Whiteclad Noble#

A serpent youth in white, with furious gaze, Writes poems, dances, yet fierce in battle's blaze.

On a spring day, with a mild wind, in the Marsh of White Mist. An old wolf brews tea over a stove. Watching the white reflection in the Water, he mutters, "You and I should not be here."

The Whiteclad Noble, amid spear practice, hears these words. Swift as thought, he hurls his spear towards the stove, and in another instant, he flashes over, grips the haft, and stands poised before the aged yaoguai.

"Shall we sip blood, or tea?""

"Tea. Sit.""

They sit face to face. The old wolf hands the Noble a bowl of tea.

The Noble drains it in one gulp."A fine tea.""

The old wolf nods. "Does a razed mountain garrison warrant so many schemes?""

The Noble replies, "I come at my brother's command. There are no schemes."

The old wolf retorts, "My return from death. Was it not a scheme?""

The Noble says nothing. The old wolf gazes at him, also silent. Despite the cloudiness in the wolf's eyes, his unease is apparent.

The Noble ponders for a moment, then finally answers, "That truly wasn't a scheme."

"If not a scheme, then what was it?""

"Have you heard about that child in the Court? The Buddhas have a spell.

They piece together items that mimic the body, chant the mantra of revival, and thus bring back a life."

The old wolf smiles bitterly and shakes his head. "That master, most assuredly, wields no such power."

"Indeed, he does not. Yet the foul relic he obtained bears this potency.'

The old wolf says anxiously, "But living like this, I can barely sleep or eat in "When doom is nigh, life may yet persist. When blessed with life, the loom of death lingers. Breathe and make peace with it, and you may find your tranquillity..."

The old wolf says nothing. The Noble lowers his eyes, also silent. For all the uncanniness of his eyes, his compassion is apparent.

The old wolf says,"I'll leave this tea to you. Better to drink tea."

The old wolf rises with a sweep of his sleeve, sighing deeply. "Living like this on their blood... how could I bear to do that?""

He totters away, not by the path he came, but turning down a fork in the road beside the marsh.

"Tell the master he doesn't need to come see me anymore."