Young Master Bai — Chapter 42
Chapter 42: The Mountain Dungeon (Conclusion)
The Hidden Wisdom Sect’s homeground, Yuncheng lay on the southern plateau, while Jiangdu was by the eastern sea. Elderly Village stood between them, far removed from the Great Snow Mountain in the northeast. If Bai Chen wished to bring the tree spirits of the village back with him, he could not avoid dealing with the Heaven’s Way Alliance.
Since that was the case, honesty would serve better than concealment. Bai Chen explained the origins of the village tree spirits one by one to Bu Tiange, and finally declared firmly to the headmaster of the Hidden Wisdom Sect: “Yonggu Mountain is something I must obtain.”
Bu Tiange had already ordered his disciples to hand Sun Decai over to the authorities for embezzling relief silver, so he knew something of the village’s situation. Still, these words made him raise his brows in surprise. “What arrogance. That mountain lies deep in the Central Plains, far from the Great Snow Mountain. Even if it were right at your doorstep, do you think the Heaven’s Way Alliance would hand a spiritual vein over to the yao?”
Bai Chen knew well the weight of the matter, but his face remained calm. “It would indeed be impossible without cause. But if I were willing to pay the price?”
What price could buy a mountain from human hands?
Bu Tiange could not fathom the mind of the Nine-tailed White Fox. At last, he gave him a questioning look. “What scheme are you plotting?”
“The Unknown Truth Sect is determined to seize the Divine Wordless Book. I expect their envoys are already waiting in Yuncheng. I wish Headmaster Bu to give the Great Snow Mountain a chance to negotiate with them.”
Since this involved the ownership of a spiritual vein, the Heaven’s Way Alliance would surely call a council to vote on it. The Hidden Wisdom Sect alone could not decide such a matter. Only if the strongest of the righteous path, the Unknown Truth Sect, could be persuaded, would there be hope. And since they wanted the Divine Wordless Book, Bai Chen happened to hold the perfect bargaining chip.
Though Bu Tiange did not know what grounds Bai Chen had to sway the Unknown Truth Sect, seeing his confidence made it clear he already had a plan. Whether or not to aid him, however, was another matter. “And why should I help the yao?”
“Because with their appearance, these tree spirits can never live freely in human cities. But among the yao, strange and monstrous forms abound. A few old trees wandering about with corpses on their backs would raise no surprise.”
Only the Demon Sect could accept such strange forms, but now that the righteous and demonic paths were fighting over Jiangdu, the Heaven’s Way Alliance could never allow the Demon Sect to gain such aid as Mountain God Luo. Compared to that, letting them dwell in the reclusive Great Snow Mountain was not the worst choice.
Bai Chen knew the Hidden Wisdom Sect’s ways well. Seeing Bu Tiange’s hesitation, he pressed further: “Your sect has always pursued universal compassion, and believed in teaching without discrimination. You took in a Demon Lord who returned to the righteous path, and even once had a headmaster of spirit-born origin. Your breadth of heart is unlike that of ordinary cultivators. I trust that Headmaster Bu’s chivalry is not confined only to humanity. Any being with goodwill in its heart, you would surely protect.”
There were too many ordinary mortals in the Alliance’s cities. They could never live peacefully alongside tree spirits of terrifying appearance. And since Yonggu Mountain’s spiritual vein had already been discovered, sooner or later cultivators would come to establish sects upon it. When that happened, the tree spirits would either be homeless, or penned in by cultivators like livestock, perhaps even cut apart for their branches to refine artifacts.
Bu Tiange could not bear the thought of harmless tree spirits meeting such a fate. He could only snort coldly. “As expected of a fox yao — glib tongue.”
Bai Chen knew at once his words had struck home. He ventured, “Then Headmaster Bu agrees?”
“You may bargain with the Unknown Truth Sect yourself. Until the matter is decided, I will station disciples of the Hidden Wisdom Sect to guard Yonggu Mountain.” True to its reputation, the sect acted with righteousness. Though Bu Tiange gave Bai Chen no friendly look, he had nonetheless agreed.
Bai Chen had worried the Yao King’s descendants might take vengeance on Elderly Village during negotiations. Now, with disciples of the Hidden Wisdom Sect guarding it, all was well. He smiled lightly and bowed. “Headmaster, your honor is boundless.”
“Keep your flattery. If you mistreat these tree spirits, I will come to settle accounts with you myself!”
The Nine-tailed White Fox smiled with charming ease, but the headmaster did not spare him a glance, casting his harsh words before sweeping away. Li Wuming, watching his cold, aloof manner, could not resist teasing Bai Chen: “That little headmaster wears a face like an ice mountain. He seems more like the Sword Immortal’s disciple than I do.”
Li Wuming could not have been more different from his master, Sword Immortal Bai. He laughed easily, found delight in small things — even in a snowy wasteland, he could amuse himself building snowmen. No trace of the emotionless path showed in him.
Yet Bai Chen only gave his Dao companion a lazy glance. “His tongue is sharp but his heart is soft. You are the truly unfeeling one. I’ve known you so long, yet I’ve never seen you genuinely care for anything.”
Carefree ease came from indifference. The truly emotionless, unburdened by attachments, lived the freest. The little fox truly did know how to read men. Though seen through, Li Wuming only smiled, feigning ignorance. “Am I really so formidable?”
“You’re a man of iron and stone. You coax me with gentle words, but never bare your heart.”
Li Wuming’s closeness, always hovering yet never too near, felt to Bai Chen like a reflection in water, a moon in the mirror — something he longed to seize and hold tightly, yet no matter how he reached, his claws could find no purchase.
The little fox’s words had a sting. Li Wuming sensed his mood, and caught his hand in his own. With a helpless sigh, he said, “Why quarrel with me for no reason? What have I done to offend you?”
He treated his Dao companion with all tenderness. Yet Bai Chen, having no one else close, vented his anger on him alone. Now, as Li Wuming patiently pressed each of his fingers, the fox’s hidden temper ebbed. At last, he lowered his eyes. “It’s not about you. It’s the Yao King.”
That answer piqued Li Wuming’s curiosity. “Oh? And what of him?”
“I thought him merely licentious. I never knew his nature was so vile — scheming against even his own subordinates. No wonder the fox clan bears such ill repute. His death should have ended it. Yet I, his descendant, must suffer suspicion in every word and deed.”
He had done nothing. Yet for carrying the blood of the Nine-tailed White Fox, he was mistrusted — even by the man he loved most, who had to probe him step by step. It was bitter indeed.
Weariness showed in Bai Chen’s eyes as he spoke of the Yao King. Li Wuming saw it all, and drew him to sit on a stone bench at the village’s edge. He shelled a peanut, placed it between Bai Chen’s lips, and said softly: “There are hundreds of yao races. To command so vast an army, the Yao King relied on cruelty and ruthless detachment that surpassed all beasts. Alas — Bai Wei, with unmatched beauty and sinister sorcery, controlled the hearts of all yao, but underestimated a single man. He never dreamed that the Sword Immortal’s detachment surpassed even his own.”
That man, of course, was Sword Immortal Bai. Bai Chen did not know the past of those predecessors. He only looked intently at his Dao companion. “I wish to take up the cause of the yao. But I do not wish to become such a Yao King.”
These words stirred Li Wuming’s interest. “Then what do you wish to become?”
“The Sword Immortal only slew the Yao King. Had the yao generals rallied and reorganized, we might not have been defeated so utterly. But on the very next day, with their king dead, the million-strong army scattered and fled, breaking apart to be slaughtered piecemeal.”
[Inaccurate text; Sword Immortal Bai was already said to kill both all the generals who were Bai Wei’s lovers, and all of his descendants except for the eldest Fox Immortal.]
The peanuts Li Wuming fed him were fragrant. Bai Chen chewed slowly, his voice relaxed, yet after a pause continued:
“Humans may fight fiercely among themselves, but when faced with extinction, they set aside grudges and unite. The yao are different. Even though they lived mingled together for defense against humanity, in their hearts they never saw one another as kin. They seemed strong, yet one blow was enough to scatter them into sand.”
This was the yao’s fatal flaw. Li Wuming did not rush to reply, only nodded in agreement. “They were forced to war by the Yao King. There was no true loyalty in their hearts.”
Bai Chen sighed. “Why do I fear a human assault on the Great Snow Mountain? Because I have no confidence. I know my people follow me only for my bloodline. They expect me to wield the Yao King’s power to shield them. Yet in truth, their loyalty is shallow. Even if I restore my yao core and strength, should I lose to humanity, they will abandon me all the same.”
“That is why I need a circle of followers loyal to me alone — whether I hold the yao core or not, I will still be their king. Only then can the Great Snow Mountain hope to contest humanity.”
His unease came from weakness. Bai Chen knew too well the frailty of his position. Even resurrection could not soothe him. Li Wuming had seen it, which was why he helped him recover the yao core. But now, the little fox spoke with a steadiness that marked him as a true leader.
“I am not like the Yao King. I need no puppets enthralled by beauty or sorcery. I want tribes who sincerely give me their hearts.”
After days of fog, he had finally awakened, appearing every bit the sovereign. Li Wuming’s gaze softened. He sighed deeply. “It seems Nine-tailed White Foxes do indeed delight in stealing hearts.”
It was rare for Bai Chen to set aside all guards and bare his soul to his Dao companion. Yet the man only joked. Annoyed, he flashed his claws. “Say that again, I dare you!”
The gesture made Li Wuming laugh outright. Catching his light, graceful form into his arms, he patted the little fox’s back soothingly. “Rest easy. With such resolve, you will surely gain many loyal vassals. My judgment never errs. You will be a worthy Yao King. Of course — even so, you may have only me as your Dao companion. No other paramours.”
His words were teasing, but his chest was the safest refuge. In it, Bai Chen felt that no matter the hardships, he would never be harmed. He knew a Yao King should not need shelter, but he could not resist the warmth. Unwilling to leave, he could only mutter complaint: “What next, will you put a collar on me?”
“I couldn’t bear your sad little eyes. Even if I chained you, one look would soften me, and I’d set you free.”
Li Wuming’s greatest joy in life was teasing the fox. His words made Bai Chen snap his head up in indignation. Before he could speak, Li Wuming lowered his own head first, meeting him perfectly in the middle.
Bai Chen thought the man meant to kiss him, his heart racing — but instead, the merciless Sword Immortal gently bit his cheek. Stunned, the fox covered the shallow tooth mark. Li Wuming, satisfied, teased: “Still, leaving a seal is necessary.”
Having committed mischief, he vaulted onto the roof. When Bai Chen recovered, only a plate of peeled peanuts remained before him. Bereft of yao power, he could not leap even the low eaves. All he could do was watch his Dao companion atop the tiles, beckoning with a laughing face.
In that moment, all thoughts of the Yao King vanished. Bai Chen was filled with a single incredulous thought: He, a fox yao, had actually been bitten! Was there no justice in Heaven?
~ Chapter End ~
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