Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person

Chen Ruoan rode the clouds and wind, his shadow sweeping across the verdant mountains, returning to the summit of Mount Tai.

Looking northwards, the sky was already shrouded in a hazy smoke, and the mountain wind carried faint sounds of roaring and gunfire, suggesting that the fighting had broken out further north.

The fox looked around and found scattered military outposts around Mount Tai. The mountain paths and temples at the foot of the mountain were partially occupied. Even without any signs of troops entering the mountain, this situation was enough to frighten people into hiding.

There probably won't be any mountain pilgrimage season this year.

Chen Ruoan leaped into the courtyard in front of Bixia Temple. Fang Dongtian was sitting on the steps, holding his slightly flattened head in his hands, looking troubled.

"Master Fang, why do you look so worried?"

"Last year, the fighting was fierce at Shanhaiguan. This year, the situation remains unstable, and the flames of war could spread south at any time. Some senior members of the sect have asked me to transfer elsewhere, as a precaution and to leave some legacy behind."

"Are you leaving too?"

"Yes, both the Kyoto Hakuyun Temple and the Laoshan Taiqing Palace have been affected, and the elders within the sect are discussing where to go."

Chen Ruoan, relying on his meager historical knowledge from his previous life, managed to recall a few things.

At that time, warlords were fighting each other, and the northern part of North China was often engulfed in war. The Taishan area was far from the core war zone and would not suffer any obvious threat.

The only recorded instances of troop deployments were during the Northern Expedition and the Central Plains War.

"Of all the practitioners in the entire Taishan Buddhist community, how many remained?"

"Those in the industry are all leaving, but several seniors outside the industry insist on staying, saying that buildings can be rebuilt if they are destroyed, but some stone inscriptions, murals, and ancient cypress and Tang dynasty locust trees are truly gone once they are gone."

Regardless of whether the war continues to spread or whether Mount Tai becomes a military outpost, someone has to guard it.

"This world is really not a place for people to cultivate themselves in peace," Chen Ruoan complained.

The world is a huge stage. Master Hong has left and Commander Lan has come. One act ends and another begins. The people who suffer the most persecution are always the ordinary working masses.

At some point, the only wish Chen Ruoan received from the fox pendant was "peace".

What was once the norm in later generations is now something that is extremely difficult to obtain even by praying to a fox spirit.

"If you sense something is wrong, don't begrudge your immortal abode. When it's time to leave, you must leave," Fang Dongtian suddenly said.

The fox didn't reply. That was a big house that had been painstakingly built; it couldn't just be thrown away like that.

"There's really no one to deal with them anymore," Fang Dongtian continued. "There was a united resistance in the villages along the southern slopes, but they were quickly crushed."

"A narrow vision, a disorganized structure, and a tendency to compromise and be conservative... there's no way they can succeed."

"You seem to know a lot about this?"

"Just kidding. Do you know what our fox ancestors in Dazexiang called? As early as a thousand years ago, we foxes were already thinking about and supporting peasant uprisings."

"You foxes are really amazing."

Chen Ruoan noticed that the flat-headed Taoist priest was distracted, so she didn't bother him any further. As she left, she simply said, "If you ever want to leave again, remember to pray to the fox pendant for peace. I can hear you."

"Okay, thanks."

···

Chen Ruoan returned to Yaoyue Tower.

Without the hustle and bustle at the foot of the mountain, the fox could only stay in the building and quietly cultivate itself.

As the demon core gradually took shape, the human body he cultivated was also full of vitality and spirit, with a smooth and rounded aura around his body, and the flow of Qi within his body was completely unimpeded.

The fox was previously able to use the divine position to descend with a wisp of divine will, and now it can also figure out some of the tricks of being in a trance.

For some reason, even though his "life" was improving, the fox ears and tail were always difficult to completely disappear.

Chen Ruoan looked at the bronze mirror over and over again. Sometimes he felt that the two images were exquisite ornaments and looked pleasing to the eye, so he simply stopped being too demanding of himself about the matter of transformation.

In his spare time from spiritual practice, the fox pendant he had previously given away would occasionally float by with prayers for help.

Chen Ruoan would quietly step in to protect every believer who was in trouble.

Sometimes, after witnessing so much suffering in chaotic times, one understands the saying, "Better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of turmoil."

Born into this world, as a wild fox in the mountains, there are still too many things I am powerless to change.

Fang Dongtian stubbornly stayed on Mount Tai for several months, and it was not until the early summer of 26 years later that he finally settled on a place to go.

He wanted to say goodbye to Chen Ruoan. At this moment, the fox was still standing quietly under the wishing tree, watching the vigorous and gnarled branches stretch out like clouds.

Sometimes, a sudden thought would stir the mind, and a gust of wind would sweep past the tree, causing colorful ribbons to flutter and dance around the branches, with white and light blue precious tablets hanging among them, shimmering with a delicate light, also trembling gently in the wind.

For months, the fox has used all the good deeds, big and small, to advance its "life" and find a way to maintain its composure amidst the chaos of war.

Ultimately, it all boils down to this: stay true to yourself and do what you can.

Chen Ruoan stood once again on the steps leading down the mountain, scrutinizing Fang Dongtian, who was carrying a bag on his back: "Well, it's me again."

Fang Dongtian smiled and said, "Next time I come, I'll probably be a guest."

"Not at all, you're always welcome to come back. Speaking of which, I've recently figured out how to achieve a state of mental absorption. Before you leave, why don't we take one last stroll through the magnificent scenery of Mount Tai?"

"You can space out?"

"Barely acceptable."

Upon hearing this, Fang Dongtian readily agreed.

The man and the fox focused their minds and gathered their energy. Their souls floated lightly away from their bodies, drifting leisurely with the mountain breeze, wandering among the peaks, valleys, forests, and springs of Mount Tai.

After strolling around for a while, Chen Ruoan walked to a crevice in the rocks by the stream and suddenly came across a cluster of wild chrysanthemums. The tender yellow petals were covered with morning dew and bloomed in a graceful and charming way.

"This flower is slightly cold in nature and can clear heat and detoxify, making it a good thing for reducing internal heat."

Fang Dongtian glanced at it, nodded, and sighed softly, "If it could calm the inner fire, that would be perfect. It's just a pity that I'm about to leave and don't have time to go into the mountains to pick it."

"Hmm..." Chen Ruoan thought for a moment, then moved closer, quietly raised her sleeve, and brushed her fingertips across the cool chrysanthemum petals.

Fang Dongtian didn't know what the fox was doing. He looked up at the sky, urged it in a low voice, and then the two of them withdrew their souls and returned to their bodies.

"They're really leaving."

Fang Dongtian sighed softly, noting that the elders who had accompanied him on the journey had been waiting for him for a long time at the foot of the road.

"Master Fang, may the mountain winds protect you on your journey, and may your path be safe and smooth."

Chen Ruoan bowed in farewell, first handing over a fox-shaped pendant, then stuffing a handful of wild chrysanthemums into his palm. The delicate fragrance of the chrysanthemums, along with the scent of the mountains and fields, gently spread around the two of them.

Fang Dongtian was stunned for a long time before asking in surprise, "Where did you pick these wild chrysanthemums?"

"Master Fang was too busy to pick them, so the fox had to do it for him."

"Um?"

Fang Dongtian held up the wild chrysanthemum and examined it closely, wondering if it was the same clump he had seen in the mountains. But if it was, wouldn't that mean the fox could produce a spirit?

He thought for a moment, then burst into laughter: "You fox must have hidden the wild chrysanthemums beforehand, and then pretended to be gazing at the mountains to trick me."

"Foxes are indeed cunning by nature. You are indeed a good friend of Zhang Zhiwei; birds of a feather flock together."

Chen Ruoan didn't reply, but smiled, closed the umbrella, and cupped her hands again, saying, "See you again if fate allows."

"See you again someday."

Fang Dongxia descended the mountain and left.

Seeing that he looked preoccupied, his fellow teachers asked him a few words of concern, but he only received a soft sigh in return.

Alas, when you're young, you shouldn't meet people who are too stunning, nor should you meet foxes who are too stunning.

"I need to work really hard."