Chapter 140: The White-Haired One’s Hidden Treasure

Deep in the mountain forests, a fierce tiger prowled. With its black-ringed eyes, white forehead, and coat of brilliant yellow and embroidered stripes, it opened its wide jaws in a mighty roar. Gusts of foul wind whipped up, making the surrounding flowers and grasses undulate like waves. After a long while, seeming tired, it crawled helplessly onto the ground. The wrinkles on its facial fur gave it a distressed expression, as though it possessed great human intelligence. This tiger was none other than Zhou Qian. He had tried every possible method, yet he could still not restore his human form. He only vaguely remembered that the Taoist sorceress had tugged a few times on the tiger's back to peel away the tiger skin, but which part was it? And what was the technique? He knew not a whit. If he were to act blindly and tear flesh from skin, wouldn't his death be a most unjust one? Furthermore, with his current tiger paws, he could not even reach his back.

Sighing and groaning for a considerable while, he shook his head, got up, and clamped his clothes, gourd, and other belongings in his blood-pumping maw, walking step by step deeper into the forest. He was still heading in the direction Xiangyue had taken. Looking like this, even she probably wouldn't be able to recognize him now! With mottled leaves and branches casting dense shade overhead, a flower-striped giant tiger shook its head and wagged its tail as it vanished into the thicket...

Nanbian Mountain had a very peculiar appearance, resembling a large upside-down cauldron that was wide at the bottom and curved at the top, with several cracks running across its surface. Exotic flowers and ancient, emerald-green pines grew upon it, looking as though they were dripping with moisture. Birds with emerald-feathered plumage frequently perched and flew about, making the scenery quite picturesque. The tiger-monster transformed by Zhou Qian stepped across a small stream, cooling its paws in the water, which felt quite comfortable. The sound of flapping wings rang out as a cyan bird descended from the sky and landed before it. The bird tilted its head, looking puzzled as if wondering why it had changed. Fortunately, the lingering aura remained, so there was no fear of mistaken identity.

The tiger-monster let out successive roars while the cyan bird chirped incessantly. The beast and the bird conversed quite happily. The bird's wing pointed in a direction, and the furry tiger head nodded, bounding forward with such speed that vines and weeds were treated as mere nothings. The bird dug its claws into the thick fur on the tiger's back, riding the beast as it traveled, its happy chirps suggesting it had never experienced anything quite like this. Immortal birds possessed spiritual intelligence and did not distinguish between tiger roars and human speech. Thanks to this, Zhou Qian was able to avoid losing track of this Emei woman.

After rounding a cliff to the right, the babble of trickling water was heard. A small stream came into view, winding and undulating along the mountain ravines. Following the clear water for a short while, they scaled a protruding part of the mountain and revealed a valley. Surrounding it were dozens of small streams and falling springs, resembling pillars of water like an inverted snow-capped mountain or a collapsing river, which suddenly constricted as they plunged downward, roaring like ten thousand galloping horses. At the bottom of the valley was a cave about a zhang wide, where subterranean water bubbled up endlessly—this was the location of the spring's eye. The two converged to form an inverted cauldron in the mountains, with only a gap left in the surrounding mountain walls to let the water pour out toward Xiangyang City. This was undoubtedly the water eye of the Xiang River.

Upon reaching this place, Zhou Qian instead lowered his body and cautiously surveyed his surroundings. Not only might the two Emei women and the Patriarch Dongxuan have already arrived, but since he had killed two of that old demon's disciples, he could not expect the old demon to let him off easily just because of his connection with Xiaoliu. After pondering for a moment, he first found a secluded spot to dig a small pit, buried his clothes and immortal sword, and quietly crept downward. His four paws gripped and dug into the earth, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of movement—

Leaping among the mountain rocks, he jumped onto a granite boulder and, looking down from above, carefully scrutinized the depths of the spring water. Sure enough, anomalies were present; wisps of immortal Qi were exuding, as if a treasure were buried beneath the spring eye. Meanwhile, the water seemed to be boiling, occasionally bubbling up several feet high as though something within were breathing.

Two dark shadows suddenly floated up from beneath the water. Zhou Qian was startled and quickly hid behind a boulder. With two splashing sounds, a man and a woman burst forth from the bottom of the water. Amidst the mottled sunlight, they could vaguely be recognized as a man and a woman.

"Senior Brother Yuxiao, since we didn't find it this time, how about we search it again tomorrow?" a crisp female voice asked.

"Forget it, Junior Sister He. Without an item to break the formation, going many times is useless. We can just wait for the two Emei fellow Daoists to obtain the Spring Token and then enter. Why engage in futile efforts?"

Just as Junior Sister He was about to speak, Yuxiao's expression shifted, and he transmitted his voice secretly, "Junior Sister, someone has triggered Senior Brother's formation!"

The martial siblings understood. Yuxiao closed his eyes, pinched his fingers, and shouted, "Heaven-One Demon-Seeking, rise!"

Instantly, strands of golden light emerged among the surrounding mountain rocks, covering the entire valley like a curtain. A large tiger suddenly bolted from behind a boulder and leaped backward, clearing four or five zangs in a single bound. It crashed through a barrier of light; this array only served as a warning and lacked defensive power, making it very easy to break through.

Fortunately, Junior Sister He was well-prepared. With her right hand forming a touching-earth seal and resting upon her left knee, the mountain rocks shifted, vines danced, and dust and mist flew wildly. Within the valley, a cage grew, and trapped inside was none other than a flower-striped giant tiger—or rather, Zhou Qian.

"Look! Senior Brother, it's a tiger spirit!"

"It has no demonic power; it's just a naturally mutated beast that grew sturdily. It probably wandered here by mistake. Let it go." Yuxiao was about to act when she grabbed him and said excitedly, "Senior Brother, I want to keep it!"

Yuxiao instantly developed a headache. This junior sister of his was eccentric and whimsical, and no one ever knew what she was thinking. Why had she suddenly taken this notion now? He patiently persuaded her, "Xiaoshu, we came here for the posthumous treasures of the White-Haired True Man. Do not let this delay important matters..."

Xiaoshu? He Xiaoshu? Zhou Qian was stunned. Senior Brothers He Qin, He Qi, and He Hua were born of the same birth; he had heard their mother gave birth to quadruplets, and the third child was a girl named He Xiaoshu. Later, she entered the Heaven-One Sect—could this be her? Judging by her appearance, she truly bore some resemblance to her senior brothers, only somewhat more delicate, with a circlet woven from tree branches upon her head, making her look quite playful.

"Senior Brother, look! That big cat is looking at me! It definitely wants me to adopt it, don't you say?"

*Who wants you to adopt them—* Zhou Qian thought with depression.

He Xiaoshu skipped and hopped over to the cage, suddenly reaching out to stroke the tiger's head, and giggled, "Look, it's not biting me!"

"..."

"As you wish, just don't delay the treasure retrieval!" Yuxiao said with a headache.

Hearing these words, He Xiaoshu decisively pulled out a red rope and tied it around the tiger's neck. Zhou Qian instantly felt his entire body tighten, as if bound by some sort of spell. This must be that beast-restraining rope. With another leap, before he could even react, Senior Sister He landed on his back, filled with joy.

The humiliation of a mount! Zhou Qian thought with frustration, about to reveal his identity, when a flash of inspiration struck him. These two would inevitably meet the two Emei women, and Xiaoliu was also very likely here. If he became a mount, he could openly appear before the two women, making saving people all the more convenient.

Thinking of this, his tiger head lowered immediately, feigning submission. A great man could endure humiliation; he would just have to bear with it for now. Besides, Senior Sister He was not an outsider, Zhou Qian comforted himself.

Following the two of them to a mountain recess, there was a stone cave inside. Previously, it had probably been occupied by wild beasts, as some bones and flesh were scattered on the ground, and the straw carried a strong, gamey smell. He Xiaoshu frowned, leaned against the tiger's body, and said lazily, "Senior Brother Yuxiao, the Emei Sect has always been stingy. Why would they think of us when it comes to the treasures within this spring eye?"

"You ah, you should say less of such things, lest you harm harmony among fellow sects!" Yuxiao shook his head. "This is the dying wish of the White-Haired True Man before his passing, to be shared equally between the Heaven-One Sect and Emei."

"White-Haired Daoist? Such a strange name, why have I never heard of it?"

"This White-Haired Daoist was originally a white eagle that attained the Dao. When he flew to Kunlun Mountain back then, he happened to run into my master, Reverend Kuzhu, who imparted to him the method of taking human form. He also obtained quite a few fortuitous encounters, and after a hundred years, he actually achieved a human body. Once, while fighting a bitter enemy, he was severely injured and by a twist of fate encountered the Emei Sect's Jade Nun, who saved his life. During the Heaven Sect Sword Battle, he was struck by a peach blossom demonic fire from the master of the Naked Body Cult, causing his physical body to rot away, leaving him no choice but to undergo reincarnation and leave his personal treasures to disciples of both sects. That is the reason behind it."

"That is strange then!" He Xiaoshu stroked the tiger's tail while saying, "Fang Yurong and Xiangyue are disciples of the Jade Nun, and your master is Reverend Kuzhu, so what does that have to do with me? Why should the treasures share a slice of the pie with me?"

"Junior Sister, do you remember ten years ago when a large bird glided across the mountains and you saw how exhausted it was, so you scooped up water for it to drink?"

"It seems there was such a thing!"

"That was it. That bird was the original form of the White-Haired Daoist. A kindness of a drop of water shall be repaid with a gushing spring; cause and effect have their own natural numbers, and it is not without reason," Yuxiao smiled and said.

"So that's how it was. No wonder my master, Yellow Talisman, had me collect Heaven-One Divine Mud for him—the old man knew about this all along!" He Xiaoshu said offhandedly.

"Martial Uncle was also compelled by circumstances. Junior Brother Zhu Fei broke both his hands and feet, and who would have known that you would take away a small half of the collected Heaven-One Divine Mud, making it insufficient."

"Didn't my big monkey break its arm falling while rock climbing and need it too? Little Fatty Zhu is just such a bother!"

Yuxiao gave a wry smile and shook his head. "When the two Emei Senior Sisters arrive later, you must remember to behave yourself and not talk nonsense. Senior Sister Fang Yurong is the daughter of the sect leader; she is not like others."

Zhou Qian was startled. This Senior Sister Fang had such a background? Truly her *foundation* was profound. Before he could dwell on it, two streaks of escaping light descended, revealing none other than Xiangyue and Fang Yurong.

Upon seeing the large tiger transformed from Zhou Qian, Fang Yurong raised her slender eyebrows and smiled faintly. "When did Junior Sister He acquire a flower-striped giant tiger? How very majestic!"