From a martial arts disciple to a god through countless trials and tribulations

Chapter 218 The White Fox God
On Guyao Mountain, amidst broken walls and ruins, stands a dilapidated shrine to the goddess in the center.

The temple gate of the Goddess Shrine was crooked and half-closed, the vermilion paint had peeled off completely, and it was rotten and dilapidated, with the gate looking like a series of shocking wounds.

Chen Xuan stood at the entrance of the Goddess Shrine, looking around: "This is the former temple of the Mountain Spirit Goddess."

The once majestic leopard-shaped stone carving beside the door is now gone, with a missing corner of its ear and its damaged body covered in moss and dust, like a discarded object forgotten in a corner of time.

Over the course of a thousand years, the splendor has faded, leaving only endless desolation at the Goddess Temple.

"Woof! We'll talk about the 'Guyao' section of the Classic of Mountains and Seas later... Let's talk about your future first," the Mountain Lord said in human language.

It sat perched on the wellhead inside the shrine. The roof tiles were broken and some parts had collapsed. Sunlight streamed through these holes, casting irregular beams of light that illuminated the dust suspended in the air. The beams of light fell on the little dog, creating a half-dark, half-bright effect.

Not far away, a group of mountain lords and great demons all cast their gazes at Chen Xuan, some admiring, some curious, and others rather indifferent.

In fact, the Southern Wilderness was not familiar with Chen Xuan, the Holy Son who held the Mountain Ghost Token, and most of the ghosts and monsters present had never even seen Chen Xuan before.

Of course, they also never saw the Mountain Spirit Goddess in person.

"Hmm?" Chen Xuan looked at Shan Jun with a puzzled expression, thinking to himself, what will happen to me in the future? It's nothing more than leveling up, practicing skills, fighting monsters, and trying to become a Qi cultivator who stands at a very high level, free from constraints, and able to do whatever I want... Isn't that how everyone does it?

“I thought you wouldn’t be returning to the Southern Wilderness anytime soon,” Mountain Lord said with a smile, his two dark eyes shining brightly.

"I originally planned to become a furnace, and after gaining the ability to protect myself, I would return to the Southern Wilderness to take a look," Chen Xuan said frankly.

He had nothing to hide. Both the old tortoise and the mountain lord had warned him that the gods in the Southern Wilderness Mountain harbored ulterior motives. Back when he was cultivating in seclusion in Luoyue City of Chu Kingdom, he had the idea of ​​venturing into Yunmeng Prefecture, which was more tolerant of those destined for heaven. His initiative to contact Hua Liuli was also part of this plan.

"Once we leave Guyao Mountain, let's summon the Ninth Princess of the Jiang family of Chu to the Southern Wilderness for a chat," the Mountain Lord said with a smile. "Some great monsters who hate humans and whose temperaments cannot be changed have already perished in the mouths of the Chilong God."

The puppy is intelligent and perceptive. During the Shangyang Cave incident, Chen Xuan didn't say it, but his actions showed that he sided with the Chu people and stood against the Yu Kingdom's dragons.

The mountain lord, perceptive as ever, knew that in matters of the same nature, Chen Xuan's heart ultimately leaned towards the human race...

"Click." Not far away, the three-tailed fox, holding a small brush, was painting the mottled wall. He paused for a moment, sighing helplessly in his heart.

The six-tusked white elephant rolled its trunk, and all the great demons looked at each other, exchanging glances in secret. Was the Mountain Lord trying to form an alliance between the demons of the Southern Wilderness and the humans of the Chu Kingdom?
The great demons from the northern part of the southern wilderness followed the Mountain Lord to Guyao Mountain in search of treasure. But in reality, the Mountain Lord didn't care about the treasure at all; he only wanted to kill some of the unruly mountain lord demons.

The Mountain Lord knew that some great demons were destined to go out and eat people. In fact, some had secretly gone to Crimson Raven City to eat people, and could devour an entire village or town of mortals in one go... Rather than make things difficult for Chen Xuan in the future, it was better for it to take the initiative and bear the infamy of its master.

"Alright." Chen Xuan nodded slowly. The Chu Kingdom was besieged by the Yu and Zhi Kingdoms. It was unable to withstand the attack alone. Its territory was lost, and millions of ordinary people were displaced and blood flowed for thousands of miles.

Jiang Qinghuang had initially wanted Chen Xuan to use his status as the "Holy Son of the Southern Wilderness" to form an alliance with the great demons of the Southern Wilderness, but this was something that could not be forced.

When one lacks strength, one's voice carries little weight. The title of "Holy Son of the Southern Wilderness" is a joke. The mountain lords and monsters prefer to jokingly call Chen Xuan "Mountain Ghost Toy" and will never obey orders.

But now that Chen Xuan has become the furnace, everyone, including ghosts and monsters, must take seriously the true value of the title "Holy Son of the Southern Wilderness".

To Chen Xuan's slight surprise, before this, Shan Jun had been actively planning an alliance with the State of Chu. He was indeed a loyal and devoted dog who shared his master's burdens.

"Lord Mountain Lord, are you about to ascend to godhood and travel as a god?"

Chen Xuan asked with concern, "Mountain Lord is in his prime. If he were to ascend to the divine position, the entire Yaoguang Prefecture would probably be shaken."

If the Mountain Lord were human, he would have had a good chance of being listed among the geniuses of the Southern Region when he was young.

The list of immortals is the most romantic of the sixty-year cycle.

Most of the people listed in the chart have the potential to advance to become advanced cultivators in the mortal realm before the age of sixty, when their energy and blood are at their peak.

After the age of sixty, the human cultivator's divine body and blood gradually decline, and the opportunity to escape the mortal world becomes increasingly slim... If they still have the will to make progress, they can either endure hardship like the old tortoise, or they can only learn from Qingya Zi of Qinglu Mountain and take the crooked path.

"By sheer chance, I encountered a Qingqiu fox that I could restrain, which replenished some of my spiritual power, but I still lack some accumulation and need some time," the Mountain Lord said with a smile.

It stood on a white fox spirit no bigger than the palm of its hand. If it hadn't happened to capture the white fox spirit, it would have led a group of ghosts and monsters from the Southern Wilderness away from Guyao Mountain a few months ago.

"Wow!"

Several free-floating golden threads spread from the mountain lord's small feet, imprisoning and locking the white fox spirit. This was some kind of special secret technique, perhaps even a secret of the immortals, making it impossible for the white fox spirit to escape.

"Ugh, let go of this fox god..."

White Fox Goddess is a female fox with a charming face, long and narrow eyes that are alluring. She wears a snow-white dress, has a seductive figure, and her eight snow-white fox tails lie limply on the ground.

She was listless, her alluring eyes were dim, and tears seemed to be streaming from the corners of her eyes as she looked longingly at Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan squatted down and curiously examined the white fox spirit. Then, he picked up a dry branch and flicked a soft fox tail. Strange divine power fluctuations flowed, and the fox tail emitted a spiritual light.

"It is a divine soul body." Chen Xuan thought to himself. This was a divine wanderer from Qingqiu who had no physical body, but was now very weak, with a body only the size of a palm.

The White Fox God's spiritual power was rich and refined, only slightly weaker than Chen Xuan's repeatedly strengthened spiritual body, which was quite remarkable.

“You…” The white fox’s sensitive tail twitched wildly, her face slightly flushed. At the same time, she was shocked. The human’s spiritual aura was like a bright moon hanging high in the sky, much stronger than hers.

You must know, she is a celestial being who has transcended the mortal realm! But now, a mere vessel is even more powerful than her divine soul body, which is simply astonishing... In the long history of Qingqiu, which is known for its mastery of the divine soul, there are very few extraordinary foxes who can rival Chen Xuan!
Those few exceptional foxes who could condense a divine soul body at the Cauldron Realm level would eventually become top-tier True Monarchs, and some even became fox immortals whose divine might overwhelmed all realms.

"This white fox is young and impetuous. It has only recently advanced to the Divine Realm, yet it dares to sneak across Mount Guyao with an ordinary divine soul body. It doesn't know how to spell the word 'death'," the Mountain Lord said coldly.

His second incarnation is specifically designed to counter spirits and souls. When the White Fox God encountered the Mountain Lord, she was extremely unlucky.

“The previous generation of the Heavenly Fox Maiden of the Bai family of Qingqiu Mountain.” Hua Liuli, with her extensive knowledge, immediately recognized the identity of the White Fox Goddess: “Her name was once on the list of gods and immortals of the demon race. She was called Bai You’er and was a very famous and beautiful demon among the previous generation of demons.”

The White Fox Goddess was a prominent figure among the demon race of the previous generation, renowned far and wide, with a status similar to that of the current Zhao Shenhu. She was one of the leading figures of an era in Qingqiu.

"Her fox-like appearance is quite good overall," Chen Xuan commented with an appreciative look. Qi cultivators tend to strive for extreme beauty, and with the added fox-like qualities, this White Fox Goddess is a top-tier enchanting beauty in the Qi cultivation world, with many admirers.

Chen Xuan was no less impressive. Even as a mortal, he was handsome. When he advanced to the Cauldron Realm, he underwent a complete transformation, with his bone mass approaching 9,800 jin. With the blessing of "the appearance of a prince," Chen Xuan could now be described as having the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix, as well as being as beautiful as an orchid and a jade tree.

However, Chen Xuan's handsome face and upright posture exuded a heroic and awe-inspiring aura, while also carrying a touch of noble yet unassuming nonchalance—a unique quality belonging to a martial artist.

The Martial Glutton is quite similar, while the Southern Crown is divine and gentle, and the Myriad Worlds Venerable is majestic and noble... all tending towards a certain ultimate perfection.

"Release this fox goddess, and I'll do anything for you." The white fox goddess pleaded with Chen Xuan, her voice timid and her eyes full of seductive charm, on the verge of tears.

She had already discerned that among this group of enemies, Chen Xuan, though having the lowest cultivation level, held the highest status. The vicious dogs, with their fierce and menacing demeanor, were wholeheartedly devoted to Chen Xuan and followed his lead without question.

Chen Xuan glanced at her indifferently, took out the Human Emperor Banner, and said decisively:
"Lord Mountain Lord, I'll brush her a few times with the Human Emperor's Banner to help you devour the divine soul body faster."

If the Mountain Lord becomes a mountain god and has a way to control the spirit body, he will be able to better protect his little ghost friends such as Bai Zi, Shan Yu, and Di Shan, and he won't have to worry too much about the Golden Crow God and the Chi Dragon God.

"This is the Human Emperor's Banner!" White Fox God was shocked. Qingqiu knew a lot about this legendary weapon of destiny. The Human Emperor's Banner was specifically designed to control the soul.

"You can't seduce him, he's clueless about romance!" Hua Liuli watched the show from the sidelines. The vixen was used to seducing men, her every smile and frown exuding charm. But clearly, this trick was useless against Chen Xuan. Chen Xuan's Dao heart was firm, and he was immune to such low-level temptations.

Hua Liuli believed that the grand and majestic things such as the path of cultivation, secret techniques, and the clash of swords and the thunder of horses were clearly more attractive to Chen Xuan.

"I...I didn't seduce her!" White Fox Goddess blushed and quickly shook her head in denial.

In fact, she really did seduce people. In her youth, she traveled the world and countless heroes of the human and demon races fell at her feet. With just a flirtatious glance, countless geniuses were willing to explore and die for her.

But Chen Xuan, whose vital energy was strong and who was about to experience these things, was not moved by her at all, and even wanted to use the Emperor's Banner to punish her immediately.

"No need for now, it's more useful to keep her alive." Shan Jun shook his head and said, "If Qingqiu doesn't come to redeem the demon, then she can stay in the Southern Wilderness and serve you. A fox spirit serving the Holy Son of the Southern Wilderness is not considered a disgrace to the Holy Son's dignity."

The mountain spirit knew that Chen Xuan was twenty-one years old, which was not young among humans, and was the best time for him to settle down and start a family. It felt it necessary to consider some things for its busy 'little master'.

Moreover, since the White Fox Goddess originated from Qingqiu, killing her directly would be very troublesome. Besides, her place of ascension to godhood is far away in Qingqiu, so it's not certain that she can be completely killed.

"This..." The white fox was stunned, and a bitter feeling welled up in her heart.

She was the previous Heavenly Fox Maiden of Qingqiu, and now she has become a Divine Traveler. The Southern Wilderness is remote and desolate, lacking even a proper ancient Daoist temple. The Southern Wilderness's Holy Son? Third-rate, nothing more!
Their status is nowhere near that of the Heavenly Fox Maiden of Qingqiu; the difference is like heaven and earth. In fact, even the Holy Son of this small place has to wait in line to pay homage to the White Fox Goddess in her youth!
But now, the mountain king is so arrogant and vulgar that he dares to ask her to serve Chen Xuan in the future. Is he deliberately humiliating her?
"Isn't it a bit too old? Oh well, it doesn't matter, we'll talk about it later." Chen Xuan nodded casually.

He turned his gaze away from the unimportant White Fox Goddess and peered down into the ancient well ahead, where the depths were unfathomable.

"The old tortoise said that a thousand years ago, the True Lord Tai Xuan fell into Gu Yao Mountain and smashed a big hole directly in the Goddess Shrine," the Mountain Lord explained.

The shrine of the goddess once contained many advanced magic arrays, all of which were damaged as a result, leaving only some broken walls and ruins.

Even this well was built by the Three-Tailed Fox and other great demons in their spare time.

“The True Lord Tai Xuan is in a bit of a state, so we might not be able to meet him. Let’s go down and see him first.” As the Mountain Lord spoke, he picked up the White Fox God again and leaped into the well.

Chen Xuan and Hua Liuli exchanged a glance, and then Chen Xuan jumped into the well.

"rumble……"

The underground space was incredibly spacious. This was deep underground in the Guyao Mountain, connected to an underground river. The river flowed silently, with faint white light shimmering on its surface.

As soon as Chen Xuan landed, he found the mountain king standing on the river, staring at him with a serious expression.

“I have never met the True Lord Tai Xuan, nor is there any copy of the Classic of Mountains and Seas: Gu Yao here,” the Mountain Lord said solemnly.

Chen Xuan was taken aback when he heard the voice.

……

At the foot of Guyao Mountain, the fox demons of Qingqiu were in low spirits, and the atmosphere was gloomy and desolate.

Zhao Shenhu's eyes were tired. The feeling of waiting to die every day was not pleasant and was torturing his will. But at this moment, a jade talisman on his waist suddenly lit up.

"Huh? Qingqiu has finally realized something's wrong!"

Zhao Shenhu immediately became excited; he heard... the sound of wind coming from Qingqiu.

(End of this chapter)