---

Chapter 115 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (16)

---

The newly empowered Hun Yin was consumed with thoughts of revenge. As he continuously absorbed energy from the underground formation in the Netherworld, he became overconfident, convinced that Bai Mo and the others were powerless to resist him. In his eagerness to witness his enemies’ downfall with his own eyes, he made the reckless decision to descend upon the battlefield in person.

Unfortunately, he made the same mistake as Immortal Lord Hanyue—he underestimated his opponents.

Acting without first assessing the enemy’s strategy was a grave error.

Hun Yin was not ignorant of this principle, but the intoxicating rush of vengeance clouded his judgment.

Had he known that the one guarding the gate was Demon Lord Lou Shun, he might have reconsidered his reckless course of action.

The very reason he had poisoned the Demon Realm’s Empress Consort in the past was due to his fear of Lou Shun. Hun Yin’s demonic sword had originally been forged in the Demon Realm by four great demonic beings before it later developed self-awareness. In essence, the Demon Lord’s power was a natural counter to his own. That was precisely why he had sought to keep Lou Shun occupied.

When the entrance to the Netherworld was forced open, it created a massive vortex connecting it to the outside world, threatening to pull in every living being.

Fortunately, the North Emperor had anticipated various emergencies and had relocated all living creatures within a ten-mile radius beforehand, preventing any casualties outside.

But the citizens of the Netherworld were not so lucky. With no one to shield them, they were left to suffer the full force of the disaster.

“Help me!”

“I don’t want to die!”

“Waaah! Mother, Mother!”

In the face of life and death, the floodgates of emotion burst open. The people were no longer numb—only despair remained.

Near the ancient evil formation underground, Bai Mo and Xiao Bobao frantically tried to pull the captured souls back, but they were simply no match for the formation’s overwhelming power.

“Mo Mo, the formation eye over there has activated! Hurry and block it!” Xiao Bobao shouted, gripping two struggling souls in one hand. Her chubby body plopped down onto the active formation eye, blocking the light and rendering it useless. However, with the sheer number of formation eyes in the ancient evil array, new ones continued to activate in succession—an endless headache.

Jianmu flew straight to the center of the formation, the most dangerous area. Bai Mo panicked and cried out, “Brother Jianmu, come back!” That place was lethal—anyone who went there was courting death.

Bai Mo didn’t want the citizens of the Netherworld to perish, nor could he bear to see Jianmu die. He couldn’t abandon either side, yet he had no better solution. A deep sense of helplessness welled up within him, filling him with despair.

Jianmu carefully studied the sinister patterns of the evil formation. Not only were there multiple formation eyes, but they also shifted positions. Xiao Bobao could only hold them off temporarily, not permanently. Blocking them one by one was a losing battle—it was better to remove the source of the problem.

Having formulated a plan, Jianmu instructed Xiao Bobao to guard the current area, then grabbed Bai Mo’s hand and led him back to the surface.

“Brother Jianmu, do you have a solution?” Bai Mo, who trusted Jianmu completely, looked up at him with hope. If Jianmu had brought him out, then there must be a way.

“I do,” Jianmu replied, using a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Bai Mo’s forehead. “But it depends on you, Mo Mo.”

“Me?” Bai Mo was taken aback. He couldn’t imagine what he could possibly do. If it meant saving the citizens, he was even willing to sacrifice himself.

Jianmu, however, would never let Momo throw his life away—he just needed him to exert some effort.

They soon found the three elders who had been leading the rescue efforts. The elders were old and had exhausted themselves in their tireless efforts to protect the Netherworld. If not for their sheer willpower, they would have collapsed long ago.

With their helpers too drained to continue, Bai Mo would have to shoulder the burden.

The Lotus Karma Fire—the purest flame in existence—could suppress all evil. The underground evil formation relied on the spreading mutant Netherworld cold air to draw away souls. If they could eliminate the cold air, the formation would lose its power.

After hearing Jianmu’s plan, Bai Mo readily agreed. Parkour? No problem—he could handle that.

Even though he was somewhat exhausted, Bai Mo firmly believed he could complete this task. He had to succeed—he would save the citizens of the Netherworld.

The little snow ferret, being small, agile, and highly familiar with the environment, was the perfect candidate for the job.

With the great gate already open, Jianmu broke off a branch from his true form, ignited the Lotus Karma Fire, and tied it to the little snow ferret’s tail.

He crouched down, gently rubbing the ferret’s head, and spoke softly, “Little Ferret, go quickly and return safely. I’ll be waiting here for you.”

“Chirp chirp…” The little snow ferret nuzzled Jianmu’s cheek affectionately before reluctantly taking a few steps forward. Then, under the hopeful gazes of the three elders, it dashed away like a streak of light.

“Elders, I must ask for your assistance.” As Jianmu watched the ferret disappear into the distance, the warmth in his expression faded completely.

The elders, too, understood the gravity of the situation. Certainly, they could help dispel the mutant cold air, but with the ancient evil formation now fully activated, things had escalated beyond their control. The young master was their last hope. If the Bai Clan of the Netherworld was doomed to sacrifice itself today, then let them—the old and withered—be the ones to bear that burden.

Jianmu had sent Bai Mo away because he needed to extract the souls already taken by the evil formation. If he succeeded, it would be a joyous victory. If he failed, the entire royal city would fall, and they would all perish along with the formation. Meanwhile, Mo Mo, who had left the city, would at least be safe.

“Lord Sacred Tree, we are ready. What would you have us do?” The Grand Elder’s robes were tattered, yet his eyes burned with determination. The Seventh and Ninth Elders shared the same resolute gaze.

“Here’s the plan…”

Meanwhile, the vengeful Hun Yin, eager to reach his destination, failed to notice that something was wrong with the power fueling him. By the time he arrived at the great chasm of the Northern Forest, intending to release the Four Great Demon Beasts to wreak havoc upon the world, a streak of violet demonic energy suddenly struck at him. A piece of fabric fluttered to the ground—had he not dodged in time, it wouldn’t have been just his sleeve that was cut, but his head.

Draped in the stolen skin of Immortal Lord Hanyue, Hun Yin recognized his attacker and cursed inwardly. But he had no choice—he forced a smile and reminded himself that, for now, he was Immortal Lord Hanyue. The person before him was unfamiliar with the Divine Realm, so they definitely wouldn’t recognize the deception.

“It’s the Demon Lord. May I ask what brings the Demon Lord to the Northern Forest?”

Neither Hun Yin nor Immortal Lord Hanyue knew that the Northern Emperor had enlisted the Demon Lord’s help. At this moment, Hun Yin’s reaction was a mix of truth and pretense.

“There is indeed something I need to settle.” Lou Shun approached, his tall and imposing figure making the short-statured Hun Yin burn with jealousy.

The Demon Realm… Lou Shun… After he was done with the Netherworld and the Divine Realm, the Demon Realm would be next.

“There’s a matter that needs to be concluded,” Lou Shun said meaningfully.

Hun Yin, eager to shake off Lou Shun and release the Four Great Demonic Beasts, failed to catch the hidden meaning in his words. But poisoning his beloved Su Su—this debt needed to be repaid in full.

Hun Yin was cunning, but Lou Shun and Jiang Liangwu were no fools. They would never let him manipulate them so easily. That’s why Lou Shun personally stepped forward—to avenge his wife. Hun Yin’s head belonged to him.

“This god has urgent matters to attend to, so I won’t trouble the Demon Lord any further.” Hun Yin belatedly realized that the newcomer was hostile and attempted to retreat. However, the Demon Lord had no intention of letting him go so easily. A demonic vine lashed through the air with a sharp cracking sound, striking toward Hun Yin.

Hun Yin’s expression changed drastically. “Demon Lord, what is the meaning of this?”

Lou Shun let out a cold laugh, unwilling to waste words. Hun Yin felt a chill run down his spine as he was forced to defend himself. At first, he assumed he was merely taking the blame for Immortal Lord Hanyue’s actions. However, amid the relentless, deadly strikes, he caught the Demon Lord’s fierce gaze and saw his lips silently form two words: Hun Yin.

Exposed.

Since he had been exposed, there was no need to hide anymore. It was time to fight.

Hun Yin no longer held back. With an endless stream of energy being transferred to him, he was confident that he could outlast Lou Shun. It was only a matter of time before he wore him down.

Neither side could gain the upper hand. Though Hun Yin, already severely wounded, was no match for the Demon Lord, Lou Shun was also unable to break through Hun Yin’s defense, fortified by tens of thousands of captured souls.

Jianmu had sent word to Lou Shun: if possible, he should avoid harming the souls. As long as they remained intact, the citizens of the Netherworld whose souls had been taken could still be saved.

At the edge of the Abyssal Rift, the battle raged fiercely, sand and stones swirling in the wind. Ghostly blue and dark purple energy clashed violently. Lou Shun, holding back to avoid harming the souls, fought with restraint, but Hun Yin wasn’t faring much better—he couldn’t overpower Lou Shun, nor could he escape.

Just as the two sides continued to wear each other down, a surge of powerful energy suddenly flooded into Hun Yin’s body. His face immediately lit up with joy—the Netherworld had fallen. Even Jianmu had failed to escape. This was the power he had absorbed from Jianmu.

“I’m done playing with you,” Hun Yin burst into laughter. As he prepared to channel all his strength to strike down the Demon Lord in one decisive blow, an unexpected change occurred—his power suddenly spiraled out of control, rampaging wildly through his spiritual veins, growing at an alarming rate.

“Then don’t play,” Lou Shun seized the moment of Hun Yin’s distraction, swiftly closing in from behind and striking several major acupoints on his body, disabling all four of his limbs.

Hun Yin plummeted from the sky, crashing onto the ground as a cloud of dust billowed into the air, stinging the eyes of anyone nearby.

Amidst the swirling dust, a figure wobbled as it struggled to stand. Something seemed to be hanging from its body. Upon closer inspection—it was Hun Yin’s peeled-off skin. The false shell of Immortal Lord Hanyue had torn apart, half hanging from his form, revealing Hun Yin’s true appearance—so grotesque that it could haunt nightmares.

With a strange smile, he dragged himself forward, a hoarse, wheezing sound like a broken bellows escaping from his throat. Before he could even reach Lou Shun, his legs ignited—golden, flowing flames blazed brilliantly, consuming him inch by inch. Thick, black smoke billowed into the air, accompanied by his agonized screams. Desperate to use the smoke as a last resort for escape, he soon realized even this final trick was doomed to be purified.

Lou Shun crushed Hun Yin’s life-bound demonic sword, letting the Lotus Karma Fire consume it completely.

The dark clouds dissipated, and radiant sunlight streamed through the great gate, illuminating the Netherworld.

The three elders, battered and exhausted, supported each other. As the warm sunlight bathed their weary bodies, they wiped away the tears streaming down their faces.

“The young lord succeeded. My lord… the gates of the Netherworld have been opened. Everyone’s efforts were not in vain…”

Jianmu, having withdrawn the Lotus Karma Fire, smiled in relief. Holding a tiny, exhausted snow ermine, weakened from purifying the corrupted cold energy, he walked step by step toward the floating palace at the heart of the royal city.

Nestled in the crook of the man’s arm, the little snow ferret squinted its eyes, rubbing its head affectionately against its “pillow,” letting out a cheerful giggle.

The people of the Netherworld, having narrowly escaped death, basked in the long-lost sunlight, overcome with joy and tears.

“We’re saved! We’re finally saved!”

“Mother, look! Who are they?”

A young child, still naive and bewildered, pointed at the man and the little snow ferret, who gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight. They looked so beautiful, almost like celestial beings.

The woman raised her head, recognizing the snow ferret—a sacred symbol of the Netherworld’s royal family. Hugging her child close, she whispered, “That is our young lord… our king… our savior.”

“K-King…” The child didn’t fully understand, but he caught the key word and began repeating it excitedly.

One voice became ten, ten became a hundred, a hundred became a thousand.

Amid the deafening chorus of adoration, the divine figure holding the snow ermine turned back. Perched upon his shoulder, the snow ferret excitedly waved its tiny paws, greeting its people.

“Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle…” Is everyone doing well?

“King, King, King…”

Beneath the warm sunlight, the divine figure gently smoothed the little snow ferret’s fur, ruffled by the wind. His smile was gentle and heartwarming.

“Little Ferret, are you happy?”

“Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle…” Brother Jianmu, thank you.

With their foreheads pressed together, the man and the ermine shared a bond so close that it made others envious.

“Little Ferret, let’s go home.”

– The End –

---

ry’s note: The Escaping Little Snow White Ferret from the Black Moonlight Camp is finished~ (人´∀`)

Thank you to all the readers who have patiently waited for updates and supported it. (*/ω＼)

I hope you enjoy reading it. ♡

See you in the next translation~ (〜^∇^)〜

---

---

Chapter 114 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (15)

---

As Xiao Bobao felt herself being lifted high into the air, she mentally went through her farewell ceremony, sending her goodbyes from Bai Tang to the Supreme God.

Tang Tang, Qiu’er, remember to resurrect me, okay? I shall now bravely sacrifice myself!

She squeezed her eyes shut and steeled herself, ready to give up her life to buy more time.

Just as the air seemed to carry the faint scent of burning fur, a translucent white arrow shot out of nowhere, shattering the roasting rack.

Xiao Bobaor’s body suddenly felt weightless, and she easily rolled to safety.

That scared the panda to death! The little panda was terrified!

“Brother Jianmu…” Bai Mo’s voice echoed from midair.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

A gentle man pressed a soothing kiss to the boy’s forehead and draped a cloak over him.

“Mo Mo, don’t be scared. I’m here to save you.”

When Xiao Bobao looked over, Bai Mo had already been rescued, held securely in Jianmu’s arms, being comforted.

Xiao Bobao: Who just stuffed lemons in my mouth? So sour! Waaaah! Is there no one here to hug this poor, lonely panda?

“Mo Mo, you’re hurt.”

It wasn’t a question—it was a statement. The thick scent of blood permeated the cloak and reached Jianmu’s nose. His handsome face furrowed in a deep frown as he began casting a revival spell to heal Bai Mo.

“I’m fine,” Bai Mo insisted. “That guy wanted to sacrifice me to my ancestors.”

With his powerful protector by his side, the little snow ferret pointed accusingly at Hun Yin.

“He even said he was going to roast me alive so that you could eat me when you arrived!”

Good heavens.

Mo Mo truly deserved to be the bedmate of the Celestial Tree.

He accurately hit Jianmu’s sore spot without missing a beat.

Xiao Bobao sneaked a glance at Jianmu, whose face had turned pitch black with fury. His menacing aura was building, like an impending storm about to break loose.

Serious question: Should she drag Mo Mo and hide far away, or just run for her own life?

Hun Yin, however, remained utterly indifferent to Bai Mo’s exaggerated accusations.

Anyone who entered his formation wouldn’t be leaving—not even the Celestial Tree.

“Long time no see.”

Under Jianmu’s murderous glare, Hun Yin casually greeted him, completely unfazed. “It’s been millions of years. I was locked away in a place where I was neither human nor ghost, but now… I finally found a chance to escape.”

He smirked. “I heard you self-destructed, your divine power greatly weakened. Millions of years ago, you and the former Northern Emperor sealed me away. Now, you’re short a teammate, and you’ve lost your strength. Tell me—how many of my attacks do you think you can handle?”

Even during training, trouble seemed to follow Jianmu. And lucky him—having such a sweetheart by his side. But today, both he and his little lover were doomed.

Hun Yin smirked. “You can beg me now if you’d like. Maybe I’ll be merciful and let you die together.” He had made all his preparations and was certain of his inevitable victory.

Convinced that success was the only outcome, he began rambling, spewing a bunch of useless words. His arrogance was so ridiculous that even Xiao Bobao, who knew exactly how powerful Jianmu was, couldn’t help but spare him a moment of silent mourning.

You finally managed to escape, and instead of hiding somewhere to recover and bide your time, you chose to act recklessly.

Instead of being a normal person, you decided to court death. And of all things, you dared to provoke the Celestial Tree’s authority while hitting his sore spot dead on.

Honestly, if you don’t die today, who else would? Rest in peace—I won’t be burning you any paper money during the holidays.

After some thought, Xiao Bobao decided to secretly lower the Bai Clan’s ancestral remains and move them to safety to prevent any collateral damage when the inevitable fight broke out.

From the moment Hun Yin started speaking, Jianmu didn’t spare him a single glance.

Instead, he remained entirely focused on holding Bai Mo and healing his wounds. The warm embrace was so comforting that Bai Mo didn’t want to move at all, half-dozing against Jianmu’s broad, firm chest.

After a while, the little snow ferret’s injuries had fully healed. His once torn clothing now revealed smooth, unblemished skin, rather than sticky blood and gruesome wounds.

Jianmu’s voice, usually warm and gentle, was now laced with an icy chill. “Have you finished your last words?” His long, narrow eyes swept over Hun Yin with casual indifference. A shiver ran down Hun Yin’s spine. But the next second, he gritted his teeth and cursed Jianmu for putting on an act. “You’re already at the end of your rope and still trying to resist? What a joke!”

Jianmu gently patted the little snow ferret’s bottom, his voice as soft as a spring breeze melting winter’s snow. “Little Ferret, wait for me on the side.”

“Okay~” Bai Mo nodded obediently.

Even his ancestors weren’t a match Hun Yin, let alone himself. Better to leave it to his dear, powerful husband.

“Then be careful~” His sweet, soft voice was utterly intoxicating.

Jianmu smiled, ruffling Bai Mo’s hair and gently guiding him to stand beside Xiao Bobao.

Xiao Bobao, meanwhile, was huffing and puffing as she worked to untie the Bai Clan ancestors’ remains. Suddenly, several gazes fell upon her. She froze. Slowly, she turned her head—mechanically. Bai Mo, Jianmu, and Hun Yin were all staring at her. Bai Mo’s gaze was full of gratitude, while Hun Yin’s was seething with hatred.

“Xiao Bobao, thank you,” Bai Mo said sincerely. She was doing everything she could to help him—what more could he ask for?

“Mo Mo, hurry!” Xiao Bobao urged. “If we get all the Bai Clan members down, he won’t be able to activate the Ancient Evil Formation!” She still didn’t know Hun Yin’s exact identity, but did it even matter? Not really. All she needed to know was that he was definitely not a good person.

If the Ancient Evil Formation was activated, the entire Netherworld Realm would be doomed.

They were still unaware that the North Emperor and his allies had already made preparations outside to break open the Netherworld Realm. They were still focused on protecting its inhabitants. If not for this, the ancient evil formation that Hun Yin had set up inside the Netherworld Realm, combined with the grand array prepared by Immortal Lord Han Yue outside, would have been activated simultaneously, bringing disaster to all living beings.

Would Hun Yin really sit back and watch his prize slip away at the last moment? Of course not. He summoned his true form—a demonic sword—and drove it toward Bai Mo’s back. Initially, he had wanted to sacrifice Bai Mo alive, but since the boy refused to comply, killing him outright would be much more satisfying.

Clang! A crisp collision rang out behind the little snow ferret. Sparks burst into the air as chains clashed against the demonic sword.

If Hun Yin wanted to kill Bai Mo, he would first have to get past Jianmu.

The elegant deity held an iron chain that seemed completely at odds with his refined appearance. This chain was no ordinary weapon—it was meant to drain spiritual energy the moment it touched flesh.

Yet now, it failed to perform its intended function. Upon closer inspection, the chain dangled in midair, trembling slightly despite the absence of wind or movement from Jianmu, as if trying to flee.

Iron Chain: I was absolutely terrified. Master, save me!

Unfortunately for the iron chain, its master, Hun Yin, was in no position to rescue it. Instead, this once-loyal weapon had become Jianmu’s tool against him.

Jianmu’s original divine weapon was his own true form, but since he couldn’t summon it here, this iron chain would have to do.

The battle raged on fiercely, sparks flying in all directions. Meanwhile, Bai Mo and Xiao Bobao were struggling to rescue the Bai Clan’s ancestors while dodging the fiery embers. It was exhausting work.

“You forced me to do this,” Hun Yin finally growled. Jianmu had deliberately prolonged the fight to buy Bai Mo time to transport the ancestors’ remains. After hundreds of exchanges, Hun Yin realized that Jianmu had not been fighting at full strength, while he himself was nearing exhaustion.

Xiao Bobao had successfully placed the Bai Clan ancestors into a newly created system space, a delicate spatial artifact now hanging around Bai Mo’s neck.

If Hun Yin wanted to complete the sacrifice, he would have to capture Bai Mo first. But to capture Bai Mo, he would need to kill Jianmu. Weighing their abilities, Hun Yin knew he had no chance of defeating Jianmu in a direct fight.

But he still had one last trump card.

“Hahahahaha! Trading hundreds of thousands of souls from the Netherworld for just sixteen members of the Bai Clan—who’s really at a loss?” With that, Hun Yin chose self-destruction.

This was merely one of his avatars; half of his divine soul still resided within Immortal Lord Hanyue. As long as Hanyue lived, he would not truly perish.

Sacrificing half his soul to severely wound Jianmu and Bai Mo, possibly even burying them alongside the Netherworld Realm—this deal was well worth it.

The moment Hun Yin self-destructed, all sixteen pillars collapsed in unison, and the barrier covering the underground plaza vanished. The ancient evil formation, activated by the remnants of Hun Yin and the crimson liquid flowing from him, began its horrifying work. Souls of the Netherworld’s inhabitants were forcibly extracted from their bodies and pulled toward the center of the formation.

…

Outside, at the great gate of the Netherworld, three elders who had been dispersing the mutated Netherworld frost suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of malice. The gateway between the Netherworld and the outside world was being forced open—a catastrophe of heavenly proportions. Below, the ancient evil formation wreaked havoc, shaking the land itself apart.

Panicked citizens who had no time to escape collapsed to the ground, wailing in terror. Their spirits were violently ripped from their bodies by an invisible force, as if countless unseen hands were dragging their souls into the cracks splitting open beneath them.

The worst possible scenario had come to pass. With the gate open, not only would the Netherworld Realm suffer, but the other five realms as well. The first to be affected would be the Northern Forest, closest to the Netherworld, followed by the Divine Realm, then the Mortal Realm…

In the Divine Realm, Immortal Lord Hanyue continued to feed celestial bones, spirit roots, and souls into the massive formation. At the very center sat a severely injured Hun Yin, who had lost his avatar in the Netherworld. Originally, this formation was meant to strengthen him, but now, unexpectedly, it was being used for healing instead.

Outside the Northern Forest, at the moment the gate was forced open, a surge of murky Netherworld frost rushed out. As if possessing intelligence, the frost coiled around Demon Lord Lou Shun’s arms and legs, greedily siphoning his power.

Lou Shun curled his lips into a cold smirk. “Insignificant trickery.”

Suddenly, within the formation, Hun Yin coughed up a mouthful of blood. The power he had dispersed into the mutated Netherworld frost had not absorbed the North Emperor Jiang Liangwu’s spiritual energy as he had intended. Instead, it was neutralized, dealing yet another severe blow to him.

Hun Yin’s face twisted with fury as he glared at Immortal Lord Hanyue. With a vicious snarl, he spat, “Didn’t you say Jiang Liangwu was guarding the gate?!”

Immortal Lord Hanyue was equally shocked by this sudden turn of events. Facing the far more powerful Hun Yin, he dared not hide anything. “The information I received was that the North Emperor activated the Luo Scroll Formation. That’s correct!”

Hun Yin was infuriated by Hanyue’s incompetence. Who said that activating a formation was the same as guarding the gate? How could those two things possibly be the same?!

“Idi*t.” Hun Yin seethed as he glared at the still-clueless Hanyue. His stored divine souls were nowhere near enough to compensate for the severe injuries he had sustained.

Not enough. Still not enough. These were all low-level souls—even in large numbers, they weren’t sufficient to restore him.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted to Hanyue. Wasn’t there a perfect offering standing right before him? Hanyue might not be on the same level as Jiang Liangwu or Jianmu, but he was still a High God.

“N-No, Master! I’m useful! I know the Divine Realm inside out! I can help you—” Hanyue stammered as he saw the naked hunger in Hun Yin’s eyes.

For the first time, he realized that intelligence was not always an advantage. If only he had kept his mouth shut! Perhaps Hun Yin had only been considering the idea before, but now that he had spoken, his fate was all but sealed.

“This is the moment for you to be of use to me. I’ll be sure to remember your contribution.”

Before Hanyue could beg or defend himself further, ghostly blue flames coiled around him, dragging him into the formation. Amidst the crackling fire and his agonized screams, Hun Yin licked his lips in satisfaction.

As expected, the divine soul of a High God was far superior to those of mere celestial soldiers.

---

---

Chapter 113 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (14)

---

Ever since the Heavenly Soldier incident was exposed, Hanyue Immortal Lord, backed by his lackeys, had become even more unrestrained in his purges within the Divine Realm, using increasingly ruthless methods. His followers, emboldened by his lead, also began eliminating dissenters. The neutral faction remained on the sidelines, while the voices of opposition gradually faded.

Ascending to immortality was no easy feat, and now, with Hanyue Immortal Lord taking full advantage of his position as the realm’s overseer—using it as an excuse to openly and secretly strip immortals of their celestial bones—who could endure such tyranny?

Though the opposition dared not confront him openly, that did not mean they approved of his actions. In secret, they sent letters to North Emperor Immortal Lord. Yet, for some reason, every single message vanished without a trace.

Finally, when a high-ranking deity, unable to bear the situation any longer, set out personally for the Northern Forest to file a complaint, he was intercepted midway by a mysterious figure in black robes and killed. The extinguishing of his divine lamp sent shockwaves through the celestial realm.

What happened? Why was a divine lamp extinguished? Who had killed him?

Unlike those captured by Hanyue Immortal Lord—who, at least, remained alive—this was true death.

By comparison, Hanyuè’s actions seemed almost tolerable. The real terror was the hidden figure lurking in the shadows, taking lives without warning.

“We must notify North Emperor Immortal Lord,” Moon God declared.

“What’s the point? He’s just a hands-off ruler. We’d be better off informing Hanyue Immortal Lord—he’s already investigating the demonic energy infiltration. If you ask me, this incident is connected to that.”

“The North Emperor is on good terms with the Demon Realm’s Sovereign. Even if it was a demon who committed these acts, he’d probably cover for them in the name of ‘maintaining peace between the two realms.’”

“Everyone knows that to secure the peace treaty with the Demon Realm, they even locked up the Misfortune God in the Celestial Prison. Covering for demons? Not impossible at all…”

Hanyue Immortal Lord’s lackeys grew more and more outrageous in their claims.

Once, they had fervently supported the revered Old Lord, yet when he failed to instigate a divine-demonic war, they turned on him. Now, they were twisting the imprisonment of the Misfortune God and the war between the East and West to frame North Emperor Immortal Lord.

They had clearly forgotten their past promises to him, their pledges to never again stir up trouble.

The Northern Forest was, after all, far removed from the Divine Realm, and with Hanyuè holding the upper hand, he merely made a token effort to pacify the gods, urging them not to be too radical. He claimed that favoritism toward the Demon Realm was only natural, given the North Emperor’s friendship with the Demon Sovereign.

Yet, beneath his seemingly neutral words lay an implicit accusation, subtly condemning the North Emperor, enraging the opposition enough that they stormed out.

“Those who walk different paths cannot work together.”

If even a high-ranking deity could be ambushed and slain mid-journey, then those unanswered messages had surely never reached the North Emperor.

They had to find a way to inform him.

Whether it was the mysterious figure scheming in the shadows or Hanyuè Immortal Lord’s unchecked rule over the Divine Realm, neither could be allowed to continue.

To reach the Northern Forest without alerting the gods—to move like a ghost, unseen and undetected—there was only one person they could turn to.

Night God.

They headed to the Night God’s palace in a group, only to find it empty. The young gatekeeper informed them that the Night God had not returned for several days and that they had no idea where he had gone.

Judging by the time of his departure, it must have been on the day of the grand assembly. Apart from the Northern Forest, they could think of no other place the Night God would have gone.

The path to the Northern Forest was fraught with danger, with black-robed figures ambushing and killing deities along the way. Fearful for his safety, they hurried to check the Night God’s divine lamp. It was still brightly lit—he was alive. As long as the Night God remained, they could contact him, and he could pass the message on to the North Emperor Immortal Lord.

The young attendants of the Night God’s palace had a unique way of communicating with him. No matter where he was, they could always deliver messages, which was a great relief to the high deities who could not venture to the Northern Forest themselves.

“North Emperor, when are you coming over? The Divine Realm has been thrown into chaos by Hanyue Immortal Lord.”

“Hanyue is using the demonic invasion as an excuse to manipulate the celestial soldiers and generals. He leads his followers in slandering you everywhere. Those who refuse to submit have been either subdued or eliminated.”

“Immortal Lord Wenhao has been ambushed and killed…”

On the other end of the voice-transmitting stone, the North Emperor and the Night God listened in silence. When the reports were finished, the North Emperor simply said, “Understood. Remain calm. Do not engage with him unless absolutely necessary.”

The formation was already in place; he could not go to the Divine Realm now and risk alerting Hanyuè. “This matter will be resolved soon.”

Once the Hun Yin Demon Sword was sealed or destroyed, all these problems would subside.

…

Netherworld Realm.

Jianmu received word from the North Emperor instructing him to assist in dispelling the mutated Netherworld Frost from within, while they would break through the barrier from the outside.

Jianmu readily agreed. However, when he turned to relay the message to the three elders, he discovered that Bai Mo was missing. Not only was he nowhere to be found, but they could not contact him at all—not even Xiao Bobao could pick up his whereabouts.

There was no need to guess—that little snow ferret had snuck off again, and this time, he had gotten himself trapped.

Jianmu had assigned Xiao Bobao to track the attendants, but Bai Mo, with his restless nature and concern for the Netherworld Realm, must have secretly followed him. In fact, the overly indulgent Xiao Bobao was likely in on it, conspiring with Bai Mo.

The three elders were not truly reckless. Jianmu instructed them to gather at the city gates in one hour to dispel the mutated frost, as the barrier would be opened at that time. Meanwhile, he would go search for Bai Mo.

For now, Bai Mo was safe—at least, Jianmu sensed no immediate danger. However, they could not reach him either.

There was an indistinct yet fragile connection between them, threatening to snap at any moment. Fortunately, Bai Mo had been leaving marker symbols along his path. These symbols were unique—each one different from the last—and only Jianmu could decipher them. He was not worried about anyone else discovering them.

Jianmu followed the trail of markers all the way to a small cottage. The interior was pitch black, but the sound of several steady breaths indicated that people were inside.

Since this house was inhabited, trespassing would be considered theft. Under normal circumstances, Jianmu would never stoop to such petty behavior. However, when it came to the safety of the little snow mink, certain principles could be momentarily set aside.

With that thought, Jianmu cast an invisibility spell and silently moved in the direction the markers pointed…

…

Meanwhile, Bai Mo, the very one occupying Jianmu’s thoughts, entered a passageway. Relying on his sharp animal instincts, he successfully navigated the long, winding tunnel. As he stepped out, his vision suddenly broadened—before him stretched a vast plaza, glowing faintly in shades of blue and green.

The ground was etched with strange patterns, and sixteen stone pillars encircled the area. Each pillar had a person bound to it. More precisely, these were the corpses of the direct descendants of the Bai clan from the Netherworld—people who should have long been laid to rest, yet now hung eerily from the pillars.

At the center of the plaza stood a smiling attendant, arms outstretched as he greeted Bai Mo. “You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time—your ancestors have been waiting for you too. Look, that spot over there, I saved it just for you.”

Bai Mo followed the direction of the attendant’s gesture. Among the sixteen pillars, only one remained empty. At its base, his name had already been engraved.

“Bast*rd.” Bai Mo’s face darkened with fury. Not only had this man disturbed his ancestors’ rest, but he was also using their corpses. He was trying to activate an ancient evil formation.

The attendant, possessed by the Hun Yin Demon Sword, maintained his unsettling smile. In his eyes, Bai Mo was already as good as dead.

“Haven’t you always wanted to go home?” the demon sword said, voice laced with amusement. “I’m simply helping you reunite with your ancestors forever. Isn’t that a good thing?”

Though phrased as a question, his tone allowed for no doubt—it was a declaration of certainty.

Xiao Bobao comforted the trembling little snow ferret, who was shaking with rage. “I’ll notify the Divine Tree right away, Mo Mo, don’t be afraid,” she reassured.

However, the moment she sent out the signal, she realized that a barrier had been set up outside, blocking all transmissions. This meant that Jianmu wouldn’t be able to receive their message or locate their position. Their strongest and most reliable ally was now cut off.

“Mo Mo, this is bad—we’ve been tricked!” Xiao Bobao gritted her teeth. She was certain now: this attendant was nothing more than a cunning wolf in sheep’s clothing. He had carefully studied Mo Mo’s personality and lured them here on purpose.

She inwardly cursed the ruthless Hun Yin, but to her surprise, he heard every word. Instead of getting angry, he simply admitted it outright.

“That’s right. I did it on purpose.” Hun Yin said casually. “At this point, isn’t it a little rude for the little one hiding in the shadows to keep avoiding me?”

Xiao Bobao had been concealed within Bai Mo, just like back when she operated as a system. She was extremely confident—if she didn’t want to be found, even the Supreme Gods of the Divine Realm would struggle to detect her. This was a privilege granted to her by the Northern Emperor. How did this man manage to discover her?

Xiao Bobao remained silent, suspecting that Hun Yin was bluffing, trying to lure her out and confirm if Mo Mo had other allies.

But in the next instant, she realized she was wrong.

She was forcibly yanked out of Bai Mo’s body and thrown harshly to the ground.

The chubby little panda landed flat like a pancake, limbs splayed helplessly in the air, unable to roll back over.

“Xiao Bobao—!” Bai Mo’s figure flickered as he lunged at Hun Yin, his sheer speed leaving afterimages in his wake.

Yet before he could strike, four ropes shot down from above, coiling tightly around his limbs. With a sharp swoosh, he was yanked upward and slammed against the cold stone pillar. His frail back pressed against the icy surface, his body bound—only his head remained free to move.

“Let go of Mo Mo! Do you even know who my master is? If I told you, you’d be scared to death!”Xiao Bobao roared in fury, her plump body wriggling from side to side but failing to flip herself over.

She had been captured—d*mn it!

“Pfft~ Are you talking about Jiang Liangwu?” Hun Yin sneered. “Back in my prime, that kid was still drinking milk.”

He didn’t take Xiao Bobao’s so-called greatest backer seriously at all. Jiang Liangwu? Please. Even if his father were here, Hun Yin still wouldn’t be afraid.

“Keep bluffing all you want! The Northern Emperor is incredibly powerful. Even if he can’t reach this place from outside the Netherworld, there’s still someone out there who you’d have to call ‘Ancestor.’ The moment he comes looking for you, it’ll be your doom.” Xiao Bobao tried to intimidate Hun Yin while stalling for time, secretly attempting various methods to send Jianmu their location.

“By the time he gets here, you’ll all be well acquainted.” Hun Yin flicked his wrist, and in an instant, a ring of eerie blue flames surged up around the formation’s perimeter.

Bai Mo had seen these flames before—last time, they reduced a demonic realm physician to ashes. Though they appeared cold, they could obliterate a person’s divine soul in seconds.

“This little one talks too much—so noisy. Let’s start with you, then.” With that, Hun Yin grabbed the little panda by the arm and dragged her toward the flames.

He even set up a roasting rack over the blue fire—he was actually planning to roast Xiao Bobao alive.

“You bast*rd! Let her go! If you have any guts, fight me one-on-one! What kind of man are you if you bully girls?!” Bai Mo roared, tears streaming down his face.

The more he struggled, the tighter the ropes bound him. As his rage flared, the ropes dug deep into his flesh, greedily absorbing his spiritual energy and bloodline power.

“Mo Mo—hic—Mo Mo, stop struggling! I… I’ll go first… Waaaah…” Xiao Bobao sobbed.

She wasn’t a traditional demon cultivator—she was a system-born entity. She had only chosen to cultivate with panda blood because she loved how cute pandas were. However, her divine soul lamp was stored with Qiu’er. As long as Qiu’er was alive, the lamp wouldn’t be extinguished, and she wouldn’t truly die.

She had only learned this after completing her missions, and it was also the reason Qiu’er felt comfortable letting her descend to the mortal world.

But knowing she wouldn’t really die was one thing—facing death head-on was another.

The roasting rack was getting closer and closer to the fire. Tears streamed down Xiao Bobao’s face.

Not actually dying is one thing, but being roasted alive? Just thinking about it hurts! Waaaah!

Lord Divine Tree, please hurry!

If he finishes roasting the panda, he’ll start on the snow ferret next!

---

---

Chapter 112 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (13)

---

Night God carried the fallen celestial soldier’s body toward the Northern Forest, only to encounter an unexpected obstacle midway. A figure in black robes floated in midair, exuding ominous black energy filled with malice. Raising the magical weapon in his hand, the figure aimed directly at Night God.

Though Night God had not personally experienced the ancient wars, he had taken part in the battles between the Eastern and Western Divine Realms. As an avid “combat enthusiast,” he was far from the weak and harmless figure he usually portrayed.

Without hesitation, he drew his life-bound weapon to engage in battle. Whether it was because the mastermind had underestimated him or because the black-robed figure simply lacked the necessary strength, the fight ended in fewer than thirty rounds. Defeated, the black-robed figure bit down on a poison capsule hidden in his molars. Before Night God could restrain him, the poison had already taken effect, and the figure collapsed, dead.

“Dead already?” Night God sneered.

Whoever said the dead couldn’t speak? A corpse carried countless clues.

Just as he was about to take the body with him, the black-robed figure suddenly burst into blue flames, igniting without any external source. In the blink of an eye, the fire consumed the body entirely. Night God barely had time to snatch the skull before the rest of the body was reduced to ashes.

His expression darkened. Failing to retrieve the corpse was not just an insult—it was a blatant provocation. He could almost picture the arrogant and smug look on Hanyue Immortal Lord’s face.

Although there was not yet enough solid evidence to prove that the black-robed figure had been sent by Hanyue, Night God’s instincts screamed that both the figure and the celestial soldier stripped of his divine bone were undeniably connected to him.

Gathering the skull, he wasted no time rushing to the Northern Forest, where he successfully met with the Northern Emperor Immortal Lord.

Many high gods were aware that Night God supported the Northern Emperor, but few knew just how close their personal relationship was. Most assumed it was merely a superior-subordinate dynamic.

“Lang Wu, we need to move up the timeline.” Night God got straight to the point. He had been one of the participants in the plan to unseal the Netherworld Realm, though on the surface, only the Northern Emperor and the Celestial Sky Tree were known to be involved.

“Those creatures have been restless for some time now. And now, celestial soldiers are being stripped of their divine bones. I strongly suspect that the Divine Realm has already been infiltrated from within.” Night God’s gaze flickered with an unusual light as he added, “I suspect Hanyue Immortal Lord.”

Jiang Lang Wu raised an eyebrow but neither confirmed nor denied Night God’s claim. Instead, he asked calmly, “Why do you think so?”

Hanyue had always been a fool—lacking intelligence but eager to show off. Previously, he had not posed a significant threat to the Divine Realm, so the Northern Emperor had simply ignored him.

“You know my intuition never fails me. He came running out from behind the main hall, and ever since he returned from the Nine Provinces, he’s been acting strangely…” Night God proceeded to list all of Hanyue’s odd behaviors: his dust-covered appearance upon returning, his completely depleted spiritual energy, his sudden mastery of increasingly aggressive spells in just a few days, his newfound habit of picking fights, and his ruthless retaliation against those who resisted him.

The Northern Emperor pondered for a moment before instructing Qiu’er to investigate where Hanyue Immortal Lord had gone after being expelled from the Nine Provinces.

“Jianmu went in.” The Northern Emperor stated casually.

Night God was stunned for a few seconds before reacting.

“You mean… Jianmu entered the Netherworld Realm?” His surprise was understandable—this was not the right time for anyone to enter.

“Mm. He went with his wife to visit his family.”

When it came to spoiling one’s wife, the Northern Emperor was an expert. He could fully understand why Jianmu would risk venturing into the Netherworld Realm at an unsuitable time just to make Bai Mo happy. After all, it wasn’t like he lacked the ability to do so. If going there could improve his wife’s mood, then it was worth it—no big deal.

Unfortunately, as a millennium-old bachelor, Night God completely failed to comprehend the thought process of those in relationships.

“Isn’t this just making our plan even more difficult?” he groaned in frustration. But what was done was done—there was no point in complaining. That didn’t stop him, however, from shooting the Northern Emperor a look of silent condemnation for not preventing this.

Once the Netherworld Realm was unsealed, Jianmu could stay there as long as he wanted—but for now, his absence was a problem. The Northern Emperor had to keep watch over the Four Great Demonic Beasts, Night God needed to set up the formation, and now there was no one left to open the boundary gate of the Netherworld Realm.

He didn’t trust outsiders with the task.

The Northern Emperor’s lips curled into a faint smile, as if he greatly enjoyed watching Night God’s impotent frustration.

Life in the Divine Realm was too long, too constrained, and over time, even a god’s emotions dulled. Watching Night God’s heart get some much-needed stress testing? Quite amusing.

As Night God continued to complain, a figure slowly emerged from the depths of the forest. A deep, magnetic voice flowed forth:

“Perhaps I can.”

The Supreme Ruler of the Demon Realm—Lou Shun.

Night God’s head snapped around, his heart skipping several beats upon meeting Lou Shun’s expressionless yet striking face.

He quickly turned back to the Northern Emperor, his gaze screaming a silent question: “When did this guy get here?!”

Since the signing of the peace treaty between the Divine and Demon Realms, both sides had kept to their own territories, avoiding unnecessary contact. At most, the Demon Empress would visit the Northern Forest, or the Divine Queen would travel to the Demon Realm. But the Northern Emperor and Demon Sovereign? They had never interacted.

“You invited him?”

Good heavens. Night God couldn’t believe it. Jiang Lang Wu had silently expanded their team behind his back, and the worst part? He had no idea.

“The Empress is recuperating in the Northern Forest. Didn’t you know that?” The Northern Emperor shrugged, casually motioning for Lou Shun to take a seat, as if they were old friends.

Steam rose from the tea cup, and the gentle sound of water filled the air as the liquid was poured to the seventh layer. A celadon cup was pushed toward Lou Shun.

“Try it. My Tang Tang just made this new blended floral tea.”

Lou Shun didn’t move, but the Northern Emperor wasn’t the least bit bothered. With a bright smile, he added,

“Chuan Su also likes it. It’s good for the baby. Freshly brewed this morning.”

If his wife liked it, then that was a different matter altogether—it must be worth trying. He could even learn to make it himself for Su Su in the future.

Lou Shun lifted the cup and took a sip. The tea was subtly sweet, yet not cloying—exactly the kind of flavor Su Su loved.

“I’ll have Tang Tang write down the recipe for you later.” When asking for someone’s help, it was only proper to offer something in return.

Although Lou Shun stepping in to open the Netherworld Realm’s gate after Jianmu left was technically his way of repaying Bai Tang for taking care of Bai Chuansu, since Tang Tang had taken over the responsibility of looking after someone else’s wife, he had to do it properly. Because of this, Tang Tang had been sleeping over with Bai Chuansu, leaving Jiang Lang Wu alone in an empty bed for several nights. Now that Lou Shun was finally back, he naturally hoped Bai Chuansu would be well enough not to need Tang Tang’s overnight care anymore.

“Mm.” As always, Lou Shun was a man of few words.

Night God, on the other hand, was still unaccustomed to interacting with cold and quiet people. Sure, Lou Shun was incredibly handsome—pleasing to the eye—but the atmosphere was just too frigid. Talking to him felt like performing a monologue, which was unbearably awkward.

As they were drinking tea, Bai Chuansu happened to stroll over, supporting his waist as he walked.

With a swift motion, Lou Shun stood up and quickly strode over, pulling Bai Chuansu into his arms. His previously icy demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by the warmest, gentlest tone imaginable.

“Why did you come out on your own? I told you I’d accompany you for a walk later.”

Night God was utterly dumbfounded by the drastic shift in attitude.

Turning to Jiang Lang Wu, he asked, “Are all of you in relationships like this? Two completely different personas depending on the situation?”

He recalled that Jiang Lang Wu’s attitude toward other deities was vastly different from how he treated Bai Tang. Even the Heaven-Piercing Divine Tree was the same way.

“How do you guys do it?”

How did they manage to switch faces so effortlessly? Night God was genuinely curious.

The Northern Emperor leisurely sipped the tea his beloved Tang Tang had brewed, then smiled mischievously and delivered a brutal blow:

“Why don’t you try falling in love yourself? Then you’ll understand.”

Changing faces? That sort of thing was entirely self-taught.

Night God refused to be force-fed dog food and was about to kick over… Forget it. He didn’t dare to knock over the dog bowl—not with the Demon Lord present. They still needed his help.

“It was too stuffy inside, and Tang Tang went to check on Li Li again. I had nothing to do, so I decided to take a walk.” Bai Chuansu carefully cradled his swollen belly as he sat down with Lou Shun’s support.

Ever since he stopped taking Red Rainbow Grass, the spiritual energy that had been leaking from the fetus was no longer being lost. Now that the baby was receiving proper nourishment, it had stopped tormenting Bai Chuansu. His belly, which had only been slightly rounded before, suddenly swelled to its proper size, startling Lou Shun—who was experiencing fatherhood for the first time. He regretted leaving Su Su alone and was immensely grateful to Bai Tang for taking care of him.

Qiu Er, who had previously served as a system for a long time and excelled at gathering information, returned just as Lou Shun was about to pour Bai Chuansu a second cup of tea.

“Hanyue Immortal Lord was blown all the way to the South of Heaven!” Qiu Er gasped for breath. After receiving this information and realizing its gravity, he had rushed back at full speed.

Everyone exchanged looks of surprise. Night God murmured, “The South of Heaven, that place…” Even a dog wouldn’t willingly go there. Not only had Hanyue Immortal Lord stumbled in by accident, but he had also managed to make it back out in one piece.

Night God did a quick calculation, his fingers forming signs. It had taken Hanyuè Immortal Lord only a day and a half to return. If he had only been at the outskirts of the South of Heaven, it wouldn’t have taken him that long to come back. But if he had actually gone inside, a day and a half wouldn’t have been nearly enough time to escape. Considering the accusations from the celestial soldiers…

A terrible thought struck Night God. His face changed drastically as he shot to his feet.

“This is bad. Extracting celestial bones, stripping spiritual veins, seizing divine souls—who is he sacrificing all this for? Have there been any unusual disturbances at the bottom of the Abyss?”

All the gods knew that the Four Great Fiends were sealed beneath the Abyssal Rift in the farthest reaches of the Northern Forest, but none knew their precise location. The only one who could pinpoint it, the North Emperor, shook his head and said, “No abnormalities. In fact, they’ve been growing weaker by the day.”

It was as if something had drained their demonic energy.

Now, it was clear—the one siphoning that energy was none other than Hanyuè Immortal Lord. And he wasn’t offering it to the Four Great Fiends. He was feeding something else—something even more sinister.

Considering that Hanyuè had entered the South of Heaven and emerged in record time, orchestrated multiple schemes to weaken various factions, the entity he was sacrificing to was becoming obvious.

“The Hunyin Demon Sword,” North Emperor Immortal Lord uttered the name.

The Hunyin Demon Sword had originally been a mere weapon wielded by a fiend. But over countless years, it had developed a sword spirit, one that grew stronger by devouring gods, demons, spirits, ghosts, and mortals alike. Only it possessed the intelligence to systematically weaken the powers of all realms—the Four Great Fiends weren’t nearly as cunning.

“For us, this is both good and bad,” North Emperor mused. “If the fiends break free, it will be complete chaos. But the demon sword, while dangerous, is still only a fraction as powerful as they are. The downside, however, is that it’s clever. It strategizes. Hanyue Immortal Lord has already fallen under its influence. That mysterious figure we’ve been chasing—it must be the sword. It has infiltrated the Demon Realm, manipulated the Divine Realm’s leadership, and if I had to guess, the Underworld was its first target. It may already be half its domain by now.”

“Inform Jianmu. We cannot allow the demon sword to grow any stronger. We must unseal the Underworld ahead of schedule.”

---

---

Chapter 111 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (12)

---

The elders were filled with lingering fear. Fortunately, the young master had returned with the Celestial Tree today. Otherwise, if even they had fallen, who knew what would have become of the Netherworld Realm?

Before unsealing the Netherworld Realm, they had to identify the traitor. After discussing their strategy, they summoned the attendants who had seen the little snow ferret and erased their memories. To deceive any hidden enemies, the elders pretended to succumb to demonic corruption and staged their collapse at Jianmu’s hands, throwing the Elder Courtyard into immediate chaos.

Taking over temporary management of the Elder Courtyard, Jianmu’s first command was to seal off all information—no one was allowed to spread news of the elders’ injuries and unconscious state. Furthermore, no one was permitted to leave the Elder Courtyard unless absolutely necessary.

The attendants acknowledged the order, but shortly after Jianmu turned away, a low-ranking attendant requested leave under the pretext of visiting his family and quietly left the Elder Courtyard.

In such a critical situation, most people would obediently follow orders if they had no ulterior motives. However, this person had specifically applied for leave right after the restriction was imposed.

Transformed back into his little snow ferret form, Bai Mo instructed Xiao Bobao, “Follow him.”

The attendant weaved through the streets, taking multiple detours, clearly trying to avoid being tailed. An ordinary pursuer would have easily lost him, but Bai Mo was no ordinary tracker. His agility and sharp sense of smell ensured that even if he briefly lost sight of the attendant, he wouldn’t stray from the right path. Moreover, with the small broadcast spirit accompanying him, deducing the attendant’s destination was a simple task.

“The civilian district in the western part of the city,” Xiao Bobao reported after calculating the route. There was some doubt in its voice. According to their investigation, this attendant’s home was indeed in the western civilian district. Could it be that he truly was just homesick and wanted to check in on his family?

Bai Mo and Xiao Bobao watched as the attendant entered the civilian district and walked straight toward his house without any obstructions.

“Maybe we were wrong after all,” Xiao Bobao muttered. Not wanting to waste time on an insignificant figure, it was about to suggest turning back when Bai Mo shook his head firmly.

“We’re already here. We should at least gain something from this. Who knows if he’s actually the traitor? We can’t give up halfway. If he just wanted to go home, why take such a roundabout route?”

Bai Mo pointed out a crucial flaw—if the attendant was truly just visiting home, taking the main roads would have been faster and more convenient. Such abnormal behavior meant there had to be something suspicious going on. Bai Mo’s instincts told him that this attendant was far from innocent.

Xiao Bobao considered his reasoning and agreed. To ensure their cover, it cast an invisibility charm on both itself and Bai Mo before they silently approached the house.

The attendant’s home was a standalone building. Given his position working at the Elder Courtyard, his monthly wages weren’t low, so affording a house wasn’t entirely unexpected. However, he was only a low-ranking errand runner, earning significantly less than those in the inner circle. According to his records, he shouldn’t have been able to afford a house like this—especially since he had purchased it just three months ago. Coincidentally, that was also around the time the demonic seeds had been planted inside the elders.

The little snow ferret perched atop the wall, activating his X-ray vision to observe the attendant’s actions. At first, everything seemed normal—he ate with his family, chatted, and did some cleaning. Everything was as ordinary as could be.

But as night fell and his family members retired early, the attendant returned to his own room. With a reminder from the small broadcast spirit, Bai Mo immediately perked up—this was the main event. Now that the attendant had some privacy, he was bound to make a move.

Sure enough, as soon as the attendant entered his room, he twisted the vase on the small table. It turned out to be a hidden mechanism. The solid wooden cabinet beside it shifted to the left, revealing an underground passage.

Well, well, a secret tunnel inside his house?

As soon as the attendant descended, before the wardrobe could slide back into place, the little snow ferret swiftly darted inside and plunged straight down.

“Plop—”

A small but distinct sound echoed, and the light above was instantly cut off as the wardrobe returned to its original position.

Now engulfed in complete darkness, Bai Mo, despite his excellent night vision, was effectively blind.

“Xiao Bobao, help me out.”

“On it~”

With Xiao Bobao around, there was no shortage of tools, from ancient to modern.

In no time, a nuclear-powered headlamp appeared and was securely fastened to Bai Mo’s forehead, illuminating the tunnel with perfect clarity.

Following the passage, he ran forward for approximately five hundred meters before encountering three branching paths. Bai Mo sniffed the air and frowned—each path carried the attendant’s scent. This meant the attendant had traversed all three routes at some point, and the intensity of his scent was identical on each, making it impossible to determine which one he had just taken.

…

Meanwhile, in the outside world—

Since Immortal Lord Hanyue had returned from the Nine Provinces, his temper had become increasingly erratic, shifting unpredictably like the weather. He refused to speak of anything related to the Nine Provinces, and anyone who dared to bring up the topic faced severe consequences—minor offenses resulted in injuries, while severe ones led to death.

They say that when an honest man finally loses his temper, it is truly terrifying. Perhaps it was because Immortal Lord Hanyue had always greeted people with a warm smile and had never put on airs, making it hard for others to see him as a threat. Initially, people dismissed his outbursts, believing that the two higher gods he had punished had provoked him first and thus deserved it.

However, once they had witnessed his true strength, everyone became wary and consciously avoided him.

Yet, some things in life are unavoidable. Even if they refrained from provoking Immortal Lord Hanyue, he would come looking for them himself.

At first, under the pretense of disciplining the heavenly soldiers and generals, Hanyue Immortal Lord kept finding faults, causing the celestial troops to live in constant fear. Everyone prayed that he would take his so-called “rectification” efforts elsewhere—better their comrades suffer than themselves.

However, Hanyue Immortal Lord seemed to have set his sights firmly on the celestial army. Every day, someone was punished and sent to reflect in isolation. As time went on, the number of soldiers on routine patrols dwindled. Many began to feel that he had gone too far, but since it didn’t concern them directly, even the higher gods who were familiar with him remained silent.

That was until one day when a bloodied celestial soldier staggered into the hall, interrupting an ongoing meeting.

His sudden appearance was like a bolt of lightning splitting the sky. The tortured soldier used his final breath to scream:

“Hanyue Immortal Lord… framed… celestial bone…”

“Insolence! How dare you spout nonsense in the presence of the gods!”

Furious, Hanyue Immortal Lord slammed his chair into pieces. Instantly, all the chairs in the hall shattered along with it, sending several caught-off-guard higher gods tumbling to the ground in disgrace.

The celestial soldier had already reached his limit just by escaping and shouting those words. The immense pressure from someone leagues above him in power crushed his remaining spiritual energy, snuffing out his last breath. Even in death, unwilling and resentful, his bloodshot eyes remained locked onto Hanyue Immortal Lord.

“Hanyue Immortal Lord, what did this celestial soldier mean by his words? Don’t you think you owe us an explanation?”

Everyone knew that Hanyue Immortal Lord had been rigorously disciplining the celestial army. The soldier had emerged from behind the hall—an area under Hanyue’s jurisdiction.

The Night God stepped forward, intending to gently close the soldier’s eyes. However, no matter how hard he tried, the soldier’s eyes would not shut. The sheer hatred burning in his gaze was chilling—what kind of grudge, what kind of deep resentment, could make someone refuse to close their eyes even in death?

With a nearly imperceptible sigh, the Night God prepared to carry away the fallen soldier’s body. But the moment he touched him, his expression changed drastically.

The celestial soldier’s celestial bone was gone.

Unbelieving, the Night God probed further. Beneath the soft flesh, there was no trace of the sacred bone that should have been there to support him.

Still unwilling to accept what he was seeing, he continued his examination. The more he checked, the darker his expression became.

Not only had the soldier’s celestial bone been removed, but his spiritual root had also been extracted, and his three souls and seven spirits were missing one soul and one spirit.

Hanyue Immortal Lord spoke coldly: “This man refused to be reformed. I discovered traces of demonic energy within him. When I confronted him, he attempted to attack me and escape. I had no choice but to imprison him for investigation. Who would have thought that he would escape today and turn the blame on me instead…?”

Hanyue Immortal Lord made no attempt to conceal the fact that someone in the Divine Realm had been bought off. Instead, he put on a show of deep sorrow and remorse, sighing heavily, “It is my failure that I have yet to uncover the mastermind behind this and have instead disturbed all of you.”

The gathered gods nodded in response, offering words of reassurance: “How can this be Hanyue Immortal Lord’s fault? Hanyue, you mustn’t blame yourself.”

The Night God noticed that all those agreeing with Hanyue Immortal Lord were his supporters. Watching as they readily forgave him and smiled in his direction, Night God suppressed the unsettling feeling in his heart. For the first time, he refrained from making any sarcastic remarks toward Hanyue.

“Rest assured, everyone. I will do my utmost to find the one responsible and ensure they do not wreak havoc in the Divine Realm.” Hanyue Immortal Lord declared firmly.

Seeing Hanyue’s theatrical performance, the Night God sneered and scoffed at his pretense. “In my opinion, this is no trivial matter. It must be reported to the Northern Emperor Immortal Lord at once. I, for one, lack the ability to assist Hanyue Immortal Lord in capturing the mastermind, so I will make the trip to the Northern Forest myself. I won’t be staying to entertain any longer.”

With that, the Night God picked up the celestial soldier’s corpse and flew toward the Northern Forest.

Hanyue Immortal Lord watched his departing figure with a serene smile, his gaze lingering for a long time before he finally looked away.

“The Night God is truly insolent,” one of Hanyue’s lackeys grumbled. “Since it was Hanyue Immortal Lord who discovered this matter, naturally, he should be the one to handle it. What’s the point of running off to report to the Northern Emperor? It’s just a small issue—we are more than capable of resolving it ourselves. If we trouble the Northern Emperor over every little thing, people might start thinking he’s the one in charge of the Divine Realm instead…”

This speaker was one of Hanyue Immortal Lord’s sycophants. Seeing how Hanyue’s divine power had surged and how his forceful methods had overpowered many higher gods, numerous deities had quickly switched allegiance to his side.

Hanyue Immortal Lord maintained his benevolent smile and waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine. The Northern Emperor Immortal Lord has seniority, so informing him is only proper. In fact, he should have been the rightful ruler of the Divine Realm from the start. It was only due to everyone’s favor that I was chosen instead. I truly feel unworthy of such an honor.”

“Not at all, not at all! I believe Hanyue Immortal Lord is doing an excellent job—always so thoughtful in everything…”

After receiving several rounds of flattery, Hanyue Immortal Lord no longer feigned humility. Instead, he accepted the praise with a pleased smile before dismissing the gathering.

Once everyone had left, his expression darkened, and the warmth on his face vanished entirely.

“The Northern Emperor is a major threat. He is the greatest obstacle to your rule over the Divine Realm.”

A hoarse, ethereal male voice suddenly echoed through the grand, empty hall. It was as if the words came from a great distance—yet, at the same time, they seemed to whisper right beside him. However, if anyone else had been present and listened carefully, they would have realized something terrifying:

That voice was coming from within Hanyue Immortal Lord’s own body.

“I know,” Hanyue responded, his expression sinister and chilling. “The Demon Realm’s cover has already been blown. That d*mn cat-fox is being guarded tightly by Bai Tang in the Northern Forest, and I can’t get in. What about the Netherworld Realm? Have you made all the necessary preparations?”

“Those three old fools in the Netherworld Realm have already succumbed to demonic influence. In just a few days, the entire Netherworld will descend into complete chaos.”

---

---

Chapter 110 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (11)

---

When the little snow ferret entered the three elders’ line of sight, the entire world seemed to lose its color. In their eyes, only the soft, fluffy, and snow-white little creature remained. Their young master was as adorable as ever—once a tiny bundle of cuteness, now a slightly bigger one. Before, he was a little cutie; now, he was a big cutie.

It wasn’t until Jianmu placed a blanket over the small ferret—under the noble pretext of “The night air is damp; we mustn’t let Mo Mo catch a cold.”—that the elders finally snapped out of their trance.

The three elders wholeheartedly agreed. Our young master is delicate and precious; he must be well taken care of!

No matter how old Bai Mo was, in their eyes, he was still the little ferret who used to tug at their robes, asking for sweets with a soft, childlike voice.

Since Jianmu was a friend, not a foe, the elders had no reason to continue being hostile toward him. Though they had many questions, the mere fact that he had safely brought their young master back was enough to impress them. A true hero in his youth—this young man has a bright future ahead!

With this shift in mindset, their evaluation of Jianmu changed drastically—what was once seen as scheming was now considered courage, and what was once thought of as trickery was now seen as talent.

The little broadcast spirit, who could perceive their thoughts, nearly burst out laughing. Poor Lord Divine Tree—who would’ve thought he’d have a day where he was mistaken for a thief?

The city gates would not open before dawn. While the elders had enough authority to bend the rules and order them open, Jianmu did not agree.

Firstly, he did not want to break the rules set by the Netherworld. Once a precedent was set, it would be hard to control future exceptions, and given the precarious state of the Netherworld, avoiding unnecessary disruptions was best.

Secondly, he did not want too many people to know Bai Mo had returned. The enemy lurks in the shadows while we are exposed. Without knowing the full extent of the hidden threats, revealing our presence could be the greatest danger of all.

The four of them chose to wait until dawn. The moment the city gates opened, Jianmu carried the little snow ferret inside. The three elders, nearly driven mad with impatience, rushed in like a raging storm, completely ignoring the guards who greeted them.

After much difficulty, they finally arrived at their agreed meeting place—only to find that the little snow ferret was still fast asleep.

Having cried too much the previous day, coupled with the dizziness caused by re-entering the Netherworld, Bai Mo needed ample rest to recover his strength.

“Sir, why not come to my home instead? The young master needs a better place to rest.” Now that the initial excitement of seeing their young master had passed, the Grand Elder finally remembered that Jianmu’s identity remained unclear.

Leaving their young master in the care of an unknown man was simply too dangerous. The royal palace would have been ideal, but since it had been sealed shut ever since the young master was sent away, bringing him back there would attract too much attention. As a compromise, the Grand Elder suggested taking him to his own residence instead.

The other two elders, receiving the Grand Elder’s subtle signal, had the same thought. They put on warm, welcoming smiles, seemingly eager to invite their esteemed guest inside—while, in truth, they were simply waiting for the right moment to snatch the little snow ferret away from Jianmu’s arms.

“You’ve had a hard journey, sir. Allow me to lead the way.” The Seventh Elder reached out, intending to take the little snow ferret from Jianmu’s arms, but Jianmu did not yield.

“No need. We wouldn’t want to wake Mo Mo. Elder, please lead the way ahead,” Jianmu replied with a polite smile, firmly refusing the request.

Since the young master was in Jianmu’s arms, the elders did not dare act rashly. Taking advantage of the relatively empty streets, they guided Jianmu back to the Elders’ Courtyard.

The three remaining elders were all unmarried and childless. For the sake of convenience in discussing matters, they resided together in the courtyard.

As soon as they stepped inside, the Grand Elder quickly instructed the attendants to clean the best room in the courtyard, prepare delicious food, and fetch clean drinking water. Unpolluted water sources had become increasingly scarce. Most people, including the elders themselves, relied on lightly contaminated water for daily use. The Grand Elder’s request stunned the attendants—they thought they had misheard or that the Grand Elder had misspoken. However, under the sharp glare of the Grand Elder, they soon realized they had heard correctly and hurried to make the necessary preparations, though still filled with confusion.

Had it been for anyone else, the Grand Elder would never have parted with such a precious resource. But since it was for Bai Mo? Give him as much as he needs. If they ran out, they would simply purify more. The young master deserved only the best. Others could make do, but Bai Mo must never be wronged.

When Bai Mo finally woke up, he was met with three pairs of eyes staring intently at him. The moment he opened his eyes, their deeply wrinkled faces blossomed into wide grins, so radiant that they frightened away the last remnants of his drowsiness.

“Who… who are you?” Bai Mo mumbled, still groggy. In the unfamiliar surroundings, his instincts immediately sought out the person closest to him. “Brother Jianmu~”

“I’m here. You’ve woken up, little ferret. We’re in the Elders’ Courtyard.” Jianmu stood behind the three elders, his eyes filled with fondness.

“The Elders’ Courtyard?” Bai Mo murmured.

It was no surprise that Bai Mo had no recollection of the place. When he was younger, the elders would always visit him in the royal palace, playing with him, teaching him spells, and keeping him indoors at all costs, fearing that his frail body would be harmed by the mutated cold outside. Naturally, he had never been to the Elders’ Courtyard himself.

As the faces before him gradually overlapped with his childhood memories, Bai Mo’s eyes lit up, and he called out sweetly, “Grand Elder, Seventh Elder, Ninth Elder~”

“Oh! The young master still remembers us!”

“What a remarkable memory, young master!”

“You must be tired from your journey. Why don’t you get up and have a little something to eat before going back to sleep?”

In their memories, the young master was still a child who needed to be coaxed. Even though he had grown up, in the elders’ eyes, Bai Mo remained that same soft little bundle.

Hearing the elders speak in their familiar tones, the boy’s nose tingled, and his eyes quickly reddened. With a heavy sob in his voice, he cried, “Elders, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left like that. It’s all my fault—I caused the other elders to…” If he had stayed, the elders wouldn’t have perished one by one before their time.

“Oh, young master, don’t cry! How could this be your fault? It’s all because of those four great fiends.”

“Exactly! If you hadn’t left, we might not have been able to hold on for much longer ourselves. But we couldn’t die, because we were waiting for you to find a way to save the Netherworld Realm. And look—your people have finally awaited your return…”

The three elders took turns comforting Bai Mo, but the more they spoke, the harder he cried. In the end, it was Jianmu who had to step in, showering him with affectionate reassurances. Only after much coaxing did the little snow ferret finally stop sobbing, though he still sniffled occasionally.

The Grand Elder, Seventh Elder, and Ninth Elder: “!” You insolent brat! How dare you kiss the young master!

Just as their fury at the offense began to rise, Bai Mo shyly took Jianmu’s hand and introduced him to the elders. “Grand Elder, this is Brother Jianmu. After I left, he took me in. Thanks to him and a stroke of fortune, we were able to return.”

Jianmu. The name sounded somewhat familiar, as if they had heard it somewhere before.

The Netherworld Realm had been cut off from the outside world for too long, leaving their information outdated. Some time ago, the Northern Emperor Immortal Lord had barely managed to send a message, saying that he had found a way to lift the seal on the Netherworld Realm. But after that one sentence, no further word had come.

“I was born in the heart of the Nine Provinces, standing between heaven and earth. Outsiders commonly call me ‘Tongtian’—the Sky-reaching Tree.”

Nine Provinces… Tongtian…

The Grand Elder chewed over the words, and suddenly, his eyes widened in shock.

“You are the Celestial Sky-reaching Tree!”

The three elders were utterly shocked. Once they recovered, they no longer looked at Jianmu with wary, scrutinizing eyes. Instead, their gazes were filled with excitement. The heavens have not forsaken our Netherworld!

If they had only the assistance of the Northern Emperor Immortal Lord, there was merely a forty percent chance of breaking the Netherworld Realm’s seal. But with the addition of the Celestial Sky-reaching Tree, their hope soared to eighty percent.

“Immortal, please take a seat. We have offended you before—please do not hold it against us.” Realizing the significance of this moment, the three elders stood and respectfully bowed to Jianmu.

“Elders, please rise. This journey was made not only because Mo Mo longed for home, but primarily for this very matter.” Jianmu’s status was unquestionable. Even if he told the elders not to bow, they would likely feel uneasy, so he simply accepted their courtesy and let the incident from earlier slide.

Bai Mo watched in confusion, not understanding how Jianmu and the elders had suddenly become so polite with each other. He turned to Jianmu, who met his gaze with a reassuring look before leaning in to whisper in his ear, “Just a small test. These three elders are truly good people, Mo Mo. You must honor and respect them in the future.”

Jianmu’s voice was soft, but the elders had exceptional hearing. They didn’t catch every word, but they understood enough to realize that the Celestial Sky-reaching Tree bore no grudge against them. This greatly eased their hearts.

Bai Mo scrunched up his delicate little face and huffed playfully, “What kind of thing is that to say? Of course, I will honor the elders~” The elders had always treated him with such kindness—he wasn’t some ungrateful little snow ferret!

After finishing their meal and drinking tea, the five of them sat in the main hall. The Grand Elder waved for the attendants to leave. Once all outsiders had exited, Jianmu casually set up a barrier to block out any potential eavesdroppers, preparing for an open and honest discussion with the three elders.

“The Demon Realm’s Empress nearly fell victim to poisoning—he was afflicted by Red Rainbow Grass,” Jianmu stated bluntly, wasting no time on pleasantries.

The Ninth Elder immediately cried out in grievance, “The Netherworld Realm is already struggling to survive! If we had any spare energy, we would rather use it to dispel the mutated cold aura. Why would we try to harm the Demon Empress? It’s not as if we’re eager to hasten our own destruction!”

“Fortunately, it was discovered early. Su Su only consumed it a few times, so the poison hadn’t spread deeply. Otherwise, we would’ve truly made an enemy of the Demon Realm.” Bai Mo added, then quickly explained, “Brother Jianmu isn’t blaming the elders for failing to manage the Netherworld Realm properly, but rather…”

He glanced toward the door, ensuring no one was outside, then lowered his voice.

“There’s a traitor in the Netherworld Realm. We don’t know their goal, but it’s certainly nothing good.”

The Grand Elder’s expression changed drastically.

This mysterious individual was truly vicious—were they trying to bring about the total annihilation of the Netherworld Realm?

The Netherworld Realm, which the Lord and the other elders—who had sacrificed their lives and spared no effort to protect—was now being targeted by some unknown figure, seeking their deaths. How could the Grand Elder not be consumed with hatred? If he ever uncovered the mastermind behind this, he would ensure that person was torn to pieces.

Jianmu saw the fury burning in the Grand Elder’s eyes. Right now, harboring such negative emotions in the Netherworld Realm was dangerous—it could easily lead to demonic corruption.

Just as the Grand Elder’s mind began to waver into confusion, a crisp chime rang out. The once-clouded look in his eyes instantly cleared, and even his aging body felt noticeably lighter.

He blinked in confusion and turned to the others. “What just happened to me?”

Seeing him regain his senses, the Seventh and Ninth Elders let out a long sigh of relief. “Grand Elder, you were under the influence of something,” the Seventh Elder explained.

The three elders had unwavering loyalty to the Netherworld Realm, making them impossible for the mysterious figure to manipulate. Since they could not be used, they had to be destroyed. Unbeknownst to them, they had been poisoned. The moment the conditions were right, they would have succumbed to demonic corruption and self-destructed.

---

---

Chapter 109 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (10)

---

Bai Mo’s mood mirrored the color of the sky—dull and gray. He felt utterly drained, unable to summon any energy.

Jianmu noticed and silently took it to heart. He placed his large hand on the young man’s head, gently ruffling his hair in silent comfort.

To outsiders, the Netherworld Realm was nothing more than a sealed-off land meant to suppress demonic creatures. It had nothing to do with them, so they merely remarked, “Impressive” or “That’s their duty” before moving on. Over time, they took the Netherworld Realm’s sacrifices for granted, never considering that their own peaceful lives were built upon the lives and futures of every being within this forsaken land.

He understood how his little mink felt.

“Brother Jianmu, let’s go to the royal city,” Bai Mo said, rubbing his eyes and wiping away his tears. He couldn’t cry. Not now. This was the moment he was needed the most—he couldn’t afford to be weak.

“Alright, I’ll go with you.” Jianmu cast one last glance at the village shrouded in dusk. Though he possessed the power to disperse the mutated cold energy lingering in the village, he chose not to.

It would be a temporary fix, not a true solution. If he purified this village, what would the neighboring settlements think? Who wouldn’t want to live under the light? Conflict would arise, blood would be spilled. Too many lives had already been lost to the demons. Even if he drove away the cold energy now, without eliminating the source, it would inevitably return.

Bai Mo was heartbroken. Jianmu held his hand as they walked, the heavy silence pressing between them. Even Xiao Bobao, who was usually chatty, didn’t dare to speak. Instead, she quietly handed over the map, receiving an approving glance from Jianmu in return.

Leaving the village, they arrived at a small town. The landscape outside was no different from the village—except for the slightly grander buildings. The people, however, remained the same—numb, lifeless. They moved through the hazy gray mist as if nothing could affect them, yet the entire town exuded an eerie sense of deathly stillness.

The more Bai Mo saw, the worse he felt. The familiar scenery awakened buried memories of home. When he was younger, he had once sneaked out to play. Back then, his parents were still alive, and the Netherworld’s cold aura spread more slowly. The streets weren’t like this—the people still smiled, they laughed, argued, haggled at the markets. They had life.

Now, they were nothing but empty shells.

Tears welled up in his eyes and, before he could stop them, streamed down his face in a silent cascade.

“We are here now to free them. Don’t cry—better days are ahead for our people.” Jianmu reassured Bai Mo, though even he hadn’t expected the Netherworld’s cold energy to have caused such severe devastation. The small village had been just a glimpse, but the sight of the larger town was far more shocking. When they reached the royal city, the situation would likely be even worse.

“Yes, yes! I recorded everything! I’ll send it back to the Supreme God now. Once the Northern Immortal Emperor sees it, he will surely come up with a solution,” Xiao Bobao chimed in, trying to offer some comfort.

The people who had lived in the Netherworld for so long had been slowly corroded by the cold energy. Their emotions had been numbed, their desires dulled. They were struggling just to survive—they had no extra compassion left to spare for others. Tears were the most worthless, most useless thing in this world. Food production had declined year after year, and drinkable water was becoming scarcer. Crying would only waste precious bodily fluids.

The people remained indifferent to the sound of the boy’s quiet sobs—until the next moment shattered that cold detachment.

A single teardrop fell to the ground. The soil, long blackened by corruption, suddenly emitted a faint glow from the spot where the tear landed. The light spread outward in gentle ripples, purifying the tainted energy as it expanded.

Even the dust in the air seemed to be cleansed. Their vision, once clouded and blurry, suddenly became clear, and the air felt fresher than it had in years.

For the first time in ages, the tormented people’s faces showed a second emotion—neither a smile nor a frown, but something in between. Their long-held apathy had left them unable to fully express joy or sorrow. And yet, the warmth of real tears welled up in their eyes. As the oppressive fog lifted, the invisible chains binding them shattered, and in that instant, they finally felt alive.

“No… it’s gone…”

“It’s clean…”

The villagers stared at their own hands, then at their surroundings, searching for the source of the miraculous purification. Ever since the elders had perished one by one, they had never experienced such relief.

Who…?

Who had saved them?

Jianmu and Bai Mo’s disguises were flawless. Even as the young boy lowered his head to wipe away his tears, he didn’t attract any attention. After all, many others had also begun shedding tears, moved by the moment.

Bai Mo’s current appearance was far too ordinary—so unremarkable that he blended into the crowd, making it impossible to single him out. Though the people searched briefly for the hidden benefactor, they soon gave up. Still, they remained grateful to the unseen hand that had helped them. Even if the town would soon be engulfed once more by the mutated Netherworld’s cold energy, at least, for a few days, they could breathe a little easier.

Jianmu had no intention of revealing himself. Taking Bai Mo’s hand, he quietly led him away from the town.

With Xiao Bobao providing them with a map, finding the right direction and covering great distances in a short time was no problem. As night fell, the two of them arrived outside the royal city.

They had come a step too late. The city gates were already closed, forbidding entry or exit.

With Jianmu’s abilities, sneaking into the city unnoticed while carrying Bai Mo would be effortless. But Bai Mo refused. He was returning home, not sneaking in like a thief. Why should he have to skulk around?

Instead, he asked Xiao Bobao to investigate the current status of the elders he remembered from his childhood. The Elder Council had dedicated their lives to the Netherworld, and now, only three of them remained. Though they were old, they had not yet become completely frail. However, their strength was limited, and they could only barely manage to keep the royal city and its surrounding areas from being consumed by the mutated cold energy.

Bai Mo lifted his head and gazed at the sky. Night had fallen, the darkness deepening, but the oppressive gray haze from before was absent. As he listened, he could even hear the occasional chirp of a bird. If he hadn’t witnessed the bleak reality of the villages and towns thousands of miles away from the royal city, he might have believed that life in the Netherworld wasn’t so bad.

But the truth was far from reassuring.

“Brother Jianmu, I want to send a message to the elders. When I was a child, they were very kind to me. It was thanks to them that I was able to escape, even at the cost of their lives. They would never betray the Netherworld. I want them to know—I’ve returned.” Bai Mo tugged at Jianmu’s sleeve, pleading for his agreement. He had only been allowed to return after making a promise to his beloved that once inside, he would listen to instructions and not act recklessly, lest he disrupt their plans.

A night breeze stirred, making the boy’s hair flutter. In the twilight, his figure seemed even more frail and delicate.

Jianmu sighed silently. Taking out a cloak, he wrapped it around Bai Mo, then gently pinched his wind-chilled cheek, his heart aching. “Alright.”

A smile broke through Bai Mo’s tears as he nuzzled his face against Jianmu’s hand. “Brother Jianmu is the best~”

My little snow ferret, if I don’t treat you well, then who would I treat well?

Jianmu smiled but said nothing.

The deep night was as cold as water.

…

Outside the royal city, Jianmu transformed into his true form, while the little snow ferret nestled into a tree hollow and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Three dark figures stealthily arrived outside the city. Finding the rendezvous point empty, they whispered among themselves.

“Wasn’t the meeting supposed to be here?”

“Has the young master really returned?”

“The aura belongs to the young master, no doubt about it. But the barrier hasn’t been lifted… Could it be that he took the risk and returned on his own?”

Their distinct voices reached Jianmu, who was resting with his eyes closed. Thanks to his exceptional night vision, he could see their appearances clearly, even in the pitch-black darkness where one could barely see a hand in front of their face.

Judging by their features, all three men were elderly. Their exposed skin was covered in wrinkles, with the occasional age spot visible. Jianmu compared their faces to the memories the little snow ferret had shown him. Although they looked much older, their other defining features still matched those of the elders from Bai Mo’s past.

Without waking the sleeping snow ferret, Jianmu silently placed a shielding barrier around him. Only then did he reveal himself, just as the three elders were becoming increasingly anxious.

“You must be the elders of the Netherworld,” the young, strikingly handsome man said as he appeared out of nowhere, startling the three men into immediate alertness.

“Who are you? Why are you in the Netherworld?” one of the elders demanded.

The aura of an outsider was easy to distinguish in this realm. Due to their declining strength, the elders hadn’t left the royal city in years.

Protecting it had already pushed them to their limits; they lacked the strength to safeguard the rest of the Netherworld.

Now, out of nowhere, an unfamiliar figure had appeared, someone who even had the ability to forge a message mimicking the young master’s handwriting to lure them out. His true intentions were highly suspicious.

Jianmu, however, remained composed. He simply smiled and nodded, unfazed by the elders raising their enchanted weapons against him. Instead, he took out a woven charm made from the fur of the little snow ferret.

The moment the three elders saw the item, their expressions changed drastically.

It was made from the young master’s fur. For this man to possess something that came directly from him—could it mean that the young master had…

“Anyone who dares to harm our young master—must die!”

Bai Mo was the last hope of both the elders and the entire Netherworld. Their minds immediately jumped to the worst conclusion—that he had been harmed.

Overcome with fury, the three elders trembled with rage. Ignoring their frail bodies, they swiftly surrounded Jianmu, setting up an intricate formation with the intent to execute him on the spot.

They were nothing more than a few old bones now—perhaps not as full of vigor as the younger generation—but when the three of them joined forces, even if they couldn’t kill their opponent, they could at least inflict severe injuries. And in the Netherworld, a serious wound meant death. The scent of blood would undoubtedly attract the Four Great Demonic Beasts, making survival nearly impossible.

Luring them into attacking was precisely Jianmu’s goal. The little ferret had repeatedly assured him that the elders were good people, but that assurance was based on memories from a thousand years ago. The Netherworld had traitors within its ranks, and Jianmu needed physical contact with the three elders to confirm that they hadn’t fallen under the control of some mysterious force.

The elders fought with great difficulty. Having lost blood earlier that morning, their bodies were already weak, and it wasn’t long before they were gasping for breath. What enraged them the most, however, was that even with their combined efforts, they failed to land a single scratch on their opponent.

Under normal circumstances, they might have praised such a formidable adversary. But knowing that this man was highly likely to have harmed—or even killed—their young master, their faith, which they had clung to for so long, began to crack. The thought of the child they had raised with their own hands meeting a tragic end was enough to drive them into madness.

“You wretched scum… In the name of the Netherworld, I curse you—” The Grand Elder’s heart bled with anguish. In his desperation, he was willing to sacrifice his own life to drag Jianmu down with him.

“Wait!” Jianmu interrupted. His intention was only to verify their identities, not to take lives—especially not the lives of those the little ferret deeply respected. “Do you still wish to see Mo Mo?”

The moment Bai Mo’s name was spoken, the Grand Elder’s curse came to an abrupt halt. Three pairs of clouded eyes widened in utter disbelief.

Fifteen minutes later, Jianmu was channeling his spiritual energy into the elders to help stabilize their weakened bodies. He had yet to explain everything, but the three elders could hardly contain their anticipation.

They wanted to see Mo Mo—right now.

Jianmu: “…”

“Please, follow me.”

Before long, the sight of the little snow ferret sprawled out in sleep came into view.

Three pairs of eyes immediately filled with the words so adorable, while Jianmu, consumed with jealousy, couldn’t help but frown.

His little ferret’s body was being stared at by other men.

A soft blanket was gently draped over the little snow ferret. The latter instinctively hooked it with its paws, tucking it under its head and rubbing against it. The three elders’ hearts trembled like fluttering flower petals. Oh, oh, oh! The young master is still the same as when he was little—always tucking the blanket under his head while sleeping.

After confirming the sleeping posture, there was no doubt—it was indeed their young master.

Whose little snow ferret is this adorable? Oh, right—mine!

Such a well-behaved young master. Let’s not wake him. Let him sleep.

---

---

Chapter 108 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (09)

---

In Bai chuansu’s plan, since the Mortal Dust Mirror had once allowed him to travel across dimensions and even break through world barriers, then perhaps it could also break through the barrier of the Netherworld Realm.

Unlike Xiao Bobao, the Mortal Dust Mirror was forged from the ancient Yaoxian Stone, a legendary material said to have fallen from the heavens at the dawn of time. It was incredibly rare, and as far as anyone knew, the Mortal Dust Mirror was the only piece of Yaoxian Stone ever discovered.

Its potential was enormous.

“I can try, but I can’t guarantee it will work—I’ve never been to the Netherworld Realm before.”

In response to Bai Chuansu’s request, the Mortal Dust Mirror didn’t dare to make any promises, but it was willing to give it a shot.

“That would be amazing—thank you!”

Bai Mo’s eyes stung with emotion. He could finally go home—after so long, he was finally going home.

However, entering the Netherworld Realm was no small matter. As the realm’s guardian, tasked with sealing away four great demonic beasts, it was impossible not to inform the Northern Emperor Immortal Lord.

And if the Northern Emperor Immortal Lord knew, that also meant Jianmu would find out.

The moment Jianmu heard about the plan, his first instinct was to object.

No one knew what the current state of the Netherworld Realm was. How could they recklessly charge in?

Even if the Mortal Dust Mirror could send Bai Mo inside, its teleportation was random. If Bai Mo ended up appearing right in front of one of the ancient demonic beasts, it would be like serving a fresh meal to creatures that had been starving for millennia.

“Little Ferret, be good. This is far too dangerous. There must be a safer way.”

Jianmu’s voice was gentle as he tried to soothe Bai Mo, while inwardly thinking of a way to change his mind.

“But this is the only way in right now! If we can contact the Elders, we can better prevent the mysterious figure from causing more harm.

He already got his hands on the Crimson Rainbow Grass—who knows what else he might use next to hurt more people?”

Bai Mo was deeply worried.

His memories of life in the Netherworld Realm had faded, but he could never forget the desperate pleas of the Elders before they sent him away.

Even now, he still remembered—

To ensure his escape, one of the Elders had even coughed up blood.

A sea of flowers, as fiery as flames, their mesmerizing scarlet hues capable of bewitching the mind. Crimson-black blood, screams, terror—each day, fallen citizens were dragged away to be burned…

These were Bai Mo’s deepest memories of the Netherworld Realm.

Every evening, the guards would report back—the people begged him to patrol the areas afflicted by the mutated Netherworld Cold Qi. Only the royal bloodline of the Netherworld could suppress this ominous chill.

His father, mother, uncles, aunts—each of them had bled themselves dry and fought to their last breath for the peace of their people.

Now, he was the last of their bloodline, the young lord of the Netherworld Realm.

Yet the Elders forbade him from stepping even a single foot outside the palace.

At the time, he had been too young to understand, but he could sense something was wrong.

Whenever he asked the Elders why he wasn’t allowed to patrol, they would only sigh in silence. After a long pause, they would ruffle his hair and say:

“Young Lord, you are still a child. When you grow up, you will understand.”

To contain the deadly cold, the Elders of the branch families took turns patrolling.

Each time they returned, their faces were deathly pale, their bodies withered like dried twigs.

When they held him, he could feel their bones pressing sharply beneath their skin, as if burning into his own flesh.

Until that day—

Two Elders collapsed, their lifeless eyes staring into the distance.

And after that—

He was sent away.

Before, there had been no way back—so he could only wait.

But now, there was a way.

The thought of himself enjoying a carefree life outside, while the Elders and the people suffered within, made his heart burn as if it were being scorched over flames.

“Brother Jianmu, please let me go—I beg you~”

The little snow ferret pleaded piteously, his red-rimmed eyes glistening with tears.

His helpless, sorrowful expression shattered Jianmu’s heart.

“Mo Mo…”

Jianmu’s fingertips brushed against the boy’s cheek.

Bai Mo had always been stubborn—once he set his mind on something, he wouldn’t rest until he achieved it.

“You really leave me no choice.”

Jianmu gently wiped away Bai Mo’s tears.

“Don’t cry—I’ll go with you.”

The little snow ferret instantly brightened, his sorrow turning to joy—

Then, his face fell again, his worry returning.

“Brother Jianmu is coming too?”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want his beloved to accompany him.

But as Jianmu had said, no one knew the current state of the Netherworld Realm.

Going in blindly was far too dangerous.

If it were just him, he wouldn’t be afraid—after all, he was simply going home.

No matter how perilous it was, he believed in himself.

His power came from the Netherworld Realm—it was his birthplace, his belonging.

He wasn’t afraid.

But Jianmu was different.

The Netherworld’s aura was chilling and bone-piercing—it was a place Jianmu could not endure.

Bai Mo insisted that he could go alone and asked Jianmu to wait for him outside, not wanting him to suffer alongside him.

However, Jianmu refused, stating that if Bai Mo wanted to go, he had to accompany him; otherwise, he would not allow him to go at all.

Bai Mo was worried about Jianmu, but Jianmu was just as concerned about him.

To Jianmu, anything related to Bai Mo was not a burden but a sweet responsibility. If it involved his little snow ferret, even the Heaven-reaching Divine Tree would willingly bear it.

Unable to convince Jianmu otherwise, and with Bai Tang and Bai Chuansu persuading him, Bai Mo ultimately accepted Jianmu’s condition, agreeing to enter the Netherworld Realm together.

Three days later, they were fully prepared.

Since Xiao Jingling now belonged to Bai Chuansu, only he and the Demon Lord Lou Shun could control him.

To conserve Bai Chuansu’s spiritual energy, the Northern Emperor Immortal Lord drew an array on the ground to assist them in passing through the barrier.

Xiao Bobao, worried for their safety, insisted on accompanying them, reasoning that if two people could be transported, adding a third would make little difference.

Moreover, with her presence, they could relay information in real-time, which could prove invaluable. Jianmu, seeing the logic in this, did not object.

Upon teleporting, a wave of intense dizziness struck them. Bai Mo’s stomach churned violently, and he collapsed onto the ground, retching from the overwhelming nausea.

Xiao Jingling’s teleportation felt worse than motion sickness. With the task completed, Xiao Jingling immediately withdrew from the Netherworld Realm, unwilling to leave Bai Chuansu’s side, especially with enemies still lurking around.

A pair of warm, gentle hands soothed Bai Mo’s back as spiritual energy flowed into his body, calming his agitation and significantly easing the side effects of dizziness.

Meanwhile, Xiao Bobao, upon entering the Netherworld Realm, activated her detection mode and began mapping the terrain. Getting lost in such an unfamiliar and dangerous place would be disastrous—they needed to know which direction to run in case of danger.

Suddenly, she detected a powerful presence rushing toward them and immediately warned Bai Mo to stay alert. He quickly retracted the ferret ears and tail that had involuntarily appeared due to his dizziness, choosing not to reveal his identity until he could determine whether the approaching figure was friend or foe.

Their landing spot was on the mountainside, surrounded by an eerie gray sky, neither sun nor clouds in sight, as if the entire place was veiled in mist, obscuring their vision. Though Jianmu and Bai Mo could sense someone approaching, they could not yet see who it was.

The approaching footsteps were steady and heavy, accompanied by rapid breathing, as if the person were utterly exhausted.

Just as Xiao Bobao heightened her vigilance, ready to engage an enemy, the source of the footsteps finally came into view—a frail old farmer carrying an impossibly heavy load of firewood.

His back was hunched low, as if the weight of hopeless days in the Netherworld Realm had crushed him over time. His wrinkled face was void of emotion, his eyes dull and lifeless as he dragged his weary body past the two of them without so much as a glance.

Bai Mo touched his nose, feeling slightly embarrassed for overreacting. He and Jianmu were rather lucky to have arrived in a relatively safe location.

Since Xiao Bobao was unable to complete the map immediately, Jianmu seized the rare opportunity to ask for directions. “Elder, please wait a moment.”

The old farmer ignored him, acting as though he were deaf. However, Bai Mo could tell that the man was physically sound—just mentally drained.

“Elder, we’d like to ask for directions to the royal city,” Jianmu said with his usual gentle smile, one that naturally put people at ease.

At last, the farmer glanced at them, and that single look was fortunate. He immediately noticed their attire, which was distinct from the locals’, and sensed the faint divine aura surrounding Jianmu—something imperceptible to the naked eye but detectable through spiritual perception, which he instinctively used.

That one glance left him shocked. His grip loosened, and the firewood slipped from his shoulders. His eyes flickered with both envy and wariness as he asked, “Who are you? How did you get here? Why are you asking about the royal city? This is not a place you should be. You’d be better off returning to wherever you came from.” His tone carried a warning, whether they had stumbled in by accident or entered with purpose, he had done his part in cautioning them. If anything happened to them, it would no longer be his concern.

With that, the old farmer hoisted the firewood onto his back once more. However, instead of continuing forward, he turned around and began descending the mountain.

His posture remained hunched, yet his pace was swift and effortless—completely different from when he had first arrived.

Bai Mo blinked. “…?” This old man was definitely hiding his true strength.

Jianmu gently held Bai Mo’s hand and said warmly, “We need to follow him. Once we’re down the mountain, we’ll find our way to the royal city.”

Bai Mo agreed without hesitation and quickly caught up with the old farmer.

As they reached the foot of the mountain, the thick mist dispersed, and their vision cleared instantly. A village lay before them, its atmosphere bleak. Most of the villagers bore the same lifeless expressions as the old farmer, showing little to no emotion. Even when some flickers of feeling surfaced, they vanished in an instant.

Jianmu realized that their presence as outsiders might cause trouble. After observing the villagers’ clothing, he altered his and Bai Mo’s garments to match their style. Additionally, he adjusted their exceptionally striking features to appear more ordinary—so unremarkable that they could blend into a crowd without drawing any attention.

When they walked openly into the village, the people barely spared them a glance. Their faces remained numb and devoid of expression. Even the children, who should have been lively and carefree, showed no signs of joy. They resembled emotionless machines.

Life here was unbearably harsh. With no sunlight, no escape, and no hope, the villagers lived in constant torment. Every few days, they had to endure the corrosive mist exuded by the four great fiends. Abandoned by the Six Realms, they were people without a future. Their survival was nothing more than a slow, painful existence—one that could end at any moment, whether tomorrow or the next second.

As Bai Mo and Jianmu walked through the village, witnessing the suffering of its people, a heavy weight pressed against Bai Mo’s chest. His heart ached, and his eyes burned with sorrow. These were his people, the ones he should have been protecting. They should have been living happy, peaceful lives. But because he had left, because he had failed in his duty to dispel the Netherworld’s cold aura and shield them from harm, they were now reduced to empty shells. This was his fault.

Suddenly, a child stumbled and fell right in front of him. Bai Mo instinctively reached out to help him up.

The boy stood, his eyes flickering with a brief spark of awareness—but just as quickly, the light dimmed. His lips moved as if to speak, but no words came. Without even dusting off his clothes, he simply turned and walked away.

---

---

Chapter 107 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (08)

---

A Brazen Provocation!

At this moment, only four words echoed in Bai Mo’s mind.

That mysterious figure has such abilities… If they truly wished to keep their existence hidden, they could have silenced the physician the moment he started talking. And yet, they had waited—waited until the physician had revealed everything—before killing him, and in front of both Brother Jianmu and the North Emperor no less.

Besides outright provocation, Bai Mo couldn’t think of any other explanation.

“Brother Jianmu, he’s dead.”

The key witness was gone.

The young snow ferret pursed his lips, unable to fathom who was scheming against the Netherworld Realm from the shadows. He had been away from home for too long—unfamiliar with the tangled web of relationships. Had the elders made enemies? Or was there someone who couldn’t stand to see the Netherworld prosper? After its unsealing, which faction would perceive it as the greatest threat?

Too many questions crowded Bai Mo’s mind, buzzing in chaotic disarray—it felt like his head was about to explode.

“It’s alright, don’t look. I’m here.”

A warm hand covered his eyes, and a voice as gentle as flowing spring water seeped into his ears—a true luxury to listen to.

Jianmu mistook Bai Mo’s silence for fear. It was understandable—though the young ferret could be ruthless when disciplining others, he always exercised restraint. When had he ever witnessed such a gruesome scene?

Jianmu had completely forgotten how, back in the mortal realm, Bai Mo had taken lives in self-defense without hesitation.

His gaze shifted to the cook, who was still pretending to be unconscious. She wasn’t the mysterious figure’s chosen pawn—just an accomplice the physician had roped in. The mysterious figure’s influence hadn’t reached the Northern Forest yet. For now, she had narrowly escaped death.

“Drop the act.” Jianmu’s voice carried an unspoken threat. “Tell us what you know, and you might have a sliver of hope. Stay silent, and you’ll end up like him.”

The cook’s eyes snapped open, filled with terror. The physician’s agonized screams still echoed in her ears. Unable to resist, she cast a glance toward his remains—and nearly fainted again.

Most of the physician’s body had been reduced to ash. Only a skull remained, still clinging to scraps of charred flesh. The corners of its mouth twisted into a grotesque smile, its eye sockets nothing but hollow darkness—until, suddenly, countless insects began crawling out of them.

A nightmare for anyone with trypophobia.

“Aaahh—ོhán@gē@ěr@zhēng@lí—!”

A piercing soprano scream shattered the silence, sending a flock of birds fleeing into the sky.

The cook scrambled backward, rolling and crawling until she reached Bai Mo’s feet.

Bai Mo wanted Jianmu to move his hand away so he could see what was happening, but Jianmu gave him no such chance. He turned Bai Mo around, pulling him into an embrace, and with a single sweep of fire, incinerated every last insect—leaving not a single one alive.

“Clever.”

The North Emperor scoffed, curling his lips in disdain.

Using insects as spies—attempting to let them breed within the Northern Forest to eavesdrop on their plans?

How utterly naive.

The cook finally pieced everything together and revealed everything she knew—including details even the physician hadn’t been aware of.

She had wrestled with her conscience while preparing the medicine, reluctant to add the Red Rainbow Grass. The first time, she had deliberately left it out. But when she returned after gathering firewood, she discovered that the medicine pot had been tampered with.

Through careful observation, she realized that at least two people in the kitchen had either been bribed or placed under someone’s control…

The saying “When the tiger is away, the monkey becomes king” fit the situation perfectly.

The Demon Lord had been forced to leave the Demon Realm to investigate an anomaly at Gu Weng Pagoda, the ancestral birthplace of the demon race. This temporary absence gave the mysterious figure the perfect opportunity to target the Consort.

In the Demon Realm, nearly everyone knew that the Consort was the Demon Lord’s most beloved treasure. If not for the Consort’s pregnancy—making long journeys unsuitable—and the harsh environment of Gu Weng Pagoda, the Demon Lord would have never left his side. Without this separation, there would have been no opportunity to strike.

Bai Mo smelled a monstrous conspiracy.

Without a doubt, this was a scheme to frame the Netherworld Realm.

The true goal? To drive a wedge between the Demon Realm and the Netherworld Realm, seizing the opportunity to annihilate the Netherworld while it was still weak.

As the Young Master of the Netherworld Realm—its future ruler—Bai Mo was furious.

Who dared to orchestrate such underhanded schemes in the shadows? If they had the guts, why not come forward and fight head-on?

According to the cook, it wasn’t just the prenatal medicine that had been tainted with Red Rainbow Grass—even the Consort’s drinking water, meals, and bathwater had been laced with substances of unknown effect. She had no idea what they were, only that from the day the Demon Lord left, these hidden hands had begun their work.

From that point on, the Consort had grown weaker with each passing day.

With the physician’s diagnosis to back them up, they had claimed that the Consort’s body simply couldn’t keep up with the growing child’s absorption of spiritual energy. This forced the Consort into a vicious cycle—taking more and more medicine in an attempt to replenish his strength.

This was also why the attendants had refused to let the Consort leave his chambers for walks—he had become too fragile. Just a few steps left him gasping for breath.

The child in his womb was draining his spiritual energy. The countless medicinal herbs corroding his inner spiritual meridians. How could he possibly endure such torment?

A terrifying chain plot—one link after another. Utterly chilling.

If Bai Tang hadn’t suddenly decided to drag Bai Mo to the Demon Realm to visit Ba Chuansu today, Su Su might have never known how he died.

The Demon Lord wouldn’t have returned for some time. By the time he did, Su Su would already be gone. And the official cause of death? Spiritual energy depletion.

The Demon Lord—who loved his consort more than life itself—would either follow Su Su in death or be consumed by guilt and despair.

In his weakened state, he might lower his guard, allowing the mysterious figure to strike again—perhaps even turning the Demon Lord into a puppet to attack the Netherworld Realm.

Or worse… the Demon Realm itself might fall into the hands of this unknown enemy.

As he considered these chilling possibilities, Bai Mo couldn’t help but shudder.

The mysterious figure was playing an immense game of chess.

Bai Mo was certain—neither the Demon Realm nor the Netherworld Realm was this enemy’s final target.

“We need to change the plan.”

The North Emperor exchanged a glance with Jianmu.

Since the cook was a member of the Demon Realm, even if she had acted under duress, she had still harmed Bai Chuansu.

The North Emperor had her imprisoned, leaving her fate to be decided when the Demon Lord, Lou Shun, returned.

The cook, unaware that her fate had already been sealed, thought she had escaped punishment. She put up little resistance as she was taken away by a messenger.

Meanwhile, the little snow ferret was sent to inform Bai Chuansu of everything that had transpired. If they didn’t explain things properly, the brewing conflict between the Demon Realm and the Netherworld Realm could escalate into something far worse.

Bai Mo agreed completely.

He had to uncover the mastermind behind this scheme and clear the Netherworld Realm’s name.

If spies could infiltrate the Demon Realm, then there was no guarantee that the Heavenly Realm was safe either.

Outsiders could not be trusted.

Fortunately, Bai Tang’s greatest strength was his healing abilities. Even after his soul returned to the Upper Realm, he had continued his training without pause. With him diagnosing and treating Bai Chuansu, the attendants who had come along finally felt a sense of relief.

“Your Highness, you’re awake. Do you still feel unwell anywhere?”

The attendant looked at Bai Chuansu’s pale face, his heart aching with both sorrow and regret.

How had he not noticed that the physician was a problem?

Because of his negligence, the Consort had suffered so much.

But it wasn’t just the physician—the entire kitchen had been compromised.

After hearing the cook’s confession, the attendant did not dare to think about how many other traitors might be lurking in the palace. The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became.

Thankfully, the North Emperor and the Netherworld Prince had arrived in time.

Thankfully. Thankfully.

With this realization, the attendant immediately fell to his knees in a deep bow before Bai Mo.

“Thank you for acting so swiftly, Your Highness. If not for you realizing something was wrong… the Consort might not have survived.”

“What are you doing? Get up, get up!”

Bai Mo was stunned. It took him a few seconds to react before he hurriedly motioned for the attendant to rise.

“Your Highness and His Majesty have shown me great kindness. I have no way to repay you, so the least I can do is bow to express my gratitude.”

The attendant’s name was Nu, a name tied to his origins. Many people had looked down on him. He once had a brush with death—at the time, he was certain his life was over.

But then, the Consort saved him.

Not only that, but the Consort even pleaded with the Demon Lord to let him serve at his side.

It could be said that the Consort had given him a second life.

If he had a choice, he would have gladly taken the poison in place of the Consort.

Now that the North Emperor and the Netherworld Prince had saved the Consort, the two of them were his eternal benefactors.

“There’s no need for all this,” Bai Tang interjected. “Just take good care of Su Su. When the Demon Lord returns, we’ll still need your help to root out any remaining spies.”

Seeing the attendant crying so hard that his face was a tear-streaked mess, Bai Tang couldn’t bear to reprimand him anymore.

His earlier frustration over the Consort’s care had already faded.

After all, no one was more distraught over this situation than the attendant himself.

With the abundant spiritual energy of the Northern Forest, combined with Bai Tang’s careful monitoring, Bai Chuansu’s breathing became much smoother. The frequent bouts of breathlessness and chest tightness eased, and the baby in his belly no longer kicked in protest.

After learning the full story behind the Red Rainbow Grass incident, Bai Chuansu rubbed his stomach, feeling a deep sense of lingering fear.

Gripping Bai Tang’s hand tightly, he expressed his endless gratitude.

He also sincerely thanked the little snow ferret, who had stepped in to help despite this being their first meeting.

“No need to thank me! You’re Tang Tang’s friend, so that makes you my friend too. If a friend is in trouble, of course, I’m going to help!” Bai Mo declared, pounding his chest with pride.

He hadn’t been in a good fight for a while.

The battle in the Demon Realm just now had been incredibly satisfying!

Especially seeing the guards’ frustrated expressions—

Unwilling to accept defeat. Unable to win. Yet having no choice but to swallow their pride.

Before long, the three of them were chatting away like old friends.

Meanwhile, the attendant bustled around with a smile—pouring water, personally preparing medicine according to Bai Tang’s prescription.

After what happened with the cook, he no longer trusted anyone else to handle the medicine.

Of course, the North Emperor and his consort would never harm the Consort.

But His Majesty’s status was too exalted—it wasn’t his place to trouble him with the task of brewing medicine.

Bai Chuansu told the attendant that he didn’t need to busy himself so much.

But guilt weighed heavily on the attendant’s heart—he needed to do something to make amends.

Seeing how restless and uneasy the attendant became every time he stopped moving, Bai Chuansu had no choice but to let him continue.

The three of them quickly found common ground and soon fell into a lively conversation.

Upon learning Bai Mo’s true identity, Bai Chuansu expressed a desire to visit the Netherworld Realm. However, before they could uncover the mysterious figure behind the recent events, the unsealing of the Netherworld Realm would have to be postponed once again.

Hearing this, the little snow ferret let out a sigh of frustration.

Bai Chuansu fell into a brief silence, deep in thought, before finally instructing the snow ferret to bring over the Mortal Dust Mirror.

Bai Mo, puzzled but compliant, handed it over.

To his surprise, Bai Chuansu suddenly activated his spiritual power, causing both Bai Tang and Bai Mo to startle.

“It’s alright, just wait a moment.” Bai Chuansu reassured them with a gentle smile as he awakened the Mirror Spirit, which had been in seclusion inside the Mortal Dust Mirror.

A moment later, a small, soft voice rang out—

“Daddy, you called for me?”

A tiny, adorable child appeared in the mirror’s reflection, rubbing their sleepy eyes.

“I’m sorry to disturb your cultivation, little Mirror Spirit,” Bai Chuansu said in a gentle tone. “I need your help with something~”

As a cat-fox hybrid, Bai Chuansu’s voice carried a naturally soft and alluring quality. Every lilting tone at the end of his words felt soul-stirring, sending a subtle shiver down Bai Mo’s spine, despite his usual composure.

“How could it be a bother when Daddy asks for my help? Just tell me what you need~”

The Mirror Spirit was a being nurtured by the combined blood and spiritual energy of Bai Chuansu and the Demon Lord while they were in the mortal realm.

In a way, the Mirror Spirit could be considered their child.

Now that Bai Chuansu was reaching out to him first, the little spirit couldn’t help but be overjoyed.

“Here’s the situation…”

---

---

Chapter 106 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (07)

---

“Tang Tang, my stomach hurts a little…” Bai Chuansu leaned weakly against Bai Tang, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as his face turned pale. He could feel it.

“Su Su!” Bai Tang caught Bai Chuansu as he started to slide down, only to notice that his stomach was no longer as flat as usual.

This is… could it be?!

As someone with experience, Bai Tang immediately understood Bai Chuansu’s condition. But still, he shouldn’t be this weak, right?

“Be good, little one, don’t make trouble. Your daddy isn’t feeling well~” Bai Tang placed his hand on Bai Chuansu’s stomach and channeled spiritual energy into him, feeling a pang of guilt for his recklessness. He hadn’t even noticed Su Su’s condition—how careless of him.

Seeing this, the attendant hurriedly brought over a bowl of medicine prepared by the kitchen staff, but Bai Mo blocked his way.

“What are you doing? What is that? It stinks.” With his sharp animal senses, Bai Mo wrinkled his nose in disgust and waved his hand dismissively.

“Mm! Mm!” The attendant frantically pointed at the bowl of medicine and then at Bai Chuansu, trying to signal that it was prenatal medicine beneficial for the baby.

“Give… give it to me…” The young cat-fox’s voice was weak. This was usually the time he drank his medicine. His stomach often ached, but the medicine helped alleviate the pain. There was no other choice—his spiritual energy was far too weak compared to the Demon Lord’s, making it difficult to nourish the powerful bloodline growing inside him. He needed daily supplements.

“Alright, hand it over.” Bai Mo took the bowl, the pungent medicinal scent invading his nose. He frowned, detecting a familiar undertone beneath the overpowering smell, but he couldn’t quite place it.

“It seems I misunderstood. Mo Mo, hold onto the medicine. Let’s go inside first. Su Su should drink it before we continue talking.”

“Alright.”

Bai Mo responded, still trying to recall where he had smelled that scent before.

After the infusion of spiritual energy, Bai Chuansu’s pain eased significantly, though his complexion remained pale.

“Here, Mo Mo, give it to me.” Bai Tang reached for the bowl.

Just as Bai Chuansu was about to drink the medicine, Bai Mo suddenly had a flash of realization. His eyes widened, and he lunged forward, knocking the bowl out of Bai Chuan Su’s hands, shattering it on the floor.

“Don’t drink it!” Bai Mo gasped, heart still racing. Seeing that Bai Chuansu hadn’t taken a sip, he finally relaxed and explained, “There was Chi Hong Grass in it. This plant only grows by the cold rivers of the Netherworld—it’s highly toxic.”

Bai Tang’s expression darkened. “What?!”

Not only Bai Tang, but even the attendant who had been taking care of Bai Chuansu was utterly shocked. Poison? How could this be?!

“Mm! Mm! Mm!” Master, are you alright? Physician! Someone, call the physician!

The attendant threw himself at Bai Chuansu’s feet, unable to speak due to the sealing spell. He was so anxious that he could only whimper in distress. It was Bai Tang who finally lifted the spell, allowing him to talk.

“Your Excellency, please hold on. The physician is on his way!” Though Bai Chuansu was the one in pain, the attendant looked even more tormented.

Both Bai Tang and Bai Mo took turns transferring spiritual energy into Bai Chuansu. Chi Hong Grass was not only poisonous but also destroyed one’s spiritual roots, causing a rapid loss of spiritual energy. Judging by Bai Chuansu’s symptoms, it seemed he had only ingested a small amount. If he had taken too much, neither he nor the child would have survived.

Since few people had access to the Demon Consort’s chambers, Bai Mo was certain that someone was targeting Bai Chuansu. To avoid alerting the enemy, he instructed everyone present to keep the matter of the Chi Hong Grass a secret for now.

When the physician arrived and examined Bai Chuansu, he asked if he had been taking his medicine on time upon learning that his stomach was still hurting.

As a physician, shouldn’t he have noticed that something was off? Yet, instead of investigating, he kept urging the attendant to have another dose prepared in the kitchen.

Bai Mo and Bai Tang exchanged glances before stepping forward.

“The medicine seems to be making His Excellency weaker. Could there be any side effects? Should we consider changing to a different one?” Bai Mo questioned. The physician’s behavior was far too suspicious—either he was incompetent or had been bribed.

“Are you the physician, or am I? What do you know? This prescription is what’s best for His Excellency!” The physician huffed, glaring at Bai Mo.

Seeing that Bai Mo was unfamiliar, he assumed he was just one of Bai Tang’s attendants. A mere servant daring to challenge him? Once his master’s plan succeeded, he would make sure to have this meddlesome servant used for drug testing.

Aside from the physician and the unconscious Bai Chuansu, the three people present all had dark expressions—especially the attendant, who was torn between shock and rage.

“Pack up some essentials,” Bai Tang instructed the attendant. The Demon Realm was no longer safe. With the Demon Lord absent, who knew how many traitors had infiltrated? Staying here was far too dangerous—Su Su would be better off coming back with me to the Northern Forest.

The attendant knew that Bai Tang would never harm His Excellency, so he readily agreed to his proposal.

Just as the physician sensed that something was off and was about to speak, Bai Mo and Bai Tang acted swiftly. One blocked the exit, while the other delivered a swift kick, gagged him, and overpowered him in an instant.

“Mm! Mm! Mm!” The physician was beaten black and blue, his mouth stuffed with a rag from who-knew-where, making him look utterly ridiculous.

It was Bai Mo who had done the beating. The meat-loving little snow ferret was far more ruthless than the herbivorous little squirrel. Seeing the physician struggling on the ground, trying to wriggle his way out, Bai Mo grew annoyed and gave him another firm kick.

“Stay still, or I’ll break your legs,” Bai Mo threatened.

“I wonder if he has any accomplices…” Bai Tang had barely finished speaking when a voice called from outside.

It was the cook, requesting to enter. She explained that she had prepared another bowl of medicine because she feared the previous one had gone cold, which might weaken its effects and be bad for His Excellency.

The three of them exchanged glances. How convenient—just when we needed confirmation, here it is. Something is definitely wrong. This isn’t about maintaining the medicine’s efficacy—it’s about making sure the poison does its job.

The physician, who had been lying quietly, suddenly began struggling frantically upon hearing the cook’s voice, desperate to make noise and get her attention. However, he had failed to consider the palace’s excellent soundproofing. As the cook’s footsteps approached, his muffled “Mm! Mm! Mm!” gradually died down under Bai Mo’s cold, warning gaze.

Bai Tang nodded at the attendant, who then loudly called the cook inside. The moment she stepped through the door, Bai Tang snatched the medicine while Bai Mo swiftly knocked her unconscious.

“Tie them up. Take both of them with us,” Bai Tang ordered.

With Bai Tang leading the way—his status preventing the Demon Realm guards from acting rashly—and Bai Mo’s formidable strength as backup, the group left under the watchful but powerless gazes of the onlookers.

“I’m taking your His Excellency with me. Tell your Demon Lord to come find me in Northern Forest.”

Leaving behind these words, Bai Tang boarded the sedan chair carried by celestial cranes, bringing along Bai Chuansu, Bai Mo, and the attendant. As for the two captives, they were given far less dignified treatment—dangling high in the sky, bound by ropes gripped tightly in the cranes’ beaks, swaying precariously in the wind.

Now, imagine this: you open your eyes, your powers are sealed, and you find yourself dangling in mid-air, teetering on the edge of a deadly fall. The ropes holding you up are clenched between the beaks of celestial cranes—one slight shift in their grip, and you plummet to your doom.

For the physician and the cook, this was no hypothetical scenario. Thanks for asking—they were currently experiencing the repeated terror of skimming the edge of death. Their hearts were nearly giving out. Please, just get to the destination and put them down already!

The ropes looked thin, but they were crafted from millennium-old silkworm threads, reinforced with the Five Elements Radiance Technique. Sturdy and nearly indestructible, even deities would struggle to break free. But of course, the physician and the cook didn’t know that. Looking up, they saw the sharp, narrow beaks of the celestial cranes—one wrong move, and the ropes could snap at any moment. Looking down, they saw only endless clouds, so high that even someone without a fear of heights would feel faint.

After countless near-death “falls,” they finally arrived at Northern Forest. The moment their feet touched solid ground, an overwhelming sense of relief washed over them—so much so that they nearly cried. So this is what it feels like to be alive.

Since even the physician and the cook had been bribed, Bai Tang wasn’t fully confident in Bai Chuansu’s personal attendants either. Upon arriving at Northern Forest, North Emperor and Jianmu were already waiting, having received the news. Bai Tang pointed at the two trembling captives, who were still thanking the heavens for their survival, and said to North Emperor,

“Ah Wu, check these two. They’re spies who tried to harm Su Su.”

After the battles between the Divine Realm and the Demon Realm, followed by the war with the Western forces, the North Emperor had barely had time to recover his strength. Now, there was even trouble involving the Netherworld Realm. The Scarlet Rainbow Grass was a plant native to the Netherworld Realm, which had yet to be unsealed—so how did it get out? Bai Tang smelled a deeper conspiracy at play.

They couldn’t afford another war. Ah Wu had already grown noticeably thinner from dealing with all these issues.

Meanwhile, the little snow ferret, Bai Mo, was even more shameless. Before Jianmu could reprimand him for running off, he leaped straight into Jianmu’s arms, holding up his slightly reddened paw, looking pitiful as he whined,

“Brother Jianmu, they bullied me! I almost couldn’t come back to see you!”

The physician’s eyes widened in disbelief. Who’s bullying whom here? He wanted to protest. Say it clearly! It was clearly you who unilaterally beat me up!

“What are you staring at? Not convinced, huh?” The little snow ferret glared back fiercely, then turned away with watery eyes, looking pitiful. “It was him! He even insulted me, calling me ‘a worthless thing’…”

In truth, the physician had never actually said those words, but his disdainful gaze toward Bai Mo had made his thoughts quite clear. The little snow ferret wasn’t stupid—he had understood instantly and had swiftly retaliated. But getting revenge didn’t stop him from snuggling up to Jianmu for comfort afterward.

“Oh? And what are you, then?” Jianmu blew gently on the young ferret’s slightly reddened hands, his handsome face turning icy cold. In the blink of an eye, flames ignited on the physician’s body. Tied up as he was, he could do nothing but roll on the ground, writhing in agony.

“Brother Jianmu, don’t burn the trees,” Bai Mo whined. While he felt the physician deserved punishment, he couldn’t bear to see the lush forest suffer damage—it had taken so many years to grow this beautifully.

“Don’t worry, the forest won’t burn.” Jianmu squeezed the young ferret’s palm reassuringly. He knew what he was doing—this was True Flame, which only affected the soul. It inflicted the searing pain of being burned alive but caused no physical harm. More importantly, it could break down a person’s psychological defenses, forcing them to speak the truth.

The cook, being a woman and having just witnessed the physician’s horrific ordeal, promptly pretended to faint. Jianmu, for the moment, spared her from punishment, allowing her to escape unscathed—for now.

By the time Bai Tang had ensured North Emperor had verified the attendant’s loyalty and properly settled Bai Chuansu, the physician had spilled everything he knew.

He admitted that he had lost himself to greed. While browsing the market, he had come across a piece of obsidian brimming with demonic energy. He had wanted to take a shortcut to power, attempting to refine it and claim its energy as his own. But he had fallen into a trap—before he realized it, a mysterious figure had seized control of his very soul. If he didn’t follow their orders, they would erase a portion of his soul each day. Once all three spiritual and seven corporeal souls were destroyed, he would cease to exist entirely. The mysterious figure had also promised him great rewards and had even found a way to lure Demon Lord away, giving him the perfect opportunity to strike. The cook, too, had been bribed into aiding him…

Upon learning that Bai Chuansu had only ingested Scarlet Rainbow Grass three times, Bai Tang finally relaxed a little. The amount was low—there was still a chance to save him.

“I’ve told you everything—please, don’t kill me, don’t—AAAHHHH—!”

Before he could finish, the physician suddenly burst into flames. Ghostly blue fire engulfed him, crackling ominously.

The North Emperor immediately attempted to extinguish the flames, but to his horror, the ethereal fire only flared up higher upon contact with spiritual energy. In mere moments, the physician was reduced to nothing but ashes.

---