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

"No, it's not that..." Bai Yeying tugged at the grass beside her, "I was just asking."

"There are many more lively places along the westward journey." Nezha looked up at the starry sky again, his tone unreadable. "If you want to see more, I'll bring you here next time."

"Really?" Bai Yeying's eyes lit up, then she remembered something and whispered, "But, wouldn't that be too much trouble for you? You'd also have to monitor..."

"We already have enough trouble, one more won't make a difference."

The two stayed quietly for a while longer. As night deepened, a thin mist rose in the mountains, swirling among the pools and trees, creating a scene like a fairyland.

Nezha stood up: "Let's go."

Bai Yeying quickly stood up. The Hun Tian Ling was wrapped around her waist again.

Bai Yeying leaned against him and could smell the faint lotus fragrance emanating from him.

It was already past midnight when they returned to the cave in the Trapped Sky Mountain.

Nezha put her down at the cave entrance: "Go in."

"Mm." Bai Yeying nodded, but did not turn around immediately. Instead, she took out the purse from her bosom and handed it to him. The purse was plain blue with only a lotus flower embroidered on it.

Her eyes darted around, and her voice was barely audible: "Here, take this."

Nezha looked at the rather unattractive purse in her hand, and then at her eyes filled with nervous anticipation.

He reached out, not to take the purse, but to bend his index finger and gently tap her forehead.

"ugly."

Bai Yeying's shoulders slumped, her eyes instantly dimmed, and she pulled her hand back from holding the purse.

However, the next second, her wrist was grabbed.

Nezha took the purse, his fingertips brushing against the crooked lotus flower on it.

He tucked the pouch into his pocket, his tone curt: "Looks like I'll have to keep it in my pocket; it's too embarrassing to hang it on my waist."

Bai Yeying was stunned, then joy exploded from the bottom of her heart, instantly brightening her eyes. A smile bloomed on her face: "I'll definitely embroider a better one next time, I won't let you down."

Nezha looked at her grinning face, his eyes barely visible, and looked away, feeling inexplicably better.

"I'm leaving." Without another word, he flew into the sky.

As soon as Bai Yeying stepped into the cave, she met Cuiluo's eyes, which were filled with a mocking smile.

"Madam, you're back?" Cuiluo greeted her, offering a cup of warm honey water, her gaze lingering on her face. "You look so happy, your eyes are practically disappearing with laughter. Is there some good news?"

Bai Yeying took the cup and mumbled a reply. She sipped the honey water and said, "Hmm... I won a fight today and got something too."

She didn't dare say what exactly she had contracted, much less mention the purse that had been considered ugly but had been carefully put away.

Cuiluo smiled knowingly and didn't press for details, only saying, "Madam must be tired. Please rest early. Hot water for your bath is ready."

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

The days that followed were very fulfilling for Bai Yeying. She cultivated even more diligently than before, alternating between whip techniques and spear skills.

The little demons in the cave noticed that their mistress had not only been practicing her skills more diligently lately, but was also in an exceptionally good mood.

She was always smiling, and even the slow-witted Teng Han noticed something was wrong. He secretly asked Huang Wu, "Has Madam found some treasure? Why is she always smiling?"

Huang Wu rolled his eyes and lowered his voice: "Treasure? I think it's something even more precious! The other day, when Madam was brought back by that... cough cough, you didn't see it, but the light on her face could illuminate half the cave! In my opinion, our Madam has found someone she loves!"

"You have someone you love?" Teng Han scratched his head, not quite understanding. "Who does she belong to?"

Huang Wu slapped his forehead: "Idiot! Who else could it be? Every time that person comes, the lady is very happy. Besides that Third Prince, who else could it be?"

Teng Han suddenly realized, but then became somewhat worried: "But that one is a celestial being, and our lady is an earthly demon,... will this work?"

"What are you meddling in!" Huang Wu said, arms crossed, with the air of someone who'd been there all along. "How powerful is our lady these days? Besides, what's wrong with being a deity? Can't deities have mortal desires... ugh, demonic desires? I see that guy has been quite special to our lady, otherwise, would he have come back to pass by?"

The two little demons whispered amongst themselves, thinking they were being quiet, but little did they know that Bai Yeying had overheard most of it. Hiding behind the door, she waved her fist at the air, a smirk playing on her lips: "What nonsense about having someone you love... What rubbish!"

As the days went by, news from the westward journey came in intermittently through gossip that Huang Wu had gathered.

I heard that Tang Sanzang and his disciples have left Huangfeng Ridge and continued their journey westward. I also heard that they subdued the Curtain-Rolling General of the Flowing Sand River, and now the pilgrimage team has gained a new member, Sha Wujing, to carry the load.

I heard that they passed by Wuzhuang Temple and apparently got into some minor trouble, but with Sun Wukong around, they managed to get through it safely.

That afternoon, Bai Yeying practiced her spear technique by the waterfall behind the mountain. She wielded her short spear, creating a whooshing sound as the tip pierced the water droplets, leaving a trail of light.

As she was engrossed in her practice, a thought suddenly struck her. She put away her gun, stood still, and looked at a rock face beside her that had been smoothed by the flowing water.

Her reflection appeared in the water. The girl was graceful, with lively eyes and a radiant complexion, her cheeks slightly flushed from practicing martial arts.

She looked at her reflection in the water and reached out to touch her hair. Today, Cuiluo had styled it in a new way, adorning it with a few blue wildflowers.

"I wonder if it looks good?" she whispered to her reflection in the water.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a very soft sneer came from behind him.

Bai Yeying froze and turned around.

Nezha was sitting on a horizontal branch of an old tree not far away. One leg was bent and placed on the branch, while the other leg hung down casually, swaying slightly.

He was playing with a leaf he had picked from who-knows-where, his beautiful phoenix eyes half-closed, his gaze fixed on her with a hint of a smile.

"It's not good-looking."

Bai Yeying felt extremely embarrassed. He had seen her being vain.

She instinctively reached out to pluck the flower from her hair, but stopped halfway, glaring at him with her neck stiff: "Mind your own business! I think it looks good, that's all that matters!"

Nezha raised an eyebrow slightly, flicked her wrist, and the green leaf spun out, landing precisely on a pebble at her feet, embedding itself three inches deep into the stone.

"How's the training going?" He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the hand holding the pistol.

Bai Yeying followed his gaze to her hand, where the red spot on her thumb had long since healed and her skin was smooth.

Her initial embarrassment was quickly replaced by other emotions, and she brandished the gun in her hand: "I have much more strength now."

"Oh?" Nezha leaped lightly down from the branch, landing silently, and walked towards her. "Let me demonstrate."

Bai Yeying walked to the blue stone beside the waterfall, poured her demonic power into the spear, and the short spear emitted a soft hum, its crimson light emanating slightly.

With a flick of her wrist, the tip of the spear pierced through rotten wood, sending shards of stone flying and dust billowing everywhere.

Bai Yeying put away her gun and stood there, her eyes fixed on Nezha, full of anticipation.

Nezha walked over, looked at the rubble, and then at Bai Yeying's incredibly bright eyes.

"It's alright, the force was sufficient, and the timing of the penetration was decent. However..."