The Little Fox's Immortal Cultivation Encyclopedia

Chapter 109 The Fox Travels by Boat

The next morning, the fox packed up and headed south.

The fox had lived in the city for quite some time and was now considered a city fox, knowing a little about the situation in the surrounding counties.

The further south you go, the more waterways there are. In Taoxian County, it's just a tributary of the Taoxi River, and the river is narrow. But further south, the tributary merges into the main channel and eventually into the Lanjiang River, where the river widens.

Where there is water, there are boats. It is said that people in the south often travel by water. As a native mountain fox, it was curious and had the idea of ​​taking a boat.

If you exit from the south gate and walk a few dozen steps, you will see a place on the riverbank with wooden stakes nailed in and many small boats moored there; this is the dock.

A small shed had been set up on the shore, and quite a few people were already waiting there. The fox bought a sesame seed cake from a nearby vendor and ate it while choosing a boat.

The boats weren't very big. Some had low awnings, so crouching inside, you couldn't even stand up straight. Some didn't even have awnings, just planks floating on the water; it was hard to imagine what they would do if it rained. Others were half-loaded with cargo, with barely enough space for a few people to squeeze in.

"Heading to Yunxi County, we'll leave once everyone's here!"

"Hand over your luggage, watch your step!"

The boatmen were busy wiping the decks and greeting customers. Seeing the fox approach, they exchanged glances and turned away in unison. Only the oldest man on the largest boat spoke up: "Hey, young master, would you like a ride?"

The fox readily agreed, and while tidying its tail, it found some silver coins, which it figured would be enough. It couldn't skimp on itself.

Two people were already seated on the boat: a round-faced man, neatly dressed, and a thin, small boy, who was staring intently at the fox.

"Little Stone, what are you looking at?" The man gently patted the boy's head.

"It's nothing," the boy replied, without blinking.

The fox remained silent, curiously pacing the boat, making it sway gently.

Seeing that the fox was far away, the boy whispered to the man, but the fox heard everything: "Dad, he's so good-looking. If he could join our class, we could definitely recruit a lot of people."

"You're always thinking about things that have no future." The man took out a few smooth stones from his pocket and handed them to the boy. "Here, play with these. Let's have another match. If you win, I'll buy you some Double Ninth Festival cake."

Upon hearing that something fun was happening, the fox quickly went over to take a look.

The boy took the stone, lay down by the side of the boat, aimed for a long time, and then threw it with all his might. The stone fell into the water with a splash.

Using the splash of water as cover, the fox subtly summoned the stone back with its magic.

The man also threw one; the pebble bounced five times on the water before finally sinking.

"Dad~" the boy said softly, holding the man's hand.

The man chuckled, not giving an inch: "This is your father's skill accumulated over many years. If you want to learn it, you'll have to practice it properly when you get back to the troupe."

The fox leaned closer and asked, "Is it better to throw these pebbles as far as possible, or to splash them into the water as many times as possible?"

The man was startled and cupped his hands, saying, "Please forgive my rudeness, sir. It's just a country bumpkin's trick, nothing to be proud of."

The fox took out a pebble, its inner core trembling slightly, and used the coin-throwing technique it had learned from the old man in plain clothes.

The pebbles flew out like lightning, leaping and bounding across the water before disappearing into the distance.

Since it's unclear which option is better, the fox will have both.

The little stone's mouth could fit a big stone inside.

"Big brother, you're so amazing! Could you teach me?"

"Okay, okay," the fox said, accepting all offers.

The man watched the wealthy young man and his son playing happily, feeling uneasy and restrained. He wanted to say something, but couldn't get a word in edgewise.

The boatman smiled, lit an incense stick, placed it at the bow of the boat, and bowed three times: "May the river god protect us—"

He muttered something to himself, then untied the mooring line, tapped the shore with a pole, and the boat swayed away from the bank.

"Let's set sail!"

The shouts from the dock gradually faded into the distance, and the scenery on both banks slowly receded into the distance.

The fox dipped a paw into the water, feeling the current, and asked, "What kind of class are you talking about?"

The man finally spoke up: "We're opera performers. The troupe went to Yunxi County first, but I had something to do and was delayed, so I'm taking this kid with me to catch up."

"My surname is Zhou, and this is my son, Xiao Shitou."

"My name is Qing Shu." The fox introduced itself, withdrew its hand, and casually wiped the water droplets off its clothes.

That's the advantage of not having hair.

"What are you going to the county for?"

"Today is the Double Ninth Festival, there should be a temple fair in the county town, and I heard there will be a City God parade. Someone invited us to perform."

"Oh." The fox said expressionlessly, "If the City God is no longer here, will it affect your opera performance?"

"That shouldn't be the case, young master. Why do you ask that?"

The fox was relieved. Luckily, he acted quickly, otherwise he would have been able to watch a play before the city god left, and he would have almost made a profit.

After walking for a while, the man glanced at the sky and took out two flatbreads from his pocket: "If you don't mind this simple food, young master, would you like one to tide you over?"

The fox refused and looked down at the river. The water was clear, and several fish could be seen swimming around.

The fox had been staring at them for a long time.

It pretended to put its hand into the water, waved it around casually a few times, and then suddenly plunged it in. The plain silk ribbon silently emerged from its sleeve, rolled up in the water, and pulled a fish to the surface.

"Snapped!"

The fish thrashed about on the deck, and everyone froze in surprise. Zhou Hanzi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, while Little Stone, oblivious, clapped and cheered, "Big brother is amazing! He actually caught a fish!"

"Of course, I'll catch one for you too."

The fox then unleashed its magic weapon, intending to choose a lucky fish, when it suddenly saw two fish with bright red scales swimming by in the water. One was large, and the other small; the smaller one was even carrying the larger one's tail in its mouth.

Red is good; it looks appetizing.

Su Yueling pressed herself against the red fish, which seemed to sense it and tilted its head back, meeting the fox's gaze.

"Huh?" The fox slowed its movements.

The next moment, the red fish swung its tail violently, almost throwing the small fish away. Clumps of mud and sand surged upwards, stirring up the river water and making it murky. The small boat, which had been going straight downstream, was pushed back by a swirling wave.

"Hold on tight!"

The boatman quickly steadied the boat, and fortunately the wave came suddenly and went quickly, and the river returned to calm.

But the two fish had vanished without a trace.

The fox understood, and threw the fish it was holding into the water as well. Foxes did not have the habit of eating their own kind in front of spirits.

The boatman breathed a sigh of relief. There had been no wind or waves, and he felt that the young man's actions had angered the river god. It was best that he released the boat himself, so that he wouldn't have to ask the river god for advice.

The boatman quickened his pace, and after more than two hours, Yunxi County was almost in sight.

The boat sailed into a narrow waterway, flanked by tall city walls. Taoxi River flowed straight through the water gate and into the city.

After a brief inspection, the ship entered the water gate.

Everything was dark, and the only sound was the splashing of the pole. After a while, the light gradually came on.

Shops lined the shore, their wine flags fluttering in the breeze. Reflections of buildings shimmered in the water, accompanied by the gentle lapping of oars. The bustling crowds were even more vibrant than the most lively market street in Tao County.

Yunxi County is a bustling town with a river running through it.