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

The man sat down and poured himself a cup: "May I ask how you two are addressed? This young master has an extraordinary bearing, unlike ordinary people."

"Nezha." Nezha gave his name crisply and decisively.

Liu Mo's hand, holding the cup, paused almost imperceptibly for a moment before returning to normal, though the surprise in his eyes deepened. He bowed again, saying, "So it is His Highness the Third Prince. I have long admired you. May I ask what brings Your Highness to this desolate mountain wilderness?"

"Just passing by." Nezha repeated those two words as his gaze swept over the courtyard. "Mr. Liu has chosen a good place to live in seclusion here."

"Your Highness is too kind. I am simply tired of the hustle and bustle of the world and have sought a secluded place to read and grow vegetables, thus ending my remaining years." Liu Mo's smile remained unchanged, and his tone was humble.

Bai Yeying sat beside him, feeling a subtly tense atmosphere. Nezha appeared casual, but the wariness in his phoenix eyes was unmistakable.

This Mr. Liu is also far too calm and composed in the face of Nezha, a fearsome and infamous figure.

"Reading and gardening?" Nezha tapped his fingers lightly on the stone table. "This place may be remote, but it's not entirely peaceful either. Aren't you afraid that mountain spirits and wild monsters will disturb our tranquility?"

Liu Mo smiled and said, "These few spirits are unruly and cannot be taught. Just avoid them. I only seek peace and tranquility and do not cause trouble. I believe they will not bother me without reason."

"Is that so?" Nezha remained noncommittal, then suddenly changed the subject, "I see that the flowers and plants in your courtyard are quite well-maintained. Those few black jade bamboos and that clump of soul-guiding grass don't seem to grow in ordinary mountains and fields."

Following his gaze, Bai Yeying noticed several dark-colored bamboo stalks and a clump of grass with long, narrow leaves edged with silver lines in the corner of the flowerbed. Although she couldn't recognize them all, she knew from their names that they were no ordinary plants.

Liu Mo's smile faded slightly as he put down his teacup. "Your Highness has a good eye. It's just for admiring. Your Highness seems to have quite a bit of knowledge about these plants?"

"I have some knowledge of it." Nezha leaned back, his posture relaxed, but his eyes remained sharp as ever. "Especially those that have a unique effect on the soul and concealing one's aura."

These words were loaded with meaning, and the air in the courtyard seemed to freeze for a moment.

Liu Mo paused for a moment, and when he looked up again, the gentleness in his eyes had faded, replaced by a calm that had settled. He no longer concealed it; although his aura remained peaceful, it possessed an indescribable depth.

"As expected, you can't hide it from the Third Prince." He sighed softly. "I wonder if Your Highness has come today on the orders of the Heavenly Court, or..."

"Just passing by."

Nezha emphasized those two words for the third time, but a cold smile appeared on his lips: "By the way, see who is capable of setting up such a calming and soothing array near the westward journey, and also activating the earth's vein energy to conceal this place so perfectly."

A formation? Earth vein energy? Bai Yeying was startled and subconsciously began to perceive her surroundings more carefully.

Sure enough, I had only thought the courtyard was peaceful and serene before, but now that it had been pointed out, I could vaguely sense the subtle spiritual energy flowing in the air, like an invisible spider web, enveloping the entire courtyard, isolating it from the outside and stabilizing the earth's energy.

This is something no ordinary hermit could do!

"Who are you?" Nezha asked directly.

Liu Mo did not answer immediately. He stood up, walked to the clump of Soul-Guiding Grass, and gently brushed the grass leaves with his hand. His voice was tinged with a hint of melancholy: "He is just an old person who no longer wants to get involved in the conflicts of the Three Realms."

Saying that is as good as not saying anything at all.

Nezha looked at him, the rhythm of his fingers tapping on the stone table slowing down. After a moment, he stood up: "Since you are not willing to talk further, then I will take my leave."

Liu Mo looked up at him, cupped his hands, and said, "May we meet again if fate allows."

Nezha said no more and turned to walk out of the courtyard. Bai Yeying quickly nodded to Liu Mo and followed him.

Only after leaving the courtyard and disappearing back into the forest did Bai Yeying finally whisper, "Third Prince, is that Mr. Liu really alright? He seems very mysterious."

Nezha stopped and turned to look at her, instructing her, "Since he meant no harm, there's no need to interfere. And don't be so curious, okay?"

Seeing his serious expression, Bai Yeying nodded, "I understand."

Nezha took her hand and walked in another direction.

"Where are we going now?" she asked, turning her head to look at Nezha.

This hasn't even started yet, so does it mean I'll just follow him around aimlessly in the mountains and fields?

Nezha suddenly stopped at the edge of a cliff. The view was expansive, with a winding mountain path below and Tang Sanzang leading his white horse, walking alone in the distance.

"Watch." Nezha released her hand, then casually sat down on a rock, took out a gourd from his robes, uncorked it, and took a swig.

Bai Yeying sat down next to him, mimicking his posture, resting her chin on her hand and looking down. From this angle, one could see the weariness on Tang Seng's face.

"Third Prince, are we just going to stay here and watch?"

Bai Yeying asked, puzzled, "Don't we need to do anything?"

"Look, this is surveillance." Nezha shook his wine gourd. "Watch how he handles the calamity, and see if any unexpected events occur that go beyond the scope of the calamity. Only if so, will we need to intervene."

"Oh~" Bai Yeying watched for a while, then couldn't help but look at Nezha again.

The boy's profile was sharply defined in the afternoon sunlight. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he drank, and the red mark on his forehead was striking. His gaze was fixed on the distance, his expression relaxed, even somewhat bored, as if the westward journey below, which concerned the fate of the three realms, was nothing more than a spectacle worth watching.

Bai Yeying, once again unable to resist, was captivated by his good looks. She quickly looked away and began to observe him more closely.

Time passed in silence. Occasionally, the sounds of birds and the roars of animals echoed through the mountains and forests, and the wind blew across the cliffs, carrying the scent of grass and trees.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the dense forest beside the mountain path below, accompanied by a faint, fishy, ​​demonic odor.

Bai Yeying immediately sat up straight and exclaimed, "There's demonic energy here!"

Nezha didn't even lift his eyelids, only giving a faint "hmm".

Two gray-furred wolf demons suddenly emerged from the dense forest, their eyes glowing green, blocking Tang Sanzang's path. They clearly saw the lone monk as a fat sheep and wanted to slaughter and eat him.

Tang Sanzang turned pale with fright, retreated repeatedly, clasped his hands together, and chanted Buddhist mantras in a trembling voice, trying to influence the monk with Buddhist teachings.

The two wolf demons wouldn't listen to reason and approached with sinister grins.

Seeing this commotion, Bai Yeying realized that if they didn't intervene soon, the monk would become easy prey: "Third Prince, we..."

"No rush, this little spectacle is hardly a disaster. That monkey has a backup plan."

No sooner had he finished speaking than something flew out of Tang Sanzang's arms, gleaming with golden light. It spun in the air and transformed into a golden barrier, protecting Tang Sanzang within it. It was the life-saving item left behind by Sun Wukong before he left.

The two wolf demons crashed into the golden light and were thrown back, dizzy and disoriented. Realizing they had met their match, they dared not linger and fled back to the forest with their tails between their legs.

Tang Sanzang, still shaken, bowed repeatedly to the golden light in the sky, thanking Wukong profusely.