Chapter Fifty-One: True Gold Fears No Fire

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“By the way, when I returned, I overheard some soldiers gossiping about the business between the Goat Vanguard and the Wolf Vanguard. What was that all about?” Yuan Wuyi wished to hear King Yurong’s summary of the matter. If it was nothing more than petty jealousy, he would let it die of its own accord; but if there was something more to it, Yuan Wuyi was keen to witness such an amusing affair—especially as it involved Black Moon, which made it all the more intriguing.

“It’s really nothing major,” King Yurong began. “Not long after you left, the Wolf Vanguard awoke, but his intelligence had diminished drastically—gone was all his former cunning. Strangely, the steward now claims Wolf Vanguard as his nephew.”

“On the second day after his awakening, Wolf Vanguard began to beat drums and sound horns on Mount Five Camphors, declaring he would marry the Cat Demon. Most in Five Camphors Cave know the Cat Demon’s connection to the Goat Vanguard. Wolf Vanguard’s actions provoked Goat Vanguard, who ambushed him and left him wounded. But that only angered the steward, who punished Goat Vanguard with a thorough whipping.”

“After that, Goat Vanguard dared not confront Wolf Vanguard openly, resorting instead to petty tricks behind his back. With Wolf Vanguard’s diminished intelligence, he always gets the worst of it.”

King Yurong rattled off a long account.

“That’s all?” Yuan Wuyi questioned.

“Not quite. Do you recall the young Tiger Demon from before?”

Yuan Wuyi hadn’t expected such an ordinary affair to involve all the top figures of Five Camphors Cave.

“Of course I remember.”

“After your gift, his strength soared and his intelligence is unlike before. He’s even taken a name for himself now—Tiger Baisheng.”

“Go on.”

“One day, Tiger Baisheng took the Cat Demon to suppress the remnants on Mount Five Camphors. Unexpectedly, Wolf Vanguard and Goat Vanguard followed. Tiger Baisheng, having grown up with Goat Vanguard, favors him and deliberately ignores Wolf Vanguard, who, with his diminished wits, fails to notice and simply clings to the Cat Demon.”

“During the campaign against the mountain’s remnants, the Cat Demon fell into peril. Thanks to Wolf Vanguard’s low intelligence, when he saw her in danger, he disregarded his own safety and shielded her from a deadly strike. Tiger Baisheng rushed in to rescue both Wolf Vanguard and the Cat Demon.”

The more Yuan Wuyi listened, the more he sensed a discrepancy from the soldiers’ gossip.

“If Wolf Vanguard saved the Cat Demon, why does she still resent him?”

“Brother, those are the machinations of Tiger Baisheng and Goat Vanguard. In truth, after Wolf Vanguard saved her at the cost of his life, the Cat Demon returned to Five Camphors Cave willing to marry him. But Goat Vanguard objected, and Tiger Baisheng, not wanting a dull-witted Wolf Vanguard as his brother-in-law, favored Goat Vanguard, leading to the current situation.”

King Yurong drained his cup, as if this were the only matter to have captured his interest in the two centuries since Yuan Wuyi left Mount Five Camphors.

“Now it makes sense,” Yuan Wuyi said, and continued drinking and reminiscing with King Yurong about the events of the past years.

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“So, Brother, you truly have remarkable skills. I wonder when we might meet your lady, haha!”

“Second Brother, there will be a chance in the future,” Yuan Wuyi replied, telling King Yurong about Xiao Yu, though omitting crucial details.

“Your Majesty, Second Lord, General Tiger, Steward, Wolf Vanguard, Goat Vanguard, and others have come to pay their respects,” a demon soldier reported.

“Let them in!” Yuan Wuyi waved his hand, dismissing the soldier.

Yuan Wuyi and King Yurong set down their cups.

“We welcome Your Majesty back to the mountain,” Tiger Baisheng, Black Moon, and the others knelt before Yuan Wuyi. Even Black Moon had to bow openly.

Yuan Wuyi seized the opportunity to observe Tiger Baisheng, who indeed seemed changed—Yuan Wuyi could see the ambition in his eyes.

The once young Tiger Demon had become a shrewd and ambitious great demon; his power had certainly played a part, but so had the environment in which he lived.

Black Cheng’s face was pale; he entered supported by the Cat Demon. Goat Treading, seeing Black Moon at Black Cheng’s side, could only bury his resentment deep within, not daring to let it show.

Black Moon was startled by Yuan Wuyi’s transformation; the unknown strength and the powerful magical artifacts he possessed made Black Moon even more uneasy.

“Rise,” Yuan Wuyi gestured for them to stand.

“Your Majesty, where have you been all these years? We have missed you dearly!” Tiger Baisheng spoke first. Now a general within Five Camphors Cave, his authority was considerable.

In terms of cultivation, excluding the hidden Black Moon, he was now the third strongest.

“There’s no need for you to ask,” Yuan Wuyi replied.

A tense silence settled over Five Camphors Cave; no one spoke, and Yuan Wuyi said nothing more.

He understood Tiger Baisheng’s ambitions, but it would be wise for Tiger Baisheng to behave himself before he figured things out—never forget how you acquired your power; what was given can be taken away.

“I hear Goat Vanguard and Wolf Vanguard are not getting along,” Yuan Wuyi finally remarked after a long pause.

“Your Majesty, my nephew and Cat Xue’s bond was forged in life and death—I beg you to grant them marriage,” Black Moon interjected swiftly.

“Your Majesty, I am now a general of Five Camphors Cave. If word gets out that my brother-in-law is a fool, it will tarnish our reputation,” Tiger Baisheng insisted, as if his argument was the most reasonable.

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“Little Tiger, how can you say such things?” Cat Xue could no longer endure Tiger Baisheng’s persistent mockery of Black Cheng. In the past, perhaps she would not have intervened, but things were different now.

“Silence, all of you,” King Yurong stopped the brewing quarrel.

“Cat Xue, who do you truly favor?” Yuan Wuyi looked to the Cat Demon.

“I... I don’t know.” In the past, the Cat Demon would certainly have chosen Goat Treading, but after all that had happened, her feelings had changed. From Yuan Wuyi’s perspective, Black Cheng was the clear choice—for risking his life to save her, that alone was enough. Yet there was also the centuries-long bond with Goat Treading, which could not simply be discarded.

“Then let’s abide by your previous wager,” Yuan Wuyi dismissed the crowd. As for Black Cheng’s injuries, with Black Moon’s abilities, they should be easily healed.

“Brother, such trifles need not trouble you—let them resolve it on their own,” King Yurong commented from the side.

“Agreed. Second Brother, have the remnants of Mount Five Camphors been completely cleared?”

“That was handled by Tiger Baisheng. There shouldn’t be any issues.”

No issues? If it were the old Tiger Demon, there would be nothing to worry about; but with the current Tiger Baisheng, who knew? Tiger Baisheng had performed well under King Yurong, or he would not have been made general of Five Camphors Cave.

“Come, Brother,” King Yurong raised the wine jar and continued to toast with Yuan Wuyi.

The former retreat now served as Yuan Wuyi’s residence.

“The Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield is truly wondrous,” Yuan Wuyi marveled, constantly fiddling with the shield he had seized from Nezha. The nine dragon souls within were potent nourishment for Yuan Wuyi. Yet with his current cultivation, fully absorbing them would be a daunting task—the Threefold True Fire unleashed by the dragon souls was not easily dealt with.