Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person

Who is Zhang Zhiwei?

The ancient Greek god who controls the palm, the great master of causality, the greatest rule-based mystery among the extraordinary, even though he is still in his growth stage, he cannot be dealt with by ordinary magic methods.

To realize the wish of the Celestial Master Jingqing, the right time, the right place, and the right people are all indispensable. Perhaps it is also necessary to pretend to be Tang and secretly work with Zhang Zhiwei.

Chen Ruoan asked, "Why does the Celestial Master insist on Zhang Zhiwei's defeat? The Fox believes he has already embarked on his own path."

Yes, why is that?

Zhang Jingqing's eyes were filled with deep thoughts, and she pondered to herself.

After returning to the mountains from his travels, Zhang Zhiwei's temperament became more restrained. His former unrestrained and flamboyant nature faded considerably, and his behavior became more composed. This is a remarkable improvement.

But why was he so determined to inflict a "defeat" on him? This thought had lingered in his heart for decades, taking deep root and continuing to this day.

Could it be that this is no longer a teacher's way of testing and training his students, but rather an obsession, or perhaps he simply doesn't like Zhang Zhiwei's "silly" appearance?

Zhang Jingqing stared at the teacup, watching the tea stems floating aimlessly in the cup, and after thinking for a while, she gave her answer.

"It's not about 'defeat,' but about finding a 'partner' who can inspire you and help you move forward together."

Sometimes, when you're so angry you're blinded by it, you might really forget your original intention.

Chen Ruoan nodded.

Is it the same as in the original storyline where Zuo Ruotong meets Wugensheng?

But if the fox were to fight Zhang Zhiwei, could he truly make every move meaningful?

The fox could see Zhang Jingqing's sincerity and felt a sense of respect for her adherence to the principles of teaching.

Its fox ears drooped slightly, and it raised its furry front paws, gently pointing to the altar behind it.

"Master, this small temple is simple and not as grand and well-organized as the Fox Fairy Hall on Longhu Mountain, but it is sincerely worshipped by the villagers and is said to be very effective."

Zhang Jingqing understood Chen Ruoan's unspoken meaning.

He walked slowly to the altar, his fingertips brushing against the clean incense holder on the table. He took three sticks of incense, and with a gentle flick of his fingertips, the incense spontaneously combusted, the smoke curling gently and slowly.

After the offering was completed, Zhang Jingqing turned around and looked at the fox: "Then I'll have to trouble you."

Having said that, his gaze lingered briefly on the fox's lithe form, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes, and he asked softly, "What do you look like in human form?"

Chen Ruoan transformed into human form, and Zhang Jingqing then asked about the oil-paper umbrella.

"This umbrella?"

"It's just to cover up the slight fragrance on my body, so that the scent won't be too alluring to people."

"Oh?"

Chen Ruoan raised her eyes and carefully examined Zhang Jingqing for a moment.

"I was rude."

Chen Ruoan raised his hand and gently closed the oil-paper umbrella. The moment the umbrella was closed, a clear and slightly enchanting fragrance quietly spread out. It was neither gaudy nor strong, like the mist in the mountains or the plum blossoms under the moon, slowly entering Zhang Jingqing's nostrils.

The Taoist priest's expression remained unchanged, his demeanor calm. Only his nostrils twitched slightly. He then nodded slightly and said softly, "I see."

Upon seeing this, the fox, in human form, bowed and said, "Chen Ruoan of the Taishan Inviting Moon Pavilion greets the Celestial Master."

···

Three days later, Chen Ruoan arrived at the gate of Longhu Mountain. The mountain was shrouded in mist, and ancient pines and cypresses stood on both sides of the road.

In front of the steps, a figure dressed in a light gray Taoist robe was sweeping fallen leaves with a bamboo broom. He had large ears and a wary look in his eyes.

Zhang Jingqing stepped forward slowly and called out, "Huaiyi, where is Zhang Zhiwei?"

Zhang Huaiyi casually pointed towards the back mountain: "It's inside the back mountain."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Huaiyi's gaze fell on Chen Ruoan, who was accompanying him.

After looking him up and down several times, he leaned forward and asked in a low voice, "Master, who is this?"

"We have come to exchange ideas and discuss the Dao."

"Huh? Oh, oh, oh..."

Zhang Huaiyi nodded repeatedly in agreement, and his gaze toward Chen Ruoan suddenly became strange, a mixture of sympathy and mischievous amusement.

At this moment, Chen Ruoan was dressed in the plain-colored martial arts attire of an ordinary martial artist. His head was wrapped in a headscarf, his fox ears were completely covered, and his fox tail was also carefully concealed under the hem of his clothes.

Zhang Jingqing didn't need Zhang Huaiyi to find anyone; she went to the back mountain on her own, leaving Big Ear Thief awkwardly entertaining the guest and forcing a smile as he dealt with the fox.

"My senior brother seems to be quite famous in the circle. Why did you decide to come and spar with him?"

"Just to witness the prowess of the high-ranking priests of the Celestial Master's Mansion."

"Well then, good luck."

Zhang Huaiyi casually swept up the fallen leaves with a broom, occasionally peeking at the audience below the stage.

Poor thing.

I wonder which school of thought this disciple belongs to. After today, there will probably be one more person in the circle who harbors hostility towards his senior brother.

The fox, holding an umbrella, climbed the steps, passing Zhang Huaiyi who was standing to the side of the steps. There were still more steps to climb.

The road is so long.

Is it finally my turn to beat up Zhang Zhiwei?

These layers of stone steps stretched upwards as if there were no end in sight. The fox stepped forward step by step, and it really had a bit of the imposing aura of breaking through the mountain gate, shaking the leader, and coming to fight the BOSS.

Before long, footsteps could be heard on the mountain path. Zhang Zhiwei strode confidently up the steps, and even though he tried to restrain himself a little, he was still unrestrained and flamboyant, without the slightest bit of restraint.

He strode up to Zhang Jingqing, scratched his head, and chuckled, "Master, what kind of person is this today?"

Zhang Jingqing snorted coldly: "Just you wait and see, I might give you a huge surprise today."

Zhang Zhiwei followed the instructions and looked down the steps. He saw the black umbrella slowly lift, the edge of the umbrella move aside, revealing a very impressive face.

Before Zhang Zhiwei had even seen the fox in human form, he raised his voice and asked, "May I ask which school of martial arts this fellow Daoist belongs to?"

Chen Ruoan had previously arranged with Zhang Jingqing that the family name and social status would be entirely up to him.

He lightly gripped the umbrella handle, his voice clear and cold like jade: "Wumen Sanren, Feng Yuxiu."

"Today we come to challenge you—to determine who is superior and to decide life or death."

"Huh?" Zhang Zhiwei turned to look at Zhang Jingqing, pointed at Chen Ruoan below the steps, and exclaimed, "Master, is this person so sharp-tongued?"

"Stop talking nonsense."

Zhang Jingqing shouted angrily, but also felt that the fox had gone a bit too far.

"It's not that serious, normal conversation is fine."

Chen Ruoan approached, raised his hand to gently close the oil-paper umbrella, and the three energies within his body intertwined and scattered.

Zhang Zhiwei's nose twitched slightly, and the exotic fragrance mixed with the three aromas wafted in.

He waved his hand near his nose, raising an eyebrow slightly: "This smell is a bit strong."

"Master Zhang, please enlighten me."

Chen Ruoan raised his hand and waved it. The gnarled and withered vines and leafless branches by the roadside began to stir. Tiny new green shoots broke through the brown, the withered bark peeled off, and the stagnant vitality suddenly began to flow.

The vines and leaves shimmered with a lustrous green light, all climbing toward Chen Ruoan's outstretched palm. As he turned his wrist and drew the sword, a longsword woven from green plants appeared in his hand.

"Five Elements magic, plus methods to guide the flow of life force—this is the surprise?"

Swish!

Chen Ruoan used "Frame Breaking and Shadow Shift" to instantly appear in front of Zhang Zhiwei. The green vine longsword collided with the golden light protecting him, creating a strong wind and setting the stage for a friendly exchange of sparring.

Zhang Zhiwei stood still, his casual expression gone, but he noticed that Chen Ruoan had nurtured a sword aura on the sword.

The methods of the Sword Immortal sect.

"It's a surprise," Zhang Zhiwei said.