The Little Fox's Immortal Cultivation Encyclopedia

"I told you before, the weather is getting cold, and I have to lead the old and young of the tribe to move to the warmer lands to the south."

"It's cold where I am. I'll just stay away from you when the fox swallows the moonlight." The fox lowered its tail tip.

"It will be too late when it gets really cold." The titmouse hopped onto a branch and looked south.

The fox's tail swept idly across the ground as it asked, "Do all the birds fly south?"

"Some birds are born that way," the titmouse said, tilting its head to look at the fox. "We're different. After I became a spirit, I saw more and learned more. I knew that winters were warmer and there was more food in the south, so I went there. Who doesn't want to live a more comfortable life?"

It paused, then said, "Besides, how many new things can one see while flying all the way? How rivers flow into the sea, how people live. These are things you can't see even if you stay in one place and watch a hundred autumns."

The fox remained silent, its tail tip curling up and then relaxing: "When are you coming back?"

"We'll come back when the weather gets warmer."

"Oh, right," the titmouse seemed to suddenly remember something, "Speaking of which, I still don't know your name?"

"Name? Are you crazy? A fox is a fox, but also a fox spirit and a fox god." The fox was puzzled.

"That's what other people call you!" The leader of the mountain sparrows clicked his tongue, giving you a look that said, "You really don't know what's going on. There are plenty of foxes in the world, how would anyone know it's you? Your name has to be unique, preferably with your background and skills in mind, or at least it has to sound impressive!"

Seeing that the fox was still confused, it spread its wings and said, "Just like me, because of my deep blue and almost black feathers, I am called Ink Feather."

"I've heard that you foxes all start with 'Hu' and use 'Hu' as your surname. Since there are so many people with the surname Hu, others don't know what to use, so they either choose a surname based on the place they live in."

The fox thought to itself: 'A fox can worship the moon, breathe in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, eat incense offerings, and even perform illusions. Living in Green Ridge, it's both an immortal and a god...'

It raised its head and said smugly, "That fox is called the Azure Wind Moon Fairy Fox!"

The titmouse covered its face with its wings: "That's not a name! It's too long, who can remember it!"

"Then, shall I be called Wind Fox?"

"Crazy Fox? Who insults themselves like that?"

"Nothing works, nothing works!" The fox slapped its tail against the ground, shouting, "Fox, call yourself whatever you want! I'll be called Qing Shu!"

Mo Ling was about to retort when she suddenly stopped: "That's good. I've heard that there's a fairy in the moon named Wang Shu. You spit out the moon every day, so that's a perfect name for you."

The fox swallowed the unspoken words, "I want to be the most comfortable fox in Qingling," and nodded repeatedly.

"Then it's settled!" Mo Ling flapped her wings happily. "From now on, I'll call you Qing Shu, and you'll call me Mo Ling. When I come back in the spring, just call out 'Wang Shu' in front of the mountain god's temple, and you'll know it's me."

With the naming settled, the temple suddenly fell silent. Under the autumn sun, the shadows of the fox and the sparrow stretched long and slanted.

"The moonlight might be nice tonight," the fox said. "This moonlight is a good thing. Although I don't know how long you'll be flying, you must be very tired. It's always good to eat more moonlight."

"Alright, thanks to your good fortune, fox spirit, our journey might be smoother." Mo Ling kicked Xiao Jiu out. "Go, call all the other sparrows over."

……

As dusk settled, a flock of sparrows arrived.

A dense, dark mass gathered from all directions, landing on the courtyard wall and tree branches, their chirping sounds weaving a net.

The fox looked up at the moon, which was clear and bright. Through the thin clouds, the courtyard below appeared as clear as still water.

it's time.

The fox took a deep breath and closed its eyes.

The inner core trembled slightly and leaped out from the dantian. Moonlight, like water, poured down from the sky.

The fox controlled the moonlight, preventing it from being swallowed and instead allowing it to swirl and gather around its body before slowly spreading out.

At first, it only covered a three-foot radius around the body, but gradually it spread to the entire courtyard.

The flock of sparrows quieted down.

The moonlight seemed almost tangible, climbing up the feathers of every bird and seeping into their skin. It was a warmth like that of a mother's wings.

A young titmouse tentatively spread its wings, let out a soft chirp, and took flight. Moonlight shone on its feathers, making its movements even more graceful than usual.

Then came the second one, and the third one.

Without any command, the sparrows in the courtyard fluttered their wings and darted through the moonlight, their wingtips creating ripples in the air.

The fox had its eyes closed, yet it saw more clearly than ever before.

Through its magical powers and the statue, it can sense the feelings of each titmouse: their joy at growing up and their anticipation of traveling far away.

The fox suddenly understood why it wanted to offer the moonlight to the titmouse.

It's not just about sharing some of the moon's spiritual energy, but about giving my blessings, through the purest essence of heaven and earth, to my friend who is about to embark on a long journey.

Mo Ling did not take flight like the flock of sparrows; instead, it perched on the eaves, quietly watching the fox in the courtyard.

The fox in the moonlight had a snow-white belly, black claws like ink, and red fur that shimmered with silver light. For a moment, Mo Ling felt that what she saw before her was not a fox, but a spirit born of nature.

Mo Ling recalled the stories she had heard from storytellers before. Were the legendary immortals like this? Living on wind and dew, swallowing the sun and spitting out the moon, transcending the mortal world yet still tainted by it.

Perhaps, this foolish fox will eventually really go down that path.

Time flies and stars shift.

The courtyard was quiet and cold, covered with a thin layer of silver frost after the midnight air.

The peach tree in the courtyard was also bathed in moonlight, and a layer of frost condensed on the peaches it bore.

The fox opened one eye and looked at the peach tree through the flock of sparrows.

"The moonlight is too intense; the peaches can't withstand it." Mo Ling flew down to the branch and examined the ice peaches closely. "But it might not be a bad thing. I've heard that some spiritual fruits need to be exposed to frost and snow and bathed in moon dew before they can transform into true immortal fruits."

"The essence of heaven and earth, when gathered in things, becomes spiritual plants; the essence of the sun and moon, when infused in fruits, becomes celestial food."

Before the words were finished, Mo Ling spoke up: "Keep them. If they're still here when I come back in the spring, they'll be a perfect welcome gift."

The fox nodded and looked up towards the east. The river slanted as the moon set, dawn was breaking in the east, and the night slowly faded away.

"It's time to go."

"it is good."

Mo Ling's cheeks were bright white. She flapped her wings, glanced at the fox, and flew into the air, merging into the flock of sparrows.

The sparrows circled the courtyard one last time, descending in altitude and hovering around the fox's body. Then, led by Mo Ling, they flapped their wings and flew south, transforming into a flock of sparrow shadows that merged into the rising sun and disappeared on the horizon.

A morning breeze swept by, and the fox straightened up. This newly built mountain god temple was indeed more spacious and open than before.

It turned and walked towards the main hall.

As it stepped over the threshold, it looked back at the peach tree once more.

What will these peaches look like when Mo Ling returns?

Suddenly, the fox felt a sense of anticipation.