Young Master Bai — Chapter 50
Chapter 50: Don’t Trust Your Nose Too Much
The yao identified everything by scent. They were born able to detect the unique aura of every living being. Once remembered, it could never be forgotten. That aura was what humans called yao aura. Yao determined all bonds of friend and foe by it — even their own offspring were judged by bloodline aura. Should a cub smell of humans, it might be abandoned or bitten to death.
Bai Chen was no exception. To him, Lu Wen matched his benefactor in every way. Even had there been discrepancies, the identical aura would have left him no doubt. In the past, he might have argued with Li Wuming, but after what happened in Elderly Village, suspicion had taken root. “Do you remember that yao who impersonated me? If he could take He Yu’s form and infiltrate the sect, couldn’t he also impersonate others?”
“According to the sect records, when Yao Jianke adopted Lu Wen, Yao Jianke’s master, Lord Qingxu, was still headmaster. At that time, he was the greatest cultivator in the world. Compared to Lu Wen deceiving the entire sect and growing anew, impersonation seems the more reasonable guess.”
Li Wuming did not put blind faith in scent. He found suspicion natural, even certain. With a playful scrape along Bai Chen’s nose, he said, “The finest hunters borrow scents to lay traps. If I wanted to catch you, the first thing I’d do is trick this sharp little nose.”
Bai Chen had never considered that possibility. To imitate aura was unheard of. Yet he asked cautiously, “But if Lu Wen had never met my benefactor, how could he mimic it so well? The timing still doesn’t fit.”
The greatest flaw was age. Li Wuming pondered. “It may not require him to witness directly. After a century, your memory of your savior was surely hazy. If someone else described it to him, the effect could be close enough.”
Bai Chen’s memories of his benefactor were indeed faint — only that he was a teenage boy, dressed simply, yet with a warm embrace. In that moment, the terrified infant had stopped crying. Having never seen his parents, the first warmth he had ever known came from that youth’s arms. Thinking of it still left him dazed.
But he knew better than to dwell on another man before Li Wuming. He forced himself back to calm analysis. “You’ve overlooked one thing. That impostor was a yao beast. Lu Wen was human. How could he wield yao techniques?”
Foxes were skilled at reading people. Even without words, they gauged thoughts from faces. Bai Chen knew, after Sword Immortal Bai, that Li Wuming was sensitive to such matters. He must show utter coldness toward other men.
The little fox lacked security. He relied on all manner of schemes to ensure this man stayed by his side. Rational liking was never enough. What he needed was unmistakable preference, giving him unshakable confidence — just as Bai Wei [the Yao King] had once taught him.
Li Wuming sensed it. But unlike his master’s aloof nature, he indulged him. Even when Bu Tiange could no longer bear to watch and excused himself to look up records, Li Wuming leaned closer. That nearness at last put the little fox at ease. Li Wuming spoke softly, “Lu Ren Yi’s identity remained hidden from the Demon Sect for years. Perhaps… he was not truly human.”
Bai Chen did not see through Li Wuming’s little ploy, only feeling that this man always happened to come close when he needed comfort. No Dao companion could be more perfect. He followed the thought. “You mean a half-yao?”
Half-yao aura was much weaker than that of true yao. Once trained, it was difficult to distinguish from humans. And most yao, apart from a few mighty ones, lived in groups. If Lu Wen shared blood with that yao from Elderly Village — or was even the same one — it was not impossible he had deceived Bai Chen.
“You never opened your eyes in the war six centuries ago. Humanity crumbled before death. I saw people eat their children, and men sell their wives as camp women for grain. Even I ambushed soldiers for rations to survive…”
Li Wuming had lived it. War revealed the truest nature of men. No trial matched life and death. If one had kept compassion then, how could it vanish a hundred years later?
“If he was truly a weak youth, he had three paths. One, without protection, he died on the road. Two, he was conscripted by princes and marched to war. Three, he followed my volunteer army, fighting at my side.”
Yet though Li Wuming leaned toward Lu Wen being false, had it truly been a human boy who had once saved Bai Chen, he would have had no good ending.
“When my brother founded the nation, all war captives were sent to the frontier, dying as laborers. No cultivation, no rest. When I was imprisoned, my men were purged. The more loyal, the sooner they died. Any survivors were watched by my brother’s spies, barred from cultivation. None were allowed a chance to avenge me. In that era, no hot-blooded man could have survived.”
“I see. No matter which path, a man so eager to help others could never have lived until I grew.”
In chaos, compassion was a death warrant, driving men to reckless battles. Generals fall after a hundred battles, and warriors return home only after ten hard years. Few lived as long as Li Wuming. A youth who saved an abandoned infant would surely have been the first to don armor when war came.
Bai Chen understood, though he could not tell if it was sorrow or relief. At last, he sighed, “So be it. If Lu Wen truly impersonated my benefactor, it eases my heart. We should start with that mysterious yao.”
From Elderly Village, Bai Chen had already obtained the yao’s blood. The sect’s jade tokens also held their owners’ blood. Compared with Lu Wen’s, perhaps clues could be found.
All of Lu Wen’s relics were kept in the Taiyin Hall, including his identity token. Bai Chen immediately sent Chenzui to request it, while he himself went to Bu Tiange.
Bu Tiange searched carefully. When they arrived, he handed over another record. “Uncle Lu died young. Records are few. Beyond the register you have, I only found these travel logs.”
Lu Wen was not a famous cultivator. Records were scant. Bu Tiange had reviewed them and said flatly, “After his first mission, he went down the mountain seven times. His tasks were no different from any disciple’s. After five hundred years, none involved remain. I doubt you’ll find anything.”
As expected. Bai Chen only wanted to confirm Lu Wen’s age and whether he had left the sect when the yao core was taken. That much was now clear. He skimmed the volume, finding no flaws, and asked, “Did he care for anyone especially? A confidante?”
“He saw no women but his fellow disciples. Of them, he most cared for my mother.”
With no family, Lu Wen was friendly and had friends. But closest of all was his childhood companion, Bu Lingyun. Apart from borrowing the yao core, Bai Chen’s only other meeting had been at Zhetian, where he had noticed Lu Wen’s eyes lingered on her. Thoughtful, he said, “He cared much for your mother, shielding her at once when I appeared. If so, had he lived, he would never stray far.”
If he had schemed to steal the Nine-tailed White Fox’s yao core, then his death was either silencing, or feigned to escape. If the latter, he would still be watching Bu Lingyun — and might find her son an eyesore.
Bai Chen recalled the yao in Elderly Village urging Chenzui to kill Bu Tiange. Bu Tiange, hearing this, bristled. “My mother’s heart belongs only to my father. Do not slander her purity!”
No one wanted to hear of a mother’s old flame. Li Wuming stepped in smoothly. “Headmaster, the rival may not have desired her. His aim may have been your father. In that case, you and we stand on the same side.”
Bu Tiange’s face darkened further. Bai Chen knew, without proof, he should not press. He dropped the speculation. “All remains uncertain. Headmaster, what do you think of that yao from Elderly Village?”
At last, Bu Tiange eased. “I told Senior Feng. He seemed to know something, said he would look into it.”
Bai Chen was surprised the Unknown Truth Sect had clues. It meant Lin’an must be visited. But that was their base, not easy for yao to enter. So he asked, “I hear the Heaven’s Way Alliance is calling the ten major sects to Lin’an. When do you depart?”
“Senior Feng came for that. Since the Divine Wordless Book is settled, tomorrow we bring it and go.”
“How long will you stay?”
“This is the annual conference. All policies for next year must be set. It won’t end in less than ten days, half a month.”
Bu Tiange had never cared for such meetings. Last year he had quarreled over the Great Snow Mountain. If not for Feng Shiqi, he would have skipped it again. Even now, he was impatient.
But his going was good news for the Great Snow Mountain. Bai Chen said, “We shall depart back today to prepare our trade goods for Lin’an. When we arrive to Lin'an, please save us some rooms.”
Bu Tiange knew the yao core mattered, and thought Bai Chen would stay longer. Puzzled, he asked, “You mean… that’s all?”
He was discreet, never mentioning the yao core. Bai Chen understood and accepted the kindness. But finding no more clues here, he shook his head. “Mountain God Luo still awaits arrangements. I must inform Yunce.”
The yao core would not be forgotten. But even without it, Bai Chen had to live, build strength, and prepare to contend with another heir of the Yao King.
Such thoughts he never showed. To Bu Tiange, he said only, “We suspect Lu Wen linked to that yao. Mountain God Luo said the yao served a heir of the Yao King, who once took the Nine-colored Deer in the far north. That power must have moved near the North Sea.”
He had meant only to draw the sect into alliance. Yet the more he said, the more it seemed true. He looked up, suddenly doubting. “I heard your father died to yao beasts in the North Sea. Lu Wen cared for your mother. Could the two be linked?”
Bu Tiange’s eyes flashed. “You mean my father’s death was no accident?”
Bai Chen remained calm. “Surely you have long suspected. Otherwise, you would not have led disciples to sea again and again.”
Silence fell. Bai Chen, knowing haste was dangerous, returned the records. He gently offered one suggestion. “The Taiyin Hall holds the dead. For a woman to dwell long among them harms the spirit. I hear the Unknown Truth Sect planted many plum blossoms in Lin’an. In winter snow, they are most beautiful. Elder Lingyun loves flowers. If you are filial, take her there for a respite.”
~ Chapter End ~
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