Hundreds of years ago, Shen Mo saved the madame of White Tiger Mansion. She was severely injured by the sudden invasion of the allied forces of Azure Dragon Clan and Vermillion Bird City. The madame is pregnant and to keep two lives safe, Shen Mo sacrificed his cultivation. As soon as the madame gave birth to her son, the infant already has a Nascent Soul. Shen Mo brought the pair of mother and child back to the base of White Tiger Mansion and quelled the war of the Four Constellations. Azure Dragon Clan and Vermillion Bird City vowed not to trouble White Tiger Mansion and the Black Turtle Palace.
Shen Mo left the White Tiger Mansion and later on heard of a prodigy. His name is Bai Muyan, the greatest talent of White Tiger Mansion. However, with his importance, others won't stand by and watch White Tiger Mansion be the strongest. Thus, they tried assassinating Bai Muyan. It was to the point the White Tiger Mansion sought Shen Mo's help. He secretly protected Bai Muyan for years.
Centuries flowed like a river and Bai Muyan became invincible. The White Tiger Mansion hosted a banquet. They invited Shen Mo to participate and be grateful to him. That night, Shen Mo appeared cloaked and no one recognized him. He should have fun drinking the best wines and chattering with drunk old friends but all he saw were male guests with their own wives flirting together. His eyes stung, his mind corroding and his heart bleeds severely. They look so old as if they are his grandfather instead but they have such pretty and coquettish wives!
What about him? None!
In spite, Shen Mo grabbed a jug of wine and dashed out of the banquet hall. He found a pavilion for himself and began drinking.
"Ai, when can I find the woman of my dreams?" Shen Mo lamented and noticed someone sitting across from him.
The other person filled the empty cup and drank wine too. Shen Mo raised his hazy eyes to see a young man in a neat white robe with a black tiger pattern on the back of his hand. If he remembers right, the black tiger mark belongs to the first son of White Tiger Mansion's patriarch.
"Mister, are you murmuring about a woman, or are you lovesick?" Bai Muyan asked in interest. Most of the guests are having fun with their women and courtesans but why is this cloaked person so alone here?
Shen Mo muttered something like a vague cursing. "I've been alone for one thousand years. I want to find a woman who can impress me at first glance. When will she show up?"
"One look and deep in love are rare to be true." Bai Muyan said, he sounded like he was lecturing Shen Mo.
"What about you, huh? I don't see any lady around."
"Ehm..." The young man choked. He wryly smiled and answered, "I suffer the same fate as you, Mister."
Shen Mo retrieved a cup from his space ring and filled it with wine. He raised the cup before saying, "Don't call me 'mister'. Let's be brothers and loath as much as we want, complain to the Will of Heaven till dawn for being such a demeaning witch she is!"
The next morning, they were sober and woke up in the same pavilion. Shen Mo introduced himself to Bai Muyan, so did the other. They are both shocked to finally meet.
"I would have called you 'uncle' or 'old man' but saying that will be improper!" Bai Muyan was in a state of shock. This is his mother's savior, his savior, and White Tiger Mansion's hero. "Are you sure you're more than a thousand years old?"
"What's your problem, hm? Is my face improper for my age?" Shen Mo felt insulted. That was his crucial problem his whole life.
"Ah? No, no! You look beautiful, Uncle, I mean, uhm..." Bai Muchen stuttered in fear because Shen Mo's gaze became demonic. He chose to shut up and dodge if ever Shen Mo beats him.
"Tsk, forget it. I let a brat like you live so it's me who sinned." He calmed down the instant and waved his hand. Shen Mo stretched his arms, an idea suddenly hitting his lazy brain. He took his jade token and handed it to Bai Muyan. "Well, I remember swearing being brother with you, and you heard me curse and spout nonsense, I won't take my words back. This token will be the proof of our friendship, ah. Also, you must promise me you will never, ever, tell anyone I cursed the Will of Heaven to marry an extremely, gross, fat, ugly god!"
"Eh?" Bai Muchen was speechless but seeing Shen Mo's serious and threatening gaze, he hurriedly accepted the token. "Many thanks, Brother Shen! I won't mention it to anyone, your secrets are safe with me."
"Sounds weird, but, okay." Shen Mo shrugged.
That is how their brotherhood started. Bai Muyan is quite the kind and hardworking man but Shen Mo is the opposite who only knows how to frolic and insult the Will of Heaven day by day. Even though they have differences, they got along well.
Yet, there is no such thing as a happy ending. Bai Muyan was attacked by a hired gu master, a cultivator expert in Poison Dao. He thought he healed but it was not the case. He just died in a sudden.
White Tiger Mansion mourned for months and waited for Shen Mo's arrival. Shen Mo was enraged one of his brothers died. Before visiting White Tiger Mansion, he sought for the person who ordered for Bai Muyan's death. It turns out it was the patriarch of Azure Dragon Clan. Shen Mo was merciful enough to exile the main branch of Azure Dragon Clan. He found a distant relative of the patriarch to become the next leader. After his light vengeance, Shen Mo didn't stop and went straight to Bai Muyan's funeral.
He told Bai Muyan's family about the original Azure Dragon Clan's main branch he exiled. White Tiger Mansion was not satisfied but with Shen Mo's persuasion, they calmed down. Up until now, Shen Mo no longer has any news about these two super forces. Bai Muchen's arrival shredded the grief Bai Muyan inflicted with his sudden departure.
"Muchen, may I know who is your mother?" Shen Mo curiously asked.
"My mother... She is Lan Xishi, an exiled member of Azure Dragon Clan." Bai Muchen thought it was fine if his mother is exiled from that place. That way, she can join White Tiger Mansion.
Shen Mo froze upon hearing that name. He observed Bai Muchen's face and understood that the boy knows nothing about Azure Dragon Clan. His mother, Lan Xishi, is deceitful and an expert of Poison Dao. However, Shen Mo didn't expect Bai Muyan will choose a woman over his life. What a waste of Wu's geniuses.
"Where is she then?" Cai became curious as well.
"I don't know. She brought me to the White Tiger Mansion five years ago and gave me this token. She said my father wants me to be Wu Patriarch's disciple that I shall offer myself in exchange for all the good deeds Wu Patriarch granted him and his hometown."
"Don't worry. Your mother will come back. Maybe there is a reason she left." Shen Mo assured the boy even though he guessed Lan Xishi abandoned her child. "Though I had accepted both of you, I have somewhere important to go to by the next morning. I already made an arrangement. Cai, you will study with your friends and keep your identity a secret. Muchen, you can choose to stay here and the supreme elders will guide you in case you are stuck in a bottleneck."
"Master, when will you come back?" Cai spoke first. What business is so important he is going to neglect them?
"Three years at most. Once I return, I will train you to be the strongest immortals." A faint smile hung on his face, he can tell she is a bit concerned. Shen Mo patted her head and told her, "After this matter, I won't leave the sect again."
"Master..." She felt quite disturbed. Cai can only nod and ask, "What does Master have to do?"
"Well..." Shen Mo looked away and cleared his throat. He can only weave a lie. "Cai, I never told you but your talent has a great drawback that may endanger you so I must seek for the materials to create the medicine for it."
Bai Muchen turned in Cai's direction. He hesitantly said, "Master, I will look after her."
"Good child." He was complacent with Bai Muchen's change of trait. "Muchen, Cai, study the scripture I gave you. The cultivation pills you two will need are ready in a qiankun bag. Cai, since I am sending you to the outer court, never expose to anyone what treasures you have. Muchen, you may visit the outer court once in a while to check on her. Don't let her be fooled by others, alright? She's still too young after all."
"Understood."
Shen Mo had prepared everything they will need in a qiankun bag. Elixirs, cultivation techniques, weapons of different levels, primeval stones, and even Mimi's food. He placed the qiankun bag on the same parlour early that dawn. The sun hadn't risen yet when he is ready to leave.
"Purr~."
Mimi rubbed her furry soft body on his boots. Shen Mo squatted down and stroked Mimi. That's when he noticed two pairs of bumps on its back. He used his divine sense, checking Mimi's body structure.
"This spirit beast is cultivating quite fast. In a year or so, it will soon become a Fierce Beast that is as strong as a cultivator in Body Training. Perhaps this spirit beast is mutated. Cai is so lucky." Shen Mo thought.
He stood up and stepped down the parlour. Shen Mo is about to leave the courtyard but he noticed a frail figure hiding from a sliding door.
"Cai, why are you up this early?"
Upon asking, Cai revealed herself. She went in front of Shen Mo while rubbing her arm.
"I can't sleep." She honestly answered. She has been awake when Shen Mo started preparing to leave.
"Silly girl. You don't have to worry. Your Master will come back in three years time." Shen Mo assured the little girl. Seeing that she is not convinced, he took another gift for her.
"Master, this is?" Cai looked at the puzzle box in confusion. It seems normal.
"When I was a boy, I used to live in a sect full of girls. I don't like hanging out with them and they see me as their enemy so I am by myself every day." Shen Mo knelt before Cai. While speaking, he started fixing the puzzle box to form one side completely. "This toy keeps me company whenever I feel alone. It is also the first gift I ever received from someone. Take care of it while I am away, and treat it like a treasure because from now on, it is yours. If ever you feel isolated, try this puzzle box."
Saying so, he completed one corner portraying an image of the universe. The puzzle box floated and its parts separated. A picture of darkness appeared that the scattered puzzle box showed. Words started appearing from the picture that keeps changing. Cai realized the puzzle box has six corners with different pictures, each portraying different eras and history. Starting from the start of time to the Primordial Era, Immemorial Period, and the current moment.
"Take care, Cai." Shen Mo tapped a certain part of the puzzle box and it reverted back to its original form. He gave the toy to Cai. "Always be a good person, even if they wrong you because karma has its own way in fate. It is fine to defend yourself. However, always remember, before you start a war, you must know what you are fighting for."
"En." Cai nodded fervently.
The morning sun rose from the East. Its warm faint glow complimented Shen Mo's arching rosy lips. His eyes sparkled like the autumn lakes, devoid of any corruption the world has. At that moment, Cai became dazed. It was too late when she noticed he turned his back and wore his hood as he went out of the courtyard. His kindness though was deeply imprinted on her heart.
"Three years, that won't be long." She muttered.