Young Master Bai — Chapter 22
Chapter 22: Novice Guide Completed
Li Wuming disappeared right after winning the bet. Once Bai Chen was left alone, he could no longer remain at ease, and so he invited Lin Kaitian and the Ghost Tactician to enjoy the snow and drink tea.
It was the peak travel season in the Yinrong Realm. Merchants had hired masters to craft ice sculptures and hang ice lanterns. By nightfall, the whole town would turn into a dazzling crystal city. But Bai Chen never had time to appreciate such things; even amidst the scenic landmarks of the human realm, his mind was entirely focused on conversations between the righteous and demonic sects. Though the three appeared to be chatting idly, every word and action was full of probing and maneuvering.
On the surface, Lin Kaitian seemed like the foolish son of a wealthy family, but in reality he was a shrewd businessman. The Ghost Tactician, this dead man, was even more eccentric and hard to fathom. Talking with them was truly exhausting. Fortunately, not long into their discussion, Chenzui returned. Bai Chen beckoned the younger man over and asked him in front of the two: “Have you identified the traitor?”
Chenzui had been sent up the mountain earlier by Li Wuming to investigate, and now he presented his findings without reservation: “Her name is She Jia Hu. She is a descendant of a Red Fox and a rabbit yao. As a child, she was very close to my father, but after he found a companion, they grew distant. Later, my father and her husband competed for the clan leader position. Because my father had ties to the Bai family, he won. Since then, she often spoke coldly, and ten years ago, she finally couldn’t resist and started a rebellion.”
The humans were curious about the internal issues of the Great Snow Mountain, and the two tea-drinkers pricked up their ears to listen. Before Bai Chen could speak, the Ghost Tactician thoughtfully shook his fan and said, “Such a crime yet only punished with exile… It seems the Red Fox clan leader and this female yao had quite the bond in their youth. Young master, you’d better investigate thoroughly.”
Being dead, the Ghost Tactician naturally did not mind the cold, but Lin Kaitian, standing in the bitter winter wind, couldn’t help shivering. Yet representing the Heaven’s Way Alliance, he couldn’t simply distance himself from the Demon Sect, so he could only snap, “You old ghost, why do you care so much? The amorous affairs of foxes have nothing to do with us.”
This made it clear that the Heaven’s Way Alliance would not interfere in the internal affairs of the Great Snow Mountain. But Bai Chen was not about to let them off so easily. He extended his hand toward Chenzui. “Where is what I asked for?”
“Per the Ancestor’s instructions, my father has already drawn her features.”
Chenzui respectfully presented two scrolls. Bai Chen unrolled them and glanced — both her human and fox forms were there, indeed a seductive beauty. He handed the scrolls to the two tea-drinkers, his tone calm: “Please also issue a warrant for her in the human realm and help the Great Snow Mountain capture this traitor.”
Lin Kaitian knew that Bai Chen would never show such hospitality for nothing. Yet the atmosphere left him no choice but to sigh and accept the scrolls. “So that’s why Young Master Bai was so keen to invite us to admire the snow.”
The Heaven’s Way Alliance, having engaged with the Demon Sect, would not back down now. The Ghost Tactician chuckled lightly. “They killed our disciples — naturally the Demon Sect will not let them off easily.”
Now that all sides agreed to jointly pursue She Jia Hu, Bai Chen smiled, told Chenzui to pour more tea, and returned to idle talk. “Where were we? Ah, what do you two make of that deer yao’s motives?”
On this matter, the Ghost Tactician did have a guess. After all, the Great Snow Mountain was far from the Northern Wastes and posed no threat to the Demon Sect. So he decided to curry some favor with Bai Chen. “When the Yao King invaded the human realm, he plundered every city he passed and amassed countless rare treasures. But this vast fortune vanished after the Yao King fell. We demon cultivators are certain that the Demon Venerable did not acquire those materials. To this day, the Yao King’s lost treasure remains an unsolved mystery in the annals of history.”
Bai Chen, being astute, immediately heard the underlying implication. “You’re saying… they suspect the Yao King’s treasure is hidden in the Great Snow Mountain?”
The Ghost Tactician merely smiled behind his fan. “Everyone thinks so. After all, back then the Yao King’s only surviving son took his surname.”
Seeing Bai Chen genuinely puzzled, he poured more tea and probed further. “Young master, why pretend? Though the Yao King had many sons, all bore names of their respective races — only the eldest, the Fox Immortal, took the Yao King’s surname. When Sword Immortal Bai slaughtered all of the Yao King’s children, he left only your Fox Immortal line. If the Yao King left a legacy, naturally it would pass to you.”
The human race now being strong and the yao race being weak, Bai Chen had wondered why the Yao King’s descendant would resort to underhanded tactics before even negotiating with the Great Snow Mountain. Now he understood — they wanted to seize their ancestor’s inheritance.
Bai Chen had never heard his Fox Immortal Grandfather mention any Yao King treasure. Though suspicious, he remained impassive before the Ghost Tactician. “Seems the Demon Sect is also quite interested in this treasure.”
In this regard, the demon cultivator was frank. The Ghost Tactician nodded. “The Yao King didn’t just plunder humans — he also skinned and stripped rebellious yao. Even just the Nine-colored Deer’s antlers and hides would be priceless today. Who wouldn’t covet such riches?”
He then cast a meaningful glance at Lin Kaitian. Bai Chen caught on and said, “So the Heaven’s Way Alliance now talks of breaking the pact and sending cultivators into the Great Snow Mountain?”
Lin Kaitian hadn’t expected the dead man to dig such a pit for him with a casual remark. He could only force a laugh. “An innocent man harboring a treasure — since ancient times, treasures bring disaster.”
Ultimately, power spoke loudest. Treasures belonged to the strong. Both sects coveted the Yao King’s treasure. The Heaven’s Way Alliance, being closer, acted more directly, while the Demon Sect, being farther away, moved more subtly. The Ghost Tactician chuckled. “We yao, demons, and ghosts have always been outcasts. If young master is interested, you might visit the Northern Wastes — our sect leader would gladly welcome you.”
Uniting with the Demon Sect to check the Heaven’s Way Alliance didn’t sound like a bad idea. Chenzui brightened at this, but Bai Chen subtly pressed his shoulder down, still calm. “I heard the Hidden Wisdom Sect has acquired the legendary Divine Wordless Book and is escorting it. We’ll visit Jiangdu first, then perhaps pay a visit later.”
“So the Great Snow Mountain still trusts the Hidden Wisdom Sect most.”
“Since they are old friends, it’s only proper to visit.”
This reply made the Ghost Tactician’s smile a bit strange, as though he expected some drama. “Then I wish young master a safe journey and success in all things.”
This tea meeting was always about probing each other. Just as everyone fell into thought, the sound of weapons clashing suddenly rang out nearby. It was as if some omen had descended — all the swords in town began to shake and their clanging filled the sky. Even the Ghost Tactician grew wary. “What’s going on? Why are all the swords trembling?”
Lin Kaitian looked down — even his own protective spirit sword quivered violently, more than the common ones. Startled, he muttered, “But this sword was forged from meteorite iron — how — ”
Before he could finish, his sword shattered as if it feared facing a king and chose to self-destruct, turning into scrap in the blink of an eye. Lin Kaitian, never having seen such an omen, stared in disbelief. “Shattered? It shattered?”
Not just his — every drawn sword in the area suffered the same fate. While the cultivators panicked, a silver light shot out from the snowy mountains.
That was the most domineering sword in the world. Wherever it passed, no other blade dared to be drawn. The life it sought could not escape, even to Heaven or the Underworld. Even just passing overhead, it cleaved the sky and tore through the clouds. Though the sun shone brightly, the sky darkened. Where the sword’s trail passed, light and clouds vanished into night, with only a few timid stars faintly glowing as if afraid of angering the sword’s master and being struck down.
This spectacle — sun and stars in the same sky — lasted for a quarter hour before fading. No one dared speak until the sky mended itself. Lin Kaitian grabbed the Ghost Tactician’s arm and exclaimed, “Did you see that? There were stars in the sky just now!”
“When the Supreme Emperor Sword appears, ten thousand swords fall, striking to the Ninth Heaven and slaughtering the stars. Tell me, where does one find a True Immortal? On the emotionless path of three thousand ways. It’s him. After a thousand years, he’s still alive…”
Such sword aura that could tear the sky belonged to only one man. The Ghost Tactician had never imagined that the legendary Sword Immortal Bai still lived — much less that he cultivated here in the snowy mountains. They would have to reassess the danger of the Great Snow Mountain.
For once, the cold, dead man showed a complicated expression. He turned to Bai Chen with a hint of respect. “The young master is heading to Jiangdu, while I happen to be sailing from Jiangdu to the Gates of Hell. Might you join me?”
Bai Chen was no less shocked than they were. But this was the perfect opportunity to intimidate the humans, so he calmly replied, “Very well. Company makes the journey more pleasant.”
“I’ll pack at once. Farewell for now.”
The Ghost Tactician hurried off to report to the Demon Sect. Lin Kaitian touched his broken sword regretfully and sighed. “Sword Immortal Bai is warning the world to stay away from his disciple. The Nine-tailed White Fox certainly chose an extraordinary Dao companion.”
With the Sword Immortal resurfacing after a millennium, neither man felt like drinking tea anymore. Once they left, Chenzui finally collapsed onto his chair, clutching his chest, still in shock. “That sword aura was terrifying… It felt like even a trace of it would strip me to my original form — ”
Sword Immortal Bai’s sword aura was most frightening to the yao. The terror of near-extinction was still etched deeply in their bloodlines. No wonder Chenzui’s legs went weak at first sight. Strangely, Bai Chen felt no pressure at all — perhaps the Nine-tailed White Fox bloodline was different.
Li Wuming really pulled it off. Everyone knew Sword Immortal Bai and the Yao King were mortal enemies. Once this sword appeared, even the most daring Yao King descendant would not dare enter the Great Snow Mountain, and even scheming human cultivators would have to think twice before provoking such a powerhouse. Bai Chen just wondered what price Li Wuming had paid to make his master draw that sword.
Sword Immortal Bai was ruthless. Just as Bai Chen worried, another gust of force came from the snowy mountains, and a black figure was hurled into the snow outside the tavern.
“Li Wuming!”
Bai Chen instantly recognized his Dao companion and rushed over. Fortunately, it seemed Sword Immortal Bai hadn’t struck him lethally. Though disheveled, he was unhurt, brushing snow off his clothes with a light laugh. “I’m fine. I asked master to strike me with a sword. He said he’d never heard such a request and threw me out.”
Bai Chen didn’t believe this nonsense, but seeing Li Wuming unharmed, he could only glare. “You must’ve been beaten by your master as a child.”
“This rebellious disciple was indeed often disciplined by him…”
When he spoke of his master, his tone was complex — neither respectful nor hateful. Yet as he rose, that mood vanished entirely, replaced by his usual smug grin. “Well? I won, didn’t I?”
“You did. Tell me, how do you want me to serve you? Whatever you humans like, I’ll learn it.”
It was a brilliant victory, and Bai Chen felt relieved. No matter what Li Wuming asked of him, he would comply. He thought to himself that even if Li Wuming demanded things humans would blush at, he would agree. [despite all his flirting, for a fox yao, Bai Chen is very innocent.]
They said a fox yao’s charm could make an emperor forsake his throne. Bai Chen was prepared for anything. But when Li Wuming saw his sacrificial expression, he only laughed, pinched the little fox’s cheek, stretched lazily, and said, “I heard the scenery of Jiangdu is different from Jiangnan. Why don’t you forget about your fox offspring for a day and just enjoy the city with me?”
Bai Chen hadn’t expected such a world-shaking sword stroke to earn merely a day of sightseeing. Even knowing this man was a weirdo, he couldn’t help but ask, “This counts as a man’s joy?”
Li Wuming had always been an unromantic drifter, and now was no exception. Having won the bet, he ignored the little fox’s puzzled look and told Chenzui to warm the wine. When Bai Chen, turning his thoughts over and over, finally stopped overanalyzing, the man whispered softly in his ear with a faint smile: “Keeping your loved ones safe — that is a man’s greatest joy.”
~ Chapter End ~
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