Mainland has two alliances of its super forces, except for Tao Supreme Sect which declared independence. The two great dynasties are Zhou and Han. Zhou is strong with its manpower while Han is wealthy. Both aid one another than this is why they are on par with the second alliance, the Four Constellations. These are the Azure Dragon Clan of the East, the Vermillion Bird City of the South, the White Tiger Mansion of the West, and the Black Turtle Palace of the North. However, during the Primordial Era, there is the fifth guardian; the Golden Dragon Realm of the Center.
In the middle of nowhere, a lady appeared from a space gap. She looked fair with an hourglass-shaped body. Her wavy golden hair flowed down to her thin waist. Her eyes shone like the sunrise but her indifference is evident. The lady stepped away from the space gap that closed. She looked around, disdain appearing from her face.
"So, this is the outside world. It looks so ancient and plain." She spoke with a tone full of despise and dissatisfaction. "Oh, well, I can't complain. This is what the Holy Priestess asked."
She raised her hand and an array formed on her palm. Strings of white light came out from the array and materialized into a white tiger with four wings, sharp large fangs, and small white irises.
"Fenghu, start searching." She commanded. "The sooner we find the Holy Priestess' pet, we can return. I hate this downtrodden place."
"Never Wu's fault that their era is slow." The tiger said in opposition. "We should search in White Tiger Mansion first."
"En. I wonder what the civilization here looks like." The lady smiled haughtily as they proceeded out of the forest.
The day is sunny and perfect. Shen Mo left Tao Supreme Sect without the Will of Heaven showing up. He is heading to the White Tiger Mansion to visit them. After meeting Bai Muchen, the Bai Muyan he knows seems to be out of his grasp. He wanted to know how Bai Muyan got involved with Lan Xishi and if Bai Muyan's death is related to her.
Shen Mo was taking his time slowing his travel. The Will of Heaven seemed to be busy searching for the Chaos Bringer. She will never expect Shen Mo already fostered it.
"I hope Cai will have a blessed good future." Shen Mo sighed.
It was his first time encountering a Chaos Bringer. Will of Heaven seemed to regard Cai as a danger to all. For Shen Mo, the young girl is adorable and a perfect obedient apprentice. Not all disciples of a master are that compliant.
Shen Mo heard some voices below. He stopped on air and looked down to see three barbaric men chattering. Nothing seems normal not until he heard what they were talking about.
"Are you sure this is where that lady went?"
"Of course, I do. I was waiting for you guys here and saw her go straight."
"Isn't there a lake there?"
Once that question was raised, the three men grinned. They sneakily hurried to the nearby lake up front and saw a set of clothes hung on a tree branch. Wild anticipations were forged in their mind and as if the dress was not enough proof, they heard the soft splash from the lake and a satisfied hum of a girl.
Shen Mo appeared on a tree branch meters behind them. He propped his cheek on his palm, his eyes were hooded as he wondered, "These idiots. They didn't know there is a spirit beast nearby? Newbies."
He waited for a few more seconds and soon enough, a huge winged white tiger showed up in front of them. They were all stunned but it was too late. The tiger held them back with its paw. Shen Mo watched with interest but the tiger saw him. He quickly disappeared to leave the place. He just stayed there to see if the girl is safe. Out of his expectation, the tiger let the three men off and broke Shen Mo's concentration after lunging at him.
"This..." Shen Mo froze.
It was lucky he dodged on time. The wide area where he was once chilling was destroyed the instant. What's more, the tiger didn't exert any qi.
Shen Mo became serious. The tiger tried to lash its claws but Shen Mo vanished. He reappeared by the lake far from the tiger's view. Shen Mo thought he is ready to escape but his observant eyes drifted to the sparkling lake.
There is a lady bathing there. She is completely naked with half her body submerged into the shallow pool of water. Her wavy golden hair covered her slender upper body, hiding her impressive size. The lady is extraordinarily beautiful with a pair of bright golden eyes framed with long curvy lashes and willow brows. Her gaped red lips added more allure to her picture, stunned yet stunning.
However, Shen Mo didn't have enough time to appreciate the blessing.
"Fenghu!!!"
The lady shouted and the white tiger leaped from behind, ready to eat Shen Mo alive.
"Hey, kitty, those three guys over there peeped at your master!" Shen Mo avoided the attack and pointed at the unconscious and injured men. He felt wronged, he just took a minute of stare at the beauty, he didn't do anything more offensive!
"Fenghu! Kill that bastard!" The lady ordered in spite.
"Miss, that's not reasonable, I only saw you naked!" Shen Mo argued further. "It was never my intention to peep or see your chest, your legs, you-"
"Shut your dirty mouth!" All of a sudden, the lady emerged before him all dressed. She holds a Jian sword that is about to cut his cheek.
Shen Mo is done playing around and explaining. He held the sword and retrieved a calligraphy pen from his space ring. Without a word, he wrote the character 'time' visibly midair using qi. The world stopped, the Heaven stopped, the whole universe stopped.
"What a troublesome youngster." He muttered his dislike and carried her to a tree.
Shen Mo took some time pondering. He tied the girl on the tiger and wrote runes over the tiger. Shen Mo was done securing them and allowed time to flow again. The girl was stunned why she is tied to the tiger. She looked at Shen Mo contemptuously.
"Mainland descendants are all audacious pricks. If you dare to harm me, my family won't let you off!" She warned arrogantly.
Shen Mo only blinked like an innocent guy. He tapped the pen on his chin before saying, "Are you from the Western Desert?"
"Humph, you don't deserve to know." The lady scoffed in disdain.
"Okay. You won't mind if I do this though, right?" He stepped closer and took her Jian sword. Shen Mo placed the blade on her waistband as a warning.
"You, what are you doing?!" The girl panicked. She tried to kick and squirm but the runes brightened around her and kept her body stiff. "Evil Mainlander! Go away! I will tear you to pieces, shoo!!!"
"Whatever you say, it won't work." Shen Mo smiled evilly, his hand suddenly resting on the spot next to the girl's head.
She instantly went silent with gritted teeth. The girl's limpid eyes reddened a bit. "You are just a lowly Mainland descendant, you shouldn't be alive if not for my clan's sacrifice. I challenge you to be horrible and they won't let you die easily."
"Uh-huh. Who can hunt me down? No one in Wu can defeat me." Shen Mo belittled. He often used this trick of insult so the other will rebuke him and inform him the right answer.
"Golden-"
"Princess!" The tiger Fenghu interrupted her. "He is just annoying you to trick you into admitting where we are from."
"Scummy Mainlander!" She cursed again.
Shen Mo is still nonchalant. He looked at the tiger and said, "Huh, your spirit beast looks like my disciple's pet, Mimi."
"What did you say?" The lady was stunned. She wanted to ask more but Shen Mo turned his back to leave. "Hey! Don't go, stay right where you are!"
Unfortunately, Shen Mo didn't do as she demanded. His figure disappeared within the trunks and bushes of the forest. The lady was frustrated she shouted in anger.
"Are all kids these days that shorttempered?" Shen Mo clicked his tongue. "I guess that is enough."
He hid the calligraphy pen in his space ring. Shen Mo chanted an archaic language. At the same time, the runes on Fenghu shattered like fragile glasses. The lady fell down and with a bit of force, she broke free from the normal ropes.
"Damn, we lost him! He knows where the mutant is. It can't be he blurted that out of nowhere." The lady bit her nail and pondered deeply.
"The direction he went to is towards White Tiger Mansion. Let us assume he is heading west." Fenghu asserted.
This gave the girl a realization. She raised her hand and the thrown Jian sword ended up in her grasp.
"Fenghu, track his scent. Conceal your appearance so he won't recognize us."
Saying so, the lady flicked her sleeve and a wide veiled bamboo hat covered her face. Fenghu's body brightened and became a small tiger cub that has normal eyes, unlike Mimi.
"Fenghu, we must find him. I just can't believe that traitor will flee to this poor realm."
Fenghu didn't speak, he remained in her embrace like a chilling cat. What the lady said made him think to himself, "Your Highness, our ancestors belong to this world. I fear one day that your little dreamy world will collapse, and you will be forced to live where we began."
White Tiger Mansion is bustling when Shen Mo arrived but so much has changed since he last visited. Back when Bai Muyan is still alive, White Tiger Mansion is full of rowdy satisfied residents. Compared today, they all look quiet and problematic.
"Tsk, Bai Muyan gives a lot of headaches. If this gets worse, I will drag him out the Ghost Realm!" Shen Mo lamented.
His connection in the Ghost Realm will help him find Bai Muyan. Shen Mo didn't bother to look for Bai Muyan in the Ghost Realm so his friend can finally rest in peace. But with the internal strife of the Four Constellations, Lan Xishi's involvement, and Bai Muchen's sudden appearance, Shen Mo started questioning fate.
How the hell did that bastard friend of his hook with a lady?!
Just thinking about Bai Muchen's process of existence keeps tearing, trampling, wrestling, twisting, hurting, and stepping on Shen Mo's love life.
He doesn't really have any.
He thought Bai Muyan will keep his words!
Since he's the only reason Shen Mo is proud of himself for being single in 2,000 years.
"On the other hand, Lan Xishi is the mother of Muchen. She's the most precious daughter of the exiled patriarch of Azure Dragon Clan. Lan Xishi is also second to the clan leader Lan Gaofei in terms of power. Aside from my aunt, Lan Xishi is one of the vilest women here. She tricked a lot of righteous men just so they can assassinate Bai Muyan in exchange for her attention. Aiyo, Bai Muyan, what sort of disoriented defective brain does he have that he fell for Lan Xishi?"
For Bai Muchen's sake, Shen Mo will dig deeper. He must find out the truth and wait for Bai Muchen to grow up first before revealing what he finds out. Shen Mo is certain Bai Muchen will get affected once Lan Xishi showed up or he becomes curious about his family's affair.
Not far from Shen Mo's position, a girl with a wide bamboo hat and furry tiger cub is following him.
"Milady, please don't get too close or he might discover us." Fenghu helplessly said.
"You worry too much."
"Princess Jin Xuanwan, be careful. He is certainly not at our level. Perhaps he is as strong as Mr. Ma."
"Are you making me laugh?" Jin Xuanwan held down her laughter. "Ma Qinglong is not a wimp. I was just caught off guard when that man appeared and I acted a little bit rashly because he peeped at me. Wait till I get serious, I won't give him a chance. Unless he gives the mutant spirit beast."