Chapter 65: Rabbit Milk

As evening approached, the wind howled through the vast snowfield, whipping up a fierce blizzard that carried shards of ice, snow chunks, and grit. It scraped across their cheeks and bodies, bringing a numb, dull pain.

Rabbit Tuan covered his little head with the handkerchief, blocking any cold wind from sneaking into Dao Qing’s collar. He curled up comfortably in a ball, warm and cozy, while Dao Qing bore all the hardship and fatigue. He just had to enjoy himself.

As night fell, large man-eating demons that feared neither wind nor cold began to emerge and prowl. Low, terrifying roars echoed across the entire snowfield.

The raging storm and snow blurred their vision, making it too dangerous to continue. Dao Qing stopped, cast a spell to dig out a cave in the ground, and led Rabbit Tuan inside.

The spell-carved cave was spacious and smooth, about the size of a bedroom, and much warmer than outside.

Dao Qing took out an oil lamp from his Sleeve Universe and lit it. He also set down a rush mat and a soft rug. The simple rush mat, woven from reeds, was for himself, while the large rug was for Rabbit Tuan to roll around on.

Rabbit Tuan hopped onto the rug and flopped down like a rabbit pancake, stretching out his four little paws.

Seeing how thoroughly prepared Dao Qing was, Rabbit Tuan grew suspicious. “Did you plan for me to fall into the Bronze Mirror? That way, you could come in with me and use this bitter ploy to win my favor?”

Dao Qing didn’t even lift his eyelids, too lazy to address the accusation Rabbit Tuan was throwing at him. He took out talisman paper, wrote several spells on it, and placed them at the four corners of the rug, setting up a protective barrier around it.

“Don’t leave the rug at night,” he said. “If you roll off because of a bad sleeping position, tie yourself down.”

Seeing that Dao Qing completely ignored him, Rabbit Tuan lost interest and dropped it. After all, given Dao Qing’s rigid personality, a bitter ploy was impossible. “Are you going out?”

“No.” Dao Qing said, “Just in case.”

“In case of what?” Rabbit Tuan asked.

“Being attacked by demons,” Dao Qing replied.

Rabbit Tuan was puzzled. “Then why didn’t you set a barrier over the whole cave? Don’t you need to guard against them?”

“I do, but it would waste too much demon power.”

After setting up the spells, Dao Qing sat cross-legged on the rush mat, his expression distant and cold. “I have internal injuries and can’t circulate spiritual energy to refine demon power. The road ahead is full of dangers, and we don’t know when we can return. I need to conserve my demon power as much as possible to handle those threats.”

Rabbit Tuan twitched his ears and muttered softly, “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I don’t actually need the barrier. Take it down—I can protect myself.”

Dao Qing shook his head slightly, rejecting the suggestion. “My purpose in entering the Ancient Mirror is to protect you completely.”

In the dim lamplight, his handsome face looked bloodless, almost blending into his silver hair and white robes.

“…”

Rabbit Tuan hated his own soft spot for Dao Qing, but there was no helping it—he was weak against him.

Though he kept saying it was Dao Qing’s duty to enter the Bronze Mirror to save him, deep down he knew that very few people would take full responsibility for their actions, willingly risking everything to rescue him. Maybe one in a hundred, and Dao Qing was that one.

Rabbit Tuan scooted his bunny butt forward on the rug, getting closer to Dao Qing. “By the way, you’re so prepared with all these odds and ends. Don’t tell me you didn’t bring any pills? Why not take some medicine to heal?”

“I have medicine, but it’s barely effective.” Dao Qing said, “The Dragon Clan is innately immune to all poisons, and as a trade-off, pills have no effect on us either. Injuries can only heal naturally, or—”

He abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Rabbit Tuan blinked. “Or what?”

“Nothing.”

Dao Qing dodged the question.

Rabbit Tuan didn’t press and instead asked for medicine. “You injured my Buddha Ghost. Give me some healing pills—I need to fix it. If you’re not around, it can protect me.”

It was a reason Dao Qing couldn’t refuse. He gave Rabbit Tuan the healing pills. Rabbit Tuan pulled out the cracked jade token and fed two pills to the Buddha Ghost.

The Buddha Ghost swallowed them in one gulp. The cracks on the jade token visibly lessened. It let out a low call of thanks to Rabbit Tuan. He patted the token lightly, told it to rest well, and put it away.

Dao Qing watched him finish feeding the Buddha Ghost, then took out another bottle of pills and placed it before him. “Fasting Pills.”

A Fasting Pill eliminated hunger for about three days, but Rabbit Tuan didn’t take one right away. “I’m pregnant—can I eat this? It won’t affect the baby, right?”

“…” Dao Qing glanced at his round bunny belly. “It won’t.”

Only then did Rabbit Tuan relax. He shifted back to human form, uncorked the bottle, and swallowed one pill.

He hadn’t eaten all day and felt hungry despite his poor appetite. But they’d been traveling, surrounded by ice and snow with no food in sight, so he hadn’t complained.

After taking the pill, Qixue felt a warmth rise in his belly, replacing the hunger.

He touched his abdomen and sighed softly, speaking to it. “Sorry, baby. Mommy couldn’t eat anything. I wonder if you’re hungry. For now, you’ll have to suffer with Mommy. If you’re mad, kick Mommy’s belly, and Mommy will beat up that mudfish uncle right away…”

Dao Qing’s face remained expressionless. “Rest early.”

“Oh no, the baby kicked me!” Qixue pretended to cry out dramatically. “He says he wants to snap off mudfish uncle’s dragon horns!”

Dao Qing took a thick fleece blanket from his sleeve and draped it over Qixue’s shoulders. “Sleep.”

“Dead mudfish, acting all high and mighty…”

Qixue grumbled, then lifted a corner of the blanket, gesturing for Dao Qing to join. “I’ll sleep in my original form. Come here—the rug’s big enough for both of us.”

He paused, then added, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not worried about you. I just don’t want you getting sick from lack of rest and being unable to take me back.”

Dao Qing paused, then silently walked to the rug. He removed his spotless white cloth shoes and sat beside Qixue, sharing the blanket.

Qixue blinked in surprise and made some room. “I thought I’d have to talk you into it. You’re not standing on ceremony at all.”

“You’re right. I must preserve myself as much as possible to better protect you.”

Dao Qing lowered his gaze to the ground. “Thank you for letting me in.”

“It’s your stuff—use it if you want. Why thank me…”

Qixue muttered as he shifted back into Rabbit Tuan and burrowed into Dao Qing’s collar for a sense of security. “Alright, let’s rest. Give me another handkerchief—I want to use it as a blanket.”

Dao Qing replied, “I don’t have any left. Every handkerchief is soaked with your milk.”

Rabbit Tuan turned pink instantly. “Then clean them! Who’s keeping the milk on them? Make the milk disappear!”

–

He slept dreamlessly through the night.

In the early morning, Rabbit Tuan woke early, grabbed a drenched handkerchief in his mouth, and sneaked away from Dao Qing, trying to wring it out secretly.

But before he could leave the rug, Dao Qing grabbed him. “Where are you going?”

Morning Rabbit Tuan was like a water-filled pouch—one squeeze and milk flowed. It soaked Dao Qing’s hand, filling the air with a tempting milky scent. Rabbit Tuan flailed his little paws in shame and anger. “Let go! I need to express milk…”

“I’ll help.”

Dao Qing took out a porcelain bowl and placed Rabbit Tuan inside. Before Rabbit Tuan could protest, Dao Qing pressed gently on his bunny belly. Thin streams of milk squirted out.

Rabbit Tuan froze in shock as Dao Qing milked him completely dry, filling the bowl.

Dao Qing cast a spell on Rabbit Tuan to clean his fur spotless, then picked up the fresh, warm rabbit milk. “Want some?”

Rabbit Tuan shook his head dazedly, thinking Dao Qing would toss it away. Instead, seeing he wouldn’t drink, Dao Qing lifted the bowl to his lips and drained it in one go.

“You…”

Rabbit Tuan gaped, stunned by the sight. “You just… drank it?”

Dao Qing said, “I wanted to tell you yesterday—your milk contains demon power that helps my injuries. It shouldn’t be wasted.”

“You can’t just drink it!” Rabbit Tuan’s fur exploded. “It’s my milk!”

“So what if it’s yours?” Dao Qing replied.

“My milk…” Rabbit Tuan’s tongue tied itself in knots. Faced with Dao Qing’s calm question, he was speechless. “You’re not my son—what gives you the right to drink my milk?”

“Helan Ji is your son too?” Dao Qing asked. “Why did you let him drink it?”

Rabbit Tuan was dumbfounded. “How did you know?”

“I’ve always been watching you.”

Dao Qing lifted Rabbit Tuan to his palm. “I know about your intimacy with him. What he can do, I can do too. I am your Heavenly Destined Marriage.”

“Forget your Heavenly Destined Marriage!”

Rabbit Tuan leaped up in fury and kicked Dao Qing square in the face. “I’ll stew you into braised mudfish!”

…

Dao Qing cast a spell and coolly wiped away the red bunny paw print from his face.

To appease Rabbit Tuan’s anger, Dao Qing didn’t resist, letting him trample his face. Rabbit Tuan bounced on it for a while before calming down enough to accept that Dao Qing drank his milk and spied on him.

No choice—he needed Dao Qing’s power to return to the future. No matter how resentful, he’d endure. As payment, until they got back, his rabbit milk was Dao Qing’s, though the demon power was limited, it was better than nothing and could help him recover.

They left the cave and resumed their journey. The scenery was much the same as yesterday, except the distant mountains loomed closer. Rabbit Tuan estimated three or four more days to reach the base.

Rabbit Tuan lay in Dao Qing’s arms. Without a handkerchief, whenever Dao Qing felt his collar grow wet, he’d reach out. “Come here.”

Rabbit Tuan hopped grumpily into his hand, exposed his belly, and let Dao Qing milk him. Later, Dao Qing skipped the bowl, pressing his lips directly to the belly to suckle.

Rabbit Tuan always ended up teary-eyed. “Slower…”

“Can’t.”

Dao Qing finished the milk and tucked him back in. “You produce too much. If I go slow, I won’t get far by nightfall.”

“That’s your problem—I didn’t ask you to drink!” Rabbit Tuan pounded him furiously with his paws.

–

Three days later.

They reached the foot of the mountains.

The closer they got, the warmer it became. Ice and snow melted, revealing sandy ground beneath, dotted with sparse, stunted plants.

After entering a certain distance, Qixue realized one peak was a volcano—explaining the warmth nearby. Even the streams were hot, steaming with a faint sulfur scent.

The demon qi in the air grew thicker, alarmingly so. At the mountain pass, the demon mist was visible to the naked eye, gray-black. The mountains surely teemed with terrifying numbers of man-eating demons.

Just brushing the mist made Rabbit Tuan tremble in fear. “Do we have to cross these mountains? Can’t we go around?”

Dao Qing shook his head. “We can’t detour. Crossing the mountains is our only way out alive.”

“Our only way alive?” Rabbit Tuan muttered. “Feels more like the only way to die.”

Dao Qing patted his little head. “Once we enter the valley, don’t come out without my order.”

After hiding Rabbit Tuan, Dao Qing strode into the gray-black demon mist without hesitation. His figure vanished, no longer visible from outside.