deed you are a gentleman with graceful manners.”Only then did Mu Qingfeng react from the sound of the guzheng, and he looked at the purple-clothed woman in front of him. She was indeed as beautiful as...Chapter 6: Demon-Busting Maiden

"Is this true" Amidst the expansive garden, within a spacious pavilion, a man dressed in black robes leaned against a desk. His narrow eyes gleamed with an amused malice that made him appear somewhat lazy, yet his appearance was unexpectedly handsome. Not all novel websites are the first to publish romance novels; you can search for "151 看書網" to find out.

The man lay sideways beside the desk, surrounded by various colorful flowers. A woman dressed in a peach-colored gauze gown sat amidst the flowers, her delicate fingers gently peeling off the skin of purple grapes to reveal their translucent green flesh.

Once the fruit was completely peeled, she would place it all into the man's mouth. Seizing the opportunity, he would lightly bite her finger, and she would blush and lower her head in shyness, her eyes brimming with happiness from being doted on, thus continuing to peel another grape.

Another woman dressed in green smiled at the corner of her lips, her dark hair loosely draped over her shoulders, giving her a gentle appearance. A jade-colored flower was inserted into her hair, making her look extremely beautiful. The green-clad woman sat before an unadorned zither, her long fingers plucking its strings to create melodious tunes.

Qin Xiao had grown accustomed to such scenes and continued bowing his head as he reported the matter at hand. He knew that their emperor, who seemed licentious on the surface, indulged in beauty excessively, yet only he was aware of the emperor's shrewdness and intelligence.

"A demon maiden has appeared on White Tiger Mountain Truly unusual." The man swallowed the fruit flesh, then pulled a woman towards him, lightly kissing her hand. Seizing the moment when she blushed, he used more force to make her fall softly into his embrace. He stroked her smooth and tender cheek, took a white flower, and gently inserted it behind her ear, perfectly highlighting her pink cheeks. The man was quite pleased with this arrangement, his eyes full of satisfaction. Only then did he turn his gaze toward Qin Xiao and say, "General Qin, tell me how many times such events have occurred since I ascended to the throne"

"Your Majesty, every year of the Fenghuang era sees the appearance of a malevolent star; every third year brings the descent of the Dark Maiden; in the fourth year, stars fall from the sky; in the sixth year, peach blossoms bloom amidst snow. Additionally, with rumors spread among the common folk, there have been more than a hundred incidents, big and small." Qin Xiao knew the emperor didn't believe him, yet he remained stoic as he spoke these words. He preferred to believe that this time was genuine, so he was willing to risk his life to report it.

The man found himself somewhat convinced by Qin Xiao's solemn demeanor. Before the emperor ascended to the throne, Qin Xiao had been his personal bodyguard; now, although he was a general of the country, he was also one of the emperor's trusted confidants. Qin Xiao would not deceive him.

The man stood up, holding a blood-red flower in hand, gradually approaching Qin Xiao and saying, "Qin Xiao."

Not 'General,' but 'Qin Xiao.'

"Your servant is here."

"What do you call me"

"Emperor."

"What did you say"

"Emperor Phoenix."

Qin Xiao paused for a moment, then softened his tone and said, "Changqing."

Changqing was the name of Emperor Feng Changqing. Under heaven, only Qin Xiao himself and King Anbang who was waging war far away could call him by his given name.

Feng Changqing looked down on Qin Xiao from a height. Qin Xiao was very popular among soldiers, and all the imperial guards around him were trained by Qin Xiao himself. He was strict with his subordinates but also cared for them deeply; beneath his cold and impartial exterior lay an overflow of sympathy. Yet, when it came to those who betrayed him, he could be ruthless. This failure was undoubtedly the only blot on Qin Xiao's otherwise unblemished record. The heartache from losing a subordinate whom he regarded as a brother and the disappointment from the defeat were not something Feng Changqing would miss.

But did he actually dare to use such a lame excuse Was it really possible that all he wanted was to wipe away the blemish by clearing White Tiger Mountain of its demons and avenging his subordinates

The atmosphere in the pavilion instantly turned cold, so much so that even under the bright sun, one couldn't help but feel a chill. Only an awkward tune remained floating in the air.

"Ten days, bring me that she-devil or don't expect any mercy from this emperor." Feng Changqing spoke with extreme dissatisfaction, his knuckles already cracked by clenching his fist tightly. Reddish juices of flowers trickled down through his fingers, making an eye-catching sight. Releasing his hand, the crushed flower fell listlessly to the ground and came into Qin Xiao's view.

Afterward, Feng Changqing ignored Qin Xiao and left the pavilion, leaving behind only two concubines and Qin Xiao inside.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Qin Xiao gratefully thanked him. As he stood up to watch the departing figure of Feng Changqing, he silently vowed that he would catch the she-devil in the woods or face any punishment.

That afternoon, Qin Xiao posted notices all over Phoenix City with identical content:

Hiring brave hunters across the country to enter White Tiger Mountain to hunt down the demoness. Participants will be rewarded ten taels of silver; those who provide information about the demoness and are verified will receive fifty taels of silver as a reward; whoever captures the demoness will be rewarded one hundred taels of gold, a residence, and ten mu of good farmland. Tax exemption for three years.

Qin Xiao did not lead his troops himself but instead used this method to send people inside first to gather intelligence. He knew that the emperor wouldn't believe such rumors right now, so he only gave him ten days, without issuing a siege order, which was meant to let him find evidence and make the emperor himself believe it or all would be in vain.

At this time, White Tiger Mountain basked under the sun with birds chirping incessantly. Qi Lin sat lazily on a branch with fruit she had picked in her hand. Although extremely sour, Qi Lin didn't give up and insisted on finishing them.

She was unaware that everything outside had turned upside down due to her actions. Within three hours, more than fifty hunters had come seeking the tempting reward. Even if they couldn't capture the demoness successfully, they could still earn ten taels of silver; capturing some wolves would also fetch a good price.

Within one day, over a hundred hunters gathered at Phoenix Inn to drink and talk about their hunting experiences. Qin Xiao watched the boorish hunters downstairs coldly while his wine cup went from empty to full repeatedly. He had no idea how much he had drunk.

The sky was already sprinkled with stars as Qi Lin lit up a fire in her cave using flint she found and pine resin collected in the forest. The warm glow of the flames illuminated her face, while Xiaobai lay behind Qi Lin to provide a soft bed for her; all other wolves were afraid of firelight and stayed outside. Qi Lin continuously wrote sentences on the ground with small pebbles that even she couldn't read.

Qi Lin threw the pebble behind her and immediately lay on Xiao Bai's soft belly. Xiao Bai’s tail draped over Qi Lin, making her look like she was buried in a fluffy bed. She reached out to gently pinch Xiao Bai’s ear while looking outside through the opening at the stars. Reflecting upon all that happened before, Qi Lin would always feel self-deprecating; those lives she once detested had now become the only things she could recall fondly.

"Xiao Bai, did we meet a long time ago" Recalling her arrival here and the accident that followed, Qi Lin was certain she wasn’t mistaken—Xiao Bai really existed.

Xiao Bai looked at Qi Lin with confusion. Seeing the warm light in Qi Lin’s eyes, it tilted its head and extended its soft tongue to lick Qi Lin's face once. Stiffly wiping off Xiao Bai’s saliva, Qi Lin scratched behind its ears. Was she really lonely She was actually talking to a wolf.

"Woof" Xiao Bai looked at Qi Lin in puzzlement, thinking her actions weren’t intimate enough, so it extended its pink tongue again and continuously licked Qi Lin's face.

"Alright, Xiao Bai," Qi Lin avoided the soft tongue, but now that her hair was just drying, it got wet again. However, Xiao Bai didn’t show any signs of stopping; instead, she seemed to be having more fun.

Qi Lin reached out and held Xiao Bai's head so it wouldn't get too close, then scratched its armpit several times. Xiao Bai closed its eyes, wriggling its legs and tail in the air as dust flew everywhere. Finally, they both felt an itch in their noses and stretched out their paws to rub them; but unable to resist the urge, Qi Lin and the wolf opened their mouths simultaneously.

"Ah-choo!"

After sneezing, Qi Lin and Xiao Bai glanced at each other.

"Tsk tsk… Hahaha," Qi Lin burst into laughter first, patting Xiao Bai's nose repeatedly, causing it to sneeze again and again.

Once done laughing, she looked tenderly at Xiao Bai scratching its nose. They had no familial ties, but the wolf had saved her multiple times and kept her company day and night, driving away snakes and insects for her. Now that she only had Xiao Bai to rely on, who else could she turn to

With this thought in mind, Qi Lin pounced forward and hugged Xiao Bai’s neck, burying her face in its fur as she rubbed against it. Startled by the sudden action, Xiao Bai pricked up its ears, then closed its eyes gently, lying down sideways to let Qi Lin rest in its embrace, heads touching.

That night, Qi Lin had a strange dream where she became a fish on a chopping block; no matter how much she struggled, it was futile. Yet strangely enough, she still felt herself underwater.

In the early dawn, torches illuminated the road brightly like a fire dragon winding through the path, finally stopping at the foot of White Tiger Mountain.

The temperature around them soared high as if to match the hunters’ eagerness to clear out White Tiger Mountain; they had been waiting for this opportunity and could now show off back home.

"Gentlemen," a bearded man holding a torch walked in front, raising his voice, "We gather here today with one goal: hunting the female demon. So I hope we can work together. What do you think"

The White Tiger Mountain's ferocious wolves are well-known to all, but at this moment, even though it involves personal interests, everyone must cooperate. Thus, they all積極響應。

"I am Liang Hu, a hunter from the foot of this mountain. Although I haven't walked through every part of this mountain, I have ventured into many areas and am quite familiar with the situation inside the mountains. Please listen to my advice, fellow heroes." Liang Hu handed his torch to someone next to him and continued: "The wolves in this mountain actually have their own territories; there is a group each in the southeast, northwest, and northeast. However, since half a year ago, the number of wolves in the eastern group seems to have decreased. The wolves we need to be wary of are those in the north. However, with vines in abundance on the northern side, agile people can use them to cross over. We could also take another route through the forest to avoid the wolf groups in the west and south, but that area is a swamp where there are more venomous snakes and other wild beasts. That's where experience comes into play."

Hearing Liang Hu speak so confidently, everyone held him in high regard. With their trusting gazes, Liang Hu smiled slightly and continued: "By dividing our forces, we will surely find the she-demon and capture her."

This plan could work and save time, but how would the benefits be calculated

"Humph, it sounds easy to say. How do we know you aren't splitting us up so that you can hunt the she-demon yourself Moreover, if everyone joins in and we truly capture the she-demon, how will the reward money be divided" One person voiced his doubts, which also sparked questions in others' minds as they turned their suspicious gazes towards Liang Hu.

"Brother, what you say does make sense," Liang Hu didn't deny the viewpoint and instead smiled, appearing unconcerned. "Those who agree with me can follow me; we'll share the reward equally among us. Those who don't agree can do as they please."

Qin Xiao frowned slightly when he saw how confident Liang Hu looked. A few questions arose in his mind: Could it be that this Liang Hu knows something

Hearing Liang Hu's decision, those who had opposed him were stunned and couldn't refute it, but once words are spoken, they can’t be taken back. So everyone still stepped forward, including Qin Xiao, who pretended to be one of the hunters.

They split into two groups: one led by Liang Hu and the other competing individually. In the end, Qin Xiao followed Liang Hu.

When the first rays of sunlight covered the earth, bathing White Tiger Mountain in a golden hue, Qilin slowly opened her eyes; Xiaobai was no longer inside the cave, presumably out hunting. Stretching and walking outside to see thick clouds gathering in the sky, she knew it would rain soon.

"Woo-woo~~" The wolf pack started moving restlessly, issuing anxious howls.

Qilin stroked a wolf's neck fur as if consoling it—perhaps this was a prelude to a storm

"Pfft."

Birds kept flying out from the forest. As Qilin stood and watched them, an ominous feeling arose in her heart. This wasn't like ordinary rain; something far more dangerous lurked.

What could it ben understands this well; she even thinks life in the 21st century can't match half of what it’s like here. Although not having internet or electric lights troubled her, as they say nature has a way of...