That oppressive sensation vanished in an instant.
The White Tiger’s roar ceased, but he continued to stare ahead vigilantly, a low growl rumbling in his throat.
“…Xiangxiang?” Chen Ji ventured.
The White Tiger froze for a moment, then glanced back over his shoulder.
Chen Ji had nearly blasted him with the Five Thunder Talisman. Blinking in surprise, he said, “Xiangxiang, why’d you smash through the window?”
Chen Ji’s gaze drifted downward, landing on the fresh bedsheets he’d put on that very day—now marred by four black paw prints. The White Tiger’s eyes followed involuntarily. “You’ve dirtied the bedsheets too,” Chen Ji pointed out.
The White Tiger turned to leave, but he’d barely taken two steps when a sharp pain shot through his tailbone. Looking back, he saw Chen Ji gripping his tail, those wide eyes staring up at him with utter innocence. Just as he prepared to yank it free, Chen Ji pulled him into a tight embrace. “Xiangxiang! Waaah, Xiangxiang—!”
The White Tiger went rigid. Chen Ji clung to him, sobbing piteously and miserably. “Xiangxiang, I was wrong! I won’t tease you anymore, waaah! Come back! It was so scary just now—like something was really coming for me! I’d die! Xiangxiang, don’t go!”
The young man was usually so calm and composed. Even when he’d been lured into that dream realm last time and swarmed by all those red-clothed ghosts, he’d stayed cool-headed, devising countermeasures. He’d even wounded the true body of that entity with a Five Thunder Talisman. Despite emerging with grievous injuries, he’d remained unflappable—something that would have broken any ordinary person.
Yet now here he was, sobbing against the White Tiger’s fur, his shoulders shaking nonstop. He was genuinely terrified.
Sighing inwardly, the White Tiger nuzzled Chen Ji’s head with his own. But Chen Ji wouldn’t let go. “No! Promise you won’t leave, or I won’t let go! If I’m gonna die anyway, I’d rather it be by your claws, waaah!”
With no other choice, the White Tiger nuzzled him again. Chen Ji’s arms trembled, then hugged him even tighter. Resigned—after all, the bed was already ruined—the White Tiger settled down, curling his massive body around Chen Ji at the center. In a small voice, Chen Ji murmured, “Don’t go… I’m really, really scared…”
“Xiangxiang, I was wrong. I won’t tease you anymore, okay…? Don’t be mad. It wasn’t on purpose…”
The young man was still shaking, so the White Tiger pulled him closer. Chen Ji hugged back even more fiercely.
Chen Ji kept crying, leaving the White Tiger at a loss. Finally, he gently licked the top of Chen Ji’s head. His tongue, rough with soft barbs, groomed the young man’s hair stroke by stroke. Chen Ji seemed to calm a little. Looking up in surprise through tear-filled eyes, he whispered in disbelief, “Xiangxiang, you won’t leave, right?”
“You promised, didn’t you?”
The White Tiger met his gaze and nodded silently.
Chen Ji’s face lit up with joy as he planted two enthusiastic kisses on the White Tiger.
…Hadn’t he just sworn never to tease him again?
The White Tiger stared at the ceiling—whatever, fine! Do as he pleased!
Chen Ji had poured every ounce of his acting talent into those tears. Now that he’d reeled in the big cat, where would more come from? He flopped onto the White Tiger, pretending to catch his breath while secretly giggling for ages. Their family’s Guai Guai was just too easy to fool.
Too adorable.
He planted two more kisses on the White Tiger, then suddenly lifted his head. “Xiangxiang, I’m scared. Can I sleep with you tonight…? Can’t use the master bedroom anymore anyway.”
Of course not—the window was shattered into fragments scattered across the bed, which also bore those paw prints. No way to just shake it off and keep sleeping.
The White Tiger eyed the wooden debris and nodded helplessly—though he’d been in a rush, it was indeed his doing.
Seeing Chen Ji shake out the pillow as if afraid he’d bolt the moment his back was turned, the White Tiger hurried back to his side. Chen Ji leaned against him, trembling pitifully, which softened the White Tiger’s heart.
Chen Ji hadn’t even finished his performance when the tiger’s tail coiled around his waist, hoisting him onto the White Tiger’s back. Surprised, Chen Ji arched a brow, then pressed his face against the warm fur, smirking to himself—Guai Guai was so soft-hearted. So cute.
The White Tiger carried Chen Ji to the side bedroom, which was spotless and tidy. Chen Ji slid off his back onto the bed, staring at him with wide, traumatized eyes. The White Tiger settled on the floor beside the bed, with no intention of climbing up. Chen Ji tugged his tail. “Xiangxiang, get up here. I can’t sleep without you.”
The White Tiger let out a rumbling purr—probably protesting that he was too dirty for the bed.
“Then… then how about I give you a bath?” Chen Ji blurted, then realized his mistake and flailed in panic. “No, no, I won’t bathe you! I’ll just wait in the bathroom, okay?”
“Waaah, it’s so late and I’m still scared… We’re in the temple—why are there so many dangers…?”
The White Tiger paused for a moment, then wrapped his tail around Chen Ji’s wrist and led him toward the bathroom.
They’d bathed in the master bathroom last time because it was spacious enough. The side bathroom was tiny. With the White Tiger’s enormous frame, there’d be no room to turn around. Chen Ji adjusted the water temperature and perched on the toilet lid, waiting.
Seeing Chen Ji hang his head, afraid to even look at him lest he get angry and abandon him, the White Tiger inexplicably felt a pang of guilt. He rumbled again. Chen Ji looked up to find him sitting primly in the cramped shower, staring straight at him.
Hesitantly, Chen Ji asked, “Do you need my help?”
The White Tiger nodded. Chen Ji stepped in at once. He turned on the overhead spray, and warm water cascaded over them both, soaking them through. Chen Ji grabbed the brush and began scrubbing the White Tiger’s fur. The White Tiger closed his eyes, as docile as a giant stuffed toy.
Once Chen Ji circled behind him, he couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore.
Too cute.
How could he be this cute?
Chen Ji wet the tail and brushed it carefully, fur lying flat against the sturdy length. Suddenly, the White Tiger glanced back. Chen Ji released it at once, terrified. “Did I hurt you? Sorry!”
What could the White Tiger do? He shook his head, turned away, and shut his eyes again.
Fortunately, the water flow was strong, and soon they moved to lathering up. Bathing the White Tiger usually took two hours, but it was past 2 a.m. now, so Chen Ji gave him a quick battle shower.
The moment the White Tiger stepped out of the shower, his fur dried instantly. He looked back at Chen Ji, signaling it was time for bed. But Chen Ji pulled off his short-sleeved shirt.
The White Tiger immediately turned to leave. “Xiangxiang, don’t go! I’m scared!” Chen Ji cried.
The White Tiger halted and looked back. Chen Ji stood there naked under the spray, gazing at him pleadingly. “Xiangxiang, I’ll be quick… five minutes… three minutes, please…”
Resigned, the White Tiger sat down, facing away, and waited for him to finish.
The patter of water filled his ears. His keen hearing picked up every beat of Chen Ji’s heart, every breath. He lowered his head, wondering how things had come to this.
…He was treating him just like any other animal—no different from the Fat Cat, Huang Er, or even the Red-Furred Fox.
Chen Ji emerged, loosely wrapped in a half-dry bathrobe, and leaned down to hug the White Tiger. “Xiangxiang, all done. Thanks.”
The White Tiger shook out his fur. Suddenly, a veil of faint azure light enveloped Chen Ji, drying him instantly and warming every strand of hair. The White Tiger’s tail casually curled around his wrist, guiding him to the bed.
Chen Ji crawled to the inner side, leaving plenty of space, his gaze burning into the White Tiger.
He quickly realized it might be too intense and ducked his head.
With a light leap, the White Tiger hopped onto the bed. He slipped behind Chen Ji, his massive form forming a protective wall, letting Chen Ji lean against him to sleep—just like their usual afternoon naps.
Chen Ji was perfectly accustomed to it. He sprawled across the White Tiger’s soft belly and closed his eyes.
Seeing this, the White Tiger rested his head on his front paws and drifted off.
Of course, Chen Ji wasn’t asleep—how could he be?
Second Master Huang had said he possessed real talent. Ever since learning talismans, it had started to emerge. He didn’t know the full extent, but his sixth sense rarely failed.
Something had slipped in tonight, right in front of him—very close. It had first appeared about one to two meters away, closing to roughly half a meter at its nearest… until Xiangxiang burst in and drove it off.
Xiangxiang was still watching that spot, confirming something had been there.
That Xiangxiang was willing to bathe with him and sleep beside him meant the threat was minimal for now… Or perhaps, with Xiangxiang present, it lacked the power to act.
Known facts:
1. The entity posed a real threat to him—likely targeting him specifically.
2. It could manifest inside the Mountain Lord Temple, unbound by Grandpa Mountain Lord’s influence.
3. Most demons on Little Azure Mountain, even outsiders like Black and White Impermanence, abided by the unspoken rule of not entering temples without cause. That meant the Mountain Lord was a force even Ghost Immortals like Black and White Impermanence didn’t want to provoke.
4. For now, it couldn’t beat Xiangxiang.
With those facts—and one more: After Zhou Yunfan died, his soul would be forcibly bound to Little Azure Mountain. Chen Ji had witnessed it himself. Black and White Impermanence’s visit today was to beg him to spare Zhou Yunfan’s soul.
Why? Did he have the authority? Or the power?
He lacked the power, so it must be authority.
Who was he?
He resided in the Mountain Lord Temple, tending to the offerings and sweeping the grounds. In doing so, he had effectively inherited the position of temple priest. From one perspective, the temple priest served as the Mountain Lord’s representative among mortals, conveying His divine will. Therefore… the one detaining Zhou Yunfan’s soul… no, detaining the souls of those who had perished on Little Azure Mountain… was none other than the Mountain Lord himself?
The question remained: What exactly was this entity?
