Moonlit Reunion

A family surnamed Bai had newly moved into Xuanyang Lane next to the East Market. The household consisted of dozens of stewards and servants, with only two masters—a brother and sister pair said to have relocated from Quzhou to Chang'an. Upon arriving, they purchased a mansion in Xuanyang Lane rumored to be haunted. Within days, they had cleaned and elegantly refurbished the residence. The beauty of the Bai siblings—Young Master Bai and Lady Bai—became the talk of the town among those who had seen them.

Young Master Bai was strikingly handsome, exuding charm and grace, and his lavish generosity quickly earned him a place among Chang'an's wealthy elite, making quite a splash.

When Mei Zhuyu first heard about this Young Master Bai at the Ministry of Justice, he paid no attention. However, when he unexpectedly saw the legendary Young Master Bai walking alongside Wu Zhen, a sense of wariness and displeasure arose in him.

Not because he was displeased at seeing his newlywed wife getting along well with a strange man—but because he immediately recognized Young Master Bai as a fox spirit. While Monsters could be good or bad, the majority tended to harm humans. Moreover, creatures like fox spirits, even without malicious intent, would inevitably drain the vital energy of ordinary people if they got too close. Excessive loss of vitality could lead to fatigue at best and shortened lifespan at worst.

Young Master Bai was overly attentive to Wu Zhen, smiling at her with a bewitching charm that clearly hinted at ulterior motives. Mei Zhuyu couldn’t possibly allow him to linger near Wu Zhen.

Yet, he couldn’t expose the fox spirit right there on the street—lest it startle his wife.

Meanwhile, Wu Zhen had gone out intending to bring some fresh treats back for her husband, only to run into Young Master Bai. His family had adapted quickly to life in Chang'an, blending in effortlessly. Fox spirits were naturally smooth and sociable, and Wu Zhen knew this well. However, this Young Master Bai seemed particularly interested in her—his excessive attentiveness and the frequency of their "chance" encounters were too deliberate.

"Lady Wu Er Niangzi, are you looking to buy some fresh snacks? I was just thinking of getting some for my younger sister, but I’m not familiar with Chang'an. Would you have any recommendations?" Since they weren’t in the Demon Market, he addressed her as Lady Wu Er Niangzi. The ordinary title rolled off his tongue with a tender, almost lover-like murmur, his eyes seductive, making his intentions unmistakably clear.

Wu Zhen remained unmoved, merely giving him a faintly amused sidelong glance. Buying snacks for his sister? Others might not know, but she was well aware—Young Master Bai had no sister. The so-called Bai siblings were just him alone. Most fox spirits had no fixed gender and could switch between male and female forms at will. Just like her deputy, Huzhu, who was also a fox spirit—though Huzhu preferred her female identity. This Young Master Bai, however, had no such preference, adopting the male form when pursuing women and the female form when pursuing men.

This flirtatious nature was inherent to fox spirits, and Wu Zhen didn’t particularly mind. But she had no interest in this one, and his repeated attempts to waylay her were starting to annoy her.

Thinking of the chest of jewels he had gifted her, Wu Zhen decided to humor him just this once. She replied coolly, "I’m buying treats for my husband. Your sister’s tastes likely differ from his. You’d be better off choosing for yourself."Lord Bai knew that the Cat Official was married, but fox spirits like him didn’t care about such things—if they fancied someone, they would try their luck regardless. However, he was perceptive enough to realize after a few encounters that the Cat Official had no interest in him, and this time, she had outright rejected him, leaving him rather disappointed.

It was a shame, really. He was quite fond of women like Wu Zhen. Had she been willing, he would have gladly been intimate with her, regardless of whether he took on a male or female form. Moreover, given Wu Zhen’s status, getting close to her would have ensured a comfortable life for him in Chang’an.

Sighing inwardly, Lord Bai reluctantly gave up on pursuing Wu Zhen further.

After parting ways with Wu Zhen, Lord Bai began considering his next target. He had initially thought of trying his luck with the Snake Lord, Liu Taizhen, but hesitated upon recalling her aloof demeanor and her true form as a giant serpent. As a young fox, he had nearly been devoured by a snake, leaving him with lingering trauma. After much deliberation, he regretfully abandoned the idea of approaching Liu Taizhen as well.

So, where should he go next to find someone to his liking?

As Lord Bai wandered near a street in Xuanyang Ward, pondering his next move, a sudden sense of danger washed over him. Instinctively, he tried to flee, but his reflexes were no match for his assailant. In the blink of an eye, a slender yet powerful hand seized him by the throat and dragged him into a deserted alley.

Lord Bai was stunned. In Chang’an, with the Cat Official and Snake Lord keeping order, who would dare attack so brazenly? Soon, however, he realized the hand gripping his throat didn’t belong to a demon. The figure was tall and lean, appearing entirely human, with not a trace of Demonic Qi. Instead, there was a faint, deliberately revealed aura of Daoist purity.

Oh no—a Daoist priest!

Choked into reverting to his true form, Lord Bai inwardly groaned. How had he run into such a formidable priest, one who could suppress his Demonic Qi and force him back to his original shape? Demons and Daoists were natural enemies, and though Lord Bai had never committed any heinous crimes, the sight of a priest still made his heart tremble—especially when this one wore such a cold expression, his grip rendering Lord Bai immobile, with no intention of peaceful conversation.

Panicking, Lord Bai remembered that this was Chang’an—a place under the protection of certain figures. He quickly pleaded for mercy, his voice hoarse from the chokehold. "Spare me, Daoist Master! This humble demon has never harmed anyone or committed any evil deeds. I came to Chang’an with the permission of the two rulers of the Demon Market!"

His words were meek, begging for leniency, yet carried a subtle warning: he was a demon officially allowed to reside in Chang’an, and as long as he hadn’t broken any rules, the two rulers of the Demon Market would protect him. Even a Daoist priest couldn’t act recklessly here.

Yet, after speaking, Lord Bai noticed the young priest’s grip didn’t loosen in the slightest. His cold, sharp gaze remained fixed on him. Under that stare, Lord Bai felt his body stiffen further, the urge to cower overwhelming him. It wasn’t cowardice—he knew when to yield. The priest’s cultivation was terrifying; even the faintest hint of his aura made Lord Bai want to flee. If he had recklessly fought back like some hot-headed young demon, he might have ended up as nothing more than a pelt today—or worse, not even that. His ability to bend without breaking was how he had survived this long and cultivated three tails.The fox frozen mid-air softened its voice again and said, "I wonder where I have offended you, Daoist Priest. Please enlighten me, and I will surely correct my ways."

This time, the White Gentleman finally heard the young Daoist speak. He said, "From now on, you are not to come within ten feet of Wu Zhen."

The White Gentleman was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "You are...?"

No sooner had he asked than he felt another sharp pain in his throat. This young Daoist showed no mercy despite his youth, and his grip was terrifyingly strong. If he were an ordinary fox, his neck would have been snapped by now.

"Do you understand?"

Not daring to say more, the White Gentleman hastily replied, "Yes, yes! I understand, Daoist Priest. Rest assured, I will never dare approach her again!"

With these words, the White Gentleman finally felt the grip on his neck loosen. The Daoist casually tossed him aside and wiped his hands.

Now that he had withdrawn his aura, the White Gentleman noticed that all the sharpness about him had vanished, making him appear like an ordinary person. This realization only deepened his fear. To achieve such a state of returning to simplicity at such a young age—what astonishing talent!

Seeing the fox cowering in the corner, too afraid to move, the Daoist glanced down at him and said indifferently, "Go."

Not daring to linger, the White Gentleman immediately leaped onto the wall in his current form and fled back to his residence, not daring to show his face for several days.

Only after many more days did the White Gentleman venture out again, this time not in his male guise but in the form of a woman. The appearance of the White Lady was even more beautiful and delicate, like a lotus swaying in the wind, evoking pity.

She had gone out this time at the invitation of a young gentleman. However, while in the East Market, the White Lady caught sight of Wu Zhen. When she clearly saw the tall, slender young man beside Wu Zhen, her entire body stiffened, and her face paled slightly. It was that Daoist who had nearly strangled her to death! Suppressing the urge to turn and flee, the White Lady stood her ground firmly. The young gentleman fawning over her noticed her fearful expression and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

The White Lady quickly composed herself and shook her head. "It's nothing." After a moment, she pretended to glance casually in the direction of Wu Zhen and her companion, feigning curiosity as she asked, "Ah, isn't that Wu Er Niangzi? My elder brother knows her. Who is that gentleman beside her?"

The young gentleman who had invited her happened to know both Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu and promptly replied, "That’s her newlywed husband, Mei Zhuyu."

The White Lady let out a long sigh. So that was it—no wonder he had come after her. It was out of jealousy. Had she known the Cat Official was married to such a formidable Daoist, she would never have dared to provoke her. Previously, she had heard the Cat Official had married an ordinary man and found it strange. Now it made sense—it was a Daoist after all. That was fitting; how could the illustrious Cat Official marry a common man?

Convinced she had figured it out, the White Lady recalled the Daoist's icy words and shuddered, touching her neck reflexively. She resolved that the next time she saw these two, she would turn and run. Beauty was all well and good, but her life was more important!

Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu had wandered halfway through the East Market when they stopped to look at a stall set up by a foreign merchant. Suddenly, Wu Zhen noticed her husband staring intently at a spot not far behind them. Following his gaze, she saw the retreating figure of the White Lady and raised an eyebrow.

"That’s the White Lady who’s been making quite a name for herself lately. What, do you find her beautiful?" Wu Zhen asked with a smile.Mei Zhuyu averted his gaze and shook his head. "No."

Wu Zhen poked his chest, her playful tone carrying a hint of warning. "Don't get too close to that Miss Bai. Her elder brother, Bai Langjun, isn't someone to be trifled with." Ordinary people would only suffer when dealing with fox spirits.

Mei Zhuyu nodded. "I know. You too—don't get too close to them."

Wu Zhen: "Alright, we'll both keep our distance."

Though inwardly concerned for each other, neither showed it on their faces as they continued strolling through the East Market. After a while, Mei Zhuyu glanced at Wu Zhen's expression and suddenly said softly, "You're the most beautiful. No one else compares."

Wu Zhen: "...Pfft." Her mood instantly brightened, and she decided not to cause trouble for that fox spirit surnamed Bai.