Under the Bamboo Fence

He raised his hand and caught hold of her sleeve, murmuring in a slurred voice, “You adopted me and now want to abandon me? No way.”

She froze. “What?”

His eyes closed again, as if he had slipped back into unconsciousness, yet his grip on her sleeve remained unyielding.

This scene reminded her of the first time she found the wounded black cat in the garden, its claws gripping her sleeve with the same desperate tenacity. Now, as the past replayed itself, the black cat had become Motu—it pierced her heart with a deeper ache.

His resentful words, though weak, still carried a domineering edge. She realized that when she had been leaning over the great beast’s chest, speaking to him, he must have been half-conscious, able to hear but too weak to respond. When she left the cave to check the sky, he must have thought she was abandoning him. The fear and urgency awakened his strength, allowing him to transform and stagger after her—only to lose his way in unfamiliar corridors, collapse from exhaustion, and end up here.

If he was awake, his injuries must have passed the most dangerous stage. Even without the intervention of the Celestial Lord Polaris, he would probably survive. Suddenly she remembered that Jiuyu had said he would return from the Immortal Realm this evening, likely bringing the Celestial Lord to save Motu and take her away. It was already evening—they would arrive any moment.

She hesitated for only an instant. Then, with resolute determination, she hoisted Motu onto her back and carried him deeper into the cave.

It was said that the Hundred-Turn Cave had another exit on the far side of the mountain. She intended to take Motu out through the back, avoiding any chance encounter with Jiuyu and the Celestial Lord.

Yes—since Motu’s life was no longer in danger, there was no need to trade her own for his. She would break her promise and run.

But what about Jiuyu? He would surely suffer for this…

Jiuyu, take care of yourself.

Right now, she had no time to dwell on guilt. All that mattered was that Motu was alive, and she couldn’t bear to leave him.

Struggling under his weight, she finally reached the rear opening. Night had fallen, and a cool breeze rushed to meet her. She exhaled in relief and prepared to summon the Cloud Willow Leaf to speed their escape, when the corner of her eye caught a flicker of fiery red.

Startled, she looked closer.

Jiuyu sat idly on a boulder opposite the cave’s exit, a mocking smile at his lips. Through clenched teeth he hissed, “You tricked me into fetching the Celestial Lord, walking into a trap, while you two grease your heels and run? You ungrateful, heartless pair—let’s see where you think you’re going.”

Qingyin’s heart leapt in terror. If Jiuyu was here intercepting them, then the Celestial Lord must be close by. Without another thought, she turned and bolted with Motu on her back, but stumbled and fell, sending Motu tumbling to the side. A powerful gust swept up from behind. She looked back in panic to see Jiuyu’s back erupt with wings of blazing crimson. In an instant, he swooped down, seized them both—one in each hand—and with a single beat of his red wings, soared up into the boundless sky.

Clouds whipped past like drifting cotton. Qingyin, terrified, shouted against the wind, “Wh-where are you taking us?”

Jiuyu gave a cold laugh, refusing to answer. His sinister expression only confirmed her fears: this red-haired fiend, enraged by her betrayal, was dragging them both straight to the Celestial Lord.

Desperate, she pleaded, “Jiuyu, it’s my fault, I was wrong! I didn’t know you hadn’t returned, and Motu woke up! Please, just take me to the Celestial Lord, let him go. Jiuyu… Jiuyu? Won’t you answer me?” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

Jiuyu snorted, glanced down at her, and said, “Call me Brother Jiu.”

What was this condition…? For Motu’s sake, calling him brother was nothing—she’d call him father if need be. She howled, “Brother Jiu!”

Motu, disturbed by her shriek, roused a little and croaked, “You—be quiet.”

Jiuyu only laughed. “Calling me Brother Jiu won’t help you.”

“You!” Qingyin realized she was being toyed with. Furious, she raised her right wrist and fired an arrow straight at Jiuyu’s handsome face.

The feathered arrow vanished a hair’s breadth before it touched Jiuyu’s skin. He shot her a chilling glare. “Foolish woman. Did you forget that’s my own feather?”

“Ugh…”

As they passed through a bank of thick mist, Jiuyu suddenly released them both. Qingyin screamed, her heart sinking—this was the end.

But instead of plummeting through endless sky, they fell just two seconds before landing with a pair of thuds on a platform, rolling over several times. Fortunately, the platform was wooden, so the impact was noisy but not fatal. Ignoring her own pain, she scrambled to find Motu, spinning in confusion before spotting him and throwing herself over him protectively, staring in terror at Jiuyu standing nearby.

Jiuyu folded his wings, gave her a frosty look, and with a dismissive “hmph,” turned and strode away.

She braced herself for an attack from the Celestial Lord or some other menace, but after a long, tense wait, nothing happened. Jiuyu was gone. Her nerves settled a little and she finally took stock of her surroundings.

They were on a thick wooden platform, behind which rose several intricately crafted wooden houses, all polished timber and exquisite joinery. Beyond the houses loomed a sheer cliff, vanishing into the clouds. Mist drifted around the edges of the platform. She crept warily to the brink and looked down—her breath caught in her throat, her head spun. Beyond the platform was a bottomless abyss.

This delicate wooden residence was perched halfway up a precipitous cliff—a true “palace in the clouds.” Could this be the Immortal Realm? Where was the Celestial Lord?

A faint groan behind her—Motu had awakened. She hurried to his side, gently cupping his face. “Motu, how do you feel? Does it hurt?”

He opened his eyes and gazed at her, brows knitted with pitiful grievance. “It hurts.”

“I know, I know.” She soothed him gently, pulling a small vial of medicine from her pouch and pouring some into his mouth. “This will help heal you, and restore your strength. Take it and you’ll get better.”

The cool medicine slid down his throat. He licked his lips, wanting more. “I want some more.”

“No, it’s medicine, not water.” She studied his parched lips. “Are you thirsty? I wonder if there’s water here in the Immortal Realm.”

“Immortal Realm?” He glanced around. “This isn’t the Immortal Realm.”

“Oh? Then where is it?”

“If Jiuyu brought us here, it must be his nest.”

“Jiuyu’s nest?” Qingyin echoed in surprise.

“It’s called a nest, foolish woman,” came a cold voice from behind.

She turned to see Jiuyu standing there, face icy and forbidding.

She blinked. “Isn’t that the same thing…?”

Jiuyu snorted and turned away. She quickly grabbed his sleeve, whining, “I’m sorry…”

“You tricked me into danger while you two tried to elope! Ungrateful, heartless, degenerate beasts—let go of my sleeve!”

She thought to herself, If anyone here is a beast, it’s you, Jiuyu! But she didn’t dare say it aloud. Instead, she whined, “I know I was wrong.”

“Call me Brother Jiu.” His face turned stern again with that incongruous demand.

“What?!” Just how obsessed was he with being called “Brother Jiu”?

His expression darkened. “Will you or won’t you?”

“Br—Brother Jiu.”

“That’s not nearly sweet enough.” He pursed his lips, still full of grievance.

She gathered herself, eyes glistening, and cooed, “Brother~ Jiu~”

Jiuyu’s anger vanished, a dazzling smile blooming on his face as he reached out to pinch her chin. “Good, say it again—”

Qingyin, seeing her progress, prepared to call out once more, but suddenly a hand shot out and slapped Jiuyu’s wolfish paw away.

It was Motu. Somehow he had struggled to his feet. She quickly reached out to steady his swaying body. “Why did you get up?”

He leaned against her shoulder, but his expression was anything but friendly as he glared at her. “Try calling him that again.”

“…”

Jiuyu, finding it boring, snorted and headed into the wooden house, tossing over his shoulder, “Follow me.”

He led them up the wooden steps and into a finely furnished room, every detail betraying its flamboyant owner.

“This is the guest room. You’ll stay here for now.” At the door, he added pettily, “Be careful. Don’t break anything.”

Qingyin helped Motu onto the canopied bed draped with purple gauze, reaching to unfasten his robe. He slapped her hand away.

“What’s wrong? Let me check your wounds.”

“I don’t want you to look.” He turned his face away, ink-dark lashes lowered, sulking like a wounded animal.

She paused, scratching her head, then quickly guessed the cause. Climbing onto the bed, she leaned close and coaxed, “You’re upset I called Jiuyu ‘Brother Jiu,’ aren’t you? It was just the situation—we have to be humble when we’re at someone else’s mercy.”

He suddenly turned to her, eyes sharp. “How did you summon him?”

She brightened. “With the Feather Summoning Technique! Who knew Jiuyu’s feather could do something like that? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? If I’d known, maybe I could have summoned him earlier to help, and you wouldn’t have had to suffer so long…”

His eyes turned cold, and he cut her off. “And after you summoned him?”

“After? I sent him to fetch medicine to save you, of course.” She deliberately left out the part where she’d nearly offered herself in exchange for his life.

He snorted. “I meant before that.”

“Before…? What do you mean, before?” She was confused.

His brows shot up. “Don’t tell me you didn’t grope that bastard’s chest?!”

Author’s Note: Updates have been shamefully slow lately… Every long story I write hits a slump, but I will always finish—never leave it hanging. If you’re impatient, you can let it pile up and binge it later… But please, don’t abandon the story! 5555555555 tat