Chapter 11: The Beast's Obeisance

This old yellow weasel had truly become a spirit; she wasn’t the least bit afraid of my threats. Instead, with her large eyes glaring at me, she pressed down hard on my head, insisting that I perform the wedding rites with Pi Lin’er.

Utterly reckless!

I pulled out the lump of Yellow River clay I had prepared in advance and pressed it onto Pi Lin’er’s forehead while chanting an incantation: “From the clear source the prime wind arises, mysterious and vast, all changes are observed. All heavens shimmer with a cold, crystalline light, snowy Dao dust, a river of lanterns!”

The moment the incantation ended, the Yellow River clay on Pi Lin’er’s forehead shone with a spear of cold light. Pi Lin’er’s body went rigid in an instant and she collapsed stiffly into my arms.

Almost at the same time, a massive mother weasel burst out from behind Pi Lin’er and roared at me ferociously.

“Still dare to make trouble!” I threatened, raising my hand as if to scatter the rest of the Yellow River clay at the weasel.

Unwilling to yield, the weasel barked at me twice before turning and darting away. Clearly, she was the leader. After she fled, the other animals in the room scattered and fled as well.

The heavy mountain fog quickly dissipated, sunlight streamed in, and all that remained around me were the dry leaves and branches the animals had used for their nests. The wooden house had vanished without a trace.

Illusion!

I hadn’t expected the yellow weasel to have reached such a level in her cultivation. I quickly checked Pi Lin’er’s pulse. Strangely, not only was she unharmed, but her vital energy was even stronger than usual. It seemed the yellow weasel had passed some of her power on to her.

Peculiar—why had the weasel gone to such lengths to enchant Pi Lin’er without harming her at all? What was her true aim? I carefully reviewed everything that had happened that day, starting from my efforts to help Pi Lin’er break off her engagement so she could attend a top high school. Then came the incident with the weasel possessing Pi Lin’er and insisting on marrying me. If the weasel had succeeded, I would never have been able to marry Bai Xiaoli, and I’d never uncover any clues about my grandfather.

It seemed the consequences of breaking off the engagement had already begun to manifest. I was now in danger, and likely things weren’t going well for the Bai family either.

This wouldn’t do!

I had to hurry to the Bai family. If Bai Xiaoli found out I had broken off the engagement and, in a fit of anger, married someone else, things would become truly dire.

I carried the unconscious Pi Lin’er home. When my mother saw Pi Lin’er dressed in a wedding gown, the look she gave me became rather odd. She gave me a cautious reminder: “Xiao Xizi, I’ve already heard about the Bai family. Even if you can’t find a wife, don’t do something utterly disgraceful—Pi Lin’er is still just a...”

“Heavens, what are you thinking, Mother? Pi Lin’er was possessed by a weasel spirit who tried to harm me. That wedding dress was all the spirit’s doing. Please help Lin’er change her clothes. I need to pack up—I’m heading to the city tomorrow.” My mother’s words nearly made my jaw drop.

She seemed rather confused and had no idea what was going on. I had thought she might be reluctant to see me leave for the city, but judging by how swiftly she packed my things, it was clear she was eager for me to set out. As she packed, she grumbled, “Look at that fool next door—he’s four or five years younger than you and already has a child old enough to run errands. And you, a grown man, still lazing around the Yellow River. If you come back from the city alone again, don’t bother coming back at all—your mother can’t bear the shame...”

On my last night at home, my mother even went off to play mahjong at Aunt Pi’s house next door, not the least bit worried about my safety. As for Pi Lin’er, perhaps from sheer exhaustion, she slept straight through to the next morning. When she woke, I asked if she remembered anything about the events in the woods the previous day. Pi Lin’er said she only recalled seeing lots of weasels by the Yellow River before getting drowsy and falling asleep. She didn’t remember going into the woods at all.

That finally put my mind at ease. Truth be told, if Pi Lin’er ever learned she had nearly performed wedding rites with me, it would be unspeakably awkward.

After breakfast, prepared by my mother, we boarded the ferry departing Pi Family Village for Duhe City. I’d already left the village once before for university, so I felt nothing special. But for Pi Lin’er, this was her first time leaving the Yellow River in her entire life. On the boat, I explained city life to her, encouraging her not to feel inferior and to study hard. Children from rural villages were in no way lesser than those from the city.

Pi Lin’er’s eyes were filled with both anticipation and anxiety—just as mine had been when I first left the Yellow River for university.

As the ferry was about to leave the village, I saw once more the same band of yellow weasels from the day before on both riverbanks. Behind them were other creatures from the mountains and forests. They all slowly knelt in the direction of our ferry.

I saw clearly—they were paying homage to the ferry.

A farewell from all the beasts!

Clearly, these animals were not worshipping me. Instinctively, I turned to glance at Pi Lin’er—dressed in her school uniform—beside me. She was gazing innocently into the distance, her eyes full of hope for the future.

This child, adopted from Kunlun Mountain by the third Pi fool, what exactly was her true origin?

My heart was filled with doubt.