Chapter 101: Bai Qirui Returns to Gufeng Mountain

This only infuriated Bo Meng, who shouted from beyond the iron brambles, “How could you treat my senior sister like that?!”

But no one answered her.

Inside the room, Xie Yingying struggled endlessly in Bai Shengyun’s grip, glaring at him in fury. “What do you think you’re doing? Let go of me!”

“You’re loud enough to split my ears,” Bai Shengyun said, then hurled her hard onto the bed.

Xie Yingying was thrown so violently that her head spun. Her spine throbbed from the impact, and she could only lift a hand to rub the small of her back. Fortunately, the soft bedding cushioned her fall; otherwise, she might have needed quite a while before she could sit up again.

Once she steadied herself, she was just about to curse at Bai Shengyun when he turned and shot her a sharp glare. Her words lodged instantly in her throat, leaving her unable to speak.

All she could do was stare at him with blazing resentment, cursing inwardly: Bai Shengyun, you really are nothing but a fox spirit who bullies others with spiritual power!

Seeing that look, Bai Shengyun knew exactly that she was cursing him. In a low, vicious voice, he said, “Careful, or I’ll dig out your heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.”

At that, Xie Yingying rolled her eyes at him.

So I can’t even curse you in my head?

To her surprise, Bai Shengyun seemed to know exactly what she was thinking and let out a cold laugh. “Not even in your head.”

She pouted and turned her face away, deciding not to bother with him at all.

Seeing this, Bai Shengyun lifted a brow lightly. Thinking of Bo Meng, who clung to his third brother and called him “benefactor” at every turn, and then of Xie Yingying—whom he had saved more times than he could count—he felt he had rescued her for nothing.

“So this is how you treat the person who saved your life?”

Xie Yingying rolled her eyes again and still did not answer.

As Bai Shengyun thought of Bo Meng, Xie Yingying found herself thinking of her as well, and she could not help but sigh inwardly.

Bo Meng’s cultivation was low, yet on her very first formal meeting with Bai Shengyun, she had dared to stand up to him head-on.

By contrast, when Xie Yingying first met Bai Shengyun, she had either been so frightened by his murderous bearing that she trembled all over, or so charmed by his adorable fox form that she lost her footing entirely.

She still remembered that in the original book, Bo Meng’s first appearance came through the original host’s memories. At that time, she was only sixteen, already gravely injured and on the verge of descending into madness, yet in the end she had forced herself to remain in control and prevented herself from harming the common people within a ten-mile radius.

After hearing of this, Huo Tianqing had given his assessment: “This child has extraordinary strength of character, far beyond what ordinary people can compare with.”

Because of that one sentence, Bo Meng was selected among the new disciples of the evil sect and was exempted from the three rounds of life-and-death trials.

At the time, the original host had been suffering torture at Gu Feng Mountain. Thinking of the indomitable Bo Meng, she had finally gritted her teeth and held on until her death.

It had to be said that although Bo Meng had lived a miserable life in both her past and present existences, she had nevertheless earned the admiration of many powerful figures. Had it not been for the later accidents, she might well have ascended in one leap, inherited her clan’s legacy, and become the Mist Demon.

Someone like that... truly did suit Bai Qirui, gentle on the surface but strong at heart.

Meanwhile, deep within Gu Feng Mountain, where clear crane cries echoed through the air, Bai Qirui covered his mouth and sneezed.

Then he wiped his hands and continued up the mountain along the steep path behind the hill.

In truth, since he was returning home, there was no need for him to risk taking the back way. But his recent trip to the evil sect had already caused quite a stir throughout Gu Feng Mountain, and now that he had returned to help Bai Shengyun retrieve a volume of scripture stored in the forbidden pavilion, how could he dare to walk openly through the front entrance?

The forbidden chamber of the library was a place only the eight lake elders of the Sky Fox Clan, along with the Fox Emperor and Fox Empress, were qualified to enter. If he were caught sneaking in, both he and Bai Shengyun would inevitably be sent to the rear mountain to reflect upon their sins, and on top of that they would have to copy the clan precepts and scriptures by hand. That would be enough to wear a person down to the bone.

And now, in broad daylight, the chances of being discovered were greatly increased. Under normal circumstances, Bai Qirui would never have wanted to sneak into the forbidden chamber in the middle of the day, but time was pressing. He could only seize this sliver of opportunity and creep forward at a snail’s pace.

Fortunately, the sun was already sinking. Before long, night would fall. He only needed to continue a little farther, then hide in one of the caves nearby and wait for darkness.

Just as he thought of this, he had already reached the first cave. He hurried inside, and soon after, night fell. Row upon row of guards began changing shifts and taking their rest.

Taking advantage of the handover, Bai Qirui activated a speed talisman and reinforced himself with spiritual power. In just a few flashes, he crossed the steep mountain path and headed straight up to the summit of Gu Feng Mountain.

The main hall at the summit was empty at the moment. Only two guards stood at the entrance waiting for the shift change, while the library was still some distance from the hall, though it was fairly close to Bai Qirui’s position.

He waited a short while, and then two figures appeared on the mountain path.

They were of equal height. Under the moonlight, their dark armor gleamed faintly, lending a touch of softness to its otherwise imposing severity.

Before long, the two guards arrived before the main hall and took over from the pair.

Each produced a talisman seal. The seals joined together, pressed lightly into place, and with a flash of light they exchanged positions. Just like that, the shift change was complete.

In those few brief breaths, none of them noticed a figure in white streaking past from a nearby spot. The direction of that fleeting shadow was the now-empty library.

Bai Qirui quickly reached the library doors and quietly pushed them open.

The moment they swung open, countless volumes came into view, arranged neatly one by one upon the shelves. Compared with this, Xie Yingying’s study was not even close.

But he did not pause to glance at any of them. Instead, he moved past the many ancient texts with blue covers or bamboo bindings and headed toward the back of the library.

His target was clear. Soon he had reached the doors of the forbidden chamber, raised a hand, and traced a seal in the air. Then he struck it down with one motion.

The seal seemed to gain a life of its own as it landed upon the forbidden chamber doors, where it merged with the ancient runes that already glowed there with an air of antiquity.

With a deep rumble, the doors slowly opened.

Bai Qirui hurried inside at once, his gaze sweeping over every scripture on the shelves. Whenever he spotted a volume, he would open it, his expression urgent, as though searching for something.

One volume after another passed through his hands, and as time went on, Bai Qirui only grew more anxious.

Fortunately, those allowed into the forbidden chamber were few and far between, and among them, very few came here often. Though anxious, Bai Qirui was not especially worried that anyone would discover him.

Gradually, a long time passed.

Bai Qirui no longer knew how many volumes he had searched. His hands had even gone sore and weak, yet he still had not found the one Bai Shengyun wanted amid the vast sea of books.

Looking at the mountainlike expanse of texts before him, he felt a little helpless.

But time was pressing. Bai Qirui massaged his wrist, rested for a moment, and then began searching again.

Another hour passed. Just when he thought that perhaps someone had already taken the book away and that there was no hope of finding it anymore, he reached for the next volume.