**Chapter 40: The Wealth-Deity's Treasure-Spitting Beast**
Wang Bin noticed Li Chengfeng suddenly stand up, staring fixedly at the distant peaks. Confused, he asked, "Chengfeng, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. The scenery here is just... remarkable," Li Chengfeng replied vaguely. He chose not to mention the *Child Resting on Gold* feng shui formation he'd discovered. Such treasures were fated encounters, and revealing it might bring Wang Bin unintended trouble.
After resting, the pair resumed their search for the starved bat. They combed through hollow trees to no avail. Wang Bin, familiar with the terrain from childhood, led Li Chengfeng to a hidden cave. Overgrown with ivy and pines, its entrance was nearly invisible. As they cleared the foliage, a weathered stone slab emerged beside the cave mouth, etched with three ancient characters: **吐宝洞 (Treasure-Spitting Cave)**.
"The cave's name comes from legend," Wang Bin explained. "My grandfather said a *Treasure-Spitting Beast* once cultivated here."
Li Chengfeng's eyes widened. "You mean the Wealth-Deity's sacred creature? The one sworn to **Yellow Jambhala**, the Tibetan God of Fortune?"
Wang Bin nodded, surprised his friend knew the myth. While most revered the *pi xiu* as a wealth symbol, few recognized the *Treasure-Spitting Beast*—a mongoose-like deity in Tibetan Buddhism.
As they entered the pitch-black cave, a pale blur zipped past—too fast to identify. Unease prickled Li Chengfeng's spine. "Maybe this isn't safe..."
But Wang Bin forged ahead. "Let's find that bat and leave."
Flashlights revealed a cavern ceiling thick with roosting bats. Startled by their voices, the colony erupted into screeching chaos, swarming outward like a living storm. The duo ducked, shielding their heads until silence returned.
"Bat bites could kill us with all those germs!" Wang Bin shuddered.
"They rarely attack humans," Li Chengfeng reassured him, though his own nerves frayed. As they scanned the guano-littered floor, both sensed an unseen presence watching from the shadows.
Soon, they spotted a desiccated bat—papery skin clinging to bones—hanging lifelessly on a wall. "Starved to death, too old to hunt," Li Chengfeng deduced, bagging it with the featherless crow.
Mission accomplished, they hurried to leave. Yet with every step, a faint *tap-tap* echoed behind them.
"Something's following us!" Wang Bin whispered, trembling.
Li Chengfeng spun abruptly, flashlight slicing the darkness. Nothing. Steeling himself, he announced formally: **"I am Li Chengfeng, heir to the Qimen Mystic Arts. We apologize for intruding upon your domain, honored spirit. We mean no disrespect."**
A soft *chitter* answered. From behind a rock emerged a creature no larger than a squirrel: snow-white fur, round ears, beady eyes gleaming with curiosity. Its plump body and stubby legs gave it a whimsical charm.
"What... is that? A mouse?" Li Chengfeng murmured.
Wang Bin leaned closer. **"No... That's the Treasure-Spitting Beast itself."**