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

Bai Yeying was startled, her heart skipped a beat. His fingers were slightly warm, and his grip was steady.

Nezha, holding her hand, flicked his wrist slightly, and the short spear drew an arc in the air. This seemingly simple movement contained a more subtle transition in the instant of exerting and retracting force.

"Here," he whispered, his voice almost touching, "take three parts, leave one."

His breath brushed past her ear, carrying the scent of lotus, making the tips of her ears involuntarily begin to burn.

"Oh, oh..." Bai Yeying responded somewhat dizzily, trying to feel the change in the force he was guiding.

Nezha released his grip, took a half step back, and lingered for a moment on her reddened earlobe before quickly looking away.

"Not bad," he commented. "Better than last time."

It's alright again.

She looked up and smiled, "Then I'll keep trying!"

Looking at her bright smile, Nezha wanted to kiss her again. He quickly looked away, no longer wanting to look at her.

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

A few days ago, at Wanzishan Mountain, Boyue Cave.

After Sun Wukong revived Tang Sanzang, he picked up the Yellow Robe Monster, who had collapsed to the ground and revealed his true form as Kui Mulang, the Star Lord. Kui Mulang, now completely devoid of his previous arrogance, hung his head dejectedly, clutching his chest, and repeatedly begged for mercy.

"Master, what do you think we should do with this fellow?" Sun Wukong threw Kui Mulang in front of Tang Sanzang.

Tang Sanzang had just woken up and was still a little weak. Looking at the star lord in front of him who claimed to be a god but had descended to the mortal world to abduct a princess and almost harmed them, he felt both fear and sigh.

He clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha, since you know you have made a mistake, please return to Heaven with Wukong to accept your punishment. I hope His Majesty the Jade Emperor will be lenient and grant you a chance to repent and start anew."

Kui Mulang immediately kowtowed, "Thank you, Holy Monk! Thank you for your mercy, Holy Monk!"

Pigsy grumbled and rubbed the wound on his side, "That bastard got off easy! This old pig took that knife for nothing!"

Sha Wujing silently gathered up the scattered luggage.

Just as Sun Wukong was about to take Kui Mulang to heaven, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the inner cave. A woman with a haggard but still beautiful face stumbled out. It was Princess Baihua Xiu.

She saw the subdued Kui Mulang at a glance, and then saw the kind-faced Tang Sanzang. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she collapsed in front of Tang Sanzang.

"Holy Monk! I beg you, Holy Monk, have mercy! Take this woman away from here and return to Baoxiang Kingdom!"

Baihua sobbed uncontrollably, "He forcibly brought me here, and I have been separated from my parents for thirteen years. I miss them day and night, and my life is worse than death... I beg the holy monk to have mercy!"

Seeing the woman weeping so bitterly, Tang Sanzang felt pity for her and quickly stepped forward to help her up, saying, "Please rise, benefactor. Since you are the princess of Baoxiang Kingdom, it is only right that this humble monk escort you back to your country to reunite with your family. This is my duty, there is no need for such a grand gesture."

Upon hearing this, Baihua Xiu was moved to tears and wanted to bow down again.

Kui Mulang watched from the side, his lips moved, and a complex expression flashed across his face, as if he was reluctant and guilty, but in the end he said nothing. He just looked deeply at Baihuaxiu and lowered his head.

Sun Wukong couldn't stand seeing anyone cry in front of him, so he quickly comforted them, "Alright, alright, stop crying. Since Master has agreed to send you back, just go with him! Bajie, Sha Wujing, get ready, we're setting off now!"

He turned to Kui Mulang and pointed at him with his golden cudgel: "You, behave yourself! Come with me, Old Sun, to heaven!"

After everything was settled, Sun Wukong remembered Bai Yeying. He glanced around but didn't see her. He clicked his tongue in disapproval.

The little mouse has run away again.

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

Inside the Heavenly Court, in the Lingxiao Palace.

The Jade Emperor sat upright on his throne, tapping the armrest with his fingertips. In the Haotian Mirror floating in front of him, the scene inside the Wave Moon Cave of Wanzishan was reflected: Sun Wukong smashed the Yellow Robe Monster with his staff, Kui Mulang introduced himself in a sorry state, Tang Sanzang was rescued, and the hundred flowers wept and begged to return to their country. Scene after scene unfolded.

Upon seeing Bai Yeying's agility and how she stabbed Kui Mulang at the crucial moment, the Jade Emperor paused slightly, his fingers stroking his beard, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

"This jade rat has quite good agility. No wonder..."

Before he finished speaking, the scene in the mirror shifted to Kui Mulang being struck by Sun Wukong's staff, coughing up blood and collapsing to the ground. As he hurriedly introduced himself and begged for mercy, the Jade Emperor frowned slightly.

Was this ordeal really over so easily? It was far from the many twists and turns he had anticipated. With Baihua Xiu returning home, Kui Mulang confessing his crimes, and Tang Sanzang escaping unscathed, how would the subsequent trials unfold?

Just then, Sun Wukong's voice came from inside the Haotian Mirror: "Take him back to Heaven and hand him over to the Jade Emperor for judgment!"

With a flick of his sleeve, the Jade Emperor caused the Radiance of the Haotian Mirror to dim, transforming into a stream of light and disappearing into his sleeve as if it had never existed. His face instantly regained its supreme, compassionate, and dignified expression.

Almost simultaneously, a messenger's voice came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, requests an audience. He is escorting Lord Kui Mulang outside, awaiting your orders!"

"Summon." The Jade Emperor's voice was majestic, his face now as calm and serene as a still pond.

Sun Wukong escorted the dejected Kui Mulang to the palace, recounted the whole story, and then scratched his ear, saying, "Although this fellow is a celestial being, he descended to the mortal realm as a demon, forcibly abducted a princess, and even attempted to harm my master. His crimes are not small! Jade Emperor, you must punish him severely!"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's face showed deep sorrow. His gaze swept over Kui Mulang, who was kneeling on the ground: "Kui Mulang, as one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations, you did not fulfill your duties. Instead, you descended to the mortal realm to cause trouble as a demon, hindering the great journey to the West and nearly injuring the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi! Do you know your crime?"

Kui Mulang was drenched in cold sweat and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, I know my crime! I was confused for a moment, blinded by love, and committed a grave mistake! I beg Your Majesty for mercy!"

"show mercy?"

The Jade Emperor snorted coldly: "The Heavenly Laws are strict and not to be trifled with! Your unauthorized descent to the mortal realm is already a grave offense, and your acts of violence as a demon are an even greater crime! Considering your past contributions to the Heavenly Court and the fact that no truly irreversible consequences have occurred, you may be spared the death penalty, but you will not escape punishment!"

He pondered for a moment, then declared: "Effective immediately, Kui Mulang Star Lord is stripped of his divine office, his divine register is revoked, and he is imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison to reflect on his transgressions. He is not to leave without my decree! After the pilgrimage to the West is completed, his punishment will be determined according to the degree of his remorse!"

This punishment is neither too severe nor too lenient.

Stripping a star lord of his divine office and imprisoning him in the celestial prison is an extremely severe punishment, yet it leaves room for maneuver and does not fundamentally harm him.

Sun Wukong, though feeling that the scoundrel had gotten off easy, couldn't say anything more since the Jade Emperor had already issued the decree. He simply snorted, "Your Majesty is wise! I hope this fellow will repent!"

Kui Mulang breathed a sigh of relief; at least his life was spared. He quickly kowtowed in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life! I will deeply reflect on my actions and never repeat them!"

The Jade Emperor waved his hand, and heavenly generals stepped forward to take Kui Mulang away. He then spoke a few words of comfort to Sun Wukong and bestowed upon him some celestial fruits and nectar as compensation for the fright suffered by Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

Sun Wukong, thinking of his master, did not linger. After receiving his reward, he hurriedly descended to the mortal realm on his somersault cloud.

After Sun Wukong's figure disappeared through the South Heavenly Gate, silence returned to the Lingxiao Palace. The Jade Emperor's imposing expression gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful look.

He raised a finger, and the Haotian Mirror slid out from his sleeve once more, hovering in front of him. The mirror's surface shimmered, not reflecting the lower realm, but instead showing another scene that had been deliberately concealed moments before...

At the edge of the cliff on Wanzishan Mountain, the boy in red leaned slightly and kissed the girl's lips. Then, almost in a disheveled state, he and the girl transformed into a streak of light and vanished.

Even through the Haotian Mirror, the boy's reddened ears and the girl's eyes that suddenly lit up after her initial stunned silence were both crystal clear.

The Jade Emperor looked at the scene in the mirror, a smile deep in his eyes.

"How rare..." he murmured, his voice only audible to himself, "Even Nezha has fallen for a mortal, and the object of his affections is none other than a daring little mouse."