Stone Lake Mountain

She returned to her room to rest, sprawled wantonly in the comfortable bedding, trying hard not to eat the wolf demon. She did not even notice the drool from the corner of her mouth soaking the pillow.

Eating prey was a good habit. In nature, wasting food was shameful.

Though it might not greatly improve her cultivation, she simply wanted to eat it. Unfortunately, Chu Zhe had taken the wolf's corpse away, saying he would sell it for money to cover their travel expenses.

"Stingy. So damn stingy. What a waste of wolf meat."

Out of boredom, she lay on the bed with one hand pressed tightly to the floor, using her belly and palm to sense the vibrations in the ground and eavesdrop on what Chu Zhe, Xu Ling, and Yang Mu were saying outside. Her ears were merely for decoration. What Bai Yujun excelled at most was using vibrations to perceive sound—this was a snake's special talent.

In other words, even if someone hid in a sealed chamber, they could not escape Bai Yujun's listening and searching.

Out in the courtyard, Chu Zhe was lecturing his junior brother and junior sister.

"You two performed terribly tonight, especially you, Xu Ling. If I had not concealed your auras, that wolf demon would never have walked into the trap. During the fight, you did not know how to conserve spiritual power and squandered it recklessly. Do you know that if your spiritual power runs dry while your opponent still has strength left to fight, you will certainly die?"

Xu Ling lowered her head without saying a word, her little hands constantly rubbing at the corner of her clothes. Every now and then, she furtively glanced at Chu Zhe.

"Yang Mu, passable."

Yang Mu, who had expected praise, opened his mouth to argue, but after some thought, helplessly gave up.

"I can understand your lack of combat experience, but why did you rush forward when you clearly knew the opponent excelled at close combat? Were all those techniques in the sect learned for nothing?"

"If Yujun had not succeeded in her sneak attack, the two of you would never have been able to stop that wolf demon from escaping. When you have time, remember to ask Yujun how to fight and kill. The first thing she did upon learning there was an enemy was conceal herself and seek an opportunity. She used the fragrance of the Osmanthus Tree to cover her tracks, patiently waited for the chance to strike with one blow, then quickly retreated to prevent a desperate counterattack from a dying enemy. Her cultivation and techniques are not as strong as yours, but she has abundant experience. Learn more from her in the future."

Xu Ling lowered her head and muttered under her breath, deeply dissatisfied with Chu Zhe calling her Yujun this and Yujun that.

"Enough. Go rest. We still have to travel tomorrow."

Outside gradually fell quiet. Bai Yujun withdrew her hand and turned over, settling herself into a more comfortable position. Fighting and killing happened every day in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. It was nothing special.

Early morning.

The three humans and one snake settled their bill and left the inn, passing through the city gates and leisurely continuing their journey.

When Young Master Zhang of Liu City learned that a wolf demon had died at the Jufu Inn last night, he was so frightened that he hid away. He feared those people would follow the vine to the melon and find him, an accomplice who had been making eyes at demons. After hiding for a long while without seeing any unusual activity, he breathed a sigh of relief and decided the most urgent matter was to keep a low profile and avoid appearing before others. Thus, Liu City enjoyed several rare days of peace.

Bai Yujun and the others had truly never intended to waste much time in Liu City. There was simply no need.

The journey was easy and carefree.

This world was vast. Though some place names were somewhat similar to those on Earth, they were completely different; its rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans bore no resemblance at all. Walking along the way was not boring. The ancients had no notion of hiking for tourism, but Bai Yujun liked traveling at an unhurried pace. She was not going to die anytime soon, so why rush? Heaven knew whether she would live hundreds or thousands of years. As things stood, living another few hundred years posed no difficulty at all. Since that was the case, what was the hurry?

While traveling, she still babbled away every day as she learned to speak. After repeated training, her throat had gradually adapted to forming smooth, connected sentences. Only occasionally did she still pause and stammer.

Bored on the road, Bai Yujun bought a bamboo flute and diligently practiced every day.

Chu Zhe secretly nodded, feeling that Bai Yujun was more suited to practicing music. Before the thought had even settled, Bai Yujun, enraged because she could not play the tune properly, smashed the bamboo flute to pieces against a rock.

Chu Zhe was speechless...

One day, they arrived at Stone Lake Mountain.

"Senior Brother, why is this place called Stone Lake Mountain? A lake is a lake, and a mountain is a mountain. Could there be some story behind it?" Xu Ling asked curiously.

Chu Zhe smiled. Before speaking, he first gave a smile as gentle as the spring breeze—an eldest senior brother's weapon for closing the distance with ordinary disciples, especially effective on female disciples.

"Words cannot explain it clearly. Why not go and see it for ourselves? I also wish to see that mountain and that lake."

"Wonderful! We're going to play!"

Bai Yujun narrowed her eyes in a smile, while Xu Ling skipped and bounced about. Recently, this girl had forgotten all about clinging to her senior brother. Perhaps Chu Zhe's many rules and formalities had made her unable to bear the restraint, and she had forgotten the days when she mentioned her senior brother every day.

The three humans and one snake entered the mountain and asked a woodcutter for directions.

After walking several miles, they came before a waterfall. The cascade scattered pearls and splashed jade, its roaring waters echoing through the valley. Water vapor filled the air, cool and piercing to the bone. Standing before the waterfall and taking a deep breath left one feeling refreshed and clear-minded.

Yang Mu and Xu Ling ran to play atop a huge rock exposed beneath the waterfall. Bai Yujun stood on high ground, spread her arms, and closed her eyes to feel the mountain spring. Her white dress swayed faintly in the breeze, while the cool wind stirred her long black hair. She and the waterfall complemented one another like an ink painting in vivid colors. Bai Yujun felt she was not much like a pure snake—Swallowing Clouds and Exhaling Mist, loving to play in water. She had never seen any snake that enjoyed such things.

The beauty was like a painting, leaving Chu Zhe, who had been watching Bai Yujun all along, unable to steady his heart...

Stone Lake Mountain had more than just waterfalls. The stone referred to the enormous rocks standing like gates on either side of the waterfall, while the mountain referred to the majestic mountains surrounding it. The lake was not the small pool beneath the waterfall. The true lake lay above the waterfall, a vast body of water tightly connected to it. The locals called it Stone Lake. The mountain roads were high and perilous, rarely traveled by people. The lake was enormous, spanning more than twenty li in every direction, and its waters were clear and sweet.

Chu Zhe used the Sword Control Technique to carry Bai Yujun and the other two to the top of the waterfall. When they saw the sight before them, all were astonished.

After the rain, several peaks stood green above the lake; the water reached the sky, smooth as a mirror.

The lake was quiet, without even a ripple, like the bronze mirror before a beauty at her Dressing Table. Reflected in the water were green mountains and trees, beasts leaping and birds flying. Through the crystal-clear water, they could see ancient trees that had sunk to the lakebed a thousand years ago, covered in aquatic grass. Even immortals would linger and forget to return before such beauty.

Chu Zhe noticed that Bai Yujun had become more prone to smiling since arriving here. In the past, she was either curious or blankly dazed. This smile seemed more like joy from the bottom of her heart. Of course—demonic beasts loved freedom, and snake demons in particular loved lakes and deep mountains. Yet when he thought of the words "snake demon," his heart twisted with inexplicable conflict once more.

"Phew... water... very deep... swimming," Bai Yujun stammered.

"Going into the water to swim?"

Xu Ling's eyes lit up. Swimming in such a beautiful lake would certainly be wonderful, but... what if she was not good in water?

She looked toward Yang Mu, only to find him equally at a loss. Having grown up in the mountains, he was a typical landlubber. Besides, he had not learned water-control techniques. If he rashly entered the water, he would soon drink his fill. At most, he could use his lightness skill to play on the surface for a while.

"Go."

Bai Yujun leaped up first, then repeatedly stamped her feet, stirring ripples as she barely stayed afloat and bounded across the water. Yang Mu and Xu Ling followed close behind. Their movements were far more graceful, their toes lightly touching down like dragonflies skimming the water, much better than Bai Yujun splashing water with every step.

Chu Zhe stood on the shore, smiling as he watched.

Suddenly, Bai Yujun, who was hopping across the water's surface, fell into the lake with a splash that sent water flying. Chu Zhe was alarmed and immediately used his lightness skill, appearing almost instantly where Bai Yujun had fallen before diving beneath the water...