“How come she’s still not awake?”
“Don’t rush. Even magic pills need time to work.”
“That stupid woman… She actually shielded me.”
“Lord Lin Feng, do you still want to go through with your plan?”
“Hmph, of course.”
I slowly opened my eyes and found myself lying on Lin Feng’s ice bed. A giant, fluffy white paw rested on my stomach.
A huge cat face suddenly appeared in my vision.
“Where did this big kitty come from? Am I still dreaming?”
I reached out and squeezed the paw on my stomach, finding the soft pads.
“It really is a big kitty…”
Lin Feng’s cold hand pinched my cheek.
“You’re finally awake.”
Still dazed, I wrapped my arms around Lin Feng’s neck.
“Ow, Lin Feng, that hurt…”
He brushed my arms away and examined me carefully.
“Why did you push me? I could’ve handled that attack myself.”
“It’s not the same! I’m your master…”
“I told you, I haven’t fully accepted you yet!”
The sting of rejection hit me hard. I knew Lin Feng was proud—he was a powerful demon, after all, and probably didn’t want to be tamed by a rookie like me. But I’d been trying so hard to earn his trust, to protect him, to help him fit into my world.
If none of that mattered, then maybe Lin Feng would leave me and find someone stronger to be his master.
Seeing me silent, Lin Feng gently lifted my chin and saw the tears in my eyes.
He panicked.
“Hu Po! Quick, come here—does she seem off to you?”
The giant white tiger padded over and placed its paw on my arm, checking my pulse.
“This… shouldn’t be. Her pulse is normal…”
Lin Feng hugged me anxiously.
“Mei Chen, what’s wrong? Are you still in pain?”
I couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into tears.
“Lin Feng… I know I’m not very good at this, but can you please not leave me?”
“It took me so long to meet a demon as strong as you…”
Lin Feng froze, and Hu Po blinked his big, sparkly eyes.
“You… you’re such an idiot! When did I say I was leaving?”
“You just said you didn’t accept me…”
Lin Feng turned away, still holding me, and mumbled under his breath,
“I accept you.”
“What? I didn’t hear you.”
“I said I accept you! You’re so annoying!”
“Lin Feng.”
“What now?!”
“Your ears are red~”
“I’m going to kill you, you silly woman!”
“Um… Am I interrupting something?”
The white tiger spoke up from the side.
I let go of Lin Feng and stared at Hu Po.
“Why is there a tiger here? Are you a demon too? Do you have a master?”
Hu Po licked his paw.
“Little girl, I’m not just any tiger demon.”
A wave of celestial energy shimmered around him, and in a flash, Hu Po transformed into a boy of about eight or nine.
“I am Hu Po, the White Tiger Divine Healer of the Heavenly Realm.”
“The Heavenly Realm! Why are you here?”
“That’s because I—”
“Hu Po is an old friend from my travels. I called him here to help heal you,” Lin Feng explained.
“Ah, that’s too bad. I was hoping you’d want to come with me…”
Hu Po smiled kindly.
“Celestial officials like me can’t be tamed, even if we are demons.”
“Alright, alright, you’ve done enough. You can go now,” Lin Feng said, shooing Hu Po out of the cave.
“Mei Chen! What did you mean just now?”
Lin Feng looked at me, a little hurt, his snake tail wrapping around my hand.
“What, are you thinking of recruiting another demon?”
I stroked the tip of Lin Feng’s tail until it warmed up.
“I was just joking~”
“Hmph.”
Lin Feng sat on the bed, gazing at me intently.
“I’m a powerful demon. I’ll only ever acknowledge one master in my life, and I’ll never share a master with another demon. So if you want to be with me, you can only have me.”
I nodded, and Lin Feng withdrew his tail.
“By the way, those people in black just now… Who were they?
Lin Feng didn’t answer my question.
“All right, you should go home now. Are you feeling okay anywhere?” he said, trying to change the subject.
I grabbed his hand, a little annoyed.
“Don’t change the subject! You admitted you trust me now. Why won’t you tell me the truth?”
Lin Feng’s Adam’s apple bobbed. After a long silence, he finally spoke:
“They’re people I provoked before I could take human form.”
“Before you could take human form?”
He nodded.
“They’re a group of evil human priests. Back then, I was a snake on the verge of transforming, full of spiritual energy. They wanted to capture me and take my demon core. My core could supposedly bring the dead back to life and heal any wound.”
My hands trembled as I touched his chest.
“Bring the dead back to life… That’s incredible!”
Lin Feng gently brushed my hand away.
“What, do you want it too?”
“We’re bound together, remember? If I lose my demon core, your little heart will stop beating too!” He pointed at my chest, threateningly.
I immediately cozied up to him.
“You’re so powerful—how could they ever hurt you?”
He pushed my head away, keeping his distance.
“Do you realize how reckless you were just now? A little human, standing in front of me like that.”
I shamelessly snuggled back up to him.
“Just admit it, Lin Feng.”
“Admit what?”
“That you were moved! Isn’t it nice to be protected by someone else for a change?”
“Tch—”
“You should go home. I’m not going back with you this time.”
He dragged me to the cave entrance.
“You’re my demon… Why won’t you come home with me?”
His slender fingers rested on a mossy rock at the entrance. He didn’t answer, just stared into the distance, standing silently by my side.
After a long time, he finally said,
“I need to settle things with those priests who’ve been hunting me.”
“That’s dangerous.”
“I’m going with you,” I insisted.
His face clearly said “no.”
“Let me go! They’re humans like me—maybe I can help. Besides, we’re bound together. If anything happens to you, I’ll die too.”
Lin Feng stared at me in silence, then nodded.
He walked ahead, and I followed slowly behind.
“How are we going to find those priests?”
“Bailing Mountain.”
I’d heard other beast tamers talk about Bailing Mountain. It’s the place with the most spiritual energy in the world, home to countless demons. Some say it’s the only place connected to the heavens, and ordinary people can’t get in.
“Did you grow up there? Is that where you met Hu Po, the White Tiger healer?”
“Yes.”
I perked up.
“Do you know anyone else from the heavens?”
“No.”
I leaned in and whispered,
“I heard… all the gods in heaven are dragons.”
Lin Feng pushed me away, giving me a look like I was crazy.
“Where do you hear this stuff? How would a demon like me know anything about heaven?”
“People talk, and if enough people say it, it must be true!” I grumbled.
He rolled his eyes and sped up. I hurried after him, muttering under my breath,
“Maybe we’ll see a dragon this time…”
Suddenly he stopped, and I crashed into his back.
He spoke in a low voice,
“Why do you want to see a dragon?”
I scratched my head, embarrassed.
“I’ll tell you, but you can’t laugh… It’s my secret. When my mom was pregnant with me, she dreamed I was destined for greatness, a friend of the gods.”
“A friend of the gods?”
“Yeah! When I grew up, I figured the gods must be from the heavens, and I heard they’re all dragons. So if I ever meet a dragon, maybe something good will happen.”
“Tch, what good could come of that?”
“I don’t know… Maybe a dragon would grant me a wish.”
Lin Feng turned to look at me, curiosity in his eyes.
“Mei Chen, if you really met a dragon, what would you wish for?”
I looked at his profile, swallowed, and hugged him tightly.
“I’d wish for you to stay by my side forever.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for him to push me away.
But he didn’t. Instead, he patted my head.
“Mei Chen.”
“Yeah?”
“Your hair’s all tangled.”
What a clueless snake!
Of all times, he brings that up now.
Chapter 06
*