The feast of the demons and the jubilation of ten thousand beasts went on as tiger roars and eagle screeches resonated across the mountains for nearly half a month.
Agents of the Special Investigation Bureau had been observing from the periphery of the Qingmeng Mountain range the entire time, yet they could not penetrate the white mist to glimpse what was happening inside.
—Even satellites in the sky failed to capture any footage within Qingmeng Mountain.
Experts within the bureau speculated that the humanoid white tiger most likely possessed some sort of concealment formation or magical artifact to mask their tracks.
After half a month, the clouds parted, and the mist dispersed.
Birds and beasts across the mountains scattered in all directions—a herd of elephants migrated south, pythons slithered across paths, apes cradled their young, and wolf packs galloped away.
Just as they had arrived, these animals embarked on their grand journey home.
...
Jingbei Zoo.
Four cultivators clad in the black uniforms of the Special Investigation Bureau stared at one another, exchanging exasperated looks.
How had the giant panda that attained spirit wisdom returned?
Not far away, in the enclosed enclosure, standing on two feet behind a thick pane of glass, the giant panda Menglan patted the transparent wall, an expression of sheer grievance painted across his furry face:
“Why won't you let me go back to my own room to sleep?! Are you discriminating against demons?! I swear on my life, I've always followed the law and behaved real well—why would I lie to ya?!”
—Having not been seen for half a month, this "treasure of the zoo" had undergone considerable changes.
While his head remained chubby and round, his limbs were no longer just round stubs. His paws were nimble, he stood tall on two hind feet, and his black-and-white fur looked freshly washed, vivid and distinct layer by layer.
Beneath those black eye patches, his small eyes sparkled with intelligence and vivacity.
Strangest of all was his tail; originally just a short little stub, it now resembled a wolf's tail, wagging wildly.
“Hmph!”
This little black-and-white demon let out a squeak, mimicking the way he used to act spoiled with his keepers when he was small. From his ever-fluffier fur, he pulled out two fist-sized, jade-green spirit flowers:
“Mom, Dad, eat them, go ahead and eat! I went to the Great King's place for a feast and brought back good stuff for you!”
Several zookeepers instantly burst into tears. Men and women alike blocked the path of the Special Investigation Bureau agents, weeping:
“We raised our baby by hand! He’s so good! Sure, he's a bit mischievous, but he's never hurt anyone!”
“This place is his home! Why can’t he stay? Just because he became a demon, he can't stay here anymore?”
“Wasn't everything fine before?”
“If you want to take our baby away, take all of us with him! We'll cooperate with your work, but I'm afraid if our baby doesn't see us, he'll be scared!”
The agents in black uniforms couldn't help giving bitter smiles:
“We didn't come to take him away. We only need to register the identity of demons who have gained enlightenment, possess clear intelligence, and can communicate with humans.”
—Fortunately, the park was closed to the public today. If this scene were witnessed and posted online, people would misunderstand terribly.
Headlines like "Special Investigation Bureau forcibly kidnaps a civilian bear" or something.
Hearing this, the black-and-white furball rolled across the ground, took a bite of his familiar toy, and blinked rapidly.
Giant pandas were adorable, but he naturally had his own little schemes.
The Great King wanted them to collect clues about secret realms. He didn't possess the golden falcon's ability to soar high, nor did he have a wide network of friends like the elephant herd, whose informants spanned the entire forest.
The Great King had treated him so well, and this was the very first task assigned to him, so he had to take it seriously.
Although the giant panda had become a spirit, he had been pampered year-round by his keepers at the base, fostering a fondness for humans far greater than that of other demons.
Therefore, he decided to sell his "charms" in exchange for intelligence.
More aunties liking him = aunties loving him = more aunties coming to help a poor little bear.
Back then, rolling around, wiggling his bum, and climbing trees would make the aunties adore him.
It seemed he'd have to work even harder from now on to make everyone love him even more!
The oversized black-and-white rice ball stood upright and quietly clenched his fists. On his chubby, onigiri-like bear head, a sudden aura of inspiration emerged.
When the time came, he would definitely be the most capable bear in the demon race and the one the Great King loved best!
But for now...
Catching a familiar scent, Menglan drooled, trotted over, and expertly scooped up his little metal bowl for milk bowls with his mouth.
Milk bowls were so delicious.
Doing the task the Great King assigned tomorrow... that seemed fine too.
...
Leading the elephant herd, Xiangyao began heading south once more.
Although the general whereabouts of the elephant herd could be tracked, for such a major occurrence, there wasn't a single specific report online.
This left net users who closely followed the event scratching their heads, their curiosity practically exploding.
It wasn't until a video captured by a net user surfaced out of nowhere that everyone learned why.
In the video, after many days of absence, Xiangyao's size had ballooned dramatically, making her look like a moving grey hill.
On her dark grey skin, layers of new and old wounds had all miraculously healed, leaving behind only faint white marks.
Her originally short tusks had undergone a second growth spurt. Nearly two-meter-long, milky-white enamel tusks projected high from the sides of her mouth, their tips sharp and keen like two exquisitely curved scimitars.
As such a colossal creature strolled through the jungle, banana trees barely reached her shins. Her long trunk, as thick as a python, dipped into the river, and when lifted, it could shower down a torrential rain.
In the video, the elephant herd passed by towns, causing waves of commotion.
Yet the giant elephant merely protected the herd behind her, coiling her long trunk around a sedan and gently setting it down by the roadside.
Within her gentle eyes, a hue of human-like intelligence had blossomed.
Even so, no one dared to directly confront such a behemoth.
...
Not long after the New Year, right around the start of the school term, the internet was buzzing constantly with new and bizarre occurrences.
A blogger with a million followers made a post recounting her dog's experience:
“[My Lucky had been with my family for over twenty years. He fell ill a while ago, and the vet said it was a tumor, leaving euthanasia as the only option.
“As it turned out, not only did he use my phone to buy a plane ticket to Xixiang, but he also arranged the pet transit service (yes, the one who posted about that earlier was also me).
“With a 'give it a shot' mindset, I brought him near *** in Xixiang (can't write the detailed location; I'm afraid of getting banned). Then he bit through his leash, said goodbye to me, and ran into the mountains.
“I originally thought he had passed away. Friends and relatives were all advising me to get a new puppy, but I felt Lucky was family and couldn't simply be replaced.
“Last night, I cried myself to exhaustion and fell asleep. In my dream, he said goodbye to me and spoke so, so much, thanking me for bringing him home all those years ago and for being his mom.
“When I woke up this morning, my health had improved drastically, and I no longer felt like crying. The most supernatural part is that beside my pillow was a palm-sized medicinal herb, bearing a ring of dog tooth marks.
“I'm truly not lying. I think my Lucky really must have met a soft-hearted immortal and gone to heaven.
“(Image, Image) (I don't know what this is, but it smells bitter. It looks like red lingzhi.)]”
The blogger described it in immense detail, even recalling with great clarity some advice the golden retriever had given her in the dream:
Things like walking less at night, avoiding sparsely populated dense forests, trying not to go abroad, and staying within the country.
And if one did not wish to cultivate, to avoid coming into contact with things on the mystical side as much as possible, and if possible, move to the southwest region.
Net users commented with mixed reactions—some expressed disbelief, thinking it was a scripted publicity stunt, while others were convinced, believing that miracles truly did exist.
Rate on N.U.
