CBGC - ch179

Chapter 179: The Snare

After half a month of recuperation, Bai Su’s injuries are mostly healed. He understands that without a boundary lake here, the only way to leave is to wait until the full moon, when Jiu Yue will perform the necessary ritual to send them out.

The next full moon is still three months away, and leaving through the boundary lake created by the Mirror of Reality will be far more reliable than attempting to brute-force their way out through the array here.

Bound by the invisible Binding Gold Cord, Bai Su remains in contact with the Bai family. He plans to wait three months, and if that doesn’t work, he’ll consider other options. During his recovery, he dedicates some time to keeping Big Bai entertained. Now that he’s healed, Bai Su decides to explore the beast realm, hoping to uncover some useful clues. At the very least, studying this realm’s unique methods might enhance his own knowledge of arrays.

Another reason he’s eager to leave is that the fox, Jiu Yue, has become a constant nuisance, often flitting around under his nose. Her high cultivation level gives him a headache. Su Tingyun’s gloating only adds to his annoyance.

“Going to look around the realm?” Su Tingyun asks after hearing his plan. “Then I’ll go with you.”

With its abundant spiritual energy and mysteries, the beast realm likely holds many natural treasures, possibly even hidden realms. A journey out could be worthwhile.

Before they set out, Su Tingyun borrows a map of the realm from Jiu Yue. As soon as she receives it, Bai Su casually takes it, studying it for a moment. His fingers trace along the map, and finally, he draws a faint green line with his spiritual energy. Finished, he hands it back to Su Tingyun.

Looking at the delicate design traced in energy, Su Tingyun asks, “This is…?”

Examining the design closely, she murmurs, “This is a Yayu, isn’t it?”

With just a few strokes along the map’s edges, Bai Su sketches the image of a Yayu—the dragon-headed, tiger-bodied ancient beast. Pointing to one of the dragon’s horns, he says, “This is where I squeezed in.”

At the time, seeing the dragon horn, he assumed it was a dragon. He hadn’t expected it to be the remains of the legendary Yayu, a creature from ancient myth. Compared to a dragon, the Yayu is far more fearsome; dragons have both good and bad among them, but a fully deceased Yayu is undoubtedly a vicious beast. Which means that this realm rests on the remains of one of the most ominous creatures known.

Though this land appears serene, with its lush mountains and abundant spiritual energy, Bai Su feels a faint unease, sensing something hidden within. He remains vigilant.

"The previous Beast Saint of this realm was a Yayu," Su Tingyun explains. "It was ruthless, cruel, and foul, killing countless female demons." She pauses, "But Big Bai managed to talk it to death."

The idea of Big Bai talking the Yayu to death is so absurd that Su Tingyun laughs aloud, and Bai Su’s lips curve up in amusement as well. Like the first sunlight after a rain, illuminating morning dew, Bai Su’s smile captivates Su Tingyun. She recalls her first glimpse of his face without his mask at the cliff’s edge, his features aglow as if gathering all the starlight. In that fleeting moment, she wondered why all the men in their world are so beautiful—

Or, really, why everyone looked leagues beyond her own appearance at the time.

Now, Su Tingyun realizes Jiu Yue was right; Bai Su really is handsome. Now that she thinks about it, only Su Lijiang is comparable to him. They're both so good-looking, it's hard to tell who's more handsome. If she's forced to choose which one's better, by their relationship, Su Tingyun definitely thinks Bai Su is better. Su Lijiang was too cold later on, his aura forbidding. A man who seemed unapproachable. Even looking at him for longer than a second seemed blasphemous. Bai Su, on the other hand, while cold with strangers, is only like the thawing coolness of February and March. And with close friends and family, Bai Su is incredibly patient.

He's always been this way. Back in the White Cloud Realm, he treated Ren Jia and Ren Yi, who shared no blood ties with him and were far weaker, with kindness. As a higher-realm cultivator, he endured Ren Yi’s quirks without complaint, showing he is anything but cold-hearted. Despite facing family tragedy, false accusations, and bearing heavy burdens for thousands of years, Bai Su remains steadfast. It’s no surprise, really; the entire Bai family’s character is admirable, and perhaps it’s this very virtue that the Word Spirit of the Heavenly Dao has chosen them.

Lost in thought as she gazes at Bai Su’s smile, Su Tingyun barely notices how long she’s been staring. Her ears redden, and she turns her head away, snapping back to her senses. She shakes open the map, pointing, “Hey, look at this—the sacred temple seems to be located right at the Yayu’s heart.”

When Su Tingyun casually mentions the temple’s location, Bai Su pauses, examining it thoughtfully. “It’s strange that this realm is sealed entirely. There's abundant spiritual energy here, and the beast clans are very powerful. That fox would rank in the top ten if she were in the True Immortal Realm. The True Immortal Realm should logically rank the highest among the Three Thousand Realms, and it should be the ultimate proving ground for the strongest.”

“‘That fox’ has a name: Jiu Yue,” Su Tingyun says.

“Right,” Bai Su nods. “She advanced only recently and hasn’t fully consolidated her realm yet. That’s why I said top ten. If her level becomes stable, she’d likely rank among the top three. And with her divine weapon, she would be even more formidable.”

Su Tingyun: "…"

So Bai Su clearly finds Jiu Yue annoying, responding so quickly yet still calling her “that fox.”

“The Three Thousand Realms are structured like a pyramid, with the True Immortal Realm at the top. Normally, cultivators from lower realms ascend there, converging at the peak. But now there’s another realm, one nearly as strong, and that disrupts the Heavenly Dao. Is that what you mean?” Su Tingyun asks.

At that moment, Xuanyuan Wentian, who's been resting in her consciousness, suddenly speaks. “How did that ancient Yayu die again? I can’t quite remember. But maybe it didn’t die after all—maybe it’s just waiting to be resurrected, ha!”

The Yayu is different from other monsters, as its power doesn’t stem from human hearts, unlike demonic creatures. It's like a divine beast that has succumbed to its own heart demons. If it has some breath left, it wouldn’t be shocking if it has survived.

With a chuckle, Xuanyuan Wentian adds, “You might even be inside the Yayu’s stomach right now.”

Su Tingyun is struck dumb. What conspiracy is this? She's creeped out by the thought of being inside the stomach of a Yayu. She appears dazed as she converses with Xuanyuan Wentian, and when her attention shifts back to the outside world, she realizes Bai Su is watching her intently. Being under the gaze of such a handsome man feels like being stared at by the Yayu’s piercing golden eyes, his gaze almost burning. Her cheeks warm under his focused stare.

Stop staring at people like that!

She was just dazed! Just chatting with Xuanyuan Wentian!

She clears her throat, coughing twice into her fist. “I was just, uh, chatting with a primordial spirit in my consciousness.”

“Hmm. What does he know?”

“He was wondering if the ancient Yayu might not be dead and suggested we might be inside it. I mean, how could a primordial beast survive so long? That’d make it almost godlike. Seems impossible, right?” Su Tingyun hesitates to believe it. This beast realm isn’t vast, but neither is it small—flying across its diagonal would take her at least two days without rest. A beast’s stomach containing mountains, rivers, and living beings? That sounds more like a divine artifact than a beast’s stomach.

“Let’s check the border areas; we might find some clues.” With his broader experience, Bai Su finds the idea plausible and proposes they investigate.

The two set out toward the border areas on the map. Starting from the center, they reach the Yayu’s front paw area after less than a day’s journey. Although this is on the map’s edge, there happens to be a small demon beast town right at the paw. Scanning the town with his spiritual sense, Bai Su notes that the demons here aren’t especially powerful. The strongest one is slightly weaker than Su Tingyun, likely at the fourth level of Human Immortal, while a few others are at the first or second level.

However, the fact that even a small town has multiple Human Immortals indicates that this realm truly rivals the True Immortal Realm.

Entering the town, they quickly draw attention. Their powerful aura creates a subtle pressure, keeping most demons at a distance, though one or two reckless individuals inevitably step forward to block their path.

The leader of the group wears a long yellow robe. Though he's a demon beast, he has no beastly features and looks fully human. Mounted on horseback and holding a long, gleaming blade, he swings it toward Su Tingyun and Bai Su, and the tension escalates immediately.

“Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing!” The man’s rugged face breaks into loud laughter. “Since you’ve come to my Iron Claw Town, don’t leave! Come home with me and bear my children!” He glances dismissively at Bai Su, spits to the side, and sneers, “What’s that pretty boy got to offer, huh? Stick with me, and you’ll live the high life—food, drink, you name it!”

Pretty boy…

Bai Su…

Luckily, Bai Su doesn’t fully understand the intricate beast tongue; otherwise, his face might've turned green with irritation. How does this yellow-robed man not sense the pressure of Bai Su’s aura? Just how brave does he have to be to take on someone clearly stronger than him?

This is Su Tingyun’s first encounter with a roadside lecher, and it excites her inner old lady’s heart. She, Su Tingyun, is being flirted with by a bandit! This classic scene, a must in any transmigration story, is happening to her for the first time! She’s so thrilled she could almost blush and hide her face in mock embarrassment.

Although she’s regained her youthful appearance, Su Tingyun usually still thinks of herself as a Granny. The idea of being checked out by strangers feels as thrilling as a young maiden stepping onto a sedan chair for the first time. She’s close to blurting out, “Hey, buddy, are you blind?”

Just then, Bai Su asks, “Why are you laughing?”

Huh? Was she laughing? Was it that obvious?

Su Tingyun lets out a little chuckle, deciding not to intervene, and shuffles behind Bai Su, leaning closely against his back, letting him fully block her view of the rogue.

The gesture makes Bai Su narrow his eyes with a hint of a smile. He suddenly wonders if maybe he should slow down, take his time, and not dispatch this group of demons too quickly. He raises his palm, a faint green glow emanating from it…