Chapter 86: Farewell, Caiyi

“Chii-chii!” The silver fox reared up, waving its two front paws furiously, as if expressing its indignation.

“You little thief, what are you doing here in the middle of the night! If I hadn’t been quick, you’d have lost your life right here.” Sheathing his sword, Lin Feng was rather annoyed. He grabbed Xiaobai, flicking its forehead lightly.

“Chii-chii-chii!” The little creature bared its teeth and claws in protest, then obediently curled up in Lin Feng’s arms.

“Come on, get up, you lazy thing. Where’s your mistress?” Lin Feng couldn’t help but laugh, lifting its paw and asking.

Xiaobai opened its clever eyes, looked all around, and gestured animatedly, chirping toward the distant Great Bo Mountain.

“She’s in the mountain? Take me to her, quickly!” As soon as Lin Feng spoke, he regretted it. If they met, what would he even say?

Just then, the hurried footsteps of the monks from the Pure Mercy Pagoda echoed up from below. Master Mingwu called out, tense and low-voiced, “Master Lin, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Go and rest now, the demon won’t come again tonight!” Lin Feng called down the stairs.

“Very well, thank you, Master Lin.” The voices faded, and the footsteps receded into the distance.

“What do you say I should do?” Lin Feng muttered to Xiaobai, lost in his own thoughts.

“Chii-chii,” the silver fox made a few quick gestures, and with a swish, leapt out of the pagoda, pausing to glance back at Lin Feng.

Lin Feng started, immediately soared up on his sword, and streaked toward Great Bo Mountain.

The night was so cold, yet his heart burned like a furnace. Though there was a gulf between humans and demons, he would throw caution to the wind for her.

The night was deep and silent. In the ancient expanse of Great Bo Mountain, even the chirp of insects and the call of birds seemed absent. The north wind sighed through the trees, making the place all the more melancholy and terrifying, the mountains growing ever more shadowy and daunting.

He gripped the jade hairpin tightly in his hand, breathing in the icy wind, chasing after the silver fox into the darkness.

Atop the mountain range, who was it sighing softly under the cold moon? That faint pink silhouette stood quietly, her beauty breathtaking, delicate and evoking tender pity.

Her rainbow gown fluttered in the wind, like a host of butterflies flitting among flowers. In the moonlight, her fair face slowly turned, her eyes filled with astonishment.

The silver fox leapt into Caiyi’s arms, nuzzling her affectionately, while the Ink Swallow Sword hovered midair, glimmering like the stars.

The two gazed at each other, their looks gentle as water.

Suddenly, she smiled, as mischievous and lovely as ever. She reached out her hand to him, and side by side, they stood together atop the mountain.

“You’ve mastered sword flight already; you’ve progressed quickly,” Caiyi said lightly, chin tilted up.

He laughed awkwardly. “I owe it all to my master’s guidance for what I’ve achieved today.”

“Oh? Who did you take as your master? Jun Wuyi of the Hundred Flowers Sect?” Her bright, lively eyes sparkled as she watched him intently.

He lowered his head and replied softly, “No, I can’t speak his name lightly. He is the head of Tianzhu Peak.”

“Hee-hee. I know, his name is Yan Dongjue, right?” Caiyi blinked, a hint of playful mischief in her manner.

“How did you know?” Lin Feng quickly asked.

“I’m not telling you. If you want to know, you’ll find out yourself.” Caiyi smiled, gazing up at the moonlight, her multicolored hair drifting gently.

“Oh, where’s Uncle Liang? Why are you alone? And what was Xiaobai doing at the pagoda—he was nearly skewered by my sword.”

Caiyi’s expression suddenly darkened. She sighed softly and said, “Third Uncle is gravely ill and needs several medicines to recover. I sent Xiaobai to the pagoda to see if there was a Buddha’s relic. Who could have guessed those monks would be so unreasonable? Xiaobai was driven out both times…”

“What?” Lin Feng was shocked. “Uncle Liang is ill? Our sect has many elixirs; surely there’s something suitable. Let me, let me come have a look with you…”

Even as he spoke, he lowered his head again. These past months, he’d been so busy cultivating he had barely any contribution points left in the Green Jade Register; he certainly didn’t have enough to exchange for a top-grade elixir.

Noticing his embarrassment, Caiyi snorted and arched her eyebrows. “My uncle’s illness isn’t something ordinary pills can cure. You’d better keep those useless pellets for yourself.”

“I, I…” Lin Feng stammered, his face flushed bright red.

“I’m only teasing you,” Caiyi cast him a sidelong glance, then said slowly, “Only with a Buddha’s relic, a deep-sea whale’s birthstone, and Water Without Roots as the catalyst can my uncle’s illness be cured. Right now, we’re missing the first two ingredients.”

Lin Feng was stunned. “Is there really such an illness? Uncle Liang’s cultivation is unfathomable. How could he fall ill just like that?”

“Oh, stop asking about things you shouldn’t,” Caiyi laughed, but then remembered something else. “By the way, do you still have that stone tiger my uncle gave you?”

“Yes, I do. I even found a stone, I think it’s called the Heaven-Expanding Codex.” He suddenly recalled, reaching to retrieve the stone tiger, only to realize their hands were still tightly clasped together.

Caiyi gently let go, smiling up at him.

“I’ll get it for you…” As he was about to take out the jade tablet, Caiyi shook her head. “My uncle always knew you’d obtain the Heaven-Expanding Codex, but a single piece isn’t enough. He won’t take back the stone tiger—keep it, but make sure no one ever finds out.”

“You—you knew about the Heaven-Expanding Codex?” Lin Feng was astonished.

Caiyi hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “My father also has a piece of the Heaven-Expanding Seal, but no one has managed to cultivate the technique. If you ever want to learn it, I’ll get it for you.”

Lin Feng hurriedly waved his hands. “I shouldn’t. It’s your family’s treasure; how could I accept it?”

Caiyi’s expression grew cold. “Others would do anything to obtain even one of the seven Heaven-Expanding Seals, yet you turn it down so easily! Fine, I’ll give it to someone else!”

“No, I—I’ll take it, all right?” He blurted out, then realized the awkwardness of the situation.

Their faces both flushed slightly. After a moment’s silence, Lin Feng remembered something else and released the jade hairpin in his hand. “Here, this is yours.”

“Idiot!” Caiyi snapped, “You’ve gotten it all sweaty—why are you giving it back?”

“Oh, I’ll wipe it clean for you,” he said, blushing as he actually rolled up his sleeve and began to polish it.

Caiyi puffed her cheeks in annoyance at his foolishness. With a huff, she turned away. “Enough, you put it on for me!”

“Huh? Oh…” Under the lamp-like glow of the hairpin, Lin Feng examined it carefully, then fastened it with care into her rainbow-colored hair.

“Does it look nice?” Caiyi turned slightly, her face tinged with shyness and gentle affection.

“Uh… Yes, it does.” Lin Feng stared, utterly entranced.

“Dummy!” Caiyi’s lovely face was a mixture of a smile and a pout, half joy, half bashfulness, as she looked away at the starry night sky. After a long pause, she said softly, “Can you help me with something?”

“Yes!” he agreed without hesitation.

“I heard that the Floating Tuo Temple enshrines the skull relic of the Buddha-child Jialuoye. Could you help me obtain it?”

“What! The relic at Floating Tuo Temple? You want me… you want me to steal it?” He was stunned, his expression darkening.

“Can’t you? My uncle has shown you kindness. Isn’t it right for you to do this small thing for him?” Caiyi suddenly turned, her tone growing cold. “That relic sits idle in the Bone Pagoda. Isn’t it better to use it to save a life? The Buddha himself said, ‘Saving a life surpasses building seven pagodas.’ If you fetch the relic and cure my uncle, it will have served its purpose—far better than being worshipped in vain. Or will you be like those ungrateful wretches, repaying kindness with apathy?”

“I—I… How could I ever be ungrateful?” Stunned by her forceful words and the fire in her eyes, Lin Feng declared, “I’ll do it!”

Caiyi burst out laughing, her face full of satisfaction.