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

After leaving the palace gate, he did not head directly northwest. Instead, he spun around on his whirlwind wheels, veering off course.

The image of that white-haired rat spirit, baring its fangs and claws while trying to remain calm, inexplicably flashed through my mind, along with her foolish appearance when she was almost possessed by the Yin energy in the deep mountains last time.

Given her limited skills and love of excitement, she'll most likely attend this Northwest Treasure Hunt.

"Tsk, troublesome." He muttered to himself, but his feet honestly adjusted their direction, and he flew slowly toward the location of Trapped Sky Mountain in his memory.

Anyway, the Jade Emperor only said he was going to inspect the northwest, without specifying a route. At most, this was just... a side trip to check on that restless rat, to make sure it didn't cause any more mess for him to clean up.

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

Trapped in the Void Mountain, a bottomless abyss.

Bai Yeying was looking at a small pile of things with a headache. In front of her were several pieces of minerals with spiritual energy, two medicinal herbs that could barely be considered spiritual herbs, and some talismans and pills that she had made herself with questionable effects.

"Madam, are we really taking this to the treasure hunt?" Huang Wu squatted down beside him, his paws digging into the stone. "Wouldn't that be... a bit shabby?"

Cuiluo was also somewhat worried: "I heard that General Xiongpi from Black Wind Cave is going this time, as well as someone from further west who calls himself King Yellow Wind. They're both quite famous. Is it safe for us to go like this?"

Bai Yeying rested her chin on her hand, thought for a moment, and realized that she seemed to have heard of this name before.

Hey, isn't that the Black Bear Spirit who stole the cassock? And that Yellow Wind King, it seems he committed the same crime as her, stealing food on Mount Ling and fleeing to the mortal realm to become a demon.

She packed the items one by one into the cloth bag: "Our main purpose is to gather information and see if there are any clues about Geng metal items. We'll also broaden our horizons and not get involved in those conflicts."

Even so, I still felt somewhat uncertain. That was a place where various forces gathered, and the law of the jungle was even more pronounced.

Just then, the warning array at the entrance of the cave showed a very slight fluctuation.

Bai Yeying suddenly looked up, her eyes sharpening. This fluctuation didn't seem to be triggered by her little demon; the aura was unfamiliar, and there was a strange sense of oppression about it.

"Cuiluo, Huang Wu, stay in the cave and don't go out," she whispered, grabbing the Black Shadow Whip and silently darting towards the cave entrance.

As soon as they reached the vicinity of the cave entrance, the oppressive feeling suddenly vanished. It was as if it had just been an illusion.

She peeked out in confusion. Outside the cave, the sun shone brightly, the forest was quiet, and everything seemed normal.

Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye that something seemed to have appeared on a smooth boulder next to the cave entrance, a boulder that was usually used for resting.

She took a closer look and was stunned.

On the stone, a small, delicate brocade pouch rested neatly. The pouch was plain-colored, without any patterns, but the material was of excellent quality, with a subtle, shimmering light. Beside it, a folded piece of plain paper was weighed down by a small pebble.

This aura... although she tried her best to conceal it, she would never mistake it!

She looked around to make sure no one was there before carefully stepping forward and picking up the brocade pouch and plain paper.

The brocade pouch felt slightly heavy in her hand, with a warm and smooth texture. She opened the pouch and looked inside.

Inside were several longan-sized fruits of various colors, exuding a pure spiritual energy and fruity fragrance, clearly of extraordinary quality.

There were also several fist-sized pieces of ore, faintly shimmering with inner radiance. One of them was silvery-white, its sharp aura palpable even through the brocade pouch! It was the Geng metal she had been dreaming of! Although the quantity was small, its quality was extremely high.

In addition, there was a small jade bottle with simple calming runes engraved on its surface.

These things were no ordinary objects. She suppressed her thoughts and unfolded the plain paper.

The letter contained only one line of text, written with bold, vigorous strokes that seemed to penetrate the paper:

"Don't cause trouble, and if you can't win, run away."

No signature.

But as Bai Yeying stared at the handwriting, she could almost see the person who wrote it frowning and looking disgusted as they wrote those words.

Her heart started racing uncontrollably. She clutched the plain paper tightly in her hand, then looked at the contents of the brocade pouch. Her emotions surged, a mix of gratitude, embarrassment, and a bittersweet feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

How did he know she was going to the treasure hunt? And why did he specially send these things over?

Yes, with his abilities and access to information, it wouldn't be difficult for him to find out these things.

That phrase, "Don't cause trouble, run away if you can't beat them," clearly shows he still dislikes her, but when paired with these real financial aids, it somehow feels like... a bit awkward concern.

"Madam? Are you alright?" Cuiluo was worried and followed her out. She saw her standing at the cave entrance staring blankly at the stone, her expression constantly changing, and she couldn't help but worry.

Bai Yeying snapped out of her daze, quickly tucked the brocade pouch and plain paper into her bosom, and cleared her throat: "It's nothing, just... just now a bird dropped something, let me see. Are you all packed? Let's get ready to leave."

Cuiluo looked suspiciously at the empty stone, then at her mistress's slightly reddened ears, and wisely didn't ask any more questions: "Everything is ready, madam."

"Alright, let's go." Bai Yeying gripped the brocade pouch in her arms, feeling her lack of confidence suddenly filled.

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

Northwest, outside of Black Wind Ridge.

The former stronghold of the Xuan Yin Sect is now nothing but ruins and scorched earth, with a lingering chilling aura of purification that keeps ordinary demons away. But in the more distant mountains and ridges, it is several times more bustling than before.

Fairies and independent cultivators from all directions, whether traveling alone or in groups, gathered from all sides.

Some had a clear objective, heading straight for the few hidden mines rumored to have been left behind by the Xuan Yin Sect, while others used the guise of treasure hunting to observe the situation and wait for an opportunity to act.

The treasure hunt organized by Liuyunjian was held in a wide valley called Juyao Valley.

There were guards at the entrance to the valley, checking identities and belongings, which maintained a semblance of order.

Bai Yeying, accompanied by Huang Wu, who had changed his appearance and was disguised as a follower, paid the entrance fee and entered the valley.

The sights inside the valley were an eye-opener for her. It was more than ten times larger than the last Treasure Exchange Meeting at Flowing Cloud Valley!

She saw the bear general covered in black fur, surrounded by a group of little demons.

And then there was the Yellow Wind King, who squinted at the passing demons.

Most of them were like her, rogue cultivators and minor demons whose cultivation was not top-notch, who came to try their luck.

Bai Yeying concealed her aura, making herself appear inconspicuous, and walked slowly with Huang Wu. They found a corner to stand in, listening to the discussions among the surrounding demon cultivators and gathering information.

"Have you heard? Deep within Black Wind Ridge, beneath what used to be the headquarters of the Xuan Yin Sect, something seems to have been unearthed!"

"What? Wasn't it said that everything was burned to the ground by heavenly fire?"

"Who knows? Anyway, General Bear and King Yellow Wind's men have all gone that way these past two days, acting all mysterious."

"Not only that, the one at Bibo Pool also seems interested in that area..."

"Hey, watch out. When gods fight, we little fish and shrimps shouldn't get too close. Just pick up the scraps."

Bai Yeying pricked up her ears, taking the discussions to heart. Deep within Black Wind Ridge, at the headquarters of the Xuan Yin Sect...

As she was pondering, she suddenly felt several malicious gazes falling on her.