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

Bai Yeying looked at him, her smile slowly fading, replaced by a softer, more earnest expression. The evening breeze lifted the hem of her skirt, and she whispered:

"Regarding Black Wind Ridge, and many other times before... I really thank you."

As dusk settled, her eyes shone as if stars had fallen into them.

Nezha looked at her without speaking. After a moment, he hummed in agreement. A flash of light, and the boy's figure vanished.

Bai Yeying stood there, looking at the empty forest. After a long while, she touched her still burning cheeks, turned around, and skipped back to her cave.

At this moment, Nezha, who had flown a hundred miles away and stood atop a cloud, stopped his Wind-Fire Wheels and took out the white jade pendant from his robes. He looked down at it for a long time, his fingertips caressing the smooth, warm jade.

Then, he tied the white jade pendant around his neck, next to the Qiankun Ring.

After doing all this, he casually tucked the pendant back into his clothes. The jade was slightly cool, but it quickly warmed up to his body temperature.

He restarted his Wind and Fire Wheels and flew towards the Heavenly Court.

After returning home, Bai Yeying incorporated the Gengjin essence that Nezha had given her into the whip.

The whip became even more robust, and its power increased significantly. She then put the water spirit pearl in a brocade pouch and hung it at her waist to harmonize the demonic energy.

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

That morning, Bai Yeying was cultivating by the waterfall. When she opened her eyes and looked at the dappled sunlight filtering through the water, a thought suddenly struck her.

"It feels like it's been a long time since I last visited the Monkey King."

Since the Black Wind Ridge incident, she has been busy digesting her insights and integrating them into her newfound knowledge. Later, she was busy figuring out a return gift for Nezha, and thus neglected the Five Elements Mountain.

Although Sun Wukong had endured a century of loneliness while imprisoned under the mountain and didn't need her visits these past few days, Bai Yeying still couldn't help but think of him. The once mighty Monkey King, now in such a state, always brought a pang of sorrow to her heart.

Moreover, she has recently gained new insights into cultivation and her whip technique has improved. She was just about to show off to the Great Sage and hear what faults he could find.

She left without hesitation. Bai Yeying immediately summoned Cuiluo and instructed her to prepare food. This time, she wanted to bring something more substantial to make up for her absence during this period.

"Is Madam going to visit that old friend again?" Cuiluo was now quite familiar with her habits and replied with a smile, "The usual? Peaches and bananas? Would you like more pastries this time?"

"Yes, the best of everything." Bai Yeying nodded. "Especially the sugar cakes, prepare plenty, he loves them."

Soon, a large, bulging package was ready. Bai Yeying transformed back into her original form, shrunk the package, tied it up, and then darted out of Trapped Sky Mountain like a wisp of smoke.

With her improved cultivation, she became even faster and her movements became even more agile. She felt as if her body moved at will, the mountains and forests rushing past beneath her feet, and the wind brushing past her ears, bringing a sense of freedom.

Several hours later, the familiar Five Elements Mountain reappeared in sight.

Bai Yeying already knew the strange mountain shapes and jagged rocks by heart. The closer she got, the stronger her excitement became, and a smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.

"Great Sage! Great Sage! I'm here!" she called out from afar, startling the birds in the trees.

Amidst the pile of rocks, the furry head stirred. Sun Wukong, seemingly idly counting ants, looked up at the sound, and upon seeing Bai Yeying, a smile spread across his furry face.

"Hey, little mouse? I thought you'd forgotten about me, Old Sun!"

Bai Yeying jogged forward, untied the package, and put it on the ground: "How could I forget you! Didn't you say you wanted some sugar cakes last time? I brought a lot today, these are freshly made by Cuiluo, with honey and walnuts added, they smell so good!"

After the Great Sage had finished eating, she said, "Great Sage, my whip skills have improved again recently! Look, I've infused a piece of Geng metal essence into it, and now it's much more powerful to wield!"

She picked up the whip and lashed it in mid-air, creating a whooshing sound.

"And also, I feel like my demonic energy is flowing more smoothly now, and the places that were stuck before seem to have loosened up..."

As she spoke, she gestured with her fingers, like a child eager to show off their achievements to their elders, her eyes sparkling with anticipation for recognition.

Sun Wukong listened while munching on a sugar cake, occasionally humming in agreement. When he heard her merging with the essence of Geng metal, his golden eyes showed some approval: "Hmm, that's an idea. Geng metal represents sharpness and killing power. Merging it into your whip would perfectly compensate for your lack of strength. However, brute force alone isn't enough; skill is also necessary."

He then gave a few more pointers on transportation techniques, which Bai Yeying listened to with nods and carefully memorized.

Just as they were getting into the swing of things, Bai Yeying embellished her story of how she dealt with the Painted Skin Demon and how she fought against the evil dragon of the Black Water Pool, and at the end, she didn't forget to humbly (seeking praise) ask, "Great Sage, do you think I've made great progress?"

Sun Wukong couldn't help but laugh out loud at her "Praise me, praise me" expression, even spitting out some sugar crumbs:

"Well done, little mouse! You're starting to show some of your grandpa Sun's style! You know how to play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses, and you adapt to changing circumstances. Not bad at all!"

Receiving praise from her idol made Bai Yeying incredibly happy; if she were in her original form now, her tail would be wagging in smugness.

"However!" Sun Wukong changed the subject, a mischievous glint in his golden eyes, "With your level of skill, you can only bully those insignificant little demons. If you really encounter a tough opponent, like... those busybodies in heaven who have nothing better to do, like that Third Prince who's connected to you, you probably wouldn't last a single exchange."

Bai Yeying's smile froze for a moment, and she muttered softly, "I...I'm not going to provoke them. I'll just cultivate in the mountains and accumulate good karma..."

"Accumulating good karma?" Sun Wukong chuckled. "You think you can hide your little schemes from me? You're eyeing that person in heaven, aren't you?"

"Great Sage!" Bai Yeying almost jumped up at what the Great Sage said. "You, you're talking nonsense! How could I possibly care about him! I just... I'm just grateful to him for saving me time and time again, and I was thinking of repaying him if I had the chance in the future..."

"Repay?" Sun Wukong laughed even louder, slamming his fist on the ground, causing the pebbles beside him to roll a few times. "How will you repay me? You saved my life and gave me such a generous gift." His gaze swept meaningfully over Bai Yeying's waist.

Bai Yeying was both embarrassed and ashamed by his words. The Great Sage's fiery eyes were too sharp! She had never mentioned that Nezha had given her anything!

She lowered her head and whispered in defense, "I returned the gift, it's just...it's a small gift but the sentiment is great! He didn't seem to mind..."

"Oh? He didn't object?" Sun Wukong raised an eyebrow, a look of anticipation on his face. "So he accepted it? What did he say?"

"He said it was alright." Bai Yeying's voice grew softer and softer, her confidence waning.

Upon hearing this answer, Sun Wukong laughed even harder: "Hahahaha! Not bad? Little mouse, he's taken a liking to you."

Bai Yeying: "................"

"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore." Sun Wukong had laughed enough, and seeing that she was really embarrassed, he stopped laughing.

"Great Sage, please stop teasing me." She lowered her head, looking at her toes. "He is a celestial deity, and I am just a little mouse spirit on earth. How could that be?"