Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 138 The Hermit Makes a Wish to Build Roads and Bridges

"How did Senior Huai guess it?"

With no foxes around to hear these words, Chen Ji felt relieved and admitted it, figuring Senior Huai wouldn't speak carelessly anyway.

Senior Huai then burst into laughter.

"In all the years I've been enlightened, and I've seen many fox demons, this is the first time I've heard of a fox academy instructor examining students in advance."

"Moreover, the fact that you would go to such lengths, even giving lessons in a dream, suggests that you are using the dream-marriage technique."

"Indeed."

Chen Ji was taken aback upon hearing this, then laughed.

"I never expected that Senior Huai, an outsider, would be so clear-headed; it was we, the ones involved, who were blinded by our own perspective."

Senior Huai sighed.

"There's no such thing as an outsider's clear view. It's just that people who have been used to hardship are unwilling to let go of any opportunity, and their eyes are a bit sharper than other demons. That's how it has become over the years."

"Sometimes I envy you humans and foxes, who have schools to learn cultivation, while we wild mountain spirits can only rely on ourselves."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ji sighed, unsure of what to say.

These days, chatting with the people and demons around me who are practicing cultivation, I've also learned how they view cultivation.

Among cultivators throughout the world, setting aside ancient and exotic species, the most talented are none other than the dragons.

Born into the immortal path, one can accumulate merit by summoning wind and rain. Given enough time and without committing evil deeds, one can always cultivate to the Great Dao.

Secondly, there are humans and foxes. They can't compare to dragons, but they are still better than ordinary little demons who figure things out on their own.

After glancing at Senior Huai, he thought for a moment and shook his head seriously.

"Senior Huai's words are both right and wrong. As the saying goes, the master leads you through the door, but the cultivation depends on the individual."

"The most difficult thing in spiritual practice is entering the path; even with guidance from a renowned master, there are still many..."

Chen Ji wanted to say "transvestite," but then realized it wasn't a good word, and changed his mind before he could finish.

"Demons and monsters can never attain enlightenment even if they spend their entire lives practicing Taoism."

"Moreover, the path taught by predecessors is ultimately different from the path one walks oneself. If one wants to achieve the Great Way, it is best to walk one's own path."

"Just like Senior Huai and the Mountain God, they will never have any other thoughts in this life. From the beginning of their cultivation, they will think about cultivating well at every step."

"As for those who have been taught by seniors, they have more ideas, and it will not be easy for them to forge their own path in the future."

Senior Huai remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“What you say makes some sense, sir. That is indeed the case. But with your arrangements, I’m curious how many foxes will be able to get into the Fox Academy this year.”

"I don't know either. We've done our best and are left to fate. This is all we can do, and that's all we can do."

"I'm sure I won't disappoint you, sir."

Senior Huai laughed heartily, glanced at the foxes, and then spoke with a smile.

"It seems they are here to see you, fellow Daoist, so I will take my leave."

Chen Ji looked over and, sure enough, saw that the foxes had finished listening to Bai Qi and the others' sharing and had come to find him.

"Hello, sir!"

The foxes came in groups, their fiery red pelts joined together, spreading like a blazing fire.

After bowing in unison, they all looked at the fox in the lead.

"Bai Ba, you should talk to the master about this."

"You are the only ones here who have taken the test, so you must make it clear."

"Ok?"

Chen Ji had already guessed what was going on, but he still looked at Bai Er and pretended not to know.

Sure enough, Bai Er slowly spoke, wanting Chen Ji to help him create an exam paper based on his memories from the dream.

"it is good."

Chen Ji agreed without hesitation.

"Great!"

The foxes jumped for joy, but Chen Ji was somewhat curious about how they would change if they found out later that the mock exam paper and the "Five-Three Fox Book" were his.

However, it was just a thought; there was no time to delve into it at the moment, as there were more important things to do.

He had sensed the message from the mountain god as he stood on the ground, who wished to meet with him for a detailed discussion.

So he told the foxes that he knew their demands, and then went to a secluded spot to look at the mountains and bow slightly.

"Please grant us an audience with the Mountain God."

As soon as he finished speaking, a stone figure emerged from the stone wall in front of him; it was the Sendai Mountain God.

Upon seeing Chen Ji, he bowed and apologized.

"Please forgive me, sir. I should have sent a messenger to invite you, but I was worried that you would return soon, so I took the liberty of using magic to send a message and inquire. I apologize for disturbing you."

"Mountain God, there's no need to be so polite. Please speak freely about what's on your mind."

"Ugh……"

The mountain god sighed, looked at Chen Ji, and there was a hint of unease in his eyes.

"I shouldn't have asked you for help with this, but I really don't know what to do."

"Is it related to foxes?" "Exactly."

Having already guessed it, the mountain god looked at Chen Ji and decided to lay it all out.

“I previously followed my husband’s advice and accepted offerings from the villagers by the roadside to provide them with some convenience and protection.”

"Everything was fine until this morning when a group of villagers came up the mountain to offer three kinds of sacrificial animals and made a wish. I don't know what to do, so I thought I'd ask you and Miss Bai."

"But you are all busy in the town, and I can't leave the Sendai Mountain area rashly, so I thought I would wait until I thought it through before asking the master."

"Oh?"

Chen Ji also became interested and wanted to hear what the wish was that even the Sendai Mountain God couldn't decide.

"The villagers wanted to ask Bai Qi and his team to repair roads and build bridges."

The mountain god of Sendai Mountain told the truth.

Chen Ji listened in a daze for a while before looking at the mountain god of Sendai Mountain.

"Fellow Daoist, are you joking?"

"This is certainly not something to joke about."

The Sendai mountain god wore a wry smile.

"When I checked the wishes earlier, I also thought it was a joke. How could they know about Fellow Daoist Fox?"

"But upon closer inspection, it was discovered that they had probably actually seen foxes quarrying stones to build roads, but they had only seen them by chance from a distance and remembered that foxes in the mountains could build roads."

"However, they don't think it's a real fox. They say it's my incarnation, and some people even burn an extra stick of incense because of this mystery."

"That's a good thing."

Chen Ji said seriously.

The foxes need incense to practice their magic, but it's useless for them. However, the mountain god needs incense to be enshrined, so it's very suitable and there's no waste at all.

"Mountain God, if you feel you have wronged the fox clan, then make amends."

"It's a good thing, but the village is flooded and the original bridge and road have been washed away, so they came to the mountain to ask me for help. But I'm not a fox, so I can only show my power on the mountain. There's nothing I can do in the village. I don't know what to do."

"Is this the time for a major flood?"

Chen Ji did not answer the question from the Sendai Mountain God first.

On the contrary, I have some doubts.

It's already past the Qingming Festival, and it's extremely rare to see floods in the north, let alone for roads and bridges in a village to be washed away together.

This was clearly not an accident; it seemed more like a premeditated plan.

Of course, we still need to make a judgment on whether this is the case, and we need to find out more details before we can say anything.

"Yes."

The Sendai mountain god nodded and spoke, and a small stone fell from his mouth, rolling down the hillside and disappearing from sight.

He scratched his body, and scratched off quite a bit more.

The words, sharp and harsh, slowly rang out.

"The villagers also felt that the water came from strange sources, but the water did not harm people or livestock. It only destroyed bridges and roads, so they thought it was a natural disaster. The shamans and Taoist priests they invited could not see the problem and had no way to deal with it. They could only find someone to repair the roads."

"I happened to have heard that a mountain god was repairing a road on the mountain, so I came here to make a wish."

"That's right."

Chen Ji nodded, his eyes flickered slightly after he understood the matter, and after a few breaths of silence, he nodded slightly.

What does the mountain god think?

"Sigh! What else can I think about..."

The mountain god shook his head as he spoke.

“It is because I rely on their incense offerings that I protect them. Now their wish is not excessive; they just want the road to be repaired.”

“I shouldn’t have refused, but this matter is strange. If there are still demons and ghosts causing trouble later, the road and bridge construction period might ruin their purpose and bring unexpected disaster to the mountain. So I hesitated for this reason.”

Chen Ji smiled slightly.

"Mountain God, you might as well agree. Building roads and bridges is also a merit of Bai Qi and the others. However, once you have enough incense offerings, you should let people know that there are also foxes here who build bridges and roads."

"As for demons and ghosts, let's go and see what happens."

"Alright!"

The mountain god answered seriously, then looked at Chen Ji.

"Then I will go back to the villagers and choose a day to go down the mountain to check on the situation?"

"it is good."

After responding, the mountain god disappeared into the stone. Chen Ji returned to the fox pack and consulted with Bai Qi and the others about the matter.

Although it is a meritorious act, we should still ask the four foxes what they think of this matter.

If they are unwilling, this matter probably will not come to fruition.

Fortunately, Bai Qi and the others' eyes lit up when they heard the news, and they were so excited that they wanted to go.

Chen Ji was relieved and then began preparing the things he wanted to take down the mountain.

(End of this chapter)