Young Master Bai — Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Some Men Are Only Handsome for Three Seconds
Bai Chen and Li Wuming first met on a snowy night. There was no path up the Great Snow Mountain, but because the young master wished to wait for someone’s return, a path was made. No one ever used this path to enter the yao tribe’s dwelling, and he waited alone for nine years. The one who had promised to return the yao core never came. In the end, the one who walked this road was Li Wuming, who came to take his life.
There were no lights in the mountains. Snow covered the stars and moon. Li Wuming, cloaked in a straw raincoat and wearing a bamboo hat, blended into the night. He passed through the Great Bear clan’s guards with ease. His sharp blade stopped just an inch from Bai Chen’s eyes, his words cold and dismissive of the fox’s beauty: "As the Sword Immortal’s disciple, I’ve come under my master’s order to kill the Nine-tailed White Fox. In respect of your reputation, I’ll grant you a fair duel."
The moment this man appeared, Bai Chen knew he could not escape. Compared to dying helplessly of old age, falling to a Sword Immortal seemed the more dignified end. So, he made no move to resist. He simply leaned close to the blade and smiled faintly for the first time in years. "Your sword smells of flowers."
Drunkenly stepping to song, plucking blossoms upon waking, passion and vengeance, a sword in hand roaming the world — this was the romance of human swordsmen. Five hundred years ago, in the era known as the last peak of the martial world, Li Wuming was among the rare true swordsmen. His sword had tasted the noblest human blood and plucked the first spring bloom of Chang’an.
Bai Chen was no longer powerful, but he wished to end his life like a strong man. He told himself the Sword Immortal’s blade would be swift and painless. Eyes closed, he softly said, "I’ve never seen flowers blooming in spring. Are they beautiful?"
Li Wuming, seeing Bai Chen’s surrendering expression, suspected deceit. He had come determined to slay the yao fox nine times over. But with just a single palm strike, the once immensely powerful Nine-tailed White Fox reverted to his original form. In the yao tribe, a century-old was still a youth. The not-yet-adult fox lay curled in the snow, nine tails limp by his side, indistinguishable from the snow itself.
Li Wuming lowered his sword. Bai Chen realized the man had seen his weakened state. He wondered: humans are known to be cruel — would this one skin him for his pelt, or slice him open searching for the nonexistent yao core?
Prepared for the worst, he was surprised when this supposed assassin picked him up and tucked him into his arms, even sighing as he pinched the fox’s cheeks, "Why does a fox like you look so silly? And you talk like an idiot. I can’t bring myself to kill you."
In his hundred years, Bai Chen had been praised for his looks by both humans and yaos, but only Li Wuming had ever called him silly. To die as a foolish fox was undignified. He bit the man fiercely, but the Sword Immortal’s disciple didn’t even flinch. Instead, he nodded with a smile, "Oh? You bit me. Looks like you’re still alive."
Bai Chen had expected a dignified human expert, not a shameless rascal. To die at such hands felt like a joke. While he brooded over his fate, the man suddenly patted his head and asked a question that would change his destiny: "Little fox, is there something you must obtain?"
"You have your goal, and I have mine. I’ll grant you one wish. After that, let me take your corpse back to my master. A fair trade, no?"
This was the first thing Li Wuming said after removing his bamboo hat. The snow that had fallen for a thousand years on the yao lands dusted his brows, water droplets melting and softening the killing intent in his eyes. He looked less like a killer and more like a youth new to the martial world.
Of course, Bai Chen knew the deal wasn’t fair. Li Wuming could’ve ended his life with a single strike. The fact he stayed for a year, traveling the world by his side, must’ve stemmed from a fleeting moment of compassion.
Why the unfair trade continued until today, Bai Chen didn’t dare guess. Perhaps he feared misreading the man’s kindness and becoming a laughingstock.
That deadly swordsman from the snow never appeared again. Ever since, Li Wuming had been carefree, treating even chaos with ease.
Onlookers said the rabbit yao had just taken human form. Curious about the world, he chatted with some human cultivators. Then, a wolf yao overturned a table and injured someone, seemingly trying to kill the rabbit. The injured was a disciple of a major sect. Furious, other cultivators drew their magical weapons. Just as battle was about to erupt, Li Wuming glided behind the wolf, tapped his shoulder, and said casually, "Brother, let’s talk this out. Why flip the table?"
The wolf yao had clearly come prepared to stir trouble at the Fox King’s banquet. Seeing Li Wuming, he didn’t back down but shouted, "The yao and human tribes are irreconcilable! The former Yao King decreed: kill any who curry favor with humans. The current Fox King disregards our ancestors — we shall not follow!"
The wolf wanted everyone to hear him. The humans frowned at the hostility, and discontent spread among the yao.
Li Wuming, having roamed for over six centuries, was no stranger to such bluster. Without giving the wolf a chance to continue, he pressed a single hand to the wolf’s head, pinning him to the ground with invisible force. Though he appeared relaxed, the wolf couldn’t even budge his head.
Many magic tools could silence someone, but this kind of internal energy suppression was rare. Li Wuming didn’t mind the curious stares. Sitting atop the wolf, he explained calmly:
"This matchmaking banquet doesn’t force anyone to marry. Like someone? Become Dao companions. Don’t like them? Eat, drink, have fun. Why get worked up? Besides, your Great Snow Mountain has only so many yaos — most are related. Humans already proved inbreeding shortens lifespans. Refusing to marry outsiders just means future generations will be weaklings. Is that worthy of your ancestors?"
His tone was calm and his reasoning sound. The yao who had doubted the king’s judgment began to reconsider. The wolf, with plenty to say in rebuttal, couldn’t even open his mouth under the pressure and could only whimper like he was begging for mercy.
Li Wuming gave him no chance to rally. Slinging an arm over the wolf’s shoulder, he led him outside, speaking kindly, "Don’t be mad. The little bunny just isn’t into you — it’s not his fault. Look at yourself in the mirror: fangs, meat stuck between your teeth, terrible breath. Were I a girl yao, I wouldn’t pick you either. Here, take this Mint Breath Powder. Dab it with a twig morning and night. In a month, you’ll smell fresh. No more scaring off the ladies."
"So it was jealousy. Can’t win his heart, so you throw a tantrum? Lame. Party’s over. Go home."
He lowered his voice, putting on an act of sincere advice, but the sharp-eared yaos had heard every word. Among yaos, only the strong deserve beauty. Tantrum-throwing males were scorned. The crowd quickly dismissed the wolf’s rant and returned to feasting.
Having quelled the scene, Li Wuming ordered guards to bind and interrogate the wolf. Bai Chen watched his smooth handling and figured he must have dealt with many anti-human yaos over the years. With things calm again, he approached and asked, "That move just now was interesting. What was it?"
"Puppy-Head Pat?"
That wolf had three centuries of cultivation, yet Li Wuming suppressed his meridians without a sound — clearly the work of a master. But the man preferred to hide his skill. Seeing him dodge the question, Bai Chen only rolled his eyes. "Looks like you’ve been living quite comfortably."
Li Wuming was used to the little fox’s side-eyes. He nodded cheerfully, "I cannot complain. Wine, meat, a Dao companion. I even got a bear to walk around. It’s a good life."
He didn’t look like a man mourning a Dao companion who’d died five hundred years ago. Even his disobedient master seemed forgotten. Bai Chen had many questions, but swallowed them back. "Good for you. A man like you never worries about anything — just like a true Sword Immortal."
Li Wuming was a man who could monologue to a snowfield all day, but the words ‘Sword Immortal’ silenced him. He glanced at the sword bundled tightly on his back, then lowered his head with a bitter smile, saying nothing.
He was a man who’d weathered storms. In moments, his expression calmed. Seeing that Chenzui and the other yaos had arrived, he introduced them to Bai Chen, "This is Bai Chenzui. I still haven’t figured out your fox clan’s family tree — he’s probably the grandnephew of your distant female cousin. What a surprise, right? Wake up and your grandson’s already grown."
[The term "grandson" is used to imply a large generation — status difference, not actual family relations.]
Chenzui had suspected something seeing Li Wuming so familiar with a strange fox. Hearing this, she realized this must be the legendary Ancestor Bai Chen. Shocked and delighted, she quickly bowed, "Greetings, Ancestor Bai Chen."
Though Chenzui was respectful, Bai Chen didn’t even glance at him. Instead, he looked sidelong at Li Wuming, "Is having a Dao companion also a surprise?"
Clearly displeased, yet Bai Chen’s ire wasn’t aimed at the other fox. Li Wuming smiled, "A free Dao companion isn’t a surprise — it’s a gift."
"Then I must be truly blessed."
With that, Bai Chen could no longer vent his anger. He turned to the stiffly standing Chenzui, his voice low. "The wolf yao just caused a scene at our banquet. Why didn’t you intervene?"
"I…"
Bai Chen knew best how well the fox yao could see. With his level of cultivation, Chenzui should’ve noticed the incident immediately. His silence could only come from disapproving of the Fox King. Outsiders were probing the gates, yet the clan was divided. How could Bai Chen not be upset?
The Nine-tailed White Fox’s prestige lingered. Before his ancestor, Chenzui kept his head bowed. But Bai Chen knew he wasn’t truly submissive. Public scolding would only make things worse. He swept his sleeve and said, "Come with me to see Bai Yunce."
~ Chapter End ~
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