Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person

Wugensheng loosened his collar, took off his glasses, and sat down next to Li Muxuan:

"The Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain has a rare quality. In a sense, he is more easygoing than us. I don't want to provoke such a person, and I can't afford to."

"Li Muxuan, I've heard about your situation from Lao Yuan. Think about it carefully again. What exactly is the knot in your heart that has bound you throughout your life?"

Li Muxuan remained silent for a long time, recalling the events of recent years. He realized that most of the grudges and entanglements were caused by him alone, and there were actually very few cases that could be considered true feuds.

The first incident was at Yinghe Tower, where he formed a grudge against Hou Ling and Ruan Tao from Qingzhu Garden.

However, Qingzhu Garden was built on the former hermitage of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove". Suzhou is thousands of miles away from Henan. In addition, his meridians are now completely destroyed and his bones are broken. He may never have the chance to avenge this grudge again.

Then I thought about the strange Taoist priest on Longhu Mountain and the fox with the exaggerated acting skills; I didn't dare to provoke the former, and I couldn't find the latter anywhere...

Finally, Li Muxuan sighed bitterly. Now that he was in such a miserable situation, the only thing he could think of was the Sanyi Sect, which he had once tried to worship.

"Trinity..."

"Ha, you're always giving me difficult questions."

"Sect Leader, you will help me, won't you?"

Wugensheng turned his head to look at Li Muxuan's face, which was somewhat distorted by the lightning: "Since it's a disciple who's asked, I'll help. Same rules as before, do whatever I say."

"Thank you... Sect Leader."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Jingui, who was standing to the side, asked, "Sect Leader, if you are unwilling to provoke the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, why did you dare to confront the Great Ying Immortal of the Sanyi Sect?"

Wugensheng rested his chin on his hand and thought for a while: "How should I put it? Although it's just a rumor, Zuo Ruotong does have a quality that's different from Zhang Jingqing's. As for the Sanyi Sect, it's true that you can gamble with your life, but as for Longhu Mountain, I always feel that the Taoist priests there are far too open-minded."

Yuan Jingui understood what the sect leader meant: "So you're just bullying honest people?"

Wugensheng smiled and said, "Don't look down on honest people."

As the two chatted and laughed, the "giant rice dumpling" whose life hung by a thread spoke again.

"Sect Leader, what should we do?"

Wugensheng replied, "In the backyard of the Sanyi Mountain Sect, there are disciples who failed their cultivation trials and became crippled. Your appearance is quite suitable for infiltrating. Since you want to resolve your inner conflict, then start by becoming a member of the Sanyi Sect."

"It sounds like they're trying to fulfill my last wish..."

Wugensheng did not reply. As the leader of the Quanxing Sect, he never explicitly asked his disciples to do anything. He simply acted as a supportive force when his disciples were hesitant and uncertain.

Li Muxuan is in this situation now.

How could that wicked child know that his ability to act recklessly in the world was due to his natural talent and the skills he learned from his mentor?

Now that he has lost all his cultivation, even if he can settle the matter of the Three Ones Sect, how will he face the chaotic world and the countless enemies who have clashed with him in the future?

Let's consider it fulfilling a dying wish.

···

Trinity Gate.

Nestled in the mountain breeze, the medicinal herb fields on the mountainside are covered with lush, colorful herbs that exude a pleasant, refreshing fragrance.

The fox lay curled up on the soft grass beside the medicinal herb patch, watching the young men of the Sanyi Sect carry baskets to gather herbs.

The herbs here will be sent to the backyard of the mountain gate, where the senior disciples who failed the breakthrough will crush and grind them into pills to strengthen their bodies.

Lu Jin gave instructions to several younger relatives, and only at the end did he stand with the fox outside the herb field, gazing at the distant scenery from the mountainside.

The mountains and rivers are beautiful, but people's worries make the scenery less charming.

Lu Jin said worriedly, "Ever since the many drawbacks of 'Reverse Life' were mentioned, Master has been going into seclusion more and more frequently in recent months. I keep wondering if I did something wrong."

The senior disciples all say that Master went into seclusion because he saw the end of the second stage of reverse rebirth.

But as Lu Jin thought about it more carefully, she felt something was off.

The path to the second level is endless, but human strength is limited. The predecessors of the Three Ones stopped after reaching the second level and would find a place to continue the path of reversal of life without distraction. However, for ten or a hundred years, no one has successfully broken through the barrier.

Some of our predecessors simply disappeared without a trace as time went by.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ruoan retorted, "If you are wrong, then wouldn't I, who pointed out the drawbacks to you, be terribly wrong?"

"Brother An, that's not what I meant."

"The Left Sect Master has broadened the branches and personally laid a solid foundation for his disciples, hoping that some of the younger generation will be exceptionally talented and pass through the three levels. This is already a rare 'teacher'. As for mistakes, can't we just correct them?"

"My brother, you make it sound so easy."

"Yes, it's always easier said than done. That's exactly how Fang Dongtian got stuck in his cultivation."

Lu Jin fell into deep thought, and the fox leaped nimbly towards the mountaintop.

The location chosen by the Sanyi Patriarch for the establishment of the sect was particularly meticulous. As soon as night falls, the entire mountain is shrouded in the warm moonlight, the moonlight as smooth as water, and the silvery glow covering the mountain.

Surrounded by solitude and loneliness, Chen Ruoan transformed into human form, basking in the drifting moonlight, and quietly cultivated his mind.

The full moon's clear light shone on the fox's glossy black hair and also through a hole in the top of a cave, falling on the white robes of the Great Ying Immortal Zuo Ruotong.

"According to the ancestral method, even if the road ahead is difficult and dangerous, I can still walk step by step. But Master, I am really conflicted lately. I can vaguely see the direction, but I don't know how to take the first step..."

"As the ancients said, 'Dharma, companions, wealth, and land are all indispensable.' Now that I possess the Reverse Life Mind Method and the three-in-one system of accumulated wealth, am I only lacking a 'companion'?"

···

Zuo Ruotong pondered without finding a solution, then slowly stepped out of the cave and into the stream barefoot.

He sat on a rock by the stream, gazing down at his reflection in the water, where moonlight shone into the clear, mirror-like surface.

He didn't know when it started, but he had gotten used to examining himself in this way—his temples were still white, his appearance remained the same, and he was still the immortal being praised by the world.

call--

A gust of wind shattered the calm of the water's surface, causing ripples to spread outwards. The figure in the water began to blur and distort, no longer able to reconstruct that perfect, ethereal form.

That gust of wind was brought by a fox.

"Left Gatekeeper, aren't your feet cold?"

"It's a little fox. When did it arrive?"

"Seeing you sitting there for so long, I flew down." An Fox found a rock by the stream and sat down. Just like when they first met, the two of them looked at each other by the stream.

Remembering that Lu Jin had a fox pendant, Zuo Ruotong said, "Since it's a fox with a fixed memorial tablet, could you listen to something on my mind?"

It's strange how people sometimes prefer to confide in strangers rather than acquaintances. And compared to strangers, oddballs and confidants are more suitable as confidants.

"Remember to offer incense and place the roast chicken on the table."

Answering questions and resolving doubts is also one of the services offered by Fox. However, Chen Ruoan did not expect that, compared to traditional matchmaking and love counseling, the first order she received would come from the doubts of the Immortal Daying.

Zuo Ruotong smiled and said, "Okay."

"Please speak, Master Zuo."

"There are all sorts of magical techniques, but they are all placed within a framework, differing only in the ease of their construction. A young man once told me that 'Reverse Life' is very similar to their Golden Light Mantra, but Golden Light is a health-preserving technique, and no one relies on it to reach the heavens. Compared to Golden Light, Reverse Life is far too complicated and tedious."

The fox bluntly stated, "That young man is Zhang Zhiwei from Longhu Mountain."

"Yes, I forgot you two knew each other."

The wind died down and the water stilled. Zuo Ruotong gazed at her reflection again: "After I shed my reversal of life, I looked old, old enough to be an elder to my peers. Whenever I think of this, I have to consider how some of my predecessors looked before they ascended to immortality. Isn't that laughable?"

Chen Ruoan blinked, knowing that Zuo Ruotong had doubts about the path of "reverse rebirth," but she had never witnessed the scene of the "reverse rebirth" state being torn apart, and still had a sliver of hope in her heart.

"Does the Left Sect Master maintain his reversed life form for the sake of the immortal appearance that his fellow cultivators speak of?"

"Of course not. I had no choice but to use this method to explore the path to advancement in order to survive."

"And what about the younger generation within the sect? If, and I mean if, the Trinity Sect's method of reversing death has a problem in its transmission from the previous generation, as the current leader of the sect, should we completely reject the path ahead, or should we trace back the path we came from to find the error and guide cultivation back to the right way?"

Zuo Ruotong frowned and pondered: "If one believes that 'reversing life' cannot achieve enlightenment, then one should not continue to mislead young people. One should trace back to the past and reflect..."

I hadn't thought about that question.

The fox continued, "Take Zhang Zhiwei, whom the Left Gate Master mentioned, for example. If he were born into the Trinity, and someone said that 'reverse birth through threefold cultivation' wouldn't lead to heavenly success, how do you think he would respond?"

Zuo Ruotong shook her head.

Chen Ruoan imagined the Taoist priest's arrogant and disdainful demeanor, and also adopted an arrogant attitude: "That's what he would say."

"You think you can't reach the heavens just because you say so? What level are you at? You can't reach the heavens after three levels of reverse life, but then there are four, five... a hundred, ten thousand levels. It's just like the 'Tao'. People can know and understand the Tao, but they can never attain the 'Tao'. A cultivator can only ever walk on the path of seeking the Tao. But once they officially step onto the path of the Tao, they have already reached a level that ordinary cultivators can hardly reach."

"And ask again, how many people in this entire world understand 'reverse rebirth' better than Master Zuo?"

Zhang Zhiwei's wildness was restrained, while the fox's pretentious wildness was extremely unrestrained and unruly. Zuo Ruotong looked at the fox with some surprise, and a rare sense of exhilaration welled up in her chest.

"But I have nowhere to retreat."

"There will always be successors. Doesn't the Left Sect Leader want to see how far these new talents in the sect can go? Besides, as the sect leader, you are indeed responsible for your disciples. Some of the disciples behind the mountain gate who are physically disabled but determined are still living tenaciously."

Zuo Ruotong then asked, "Maintaining the reverse life force depletes one's mental energy, and if it is removed, one's life is in danger. What is the solution?"

The fox replied, "Mr. Niu, who is renowned in the medical field today, is a close friend of mine. In addition, there is still a memorial tablet for me in Jishetang."

"Then, shall we give it a try?"

"Give it a try."

···

As night deepened with the moonlight, the sparse shadows of bamboo in the courtyard were cast obliquely on the bluestone slabs.

Just as Si Chong, known as "Mr. Kuangya," was about to rest, he saw someone approaching at the courtyard gate and raised his eyes to greet them loudly: "Senior Brother, weren't you preparing for seclusion? Why are you out so soon?"

Before he could finish speaking, the moonlight just happened to shine over Zuo Ruotong's eyebrows and eyes, and Si Chong's voice suddenly stopped.

In the moonlight, Zuo Ruotong's once handsome face was now covered with deep wrinkles, and her five fingers hanging at her sides were as withered as old branches. Although her clothes were neat, they could not hide the sudden appearance of aging that had spread all over her body. Her once stunning beauty had completely vanished.

"Senior brother, what's wrong with you?!"

"Don't be afraid, it won't kill you. Sometimes I want to relax a little. I've forgotten how long it's been since I've seen people looking like this."

Upon hearing this, Si Chong said urgently, "No, no! Please, Senior Brother, use your profound energy again!"

"It's getting late, you should go back and rest early."

"Senior brother! Have you gained new insights since your seclusion, or has someone said something to you?! Senior brother, what decision are you about to make? For the sake of Sanyi, please think it over carefully, please think it over carefully!"

Zuo Ruotong remained silent, went inside and closed the door, and the candlelight quickly disappeared into the night.

The atmosphere at Sanyi Gate seems to have changed quietly lately.

The disciples would occasionally see Zuo Ruotong huddled in a rattan chair, looking old and enjoying his leisure time like an ordinary old man. The newly initiated disciples always felt that his demeanor was far from the immortal they had imagined, and their idol image in their hearts began to crumble.

Zuo Ruotong continued to personally teach and impart knowledge, but he spent more time with Chen Ruoan and had more time to visit the disabled disciples behind the mountain gate.

As a result, rumors and gossip surrounding the fox spread rapidly and became rampant.

Some say that foxes are skilled in bewitching, and strange beasts like to absorb vital energy to cultivate. It is said that Master Zuo's long-term contact with foxes has affected his ability to reverse life.

It seems that Lu Jin was also deceived by the vixen.

"Someone is slandering me." Chen Ruoan stood on the roof of the backyard. The three disciples in the courtyard were busy, and their smiles were even wider than before.

Ghost Second complained, "Why does my silly boy seem more interested in having Master Zuo as his father?"

The fox did not reply.

Sincerity and prudence are the rules of the San Yi Sect. Everyone likes to make friends with sincere people.

Swish!

As Chen Ruoan rested, a sharp palm strike swept past, the shockwave rippling the fox's fur in bright waves.

Standing at the corner of the courtyard wall, a surge of energy seemed to materialize from his skin, flesh, and bones. Before his palm could strike, he roared, "Senior Brother's strange behavior began after our travels. I inquired at Green Bamboo Garden; nothing happened. The problem lies with you, you fox!"

"Get out of here now, get out of the Sanyi Mountain gate, or I won't be polite!"

"Ah~" Chen Ruoan opened her long, pointed mouth and yawned casually.

"You!" Si Chong raised his palm to gather strength, ready to strike, but before he could release his palm, his wrist was grabbed tightly.

"Si Chong, is this how Sanyi treats its guests?" Zuo Ruotong gripped Si Chong's wrist tightly, rendering him unable to move.

"Senior brother, if I don't do something soon, our entire sect will be ruined. Not only the sect, but the whole industry is spreading rumors that you've been bewitched by a vixen, and that your unparalleled 'Triple Rebirth Technique' has been wasted!"

"So, the Mr. Kuangya that others talk about really cares about gossip?"

"Senior brother... Ugh!" Si Chong pulled his arm away and angrily turned away.

After seeing everything, Chen Ruoan felt that Zuo Ruotong and Si Chong, these two fellow disciples, were somewhat similar to Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi. One was single-mindedly pursuing the profound truth and the Dao, even to the point of martyrdom, while the other was shrewd and calculating, more suitable for managing the development of the sect.

However, it seems that Chong lacks a certain degree of insight and prudence in his actions towards Zhang Huaiyi.

Zuo Ruotong, standing under the eaves, bowed and apologized, saying, "It was our Sanyi Sect that was impolite."

Chen Ruoan gently shook her head.

At this moment, the fox's mind was clear and bright, and the wishing tree's precious tablet shone with a clear light. In just a few days, the color of the light changed from white to blue, then from blue to purplish-blue, and if it continued to spread, it would become a dazzling golden light.

I only hope that this good karma will lead to a perfect outcome for both parties.

It can not only provide foxes with methods for self-cultivation, but also cure Zuo Ruotong's hidden ailments, and find some ways to make up for his shortcomings on the path of reversing the natural order.

In this way, perhaps the ill-fated relationship with Lu Jin can also be resolved.