After transmigrating into the body of the Jade Rat Spirit, I became Nezha's adopted sister.

As she got closer, Bai Yeying saw it clearly.

A hairy head poked out from a crack in the rocks, covered in moss and dust, its original color almost unrecognizable. Its face was also filthy, except for a pair of eyes that, despite the tangled hair and grime, were still surprisingly bright, staring unblinkingly in her direction.

Bai Yeying's heart pounded, and her palms sweated. She took a few steps forward, stopped more than ten feet away from the head, put down the bag, and bowed respectfully.

"Little demon Bai Yeying pays respects to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

The dirty head moved, seemingly trying to adjust its posture to see more clearly, but it was firmly stuck by the mountain and could only turn at a very small angle.

A hoarse voice, yet still retaining a hint of liveliness, rang out:

"Oh? How strange. This is the first time in all these years that a little demon has come to see old Sun. And it's... a white-haired rat demon?"

Bai Yeying blushed and whispered, "It's the Golden-Nosed White-Haired Rat Demon."

"I don't care what kind of rat you are." Sun Wukong's gaze fell on the cloth bag beside her. "What did you bring? This lousy place is so bland, it's practically tasteless."

Bai Yeying quickly opened the bag, took out the items one by one, and pushed it forward: "It's some food. If the Great Sage doesn't mind..."

"No problem, no problem!" Sun Wukong's eyes lit up even more, but his arm was pressed down by the mountain, making it impossible to reach. "Do me a favor, bring it closer to me!"

Bai Yeying stepped forward, picked up the food, and brought it to Sun Wukong's mouth.

Sun Wukong immediately began to eat heartily, crunching loudly as he ate, mumbling, "Mmm! Delicious! Much better than those molten copper and iron balls! Little mouse, you've got a good eye!"

Bai Yeying felt a sudden pang of sadness as she watched him wolf down his food.

The Monkey King, who once wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, is now imprisoned under a mountain and can only be fed by a little demon.

"Great Sage... please eat slowly, there's more," she said softly.

The bag of food was quickly devoured.

Sun Wukong smacked his lips, still seemingly unsatisfied, then turned his gaze back to Bai Yeying, sizing her up: "Little mouse, tell me, you went through all this trouble just to bring me, Old Sun, a bite to eat? What are you up to?"

His gaze was sharp, as if it could see through any disguise.

Bai Yeying felt a little nervous under his gaze, but she had already prepared her words before coming. She raised her head, looked directly into his sharp eyes, and said earnestly:

"I dare not deceive the Great Sage. This humble demon truly admires the Great Sage's supernatural powers and courage. I have come here firstly to visit you, and secondly because I am filled with fear and uncertainty about the future, and I wish to ask the Great Sage for guidance."

"Fearful? Confused?" Sun Wukong chuckled. "You little demon, you have quite a bit of karma on your hands. Although my fiery eyes are blocked by this broken mountain and I can't see clearly, I can still sense something unusual. Tell me, how are you afraid?"

Bai Yeying only said that she inexplicably knew some secrets of heaven, was worried about her life, and wanted to find a way to improve her cultivation.

After she finished speaking, Sun Wukong remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, "Hey, I understand."

He paused for a moment: "Guide you in cultivation? My skills are beyond what your small frame can learn. However..."

Bai Yeying's heart jumped.

"Since you brought me food and spoke honestly, I'll let you off the hook."

Sun Wukong tilted his head, seemingly considering how to phrase his words: "I, Old Sun, can tell you that the path of cultivation, though varied, always follows the same principle. You, a rat, are naturally gifted in resourcefulness, concealment, and scheming. Blindly imitating others will only lead you astray. Follow your own instincts to practice and ponder, and hone the skills that Heaven gave you to the fullest. You might just achieve something great."

"As for fate... what's meant to happen can't be avoided. But skills are your own responsibility; the more skills you have, the more room you have to maneuver. Remember, if you can't win, run; if you can't run, hide; if you can't hide... then admit defeat. There's no shame in that. You have to live to have a future."

These words were true, but to Bai Yeying, they were like a sudden awakening. Yes, she was always thinking about how to learn advanced techniques, but she had forgotten the inherent talent of this body.

"Thank you for your guidance, Great Sage!" She bowed again sincerely.

"Alright, alright, stop with the formalities." Sun Wukong waved his hand impatiently. "Next time you come, bring more peaches! This godforsaken place is starving me!"

Bai Yeying couldn't help but laugh: "Yes, Little Demon remembers."

He glanced at Sun Wukong again before turning and leaving.

Although she didn't receive specific training methods, Sun Wukong's words pointed her in the right direction. Follow her instincts, explore her talents, and hone the abilities of the rat spirit to their fullest potential.

She began to consciously practice: how to move more quietly, how to better conceal her presence, and how to use her small size and sharp claws to move quickly through complex environments...

She found a more secluded and comfortable cave as her new home and began to cultivate according to Sun Wukong's guidance, combined with her own exploration. She focused on movement techniques, concealment, and earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of martial arts technique).

That day, she saw a peach tree, but the fruit was still green and not ripe yet. She planned to bring it with her next visit to see the Monkey King when it ripened.

...................

Two weeks later, the peaches ripened.

Bai Yeying squatted under the tree, looking up at the tempting red color reflected in her round, mouse-like eyes, and her paws involuntarily rubbed together.

She transformed back into human form, rolled up her sleeves to reveal her slender, fair wrists, and deftly climbed the tree. Her fingertips brushed against the fine fuzz on the peach skin, carefully selecting the largest and reddest ones, and gently placing them into broad leaves she had prepared beforehand.

This time, she did not ride that demonic cloud that was both energy-consuming and conspicuous.

She stood in the clearing at the edge of the woods and closed her eyes. After days of rigorous training, she had already mastered her abilities in stealth and speed; now she was testing their effectiveness.

With a light touch of the toes on the blades of grass, a person has already floated several feet away, landing silently and only startling a few swirling leaves.

His figure appeared and disappeared among the shadows of the trees, moving so fast that he left only a blurry, faint shadow as he sped off toward the Five Elements Mountain.

The wind whistled in her ears. Trees, rocks, and streams rushed past, and she felt light all over, as if she were melting into the atmosphere of the forest.

She slowed down slightly as she approached the Five Elements Mountain area.

She knew the way well and circled around to the pile of rocks at the foot of the mountain.

"Great Sage! Great Sage! I'm here!" she called out excitedly, her voice clearly tinged with the pride of someone showing off a treasure. "The peaches are ripe! And so sweet!"

Amidst the pile of rocks, the hairy head stirred. It seemed even dirtier than before, but its eyes remained bright.

Sun Wukong smacked his lips and made a gurgling sound in his throat: "Quick, quick! Give it to me!"

Bai Yeying smiled, approached lightly, and with a swift movement, squatted down next to Sun Wukong's head.

She unwrapped the broadleaf package, and a sweet peach fragrance immediately filled the air.

"Look, the biggest and reddest one, I spent a long time picking it." She picked one up, carefully wiped away the dust on the surface, and held it to Sun Wukong's mouth.

Sun Wukong immediately took a big bite, and while chewing, he mumbled a praise: "Mmm! Good! Sweet! Fragrant! Little mouse, you've improved! This time, your movements were much more agile; I almost didn't hear your footsteps."

Being praised by her idol made Bai Yeying feel as sweet as if she had drunk honey, and her eyes curved into crescent moons: "It's all thanks to the Great Sage's guidance! I followed your advice and practiced according to my instincts, and it was indeed much faster and lighter."

"Of course!" Sun Wukong swallowed a peach in a few bites and urged, "One more!"

Bai Yeying handed him another one, and seeing him eat so happily made her happy too.

After he had almost finished eating, he began to talk in his usual way about his cultivation experiences over the past few months, explaining where things went smoothly and where he got stuck, like a little disciple reporting his homework to his master.

Sun Wukong listened, occasionally humming in agreement or offering a few pointers.

"Sinking your Qi to your Dantian doesn't mean you have to hold it in!" Sun Wukong mumbled, chewing on a peach, interrupting Bai Yeying's rambling. "It should be subtle, like water flowing downwards. You silly mouse, what's the rush?"