Chapter Seventy-Five: Such a Little Qing

When Hua Guzi and Zhang Sangu returned with An Youyu, Wang Yuanfeng and Er Qing also set out, each taking a separate path—Er Qing going alone, while Wang Yuanfeng traveled with Xiao Qing.

At this moment, Wang Yuanfeng listened to Xiao Qing chattering ceaselessly beside him, feeling his head swell with frustration; she was even more troublesome than his own brother, Wang Yuanqing.

"Where are we going?" Xiao Qing asked, picking up a snake from the ground to play with.

"We’re almost there," Wang Yuanfeng replied casually.

Though their journey seemed aimless, Wang Yuanfeng secretly employed his tracking technique, searching for the place where he had been brought from. Only at the site of their previous battle could he find lingering traces—scents or fragments that, once captured, would guide him to the weasel spirit’s whereabouts.

Wang Yuanfeng could easily surmise the weasel spirit’s plan: nothing more than launching a sneak attack while Er Qing was cultivating. Lacking confidence in himself, the spirit sought foolproof success, enlisting An Youyu, blessed by the dragon vein of Knife and Axe Mountain, to suppress the owner of the Snake Cave. If the latent dragon’s aura prevailed, the Snake Cave’s master’s magic would be greatly diminished, forced to reveal his true form, barely able to move, making it easy to slaughter the demon. In the end, the weasel spirit would earn a good reputation, suffer no loss to his own fortune, and leave An Youyu to bear all the karmic consequences.

Soon, following the faint traces of his own aura, Wang Yuanfeng found the site where he had fought the weasel spirit. He turned to Xiao Qing and said, “We’re here.”

“What are we doing here? We’re not hunting the weasel spirit, and besides, he’s long gone.” Xiao Qing muttered, unimpressed, while playing with the snake in her hand, then jabbed, “Why don’t you search every mouse hole in the mountain? Maybe that weasel spirit is hiding in one of them.”

Wang Yuanfeng glanced at Xiao Qing, who looked at him with disdain. He laughed and shook his head, treating her as a child, then picked up a scrap from the weasel spirit’s clothing and examined it closely.

He nodded to himself, thankful that the weasel spirit, being self-taught, lacked a proper lineage, leaving so many traces behind. In their fight, Wang Yuanfeng’s superior swordsmanship had left the spirit with many wounds—none fatal, but the spirit’s clothes had been slashed into rags, with at least ten holes.

If it were himself, Wang Yuanfeng would have erased all traces upon departure, destroying anything carrying his aura, for tracking arts were common—every sect had its own—and all practitioners learned to cleanse their scent and muddle their aura. The weasel spirit, however, neglected this, so after Wang Yuanfeng had been taken to the Snake Cave for so long, the aura here had only faded slightly. It showed the spirit’s cultivation was high, but his understanding of Taoist arts was inferior to Wang Yuanfeng’s.

Thinking this, Wang Yuanfeng slapped his palm and declared, “Yes, this is the way.”

Xiao Qing, who had been playing with the snake and making fun of him, was startled, almost dropping the snake, and protested angrily, “What’s gotten into you? Are you trying to scare me?”

Seeing her cheeks puffed like a squirrel, Wang Yuanfeng laughed and explained, “I’ll use my tracking art to follow the weasel spirit, then conceal myself with the hiding technique. Whatever he plans, I’ll see it all. By collecting the traces and remnants he leaves behind, I can craft a straw effigy and cast the Yin Mountain Nailhead spell.”

Seeing Xiao Qing’s bewildered face, Wang Yuanfeng continued, “At the critical moment, I’ll strike him with a nail, then use the cage spell to trap him. No matter what grand schemes he has, they’ll all come to nothing.”

He looked at Xiao Qing, who stared at him wide-eyed and dumbfounded, feeling inexplicably amused. He went over and waved his hand in front of her eyes, asking,

“Xiao Qing, are you alright?”

Wang Yuanfeng felt puzzled and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. Close friends would use their palm, but less familiar ones used the back of the hand. He noted her temperature was lower than normal and muttered, “Cold-blooded creatures always have lower temperatures. Seems her mind isn’t fried. Maybe she’s always been like this.”

“You’re the one who’s ill!” Xiao Qing suddenly burst out, startling Wang Yuanfeng, who quickly withdrew his hand.

He saw Xiao Qing’s eyes gleaming as she looked at him, so he tentatively asked, “Are you alright, Miss Xiao Qing?”

She wrapped the snake around her wrist, then shyly grasped his finger and edged closer to him. Wang Yuanfeng felt a dark line rise in his mind; he knew this gesture meant trouble.

According to his studies, when a newly acquainted girl acted so strangely, it meant either she needed something from him, or this behavior was part of her survival strategy. If he fell for it, he’d be drawn into her game, losing his sense of self and falling unconsciously. Simple traps were like honey traps or scam hostesses; complicated ones could end with being sold to black mines or shipped overseas as a slave, left with nothing and still believing in true love.

The only solution was self-improvement and strengthening his heart; there was no fundamental cure. Wang Yuanfeng would never naively believe Xiao Qing was born to like him.

Of course, Xiao Qing wasn’t that complex. Wang Yuanfeng stepped back two paces. Though he still had magic, his flying sword was unavailable, so Xiao Qing grabbed his arm, pressing her underdeveloped chest against it. As he struggled to pull his arm free, he said, “Xiao Qing, let’s talk properly. It’s broad daylight, open sky—this isn’t right. If there’s ever a chance, let’s do this at night.”

“No, I want it now,” she replied, her eyes brimming with watery light.

Wang Yuanfeng nearly spat blood at her ambiguous words, but he didn’t take it seriously. He sternly said, “Just say what you want. That trick won’t work on me.”

Seeing him seemingly angry, Xiao Qing lowered her head, looking aggrieved, and said, “Brother Yuanfeng, will you teach me magic?”

Wang Yuanfeng was about to refuse. Teaching required examining fate and character; only then could one impart techniques according to the disciple’s nature. Even though Taoist arts had declined in his previous life, he wouldn’t teach them lightly.

Just as he prepared to reject her, he felt the Cosmic Instrument within his mind tremble. Sensing the vibration was related to Xiao Qing, he told her, “Wait a moment, let me consider.”

Ignoring her reaction, he focused inward to observe.

Xiao Qing looked up anxiously at the pondering Wang Yuanfeng, afraid he would refuse, not daring to breathe.

All three siblings—Xiao Qing and her brothers—were born as spirits, gifted and self-cultivated, relying on instinct for their breathing techniques. Thus, even after hundreds of years, their strength couldn’t match humans who had proper training, let alone possess real spells. After nearly five hundred years, Xiao Qing could only perform basic movement, flight, and her innate battle form; none counted as real spells. The only spell she knew was the transformation technique taught by her eldest brother, allowing her to turn into a refined young man.

Wang Yuanfeng, in his inner vision, saw the Cosmic Instrument within him had many star positions showing anomalies—seven or eight scattered ones, but most importantly, a Four Imperial position, emulating the Earth Sovereign. This was one of the four cosmic poles, governing the world’s extremes. If he could ignite this position, he could monitor his internal evolution—flesh, blood, bones—and externally wield the powers of creation, fertility, and the beauty of earth and rivers. It was also the key to his pill-making and path to Tao, not to be taken lightly.

It seemed Xiao Qing was crucial, able to trigger so much. He must teach her a spell or two, but which ones required careful thought.

He opened his eyes and smiled at the nervous Xiao Qing. “I’ve considered it. I’ll teach you one or two spells for self-defense.”

“Wonderful, thank you, Brother Yuanfeng!” Xiao Qing said joyfully.

“Don’t be so hasty, I haven’t finished,” Wang Yuanfeng said.

Seeing Xiao Qing listening earnestly, he continued, “Once matters here are settled and I’ve observed your conduct, I’ll teach you spells suited to your character.”

Xiao Qing, thinking it over, agreed. That troublesome weasel spirit was still plotting against her siblings’ Snake Cave; she wished she could kill him now. Biting her lip, she said, “Alright, let’s hurry and find the weasel spirit.”

She worried Wang Yuanfeng might find her annoying, so she quickly added, “Brother Yuanfeng, I’ll do whatever you ask. I won’t cause trouble.”

Wang Yuanfeng, seeing her solemn promise, nodded. Though mischievous, Xiao Qing understood reason and could distinguish right from wrong in serious matters.

He took out several scraps from the weasel spirit’s clothes, pointed at them, and recited,

“Seven Lords of the Big Dipper, stars guarding all sides.
Source of all energies, evolving the Great Expansion.
Guided by the Big Dipper, stars paving the way,
Supreme Elder, by command!”

Suddenly, a barely visible fine thread appeared on the fabric. Both possessed magic, so they could see it clearly.

Xiao Qing’s eyes sparkled; she thought, if I could use this spell, then whenever my eldest brother or second sister went out without me, I could find them. Lost in her thoughts, she heard Wang Yuanfeng say, “Xiao Qing, hurry up!”

She snapped back, realizing Wang Yuanfeng was already several yards ahead. Thankfully, he wasn’t moving fast, or he would have left her behind.

Xiao Qing leapt into the air, landing beside Wang Yuanfeng in a breath.

Wang Yuanfeng watched her fly so freely and considered—she could probably carry him. If she tried to carry someone deeply tainted or with heavy karma, she might not manage and would have to use movement arts or summon a demon wind; ordinary mortals would weigh as much as Mount Tai. But he was at least a human immortal, his body filled with light, pure energy—she would have no trouble.

He said to Xiao Qing, “Carry me along this path. It’ll be faster.”

“Alright!” Xiao Qing answered crisply.