Young Master Bai — Chapter 56

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Chapter 56: The Silent Banquet at Midnight (Part II)

It had been a thousand years [1500!!!] since the world had seen a Yao King. Or rather, before Bai Wei had unified the yao by brute strength, the yao had never even had such a concept as a king. The yao were accustomed to living in tribal alliances. Now that Bai Chen once more declared himself king, there were many who resisted. Even the Red Fox clan, bound to the Bai family through marriage, did not show support. Hua Jian Hu hesitated and said, “Young Master, the yao of the world are not all on the Great Snow Mountain. How can the master of the Great Snow Mountain be the master of the yao? Besides, the title of Yao King carries an ill omen, doesn’t it?”

Fox yao were indeed the most cunning. Though he opposed becoming a subordinate rather than remaining the head of his own clan, he cleverly raised the flag of the Yao King’s infamous reputation. While speaking, he cast a meaningful glance at Li Wuming, as if to remind Bai Chen that the Great Snow Mountain still held one White Sword Immortal who bore a grudge against the Yao King. This was not the time to invoke that title and provoke a powerful foe.

Hua Jian Hu was smooth in dealing with matters. Though the Red Fox clan was tied by marriage to the Bai family, they had never truly considered themselves one household. Fortunately, the Great Bear clan had no such schemes. Before Bai Chen could even reply, Ying Xiong was already retorting loudly: “Fox King, Yao King — what’s the difference? The word for Yao King even has fewer strokes when written. Ying Xiong, on behalf of the Great Bear clan, greets the Yao King.”

“You… old bear, you…”

The fox, ever full of schemes, was worst at dealing with blunt types. He hadn’t expected this big oaf to directly recognize Bai Chen as lord, leaving him momentarily speechless.

Did this brute even understand what “king” meant? Though they were now living on the Great Snow Mountain, each clan still governed itself. While they obeyed the Bai family’s commands, it was still a relationship of host and guest. But if they acknowledged the title of Yao King today, they would fall under Bai Chen’s governance, descending from guest to servant!

With Bai Chen’s background, he would naturally favor the Bai family. From then on, the three clans’ yao would all be beneath the Bai family, and the clan leaders would be subject to the Yao King’s arbitrary rewards and punishments. They would no longer enjoy their current prestige. And yet the Great Bear clan had so rashly agreed! Truly, they had no brains!

Hua Jian Hu was secretly vexed at the bears’ lack of sense. His son Chenzui, seated with him, did not understand his father’s hesitation and quickly urged in a low voice: “Father, our Red Fox clan cannot leave the Great Snow Mountain. We’ll be tied to the Bai family anyway. It’s just a title — why fuss over it?”

Hua Jian Hu had named his son by yao tradition, but Chenzui bore his mother’s Bai family surname. Placed together, their names did not even resemble those of father and son. All children born of Bai vixens were claimed by the Bai family; they were taken at birth to be raised in the mother’s household and had almost no ties to their fathers. Many fox yao grew up never knowing who their fathers were.

Hua Jian Hu had always resented this rule. His son, his bloodline — why was he denied even the right to name him? “Marriage,” for all its fine words, was merely the borrowing of Red Fox blood to seed the Bai family.

Though he had forcibly kept his son when Bai Yunce was weak, the knot in his heart had never loosened. Hearing his son speak for the Bai family, he frowned. “You don’t understand. Status is not the same. The future of the Red Fox clan will be utterly changed.”

Bai Chen had thought the Red Fox clan merely timid. Now it seemed they simply did not trust the Bai family. For a thousand years, one had stood high above, the other crawled for survival — how could they truly unite?

Fortunately, he was prepared. Lowering his gaze toward the Red Fox clan leader, he said calmly, “My Bai family’s line is thin. At present, the only six-tailed fox is Chenzui. If I am king, then I shall establish him as Crown Prince.”

This meant granting Chenzui the position of heir to the Bai family. The higher Bai Chen’s seat, the greater Chenzui’s inheritance would be. And since Chenzui had been raised by Hua Jian Hu, he would surely treat the Red Fox clan with greater intimacy. Thus, Hua Jian Hu would be compelled to wholeheartedly support Bai Chen’s claim to rule.

As clan leader, he naturally understood the implications. The Bai family’s male yao were all cut-sleeves; neither Bai Chen nor Bai Yunce could sire children. Apart from Chenzui, who else could inherit? Realizing this, his eyes brightened. “Truly?”

“Words spoken before the leaders of three clans cannot be false.”

The fox clan felt no kinship with other yao. They would not die for ideals or ambitions. What they valued was tangible benefit. Bai Chen did not bother with lofty words — by handing over the position of Crown Prince, he knew the Red Fox clan would be tempted.

Indeed, Hua Jian Hu, once reluctant, immediately bowed respectfully. His gaze toward Bai Chen was now full of fervor. “Young Master’s insight and bearing surpass us all. To serve you as King is only natural — ”

The Great Bear clan was simple-minded, the Red Fox clan susceptible to profit — both were easy to manage. But the Heavenly Wolf clan was different. Before Hua Jian Hu could finish, Starbreaker sneered, “Among the yao, bloodline reigns supreme. My Heavenly Wolf clan descends from a line that once bore the blood of the Yao King. You are a Nine-tailed White Fox, indeed superior to me. But your Bai family has no other nine-tailed foxes. Our clan, however, has several pureblooded wolves. With such disparity, why should the Heavenly Wolf clan bow its head to you?”

As the greatest fighting force of the Great Snow Mountain, the Heavenly Wolf clan spoke with weight. Bai Chen had known from the start that Starbreaker would not be easy to deal with. Seeing him disregard the Red Fox clan’s face and interrupt so openly, Bai Chen knew this wolf’s arrogance would not be quelled. He met the wolf’s eyes with equal coldness. “It seems that Chief Starbreaker not only wishes to be wolf leader, but also Wolf King.”

Any other yao would not dare respond to such words. Yet Starbreaker lifted his head proudly and declared, “And if I do?”

Rumor held that the Yao King had left descendants among all races. Perhaps for this reason, pureblooded Heavenly Wolves should have been black as night, yet Starbreaker was grey, and even his naming followed the Bai family’s style. Bai Chen had heard that when the Heavenly Wolf clan retreated from the mortal realm, they carried with them an infant bearing the Yao King’s bloodline. For years, constrained by the presence of the Sword Immortal Bai, they had not dared to claim it. Now that Bai Chen sought the Yao King’s throne, this distant kin could no longer sit idle.

That explained the wolves’ arrogance. But Bai Chen had no wish to recognize this kinship. If possible, he would even strike the Yao King from the genealogies. So he did not clash head-on but instead smiled faintly. “Very well. I shall grant your wish.”

These words shocked all present. Yet Bai Chen seemed serious, and turned to Yunce. “Go, proclaim to the world that from now on, Starbreaker of the Heavenly Wolf clan is the Yao King. Such good news must be made known to every cultivator.”

Li Wuming had not understood at first. Now he grasped the meaning and, ceasing his daydreaming, smiled slightly. “And what of my master?”

Having rolled about in court politics, he was quick to catch on. Bai Chen glanced at him approvingly and replied, “We have been neighbors for a thousand years. Naturally, such news must be sent with congratulations. Go to him at once by sword flight — no delays.”

Announcing the birth of a new Yao King was natural. Informing their “neighbor” was also reasonable. But that neighbor was none other than a god of slaughter. Bai Chen himself, who had once played idly with the Sword Immortal’s blade, might not fear him. But if any other yao dared associate themselves with the Yao King’s title, they would not keep their throne warm before being cut down.

And not only that god of slaughter — today the human forces were vast. Whoever became Yao King would have to contend with the Heaven’s Way Alliance, the Demon Sect, and the Ghost Realm. Unlike the Fox Immortal who had withdrawn from battle a thousand years ago, the Heavenly Wolves’ ancestors had slaughtered more than ten human cities. The Heaven’s Way Alliance hated them to the bone. The Demon Sect resented them for hindering the Demon Venerable’s grand cause. And the Ghost Realm was full of fierce ghosts who had perished under their claws. Should the Heavenly Wolves take the title of Yao King, the very next day the three powers of humanity would bring armies to their gates to settle blood-debts.

Starbreaker might be arrogant, but he was not stupid. Seeing Li Wuming about to depart, he quickly barked, “Stop! When did I ever say I would become Yao King?”

The wolves’ ambition had never faded, but they dared not show themselves. For years they had hidden on the Great Snow Mountain, using the Bai family as a shield. Bite the humans and then expect the Bai family to pay the debt? Bai Chen was not so foolish. With feigned innocence, he said, “You yourself said that among the yao, bloodline reigns supreme. The purest wolf blood is yours. If you will not be King, and will not let me be King, then whose command shall the yao of the Great Snow Mountain follow?”

That was the very argument Starbreaker had used just moments before. Now it cornered him — neither advancing nor retreating was possible. He could only bluster: “All the clans can unite without a king. An alliance will suffice.”

This wolf seemed a brute, yet his mind turned quickly. Bai Chen, as host, could not squabble further. Instead he signaled to Yunce. His nephew, though dull at human relations, grasped mischief instantly. He blurted, “Then let the minority obey the majority. Our Bai family supports my Little Uncle as King. What about you all?”

Ying Xiong had not followed much of the earlier talk — one moment Bai Chen was to be King, the next Starbreaker. It was confusing. But now, at last, came words he could understand. With a slap of his paw that scattered dishes and wine across the floor, he boomed, “Brothers walk together. The Great Bear clan has no objections!”

Wine and food splashed everywhere. Hua Jian Hu hurriedly pulled Chenzui aside in distaste, then glanced at his son. His own stance was equally firm. “The Red Fox clan has intermarried with the Bai family more than any other. We are bound by kinship. Naturally, we support Bai Chen as King.”

With two clans voicing support, the scattered great yao had little say. Yunce beamed and turned to Starbreaker. “Three to one — you lose.”

Starbreaker had not expected the fox who had slumbered five centuries to press him into such a corner. To follow the majority meant Bai Chen was King; to oppose meant he himself claimed kingship. Either way, he could not have his way. He could only curse the Red Foxes for their spinelessness and snarl, “To crown a Yao King in this way — such folly!”

The wrath of the Heavenly Wolf was terrifying. Starbreaker’s fury made the other yao instinctively avert their eyes. But Bai Yunce, who had once joked with Demon Lords and Sword Lords alike, was not cowed. Instead, he sneered, “What’s wrong with you, old wolf? You won’t be the leader, yet you won’t submit to the decision. No wonder no yao wanted to play with you as a pup!”

Yunce and Starbreaker were of the same age. They had fought often before they ever took human form. Unlike other young yao, Yunce felt little fear. Seeing him thus ridicule the mighty Heavenly Wolf into silence, Li Wuming leaned to Bai Chen’s ear and chuckled. “Bound by the title of Fox King for centuries, this lad has finally found his true spirit again.”

The Eight-tailed Black Fox had once been the liveliest kit on the Great Snow Mountain. As a child, Bai Chen had only dared dream of sneaking off the mountain. But his nephew had truly dared to run away with the Demon Lord, and if Bai Chen hadn’t pursued him, he might have been lost forever. Such a free-spirited fox, forced to endure five centuries of the Fox King’s shackles — it was no wonder that when freed, he drank with joy all night. Seeing him now restored, Bai Chen felt the burden of the throne less heavy. With one command he ended the banquet’s chaos. “Enough. Let there be no more quarreling.”

Yunce respected Bai Chen deeply. At once, he sat obediently in silence. Yet his respect differed from the hierarchy of yao. He knew his little uncle loved the same diversions he did, but had the self-control to set them aside and study dry tomes. That kind of endurance Yunce would never have, not even as Fox King. That was why he admired his uncle more than anyone.

Bai Chen, unaware of these thoughts, swept his gaze across the assembled yao, his tone turning stern. “The Great Snow Mountain is the domain of Fox Immortal Grandfather. Apart from the Bai family and the native Great Bear clan, all other yao were outsiders he took in. Without his leave, none of you would have set foot here alive. Do you deny this grace?”

It was iron truth. Under his gaze, the yao all lowered their heads. Even Starbreaker could not refute. Bai Chen’s tone softened slightly. “Good. None here is so shameless as to twist the truth. Since you all agree this is the Bai family’s domain, then as its head, I have the right to govern it.”

He paused, and the yao held their breath. Then he spoke the solution. “The Bai family has dwelt with you for a thousand years. I too wish for an amicable parting. Before sunrise, those willing to acknowledge me as King shall stay and heed my commands. So long as the Bai family has a mouthful of food, none of you shall starve. Those unwilling may depart — I grant you three days to leave. After three days, any yao on the Great Snow Mountain who stands against me will be treated as an enemy.”

Unite, or part ways. A simple truth. Yet no one had expected Bai Chen to drive out the Great Snow Mountain’s strongest clan. The yao exchanged uneasy glances, and even Starbreaker widened his eyes. “You believe the Heavenly Wolf clan has nowhere else to go?”

Bai Chen was certain that if the hidden descendant of the Yao King still lived, they would reach out to the wolves. Judging by Starbreaker’s reaction, such contact had already occurred. Perhaps even the recent chaos and the death of Lu Ren Wang had traces of wolf involvement.

Such double-hearted wolves could not be allowed to remain. Whatever doubts he had, Bai Chen now cast them aside. “Whether you have a place or not is your concern. I care nothing.”

“The Heavenly Wolf clan will not recognize a Yao King who seeks peace with the humans. We will not serve!”

The mask was torn away. Starbreaker would not bow. With a snarl, he overturned the table and stormed off. Several great yao followed at once, some without a word, others only giving Bai Chen a guilty bow before fleeing.

“Forgive us — we only wish to live freely in the forests, not join these struggles.”

“You see it yourself, Young Master. In great matters, solitary yao like us have no voice. Since we cannot choose, we’ll find another place to hide.”

“I… enough. Any reason I give would be but an excuse. Farewell.”

…

Each had their reasons. Bai Chen remained seated, not a tremor in his hand as he lifted his cup. Within an hour, the once-lively feast had emptied by half. The tables lay strewn with leftovers, the fires dying with the night.

This was the Bai family’s true prestige. The grand title of Nine-tailed White Fox commanding the yao was but an illusion. Aside from the Great Bear clan and their kin by marriage, no outsider truly wished to share hardship with them. With the Heavenly Wolves gone, the rest judged the mountain incapable of protecting them, and departed too.

The Great Snow Mountain had long been hollow within, deceiving itself under the shadow of ancient beasts. It was time to awaken.

Bai Chen remained composed, drinking with Li Wuming. No words were spoken, yet in the clink of cups each understood the other’s mind. The yao believed Bai Chen was mad with ambition. Only Li Wuming knew — everything was for the long term. True reform required rotting flesh to be cut away before new life could be born.

As dawn approached, only three guests remained in the Silent Pavilion: Ying Xiong of the Great Bear clan, Hua Jian Hu of the Red Fox clan, and the solitary yao Dugu Hou.

Bai Chen had not expected this unrelated yao to stay. Curious, he eyed the man’s paint-smeared face. “The deadline has come. Are you three certain you will not leave?”

In conflicts of race, loners had no choice. Dugu Hou was honest, giving a bitter smile. “The little yao under me are bullied everywhere. Here, at last, we’ve lived in peace. We truly don’t wish to move again.”

Before the banquet, Bai Chen had heard that Dugu Hou’s followers were ordinary-blooded yao. Each year, those who came seeking refuge would, through his introduction, become slaves or servants under the clans. He was, in a way, steward of the whole mountain.

Whatever the case, staying was what mattered. Bai Chen nodded. “Good. Three remain — that’s more than I expected.”

The wait had been long. Yunce was already asleep on the table, softly snoring. Chenzui was less carefree; hearing this, he asked anxiously, “Ancestor, you knew they would leave?”

“If the yao united, humans would grow wary. Those idle great yao have no ties to us and would not share our hardship.”

Bai Chen saw clearly, and gave a cool smile. “They only left under the excuse of fearing the Sword Immortal. But they won’t relinquish the lands they’ve taken. Just wait — there will be more trouble at dawn.”

Hua Jian Hu had intended to caution him, but seeing Bai Chen already understood, he found his estimation rising. For once, he offered sincere advice. “Young Master, those scattered yao are of no consequence. But the Heavenly Wolves are the mountain’s strongest force. To let them go… and the humans…”

“The humans will surely strike while the iron is hot. Whether we can survive until then depends on our own strength.”

Bai Chen spoke without pretty words, stating the truth outright. Yet to his worried allies he offered gentle reassurance. “You chose to stand with the Great Snow Mountain in its darkest hour. I, Bai Chen, promise you: from this day, there will be no division of race upon this mountain. All who dwell here will be called simply yao. You need not bow to the Bai family. Positions will be given by ability alone. So long as you truly see this mountain as home, I will guarantee your peace for life.”

The appointed time arrived. The Silent Pavilion, perched on the highest peak, was the first place to see the sunrise. Though this realm was sealed in eternal ice, its sunlight was not lacking.

Bai Chen rose and walked to the window, pushing open the carved white shutters built a thousand years ago. Sunlight pierced the gloom. The morning wind blew in, carrying snowflakes that scattered the wine’s lingering scent. Bai Chen thought he should speak some words to his first true followers. Yet when the snowflake melted in his palm, it became only this: “Look — the clouds are gone, and the sky must brighten.”

Sunrise was the first light drawn from night’s slumber. Standing within it, Bai Chen was peerless in beauty. The three yao, who had stayed more from profit than loyalty, now felt as if they truly saw a bright future. Whatever might come, having chosen Bai Chen, they would follow him to the end. Meeting each other’s eyes, they dropped to their knees and proclaimed as one: “We pay respects to the Yao King!”

One night had passed, and Li Wuming’s little fox had grown even more radiant. He looked with satisfaction at the proud youth bathed in dawn. Once again, he had witnessed the birth of a king. But this time, he believed — he would not raise another sovereign astray.

~ Chapter End ~

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