Thirteen years later, in a dense forest on White Cloud Mountain.
A young man in a blue robe lay under a tree, tilting his head slightly and looking at the girl reclining on the tree trunk. "Little Five, I just went to see Little Fatty at the foot of the mountain. She said her family is moving to the county, so they won't be able to come and play with us anymore."
The girl on the tree blinked her eyes but remained silent.
What does he mean by playing with us? Little Fatty has only ever played with him, not me. I've never played with her.
"Ah, we'll be lonely again," the young man said sadly. "First Eldest Senior Brother left, then Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Brother, and now even Little Fatty is leaving. We're so pitiful."
"Why is it so great down the mountain? Why did our Senior Brothers all leave and never come back? Third Senior Brother said he'd be back soon when he left before the New Year. He promised to bring me sugar figurines and chestnut cakes, but he lied," she said.
"Eldest Senior Brother said there's a tavern in the Northern Qi Capital City that serves roasted duck as their signature dish. It's a beautiful reddish-brown color and the meat is tender and delicate..." He licked the corner of his mouth. "When do you think we can go to Northern Qi? We must have Eldest Senior Brother take us to try it."
"And Second Senior Brother, he's traveled to many countries and tasted a kind of red wine with an exceptional flavor." He smacked his lips.
Su Yue: ...What a blabbermouth and glutton this Xuan Little Four is. He's hopeless.
Indeed, the girl resting with her eyes closed on the tree trunk was Su Yue, reborn and transported here. She was now thirteen years old and had grown into a graceful, jade-like beauty. For these thirteen years, she had stayed on White Cloud Mountain and never left. Master Xuanji had treated her well, imparting all his knowledge to her. However, her greatest talents lay in medicine and toxicology.
Xuan Little Three was also a skilled physician and was now renowned throughout the lands as the Divine Physician Xuan, sought after by all. But Su Yue's natural gifts still surpassed his. Whenever Xuan Little Three returned, he would raid Su Yue's pharmacy like a bandit, coveting everything and taking whatever he wanted, especially the new medicines she made herself. He was always the first to use them.
Even the most unreliable Xuan Little Four thought his Third Senior Brother had gone mad with greed.
A wolf's howl echoed in the distance.
Su Yue immediately opened her eyes and left with a light step.
"Ah, Little Five. Ah, here comes Big White, and you're ignoring me again," Xuan Little Four said dejectedly. "I might as well go back and see if Aunty Chen has made lunch."
Su Yue: Heh, when have I ever paid attention to him? He's just talking to himself as usual.
Aunty Chen: This poor Xuan Little Four. With only a few of them left on the mountain, Master Xuanji in constant seclusion, and that aloof Little Five always keeping company with herbs and poisons, I'm the only one left to accompany him.
On the other side, Su Yue hugged Big White's neck and whispered, "Big White, where have you been the past two days? You haven't come to see me. Were you off finding your wolf mother?"
"Woo-woo-woo!"
Big White: No, there's been a lot going on in the pack lately. I couldn't get away.
"Oh? What happened? Did someone have new pups?"
"Woo-woo!"
Big White: Yes. My brother's mate had two new cubs, so I went to see my nephews.
"Ah, look at that. Your brother is having children, but you're still single. Aren't you the wolf king? How come you can't find a mate?"
Big White: Who says I can't find one? I just don't want the ones I've found. The mate I want has to be exceptional - not just any regular she-wolf will do.
The arrogant Big White wolf snorted.
"Alright, alright, you're the wolf king, so what you say goes," she said, then looked around and whispered, "The space expanded again recently. Let me take you in to see."
As she spoke, the girl and the wolf vanished.
This space was connected to the jade pendant her late mother had given her.
When Su Yue was four or five years old, she was accidentally injured while picking herbs, and her bloody hand touched the pendant from her mother. In an instant, it was as if she formed a contract with the jade, and she discovered this space.
At first, the space was only the size of two small rooms with a tiny spring. However, over the years, through Su Yue's constant experimentation, cultivation of various medicinal herbs and toxic plants, and even the introduction of animals, the space seemed to upgrade and expand continuously. What excited her most was the spiritual spring that emerged, with waters that could revive the dead and heal withered bones.
Normally, she would mix the spiritual water into the drinking water at White Cloud Temple, greatly benefiting everyone's health. Just look at old Master Xuanji - thirteen years ago, his hair was completely white, but now it was only half-white. However, the old master was too perceptive, so Su Yue didn't dare give them too much of the spiritual water, for fear of revealing her secret.
Yet every time she saw Master Xuanji's profound and inscrutable gaze, she felt that the old man might not be as ignorant as he seemed - he just didn't say anything.
Inside the space, Big White lay on the ground while Su Yue lounged on his fluffy neck, nibbling on the various fruits produced by the spiritual spring.
"This time, the space seems to have expanded two or three times larger. I don't know the reason, but who cares? The spiritual spring also gained two more sources. I need to think about what else I can do here," the girl said, swinging her legs.
Big White: Before, there were only herbs and plants here. Over the years, you've brought in all sorts of things, and the space has continued to expand, becoming more and more vibrant.
"Yes, at first only I could enter, then I was able to bring you in. Now that it's so full of life, do you think I can bring other people?"
Big White: Absolutely not. Humans are the most insatiably greedy creatures in this world. If they knew about this, it would only bring you the calamity of taking lives.
"Of course I know that. I wasn't thinking of bringing anyone else, just Master and my Senior Brothers. They've always treated me well. And over these years, they must have noticed my abnormalities, but they've never confronted me about it. They've even helped cover for me."
Big White: Hmm, they are good people. But you should still wait a while longer.
"Yeah, no rush." She passed a bright red fruit to Big White, and the two munched on the fragrant, sweet fruits produced by the space.
Inside White Cloud Temple.
"Aunty Chen, I want noodles for lunch. Make me those noodles, with eggs, greens, and beef, just like the ones Little Five taught you to make last time."
"Okay, okay, noodles it is. What about Little Five? What does she want to eat?"
"I don't know. She went off to play with Big White."
"Then she can have noodles too. That Little Five is usually so quiet, but she's quite particular about her food. With all the dishes she's taught me over the years, I could open my own tavern."
"Oh no, you can't leave! Who will cook for us if you go?"
"I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving. As long as this old lady is still alive, I'll cook for you every day," the elderly woman said affectionately.
"What are you saying? You're so young, you'll definitely live to be a century old."
"Ah, you don't know. These past few years, I feel like I've been getting younger. I don't know if it's the good air up here in the mountains, but the last time I went down, my daughter-in-law said I have less white hair now."
"Yes, yes, you're looking younger every day." He picked up a cucumber, gave it a cursory wipe, and started eating it.
"Hey, hey, wash it first before eating. You'll get a stomachache."
"No need, no need. Little Five picked these. They're clean."
...
