Young Master Bai — Chapter 58

Previous  |  Next 

Chapter 58: The Suddenly Appearing Master

The Great Snow Mountain had over a hundred peaks, yet few places were suitable for yao to live. For example, the highest summit of the main peak was so elevated and frigid that, since ancient times, only the most powerful yao of the mountain could freely come and go. Even the native Great Bear clan dared not live long atop its peak. If not for the protection of his father’s pelt, Bai Chen would not have dared to wander there so casually either.

Aside from the Great Bear clan, few other yao could withstand the mountain’s harsh environment. Any foreign yao who wished to settle there had to rely on the Red Fox clan’s weather-manipulating arts.

The Red Fox clan’s full name was the Red River Fox. Legend had it that in ancient times, they lived along the Red River. Because of their charming appearance, they became pets of the heavenly maiden of the Red River, and by following the heavenly maiden they learned the divine power of summoning wind and rain. Later, when that maiden perished as a Heavenly Star fell, the Red River Fox migrated all the way to escape the Yao King’s conscription, eventually settling in the Great Snow Mountain.

The foxes’ divine art was granted by the heavenly maiden rather than inherited by bloodline. Every descendant could study it upon coming of age. In this present age of dwindling bloodlines, they adapted even better than clans once far more powerful, and thus rose to become an upper-ranked yao clan. However, they themselves lacked true strength — hiding in the distance to manipulate wind and rain was fine, but in direct combat they couldn’t even match robust tiger and leopard yao, and were especially fearful of the warlike Heavenly Wolf clan.

Still, ever since the Red Fox clan’s arrival, several peaks had been reshaped into habitable lands. The once fearsome blizzards of the mountain were weakened, and the migrating yao finally had a place to dwell. In short, the Great Snow Mountain’s growth truly could not do without those timid red foxes.

Because the Red Fox clan was few in number, only ten peaks had been made livable. The remaining ninety or so untouched peaks were, in Bai Chen’s eyes, untapped treasures. To put them to use, he still needed the foxes’ help. Thus he treated them with friendliness. Upon becoming king, he appointed Hua Jian Hu as the Red Water General, even ranking him above others as the foremost of the four generals.

Unlike the humans’ complicated affairs, the yao needed only four generals to manage all matters. Hua Jian Hu, as Red Water General, oversaw internal affairs. Ying Xiong, as the Mountain-opening General, handled defense. Dugu Hou, as the Boundary General, managed deployments across the land. The fourth position was reserved for the soon-to-arrive Mountain God Luo.

The yao were long accustomed to ruling themselves; unifying them required gradual progress. But at least there was now a framework — all that remained was refining the division of duties.

That morning, Bai Chen summoned Hua Jian Hu, but his concern was elsewhere. “I told you to send scouts to follow the Heavenly Wolf clan. What did they find?”

The Red Fox clan avoided combat but possessed unusual techniques. To evade hostile clans, they had trained in exquisite concealment arts — ideal for reconnaissance.

Hua Jian Hu, keen to secure his son’s position, took the order seriously. He replied respectfully, “The Heavenly Wolf clan has camped on the snowy plains at the border between the human realm and the Great Snow Mountain. That land is still disputed. The Yinrong domain of the humans has fully fortified itself and gone on alert.”

“Has anyone — human or yao — come to meet them?”

Such a massive migration could not escape human notice. Bai Chen suspected they sought the aid of the supposed descendant of the Yao King. This was the best chance to trace the enemy’s movements.

But Hua Jian Hu shook his head helplessly. “Our spies have kept constant watch as ordered, but we have not seen any unfamiliar faces.”

Their concealment was good enough to cross the Central Plains unseen by both Yao King and humans alike. By rights they should not be discovered. Bai Chen frowned. “No envoy has come? Could it be they already made an agreement beforehand…”

Since Bai Chen’s position was still unsteady, he had not explained the matter of the Yao King’s descendant to his subordinates. But Chenzui, who often listened in, grasped his meaning and asked curiously, “Ancestor, are you worried that the impostor claiming to be your descendant has colluded with the Heavenly Wolf clan?”

“If not for that escape route, Starbreaker wouldn’t have dared turn against me.”

Humans and the Heavenly Wolf clan were sworn enemies. Without the mountain’s protection, they faced annihilation. By reason and sentiment, Starbreaker should not have broken with Bai Chen. But he had left decisively — surely he had found another backer.

Chenzui only grew more puzzled. “But the only passage from the mountain to the outside world is through Yinrong. That place has always been guarded by elites from the Heaven’s Way Alliance and the Demon Sect. Where could the wolves go?”

That was precisely what Bai Chen found strange. The Yao King’s descendant was far off in the North Sea, separated by countless human cities. How could they possibly transport thousands of Heavenly Wolf yao?

Still, such a thing could not be arranged overnight. Clearly, the Heavenly Wolves had harbored treachery since before Bai Chen claimed the throne — leaving now was just an excuse. More concerning was that the descendant surely wouldn’t limit himself to the wolves. Could it be the Red Fox clan had heard nothing?

Bai Chen’s gaze lingered on Hua Jian Hu’s face. But this old fox was a master of deception. His expression showed only righteous indignation at the wolves’ betrayal, revealing no flaw. The mountain could lose the Heavenly Wolves, but not the Red Fox clan. Bai Chen closed one eye to it and said only, “Keep watching them. Do not let the wolves discover you.”

“Rest assured, King. The Red River Fox are born the best spies under Heaven. We will not be exposed.”

Hua Jian Hu was cleverer and more capable than most yao, though never loyal — he always put self-preservation first. Bai Chen had little choice but to entrust internal affairs to him. Unexpectedly, he handled them well, a small surprise.

Since Chenzui was already firmly in his grasp, Bai Chen could afford to use the foxes for now. With a stroke of the brush, he assigned the wolves’ abandoned lands to them, then asked, “How fares Dugu Hou?”

Dugu Hou’s true form was a common mountain baboon. His bloodline was lower than many yao of the mountain. Yet, after some unknown encounter in the human world, he had gained cultivation equal to clan leaders. Thus he had his own territory here. Still, always mingling with little yao, he was looked down on. Hua Jian Hu spoke of him as one might a servant: “You ordered him to re-register all yao of the mountain and issue household records. It is a huge task. He is still working day and night.”

The mountain had registers before, but they listed only noble upper yao. Servant and slave yao were forgotten even in death. Bai Chen’s command ensured even the small yao would be recorded, making governance easier.

The great clans had their own people, but the small yao were more obedient. Bai Chen already had plans for them. He said lightly, “If you have time, help him. Within seven days, finish the Ten-thousand Yao Register. I need to select a group of young yao to send to the Unknown Truth Sect.”

There was no time for rest. With traitors purged, the agreement with the Unknown Truth Sect had to move forward. Hua Jian Hu, recalling what his son had mentioned, looked uneasy. “I’ve heard they are probing the mysteries of the yao. If they discover how to transmit bloodlines, the mountain may lose its footing.”

The research indeed had pros and cons. If they overcame bloodline weakness, it would be excellent. But if humans mastered both yao strengths and weaknesses, the yao would be helpless before cultivators. From the foxes’ perspective, other upper yao bloodlines dwindling would only benefit them, so naturally they opposed it.

Bai Chen knew upper yao treasured their bloodlines. Forcing them into such research would only breed discord. He pretended to compromise:

“Do not worry. I will choose only minor yao of plain lineage. The upper yao will not be risked.”

The small yao had no heritage to speak of. Hua Jian Hu judged they could cause no trouble and withdrew, thinking only of how to secure more power for his son.

Dealing with the old fox was exhausting. Once he left, Bai Chen sighed in relief, assigned Chenzui his studies, and went to rest.

Now that the wolves were gone, Bai Chen could finally plan his rise by seeking opportunities in Lin’an. But he would need to carefully consider which clans’ yao cores and bones to trade to the Unknown Truth Sect for research.

Having ruled only a few days, Bai Chen already felt the weight of kingship. His fur shed more than ever. One morning, Li Wuming woke to find a handful of white fox fur, sighed sadly, and resolved to go down the mountain to buy nourishing things for his little fox.

Without his Dao companion, Bai Chen found the residence lonely. He thought to nap in the study, when he noticed the bedroom door ajar. No one but he and Li Wuming lived in the Silent Pavilion. Could that man have returned early? His heart leapt with joy as he hurried over. “Weren’t you down the mountain? How are you back so soon — ”

The little fox was always glad to see Li Wuming, his tail secretly wagging behind him. But when the door swung open, he found instead a white-robed stranger.

The man wore robes like snow, long white hair cascading to his ankles. Not even a blazing hearth could melt the chill between his brows. He stood in the warm chamber, yet Bai Chen could not scent him at all, as if he did not exist, merely an illusion of the eye.

Bai Chen prided himself on knowing the heroes of the world, but he had never seen anyone so strange. His ears pricked warily. As if in response, the man who had been reading turned his head. His cold gaze swept Bai Chen’s ears and tail, and he spoke with the tone of a master of the house:

“Come in.”

The Silent Pavilion was surrounded by barriers set by the Yao King. For this man to enter silently… Bai Chen already had suspicions. Cautiously, he stepped inside and asked softly, “May I ask your name?”

As expected, the man standing with hands clasped behind his back replied coldly, “Bai Weiyue.”

There was only one man in the mountain with unfathomable cultivation and the surname Bai. Bai Chen never thought the Sword Immortal Bai — famed for his hatred of the Yao King — would come here. Though he knew such a man could go anywhere, he was still stunned.

And now, of all times, Li Wuming had gone down the mountain. Against this fox-killing Sword Immortal, Bai Chen could do nothing. Though anxious, he feigned calm. “Senior Bai, you visit unannounced. At least allow me to prepare tea.”

The little fox knew how to read the room. Faced with such a killer star, he dared not act arrogant, behaving instead like a meek bride before her in-laws. Sword Immortal Bai was unmoved, but he did not draw his sword. His cold gaze lingered long on Bai Chen’s nine tails before shifting away in distaste. “A room full of fox fur is an eyesore. That foolish disciple of mine should at least feed you a few Fur-retention Pills.”

The name alone sounded odd, and the Sword Immortal seemed quite knowledgeable about raising foxes. But Bai Chen dared neither speak nor ask, for his life was on the line. He only brewed tea himself and placed it before him. “This is the finest Snow-top Green, Li Wuming’s favorite. I hope it suits Senior’s taste?”

As it turned out, the Sword Immortal’s palate resembled his disciple’s. He showed no interest in the fox yao, but neither did he refuse the tea. He seemed very familiar with the room, pushing open the window to let the blizzard scatter the warmth of the hearth. “Two thousand years… and this place is just as I arranged it.” [Oh, this is the first time a different time scale is mentioned — not simply a thousand years.]

The Silent Pavilion was built in human style, filled with human texts. Bai Chen had long wondered why the Yao King was so versed in human architecture. He now realized this had once been the Sword Immortal’s residence. Then why had the Yao King lived here alone?

The Immortal’s arrival was strange. If he wished to kill the Nine-tailed White Fox, he could do so with a single stroke, whether Li Wuming was here or not. There was no reason to waste time with words. Unable to fathom his intent, Bai Chen probed: “Senior did not come merely to air out the room, did you?”

Bai Weiyue’s foul temper was well-known. At once, his eyes flicked up — and a sword-qi shot forth. Bai Chen, caught off guard, froze in terror. Yet when he opened his eyes, he felt no pain. Looking down, he realized he had been forced back into his original form.

To shatter his transformation with such precision, without harming his body — truly worthy of a Sword Immortal. But why do this? As Bai Chen wondered, Bai Weiyue suddenly placed his hand on his tail. His fingers sank into the fur as though gripping the bone itself, making Bai Chen wince.

What was this? Could both master and disciple share a strange obsession with fox tails?

Shocked, Bai Chen’s fur bristled. He yanked his tails beneath his body, glaring at the shameless Immortal as if to say: — What do you intend toward your disciple’s Dao companion?

But Bai Weiyue showed no reaction. Immersed in his own thoughts, he picked up a shed fox hair, murmuring, “I never noticed before… You truly are not of Bai Wei’s bloodline…”

All his actions were bizarre. Bai Chen dared not provoke him with words. He was still frowning when a sword-light flashed at the window. The little fox was instantly swept into a familiar embrace, and Li Wuming’s deep voice rang out:

“Master, you promised not to harm him. Why break your word!”

[The existence of doors is ignored once again.]

~ Chapter End ~

Previous  |  Next