Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person

Qin Fu thanked Chen Ruoan and Zhang Zhiwei for saving his life and wanted to discuss important matters and seek wealth with Fox. However, when he thought about the powerful people around Fox, he dejectedly gave up the idea.

The monkey trainer led the little saint in a bow, then bid farewell and headed east to continue collecting travel expenses at the bridgehead.

Chen Ruoan glanced at the armored horse on Zhang Zhiwei's legs, which featured a horse clad in armor and carrying a command flag on its back.

"The two places are thousands of miles apart, it's amazing that you came so quickly."

"It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early," Zhang Zhiwei replied. "So, are there any venues left for me to have tea and listen to music?"

"Let's go." The fox didn't transform into human form; it simply pointed its paw towards the east.

Zhang Zhiwei shook his head helplessly and, just like when he traveled before, returned to the city with the fox on his head.

···

In the Chunfeng Deyilou restaurant, the private rooms face the street. On the stage downstairs, the opera "The Peony Pavilion: Strolling in the Garden" is being performed. The melodious singing of "The flowers are in full bloom" drifts in through the window. The tea master brings over several dishes of exquisite tea and snacks. The Biluochun tea is brewed to perfection, and the steam curls up around the rim of the white porcelain cup.

"Few people in this world enjoy life more than a fox."

"You've been reduced to your original form. When will you be able to recover?" Zhang Zhiwei secretly glanced at the fox hiding under the table.

To be honest, I've never seen a fox transform into human form. I'd like to see if the fox has become a pedantic scholar.

"Wait, wait a moment." Chen Ruoan didn't want to immediately expose the lie she had just told.

When will the bruises on your face go down?

The fox found it strange that the future "top expert" couldn't even handle ordinary skin injuries.

Zhang Zhiwei sighed, "You're oversimplifying things. If the bruises on my face disappear, I'll get new ones when I return to the mountain. This is what Master wants me to remember by leaving them on my face."

"Is Master Jingqing really that scary?"

Zhang Zhiwei backed down: "Giving me a few slaps would be too lenient. I should be thanking God he didn't strike me with lightning!"

He leaned back in his chair, his words becoming increasingly exaggerated, gesturing wildly with his hands: "A long time ago, a group of us fellow disciples committed a crime together, and he caught us red-handed. Good heavens, it looked like we'd been struck by lightning!"

"Fox, your magic of summoning clouds and rain is indeed profound, but my master can also draw upon heavenly lightning. Tell me, what master is so heartless as to strike their disciple with five thunderbolts?"

As Chen Ruoan listened to Zhang Zhiwei's tragic account, he was thinking about something else entirely.

Back then, when Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi were practicing martial arts at night, a group of fellow disciples climbed over the wall to watch. Zhang Jingqing summoned heavenly lightning to intimidate the disciples, causing them to disperse in fear.

Speaking of which, besides the "Eight Extraordinary Techniques" and other strange and bizarre arts, there are also many wonderful methods in this world that are difficult to understand in ordinary ways.

Lei Fa is one of them.

The thunder magic of Longhu Mountain, though called the Five Thunders, is actually the Five Qi—

The core of Taoist practice lies in communicating with all things through the "Five Qi". Those skilled in cultivation believe that "Shen" manifests by relying on "Qi", and "Qi" is driven by "Shen".

If you can achieve a state where external distractions do not disturb your mind, and your inner obsessions do not scatter outwards, maintaining a peaceful and smooth flow of Qi within your body, and returning to the origin of life, then whether you are walking, still, meditating, or lying down, you can allow Qi to circulate naturally like a gentle stream.

When this cultivated "righteous energy" is used in magic, it can resonate with the power of creation of heaven and earth through its own true strength.

A gentle "shh" can summon clouds and rain, a slight "hiss" can unleash thunder.

When the primordial spirit within the body is mobilized, it moves swiftly and unhindered; when suppressing evil spirits, ghosts and monsters are defeated without resistance.

With such cultivation, one can penetrate heaven and earth, traverse yin and yang, and all the changes in the world will be controlled by one "true self".

Chen Ruoan's thoughts continued to wander.

Thunder Magic - Drawing Heavenly Thunder - Five Thunderbolts Strike the Head - Thunder Tribulation!

"Zhang Zhiwei, I need your help in my cultivation!" Chen Ruoan jumped onto the table. Fortunately, the tea drinkers were all attracted by the music and no one noticed the fox in the private room.

"What mischief are you up to now?"

"Think about it, if I successfully cross the threshold of my lifespan, I'll face a tribulation of lightning. The heavens don't know their own strength when they strike; what if they turn me into a charred mess?"

"so what?"

"You can use your thunder magic to summon heavenly lightning and pretend to strike me a few times. That'll be enough to help me get through the tribulation."

Zhang Zhiwei frowned, thinking that this fox was simply audacious.

Regardless of whether the methods for foxes to become immortals as recorded in ancient texts are correct, even if they could, such a practice of deceiving the heavens is still stealing heavenly secrets.

"To cultivate the complete Thunder Magic, one must take over the position of Celestial Master. Unfortunately, my junior brother is more talented than I am in becoming a Celestial Master."

"Um?"

Chen Ruoan was taken aback. Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi, these two fellow disciples, both believed that the other was more suitable for the position of Celestial Master.

Needless to say, Zhang Huaiyi believed that he could not surpass his senior brother in either cultivation or character; Zhang Zhiwei probably thought that his junior brother understood people better and was more capable of shouldering the future of Zhengyi.

"I've always been curious, do you want to become a Taoist priest?" the fox asked.

"It's not a question of whether I want to or not, it's a question of whether it's appropriate or not."

"If you want to, but feel you're not suitable, wouldn't that be going against your own heart?"

"When that time comes, I estimate I will make corresponding changes." Zhang Zhiwei lifted the teacup, carefully took a sip along the rim, and found it refreshing, mellow, and sweet.

The singing on the stage continued, and a tea server approached. The fox then scurried under the table again.

"If you become a Celestial Master, I'll have to trouble you with the tribulation. If you don't become a Celestial Master, remember to do your cultivation on the talismans well, so that when I undergo my tribulation, you can pray to Heaven in advance."

You can also make a wish on the wishing tree's treasure slip, but Chen Ruoan is used to having double insurance and multiple protections, just in case.

"Alright, alright, I'll put in a good word for you later."

"However, when it comes to cultivation, one must be down-to-earth and proceed step by step. There are not many convenient paths to heaven."

Zhang Zhiwei turned his gaze to the audience, where the drama had reached a climax, and he joined the tea drinkers and theatergoers in applauding and cheering.

Enjoying tea and listening to music is quite leisurely and carefree, but unfortunately one cannot linger too long. Otherwise, if the master finds out, it won't be enough to appease him with just a few slaps. No amount of "Tiger Crouching" will be of any use.

"Fox, where are you going next?"

Chen Ruoan replied, "I need to collect the karma for the five ghosts in my belly, so I must continue south to Fujian."

"Hmm, that makes it closer now. When you have time to detour through Sanyi Gate, remember to give my regards to Lu Jin."

"You two are still in contact?"

"It's just a friendly spar, it's normal for both sides to win and lose, how can we really turn against each other? Lu Jin isn't someone who can't accept defeat. Junior Brother Fang is the same, I just returned to the mountain and got a letter from him from a long time ago. He's gone to the Longevity Eight Immortals Palace now, it's a good place for him to practice."