A new family surnamed Bai moved into Xuanyang Ward near the East Market. They had dozens of servants and managers, but the masters were only a pair of siblings. It was said they had relocated from Qu Prefecture to Chang’an. Upon arrival, they bought a supposedly haunted mansion in Xuanyang Ward. Within days, they had cleaned it up to be elegant and tidy. The beauty of the Bai siblings—Young Master Bai and Miss Bai—became the talk of all who saw them.
Young Master Bai was handsome and refined, with a generous and lavish demeanor. He quickly rose to prominence in Chang’an’s wealthy circles, making quite a splash.
When Mei Zhuyu heard people at the Ministry of Justice talking about Young Master Bai, he paid little attention. However, when he encountered the legendary Young Master Bai walking with Wu Zhen, he felt both alert and displeased.
Of course, this wasn’t because he saw his newlywed wife getting along well with a strange man. Rather, it was because he immediately recognized Young Master Bai as a fox spirit. While some supernatural beings were good and some were bad, those harmful to humans were in the majority. Moreover, even if fox spirits had no intention to harm, being too close to ordinary people would drain their vital energy. Excessive loss of vital energy could lead to fatigue at best, and shortened lifespan at worst.
Young Master Bai’s attentive attitude towards Wu Zhen and his bewitchingly charming smile seemed ill-intentioned. How could Mei Zhuyu allow him to get close to Wu Zhen?
However, he couldn’t expose the fox spirit in public, fearing it might startle his wife.
Meanwhile, Wu Zhen had gone out intending to buy some fresh food for Mei Zhuyu at home. Unexpectedly, she ran into Young Master Bai. Their large family had quickly adapted to life in Chang’an, becoming like fish in water. Wu Zhen knew that fox spirits were typically smooth operators, but this Young Master Bai seemed to have some interest in her. His attitude was overly attentive and considerate, and their repeated encounters seemed too coincidental.
“Lady Wu, are you looking to buy some fresh snacks? I’m also thinking of buying some for my sister at home, but I’m not familiar with Chang’an. Do you have any recommendations?” Since they weren’t in the spirit market, Young Master Bai addressed her as Lady Wu. This ordinary title sounded tender and intimate when he said it, like lovers’ whispers. His eyes were especially alluring, clearly revealing his intentions.
Wu Zhen remained unmoved, giving him a meaningful glance. Buying snacks for his sister? Others might not know, but she certainly did—Young Master Bai didn’t have any sister. Both siblings in the Bai family were just him. Most fox spirits didn’t have a fixed gender and could transform between male and female at will, just like her deputy Hu Zhu Niangniang, who was also a fox spirit but preferred a female identity. This Young Master Bai was indifferent to gender, using the Young Master Bai identity when meeting attractive women and the Miss Bai identity for men he fancied.
Wu Zhen wasn’t bothered by the fox spirit’s naturally flirtatious nature, but she had no interest in fox spirits. Being repeatedly stopped by him was becoming annoying.
Thinking of the jewelry box used for bribes, Wu Zhen gave him some face and replied coolly, “I’m buying snacks for my husband at home. I’m afraid your sister’s tastes might differ from my husband’s. It would be better for you to choose for yourself.”
Young Master Bai knew the Cat Lord was married, but fox spirits always tried their luck with those they liked, regardless of marital status. However, he was perceptive. After several interactions, he realized the Cat Lord wasn’t interested. This time, she directly rejected him, leaving him quite disappointed.
What a pity. He particularly liked women like Wu Zhen. If she were willing, he would gladly get intimate with her in either his male or female form. Moreover, given Wu Zhen’s status, if he could connect with her, his future days in Chang’an would surely be smooth sailing.
Lamenting inwardly, Young Master Bai finally gave up on pursuing Wu Zhen.
After parting with Wu Zhen, Young Master Bai began planning his next target. He considered trying his luck with the Snake Lord Liu Taizhen, but hesitated, recalling the Snake Lord’s cold attitude and the giant serpent’s true form. Young Master Bai had nearly been swallowed whole by a snake when he was young, leaving him with some trauma. After much deliberation, he reluctantly gave up on Liu Taizhen as well.
So where should he go next to find a suitable partner…
As Young Master Bai walked along a street in Xuanyang Ward, pondering where to find his next target, he suddenly felt a sense of danger enveloping him. He instinctively wanted to flee. However, his reaction wasn’t fast enough to outpace his assailant. In the blink of an eye, Young Master Bai’s throat was firmly gripped by a slender yet strong hand, dragging him into a deserted alley.
Young Master Bai was stunned. With the Cat Lord and Snake Lord overseeing Chang’an, what spirit would dare to act so brazenly? Soon, he realized that the one gripping his throat wasn’t a spirit at all. The figure was tall and lean, appearing human, without a trace of spiritual energy. Instead, there was a hint of deliberately revealed Taoist energy.
Oh no, a Taoist priest!
Pinned by the throat and forced back into his original form, Young Master Bai inwardly cursed his luck. How did he encounter such a formidable Taoist who could directly suppress his spiritual energy and revert him to his true form? Spirits and Taoist priests were natural enemies. Although Young Master Bai hadn’t committed any major crimes, the sight of a Taoist priest instinctively made him tremble, especially this cold-faced one whose hand held him immobile, clearly not intending a friendly chat.
Panicking, Young Master Bai remembered he was in Chang’an under protection and quickly begged for mercy, “Venerable Taoist, please spare me! This humble spirit hasn’t done anything to harm heaven or earth, let alone humans. I came to Chang’an with the permission of the two lords of the spirit market.” His voice was hoarse due to the grip on his throat.
Young Master Bai’s words were soft, pleading for mercy, but also carrying a subtle threat and warning. He was a spirit legitimately residing in Chang’an, and as long as he hadn’t broken any rules, the two lords of the spirit market would protect him. Even a Taoist priest couldn’t act recklessly here.
After speaking, Young Master Bai noticed that the young Taoist’s hand hadn’t loosened at all, his gaze still cold and sharp. Being stared at like this for a while, Young Master Bai felt his body growing stiffer, wanting to curl up into a ball. It wasn’t cowardice; he was assessing the situation and realized this Taoist’s cultivation was terrifying. Even the slightest leak of his aura made Young Master Bai want to flee. If he were to recklessly fight back like some hot-headed youngster, he’d probably be left with nothing but his pelt today, or perhaps not even that. He had survived to this day and cultivated three tails thanks to his ability to be both unyielding and flexible when necessary.
The fox, suspended in mid-air, softened his voice again and said, “I don’t know how this humble spirit has offended the Venerable Taoist. Please instruct me, and I will surely mend my ways.”
This time, Young Master Bai finally heard the young Taoist speak. He said, “From now on, do not approach within ten feet of Wu Zhen.”
Young Master Bai was stunned and couldn’t help asking, “You are…?”
As soon as he asked, he felt his throat tighten again. This young Taoist, despite his age, showed no mercy. His grip was frighteningly strong; if he were an ordinary fox, his neck would have been snapped by now.
“Did you hear me?”
Young Master Bai dared not say more and hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes, this humble spirit understands. Venerable Taoist, rest assured, I won’t dare to see her again!”
After saying this, Young Master Bai finally felt his neck loosen as the Taoist casually tossed him aside and wiped his hands.
Now that he had concealed his aura, Young Master Bai realized the man’s sharp energy had disappeared, making him look like an ordinary person. This made the fox even more wary. To be able to cultivate such a level of returning to simplicity at this young age showed his extraordinary talent.
Seeing the fox huddled in the corner, not daring to move, the Taoist glanced at him again and said indifferently, “Go.”
Young Master Bai didn’t dare linger. He leaped over the wall in his current form and fled back to his mansion, not daring to show his face for several days.
It wasn’t until many days later that Young Master Bai ventured out again, this time in his female form. Miss Bai’s appearance was even more beautiful and graceful, like a delicate lotus in the wind, evoking pity and affection.
This time, she went out at the invitation of a young gentleman. Unexpectedly, in the East Market, Miss Bai caught sight of Wu Zhen. When she saw the tall, thin young man beside Wu Zhen, she froze, her face paling. It was the Taoist who had nearly strangled her that day! Miss Bai suppressed the urge to turn and run, forcing herself to stand still. The gentlemen surrounding her, seeing the beauty’s frightened expression, asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”
Miss Bai quickly composed herself and shook her head, saying, “It’s nothing.” After a while, she pretended to glance casually toward Wu Zhen and her companion, feigning curiosity as she asked, “Oh, isn’t that Lady Wu? My brother knows her. Who’s that gentleman beside her?”
The gentleman who had invited her out happened to know Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu, and promptly replied, “The man beside Lady Wu is her newly wedded husband, named Mei Zhuyu.”
Miss Bai let out a long sigh. No wonder he had come after her; it was out of jealousy. If she had known that the Cat Lord had married such a formidable Taoist, she wouldn’t have dared to approach. She had previously heard that the Cat Lord had married an ordinary man and found it strange. Now she understood—he was a Taoist priest. That made sense; how could the great Cat Lord marry an ordinary man?
Feeling she now understood the situation, Miss Bai recalled the Taoist’s cold words from before and touched her neck, still feeling a lingering fear. She decided that the next time she saw these two, she would turn and run. Beauty was good, but life was more important!
Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu had been browsing the East Market for a while, looking at a stall set up by a merchant from the Western Regions. Suddenly, Wu Zhen noticed her husband staring fixedly at something behind them. Following his gaze, she saw Miss Bai’s back and raised an eyebrow.
“That’s the recently famous Miss Bai. What do you think? Find her attractive?” Wu Zhen asked teasingly.
Mei Zhuyu turned away and shook his head, “No.”
Wu Zhen poked his chest, her joke carrying a hint of warning, “You’d better not get too close to that Miss Bai. Her brother, Young Master Bai, is not someone to be trifled with.” Ordinary people would only lose out when dealing with fox spirits.
Mei Zhuyu nodded, “I know. You should stay away from them too.”
Wu Zhen: “Alright, we’ll both keep our distance from them.”
They both harbored mutual concerns, though their faces didn’t show it, as they continued browsing the East Market. After a while, Mei Zhuyu glanced at Wu Zhen’s expression and suddenly said softly, “You’re the most beautiful. No one else compares.”
Wu Zhen: “…Pfft.” Her mood greatly improved, and she decided not to cause trouble for that Bai family fox spirit.