Hu Li continue to stand in front of Bai Xia. She is trying to digest what the goddess had said. She dig her toe into the soil. Bai Xia knows that Hu Li is not understanding what and why she said. So she smile to herself and look up.
"Maybe today is too much for you. It's hard for you to understand. Looks like i need to visit someone up there. He is feeling a little frantical."
Hu Li look up the sky and back to Bai Xia.
"Do you mean, Di Jun?"
The goddess nod her head. She sigh softy and walk. Hu Li follow behind.
"He is a person who knows how to be compose and the vast knowledge in him. However he does not have emotion. He knows what is right and what is wrong but he does not know how to apply. He is one step late, he lost you. It's time he should understand that. Remember Di Jun is always your master. He is the family in the sky. You cannot return now but one day you will."
"Yes Bai Xia, i understand that."
"When you meet Hei Shi Ren, tell him, he still owe me something. Ask him to come to the temple."
"What did he owe you?"
"That is something for me and Hei Shi Ren to know. Now what i want to say, i said them all here."
"Can i tell ..."
"You can't tell Yue Sheng Qin our conversation. He will and cannot know what the future holds. I can and i will release you from the scroll. You can return and leave the scroll anytime, the force will not block you any longer. You are free as like before but your duty to the Yue family stands. It will be till the next guidance is born. For now till beyond this time, you will be their greatest defence. This family will have countless enemies up ahead. You have to help them in the shadow. That is all i can tell you."
"You mentioned, a child, a boy..."
"That child will be create on the time of the wolf moon. That is all i can say."
She takes a few steps and stop. She turn around and touch the head of Hu Li.
"That child, will be born unusual. Look for a hidden spot to give birth. Because you are not human, the pregnancy stages are different."
"How do i know if, i have a child?"
"You do not have sign and symptoms like any other woman. Your belly will remains flat. All i can say is that, when you are ready to give birth, your belly will suddenly enlarge and your thirst for ... just go hide back the snow cave house to give birth. It will be safe for everyone."
"it sound dangerous... i will..."
"You will not be yourself and Di Jun will come to fetch you."
After that long conversation, the goddess faded into thin air. Hu Li feels sad suddenly. She doesn't want to have a child then. She feels like the goddess telling her that having a child might change her. She like the way she is now. She likes the lifestyle it is going now. She doesn't want anything to change.
She continue to hang around the garden to look at the mushrooms growing. She wonder how would they taste like. Sheng Qin who help to sell the snacks find Hu Li standing in the corner. He happily run to her and hold her hands. There is so much Hu Li wants to say but she remember that Bai Xia's words. Hence she smile and look at Sheng Qin with delight.
"Have you buy any needles for me?"
"Aunty Nine! Let me help you in lifting that up! Danger!"
Sheng Qin run off to avoid talking about acupuncture. He doesn't like the ideal a head full of needles. What if she poke on the wrong spot. That is horrifying!
The next day, Sheng Qin see that Hu Li is still hanging around the dinning table after the sun raises. Usually she vanish in thin air around that time but now she is still sitting there listening to the old folks talk about the old days. He watch her as he put food into his mouth. Maybe the magic of the scroll is not working any longer. He smile to himself.
That morning Hu Li help them to sell vegetables even though she doesn't know what to do. She pity the stay dogs and offer vegetables to them. Dogs who are not used to vegetables ate it without a complain. They follow her around. She even find a small mouse and put it in her pocket. She brings all the stay animals into the living quarter. The older ladies protest. Hu Li ensure that the animals will be well behave. They notice that the dogs actually listen to her command and they are well behave. The mouse in her pocket did not cause any problem. It stays in a box that she put it in. In the end, everyone accept the new family members since they have enough to eat and earning enough money to feed everyone. However to prevent Hu Li from bringing in more pets, they make her stay at home to clean the house. She did the cleaning within the morning. In the afternoon, she goes out and walk around. She meet someone whom she haven't seen for awhile. It's Meng Lan, she looks happy. There is a servant girl standing beside her. Meng Lan ask her to go get something for her while She sit in a small tea house with Hu LI.
"Master, thank you for freeing us from the Tiger."
"I did not do this alone."
"Master, whatever you have done. This city is free now from her claw."
"So what are you doing these days?"
"I am so free now. I am free to walk around the mansion. Need not to tip toe around. Whenever she is in the mansion in the past, i need to inform my where about. She control me and my Lord."
"I'm glad that you found your freedom. "
"I think you might have met the rest of us."
"Who?"
"They are alike me... "
"Cats?"
"No. Other spiritual animals. Most of them fear the tiger so they live in the shadows."
The next moment Meng Lan brings her to walk around the resident area. She is sniffing around. They reach the Yue house.
"This is where i live in."
"Oh, they are in there!"
Both of them walk in and the dogs are at the front door greet them.
"You can revel your selves now. Master is a nice person."
The three dogs morph into a human shape. Two men and one girl.
Hu Li Look at the fourth dog who is still sitting on the ground.
"What about that dog?"
"Oh he is really a dog. We just hang out with him.Greeting master!"
Three of them bow. Behind their back, three tails are wriggling happily. Just then a little child comes running out of no where.
"Master!" She runs and hug Hu Li. She have two cute little buns on the side of her hair. Each with little bells on it. Her ears are small yet sharp at the tip. She have a long tail that is not bushy. Her hands are small and cute. When she smile, she shows her neat and white teeth along with her simples. It's hard not to like her, she is sweet looking.
"And what are you?"
"I am that little mouse you put in the box. My name is Huan Xi!"
"Master, i am Dong Dong. That is Dong Wen and she is Dong Mei. Master we would like to follow you."
"Me too!"
"You are all welcome to live here and we all are friends!"