Chapter 77: Hmm~ Seems Little Sister Jiang Only Has Eyes For Your Lil’ Pervert, Eh?

“You… You ungrateful, bad little deer!” He Yimo grumbled, poking Wangxue’s forehead again, slightly miffed. “Just a little while ago back in the shrine, you were calling me ‘Master’ all nice and sweet, weren’t you~? Hmmmm~?”

“A-And you’re a big fat LIAR, He Yimooooo!” Wangxue shot back, stomping her small foot indignantly. “You said we were gonna be bestest friends in the whole wide world! Friends don’t call each other ‘Master’! Hmph!”

Outside the small tent, the roughly 1.45-meter (4’9″) tall deer girl stood with her hands firmly planted on her hips, chest puffed out defiantly, glaring up at the 1.78-meter (5’10”) He Yimo. He Yimo stared back, slightly bemused. He honestly hadn’t expected the perpetually weak, bleating little furball trapped in his seal to not only gain a human form upon recovering her energy, but also develop such a sassy, argumentative little mouth! `Meee-meee-meee? More like Yap-yap-yap now…`

Looking at Wangxue’s puffed-out cheeks and rebellious, light-gold eyes, He Yimo vaguely recalled the mural descriptions Chen Jianxin had mentioned – legends saying the Nine-Colored Deer was naturally mischievous, always sneaking off down the mountain during important festivals, hiding just to watch the villagers frantically search, then popping out to scare them. Watching this little spitfire stand here arguing with him… yeah, those legends suddenly seemed a lot more believable.

“Wangxue~” He Yimo began, crouching down to her level again, holding up one finger with an expression of utmost seriousness. “Did you know… in human society… it’s common knowledge… that even the very best of friends… can also call each other ‘Master’? It’s true! Totally normal!” He lied smoothly, without a shred of shame.

“Eh? R-Reallyyyyyy~?” Wangxue blinked her big, Kalanzi-blue eyes, tilting her head. Huh?

He Yimo gently patted her head again, simultaneously rolling up his sleeve to display the glowing golden Sacred Mark on his hand. “See? We are best friends! AND we have a contract… Soooo~… You call me Master… I treat you like my best friend… We both get what we want! Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it~? Totally logical!”

“Ooooh…! I… I guess sooo~!” Wangxue pondered this complex logic, nodding slowly as He Yimo continued his soothing head pats. “O-Okay! Then we’re still the bestest friends in the UNIVERSE! Yaaay~!”

Meanwhile, Yun Jin, standing beside them, listened to this absolute masterclass in bullshit with a completely bewildered expression. Her gaze shifted between He Yimo and the nodding Wangxue, filled with utter disbelief. `Are… Are you SERIOUS?! She actually BELIEVED that?!` Yun Jin thought incredulously. `These two together… one dares to teach such nonsense, and the other dares to believe it! Wow!` Yun Jin always thought she was pretty naive, but seeing the actual Nine-Colored Deer again after all these years… she was starting to understand the phrase “there’s always a bigger idiot deer out there”. Haaaa… Yun Jin sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead, feeling mentally exhausted already.

“W-Wait a second!” Wangxue suddenly exclaimed, seeming to notice the ‘you poor, gullible child’ look on Yun Jin’s face. Inspiration struck! She abruptly turned her head away, swatting He Yimo’s ‘hypnotic’ head-patting hand aside. “N-NO! I… I don’t believe yoooou! Hmph! Nice try!”

`Phew! Okay, she’s not completely hopeless…` Yun Jin thought, nodding slightly in relieved approval.

But before Yun Jin could fully relax, Wangxue sniffed again, crossing her arms with an arrogant little tilt of her chin. “Master is definitely tricking Wangxue again! Bullying me ’cause I don’t know human common sense! Humph!”

`…WAIT. WHY DID YOU SAY YOU DON’T BELIEVE HIM BUT THEN STILL CALL HIM MASTER WITHOUT EVEN THINKING?! AAAAAAH!` Yun Jin’s internal monologue screamed. A wave of ‘black-man-question-marks’ meme energy washed over her. Just listening to these two argue for five minutes was more mentally draining than studying advanced cultivation theory! Sigh…

He Yimo saw Wangxue was getting confused again and decided to stop teasing her. “Okay, okay. Long story short, ” he said, turning back to Yun Jin. “This… uh… energetic little one here… is Wangxue. The legendary, missing Nine-Colored Deer.” He paused, glancing down at Wangxue. “Yeah, I know, this… silly roe deer… doesn’t exactly match the ‘majestic, divine protector’ image you probably had… but she really is the Nine-Colored Deer. Promise.”

“Hey! Wangxue is NOT a silly roe deer!” the girl yelped, her face flushing red with anger. She immediately lowered her head and charged, trying to butt He Yimo’s backside with her small antlers. Bonk!

He Yimo casually stood up, easily catching her head with one hand before she could connect properly. “See?” he said wryly to Yun Jin, holding the struggling deer girl still.

Yun Jin, though still slightly dazed by the whole situation, nodded firmly. She didn’t doubt him. Back in the tent, her natural talent for sensing animal spirits had already allowed her to feel the immense, pure nature energy radiating from this small girl. There was no question – this was the same Divine Deer she’d glimpsed from her window as a child. Although… she still couldn’t quite reconcile the awe-inspiring, majestic creature of her memories with this… uh… adorkable, slightly ditzy little girl. Hmmmm?

“Ah, that…” He Yimo sighed, gently patting Wangxue’s head again now that she’d stopped trying to headbutt him. “That’s called the ‘Faith Filter’. Happens all the time.” The reality was, even in her deer form, Wangxue was pretty petite. Now, transformed into this humanoid shape? She was practically pocket-sized, barely reaching He Yimo’s waist. Definitely a ‘legal loli’ situation by human standards. As for the ‘sacred guardian’ image…? Yeah, maybe just focus on the pretty snowy mountains in the distance, folks. Ahem.

“B-But…” Yun Jin crouched down, curiously examining the deer girl, her mind still buzzing with questions. ‘How… How did the Divine Deer end up in a contract with Young Master He…?”

This time, He Yimo pointedly remained silent.

“O-Okay~! I won’t ask~!” Yun Jin piped up quickly, recognizing the silent refusal. The predictable silence didn’t really bother her or spark suspicion this time. Her main worry – the Deer God’s safety – had been alleviated. She reached out, unable to resist gently poking Wangxue’s soft cheek. A huge weight lifted from her shoulders, replaced by a bubbling happiness. A bright smile spread across her face. The Deer God was alive! And she was an adorable little girl! It was like all Yun Jin’s childhood dreams of befriending cute animals just came true! With the Deer God safe and sound (and cute!), Yun Jin could easily overlook some… minor details He Yimo wasn’t willing to explain.

“Alright, ” He Yimo interrupted their mutual poking session, observing the girl and the deer interacting. “Since I’ve shown you the Deer God, as promised… You’ll follow me for the next two days, right?” For a moment, watching them, he felt like they could almost be sisters – Yun Jin and Wangxue. Different hair, different eyes, sure, but that same innocent, overwhelmingly cute aura? Identical. The only real difference was… one was perhaps a little naive, while the other was genuinely… endearingly dumb. Heh.

“Going out to PLAY?! Yaaaay! Wangxue has NO objections! Let’s GO! Let’s GO!” Wangxue immediately threw her little hands up in the air, eyes sparkling with excitement, totally on board.

Seeing Wangxue’s enthusiasm, Yun Jin blinked, remembered her promise to He Yimo, and hesitantly mirrored the deer girl’s cute pose, raising her own hands. “U-Um… Yun Jin… also has no objections!”

“…….?” He Yimo just raised an eyebrow, giving Yun Jin a look that clearly screamed, `Are you five year old? What are you DOING?`

Instantly, Yun Jin’s excited ahoge drooped. Her face flushed beet red, and she quickly lowered her hands, utterly mortified. “I… I was just… supporting the Deer God’s… atmosphere… thingy… You know…?” she mumbled defensively.

“…….” He Yimo just kept staring. Silently.

Yun Jin squirmed under his gaze, feeling her cheeks burn hotter. “A-A-ANYWAY!” she blurted out, desperate to change the subject. “N-Now that the Deer God is safe and sound, Yun Jin has no more worries! Sooo~! Wherever Young Master He wants to go for the next few days, Yun Jin will support Young Master He unconditionally! Yes! Totally!”

“Good.” He Yimo smirked coldly, turning to pack up. “Then let’s go. Before it gets completely dark… take me to your grandparents’ place for dinner.” He efficiently stuffed the tent, sleeping bags, and other supplies into his Storage Ring. In just a few minutes, they were ready to move.

“Oh, look, ” he added, pulling out one of the bottles of antler powder they’d ‘found’. “Just happened to grab a bunch of this back at the shrine. Good stuff, really potent. We can bring a bottle for your grandparents. Let the old folks brew it into tea, keep their strength up.” He said it casually, but carefully selected a nicely sealed bottle.

Behind him, Yun Jin stood frozen, her brain buffering, completely unable to keep up with He Yimo’s sudden jump in logic. “E-Eh? Ehhhhh?!”

“What?” He Yimo raised an eyebrow innocently. “I saved your life, didn’t I? You owe me! Inviting your savior home for a meal is basic courtesy, isn’t it? Perfectly reasonable!” While still ‘debating’ with Yun Jin, he’d already started walking briskly down the mountain path.

Wangxue immediately skipped after him, arms wide like an airplane, humming happily. “Yay! Following Master~!”

Leaving Yun Jin standing there alone, utterly flustered and wind-blown. “W-Wait! Uh… R-Really? Tonight? We’re going to see my grandparents… tonight?! Isn’t… Isn’t that a little… too SOON?!”

“Not soon at all. Sky’s already dark, ” He Yimo tossed back over his shoulder, deliberately misunderstanding.

“N-Not the WEATHER! I meant—!” Yun Jin sputtered, seeing he was playing dumb. Her face flushed even brighter. “A-And! That antler powder! It’s… It’s WAY too valuable! We can’t just—!”

“Relax. Wangxue’s right here, isn’t she? Besides, half the stuff from the shrine was technically yours anyway.”

“Eh?”

“My point is, ” He Yimo elaborated patiently, “Nine-Colored Deer antlers aren’t that ridiculously rare when you have the source right here. Consider it a renewable resource. From now on, for every major holiday, we’ll just gift your grandparents a whole antler directly. How ’bout that?”

“Eh? EHHHHHHHH?! W-We’re going to give gifts… every holiday… from now on…?!” Yun Jin’s mind felt like it was short-circuiting. The pace was way too fast!

Meanwhile, Wangxue, trotting behind He Yimo, puffed out her cheeks again, protectively covering her own antlers. “He Yimooooo! Wangxue’s antlers are NOT renewable resources! They’re precious!” She balled her little fists and tried to butt his legs again. Boink!

He Yimo easily caught her antlers mid-charge. “Wangxue, ” he said flatly. “How about this deal: Every year, you give me the antlers you naturally shed… and in return, I’ll take you to Sister Yun Jin’s house for free holiday meals. Good food. Lots of it. Deal?”

“FREE FOOD?! Wangxue supports this transaction ONE HUNDRED PERCENT! DEAL! DEAL! DEAL! ♡♡♡” Instantly, the indignant deer girl transformed into an ecstatic, purring fuzzball, eagerly nuzzling against He Yimo’s stomach. Yay! Food!

The little deer and her ‘master’ walked on, chatting happily, the atmosphere warm and cozy… leaving the actual person whose house they were inviting themselves to lagging behind, face burning hot, feeling completely bewildered and left out of the decision-making process.

“W-Wait! It’s my house! Why did you two decide everything so easily?! H-Hey!”

He Yimo glanced back at Yun Jin. “Hurry up now~ Wouldn’t want to disturb… our grandparents… by arriving too late for dinner, would we?”

“Ah… O-Okay! Right!” Yun Jin nodded obediently and hurried to catch up. Halfway there, she stopped, blinking. “Wait a second… Why did it suddenly become…’our grandparents’…?”

“Well? What else should I call them? Seems perfectly fine to me…”

“I… I guess… there’s nothing wrong with it… technically…” Sigh…

(A little while later…)

Walking down the steep mountain path was starting to make even He Yimo’s legs ache. Ugh… Suddenly, he noticed a certain little ‘Husk-deer’ bouncing happily ahead of him, humming a tune, practically skipping. Hmmmm…

After a brief but intense argument involving many `Meeeeh!`s and `Nope!`s, He Yimo and Yun Jin ended up riding on Wangxue’s back (presumably in her deer form again. They practically flew down the mountain, taking shortcuts at near-breakneck speed towards the small village at the foot. WHOOSH! The wind howled past. He Yimo gripped Wangxue’s nine-colored antlers like handlebars on a demonic motorcycle, while Yun Jin clung tightly to his waist from behind, feeling a rare sense of secure reliance.

But their speedy descent was short-lived. He Yimo suddenly spotted a faint shimmering distortion in the air ahead – a transparent barrier. Huh? He blinked, confused for a fraction of a second before horrified realization slammed into him. The one crucial detail he’d completely forgotten about since heading up the mountain—his Immortal Alliance Pass Token! It was still tied in a death knot around Jiang Jinyue’s thigh, nestled snugly against her white silk, thigh-high stockings! Oh FU—!

“SHIT! BRAKE! BRAKE, WANGXUE! STOOOOOOP!!!” He Yimo yelled frantically.

`Meeeeh~? Whyyyyyy~?`

THUMP—CRACK!

Before anyone could properly react, Wangxue slammed headfirst into the invisible Immortal Alliance Boundary Field, sending He Yimo, riding point, crashing face-first into it as well.

CRASH! All three tumbled unceremoniously to the snowy ground.

“Agh… Mfffph…” He Yimo groaned, pulling himself out of a snowdrift. “Knew it! I KNEW that damn fox couldn’t be trusted! ” he muttered furiously, spitting out snow. “No wonder she was smiling and waving so cheerfully before she left! The little witch took my goddamn token with her! Son of a…!” It felt exactly like that time his roommate ‘borrowed’ his only lighter right before exams. Just thinking about that manipulative, definitely-needs-to-be-disciplined vixen made his blood boil. Grrrr!

Luckily, it was late, dark, and no patrols seemed to be around. After a quick hissed consultation, He Yimo and Yun Jin came up with a plan. He recalled Wangxue back into the Sacred Mark seal first. Then, instructions given, Yun Jin nervously tucked her own Alliance token securely into the valley between her… uh… modest pair of steamed buns, right against her chest. Then, the two of them pressed tightly together, shuffling sideways like awkward crabs, and carefully edged through the shimmering barrier… pop!

“…It actually worked?!” He Yimo stared back at the intact barrier, utterly bewildered. He knew the game had bugs, but he never expected the real-world map boundary to be glitchable too! `Wow. The Immortal Alliance really cheaped out on security this time.` No wonder they just sent a bunch of Qi Refinement rookies on a three-day field trip to handle the Snow Village incident…

Time was running out. He Yimo quickly checked on Wangxue (who probably had a headache now), feeding her a bit of his own energy to help her recover, then resummoned his trusty deer-motorcycle. They hopped back on and continued their flight down towards the village lights flickering below.

By the time they reached the small mountain village, most houses were dark and silent. Only a few scattered oil lamps glowed warmly here and there. Northfall Mountain was far north, after all; nights came early and cold. He Yimo urged Wangxue towards one of the last remaining lights at the far end of the village, pulling up just outside a small, worn wooden courtyard gate moments before the lamp inside was extinguished. He gently knocked. Tap tap tap…

“Grandma! Grandpa!” Yun Jin called out, her voice trembling slightly with anticipation and nervousness as she stood beside He Yimo. Ever since she’d joined Wuji Sect years ago, the expensive Spirit Boat tickets meant she could rarely afford to visit home, usually only making the trip back for the Spring Festival. It was the whole reason her first contracted beast, defying her physician path, had been the flying Azure Crane – she needed a way to get home without paying the exorbitant travel fees!

“Jiiiin’er~? Is that you, child…? Coming…” A kind, elderly woman’s voice drifted from inside. The courtyard gate creaked open, revealing a familiar, archetypal kindly old grandmother figure – just as He Yimo remembered her ‘NPC’ version from the game.

But this time… the differences were stark. Yun Jin’s grandmother wasn’t weeping over her granddaughter’s death. She wasn’t frail and bedridden. She looked exactly as Yun Jin had always described her – healthy, hardworking, her eyes full of warmth.

“Oh my! Jin’er! And… this young gentleman is…?”

“Grandma, ” He Yimo stepped forward, bowing respectfully with a perfectly practiced, charming smile. “My name is He Yimo. I’m Senior Sister Yun Jin’s junior disciple. Please, just call me Little He.”

“Little He…?”

He Yimo beamed, pressing the carefully wrapped bottle of precious antler powder into the grandmother’s hands. “Yesterday, Senior Sister Yun Jin and I were on a mission nearby in Northfall. Since we were passing through, we thought we’d bring some local Snow Village specialties and pay our respects.” Smooth. Very smooth.

“W-Well, I never…! This is…?” The old woman blinked, slightly overwhelmed by his polite torrent of words. But then, her gaze fell upon her granddaughter standing shyly behind him, head bowed, face flushed crimson, lips trembling slightly… The grandmother’s confusion instantly cleared, replaced by dawning understanding and a wide, knowing smile. Aha!

She immediately grabbed He Yimo’s arm, pulling him warmly towards the house. “Oh ho ho! So you’re Yun Jin’s Junior Brother, are you?!” Her tone was full of welcoming warmth and maybe just a hint of teasing matchmaking. “Well, don’t just stand out here in the cold! Quick, quick! Little He, you come inside too! Get warm!”

(Meanwhile, back on Northfall Mountain, near the Immortal Alliance border…)

Deep into the night, the Sword Kensei, Mo Yuyan, still walked alone along the shimmering edge of the Alliance Boundary Field. Clad in white, Yin Frost Sword in hand, she moved silently, occasionally dragging the sword’s tip through the snow, leaving faint marking lines. Eventually, she stopped. Sheathing her sword, she looked down. Beneath the fresh powder, disturbed patterns – several sets of messy footprints, partially obscured but definitely there.

“Hmm…” Mo Yuyan murmured softly to herself, tapping a finger against her chin. “It seems someone… secretly disrupted the Alliance barrier last night… allowing those Moonlight Cultists inside.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “So… there really is a traitor here on Northfall Mountain.” Ice-cold calculation gleamed in her beautiful eyes as countless faces flashed through her mind.

“Either… one of the Alliance members stationed here to guard the barrier is the mole…”

“Or… the traitor is among us… the cultivators who came from Wuji Sect…”

Unbidden, the image of a certain pink-haired girl with a flirtatious smile popped into her head. As the Sword Chief Senior Sister of Wuji Sect, Mo Yuyan normally didn’t bother memorizing the faces of every junior disciple… unless they were exceptionally talented geniuses, or fellow cultivators close to her own standing. But… Jiang Jinyue was different. Not particularly talented. No connection to Mo Yuyan whatsoever. If it weren’t for Jiang Jinyue constantly clinging to He Yimo… Mo Yuyan likely wouldn’t have noticed her existence even after ten more years.

“Jiang Jinyue… is highly suspicious.” Mo Yuyan stated flatly, her eyes cold.

Just as the words left her lips, another figure descended gracefully from the night sky – Mu Yanran, the stunning beauty in black robes and white hair.

“Yuyan?” Mu Yanran landed lightly beside her. “It’s so late. All the other young disciples took the Spirit Boat back already. What are you still doing out here?” Her greeting trailed off as she noticed the disturbed footprints Mo Yuyan was examining. Instantly, Mu Yanran’s serene smile faltered, a tiny bead of sweat trickling down her temple, almost invisible against her pale skin. Shit.

“Nothing important, ” Mo Yuyan replied coolly, not looking up immediately. “Just investigating how the cultists managed to slip past the Alliance barrier last night. I wasn’t tired.”

“A-Ah. I see. And… did you… find anything?” Mu Yanran asked, trying to sound casual.

“I suspect…” Mo Yuyan finally looked up, her gaze sharp, “…that girl who always dresses so… flamboyantly… the one constantly flirting and giggling with He Yimo… Jiang Jinyue. I suspect she is the mole.”

“—?!” Mu Yanran’s mouth fell open slightly. She froze, words caught in her throat.

Mo Yuyan tilted her head slightly. “What is it? Don’t you find her suspicious, Senior Sister Mu?”

“H-Her…? Well… Ah…” The woman in black averted her gaze, hesitating for a moment. Then, seemingly making a decision, she forced a small, tight smile. “—Yes! Yes, she is very suspicious! Extremely!”

“If I recall correctly… her name is Jiang Jinyue, yes? Been quite popular among the junior disciples since she joined the sect… Even many talented male disciples have pursued her… But, ” Mu Yanran added, her eyes narrowing slightly as she glanced towards Mo Yuyan, her tone subtly shifting, becoming almost… pointed, “…from what I’ve seen… Little Sister Jiang seems to have fallen head over heels… exclusively… for that little pervert protégée of yours, hasn’t she~? Funny, that.”