131: Chapter 131: Betting

A moment later, there was a knock on Xiao Ran's door.

"Is Young Master Xiao in? This is Bai Moxuan, paying an uninvited visit."

Xiao Ran raised an eyebrow.

Bai Moxuan?

He glanced at Bai Linger on the bed; she had already dressed and nodded.

Xiao Ran walked over and opened the door.

Standing outside was a handsome young man with a gentle smile and a mild temperament.

"Third Young Master."

Xiao Ran cupped his hands in greeting.

Bai Moxuan hurriedly returned the salute.

"Young Master Xiao is too polite. Please forgive this abrupt intrusion."

Xiao Ran stepped aside.

"Please come in, Third Young Master."

Bai Moxuan stepped inside. Seeing Bai Linger, he paused slightly, then smiled.

"Linger is here too? That is perfect."

Bai Linger stood up and bowed.

"Third Brother."

Bai Moxuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, a flash of realization in his eyes.

But he said nothing, only smiling.

"Young Master Xiao, I have come uninvited to ask for your advice on a few matters."

Xiao Ran gestured for him to sit.

"Please speak, Third Young Master."

The two sat down, while Bai Linger stood obediently to the side.

Bai Moxuan pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.

"Young Master Xiao, you displayed such Divine Might on the arena stage the other day, defeating Su Wuhun. I am truly impressed."

Xiao Ran replied modestly.

"Third Young Master, you flatter me."

Bai Moxuan waved his hand.

"I speak only the truth."

"Su Wuhun is at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection, yet Young Master Xiao defeated him while at the Late Nascent Soul Stage. It was certainly no stroke of luck."

He paused, then added.

"Furthermore, I have heard some rumors about Young Master Xiao's exploits in the Ancient Battlefield."

"By comparison, someone like me, who is older than you, seems quite mediocre."

Xiao Ran smiled.

"Third Young Master, you seem quite attentive to me."

Bai Moxuan also smiled.

"To know oneself and know one's enemy, after all."

"Young Master Xiao is the son-in-law of our White Emperor City, so naturally, as your Third Brother, I must learn a little more about you."

"Young Master Xiao, you must have sensed us earlier, right?"

Xiao Ran nodded upon hearing this.

"With the various Young Masters searching the whole city for the demon fox, it would be hard not to notice."

Bai Moxuan sighed inwardly.

"Indeed! It is hard not to notice."

"With the city-wide search for the demon fox, my Second Brother took three hundred retainers and turned the east side of the city upside down."

"My Fourth Brother is even more ruthless; he directly sealed off three streets in the south of the city and is searching house by house."

"My Fifth Brother is pulling strings everywhere, bribing informants, and my Sixth Brother..."

He counted them off one by one, his tone flat yet tinged with a subtle, elusive sarcasm.

Xiao Ran listened without speaking.

After finishing, Bai Moxuan looked at Xiao Ran.

"Young Master Xiao, do you think they will be able to find the demon fox?"

Xiao Ran countered.

"What does the Third Young Master think?"

Bai Moxuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"I think... they will not find it."

Xiao Ran looked at him.

"Why?"

Bai Moxuan leaned back in his chair and said leisurely.

"Because the demon fox is not in the city at all."

Xiao Ran's heart stirred.

What does this Bai Moxuan mean?

"Why do you say that, Third Young Master?"

Bai Moxuan looked at him, his gaze profound.

"Young Master Xiao, you and I are both intelligent people, so I will speak plainly."

Xiao Ran nodded.

"Please go ahead."

Bai Moxuan said slowly.

"My father never does anything without a purpose."

"He announced the city-wide search for the demon fox and used the position of City Lord as bait... there must be a motive behind this."

He paused.

"But I do not believe he truly cares about the demon fox."

Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes.

"Then what do you think he cares about, Third Young Master?"

Bai Moxuan stared at him, saying each word clearly.

"I think he cares about you."

He did not say the last few words aloud, but Xiao Ran already understood his meaning.

The room instantly fell silent.

"I do not understand what you mean, Third Young Master."

Xiao Ran shook his head decisively.

A trace of a smile tugged at the corner of Bai Moxuan's mouth.

"It does not matter if you do not understand; I was just speaking casually."

He stood up.

"Very well, I have disturbed you enough, Young Master Xiao. I shall take my leave."

Xiao Ran stood up.

"Take care, Third Young Master."

Bai Moxuan walked to the door and suddenly stopped.

With his back to Xiao Ran, he said softly.

"Young Master Xiao, if... I mean if, one day you encounter any trouble in this White Emperor City, you may come to me."

Xiao Ran responded.

"What benefit would that bring you?"

Bai Moxuan did not turn around.

"No benefit at all, I just feel that you are someone worth befriending."

He pushed the door open and left.

Walking to the staircase, he suddenly stopped again.

"Oh, by the way, there is one more thing."

Xiao Ran stood at the doorway, watching him.

Bai Moxuan turned back and smiled slightly.

"I live in Willow Alley in the west of the city, the house with two locust trees at the entrance; it is very easy to find."

With those words, he went downstairs and left.

Xiao Ran stood where he was, watching his figure disappear.

Bai Linger walked to his side.

"Young Master Xiao, Third Brother, he..."

Xiao Ran raised a hand to interrupt her.

"Your Third Brother is an intelligent man."

Bai Linger was stunned.

Xiao Ran did not explain further, simply turning and walking back into the room.

He stood at the window, watching Bai Moxuan gradually disappear into the distance downstairs.

"Interesting," he whispered to himself.

"To think that among the White Emperor's eight sons, there is actually such a character."

Every word Bai Moxuan said earlier was a probe, yet not a single thing was laid bare.

That unspoken sentence could be interpreted as the father valuing his son-in-law, or it could be interpreted as... having ulterior motives.

And that final remark, 'you may come to me,' was signaling something more. He knows something, and he is willing to cooperate.

As Xiao Ran pondered this, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. It seems there is another player in this chess game.

...

Meanwhile, in Willow Alley in the west of the city.

Bai Moxuan returned to his residence, an inconspicuous little courtyard.

He entered the study and closed the door.

"Uncle Men," he called out softly.

A dark shadow stepped out from the corner—a middle-aged man with an ordinary face, at the Late Soul Transformation stage.

"Young Master."

Bai Moxuan sat behind the desk and pondered for a moment.

"Uncle Men, do you think that Xiao Ran understood?"

Uncle Men thought for a moment.

"He is an intelligent man."

Bai Moxuan nodded.

"That is good."

He leaned back in the high-backed chair, his gaze profound.

"Father has been too obvious this time."

"Releasing the demon fox, sealing the whole city, and using the position of City Lord as bait... he thinks others cannot see it, but I see it clearly."

Uncle Men remained silent.

Bai Moxuan continued.

"I do not know what he is scheming, but I know that Xiao Ran is the key."

"If Father succeeds, none of us will likely have a good end."

"But if Xiao Ran wins..."

He did not finish.

But Uncle Men understood.

"Young Master, are you planning to... place a bet on Xiao Ran?"

Bai Moxuan nodded.

"Yes."

"But not now."

"Our chips are few; we need an appropriate time to make our move."