Master of Ten Thousand Foxes

Dark clouds shroud the sky.

The wild wind rushes into the Bronze Hall.

Bai Mo sits behind the desk, on the sofa, and continues to unfold each Leaf of Rubbing, examining the peculiar botanical root system illustrations printed from the stone wall.

Two fox apprentices are seated beside him.

Huala la...

It’s the Butterfly Knot, pouring a cup of hot tea for the master.

Kacha cha...

It’s the Small and Big Eyes, helping the master break the sugar biscuits into small pieces for easy consumption.

"Is this a new dish from the cafeteria? It looks very crispy."

Seeing the golden-yellow biscuits and smelling the sweet aroma wafting from them, Bai Mo reaches out to take a piece but stops.

"Uh... Is this biscuit spread with honey and sugar frosting?"

It looks delicious!

But it’s too sticky, after eating a piece you’d have to wash your hands.

Bai Mo is about to look for chopsticks, but sees Small and Big Eyes pinching a piece with its fox claw, bringing it close to the master’s mouth.

"Ying ying ying!"

It wants to feed the master.

Bai Mo eats the piece of biscuit with a smile, crunching it, "Are you not afraid of dirtying your fox claw?"

But then sees Small and Big Eyes licking the honey and sugar frosting on its fox claw, a face full of happiness!

The master doesn’t want to lick hands, but the fox is willing to lick its paws!

Bai Mo pats its chubby neck, then continues to look down at the documents.

The two apprentices then raise their heads, looking at the screen floating in the haze above.

"Ying ying ying!"

"Ao ao ao!"

In midair, the scene transmitted by the Fire Toad Balloon, West Ridge Niu Bi Mountain, on the mountainside is the ancient temple, Cyan Dragon Pan Temple!

The daytime of the dream corresponds to the night in reality, then sees Niu Bi Mountain pulling electric lights and lighting bonfires to illuminate the night.

A group of people under the electric light, surrounding the bonfire, setting up tents, now encircling inside and outside the bonfire, either chanting, praying, or meditating. It was Miyamoto Rokuzo and his over one hundred followers.

Small and Big Eyes squints its eyes, together with Butterfly Knot looking up, not quite able to understand.

In reality, there are so many good, bright, warm houses, why do these weirdly dressed guys insist on running into the wild to feed mosquitoes?

Bai Mo raises his head and glances.

"They... We indeed don’t know what they’re up to.

"But they’re live streaming.

"Look, there are several cameras set up by the bonfire.

"Probably to live stream for the Sakura Region’s populace, to promote the Ancestral Court?"

Both foxes seem to understand, their brows furrowing and heads tilted.

But they don’t need to fully understand... The master’s task for them is merely to keep an eye on the live broadcast during their leisure time of sorting documents, ensuring these guys don’t do anything bad.

Bai Mo slightly adjusts the view, seeing their live broadcast screen.

Seeing the screen, thick and fast barrage scrolls across, all in Sakura characters, Bai Mo can’t understand.

But among the texts frequently appears animated expressions of hands clasped together, paired with long words, instantly filling the screen with devotion.

"In his live stream, you can only see the bonfire tents, see fasting, see the light.

"His audience is already impatiently expressing devotion.

"But the camera can’t capture, the audience can’t see, beyond the screen, beyond the light, this wilderness, including that dilapidated temple not far away, is shrouded in the dark night."

Bai Mo smacks his lips, picks up the hot tea, and takes a sip.

He can’t manage that much.

The end is nigh, civilization will be overthrown, maintaining the stability of Jiuzhou is already challenging, can’t mind others’ trifling matters.

...

Bai Mo finishes transcribing a sketch of root systems, rolls up the last Leaf of Rubbing on the desk.

"All the documents from the stone wall are complete."

Beside him, the two fox apprentices Small and Big Eyes and Butterfly Knot hold up freshly cleaned Stone Slabs.

"Ying ying ying!"

"Ao ao ao!"

Both foxes cheerfully stack the Stone Slabs beside the desk for the master’s convenience.

"Are these newly delivered?"

The quantity isn’t much... But that’s normal, after all, archaeology isn’t farming, whether there’s output or not depends on luck.

"Are they related to root systems?"

Content doesn’t seem right... Bai Mo picks one up, glances, and curls his lips.

For some reason, recently he has a hunch... The Ancient Immortal’s systematic research and immortal technique documents about root systems seem quite scarce!

"This document is... Celestial Immortal employment rules?

"Found the Celestial Immortal base again?"

[...Principally, the Celestial Immortal sequence is required to be higher than Fallen Immortal...]

Principally?

Bai Mo grins widely. As per international practice, where there’s "principally," there are "actual situations."

Principally, the Celestial Immortal sequence is required to be higher to handle cases.

In reality, there are not enough Celestial Immortals, not strong enough, this rule is hard to meet?

The number of Fallen Immortal in the Ancient Immortal Dynasty seems more than imagined!

One clause after another looks through, all are some conventional regulations.

Until seeing a certain one, Bai Mo frowns.

[...The Celestial Immortal from Vassal Kingdoms coming for training, cannot control Celestial Law within ten years]

[After controlling Celestial Law cannot return to Vassal Kingdoms to execute tasks]

What kind of logic is this?

He reads further, soon understanding the reason.

[...The Celestial Immortal from Vassal Kingdoms, will acknowledge Pill Palace’s identity more than the locals, will pay more attention to the honor of Pill Palace than the locals]

[When they control Celestial Law, upon encountering Fallen Immortal offending the Pill Palace’s dignity, they tend to be fiercer, more radical, more strict]

[When they control Celestial Law, if returning to Vassal Kingdoms to execute tasks, they will severely punish any disrespect towards the Sovereign Kingdom, often excessive]

"Ah?

"Convert’s fanaticism?

"Such a saying existed in the Ancient Immortal Dynasty?

"But aren’t they trainees? Ultimately, they have to return to the Vassal Kingdom?"

Bai Mo awkwardly smiles, not knowing what to say.