The Little Fox's Immortal Cultivation Encyclopedia

The fiery boat transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the tail. The fox looked up and saw an old man in green robes emerge from the darkness at the end of the river, gazing gently at the fox.

"Those are your memories?" The fox sized up the person in front of it.

His face was even more withered than I remembered, and it seemed as if he had used up all his strength just by speaking. His feet were rooted to the ground in the river, and Yin energy flowed through his body. Half of his body had merged into the darkness, but the wooden expression I remembered was gone, replaced by a smile.

"Now that you've arrived, fellow Daoist," he said slowly, "I'll get straight to the point."

"It all started when the previous dynasty collapsed."

"Qingling connects Mangyuan and Yunling prefectures. Several bloody battles have been fought here in turn, resulting in piles of corpses and an atmosphere of yin energy."

"The malevolent energy has lingered and persisted for years, turning this mountain range into a desolate wasteland where no living being can approach."

"Just then, the Taoist priest appeared."

"That Taoist priest used vital energy as the source and my tree branches as a guide, intending to plant peach trees in specific locations to set up a peach branch-locking and evil-dispelling formation."

"His magical power was weak, and his cultivation was low, yet his ambition was higher than the sky." Peach God's voice was calm and unhurried. "Until his death, he had only barely managed to establish the foundation of the formation."

"But that precarious formation actually held on. After that, the malevolent aura around Qingling subsided, the vegetation gradually revived, and the people were able to live and thrive."

"As time has passed, the creatures here have come to take this peace for granted."

"But it was a castle in the air to begin with, so it naturally collapsed at the slightest touch."

"Forty years ago, a sorcerer passed through this place and discovered the ancient battlefield."

"I can only speculate on the specifics, after all, I was just an ordinary peach tree back then. You can't expect an unborn child to know anything about the world." He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, a smile inexplicably appearing on his face. "After that, the mountain god and the demon disappeared without a trace."

"The twists and turns of the past are unknown to us, but the result is obvious: the peach array has been broken, and the balance has been completely lost."

"So many years passed, until four years ago, when I finally regained my senses."

"I watched all this with curiosity. Fellow Daoist, you must understand this feeling. The world is full of novel things, and countless little people surround you, looking at you with admiration." Peach God's tone was filled with affection. "Looking at them, I suddenly understood why the Daoist looked at me with those eyes back then. I urgently wanted to do something for them."

"It was at that time that Li Lang appeared. He knelt at my feet, wanting to ask for a peach of immortality for his mother on her fiftieth birthday."

"So I granted his wish and did the worst thing I've ever done in my life."

"Following my instincts, I condensed the first immortal peach and gave it to Li Lang." The Peach God seemed to be making excuses, yet also blaming himself, "You can't expect a newborn child to do everything perfectly."

"That peach embodies my blessings, my congratulations, and a part of my consciousness."

"Li Lang was eager to return home, but his soul departed halfway. Perhaps it was out of regret for him, or perhaps out of curiosity about the human world, that I committed my second wrong act."

"And so, the new Li Lang was born."

"He merged with Li Lang's memories and took away all my delusions. From then on, he was me and yet not me, like a new tree that grew from a cutting of my peach branch."

The fox listened silently as Peach God recounted the experiences he had already shown the fox from his own perspective, as if recalling something or admitting his mistakes.

The fox did not interrupt.

"In short, after losing part of my soul, I became increasingly powerless and weakened day by day. The peach tree's body also gradually became estranged from me, and I could no longer control it. At the same time, I discovered the effects of the peaches, and I began to actively curb their effects."

"The cycle of birth and death is the natural order of the universe. A spirit is not easily obtained. Most people's souls disappear on their own after death. Only a very few people will become spirits and remain in the world."

"I can only try to warn people that those who ate the peaches and are still alive have a deeper connection with me and can remember me clearly, while others only retain a faint subconscious memory. They will only remember me again when they hear the legend."

"Just then, something even worse happened: the demons appeared."

"At first, they were just taking advantage of people's fear of disappearances to deliberately kidnap people in the vicinity. But later, they astutely discovered Tao'er's secret."

"They use my fruit to feed my followers, cultivating demons that they can control."

"I was once in despair, and this feeling spread to Li Lang, making him anxious and stubborn as well."

"Just then, fellow Daoist appeared."

"Fellow Daoist captured Chang Sheng, rescued Pu Caiyu who was hidden by Li Lang, eliminated the demon's henchmen, pulled back the demon-possessed Da Liu, and finally arrived at this place."

"Compared to me, who has lived a life of mistakes, shouldn't you, fellow Daoist, be a better choice?"

"Are you going to die?" the fox suddenly asked.

"Indeed."

"Can you please not die?"

"I'm afraid not." The peach tree chuckled, its brows relaxing. "As I just said, the cycle of birth and death is the truth of this world. And I am a sinner, so why should I grieve?"

"Those malevolent energies haven't been dealt with yet; you need to purify them."

"I've caused you trouble, fellow Daoist."

"The fox can't be dealt with."

"Fellow Daoist, your aura is pure and clear, your divine power abundant; how could you possibly fail to accomplish this?"

The fox refused to give up: "You are the only trace left by that Taoist priest. Without you, the proof of his existence would also disappear."

"Fellow Daoist is indeed eloquent," Peach God laughed, pointing to the fox tail. "It's a pity that Master Yun is the legacy left by this old Daoist. And those peach trees covering the mountain are living monuments."

The fox fell silent.

"It is a rare privilege to meet you before I die. I have nothing to offer but my humble opinion to help you resolve your troubles."

"Fellow Daoist, have you ever heard of the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and the laws of the four seasons?"

"The vital energy is one of the six energies, the primordial energy that gives rise to all things," the Peach God said gently. "That old Taoist used this energy to awaken the vitality of the peach branches. Fellow Daoist, with this method, you may be able to restore the decaying bodies of those ghosts."

"Unfortunately, I do not know the specific breathing techniques, but you might want to ask Abbot Yun, perhaps the tradition still exists."

The voice had already begun its introduction, but Fox had no interest in listening.

"He said they went through many twists and turns, and many old files were lost or damaged. Only you know this."

"That's a real shame."

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to persuade me any further." Peach God showed no fear, instead comforting the fox, "Even a withered tree can bloom again in spring. As long as the seed remains, it will eventually sprout. This is true of Qingling Temple, and it is true of me as well."

"However, before I die, I can still do one last thing for my fellow Daoists regarding this place."

"Those evil people have not yet been completely eliminated, and my own magical power and will have been corrupted. However, I will use the remaining spiritual essence to send divine decrees to believers, pretending to be my incarnation like a fleeing soul. In this way, you can receive the prayers of the entire city."

"From this day forward, fellow Daoist is the new Peach God."