Chapter 268: Did You Bury a Few Bananas on the Mountain?
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Yu Zhao caught the sympathetic look in Bai Mei’s eyes and felt puzzled.
Bai Mei said again, “After the gathering ends, why don’t you and your group come stay at my Spirit Mountain for a while?”
Yu Zhao: ?
Before Yu Zhao could respond, Little You interjected on her behalf, “Sister Bai Mei, that’s not possible. Yu Zhao needs to come back with us to meet our clan leader. We’ll visit Spirit Mountain another time.”
Bai Mei realized she had overthought the situation. Smiling, she gently patted Little You’s head. “Alright then, Sister Bai Mei will wait for you all at Spirit Mountain.”
“Mm!”
As they chatted, Bai Mei began to doubt her own suspicions.
Since the White Peacock Clan and the Fox Clan knew each other, Bai Mei reasoned there couldn’t be anything wrong with Yu Zhao’s identity.
Could it be that his intuition was wrong?
Hua Tu, meanwhile, wasn’t given much time to dwell on this. A small, elderly monkey with white fur and whiskers leaped into the center of the clearing.
The moment the monkey appeared, the previously noisy crowd quieted down.
“Ahem, quiet! Quiet!”
Though the old monkey was small, its voice carried authority. After a few shouts, silence prevailed.
Satisfied, the old monkey nodded. “Let’s not waste time. As per tradition, any leftover items from incomplete transactions at the gathering can now be offered as prizes for the victorious demonic beast. If you’re willing to contribute your items, step forward and place them on the designated spot to my left.”
As soon as the monkey finished speaking, dozens of beasts moved forward, depositing their items in the specified area. More and more followed, including Bai Mei, Little You, and the other young foxes. They carried items forward and returned empty-handed.
The pile of goods grew into a small mountain, shimmering with an assortment of treasures. Though none were exceptionally rare, collectively, they represented a considerable fortune.
The surrounding beasts began to breathe heavily, and the temperature seemed to rise. The anticipation in the air was infectious.
Yu Zhao, initially only slightly interested, now found her curiosity heightened.
“One round of competition will decide the winner. This time, the challenge is to see who has the keenest sense of smell,” announced the old monkey as it climbed atop the mountain of goods, looking down at the crowd.
“Sense of smell? Haha! I’ve already won! My nose is unmatched!” one beast declared confidently.
“Nonsense! The Heavenly Wolf Clan is the true champion of scent!” shouted another.
“Ugh, a smell-based competition? I’m doomed…” groaned a third.
Bai Mei sighed, “Our White Peacock Clan’s sense of smell is average. We don’t stand a chance this time.”
Little You puffed out his small chest with pride. “Yu Zhao, don’t worry! Watch me!”
Yu Zhao had witnessed Little You’s extraordinary sense of smell before. Even the dried fish hidden deep within the Green Hill Mountain—carefully concealed by the other young foxes—was always sniffed out by Little You.
The Three-Eyed Leopard, Hua Tu, also seemed full of confidence. “Old Monkey, what exactly are we supposed to find?”
“Yeah, tell us already!”
“Old Monkey, don’t tell me you buried some bananas on the mountain!”
The crowd erupted in laughter.
The old monkey, who had grown up in the Dragon Pool Mountain Range, was well-acquainted with the area. Known for its impartiality and fairness, it had earned the respect of many beasts over the years. Now, it oversaw the gathering’s closing events.
Enjoying the attention, the old monkey theatrically drew out the suspense before producing a large tree leaf.
“The item you’re looking for was once wrapped in this leaf. Whoever finds it first and brings it back here wins the prize pile. Understood?”
Once the beasts confirmed they understood, the old monkey tore the leaf into small fragments and passed them around for everyone to sniff.
Yu Zhao, whose sensory abilities had evolved through her cultivation milestones, carefully sniffed her fragment. A faint aroma of sticky rice lingered. She deduced that the leaf must have wrapped some kind of spiritual herb.
After committing the scent to memory, Yu Zhao handed the fragment to Bai Mei. Bai Mei immediately chose to forfeit and passed the fragment to the next beast.
Once all the beasts had smelled the fragment, the old monkey finally gave the signal to begin.
With lightning speed, nimble beasts darted off in all directions like arrows. Within moments, half the participants had vanished.
Bai Mei watched as Yu Zhao and the foxes remained unhurried. “Aren’t you going to try? Why haven’t you started?” she asked curiously.
“Sister Bai Mei, this requires patience,” Little You explained confidently. “Rushing will only lead to mistakes. We’re not in a hurry.”
In reality, Little You’s recent overeating had slowed him down. Unable to run fast, he used this excuse to cover his tracks.
Bai Mei, unaware of the pretense, found the explanation logical. Finding an item in the vast Dragon Pool Mountain Range was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. Rushing wouldn’t help; the right method was crucial.
Yu Zhao, choosing not to expose Little You’s bluff, entrusted Lin Shuang to Bai Mei’s care before setting off with her treasure-hunting team, led by Little You.
With most of the beasts gone, only a handful remained at the gathering site. Bai Mei was about to find a place to rest when the old monkey approached her.
“Lady Bai Mei, who was that Fox Clan woman standing beside you earlier? I don’t think I’ve seen her before,” it asked.
Bai Mei, representing the White Peacock Clan and influenced by Bai Ling’s acceptance of human cultivators, replied, “A new friend of the Fox Clan.”
The old monkey’s eyes flickered with curiosity. “A new friend?”
“She’s acquainted with our clan leader and the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan’s leader,” Bai Mei added.
Understanding that this was someone he shouldn’t pry into, the old monkey promptly changed the subject.
Meanwhile, as Yu Zhao and her group ventured deeper into the mountain range, she once again felt the eerie sensation of being watched. Stopping in her tracks, she scanned her surroundings and zeroed in on a specific direction.
It was Hua Tu, the Three-Eyed Leopard, lurking nearby again.
“Yu Zhao, what’s wrong? Did you find a clue?” Little You asked, oblivious to Hua Tu’s presence.
“The leopard you hate is following us again,” Yu Zhao whispered.
Little You’s fur bristled. “Hua Tu! He must be tailing us, planning to steal whatever we find. How shameless!”
“Let’s get rid of him!” Little You shouted angrily. “Hua Tu, stop following us! You’re not welcome here!”