Young Master Bai — Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Newbie Village Was Just a Prelude
The Great Snow Mountain has only a road built at its eastern entrance; official diplomatic missions from humans always take this road up the mountain, while the western side is a cliff that has been abandoned for over a thousand years.
This Ice Cliff rises high into the clouds, while deep down underneath it is a place called the Ice Valley. The harsh slope of the cliff makes it impossible to climb. One can only descend into the Ice Valley but never ascend from below. For this reason, the Ice Valley had become a place of exile for the criminal yao of the Great Snow Mountain. A formation was placed atop the Ice Cliff, so that even bird yao pushed off would not have been able to fly back. The only exit from the Ice Valley leads to the human-inhabited Yinrong, and in the past cultivators had often ambushed criminal yao at that path, hunting them for their yao bones and yao cores, which circulated widely in the mortal realm.
When Bai Chen heard news of Lu Ren Wang’s whereabouts, he guessed the other had escaped from the western Ice Valley. Sure enough, the group followed the trail of bloody footprints all the way to the highest precipice under Heaven.
Two thousand zhang above the Ice Valley lies the yao’s dwelling grounds, and another thousand zhang above that is the highest peak where Bai Chen resides. Humans without cultivation would suffocate and die just by attempting the climb; only the descendants of ancient yao, who evolved thick cold-resistant fur during the long glacial period, can inhabit the summit.
But the Ice Valley isn’t as cold as the mountain’s heights. It was Bai Chen’s first time here; he tugged Li Wuming’s sleeve to hint at being set down, glanced over the endless ravines of eternal ice and snow, and said, “In ancient times, the Ice Valley was a river, which froze and never thawed again. The corpses of ancient yao beasts left behind miasma that can’t be dispersed. Human cultivators naturally wouldn’t dare go deep, and yao wouldn’t be bored enough to come to this place of exile. Naturally, it’s the perfect hiding place.”
Chenzui also knew this place’s origins, but still looked puzzled. “But even the Great Bear clan, best at defense, can’t withstand the miasma here. How could he — ”
The reason the Ice Valley became an exile site was because it’s unfit for yao survival. But this only applies to the species on the Great Snow Mountain. Bai Chen explained blandly, “The Nine-colored Deer inherently possess the ability to purify all filth under Heaven. In ancient times, wherever their kind tread, all poisonous insects vanished and plagues disappeared, so humans worshiped them as auspicious beasts.”
Lu Ren Yi had never revealed his identity to others. Lin Kaitian, worried about finding the source of that mysterious white yao aura, heard them talking and guessed a bit, then hurried forward to ask: “Young Master means the killer is a Nine-colored Deer? Weren’t they exterminated by the Yao King a thousand years ago?”
The Myriad Treasures Hall was indeed well-versed in all kinds of spiritual materials. Even though most yao had forgotten the Nine-colored Deer, he knew. Yet before Bai Chen could answer, Li Wuming had already smiled and cut in: “Do you think all yao come out of the same mold? Humans have defectors; do you think yao don’t?”
Even Bai Chen hadn’t thought of the Yao King’s defectors. He thought to himself that Li Wuming always seemed idle but was actually quick-witted. Outwardly, though, he remained composed, walking forward calmly. “Whether or not, we’ll know once we enter the valley.”
“Wait!”
The Ice Valley’s cold and miasma were bone-piercing. Bai Chen, relying on his fox-fur robe made by the Fox Immortal himself, feared no frost or evil. But Lin Kaitian quickly pulled out a small white jade tablet. Surprisingly, this palm-sized ornament looked ordinary, yet once he formed a seal, it spontaneously emitted a thin mist, dispelling the miasma and creating a safe zone in the blink of an eye.
Disciples of the Myriad Treasures Hall truly were brimming with magical treasures. Seeing everyone staring at him, Lin Kaitian chuckled lightly. “What a lucky a coincidence. Not long ago we acquired two pairs of white deer antlers. Though from fawns not yet grown, they looked quite similar to the legendary Nine-colored Deer. My father ground one pair into powder and refined it into two purification jade tablets. Before I left, he gave me one for protection.”
The power of his treasure was impressive — strong enough to even drive away the Ghost Tactician’s yin energy. The Ghost Tactician, being dead, didn’t fear the miasma and immediately leapt out of the purified zone, forcing a stiff smile at his comrade who almost purified him into a pile of bones. “The Myriad Treasures Hall’s refining methods truly live up to their name.”
The righteous and demonic paths always couldn’t help but harm each other when together. Lin Kaitian stepped forward to apologize and earned several more eye-rolls. Lu Ren Yi, unable to enjoy the spectacle, only sighed bitterly behind Bai Chen. “Those were the antlers cut off me and my brother as children. Looks like they’re quite valuable.”
Such a divine-grade treasure capable of expelling even fierce ghosts was certainly not something a mere Demon Sect lackey could possess. Knowing his place, he fell silent. Bai Chen, however, paused mid-step and suddenly asked, “They say there’s no business the Myriad Treasures Hall dares not do. I wonder if these jade tablets and antlers are for sale?”
Yao cannot use cultivator treasures since they have no true qi [human type]. Lin Kaitian hadn’t expected Bai Chen to show interest, but their Hall never questioned buyers’ origins. He replied amiably, “The antlers are still with my father, and I don’t know how he intends to handle them yet. But the other jade tablet will be auctioned in Chang’an in a month. If Young Master Bai is interested, I’ll reserve a private box for you.”
“I’ll stop by if I have time.”
Bai Chen wouldn’t ruin relations with the Myriad Treasures Hall over a half-yao. Having asked, he’d already done his duty. He finally left Lu Ren Yi a quiet remark: “Prove yourself useful to me, and I’ll buy it for you.”
A half-yao who could infiltrate the Demon Sect without anyone noticing would be useful sooner or later. Seeing Lu Ren Yi’s slight reaction, Bai Chen said no more, and simply continued following the blood trail.
The place was deathly silent, nothing but frozen yao corpses. Bai Chen glanced at the twisted faces of these corpses and suddenly asked Chenzui: “Has the clan exiled any criminal yao in recent years?”
“Not in the past few years, but ten years ago a traitor from the Red Fox clan tried to kill my father and was sentenced to exile.”
To be sentenced to exile was already a grave crime, so Chenzui as the clan leader's son was not completely unaware. Yet he spoke without realizing anything, and Bai Chen frowned at his words. “For a crime like attempting to kill the clan leader, why wasn’t she executed?”
This question stumped Chenzui. He heard the Ancestor’s discontent and cautiously explained, “Perhaps my father was merciful, seeing that she was pregnant and therefore spared her…”
Very well. Exiling a traitor and letting her leave with a child. If she didn’t seek revenge, it would truly be letting them down.
Bai Chen immediately knew trouble was brewing, but the damage was already done. He only sneered and continued investigating. “I’ll settle this with your father when I return.”
Lu Ren Wang’s trail ended at the base of the Ice Cliff, where there was an obviously recently-dug ice cave. Chenzui, knowing his father was in trouble, dared not speak much and took the initiative to check for traps. Finding none, he respectfully reported to Bai Chen: “Ancestor, there’s the scent of blood in the cave.”
Though angry at the Red Fox clan’s incompetence, Bai Chen didn’t vent on the child. He stepped forward, examined the bloodstains, and glanced at the now-empty cave before sighing helplessly. “He didn’t even bother cleaning the blood. Seems he knew this place was no longer safe and left after giving a mortal injury to Lu Ren Wang.”
By now, it had been a day since Lu Ren Wang’s death. Bai Chen had hoped to catch the offender by chance, but the Nine-colored Deer was so cautious that he left without staying to observe. Naturally, this result left Lu Ren Yi furious. He smashed his fist into the ice wall, gritting his teeth. “Damn it, even if I have to chase him to the ends of the earth, I’ll drag him out to avenge my brother!”
If that deer yao really was a defector of the Yao King from back then, by now he’d have a thousand years of cultivation, on par with a Wandering Immortal. Bai Chen knew his current state wasn’t fit to confront the opponent head-on. He had hoped to borrow the hands of Heaven’s Way Alliance and the Demon Sect to deal with the issue, but that hadn’t worked out. However, foxes are patient hunters; Bai Chen wasn’t in a rush. He carefully searched every remaining item in the cave, stopping when he saw a makeup box.
The cave was small and simply furnished — just a few ice tables and a bed. When Bai Chen stopped, Li Wuming immediately came over, puzzled when he saw what Bai Chen was holding. “Rouge and hairpins? Women’s things. And there’s only one bed in the cave… I think that ‘Nine’ in his name is redundant. He should just be called a ‘Lust Deer.’” [Dropping the first character "Nine" yields the name "Colored deer", but the character for “color” has the connotation of "lustful" or "lecherous" in the right context.]
He was always irreverent, and Lu Ren Yi’s face grew even darker at his words. But Bai Chen ignored the man and tossed the hairpin to Chenzui. “It carries the scent of a fox yao. See what your father's actions have led to.”
Sure enough, the Red Fox woman who’d been exiled had joined up with the Nine-colored Deer, and who knew how many secrets of the Great Snow Mountain had been leaked over the years. Chenzui realized the gravity of the situation, dared not argue, and could only cast a pleading look at Lu Wuming.
It turned out Li Wuming was an expert at soothing foxes. He gently tugged Bai Chen to divert his attention. “Don’t scare the kid. Look what I found.”
He pointed to a meditation mat. Bai Chen saw it and fell into thought. Lin Kaitian, observing their reactions, quickly leaned over. The Myriad Treasures Hall was also skilled at appraising items, so he spoke up: “This is a mat woven from gold and jade threads. Cultivators can absorb spiritual energy more smoothly when meditating on it. Judging by the weave, it looks like it comes from Jiangnan.”
The Great Snow Mountain was far from Jiangnan, and obtaining such an item was no easy feat. But Lin Kaitian still didn’t quite understand what was wrong with a mat and could only ask the more approachable Li Wuming. “Senior Li, is there something unusual about it?”
Seeing their ignorance, Li Wuming finally explained, “Yao cultivate in their original forms. They don’t need to meditate.”
Yao never meditate, nor do their rooms have mats. Even their beds were nest-like and oddly shaped. Humans wouldn’t know these details, but Li Wuming noticed at a glance.
Everyone was sharp. At these words, their faces changed. Bai Chen closed his eyes and sighed softly. “A Nine-colored Deer, a Great Snow Mountain traitor, and a human cultivator. This place is really lively.”
Ordinary human cultivators couldn’t even enter this miasma-filled Ice Valley, let alone stay here long-term to cultivate. The owner of this mat was at least a tribulation-stage cultivator — such a figure would at least be an elder in any sect.
The Ghost Tactician cast a deep look at the seemingly ordinary mat and smiled at Lin Kaitian. “Young Master Lin, your Heaven’s Way Alliance has been stable for so long. You’d better investigate carefully.”
Lin Kaitian also felt the matter was tricky. Irritated by the mocking remark, he couldn’t help but retort, “How do you know it isn’t a demonic cultivator?”
Strangely, the Ghost Tactician didn’t argue this time and even nodded solemnly. “You’re right. I must also report to the Sect Master to cleanse our ranks.”
This attitude made Lin Kaitian even more puzzled. “It’s just some rat hiding in the dark. Aren’t you overreacting?”
Yet the Ghost Tactician only shook his head heavily. His gaze on the bloodstains on the ground was as if he had seen some omen, and his words were exceedingly grave: “Ghost God Fusang observed the stars at night and predicted that disasters would soon befall the human world. Ghost God Yingxi also said that in recent years his baleful aura has been surging with abnormal intensity. The Three Gods of the Ghost Realm were all born in response to calamities of Heaven and man, and they naturally resonate with times of chaos. You had best be careful.”
This was the prophecy Ghost God Fusang had commanded him to deliver to the various factions. Now, not only had he informed the Myriad Treasures Hall, but also the Nine-tailed White Fox of the yao. Bai Chen believed the Three Gods of the Ghost Realm would never interfere in mortal affairs without cause, and his heart grew ever heavier. Quietly, he tightened his grip on Li Wuming’s sleeve. “We need to hurry…”
Li Wuming understood what he meant. Seeing this, he pulled the little fox into his arms, still wearing his ever-confident expression. “Don’t be afraid. Even if it’s just the Yao King’s descendant — or even if the Yao King himself came back — I still have a way to protect you.”
In chaotic times, only strength brought peace of mind. Seeing him like this, Bai Chen couldn’t stay flustered and could only glare at him helplessly. “Shut your crow mouth. What if he really does come back?”
Bai Chen spoke without much thought, but Li Wuming’s eyes darkened at the words. He lowered his gaze to his bandaged right hand, then suddenly smiled faintly. “Then I’ll have my master come out and kill him again.”
~ Chapter End ~
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Translator's notes:
Aren't you all curious about Lu Wuming's right hand? Unfortunately, there are still quite a few chapters to go before we get the answer.
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