Chapter 125: The Kind-Hearted Dog Demon

Apart from his skill in water manipulation, there were many other differences Lin Yunxi noticed about Zhou Qing during last night's ordeal in the Serpent Forest. For instance, his magical weapon named Illusory Peerless—there probably wasn’t another artifact in the entire White Cloud Sect that could rival it. Then there was the luminous stone Zhou Qing had casually produced for light; such a stone was a rare treasure in this world. And earlier today, after they came ashore, he suddenly produced a clean red robe as if by magic—clearly, Zhou Qing was no ordinary wandering cultivator.

So, when Zhou Qing claimed his cultivation had reached the level above Fasting, Lin Yunxi was not surprised. She regarded Zhou Qing with great curiosity. Her thoughts drifted back to seven years ago, when she had journeyed down the mountain with her master, and by the banks of a wild stream, happened upon Zhou Qing and had saved his life by chance. Who could have guessed that two days ago, she would encounter him again—and this time, be saved by him, both of them now stranded together atop this nameless, desolate mountain.

After a few words of idle conversation, darkness fell. Lin Yunxi, weary, leaned against an ancient tree and closed her eyes. A mountain wind suddenly swept by; she pulled her robe tighter, clearly feeling the cold. They had not built a fire—for in such wild and remote lands, a campfire might only invite trouble.

Not far from her, Zhou Qing observed her quietly. He slowly moved his right arm, still bound with branches, to the pouch at his waist and, with a thought, retrieved a large black robe from his treasure bag. He had prepared this robe long ago, though he had never worn it himself. Now it was the perfect occasion.

He brought the black robe to Lin Yunxi, called softly to her, and handed it to her. Lin Yunxi thanked him, draped the robe over her shoulders, and once again leaned against the tree, her eyes closed.

On the silent mountaintop, with no fire burning, the two sat quietly against the trees. Occasionally, a gust of wind would whistle through, leaving only the sound of their breathing behind. In the faintest thread of light, Zhou Qing gazed at the beautiful woman sleeping not far away, motionless against the tree, and felt a surge of emotion.

Some matters can only be brought forth from the heart and pondered in the deep quiet of night.

He had followed Lin Yunxi into this wild forest for two reasons: first, to repay a debt of gratitude; second, to gain insight into the world of cultivators here. But the forest proved perilous—they had been with the members of the White Cloud Sect for just a day before being chased here by that half-demon. Though he had nearly lost his life, he had survived, and now, he had likely repaid the lifesaving debt from seven years before.

Looking back, Zhou Qing did not regret his choices. He did not know where he was now, nor whether danger lurked in the forest. But for now, he was not alone. Over these two days, he had developed a subtle affection for Lin Yunxi. If asked, he could not have explained its origin; he simply felt at ease in her presence.

He had never felt this way before. Since arriving in this world, he had lived alone. In Jinling County, he had dealings with many, but none were close—save perhaps the Lin family next door, especially Lin Fei’er, whom he regarded as a sister. But with Fei’er, he never felt this way.

This feeling was neither familial nor romantic. As for Lin Yunxi, whom he had only known for two days—though her beauty was unmatched—he felt no desire to possess her. It was not friendship either. Perhaps it was because they had met years before, and she had once saved him, that this feeling now arose.

As Zhou Qing quietly untangled his thoughts about his connection to Lin Yunxi, another mountain wind swept over the summit. In that wind, Zhou Qing caught an unusual scent. He sprang to his feet, scanning the mountaintop, and saw—unnoticed until now—a figure standing among the rocks at the edge of the summit.

Bathed in faint moonlight, Zhou Qing could see that the figure’s face was covered in downy fur. It was not tall, and a tail swung behind it from side to side.

“You…”

Startled by the appearance of this demon on the mountaintop, Zhou Qing instinctively retreated two steps. As he did, Lin Yunxi also rose from beneath her tree. As the two watched the demon, a shadow suddenly bounded up the slope behind it.

“Woof! Woof, woof!”

The shadow—a black dog—barked at Zhou Qing and Lin Yunxi, then crouched at the demon’s side. Zhou Qing recognized it at once as the very same black stray he had seen earlier that day halfway up the mountain. Clearly, there was a connection between the dog and this demon. Zhou Qing felt a wave of relief—thankful now that he had done nothing to the dog earlier.

“Greetings, elder. My arms are injured and I cannot raise them in salute; I beg your pardon.”

For a demon to appear unannounced and so near, its cultivation must be at least equal to his own. Moreover, with one arm immobilized and the other unable to exert full strength, Zhou Qing dared not take risks. After seeing the black dog, he stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Lin Yunxi, seeing this, moved to stand beside him, silently scrutinizing the demon.

“You are a human cultivator?”

“I am,” Zhou Qing replied, then asked, “May I ask, elder, why you would say that?”

“You humans are usually arrogant, always looking down on us demons,” the demon replied. “I did not expect to encounter one like you.”

“An oddity? Elder, you jest,” Zhou Qing smiled calmly. “Though humans and demons are not the same kind, you and I are both intelligent cultivators in this world. I know my cultivation is not as high as yours, so to address you as ‘elder’ is only fitting.”

“Haha—well said. For your words, I’ll let you both go tonight. But remember—in this forest, not every demon is as kind as I. Take care.”

With that, the demon turned and departed down the mountain, the black dog barking twice at Zhou Qing before following close behind.