The evening breeze swept softly through the tranquil mountain woods, and a variety of birds circled the sky with melodious calls, their backs bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun, as they scattered into every corner of the forest, as if bringing the last vestiges of daylight deep into the woods. The residents here were always generous enough to leave some food for them on their windowsills, so the birds were in no hurry to return to their nests, lingering among the trees, ready to enjoy a final treat before darkness fell. But a sudden noise shattered their plans; startled, the birds took to the sky, chirping reproaches toward the direction from which the sound originated.

Two figures, one following the other, cared nothing for the disturbance they caused, shouting and chasing each other through the forest.

The pursuer was a tall, handsome man wielding a great cleaver, swinging it as he shouted, "Stop! You can't escape! Halt now and face death!" His shouts were thick with the determination and rage of their owner. Not far ahead, the black Earth Wolf bolted, occasionally turning back to make a face, further provoking the one chasing him: "So what if I seduced your wife? We haven't even slept together yet, what's the big fuss about!"

"Stop, I'll tear you to pieces!"

"Idiot, why should I listen to you! Tell your wife to say that to me herself!"

"You shameless scoundrel, stop right there..."

Thus the two demons ran one after the other through the woods. The Earth Wolf in front was utterly shameless, broadcasting the matter of seducing another's wife so loudly that within two cups of tea's time, all the forest residents knew that the usually promiscuous Ape had actually had his wife stolen away by another.

A crowd gathered, murmuring with gossip. In such a quiet place, a cuckolded husband fighting his rival's paramour was major news. Especially since it was a live performance by genuine demons, how could everyone not flock to see it, excited as if it were a festival? Some winged races even swooped and soared overhead, busily observing the expressions, tones, and movements of the two involved from every angle, reporting back to the surrounding onlookers as if giving a live broadcast.

Under the pointing gazes of the crowd, the Ape finally lost face. He swung his gleaming golden-ringed great cleaver like a wheel, cleaving down toward the Earth Wolf. The distance between them shrank with the swing of the blade, and it seemed the massive weapon was about to crash down upon the Earth Wolf's head. Who knew that the Earth Wolf simply ducked low and shot forward again with a swish, covering a great distance. He seemed to have hidden his true speed all along, deliberately leading the Ape in circles for sport. Now accelerating suddenly, the cleaver missed entirely, and the Ape, putting too much force into the swing, stumbled forward.

"Can't even touch the fur on my tail... la la la... can't even touch the fur on my tail..." The Earth Wolf waved to the audience, humming an unpleasant little tune, then slowed down again, continuing to lead the Ape in circles. The Ape roared and shrieked, wanting to chop him to bits, but just as he sang, he couldn't even graze a single strand of the wolf's tail fur.

The Ape was blinded by anger, but the surrounding demonic and human onlookers could all see that something was amiss. The Earth Wolf was clearly making sport of the Ape; otherwise, given his strength, he should have already knocked the Ape to the ground. With that shameless energy, it didn't seem like he was holding back out of guilt for stealing someone’s wife. There had to be another story, which only made the spectacle more entertaining! Among the spectators, a Tiger draped an arm around a Rabbit's shoulder, and a Zombie clapped a Human on the arm, issuing excited gasps of admiration.

The residents of this forest usually got along harmoniously, so life had been rather uneventful, the biggest disputes in years being minor incidents like domestic quarrels or a father punishing a wayward son—nothing exciting. Today, with real blades and real action unfolding, everyone naturally invited friends to join the spectacle, caring more about the unfolding drama than the principal players themselves.

The Earth Wolf led the Ape on a long chase; in the midst of shouting and pursuit, they had moved farther and farther away from their starting point. At this moment, the Earth Wolf suddenly stopped, stretching leisurely as the Ape braced himself behind him. "Alright, that's far enough. I’m almost too tired to run anymore. I’m going to find a place for a nap..."

"Not so easy to leave! Take this blade!" the Ape roared and lunged forward. He hated the Earth Wolf, who had dared to go to his home and seduce his wife while he was out on a date with a woman. He himself had always been suave and flirtatious everywhere, yet today he suffered such a great loss, having his own wife seduced by another.

The Earth Wolf stretched his neck and wrist, smiling, "I don't mind if you strike, but why don't you look behind you first?"

"Trying to lure the tiger out of the mountain, are you? You think I'd fall for a trick like that!" the Ape snarled malevolently, paying no heed to the Earth Wolf’s friendly warning. But some of the onlookers, unable to resist their curiosity, turned to look behind them after the Earth Wolf spoke. Their reaction was immediate and loud: "Bad news! Fire! Ape, your house is on fire!" Just then, shouts began to drift from the direction of the forest: "Firefighting! Fire! Everyone be careful, this isn't ordinary fire, it's flame caused by a spirit beast! Use magic to extinguish it, don't use physical means to smother it!"

"Firefighting, firefighting! Those with water-attribute magic, gather quickly..."

"Fire's out, fire's out! Everyone come out and help!"

"Clang, clang, clang..." Someone even started banging a gong.

...

The Ape’s face immediately turned ashen white. His wife and child were still at home; had they managed to escape safely from such a blaze? Was the spirit beast that caused the fire still around? Had anyone been hurt? Though he was a flirt, he deeply loved his wife and children. At this point, he could no longer worry about his feud with the Earth Wolf. Dragging his blade, he turned and ran back. Seeing the fire truly raging, the onlookers could no longer stand by and watch, and they followed the Ape. Some among them had already guessed the fire was the Earth Wolf’s doing, and they stopped, glaring at him: They were happy enough to see the promiscuous Ape receive a little lesson for his usual meddling. But setting fire to someone’s home after being caught seducing their wife was too much. Once the fire took hold, the entire forest was in danger. This outsider had become so brazen; the local folk couldn't just ignore it.

A few figures formed a loose semi-circle around the Earth Wolf and slowly advanced on him.

"Earth Wolf, seducing a respectable woman and then burning down her house—that's going too far!"

"Indeed! Before setting the fire, didn't you consider that the countless beings in this forest might perish or lose their homes in your flames?"

"Young man, one must have moderation in their actions. Don't you think you’ve gone too far?"

The local customs here were indeed simple; they tried reason first, even with a scoundrel like the Earth Wolf. Unfortunately, this shameless Earth Wolf listened to none of it. He grinned carelessly and retorted, "Which one of your eyes saw me starting the fire? It's not good to accuse people falsely with no evidence."

"Who else but you? Didn't you just tell him to look behind him, to stop chasing you? If you didn't start the fire, how would you know what was happening behind you?"

"Don't you know I have eyes in the back of my head?" the Earth Wolf asked with a feigned look of astonishment.

"Earth Wolf has eyes in the back of his head? You take me for a fool!"

"How would you know if you haven't seen it! Though I wouldn't show my body to a middle-aged man like you. If you had a young, beautiful daughter, I might consider it, hehehe..."

The demons were trembling with rage at the sharp-tongued and thick-skinned Earth Wolf. Just as they decided to move past the preliminary phase of reason and enter the next stage, the Earth Wolf suddenly dropped his smile, bowed deeply to them, and said, "My apologies for causing so much trouble. I'll be taking my leave now, hehehe..." And with that, he vanished from the spot. The demons were stunned. By the time they reacted, shouting, "He burrowed underground and fled!" the chance to pursue was lost. After all, when it came to matching skills in moving through the earth, none of the demons present were so arrogant as to believe they could win. They exchanged glances, shook their heads, and hurried off to join the firefighting efforts.

Not long after the demons departed, the Earth Wolf surfaced from underground and drawled, "It was just to steal something from his house. How did you end up burning the whole place down? This place isn't like home; there could be hidden masters anywhere. If things get too messy, be careful it doesn't come back to bite us."

"It wasn't Huo'er! It got impatient when it couldn't find the item immediately and set the fire before I could stop it!" A stunningly beautiful mountain spirit emerged from the woods, clutching a Bi Fang whose wings were still flapping reluctantly. "Let me go! Burn it all, loot it all, kill them all..." It was highly agitated, shouting fiercely.

"Shut up! Go back and tell Zhou Ying you didn't listen to me and almost burned me to death too!" the mountain spirit shouted at the Bi Fang with a tone utterly inconsistent with her appearance.

"Why should I listen to you! You've been abusing me the whole way! I'm going to file a complaint! I demand to file a complaint!"

The Earth Wolf stepped forward and flicked its head. "Do you still want to help Zhou Ying!" Upon hearing this, the Bi Fang miraculously quieted down, huffed, and flew up to perch on a tree.

The Earth Wolf turned to the mountain spirit and asked, "Well, did you find what she wanted?"

"Found it, but half of it got burned," the strangely clad mountain spirit girl said, pulling a scorched envelope from her pocket and handing it to the Earth Wolf, pouting. "It's like this now; I wonder if she'll still accept it?"

The Earth Wolf chuckled. "All she cares about is that this thing isn't in that lecherous Ape's hands anymore. I bet if she got it back, she’d destroy the evidence immediately. Do you think she wants to keep it as a souvenir? Right, my beauty?" He directed this last sentence toward the woods.

In a dim corner of the forest, a woman completely wrapped in black robes emerged. She stopped ten paces away from the Earth Wolf and, without a word, extended a fair hand toward him.

The Earth Wolf blew gently on the half-charred letter in his hand, and the envelope drifted toward the woman. But just before reaching her palm, it seemed to gain sudden weight and fell, settling by her feet. The Earth Wolf asked with a grin, "Is this the letter, beautiful lady? I declare, I absolutely didn't read it. Though it's a real shame to give up the chance to read such an exciting piece of correspondence, hehehe..."

The woman knew he was deliberately withholding the letter from her hand, but she couldn't afford to get angry now that the item was secured. She bent down to pick up the letter. Her hand trembled slightly as she opened it. After reading the contents, she let out a small sigh, and in a voice faintly trembling, she said, "Yes, this is it."

"Then..." The Earth Wolf beckoned to her with a finger.

Although the woman had made a rather unfair trade with them, she didn't want to cause further trouble after receiving what she came for. She took an object from her bosom and placed it on the ground near her feet. Then, with a flick of her hand, the letter instantly turned to ash. She opened her palm, letting the ashes scatter in the wind, letting out a long sigh that held either sorrow or resignation for the past that had just turned to dust. She spared the Liu Di group another glance and slowly walked into the darkness.

The Earth Wolf snatched the object from the ground with an empty grab. He waved to the mountain spirit. "See? She destroyed the evidence. We got what we came for, let's go. With Huo'er causing that ruckus, we can't stay here. What a pity; the residents here were so hospitable. I was hoping to grab some food for the road."

"I want food! Braised pork! Fried meat! Meatballs!" The Bi Fang, which had finally quieted down, started howling again upon hearing the word "eat." "I want food! I'm starving! Feed me quickly! Are you trying to starve me to death?"

The Earth Wolf covered his ears and cried out, "I know, I'll go find you something to eat! Stop shouting, or you'll attract the residents here! Don't you realize that thanks to you, we're unwelcome now!"

"Feed me! Feed me! Or I'll keep shouting!" The Bi Fang jumped up and down, its voice growing louder.

This party of two demons and one spirit beast—Liu Di, Gui'er, and Huo'er—were pursuing the ethereal, hazy hope of stealing a spirit medicine from Mount Qingyao.

Although none of the three were born in the mortal realm (Huo'er was only hatched in the mortal realm, but its birthplace was not the mortal realm), only Liu Di among them had experience traveling through various realms. Therefore, they had agreed before setting out that everything on the journey would follow Liu Di’s arrangements.

Gui'er rationally understood that relying solely on the strength of a mountain spirit, an Earth Wolf, and an immature Bi Fang, they could not achieve their goal. If there was any hope for this endeavor, it rested entirely on Liu Di's quick wits and luck. That’s why, from the very beginning, she kept her promise to listen to everything Liu Di said, ignoring whether he was pretending to be foolish or playing cunning games, silently following his lead. After all, she was certain that Liu Di would never treat Zhou Ying’s affairs lightly.

Huo'er had been relatively obedient at first. Concern for Zhou Ying had curbed its nature somewhat, and the exotic scenery and creatures of the other realm kept it merely curious, so it caused no trouble for the time being. However, as time passed, its patience gradually eroded.

They had traveled for months and still hadn't reached Mount Qingyao. There were restrictions everywhere—this forbidden, that forbidden—and barely enough time to sleep. What it found most unbearable was being forbidden to hunt freely. Consequently, its diet mainly consisted of dry rations and cool water, only occasionally managing to hunt some wild game if time permitted. It hadn't even eaten a single demon! Even when demons occasionally attacked them and were killed, Liu Di forbade Huo'er from eating them, insisting they be buried before they hurried on. How could the ill-fed and sleep-deprived Huo'er maintain a good temper? A few days ago, it had reverted to its habit of contradicting Liu Di at every turn, constantly chattering and causing trouble. If it weren't for the fact that it still understood the purpose of their journey, and Gui'er was there to keep it in check, this small group would have already ground to a halt.

They had been loitering in this area for several days because their destination was near. The mountain range where Mount Qingyao was located—Bei (with a grass radical and the character 'fu'—I cannot type it here)—was not far off.

This mountain range stretched over four hundred li. Compared to mountain systems in other realms that spanned thousands or even tens of thousands of li, its size and height were unremarkable, yet it held a unique status: three divine beings resided within this relatively modest range, and the Heavenly Emperor’s lower seat, Mount Qingyao, was situated right in the middle of it. Consequently, the patrolling mountain gods of this range were quite strict. For demons of unknown origins like Liu Di and his companions, they couldn't even set foot on the border of Mount Bei, let alone reach Mount Qingyao.

They lingered near Mount Bei for a long time, hoping to find a chance to sneak in. But the patrolling mountain gods here were unlike others; their rigorous work ethic impressed even the slippery Liu Di, who couldn't find a single loophole.

After trekking for ten thousand li to finally arrive here, they could only sigh while gazing at the undulating peaks on the horizon. Liu Di and Gui'er were troubled by this but were helpless, settling down nearby. Fortunately, the local customs were hospitable and simple. Their arrival and stay did not attract much curiosity or inquiry, allowing them a chance to properly rest and recuperate their minds and bodies, which were exhausted from travel and dealing with incidents along the way.

They made inquiries everywhere about ways to enter Mount Bei. After wandering for several days, a woman entirely covered in a black cloak approached them unsolicited. She directly asked if they were inquiring about a way into the Mount Bei range. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, she stated she could help them, on the condition of a trade: they were to retrieve a letter for her from a certain Ape demon.

Although the woman spoke evasively, revealing nothing except the appearance of the envelope and her own handwriting, after Liu Di inquired about the Ape's character, he had a rough idea of the situation.

The Ape demon was a suave figure, usually fond of womanizing and leaving his mark everywhere (Liu Di: Isn't he just a lecher? What's wrong with those women's eyes, liking someone like that? Why don't they look at me? Huo'er: How is this guy the same mold as the Earth Dog? Gui'er: So this guy is exactly like Liu Di!). This woman was likely one of the members on his list of conquests. After their passionate affair, they parted ways sadly, as was customary. A passionate letter she had once written to him remained in his possession. Perhaps after their feelings faded, this letter became worthless scrap paper, and both parties had long forgotten it. The reason this woman was now set on making this letter disappear from the world was that she had a new engagement.

This engagement had been arranged by her family.

The prospective fiancé’s family was powerful, a status her own small family could not hope to achieve. The clan leader's eldest son had suddenly proposed to their family's daughter, insisting on marrying her as his principal wife, which left the clan elders flattered beyond measure; they accepted almost without thinking on the woman's behalf. The suitor not only possessed superior status and background but was also handsome, powerful in magic, and gentle in demeanor. Countless hearts were set on him, but by some twist of fate, he had fixed his gaze on this woman, who was long past caring about romance, during a brief passing encounter, and sought her hand despite the difference in status.

The woman knew she had no power to refuse in the face of the familial interests laid out by her elders, so she tacitly agreed to the marriage. Perhaps this man could offer her a completely new life. After several meetings, his gentle and kind nature began to stir hope in her heart, which had been closed off for years.

Now, the letter remaining in the hands of her old flame had become an obstacle to her marriage. If it were ever discovered, not only would she lose face, but her family and fiancé would also be deeply embarrassed. At that point, even if her fiancé was willing to overlook it, the elders of his family, who were already less than thrilled about the marriage, would certainly not accept such a bride, and the engagement would certainly be called off. How would she explain that to her family?

For the sake of the family's interests and reputation, she dared not openly demand the letter (that philanderer might have long forgotten her and the letter; reminding him could only lead to digging her own grave), nor could she obtain it through her own capabilities. She wished to find someone to help, but there wasn't a single soul she could trust. She certainly wouldn't tell her clansmen, let alone those outsiders who were hoping her marriage would fall through. As the wedding date drew nearer and nearer, forcing her into a distant marriage, her anxiety mounted. It was then that she inadvertently spotted three travelers from afar.

Dilang, Shan Gui, and Bi Fang—truly a bizarre combination she had never witnessed. Yet, she knew that any wandering yao who traversed the four seas invariably possessed some degree of skill, or how else could they survive to reach this place? Knowing they wished to enter Bei Shan (the character for 'Bei' is composed of the grass radical and the character for 'burden'), she approached them and proposed a trade.

For Liu Di, such petty thievery was as easy as lifting a finger. Sure enough, within a few days, he had caused quite a ruckus with the 'Xing Xing,' perhaps the other party hadn't even noticed a letter was missing amidst the commotion of the fire, or if they did, they would only assume it had been destroyed by the flames. The task was handled perfectly, and both parties smoothly secured what they desired. However, after such an uproar, this place was no longer tenable. Amidst Huo'er’s clamor, Liu Di grinned and declared, "When you're hungry, you just shout and howl. Watch how I get us something to eat!"

"It's all because you won't let me get us something good to eat! It’s all because of you!" Huo'er leaped frantically atop Liu Di's head, turning his hair into a tangled mess.

"Gui'er, do you still want to help Zhou Ying...?" As soon as Liu Di spoke, Gui'er reached out and plucked Huo'er from his head.

"Gui'er, you’re siding with Liu Di too! I’m going back to tell Ying that you two are ganging up to bully me..."

Amidst Huo'er's shrieks, Liu Di swaggered toward the fields at the foot of the mountain.