Kunlun Mountain Part 2 - The Masters Disciple.

Chapter 13 - Part 1. The Competition

"Greetings HIgh God Bai Zhi, High God Zhe Yan."  Die Feng said bowing low as the two men arrived at Kunlun Mountains main entrance. 

"Die Feng." both men acknowledged him.  "We're here to see Mo Yuan." Bai Zhi stated as they both moved forward to enter the Grand Hall.

"Of course." Die Feng said, as he lead both men to the guest table to await Mo Yuan and Chang Shan who had already left to prepare tea and light refreshments.

It had been 3 days since that night and Mo Yuan had been preparing his next outing with his Little Seventeenth.  Now in his study he was going through the mounting scrolls that had been arriving from the Realms leaders regarding the Ghost Tribe and a possible meeting to be held at the Celestial Palace.

"Shifu?" Die Fengs voice interrupted him.

Waving him in, Die Feng bowed.  "High Gods Bai Zhi and Zhi Yan are here to see you." he said, before bowing once more and leaving to oversee their comfort.

Sighing Mo Yuan rose.  Rarely did the Fox King visit Kunlun Mountain, and when he did, it was never to pass the time of day.  Preparing himself for unpleasant news, he made his way to the Grand Hall.

"Ahhh Mo Yuan, good to see you again, it's been a while."  Bai Zhi greeted him warmly as he entered.

"Bai Zhi, this is a surprise, it has indeed been some time." he smiled at his old friend, before nodding to Zhe Yan and taking a seat in front of them.

"The energy is so light here, I had forgotten how uplifting it is." Bai Zhi said breathing the air in deeply.

"You're looking well." Mo Yuan gave him a small smile.  "But you didn't come to talk about the energy I assume?" he stated, though it was an obvious question that required an end to the small talk.

"Straight to the point as always." Bai Zhi laughed.  "And you would be right." he said taking a sip of the hot tea that Chang Shan had just placed before him.

"I don't know what happened at The Peach Tree Festival, but the proposals for Bai Qians hand has soared.  I have received 12 proposals in just the past 2 days, including 3 that I had already declined." he said, his tone now serious. 

Sighing, Mo Yuan had been expecting it, not that he was overly concerned.  He knew who at least 3 of them were from.  "I take it Sang Ji is one of them?" he asked unable to keep the contempt from his voice.

Nodding, Mo Yuan informed Bai Qians father, of the heated discussion the two had already had, not that he needed to, Bai Zhi too felt the same way about the man.  "He won't be given a third opportunity, a missive has already been sent to decline him."

"Good."  Mo Yuan smiled as he relaxed back in his seat.  "And the reason you are here today is?" he asked leaving the sentence open.

Sighing, Bai Zhi looked at his friend.  "Mo Yuan.  I'm sure you can understand the predicament I am in.  With so many proposals after just 2 days, and assuming there will be more to come, unless I can give a good reason for declining them all, I will have to consider the most prominent ones.  And of the 12, four of them are serious contenders." he said, watching Mo Yuans every move and gesture, who had suddenly retreated into his impassive stance.  

Mo Yuan didn't have to think, his answer came automatically.  "My offer for her hand still stands, and as I mentioned earlier, I want to court her properly.  She must choose me of her own free will,   I will not force my hand on her without her consent." he stated firmly and he meant it.  "She is worth fighting for." he added just as firmly.

Bai Zhi and Zhe Yan could not find any fault with his noble reasoning.  That he was prepared to go against much younger competition, men who could offer her just as much as he could, and match her in age, said he was more than serious about his love for her.  But was he being foolish?  Bai Zhi thought that perhaps he was, to a degree, because Bai Qian was still young, she had never known love before, she had no experience with men and what they would do to win her, and Bai Zhi even suspected, she did not fully appreciate her own beauty and natural seductiveness that drove these men to send in their proposals in the first place.