Chapter Eight: I Can Save Her

The woman in white listened in silence for a moment, then sighed softly, her voice echoing with a chilling lament, "The human heart is more treacherous than ghosts and demons! What an apt saying! Who would have thought that a young gentleman like you would possess such insight?" She made no move to take Lin You's life. With a graceful wave of her hand, she conjured a woven mat upon the floor, and sat opposite him.

Her blood-stained figure, though macabre, possessed a strange allure. Her beautiful eyes, like autumn waters, brimmed with charm and longing as she cradled her cheek in her palm, gazing at Lin You.

After a long pause, her red lips parted, "Would you care to hear a story from me, young sir?"

Lin You's expression was calm; he gestured politely for her to proceed.

The woman in white began, her voice slow and mournful, "Twenty years ago, there was a poor scholar who supported his elderly mother by gathering firewood and herbs each day. One day, his mother fell gravely ill, and so he ventured alone into the mountains..."

In the mountains, the scholar encountered a maiden, clad in white as pure as snow, ethereal as a fairy descended to earth. Upon hearing the scholar's plight, the maiden guided him to a century-old medicinal herb, which he brought home and used to save his mother.

From that day forth, the scholar was smitten with the maiden. He would frequent the place where they had met, pouring out his heart to her. The maiden, moved by his devotion, appeared to him again. In time, the two fell deeply in love, and the scholar learned of her true identity.

She called herself Plum Lady, a spirit of the mountain. Centuries ago, she had been enlightened by a sage and tasked with guarding the sage's abode, waiting for a destined one to arrive.

The scholar, yearning for immortality, pleaded with Plum Lady to lead him to immortal fate so they could stay together forever. But Plum Lady herself did not know where such fate lay. Together, they searched in vain.

Disappointed, the scholar eventually abandoned his quest for immortality and turned his ambitions toward scholarly success. With Plum Lady's help, he quickly rose through the ranks, finally earning the honor of third place in the imperial examination.

Yet misfortune followed. The scholar, renowned for his talent and handsome bearing, soon attracted the attention of the imperial princess. Through the emperor's decree, the two wed in a grand ceremony.

To sever all loose ends, the scholar secretly enlisted several martial masters through royal connections. They located Plum Lady's true form—a plum tree deep in the mountains—cut it down at the trunk, and presented the wood to the imperial court's grand master for alchemical use.

"Afterwards, the scholar's career soared, rising to the prestigious post of governor, wielding power and basking in prosperity for over a decade!" The woman finished her tale, her eyes burning with hatred—clearly, she despised the scholar to her core.

She looked at Lin You, only to find the young man unmoved, as though he had merely listened to an ordinary story.

Seeing this, the woman in white's brows arched sharply as she spat, "As expected, not a single man in this world is worth a damn! Is your heart made of stone?"

With her words, the grand hall plunged into icy darkness. Ghostly flames flickered, green phosphorescence swirling like countless eyes fixed upon Lin You.

---

Lin You remained indifferent, his composure unwavering, as if the scene before him was nothing but a fleeting illusion.

He chuckled softly and murmured, "Have you ever heard a Buddhist verse?"

The woman in white was momentarily startled.

"All things conditioned are like dreams, phantoms, bubbles, shadows, like dew or a flash of lightning. Thus should you contemplate them," Lin You intoned gently.

He then rose, sword in hand, and turned his back to her, gazing at the towering statue behind him.

"You first tried to frighten with sound, then conjured a ghostly form to deceive, and finally spun a vivid tale to stir the heart—hoping to unsettle one's mind and break their resolve."

He drew his sword, glanced back at the woman in white, and smiled, "Unfortunately, I do not see with my eyes nor hear with my ears. What power does your illusion have over me?"

With those words, he closed his eyes and slashed at the statue before him!

A piercing wail echoed through the hall. The woman in white and the ghostly flames vanished, while from atop the statue, a white object suddenly plummeted to the ground.

It moved swiftly, transforming into a white whirlwind that darted toward the hall's entrance. Though the assembled Daoists surrounded it, none dared act rashly, forming a wall of bodies to block its escape.

Lin You, sword on his back, watched as the creature rushed toward him. Calm and unhurried, he leapt lightly, appearing almost celestial as he soared mid-air.

He kicked the creature as if it were a ball, sending it crashing into a stone pillar. The sound of bones snapping and sinews tearing rang out; white fur stained with blood, the creature slid from the pillar and lay motionless on the floor.

The Daoists surged forward, eager to see what had caused such chaos.

"It's a white fox!"

"They say foxes are connected to spirits and ghosts—no wonder it could conjure illusions!"

"Should we kill it?"

The group behind Elder Jade Tranquility argued heatedly, seeing the blood-stained white fox lying on the ground.

"Ahem! Silence, everyone. How to deal with it is up to Junior Jade Morning!"

Elder Jade Tranquility's command quelled the voices at once.

All held their breath, gazing at Lin You, who stood at the center.

Jade Morning was the Daoist name Lin You had chosen after honoring the founder, signifying the Jade Morning of the Supreme Way.

He knelt beside the fox and spoke, "I know you are not dead, and I have no intention of taking your life. But why have you been causing trouble at Scarlet Pine Palace?"

Hearing Lin You's words, the white fox, whose eyes had been tightly shut, opened them slightly. Its gaze was alluring yet pitiful, reminiscent of a beauty fallen from grace.

---

Many young Daoists nearby were stunned, almost moved to plead on the fox's behalf. Only when several elders glared did they shrink back.

Though the fox was bloodied, its injuries were not severe. Tilting its head, it looked at the gentle youth before it, perplexed, "Why do you not kill me? And how did you break my spell?"

Lin You smiled slightly and shook his head, "Though you've caused some disturbance on this mountain, you have not harmed any disciples. Thus, I will not kill you. As for your illusions, they are not truly divine powers, but rather some form of Daoist technique, aren't they?"

Ever since the little jade tree in his spirit platform rooted itself deep into the earth through the old pine, he had become one with the mountain. Now, Scarlet Pine Peak was his domain.

It was an extraordinary phenomenon, but nonetheless true. Every movement within the domain—every plant and blade of grass—had become Lin You's senses.

Thus, the fox's illusions had no effect on him from the start; he had merely engaged it to uncover the story behind its actions.

Seeing the fox still wary, he signaled the Daoists to clear a path.

"If you wish not to speak, I won't force you. Just don't cause trouble at Scarlet Pine Peak again."

Lin You stood, took a healing pill from his robe, and placed it before the fox, indicating it could leave.

The fox was dumbfounded, incredulous.

It knew well how high the authorities in Great Yu valued the capture of creatures like itself. Their bones and blood could be refined into potent elixirs, coveted even by grandmasters.

Yet the young Daoist before it was prepared to let her go?

If he was so foolish, she would be remiss not to seize the opportunity. With a thought, she dragged her body, limping toward the hall’s exit.

But as she reached the threshold, she paused, hesitated, then turned to Lin You, "Someone intends to harm you, and that person is beyond your ability to resist. If you wish to live, leave this place at once."

With that, she attempted to depart.

"The Plum Lady you spoke of—is she your friend? Perhaps I can revive her," came the youth’s voice from behind.

His words were soft, yet struck the fox's heart like a hammer, forcing her to halt in her tracks.