Chapter 107 – The Little Snow Ferret No Longer Ran Away (08)
A Brazen Provocation!
At this moment, only four words echoed in Bai Mo’s mind.
That mysterious figure has such abilities… If they truly wished to keep their existence hidden, they could have silenced the physician the moment he started talking. And yet, they had waited—waited until the physician had revealed everything—before killing him, and in front of both Brother Jianmu and the North Emperor no less.
Besides outright provocation, Bai Mo couldn’t think of any other explanation.
“Brother Jianmu, he’s dead.”
The key witness was gone.
The young snow ferret pursed his lips, unable to fathom who was scheming against the Netherworld Realm from the shadows. He had been away from home for too long—unfamiliar with the tangled web of relationships. Had the elders made enemies? Or was there someone who couldn’t stand to see the Netherworld prosper? After its unsealing, which faction would perceive it as the greatest threat?
Too many questions crowded Bai Mo’s mind, buzzing in chaotic disarray—it felt like his head was about to explode.
“It’s alright, don’t look. I’m here.”
A warm hand covered his eyes, and a voice as gentle as flowing spring water seeped into his ears—a true luxury to listen to.
Jianmu mistook Bai Mo’s silence for fear. It was understandable—though the young ferret could be ruthless when disciplining others, he always exercised restraint. When had he ever witnessed such a gruesome scene?
Jianmu had completely forgotten how, back in the mortal realm, Bai Mo had taken lives in self-defense without hesitation.
His gaze shifted to the cook, who was still pretending to be unconscious. She wasn’t the mysterious figure’s chosen pawn—just an accomplice the physician had roped in. The mysterious figure’s influence hadn’t reached the Northern Forest yet. For now, she had narrowly escaped death.
“Drop the act.” Jianmu’s voice carried an unspoken threat. “Tell us what you know, and you might have a sliver of hope. Stay silent, and you’ll end up like him.”
The cook’s eyes snapped open, filled with terror. The physician’s agonized screams still echoed in her ears. Unable to resist, she cast a glance toward his remains—and nearly fainted again.
Most of the physician’s body had been reduced to ash. Only a skull remained, still clinging to scraps of charred flesh. The corners of its mouth twisted into a grotesque smile, its eye sockets nothing but hollow darkness—until, suddenly, countless insects began crawling out of them.
A nightmare for anyone with trypophobia.
“Aaahh—ོhán@gē@ěr@zhēng@lí—!”
A piercing soprano scream shattered the silence, sending a flock of birds fleeing into the sky.
The cook scrambled backward, rolling and crawling until she reached Bai Mo’s feet.
Bai Mo wanted Jianmu to move his hand away so he could see what was happening, but Jianmu gave him no such chance. He turned Bai Mo around, pulling him into an embrace, and with a single sweep of fire, incinerated every last insect—leaving not a single one alive.
“Clever.”
The North Emperor scoffed, curling his lips in disdain.
Using insects as spies—attempting to let them breed within the Northern Forest to eavesdrop on their plans?
How utterly naive.
The cook finally pieced everything together and revealed everything she knew—including details even the physician hadn’t been aware of.
She had wrestled with her conscience while preparing the medicine, reluctant to add the Red Rainbow Grass. The first time, she had deliberately left it out. But when she returned after gathering firewood, she discovered that the medicine pot had been tampered with.
Through careful observation, she realized that at least two people in the kitchen had either been bribed or placed under someone’s control…
The saying “When the tiger is away, the monkey becomes king” fit the situation perfectly.
The Demon Lord had been forced to leave the Demon Realm to investigate an anomaly at Gu Weng Pagoda, the ancestral birthplace of the demon race. This temporary absence gave the mysterious figure the perfect opportunity to target the Consort.
In the Demon Realm, nearly everyone knew that the Consort was the Demon Lord’s most beloved treasure. If not for the Consort’s pregnancy—making long journeys unsuitable—and the harsh environment of Gu Weng Pagoda, the Demon Lord would have never left his side. Without this separation, there would have been no opportunity to strike.
Bai Mo smelled a monstrous conspiracy.
Without a doubt, this was a scheme to frame the Netherworld Realm.
The true goal? To drive a wedge between the Demon Realm and the Netherworld Realm, seizing the opportunity to annihilate the Netherworld while it was still weak.
As the Young Master of the Netherworld Realm—its future ruler—Bai Mo was furious.
Who dared to orchestrate such underhanded schemes in the shadows? If they had the guts, why not come forward and fight head-on?
According to the cook, it wasn’t just the prenatal medicine that had been tainted with Red Rainbow Grass—even the Consort’s drinking water, meals, and bathwater had been laced with substances of unknown effect. She had no idea what they were, only that from the day the Demon Lord left, these hidden hands had begun their work.
From that point on, the Consort had grown weaker with each passing day.
With the physician’s diagnosis to back them up, they had claimed that the Consort’s body simply couldn’t keep up with the growing child’s absorption of spiritual energy. This forced the Consort into a vicious cycle—taking more and more medicine in an attempt to replenish his strength.
This was also why the attendants had refused to let the Consort leave his chambers for walks—he had become too fragile. Just a few steps left him gasping for breath.
The child in his womb was draining his spiritual energy. The countless medicinal herbs corroding his inner spiritual meridians. How could he possibly endure such torment?
A terrifying chain plot—one link after another. Utterly chilling.
If Bai Tang hadn’t suddenly decided to drag Bai Mo to the Demon Realm to visit Ba Chuansu today, Su Su might have never known how he died.
The Demon Lord wouldn’t have returned for some time. By the time he did, Su Su would already be gone. And the official cause of death? Spiritual energy depletion.
The Demon Lord—who loved his consort more than life itself—would either follow Su Su in death or be consumed by guilt and despair.
In his weakened state, he might lower his guard, allowing the mysterious figure to strike again—perhaps even turning the Demon Lord into a puppet to attack the Netherworld Realm.
Or worse… the Demon Realm itself might fall into the hands of this unknown enemy.
As he considered these chilling possibilities, Bai Mo couldn’t help but shudder.
The mysterious figure was playing an immense game of chess.
Bai Mo was certain—neither the Demon Realm nor the Netherworld Realm was this enemy’s final target.
“We need to change the plan.”
The North Emperor exchanged a glance with Jianmu.
Since the cook was a member of the Demon Realm, even if she had acted under duress, she had still harmed Bai Chuansu.
The North Emperor had her imprisoned, leaving her fate to be decided when the Demon Lord, Lou Shun, returned.
The cook, unaware that her fate had already been sealed, thought she had escaped punishment. She put up little resistance as she was taken away by a messenger.
Meanwhile, the little snow ferret was sent to inform Bai Chuansu of everything that had transpired. If they didn’t explain things properly, the brewing conflict between the Demon Realm and the Netherworld Realm could escalate into something far worse.
Bai Mo agreed completely.
He had to uncover the mastermind behind this scheme and clear the Netherworld Realm’s name.
If spies could infiltrate the Demon Realm, then there was no guarantee that the Heavenly Realm was safe either.
Outsiders could not be trusted.
Fortunately, Bai Tang’s greatest strength was his healing abilities. Even after his soul returned to the Upper Realm, he had continued his training without pause. With him diagnosing and treating Bai Chuansu, the attendants who had come along finally felt a sense of relief.
“Your Highness, you’re awake. Do you still feel unwell anywhere?”
The attendant looked at Bai Chuansu’s pale face, his heart aching with both sorrow and regret.
How had he not noticed that the physician was a problem?
Because of his negligence, the Consort had suffered so much.
But it wasn’t just the physician—the entire kitchen had been compromised.
After hearing the cook’s confession, the attendant did not dare to think about how many other traitors might be lurking in the palace. The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became.
Thankfully, the North Emperor and the Netherworld Prince had arrived in time.
Thankfully. Thankfully.
With this realization, the attendant immediately fell to his knees in a deep bow before Bai Mo.
“Thank you for acting so swiftly, Your Highness. If not for you realizing something was wrong… the Consort might not have survived.”
“What are you doing? Get up, get up!”
Bai Mo was stunned. It took him a few seconds to react before he hurriedly motioned for the attendant to rise.
“Your Highness and His Majesty have shown me great kindness. I have no way to repay you, so the least I can do is bow to express my gratitude.”
The attendant’s name was Nu, a name tied to his origins. Many people had looked down on him. He once had a brush with death—at the time, he was certain his life was over.
But then, the Consort saved him.
Not only that, but the Consort even pleaded with the Demon Lord to let him serve at his side.
It could be said that the Consort had given him a second life.
If he had a choice, he would have gladly taken the poison in place of the Consort.
Now that the North Emperor and the Netherworld Prince had saved the Consort, the two of them were his eternal benefactors.
“There’s no need for all this,” Bai Tang interjected. “Just take good care of Su Su. When the Demon Lord returns, we’ll still need your help to root out any remaining spies.”
Seeing the attendant crying so hard that his face was a tear-streaked mess, Bai Tang couldn’t bear to reprimand him anymore.
His earlier frustration over the Consort’s care had already faded.
After all, no one was more distraught over this situation than the attendant himself.
With the abundant spiritual energy of the Northern Forest, combined with Bai Tang’s careful monitoring, Bai Chuansu’s breathing became much smoother. The frequent bouts of breathlessness and chest tightness eased, and the baby in his belly no longer kicked in protest.
After learning the full story behind the Red Rainbow Grass incident, Bai Chuansu rubbed his stomach, feeling a deep sense of lingering fear.
Gripping Bai Tang’s hand tightly, he expressed his endless gratitude.
He also sincerely thanked the little snow ferret, who had stepped in to help despite this being their first meeting.
“No need to thank me! You’re Tang Tang’s friend, so that makes you my friend too. If a friend is in trouble, of course, I’m going to help!” Bai Mo declared, pounding his chest with pride.
He hadn’t been in a good fight for a while.
The battle in the Demon Realm just now had been incredibly satisfying!
Especially seeing the guards’ frustrated expressions—
Unwilling to accept defeat. Unable to win. Yet having no choice but to swallow their pride.
Before long, the three of them were chatting away like old friends.
Meanwhile, the attendant bustled around with a smile—pouring water, personally preparing medicine according to Bai Tang’s prescription.
After what happened with the cook, he no longer trusted anyone else to handle the medicine.
Of course, the North Emperor and his consort would never harm the Consort.
But His Majesty’s status was too exalted—it wasn’t his place to trouble him with the task of brewing medicine.
Bai Chuansu told the attendant that he didn’t need to busy himself so much.
But guilt weighed heavily on the attendant’s heart—he needed to do something to make amends.
Seeing how restless and uneasy the attendant became every time he stopped moving, Bai Chuansu had no choice but to let him continue.
The three of them quickly found common ground and soon fell into a lively conversation.
Upon learning Bai Mo’s true identity, Bai Chuansu expressed a desire to visit the Netherworld Realm. However, before they could uncover the mysterious figure behind the recent events, the unsealing of the Netherworld Realm would have to be postponed once again.
Hearing this, the little snow ferret let out a sigh of frustration.
Bai Chuansu fell into a brief silence, deep in thought, before finally instructing the snow ferret to bring over the Mortal Dust Mirror.
Bai Mo, puzzled but compliant, handed it over.
To his surprise, Bai Chuansu suddenly activated his spiritual power, causing both Bai Tang and Bai Mo to startle.
“It’s alright, just wait a moment.” Bai Chuansu reassured them with a gentle smile as he awakened the Mirror Spirit, which had been in seclusion inside the Mortal Dust Mirror.
A moment later, a small, soft voice rang out—
“Daddy, you called for me?”
A tiny, adorable child appeared in the mirror’s reflection, rubbing their sleepy eyes.
“I’m sorry to disturb your cultivation, little Mirror Spirit,” Bai Chuansu said in a gentle tone. “I need your help with something~”
As a cat-fox hybrid, Bai Chuansu’s voice carried a naturally soft and alluring quality. Every lilting tone at the end of his words felt soul-stirring, sending a subtle shiver down Bai Mo’s spine, despite his usual composure.
“How could it be a bother when Daddy asks for my help? Just tell me what you need~”
The Mirror Spirit was a being nurtured by the combined blood and spiritual energy of Bai Chuansu and the Demon Lord while they were in the mortal realm.
In a way, the Mirror Spirit could be considered their child.
Now that Bai Chuansu was reaching out to him first, the little spirit couldn’t help but be overjoyed.
“Here’s the situation…”