Master of Ten Thousand Foxes

These days, Fox Mountain has been monitoring Miyamoto Rokuzo, but the fox apprentices haven’t detected any issues.

Bai Mo occasionally glances at the surveillance footage but hasn’t noticed anything amiss.

Yet...

"Isn’t there something off about their dance?

"So many people, spinning in circles, their necks and heads swaying like snakes.

"It could be described as a dance venerating serpentine deities.

"But it could also be... are they swinging their necks and faces, looking at something? Searching for something? Searching for a particular angle?"

Not entirely sure, Bai Mo lays back in his chair with his apprentice, closes his eyes, and shifts his perspective towards the Fire Toad, temporarily focusing on the Cyan Dragon Pan Temple.

...

Amid the melodious sound of the Shakuhachi, men and women are dancing in circles, twisting their necks like serpents, their eyes darting everywhere.

These ninjas, witches, wandering samurai, and yin-yang masters... aren’t feeling too good.

They originally intended to visit grandly, stay in big hotels, eat at fancy restaurants, tour around, chat, and buy some souvenirs.

Unexpectedly, upon arriving in Jiuzhou, Miyamoto Rokuzo dragged them to this mountain valley, where they sleep in tents, eat vegetarian meals, feed mosquitoes, and no matter day or night, are compelled to dance this foolish dance... They somewhat feel like they’ve been deceived by coming on this visit!

Yin Yang Master Goutong Erlang mixes in the dancing crowd, stepping to the beat, spinning circles, twisting his arms and neck... He isn’t even slightly devout, hardly believing in Xiangliu or Yaqi. At this moment, his dance movements are the most mechanical, devoid of aesthetics and emotion, merely shifting his footsteps and nodding his head according to Miyamoto Rokuzo’s past training.

His feet move to the right, his body turns thirty degrees clockwise, all movements are skilled, his head spins in a circle, reminiscent of a sunflower seeking the sun.

As his head turns to a certain angle, he suddenly has a strange illusion.

It feels as if his gaze, his vision, is penetrating the courtyard walls of the Cyan Dragon Pan Temple, penetrating the layered ridges of the West Ridge Mountain Range, penetrating the mix of wild, lush forests of yellow and green, and penetrating the massive stone walls of the mountains, meeting a pair of enormous, blood-red eyes!

What is that?

Whose eyes are those?

He hesitates for a moment, suddenly both the roots of his ears itch.

But the drumbeat of the taiko continues to set the rhythm, and he immediately reacts, adjusting his posture to continue dancing with his companions.

The circle’s center, Miyamoto Rokuzo, is frozen for a moment.

"Master, did you see it? Can you locate the Ghost Car?"

The laughter of the Ancient Immortal echoes in his mind.

"Hahaha.

"Hahahaha.

"Found it!"

...

In the office.

Bai Mo lies on the office chair, holding his apprentice, and opens his eyes.

Just moments ago, he saw that Sakura Onmyoji paused, his gaze seeming to freeze, seeing Miyamoto Rokuzo’s eyes suddenly light up!

"Could the crux of the issue truly be the sightline?

"Is there something peculiar in the direction that Onmyoji is looking?"

He sits up straight, holding his apprentice and takes a sip of hot tea.

No rush to act... just need to keep an eye on Miyamoto Rokuzo and his companions, waiting for them to make the first move.

After all, that thing that causes feathers to grow behind ears is too sinister, the mechanism unclear, there’s no need to take risks.

Bai Mo opens the Expert database, ready to browse some modern botany papers when he suddenly hears Su Yaoyao and Fang Xiaoyu quietly complaining nearby.

"Did this person not manage to get tickets?"

"Right, otherwise why act so oddly?"

Noticing Bai Mo’s glance, Fang Xiaoyu turns the post over to Bai Mo.

"Expert Bai Mo, take a look at this."

Upon opening, it’s a complaint post.

[Given how severe things are, with immortal-related crimes throughout Jiuzhou, can we really hold a concert? Dare to host such large gatherings? Are they all out of their minds?]

This post has sparked intense discussion.

[Why shouldn’t we have one? Sakura Region holds large concerts all the time, why can’t we?]

[White Seagull Region holds them all the time too]

[Lamp Eagle Region hasn’t been shy about it either]

[They don’t have Ancient Immortals causing trouble there]

[We seem indeed shouldn’t hold one]

[Hahaha, argue all you want, I’m already in West State, going to the concert tonight]

[I also think, holding this stuff is sheer madness]

Bai Mo ponders for a moment, about to type a reply to the post when suddenly a long comment refreshes on the screen.

[I once heard of a city that was surrounded by an enemy nation’s army for hundreds of days]

[From the green grassy spring to the snow-white winter, this city remained surrounded, with armies constantly arrayed outside its walls, its gates tightly shut, unable to open]

[Outside the city walls, there was gunfire, the roar of battles, blood flowing like rivers]

[The walls could be bombed down at any moment, the fortress shattered by enemy iron hooves]

[But during these hundreds of days, every street in the city was still regularly cleaned, the roads had no garbage, no fallen leaves]

[During these hundreds of days, schools in the city continued classes, continued testing, students continued singing in music rooms, or learning sports on playgrounds]

[During these hundreds of days, the city’s theaters opened nightly, citizens dressed up after busy days to enjoy exquisite operas]

[During these hundreds of days, every Monday, the city’s square held flag-raising ceremonies, each filled with complete rituals and music, each always attended by citizens crowding the square for salute]

[Thus, what I want to say is, the Ancient Immortals covet the Human World in dreams, criminals wreak havoc in the Human World, yet every one of us can still live normally and dignified, every one of us can still rightly enjoy happiness after a busy day]

[Naturally, we can also fully enjoy this concert]

[As for any potential dangers and pitfalls, and the security and precautions needed for activities, there’s no need for everyone to worry]

[These bothersome things, leave them to us]

[Here’s another good news]

[All tickets for this concert are paid for by the Immortal Committee]

[Those who’ve bought tickets will receive refunds within three working days]

[Here’s another good news]

[People who didn’t get tickets can watch the entire concert for free via online stream]

[You can listen to the beautiful and uplifting songs, and feel the fervent atmosphere through your phone screen]

[That’s all, hoping everyone understands, hoping everyone enjoys]

[Tonight, each one of us, see you there]

Bai Mo doesn’t even need to look to know the signature at the end.

The kind of person who speaks like this could only be Wu Qingyun’s grandfather, the Head of the Immortal Committee...

[Wu Jianxian]

In fact, upon closer inspection, Wu Jianxian’s reply differs from others.

His reply background is a unique soft golden hue on the entire forum, the font a sole elegant cursive.

In the mere minutes, this reply has garnered over a hundred thousand likes!

[The Head speaks well, we must hold a concert, we need this spirit!]

[For this concert, I bet the Immortal Committee won’t have it easy]

[Even if the world is perilous, we are entitled to live with dignity, entitled to enjoy joy unashamedly, the Head speaks too well]

Bai Mo is viewing replies when he suddenly receives a private message from Zhang Shan.

[Oh my, it’s exhausting]

[Still setting up security at Liuhe Stadium]

[Half of the West State Immortal Committee has poured in here]

[For the Head to put on a show, we really have it tough, hahaha]

Bai Mo grins too.

He returns to the forum, giving the Head’s reply a like.

Instantly, below the thumbs-up icon on the page, a label pops up.

[Expert Bai Mo finds this excellent!]

Huh?

Is this something new?

When was this added?

Bai Mo tugs at the corner of his mouth, feeling very embarrassed, wishing he could revoke that like.

"Well... fine... just leave it."