Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person

The fox washed its little paws clean, shook off the water droplets from its fur, and breathed a few times to thoroughly clean its paws.

The child, who had been huddled under the eaves, had a clean, smiling face, but when he saw the old Taoist priest Black Wind die, the smile he was trying to fake fell apart.

Chen Ruoan wanted to offer some words of comfort, but the little boy didn't respond. He hugged the fox and cried for a long time. Lin Zifeng watched quietly from the side, not saying anything, and turned his head away.

The scout ghost said, "Master, there is a secret chamber beneath the main hall, containing some harmful things."

"Come with me and take a look."

Chen Ruoan went underground, overturned the alchemy furnace, and found several books and letters in a hidden compartment in the wall.

The book records heretical practices that even dogs wouldn't learn, teaching people to refine human pills, or to refine corpses and create puppets.

The contents of the correspondence were extremely cryptic, but it is clear from them that Black Wind Taoist was not just making empty threats before his death; he did indeed maintain contact with a certain warlord.

However, among the group of extraordinary individuals employed by the warlord, Black Wind Taoist was not a particularly skilled one and was rarely given important responsibilities. He was only remembered when it came to refining longevity-enhancing elixirs.

Of course, by October, the area was completely under the control of the Northern Expeditionary Army, and all that talk about "military generals" was a thing of the past.

The local people enjoyed the benefits of peace and the new policies, and witnessed the seeds of revolution taking root and sprouting.

Chen Ruoan pressed the pages of the book with his claws, gradually pulverizing the evil magic manual into dust.

After resolving the matter at Qingfeng Temple, the fox and Lin Zifeng found an inn in the city to rest.

After witnessing the devastation of many war-torn regions, one can appreciate how precious the lively atmosphere inside the lobby truly is.

The surroundings were filled with a joyous atmosphere, and the shop owner didn't even mind the fox entering the store, giving it a corner spot.

Lin Zifeng picked up his teacup and quietly drank his tea.

Chen Ruoan recalled Yuan Shixiao's master's evaluation of Lin Zifeng, saying that he was unconventional and a remarkable person, but unfortunately, he had a particularly difficult life in the era of transition between the old and the new.

This young swordsman, still somewhat immature, has yet to display his unconventional style, but he has already piqued the fox's curiosity.

Why do you want to study oil painting abroad?

Lin Zifeng put down his teacup and looked out the window at the people coming and going: "The longer I walk, the more powerless I feel with my sword, so I want to go outside and take a look to change my mood."

"Isn't the scenery here good?"

Lin Zifeng countered, "Brother Fox, what did you see here?"

"A chaotic and broken world, and people who live tenaciously like weeds."

"Is that so..."

A hint of gloom crept onto Lin Zifeng's face.

The fox couldn't help but wonder, if the "Flowing Cloud Sword" wanted this newcomer to hone his sword heart, would he lose his sword heart during his travels?

Perhaps it was Chen Ruoan's stereotype, but he always felt that as a sword cultivator, one should be dressed in a flamboyant manner, either drinking and singing in the bustling city or standing alone with a sword in the cold mountains. One should live a flamboyant and unrestrained life in order to live up to the name of "sword cultivator".

But in this world, it's really too difficult to be alone.

"If you feel that one person's strength is insignificant and one sword cannot quell the anger in your heart, why not follow this evil Taoist and choose a force? Perhaps you can find like-minded friends and build a great cause together."

Upon hearing Hu Yi's words, Lin Zifeng began to frown and ponder.

"You mean, you want me to give up my artistic pursuits and go... to war?"

"If there is a time when the broken land can be rebuilt, and you and I are fortunate enough to participate in it, when the world is at peace one day, we can travel the world and paint the landscape. This would be a very heroic thing."

"Then we shouldn't have used oil painting," Lin Zifeng murmured. "But where should we go?"

The fox calmed its mind and opened its eyes to see the threads of fate. Among the many long threads that were connected to Lin Zifeng, there was one beam of light in the northeast direction, which shone exceptionally brightly.

"If you are interested, head northeast; there may be a good destiny for you there."

"But when it comes to fate, it's all mysterious. If you really meet someone, how you choose is up to you."

Lin Zifeng nodded and smiled: "Alright. In that case, shall we make a deal?"

"I'm an open and honest person, would I lie to you about something like this? If you have the tools, you can draw it right now."

Chen Ruoan patted his chest with his paw. It wasn't that he looked down on Lin Zifeng, but given the current circumstances, he couldn't even gather the necessary materials for painting, let alone create an oil painting.

"Okay, let's use ink painting then."

"Hmm?" Under the fox's surprised gaze, Lin Zifeng sent someone to fetch paper, brush, ink, and inkstone.

Once standing by the table, actually becoming a model, a slight sense of embarrassment began to creep into the fox's heart.

Gradually, some other diners also gathered around.

"Is the young gentleman an artist?"

"Bringing a fox into the shop and painting a fox, one must truly love foxes."

···

Lin Zifeng ignored him, spread out paper, ground ink, and began to draw neatly.

After a long time, the fox's shadow solidified on the plain paper.

"Okay, thank you."

The onlookers began to marvel, and Chen Ruoan, curious, observed that it was a painting of a black fox dancing with a sword.

The dark shadow was clearly in the form of a black fox, complete with black fur, a fox tail, and a fox head. Yet, every posture and every detail of exertion was imbued with the swordplay and spirit of a human. The fox's true form was completely concealed by the human's demeanor, the form and demeanor forcibly blended together.

What the hell is this thing you drew, you bastard!

What was the point of me striking such a pose just now?

Chen Ruoan couldn't help but complain that, according to the Fortune Level Chart, this was already a level four existence.

Nobody cares about the fox.

The onlookers applauded and cheered, saying they never imagined that a painting could be done like this.

Even the fox couldn't have imagined that the world had gone this crazy.

"How's the painting?" After leaving the shop, Lin Zifeng finally showed the expectant look that a chef would give when handing out dishes.

"Not so good?"

"not good?"

"It's not a matter of good or bad; I seriously suspect that the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect lacks the necessary methods for cultivating the mind."

Lin Zifeng carefully put away the painting and explained, "For me, the finished product is already quite good. Zifeng thanks you in advance. From now on, I'll listen to Brother Fox and head northeast."

"it is good."

Chen Ruoan breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Zifeng did not linger and indeed turned around alone with his sword on his back, heading straight towards the northeast.

The fox watched the figure disappear into the distance, then turned to leave. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he remembered the wishing tree deep within his soul.

Having spent a few days with Lin Zifeng, I suppose we've formed a shallow bond, which will likely result in a rare blue-quality treasure.

Chen Ruoan focused his mind and searched among the branches of the treasure tree. When he found the three characters "Lin Zifeng", the light from the treasure book almost blinded the fox's "dog eyes".

Wow, the golden legend!

Seeing this strange phenomenon, the fox immediately shook its head: "No, no, simply satisfying a little preference could not have led to such a deep connection. It must be that I made Lin Zifeng what he is."

Could it be that he's going to do something extraordinary on this trip?