The fox girl sat quietly, draped in white, her cloak wrapped around her and a veil covering her face. She stared down at the bowls and dishes in front of her, unmoving, seemingly oblivious to the world around her.
Zi Lin waited for her to speak, but as the hour passed, her posture remained unchanged. Growing impatient, he glanced over at Yu Mo, who had a small tiger cub nestled on his lap. The cub, with its newly grown fangs, playfully gnawed at Yu Mo's sleeve. Yu Mo gently petted the cub's head, dipped a chopstick into his wine glass, and offered it to the little tiger. The cub licked the wine, shook its fur, and settled contentedly on Yu Mo's lap.
Noticing Zi Lin's impatience, Yu Mo smiled softly and asked, "You are an honored guest. How may we assist you?"
The music stopped abruptly, and the dancers stepped aside. The fox woman stood, offering a graceful bow. "My name is Linlang, daughter of the clan leader," she began, her voice steady. "I come seeking your help. My clan repays its debts, and I am willing to serve the mountain master in return." She lifted her gaze slightly, revealing a pair of stunning eyes beneath the veil.
Zi Lin tapped the table lightly with his finger, his curiosity piqued. "And what is it that you seek?"
Linlang lowered her head and produced a small, snow-white bundle of fur from her cloak. The bundle trembled and slowly lifted its head, revealing eyes as dark as obsidian. The fur on its forehead hung low, partially covering its curious gaze before it retreated back into its fluffy form. Zi Lin’s sharp eyes recognized it as a three-tailed snow fox.
"This is my younger brother," Linlang explained, "a noble three-tailed fox of our clan. He is still young and once wandered off. When he returned, his legs were cursed, and our clan has been unable to break it. If you can remove the curse, I am prepared to serve the mountain master for the rest of my life."
The significance of the three-tailed snow fox was not lost on anyone, as it would one day inherit leadership of the fox clan.
Yu Mo gently set the tiger cub aside and asked calmly, "Miss Linlang, surely there is more to your request. Speak now to avoid any misunderstandings later."
Linlang met Yu Mo’s gaze, her eyes filled with cold resolve. "I have but one additional request. We foxes are loyal to our partners. I ask that the mountain master honor our customs."
Yu Mo smiled, his tone light. "And what if the mountain master already has others who serve him?"
Linlang's smile was faint, her voice icy. "Then he must remove them, so I will be the only one."
Kanashir, also known as Qianlan Mountain, is an ancient name meaning "Jade of Mobei."
Outside Qianlan Mountain lies a vast desert, constantly ravaged by wind and sand. Inside, however, the scenery changes drastically. Snow blankets the peaks, and young eagles are pushed off cliffs by their parents, desperately flapping their wings to fly. A fluffy squirrel peeks out from a pine tree, its dark eyes darting around, while a plump tiger cub rolls in the snow, only to be promptly dragged back to the nest by its mother.
The true treasure of Mobei is hidden in a valley deep within the mountains.
Yu Mo raised his hand and pressed it against the massive ancient tree before him. A clear handprint appeared on the thick trunk, followed by a rumbling sound as snow tumbled from the branches, revealing a hidden corridor within the trunk. With a flick of his sleeve, he walked inside, followed closely by Yan Dan.
They wandered through the dark tree tunnel until, suddenly, bright sunlight blinded them. As their eyes adjusted, they saw a breathtaking scene: vibrant flowers, lush green grass, sparkling lakes, and a warm breeze caressing their faces. The cold spring outside the valley seemed like a distant memory.
Yu Mo narrowed his eyes slightly and remarked, "There's no place like home."
Yan Dan looked around, puzzled. "Dan Shu would usually be here at this time, waiting for me to return and tell him stories. Why isn’t he here today?"
Yu Mo's mouth twitched as if he were about to say something, but before he could, a shrill cry echoed from afar. Something tumbled down the mountain and crawled toward them, sobbing, "A coffin! A coffin over there! Mountain Master, it's so scary!" The speaker was a child with ears on his head and a tail poking out from his tangled clothes.
Yu Mo frowned. "Where is the Master of Zilin Mountain?"
"The Master is missing, and there's a coffin in his room!" the child wailed.
Yu Mo grabbed him by the collar and shoved him toward Yan Dan. "Quiet this little brat down immediately!"
Yan Dan gently stroked the child’s soft ears and coaxed, "Dan Shu, be good. Don’t cry. I’ll tell you a big secret about the Master of Zilin Mountain, okay?"
Dan Shu's ears perked up, and though tears still shimmered in his eyes, curiosity won out. "What secret?"
Yan Dan wiggled her finger teasingly. "Do you know the true identity of the mighty Master of Zilin Mountain?"
Dan Shu's tail wagged excitedly. "What is it?"
Yan Dan leaned in, her voice soft and conspiratorial. "I’ll tell you, but you must promise not to cry anymore. Lord Yu Mo will take us to see the coffin soon, and if you cry again, he might make you watch over it for the rest of your life."
Dan Shu shivered at the thought and quickly shook his head. "I won't cry anymore, I promise! Please, Lord, don’t make me take care of the coffin!"
Yu Mo closed his eyes, barely suppressing his exasperation.
Yan Dan patted Dan Shu’s head and whispered, "I’ll let you in on a secret—the true form of the Lord of Zilin Mountain is a mountain turtle, the kind that hides so well you’d never see it even if it were right in front of you."
Dan Shu burst into laughter, quickly covering his mouth with his hands as his big eyes darted around mischievously.
Yu Mo sighed silently. "Zilin, I’m sorry for revealing your secret," he muttered under his breath. Then he said aloud, "Let’s go see what’s happening at Zilin Mountain."
Inside the bedroom, they found a coffin made of fine poplar wood. Its thick surface revealed nothing when tapped. Atop the coffin stood an intricately carved beast with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion, its fierce gaze fixed on them.
Several bricks on the floor had been pried up, exposing the black soil beneath, and half the coffin was buried in the earth.
Dan Shu clung to Yan Dan, trying to make himself as small as possible, but his collar tightened, and he was pulled forward. Yan Dan brushed his fluffy tail and reassured him, "Don’t be afraid, it’s just a coffin."
Yu Mo remained silent as he examined the coffin, then pulled a short knife from a nearby rack and wedged it into the seam. With a slight effort, poplar sawdust fell away. Yan Dan observed, "It seems this coffin hasn’t been closed for long. The lid and the body aren’t fully sealed. Could it be that someone was recently placed inside?"
Dan Shu trembled, but Yan Dan pointed to the snarling beast on the coffin. "This creature is meant to suppress mischief. I wonder what’s inside this coffin?"
Dan Shu shook, but Yan Dan patted him on the shoulder. "You’re right," she said gently.
"W-what?" he stammered.
"I’ll tell you a story," Yan Dan continued, her voice teasing. "It happened in Qingshi Town. There was a child, about your age, from a poor family. When his father died, they couldn’t afford a proper burial, so they had to take him to a mass grave..."
Yan Dan’s tale was enough to send Dan Shu scrambling on all fours to Yu Mo's feet, pleading, "I don't want to hear any more stories! Mountain Master, please don’t open the coffin, it’s too scary!"
Yu Mo picked him up and scolded, "You're a wolf demon, and you're afraid? You’re bringing shame to the wolf clan!"
Ignoring Yu Mo, Yan Dan continued her story, softening the tone. "The poor child who was your age passed away at home. It was a sad sight, but it taught the villagers the importance of caring for one another..."
Yu Mo finally interrupted, "Yan Dan!"
She pouted, reluctantly agreeing, "Fine, I'll finish the story another time."
Dan Shu trembled again, wishing he could curl up behind his mountain master.
With a firm push, Yu Mo forced the coffin lid open, revealing its contents. He glanced inside, expression unreadable. Without a word, he freed Dan Shu from his collar’s grip and stepped back.
Curious, Yan Dan stepped forward. Suddenly, a pair of hands shot out from the coffin, gripping its edges.
Startled, Yan Dan stumbled back. Dan Shu clamped a hand over his mouth, fighting back tears. Yan Dan’s earlier warning echoed in his mind: "If you cry again, the mountain master will make you guard the coffin." Despite his fear, Dan Shu kept quiet.
Then, with a soft thud, a figure emerged from the coffin, startling them at first. Yan Dan quickly explained, "This is the Lord of Zilin Mountain, in a playful disguise to surprise visitors."
The figure straightened, revealing a tall man in a dark green robe. His long black hair cascaded down to his waist, and his features were strikingly handsome. Yan Dan stepped forward with a slight bow, a playful smile on her lips. "Lord Zilin, you were just trying to scare us, weren’t you?"
Zilin crossed his arms and huffed, "I was resting peacefully, and you decided to disturb me. Consider yourselves lucky I didn’t punish you severely."
Dan Shu whispered to Yan Dan, "Why does the Lord like to rest in a coffin?"
Yan Dan stifled a laugh. "What do you think his true form is?"
Dan Shu giggled. "His green robe—it looks just like moss on a tortoise shell!"
Yan Dan’s amusement quickly faded. Zilin’s sharp ears caught every word, and his expression darkened. Before he could react, Yan Dan scooped up Dan Shu and dashed behind Yu Mo.
Yu Mo, standing outside, saw them huddled behind him. Zilin approached, fuming. "Yu Mo, move aside! I’ll deal with these two!"
Yu Mo sighed. "Calm down. Let’s talk this over. What exactly did they do wrong?"
Dan Shu quivered on the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Yan Dan whispered, “Dan Shu just said that Zilin’s green robe looks like moss on a tortoise shell.”
Yu Mo stifled a cough and pulled Zilin aside. "Let’s settle this later. The fox tribe is already waiting outside the valley. We shouldn’t keep them waiting."
Zilin adjusted his robe, slowly regaining composure. "Business first, but I’ll deal with you two later. If I hear even a whisper about this, you’ll regret it." With that, he turned and left.
Yu Mo glanced sideways at Yan Dan, playfully pinching her nose. "You owe me again. This time, pay up—and I’m not accepting anything worthless."
The sound of stringed instruments filled the air as dancers moved gracefully.
Zilin sat at a low table, his gaze resting on the fox girl seated below him. The fox tribe was known for their pride and elegance. Though every other tribe in Qianlan Mountain had submitted to them, the foxes remained defiant, vowing never to bow to anyone, even if it meant their extinction. Zilin, without any grand ambitions, simply admired their resolve.
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