Where the heart points, the plain shoes follow. Life is a journey against the current, crossed in a solitary reed.
— Prologue
All three snow wolves had transformed into human form. Alin's gaze finally returned to normal, though bizarrely, a woman in red now stood beside her.
The waters of the Lanyue Spring could break any seal during the full moon.
This was Xiao's first transformation, and he felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. Even more surprised were Xue Yin and Xue Langxing—except for the leader of the Snow Wolf Clan, ordinary snow wolves could not take human form. Even soaking in the full moon's spring water should have been useless. Just what kind of background did this Xiao have?
Alin looked at the young woman in red before her. Her expression shifted first from confusion to surprise, and finally into joy. Excitedly, she pulled the woman by both hands. "Xiaoying, is it really you? How did you get here?"
Now it was the turn of the three figures in the spring to be astonished. Xiaoying? Who on earth was that? A friend of Alin's?
"Hehe, a friend? Of course! Even my dear sister forgot she had a younger sister like me, so how could you guys possibly know!" The girl in red smiled as she pulled Alin's hands and walked over to the wary Xiao. "Thank you, big brother of the Snow Wolf Clan! If not for your help, how could I have ever reunited with my sister!"
Xiao stiffly raised his gaze to look at the Xiaoying Alin had spoken of, feeling that something was deeply amiss. The appearance of this mysterious younger sister of Alin's was far too coincidental. Was she truly just here out of a simple desire to see her sister? The shadowy figure he had glimpsed earlier in Alin's eyes was undoubtedly this very Xiaoying. To think she had utilized her own sister to manipulate his mind—such formidable mind power was simply incredible. Even more astonishing was the fact that he had managed to take human form. What could all of this possibly mean?
Xue Yin and Xue Langxing pulled their gazes away from Xiaoying, looking at Xiao and not knowing how to broach the subject. Finally, Xue Langxing broke the silence. "Xiao was originally a member of our wolf pack. Given what has transpired, my sister and I have nothing more to say. A new leader has been born—everyone, welcome the new leader of the Snow Wolf Clan!" With that, he stepped forward on his own initiative and patted Xiao on the shoulder. "Brother, you may stay and lead the pack alongside us, or you may leave and establish your own territory."
"Establish my own territory? What does that mean?" Xiao raised his head, a flash of panic crossing his eyes.
The entire wolf pack fell completely silent. For an instant, even the sound of the wind vanished. Xiaoying and Alin also paused their long-awaited sisterly reunion and turned to look at Xiao.
"Leader, I'm not... How could that be? I never thought about... establishing my own territory, or anything like that! I'm not leaving the wolf pack!" Xiao looked from Xue Yin to the rest of the pack, somewhat at a loss. Though the time they had spent together was not particularly long, he had already come to view himself as part of this large family. Everyone treated him with great care, and Xue Yin in particular had offered him a warmth he had never known before. How could he bear to just leave like this?
"Hehe, such a handsome brother! Why don't you just hand him over to Xiaoying?" The girl in red muttered softly as she winked at Xue Yin.
"Yiner, do you want him to stay?" Xue Langxing glanced at his sister. "Since Xiao doesn't want to leave, and he's always liked staying by your side, I'll let you make the decision."
"Me?" Xue Yin pointed to herself, then looked back at Xiao. "You're leaving the decision to me? Why?"
"Because, well, that guy likes you and wants to stay by your side, of course!" Xiaoying giggled. "I am a spirit who controls thoughts, after all. I know what Xiao is thinking far better than he does himself!"
At this, the entire wolf pack was sent into an uproar. Even Alin cast a sidelong glance at Xiao and let out a deeply meaningful "Oh."
Xue Yin's cheeks flushed an uncharacteristic crimson. She looked at Xiao, then quickly lowered her head. She knew Xiao had always been good to her and followed her almost blindly, but she had always assumed he pampered her like a brother would a sister, and had never once thought of it in that way.
"Our Yiner is blushing!" Alin burst into laughter. "I don't think Yiner even needs to make a decision—Xiao is definitely going to stay, and you couldn't drive him away even if you tried!"
Xiao looked at Alin, grinning sheepishly as he raised a hand to scratch his head.
Feng Ling hurried back before dawn. Upon hearing the news, he burst into hearty laughter, ruffled Alin's cascade of dark hair, and casually tucked a snow lotus blossom into her braided hair.
After the tumultuous night, Xiaoying, Alin, and Xue Yin had played and chased each other for half the morning and were completely exhausted. The three of them sat together at the mouth of the cave, watching the moonlight slowly give way to the rosy glow of dawn. When the moon completely faded and daylight arrived, Xue Yin transformed once more from a pointed-eared, silver-haired young girl back into a snow wolf. Yet Xiao, sitting right beside her, remained in human form.
At this, everyone froze in utter astonishment. Even Xiao was completely baffled. What on earth was going on here?
Xiao sat beside Xue Yin, spreading his hands in helpless resignation as he stared blankly at the ground. Far too many bizarre and incomprehensible things had happened this past night.
Alin circled Xiao twice—wolf form, human form, transformation... Could it be...
"Would you stop pacing around? You're giving me a headache!" Xiao felt his head spin whenever he looked at Alin's wildly imaginative expression, having no idea what absurd connections this eccentric woman was making now.
"Hey, Xiao, have you really never turned into a human or any other form before?" Alin asked probing as she continued to circle Xiao. "You were always just a wolf?"
"Yeah, is there a problem?" Xiao snapped back to his senses, falling into recollection. "Wait. Wolf form—that was when I was with Yiner and the pack. Before that, it seems... I can't remember..."
"Could it be that you aren't actually a wolf at all, but rather someone who can transform into the shape of any creature?" Alin's eyes gleamed as she raised a single finger to deliver her "profound insight."
"Stop guessing wildly. Xiao only became human in the spring water; once he leaves the spring, he can't change back. How can you call that casual transformation?" Xue Yin shook her head in disagreement.
"I was merely expressing my personal opinion," Alin said, sticking out her tongue. "So eager to refute me—Yiner, you really do forsake your friends for a pretty face!"
"I forsake my friends for a pretty face?" Xue Yin looked at her good friend with an innocent expression, then glanced at the helpless Xiao, her wolf face shrouded in dark clouds.
Xiao pulled the bristling Xue Yin back. "Alright, Alin was just teasing you on purpose—couldn't you even tell? Besides, what's wrong with forsaking friends for a pretty face? Haven't I been good to you?"
"Whoa, that question is way too direct! Xiao, to think you're actually a wolf in sheep's clothing!" Alin rolled her eyes.
"It's going to snow," Feng Ling suddenly blurted out irrelevantly, catching Xiao's imperceptible nod.
By evening, snowflakes drifted down in flurries, growing heavier and heavier. The wolf pack returned to the cave. Xiao sat alone at the cave entrance while Feng Ling accompanied Alin to the Illusory Moon Cave. Xiaoying was recovering inside the cave—having just woken up, she needed to recuperate for a few days to restore her spiritual energy.
The full moon had passed, but the Snow Mountain had not returned to peace. As the night sky deepened, another uninvited guest arrived on the mountain. He deliberately avoided the wolf pack and stirred up a heavy snowfall, yet he still failed to escape Feng Ling's watchful eyes.
Che came here hoping to track down Muyin's whereabouts through Alin. He had been asking around everywhere, but months had passed with no progress at all.
The bamboo pavilion is dust-free, the water railing clear; our yearning stretches far, separated by heavy city walls. The autumn gloom lingers on, frost falls late; we are left with withered lotus to hear the sound of rain.
Who?
Who is speaking...
Taking a life—where was that ever an easy thing to do? Watching one's own hands stained with blood was by no means a light burden. Sometimes, hatred made the heart grow too heavy to ever be carefree again.
To slaughter living beings—though you had witnessed much, it was something you loathed so deeply.
Had you ever imagined that one day, you yourself would commit such an act?
Surely not!
Yet, can you honestly say you have never harmed another?
Have you never done something you would regret for the rest of your days?
You feel regret simply because you loathe yourself for doing what should not have been done, while remaining powerless to undo it...
The Underworld is empty, and demons walk among men.
Since you regret it so, why not let me give you a hand and lift your suffering? As a Blood Spirit, you would surely be most welcome in the Underworld! After all, apart from wandering ghosts and realm guards, spirits are a rare sight down in the Underworld!
"Who is it?" Muyin woke up with a start, wiping the cold sweat from her brow. A week of continuous nightmares had left her mentally and physically exhausted. Demons? Heh, who was the demon?
Was it herself? Muyin let out a self-deprecating, cold laugh. To outsiders, a Blood Spirit and a demon were probably no different at all!
Only that crazy girl Alin would treat her as a confidante, as a bosom friend to confide in. As for the rest, even if they wore smiling faces on the surface, they likely still harbored caution and wariness in their hearts.