulate the dreamer’s body. The fact that Chen Ji ended up in the back mountains likely meant he had walked there himself while under the spell.

Chen Ji said softly, "Seems like every monster knows how to use it..."

"Sure, they all know how..." Second Master Huang muttered grumpily, "But who would go to such lengths? It’s like they have nothing better to do. Might as well just attack directly..."

At that, he suddenly leaped out of Chen Ji’s lap. "If you’re feeling a bit better, go stew the ginseng. I’ll go check on White Tiger Grandpa."

Chen Ji’s lap felt strangely empty again. Thanks to Second Master Huang’s reminder, he realized that after just a short conversation, he already felt much better than before.

Suddenly, his lap grew heavy again as System Cat jumped in. "Something feels off... Chen Ji, according to that yellow-furred rodent, if the culprit was so powerful, why not just kill you directly?"

"Probably they meant to kill me," Chen Ji chewed the ginseng tendril, swallowed, then took another bite. He pushed aside the covers, got out of bed, and headed to the kitchen with the ginseng—they probably did plan to kill him, but when Chang Xu showed up, the focus shifted to him.

Given that the black mist trapped him and forced him to watch Chang Xu being attacked... the perpetrator likely knew Chang Xu and held a grudge, the kind that made them wish for the other’s death.

But what did that have to do with him? Why was he the target?

If Second Master Huang had attacked him before because of some ancestral feud or out of desire for his grandfather’s magical artifacts, and held a grudge after being thwarted, then what about King Cobra? Did it attack him because he trespassed into its territory?

Then what was the reason this time?

He had been laying low recently, hardly venturing into undeveloped areas. There was only one path up and down the mountain—could it be that the Chinese toon tree he had pruned had actually gained sentience and held a grudge for him picking its tender leaves to eat?

Was it really necessary to go to such extremes?

Chen Ji tossed the ginseng into a medicinal pot, filled it with water, and set it to stew. He planned to dilute it later before drinking.

After finishing, he noticed Second Master Huang in the spare bedroom. Grabbing the first aid kit, he headed over.

Sure enough, White Tiger was lying in the spare bedroom, taking up the entire two-meter-long bed. As Chen Ji entered, the stench of blood and burnt flesh filled his nostrils. Second Master Huang, seeing him, quickly retracted its front paw. Chen Ji looked closely and saw a ginseng root as thick as an arm stuffed into White Tiger’s mouth.

Second Master Huang coughed awkwardly, "Ahem, White Tiger Grandpa is different from you, okay? He can eat it directly!"

Chen Ji set the first aid kit aside and examined White Tiger’s wounds. "That’s good. Second Master Huang, you shouldn't have spent so much..."

"Ah, it’s nothing. Well, I’ll be going now!" Without another word, Second Master Huang turned and left, almost as if fleeing. Chen Ji glanced briefly at its retreating figure before turning his attention back to White Tiger.

System Cat was keeping an eye on the medicinal pot in the kitchen. Given the special circumstances, it had synced senses with Chen Ji and remarked gloomily, "Lucky White Tiger Grandpa is also a supernatural being. Otherwise, how would we save him? We’d have to contact the forestry department for sure..."

Despite his exhaustion, Chen Ji couldn’t help but laugh. "You’re right. They might even deem him unfit for survival in the wild, earning him a 'secure job' at the zoo—with eight attendants catering to his every day."

"That yellow-furred rodent definitely knows something," System Cat changed the subject. "But I doubt it’ll tell you."

"I’ve known that for a while," Chen Ji said calmly. "But it seems it’s not that it doesn’t want to tell me—it's not allowed to tell me."

He stroked White Tiger’s dirty fur. "But at least we’re safe for now..."

The priority now wasn’t to figure everything out but to clean up himself and White Tiger Grandpa. Otherwise, given the weather, they’d start smelling tomorrow and growing maggots the day after.

System Cat sighed, "You don’t have many points left... I told you to do more tasks... Fine, one point—one-click full-house cleaning."

Chen Ji agreed readily. A silver light flashed through the room, and in an instant, everything—including White Tiger and Chen Ji—was clean and tidy. Chen Ji blinked curiously. "How does it work? What’s the scientific basis?"

"It’s a kind of bio-laser that scans the entire room. Once parameters are set, it effectively removes dust, bloodstains, fur, etc. Don’t worry, it won’t shave you bald—it only targets hair that’s already shed from the follicles."

"Sometimes I really wish I could live in your world..." Chen Ji looked down at White Tiger, now patchy with bald spots, and suspected System Cat was making excuses. While it was common to shave animals for wound treatment, this level of baldness seemed excessive!

System Cat coughed. "Just live another thousand years, and you might make it... Anyway, the ginseng tea will be ready in half an hour. Why not rest in White Tiger’s room for a bit? I’ll wake you when it’s done."

Chen Ji agreed but instead fetched a simple blender, cut off half of the ginseng root White Tiger was holding in his mouth, blended it into powder with a whir, and used a syringe to force-feed it down White Tiger’s throat.

The scene was downright alarming, as if the tiger were swallowing his hand.

White Tiger’s burning hot tongue pressed against his arm, the barbs pricking Chen Ji a few times. Shaking his head, Chen Ji continued feeding him.

By the time he finished, the ginseng tea was almost ready. Following System Cat’s suggestion, Chen Ji diluted it and drank two bowls before lying down beside White Tiger. Though the space was cramped, Chen Ji felt an unparalleled sense of security and soon fell into a deep sleep.

...

When Chen Ji woke up, his mind was still foggy. The ginseng tea from the previous day seemed to have worked—though he still felt weak, it was much better than the day before, when even speaking a word felt like it might be his last.

He instinctively snuggled closer to the warm, furry White Tiger in front of him, thinking it was a heated plush toy he’d bought—quite comfortable. Suddenly, he jolted awake, staring blankly at the large, bald, pink-and-striped patch of skin in front of him.

***

Oh, right. He’d shared a room with White Tiger Grandpa last night.

Chen Ji didn't understand veterinary medicine, let alone how to treat supernatural beings. Seeing the white tiger breathing steadily, he figured it probably wasn't too serious and dragged himself up. The System Cat said, "Don't bother, I found you a helper."

A question formed in Chen Ji's mind: "Who?"

Who did you find? If someone saw a giant white tiger lying in his house, wouldn’t they call the police? Wouldn’t he end up in court for harming a rare protected animal?

Tigers, whether white, black, or yellow, are all Class-1 protected species—harming one could mean at least three years in prison.

The System Cat said, "It's the Daoist from the City God Temple."

"How did you contact him?" Chen Ji paused. "Is he coming?"

"He called you eight times yesterday... By the way, your phone is almost broken. I fixed it, but it'll last at most another day. I asked him to bring you a new phone when he comes... He's almost at the temple gate now."

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "I'll go greet him."

As soon as Chen Ji opened the door, he saw the System Cat running over with a thermos in its mouth. "Drink a few sips first."

Chen Ji opened the straw and took a couple of gulps. The contents were sweet and sticky, thick but delicious. "Yam porridge?"

"Shut up, don't ask where it came from!" The System Cat said.

Chen Ji understood. Sipping the yam porridge, he walked toward the temple gate. The path, which usually felt short, felt so long today that Chen Ji even had to stop and rest before reaching it.

The Daoist glared at Chen Ji with a sour expression and handed him a phone bag. "Your delivery. Please confirm receipt. Three thousand flat, plus two hundred for delivery. WeChat or Alipay?"

Chen Ji took a closer look and noticed the Daoist was wearing a yellow windbreaker with a delivery logo printed on it. Chen Ji glanced at him and checked the phone inside the bag. "Busy today, buddy? Got time to cook me a meal and tidy up the house? A two-hundred-yuan bonus."

"Are you sick?" The Daoist examined Chen Ji's complexion. "You'd better go to the hospital."

Chen Ji said, "I'll go after eating. I can't even walk without some food."

Chen Ji took a step back, gesturing for the Daoist to enter. The Daoist's gaze swept past Chen Ji to behind him, then he emphasized again, "Don't try to skip out on paying the two hundred!"

Chen Ji nodded, and only then did the Daoist cautiously step through the temple gate.

As they walked, Chen Ji spoke to him as if he were a stranger. "Everything's in the kitchen. Just whip up a couple of dishes. Also, my little animal got injured yesterday—could you help feed it?"

"Sure." The Daoist assumed it was the red-furred fox, just a little injured spirit—as long as it wasn't that weasel from yesterday. The Daoist sized up Chen Ji, his peripheral vision catching the pile of renovation materials in the courtyard. "You're still renovating?"

"Yes," Chen Ji said. "The construction team was supposed to finish up today, but I'm too sick to manage."

The Daoist nodded, casually remarking, "You have deities enshrined in this temple, right? If you're renovating, remember to cover the statues with silk. That's the custom where I'm from... Just think, all that banging and drilling every day—how annoying for the deities to hear!"

Chen Ji remained expressionless. "There's such a rule? I didn't know. Thanks, buddy. I'll cover the statues with silk later."

Chen Ji led the Daoist to the kitchen. The Daoist couldn't be bothered to follow Chen Ji's instructions—he just tossed some rice into the rice cooker to make porridge, then opened two large packs of pre-cooked chicken breast to feed the red fox. Chen Ji said, "It's in the room."

The Daoist followed him as instructed. Chen Ji was struggling after the walk, breathing slightly heavily, and gestured for the Daoist to open the door. The Daoist, suspecting nothing, turned the knob and cracked the door open, only to see a pair of icy bluish-green eyes staring back at him.

He slammed the door shut and cursed at Chen Ji, "Goddamn you! I was worried you were in mortal peril, rushed over to see you, even delivered your stuff, and you really treat me like a delivery guy, huh?!"

The large bowl of chicken breast in his hand looked like it was about to be dumped on Chen Ji's head.

Chen Ji laughed until his eyes narrowed into slits, coughing as he waved for the Daoist not to be impulsive. He stammered, "No, don't misunderstand."

Chen Ji opened the door. The white tiger, hearing Chen Ji's voice, softened its gaze. Chen Ji stepped forward slowly and said gently, "White Tiger Grandpa, you're injured. I thought it looked serious, so I took the liberty of bringing you back... I've prepared some meat. If White Tiger Grandpa doesn't mind, please have some."

The White Tiger nodded slowly. Only then did Chen Ji let the Daoist enter. Once inside, the Daoist noticed the White Tiger's bald patches. His eyes widened, and he barely stifled a laugh, shoving the bowl into Chen Ji's hands before quickly exiting.

"I'll go tidy up," the Daoist called out, giving himself a legitimate excuse.

Luckily, the bed was nearby. Chen Ji immediately set the bowl on it—no shame in admitting he couldn't lift something that heavy right now. This chicken breast was something Chen Ji bought as a snack—quite expensive, but tender and flavorful, not dry at all.

Chen Ji stroked the White Tiger's neck. "White Tiger Grandpa, try it. I'm injured too... Sorry to make do with this for now."

The White Tiger tilted its head and rubbed against Chen Ji's arm. Chen Ji pushed the bowl closer and, seeing it start to eat, left the room.

When the Daoist saw Chen Ji come out, he said, "The food's ready. Please check the phone."

Chen Ji nodded and followed the Daoist back to the bag. The Daoist watched him and suddenly said, "Check the phone. If there's a problem, I'll need to go back and exchange it."

He emphasized the words "a problem."

Chen Ji fiddled with the phone, saw it boot up properly, and said, "The phone's fine."

"If we confirm it here, you can't return it later if issues come up," the Daoist stressed. "Are you sure the phone is really fine?"

Chen Ji looked up, expression calm, and smiled. "It's fine. Thanks, buddy. I'll transfer the money now."

The Daoist had no choice but to pull out his phone to receive the payment, grumbling as he left.

Chen Ji watched his retreating figure disappear. The System Cat finally spoke up: "He clearly wanted to tell you something. Why didn't you go after him?"

"I know," Chen Ji said. "But it's not the right time."

The Daoist was so cautious that he refused to enter the temple gate until invited, emphasized his "delivery" role, and only stepped in after Chen Ji gave him a reason. He reminded Chen Ji to cover the Mountain God's statue to avoid "disturbing" it, and hinted that the phone might have issues so Chen Ji would go down the mountain with him... It was obvious who the Daoist was wary of.

Why does it seem like only the spirits and ghosts in the mountain aren’t afraid of Grandfather Mountain, while everyone else is?

Brother Zhang is afraid, Chang Xu is afraid, the Daoist is afraid—they all stop at the temple entrance, unwilling to enter without an invitation, only taking a few steps inside after he invites them. But the mountain spirits? They barge in anytime, visit his dreams, acting boldly.

Chen Ji suddenly smiled, waited for the porridge to finish, then carried it carefully into the main hall. He lit incense and knelt with proper form, coughing twice. "Mountain Lord, please understand..."

He kowtowed first. "I don’t know why, but I sleepwalked to the back mountain yesterday. Today I can barely get up. If it weren’t for the ginseng from Second Master Huang, I’d be in the hospital by now... I asked a delivery guy to help make breakfast. I don’t know if it suits Mountain Lord’s taste, but please understand..."

He looked up at the Mountain Lord statue, noticing it seemed to have lost some of its luster compared to yesterday. He kowtowed again, his eyes full of reverence and trust. "The buddy reminded me that renovating the temple might disturb you. I didn’t know before. When construction resumes, I’ll cover you with silk to avoid the noise, alright?"

Chen Ji kowtowed a third time. "I had a bad dream yesterday. On the way back, I saw a white tiger that once saved my life, so I brought it back... A debt of saving my life must be repaid. I took it upon myself to bring it here without reporting to you first. Once it recovers, my debt will be repaid, and we’ll be even... Please forgive me, Mountain Lord."

Chen Ji sighed, his eyes dimming. "The mountain area is too dangerous... If only there weren't so many complications..."

Chen Ji placed the incense in the burner, bowed three times to Grandfather Mountain, then picked up the divination blocks. He threw them three times in a row—all three were divine affirmative. Knowing Grandfather Mountain had agreed, he walked out, struggling with each step.

The hall was dim, with only three sticks of incense glowing red in the shadows, like the eyes of a divine being, silently watching the world.