The fairy lady escorted me home.

Seeing that night had fallen, Zhao Liang rose to his feet and said to Aunt Bai, “Aunt Bai, it’s getting late. I should take my leave now. Could you please tell me the way back to Tianjia Village? If I return too late, Uncle Tian and Mister Jiang will be worried.”

As soon as Bai Ling heard that Zhao Liang was leaving, she sprang up and said, “It’s so late already, why go back now? Just stay the night and leave early tomorrow—there’s no rush.”

“This… I’m afraid that might not be very convenient,” Zhao Liang replied hesitantly.

Bai Ling was about to protest again, but seeing Aunt Bai shoot her a fierce glare, she quickly swallowed her words.

Aunt Bai said, “My daughter and I live alone deep in these mountains. It would not be proper to have you stay the night. I will see you back myself.”

Bai Ling cried out, “I’ll go! I’ll go! Let me take Zhao Liang back!”

But another sharp glance from Aunt Bai silenced her. “What do you mean, you’ll go? It’s the middle of the night. Stay at home and behave yourself! What if you run into the Serpent again?”

Bai Ling, unwilling and sulky, could only mutter her agreement. Behind Aunt Bai’s back, she secretly tugged Zhao Liang’s sleeve. “Let’s meet at noon tomorrow at the summit.”

Only then did Zhao Liang take his leave of the mother and daughter, with Bai Ling seeing him off at the gate, reluctant to part.

With a wave of her hand, Aunt Bai summoned the Moonfire Glaze Sword, mounted it, and brought Zhao Liang up with her. The two soared through the night like a streak of fire toward Tianjia Village.

In less than half an hour, the distant lights of the village appeared.

From the sky, Zhao Liang pointed down. “Aunt Bai, that’s Tianjia Village just ahead.”

Aunt Bai dipped the sword, and the two swiftly descended.

Moments later, they landed at the village entrance. Zhao Liang turned to bid farewell. “Aunt Bai, thank you for seeing me back. I’ll go in now.”

Aunt Bai raised her right hand to stop him. “Wait!”

“Aunt Bai, is there something else?”

“Zhao Liang, I must ask you to keep what happened today a secret. We cultivators wish to live undisturbed and do not want our existence to be known to outsiders.”

“Don’t worry, Aunt Bai. I will keep my lips sealed. But… these clothes might be a problem—they’re so torn, and I’ll have a hard time explaining that.” He glanced down at his ragged attire, smiling awkwardly.

“I’m truly sorry, Zhao Liang. My daughter and I have always lived secluded in the valley; there are no men’s clothes in the house for you to change into. But that is easily remedied.”

With that, Aunt Bai recited a brief incantation and, with a soft exclamation, Zhao Liang’s clothes were instantly restored to the exact state they had been when he set out that morning.

Amazed, Zhao Liang spun left and right, inspecting himself, marveling at the transformation.

Aunt Bai smiled gently. “Don’t forget my warning, Zhao Liang. Farewell.”

With that, she stepped onto her sword and soared away into the night.

Only after she had vanished into the distance did Zhao Liang make his way toward the charity lodge. At the door, he had scarcely knocked twice when Tian Yi flung it open, glaring at him.

“And where have you been this time, boy? Coming back at this hour! I’ve been waiting up half the night for you. If you hadn’t come home soon, we’d have been out searching by torchlight again.”

“I was hunting that rabbit in the mountains, but the damned thing led me astray. I didn’t catch it and only just managed to find my way back now.”

“All right, all right. Go eat something. There’s still some hot gruel and cornbread in the kitchen from supper. Go on, have a bite.”

“Sure thing!” In a flash, Zhao Liang darted into the kitchen, gulped down a bowl of gruel and a cornbread for show, then slipped off to his room to rest.

The night passed without further incident.

When Aunt Bai returned to her home in Magnolia Valley, it was already late. Seeing that Bai Ling had gone to bed with the lights out, she went alone into the study. There, she took a silk scroll from the shelf and wrote a careful letter. When finished, she folded it with great care.

After all was done, she stepped into the courtyard and whistled softly. Soon, a yellow oriole fluttered down and perched on her hand. Aunt Bai tied the silk letter securely to the bird’s leg, lifted her hands, and said, “Go on.”

With a flutter of wings, the oriole took flight, soared out of the courtyard and the valley, and headed due south toward the State of Chu.

The next morning, as Zhao Liang rose, he ran into Tian Yi just about to head out hunting. Stepping out the gate, he also ran into Jiang Ran.

Jiang Ran eyed him and asked, “Zhao Liang, what were you up to yesterday? You came back so late.”

“I went up the mountain chasing a rabbit, but got lost following it. Didn’t make it back until the middle of the night.”

“Is that so?” Jiang Ran narrowed his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within.

“Yes, yes, that damned rabbit was even craftier than a fox.” Feeling nervous, Zhao Liang added, “If there’s nothing else, Mister Jiang, I’ll go out for a stroll.”

“Oh, nothing else. Go on, go.”

Relieved, Zhao Liang dashed out of the house. But as he walked through the village, he noticed the streets were deserted—not a soul in sight.

He couldn’t help but wonder: where had everyone gone? This was the time when people should have been out working.