Young Master Bai — Chapter 65

Previous  |  Next 

Chapter 65: Bai Chen Ambushed

Li Wuming had been away for three hours now. From the day they first met, Bai Chen had never been apart from this man for so long. The little fox had thought that without Li Wuming to distract him, he would surely handle official duties and instruct the juniors with ease. Yet reality was, in just two hours, he had already looked out the window three times, always imagining that a grinning Sword Immortal would suddenly tumble in through the frame.

He had rushed to Dongling City while the humans were unprepared, for the sole purpose of forcing the Heaven’s Way Alliance to openly acknowledge the status of the Great Snow Mountain. Dongling City was not far from Chang’an or Lin’an, and the Heaven’s Way Alliance could never afford the losses of starting a battle there. Whether they were willing or not, they could only receive the delegation with a courtesy granted to honored guests.

The defenses of Dongling were thin. Only Lin’an, which gathered powerful cultivators from across the world, could hold back a yao force of this size. For this reason, the Heaven’s Way Alliance would inevitably try to bring them into the city — perhaps even directly into Busi, its strongest fortress.

This was precisely the result Bai Chen wanted. So long as news spread that the great sects were coexisting peacefully with the emissaries of the Great Snow Mountain, yao would no longer face obstacles moving through the human world.

The yao were not being rejected — as long as they did not harm humans, they could freely interact with the Heaven’s Way Alliance. This was exactly the attitude the Great Snow Mountain most needed right now.

Bai Chen had thought this through carefully, yet the one thing he could not predict was Feng Shiqi’s attitude. This man had never played by common rules. Should he suddenly refuse to compromise, it would be the Great Snow Mountain caught in a dilemma.

This was the critical moment in the game of patience between the two sides. Whoever lost their composure first would lose the round. To display the yao’s calm confidence, Bai Chen went strolling through the streets with Yunce at his side.

Dongling City was famous for its antiques. The most prosperous area was Qinghe Ward, filled with antique shops. Bai Chen and Yunce walked shoulder to shoulder down the crowded street, but his eyes kept drifting toward the little snack stalls Li Wuming loved to frequent. He thought perhaps, with just one casual glance, he might see that man’s figure. But though he carefully scanned every passerby, not a single one was the Li Wuming he longed for.

With Yunce, a Wandering Immortal, at his side, there was no need to worry for his safety. And Qinghe Ward, with its endless antiques, should have been a fascinating place. Yet without Li Wuming, all the bustle seemed irrelevant. Even as he stared blankly at a blue-and-white vase on a street stall, all he could think was how Li Wuming might suddenly poke his head out from inside it.

Even Yunce could not miss how distracted he was. The silly fox had three boxes of pastries in his arms and a peach crisp dangling from his mouth, yet Bai Chen had not eaten a single bite. Unable to hold back, he finally asked, “Little Uncle, why do you look so lost in thought?”

Only then did Bai Chen realize that this state was what the humans called being “absent-minded.” He had always prided himself on being a diligent Yao King, with scheming and depth not inferior to any human. How was it that merely half a day without Li Wuming had left him so adrift? Even five hundred years ago, when he had chased after that man in vain, he had never fallen into such a state.

Humans often said the most passionate stage of love was before marriage; afterward, things would settle into the ordinary. Now he and Li Wuming were Dao companions, and the man treated him with the utmost devotion. Yet instead of peace of mind, Bai Chen found himself anxious and insecure — truly a rare thing.

Though he laughed it off, Bai Chen saw the truth clearly. All of his unease came from helplessness. Their relationship as Dao companions was determined by Li Wuming. Should Li Wuming one day grow weary and walk away, Bai Chen had no power to stop him.

Perhaps a thousand years ago, Bai Wei and Bai Weiyue had felt the same. Compared to a frail fox yao, a Sword Immortal with Heaven-reaching cultivation was like the sun and moon in the sky. The bond between them could be a fleeting whim or a lifelong devotion — all depending on the Sword Immortal’s mood. The little fox had no right to say when things began, nor the strength to decide when they ended. All he could do was try to make himself more lovable, to win their favor.

Now that the little fox had obtained the sun he had always yearned for, he could no longer return to the days of gazing from afar. Yet if he clutched too tightly, he might hurt the sun and burn himself. His paws were left trembling, not knowing what to do.

Bai Wei of a thousand years ago had not withstood this heart-demon, and turned what had once been beautiful into ruin. Bai Chen knew this was a warning and reminded himself not to grow impatient. The most urgent task was to strengthen the Great Snow Mountain. With his own power, he would naturally gain confidence.

Without Li Wuming at his side, the little fox could only console himself. Just as he steadied his heart, a voice suddenly brushed past his ear, low and drawn-out:

“The moon in the sky is so beautiful. Even if the world believes you unworthy of him, he is already yours. Whoever tries to take him from you — kill. Whoever looks down on you — kill. Slaughter Heaven and Earth until nothing remains, and then he will be yours alone.”

It was a voice transmitted directly into his mind. Though soft, it carried a killing intent so natural it could only come from one who had long grown used to bloodshed. Such a person was no simple figure. Bai Chen immediately swept his gaze around warily. Yunce, sensing his tension, also grew serious. “Little Uncle, what’s wrong?”

The Nine-tailed White Fox had vision far sharper than humans. At once, Bai Chen spotted a figure at the corner of the street — arms folded, a snowy fox-fur cloak concealing his form. On his back rested an ice sword, its hilt carved with the image of a fox fishing for the moon. “Fishing for the moon in the sea” was a symbol of futility, rarely used by humans, and when it was, they usually carved monkeys into the design. Yet this man’s moon-fisher was a fox.

Such strangeness naturally drew Bai Chen’s attention. But as soon as his gaze landed, the man turned and fled. Bai Chen would not let him escape. He pulled Yunce with him. “Chase him!”

As the strongest yao of the Great Snow Mountain, Yunce reacted instantly. His eight black tails unfurled, and carrying Bai Chen, he streaked after the man, following his scent.

Yunce’s speed was great — but the man was faster still. He darted across rooftops and alleys, never allowing the distance to close. When he vanished into another dark lane, Bai Chen finally realized something was wrong. This area was far from the bustling market now. The streets were deserted, the houses silent, though he could faintly sense heartbeats within. Yet there were no footsteps, no breath — cultivators deliberately concealing themselves.

It was as if they had been led here on purpose. Bai Chen quickly tugged Yunce’s sleeve. “Careful — an ambush!”

As a fox yao with keen senses, Yunce also perceived the strangeness. At once, he plucked a tuft of fur from his tail and blew upon it with yao aura. The strands transformed into shadows of Black Foxes that slipped through walls.

Among all fox yao, the Black Fox clan excelled most at hunting in the night. Yunce, as an Eight-tailed Black Fox, was unmatched in countering ambushes. These avatars were his shadows, immune to physical barriers, obeying only his command to seek out prey.

Sure enough, this trick worked. Noise erupted within the houses, and the fox shadows soon dragged out over a dozen figures in cultivator robes. Unfortunately, this delay had allowed the white-clad man to vanish without a trace.

Their captives had the aura of righteous sect cultivators, but the words of that white-clad man hinted at ties to Bai Wei. Bai Chen found the situation suspicious. Then the captured cultivators abruptly destroyed their inner cores, trying to self-detonate. Alarmed, Bai Chen shouted, “Leave one alive!”

“Understood!”

Yunce reacted swiftly. At once, he sent a few shadows to knock them unconscious and sealed their meridians with a restriction. Returning to Bai Chen, he reported in a low voice, “Little Uncle, these men seem to have been struck by the Mind-stealing Technique.”

That was strange indeed. The Mind-stealing Technique was a secret art of the Great Snow Mountain — yet here it had been used in an ambush against Bai Chen. Moreover, the strongest among these ambushers had only reached Nascent Soul stage. To think they could assassinate a Nine-tailed White Fox was laughable. And as for that white-clad man — what was his connection to the Yao King?

Bai Chen frowned, unease heavy in his chest. But then a long-awaited voice sounded behind him:

“I leave home for just a short while, and my little fox is already lured away. It seems I’ll have to stay by your side at every step.”

“You’re back!”

Who else could it be but Li Wuming? At once, Bai Chen forgot every shadow of conspiracy. Turning, he lit up at the sight of the man, joy written plain across his face. If not for the fact that they stood in human lands, unable to reveal his true form, his nine tails would surely have been dancing wildly behind him.

Even suppressed by reason, the happiness brimming in his gaze was something Li Wuming had never seen before. He had overheard plenty of useful tidbits to please his little fox, but before he could even share them, Bai Chen was already so excited?

Puzzled, Li Wuming rubbed his head. He had done nothing unusual compared to any other day. The only difference was that he had a melon in his hand, one he had snatched from Feng Shiqi. After much thought, he reached one conclusion: could it be that his fox preferred fruit over roast chicken?

Thankfully, he did not speak aloud such a thoughtless idea that could enrage a Dao companion. Though he did not understand, he still stepped aside to reveal the group behind him, smiling as he said to Bai Chen, “I bought you a melon. On the way back, I happened to encounter Illusory Moon Villa’s welcoming party for you, so I brought them along.”

At this, Bai Chen noticed the line of female cultivators standing on the street, all wearing Illusory Moon Villa’s fashionable “Lingering Immortal Skirts.” As Li Wuming finished, the woman in yellow at their head stepped forward. To Bai Chen’s surprise, she was the very disciple of Illusory Moon Villa who had once quarreled with the wandering cultivators in the Yinrong Realm.

Back then, the tables had been far apart, and she had not recognized him. Now, she simply cupped her fists politely. “Yue Tingyun of Illusory Moon Villa, ordered by my master to escort the Yao King to Lin’an.”

“You’ve worked hard. We’ll gather our things and depart.”

The Heaven’s Way Alliance ultimately could not allow the yao to remain in Dongling. Since they had compromised, Bai Chen was equally courteous, and accepted the invitation. But these unknown cultivators who had fallen under the Mind-stealing Technique would be trouble if handed over to the Heaven’s Way Alliance. Bai Chen was not about to invite trouble himself. Before Yue Tingyun could even speak, he instructed Yunce, “These people deliberately set an ambush. We don’t yet know who ordered it. Have the Bear Guard take them into custody. Once we reach Lin’an, we’ll interrogate them properly.”

Since he had spoken, Yue Tingyun could not ask for the captives back. Though she recognized them as disciples of the Endless Longevity Academy, the situation left her no choice. Forcing a smile, she stepped aside. “Please, Yao King.”

~ Chapter End ~ 

Previous  |  Next