Chapter 6: A Space Beyond

Feng Xuxu was daydreaming when she suddenly heard a tiger's roar in the distance. Her body reacted quicker than her brain; in an instant, she ran toward the nearest tree and, without a second thought, rolled up her sleeves and climbed up. Her little face turned as white as a thief's, and all she could think of was that tigers couldn't climb trees, but she didn't consider what she would do if the tiger found her.

Feng Xuxu pouted and furrowed her brow, belatedly wondering if she was about to die quietly. It had not been easy to live a second time, and now it seemed to be over just like that. She couldn't accept it and cheered herself on—if push came to shove, she'd fight! That was better than waiting around for death.

The White Tiger strolled leisurely to the base of the tree where Feng Xuxu was perched, looking up with an almost human-like expression of disdain with those tiger eyes, thinking how its master could be so cowardly.

Feng Xuxu stared intently at the White Tiger and, upon seeing it roll its eyes at her, wondered if the tiger had become a demon.

Seeing that its master was still not coming down from the tree, the White Tiger reluctantly opened its mouth and spoke in human language, "Master, do you plan to stay up in the tree forever and not come down to see the space your master rules?"

Feng Xuxu, her mind racing with various methods to deal with the White Tiger, was startled when the tiger suddenly spoke in a human tongue and ended up falling from the tree, landing right on the White Tiger's head. Dazed, the White Tiger saw stars before its eyes and a golden halo circling overhead. Then its eyes closed, and it passed out.

Feng Xuxu got up from the tiger's head and hopped a step away. Then she crouched down to take a closer look at the White Tiger.

The tiger's white body was free of any stray hairs, its large head boasting a pair of fierce eyes. Between those eyes was a long and prominent bridge of the nose leading down to a chubby nose, which was endearing. The more Feng Xuxu looked, the more she liked the tiger, and she couldn't help but stroke its fur. The White Tiger slowly came to and, feeling its master stroking its fur, extended its tongue to lick Feng Xuxu's hand and nuzzled her leg with its head as a sign of goodwill.

Feng Xuxu, delighted, asked, "White Tiger, was that you speaking just now?" Lying by Feng Xuxu's feet and wagging its tail, the White Tiger replied, "Yes, master, it was Xiaobai who lured you here with your own blood for the master-recognition ritual of the miraculous stone. I've guarded this place for a thousand years just waiting for you to appear, so when I saw you, I couldn't help but roar in excitement, and I never expected you to climb up the tree so quickly." The White Tiger then covered its face with its paw, seemingly embarrassed on its master's behalf.

Feng Xuxu looked at the Little White Tiger's cute appearance, and the corners of her mouth twitched involuntarily. Was this still a beast? It was more cunning than a human. Feng Xuxu stretched out her Magic Claw and smacked the tiger on the head, threatening, "Hmph, if you're looking down on me, be careful, I might just leave this space and never come back, leaving you to sulk in your loneliness here."

When the White Tiger heard the master threaten not to return to the space, it couldn't have that. It hadn't even seen the outside world since it was born. It pleaded with Feng Xuxu, "Good master, please forgive Xiaobai. Xiaobai swears never to do it again," using its pitiful tiger eyes to look at her.

Feng Xuxu stood up, twirling her hair with her hand and deliberately avoiding looking at the White Tiger.

The White Tiger got up and rubbed its head affectionately against Feng Xuxu's leg, suggesting, "Master, how about I show you around this space? There are so many treasures here." Seeing the White Tiger with tearful eyes, Feng Xuxu decided not to tease it any longer. She said, "From now on, don't call me 'master.' It sounds so awkward."

The White Tiger asked, "If I don't call you master, then what should I call you?" Feng Xuxu thought for a moment and, while petting the tiger's head, replied, "How about this, you can call me Sister Feng, that's more intimate." The White Tiger, happily wagging its tail, repeated, "Sister Feng, Sister Feng." The White Tiger then said, "Then, Sister Feng, you can call me Xiaobai. My 'Big White' used to call me that," Feng Xuxu asked curiously, "Big White?" The White Tiger sadly said, "Big White was my mother. She left with the previous master, and now I'm all alone." Hearing this, Feng Xuxu hugged the tiger's head and said sentimentally, "Alright, from now on, Sister Feng will call you Xiaobai."

"Feng Xuxu, Feng Xuxu, where are you?"

Within the space, Feng Xuxu suddenly heard Sister Jiaojiao calling for her and remembered she had been out for quite a while.

Without having the time to properly explore the space, she got ready to leave. Wondering how to exit, she asked Xiaobai, "Sister Feng, you just have to concentrate on leaving, and you'll be out of the space. Conversely, if you want to enter the space, just meditate on it, and you'll appear here." Patting the tiger's head, she said, "Then, Sister Feng is going to leave now. I'll come back tonight when I have more time." Xiaobai looked on forlornly as Feng Xuxu left the magical space.