The Little Fox's Immortal Cultivation Encyclopedia

Chapter 102 Mirroring the Future

The fox spoke, answering the City God's earlier question: "This incense is only for calming the mind; the City God cannot tolerate it, so I will choose another kind."

The fox gently wagged its tail, releasing a fragrance: "I am but a lowly wild fox, yet I have been valued by the Lord. I am filled with trepidation and always think that I should do my best to live up to this trust."

"This incense is just a little magic I use. It's nothing special, but it can help you all be less secretive and more honest when you answer questions."

"Judge Ding, there is no need to be overly cautious. I hope you will put away your protective aura."

Judge Ding's heart tightened, but he forced a smile: "It's not that I'm being deliberately guarded; I'm just naturally cold-faced, and I didn't mean to be rude."

The City God frowned, but ultimately did not wave his sleeve again. The fragrance lingered in the hall, settling on everyone. Judge Ding carefully sensed it, but could not detect anything unusual.

"In today's assessment, I will not show favoritism or make things difficult for you, nor will I deceive you with lies."

The fox interrupted his thoughts, saying, "I hope none of you will harbor any illusions or try to deceive me or the Lord. Every word spoken here will be recorded and sent directly to the Lord's residence after the matter is over. There will be no alterations or denials."

"But it's alright to remember."

"I am not afraid of being recorded."

"Yes."

"That makes perfect sense, that makes perfect sense," the City God said with a smile, trying to smooth things over. "In that case, shall the fox spirit begin?"

"No rush." ​​The fox lightly beckoned with its finger, and three objects floated out from its tail: a small cart, a silver ribbon, and a bronze mirror.

"Thanks to the Lord's kindness, he allowed me to select a few magical artifacts from the manor's treasury, which I can use today."

"This is the one I spotted at first glance in the treasure vault, it can—"

The fox explained the function of the cart, and Judge Ding frowned slightly, wondering what this had to do with the assessment.

The fox offered no explanation, continuing to point at Su Yueling: "This was deliberately done by that treasurer—"

What, you think you can use this little magic weapon to attack me, the judge?

The fox paused, its white tail flashing with fire: "Judge Ding, rest assured, we have no enmity or grudge against each other, why would I attack you?"

"Oh no, this fox spirit can read my mind!" Judge Ding, as expected of a seasoned judge, was caught off guard and managed to forcefully change his mind.

"With the power of my two tails and the energy of the lamp, I connect with many people in the city. With the blessing of incense and prayers, they can naturally sense what is in their hearts."

"As the City God, he naturally has the common people to rely on. The people's hearts are the most impartial examiner, don't you think?"

""

Judge Ding forcibly suppressed his thoughts, having no time to think, and simply nodded in agreement.

The fox then looked at the stiff-faced City God and added, "City God, do not worry. Judge Ding was able to take advantage of my little trick because he lowered his guard. Your divine power is too profound for me to sense."

"Hehe, of course. The City God protects the people based on the power of incense offerings and prayers; it couldn't be more fair." The City God feigned agreement.

"Where were we?" The fox pretended to think, holding the bronze mirror. "Oh, by focusing your divine thoughts on this mirror, you can see yourself. It is said that what is shown in the mirror is the future circumstances of the person looking in it, and most of them will come true, with very little falsehood."

"Although my cultivation level is not high enough to be of any use to those of higher cultivation, it is sufficient for us."

"Who wants to try it first?"

Lu Feng took the lead, walked to the mirror, and looked at it without fear. The man in the bronze mirror began to change.

He was not wearing official robes, but held a knife in both hands. In front of him were countless howling ghosts, and behind him was the peaceful Tao County. Many people stood on the city wall, looking at him with a mixture of awe and worry.

Lu Zheng was slightly taken aback. He reached out and brushed his hand across the mirror. The image in the mirror stretched, and many more black-clad underworld officials appeared, standing firmly to his left and right, none of them retreating.

Mr. Su stroked his beard and smiled. Although he did not approve of the student's overly assertive nature and tendency to confront others, he never tried to interfere.

Uprightness has its uses, and benevolence has its limits.

"Good, good!" The scene in the mirror disappeared, and Lu Zheng laughed loudly, no longer lingering, turning back to his desk to wait for O.

"I wonder if I, this old man, should arrive first, or Judge Ding?"

Judge Ding, not understanding the fox's meaning, and intending to observe further, said, "Sir, you should go first, and I will follow."

"Since that's the case, I'll take advantage of my age and seniority," Mr. Su said self-deprecatingly.

He slowly stepped forward, and the mirror flashed, revealing a different scene.

The old man in the mirror looked even younger, still dressed in plain clothes, holding an old book. He sat on the stone steps, surrounded by lush foliage and ancient trees. Many mischievous monkeys stood below the steps and climbed the treetops, crowding around him.

As his field of vision widened, Su An saw more figures: schoolchildren holding books, bandits who had laid down their weapons, a serene ghost, and chirping sparrows. Though they were noisy with each other, they all looked at the old man with respect.

The old man began to read.

The room quieted down, and they swayed gently to the sound of reading, looking thoughtful.

Humans, ghosts, birds, and beasts all listened to the same story.

Mr. Su remained silent, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then slowly opened them: "Thank you, Fox Fairy. This is exactly what I desire for the rest of my life."

The fox nodded and looked at Judge Ding.

Judge Ding gritted his teeth, walked to the mirror, and stared at the mirror with a mixture of tension and hope.

A majestic hall appeared in the mirror, but compared to the City God Temple we have here now, it was like a firefly compared to the bright moon. Ding Xun had already taken off his judge's robes, replacing them with a scarlet robe and a rhinoceros horn belt.

This is the attire of the City God.

Two rows of underworld officials stood in front of the hall, and further away were underworld soldiers clad in armor.

Ding Xun's face in the mirror was stern as he listened quietly to the underworld officials bowing and reporting below, nodding slightly from time to time.

Ding Xun stared blankly at the scene, unable to look any further, his heart pounding. This mirror was taken from the Zhenyue Treasure Vault; how could it be fake? And judging from the expressions of those two people and the scene in the mirror, it was almost exactly as he had imagined. His future—

How many years has he waited? Is he finally going to get what he deserves?

He was suddenly startled and turned around, only to meet the incredulous gaze of the City God. Ding Xun pursed his lips, hesitated for a few moments, and finally turned his head away, no longer looking at the former City God, now a lowly underworld official.

The precious mirror in the mansion could not possibly be fake!

"It's obviously fake!" The fox looked at Judge Ding with an encouraging expression, but inwardly he found it amusing.

The mirror was just an ordinary bronze mirror, but the illusions reflected in it were all the work of the fox. From the moment they entered, the fox had been telling them stories.

First, he used documents from Mount Tai Prefecture and a portrait of the prefect to intimidate Judge Ding, allowing him to cast illusions on him without him noticing.

He made another promise, vowing not to betray anyone, and then began to talk about his treasures.

The fox naturally talked at length about the two genuine treasures in the vault, but when it came to the bronze mirror, the fox simply glossed over it with ambiguous words, just like the merchant who sold Rakshasa treasures.

Because the fox had seen through his thoughts, Ding Pan was only focused on restraining his mind and had no time to discern the truth.

With Su An and Lu Zheng setting an example, he naturally had no doubt that he had fallen right into the trap.

Whether the city god could detect something was wrong was no longer important.

The moment Ding Xun turned around, the two of them ceased their collusion.

: