Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person

Having finished persuading the Great Immortal, the fox now needs to consult medical experts.

Chen Ruoan descended with a wisp of divine will, landing on the altar of Jishetang. Amidst the wisps of green smoke, a fox head appeared.

There are three pharmacies on the main street of Luoyang's old city: the time-honored Jishetang, the Duanmu family, a family of doctors at the east end of the street, and Antifangzi, run by Mr. Niu.

It is said that "competitors are enemies," but this saying does not apply to the three schools. Each of the three schools has its own strengths in medicine, and they exchange ideas frequently. Disciples from each school can even study under two or even all three schools.

After the fox's mind calmed down, it saw a girl of about ten years old with loose, thick braids, standing on tiptoe and wiping the dust off the altar.

After wiping it clean, she took out melons, fruits, and green dates from the bamboo basket, arranged them neatly, and then brought over a bowl of sweet well water and placed it beside her.

Finally, she gave a slight curtsy, clasped her hands together in a gesture of respect, stood in front of the platform for a while, and then secretly ate a handful of dates.

"Little girl, you have stolen my offerings."

"Ah!" the girl exclaimed, noticing the fox's head gathering in the smoke. Blushing, she put the dates back on the plate.

"Shh!" She made a shushing gesture. "Fox Fairy, please don't tell Master."

The offerings from Jishetang were always simple, so Chen Ruoan wouldn't be stingy with a few dates. Seeing that the girl was unfamiliar, he asked, "I haven't seen you before. What's your name?"

"Duanmu Ying, you can just call me Yingzi, that's what the elders call me."

"Forehead--"

Chen Ruoan pondered for a long time. He should have thought of this sooner. In this day and age, pharmacies have almost no ability to expand into chains. What kind of pharmacy could Jishetang be?

Zhang Zhiwei's only performance record was placed in the hometown of one of the future "Thirty-Six Thieves".

Chen Ruoan saw that Xiao Yingzi at this time could not be associated with the unconventional and generous girl she would become in the future, let alone the person who was captured by the Lü family, went against the doctor's conscience, and eventually became a morbid and crazy person.

"Eiko, where are your parents?"

"Master and Mr. Liu are out on a medical visit. The prescription you requested has been prepared." Duanmu Ying ran outside and retrieved papers of various sizes.

"Fox Immortal, if I may be so bold, you wish to heal the three dantian. In our view, the dantian is the core area where the body's vital energy gathers and the flow of qi rises and falls. If you wish to reverse some of the depletion of vital energy and the disorder of qi flow, ordinary medicines are simply ineffective."

"I understand." Chen Ruoan naturally understood what Duanmu Ying meant.

Zuo Ruotong failed to break through the barrier. To survive, he had to maintain his reverse life. However, the longer he continued on the path of "reverse life," the more difficult it became to cure his hidden illness. It was already a vicious cycle, and ordinary methods were ineffective in treating it.

The prescriptions that the fox commissioned from Jishitang and Antiifang were actually intended for the disabled disciples in the backyard of the mountain gate.

The fox was not an expert in saving lives, but fortunately, Mr. Ox was a kind-hearted healer and was also interested in the hidden injuries caused by the martial arts, so he put a lot of hard work into studying it.

Since there were no observed examples, Mr. Niu has already set off for Fujian.

"Yingzi, we will need to trouble Master Li and Mr. Liu more often in the future. Also, we can replace some of the oily items on the altar."

"I know!" Duanmu Ying raised her arm and waved her hand, burning the prescription in front of the hall.

Chen Ruoan regained her composure and, based on the results given by the three doctors, prepared some nourishing pills for her body.

Some common minor ailments can be treated, but major physical disabilities are beyond cure.

Sometimes the fox thought that the value of "Dual-Handedness" was too high, affecting the soul and cognition, and even healing flesh and bone. It was truly a holy hand that could save lives and heal the wounded.

Unfortunately, this group of people, whose fortunes were shallow and whose lives were short, could not bear the consequences of stealing the immortal's treasure. The Eight Extraordinary Techniques, which were used to create chaos, disturbed people's hearts.

Chen Ruoan prepared pills to assist with some rehabilitation therapies, and the disciples in the backyard who were not seriously injured showed signs of improvement.

Gradually, opinions about the fox within the Trinity sect became polarized.

A senior disciple from the front courtyard, noticing Chen Ruoan frequently mingling in the back courtyard, asked in bewilderment, "Junior Brother Lu, you said fox spirits absorb vital energy, shouldn't they choose those like us who are strong, healthy, and full of yang energy?"

Lu Jin looked at her senior brother with a strange expression: "It sounds like you envy the fellow disciples in the backyard?"

"Junior Brother Lu, don't talk nonsense! I've never seen any tales or legends about fox spirits at a street stall!"

"I didn't say you'd seen it," Lu Jin argued.

"Besides..."

The senior student gazed at the sky and said in a wise and mature tone, "In the end, the relationship between humans and beasts violates the laws of nature and human ethics."

"Hehehe..." Lu Jin responded with a wry smile, unconsciously taking a few steps back.

The senior brother pressed on, asking, "I've heard that foxes can choose their own gender when they transform. Junior Brother Lu, you're friends with foxes, have you ever seen what a fox looks like in its transformed state?"

"Um..." Lu Jin stammered, then hurriedly ran away, saying, "I've never seen it before!"

···

In the backyard of Trinity, several clumsy disciples cleaned out a storage room, tidying it up until it was clean and bright. They placed a beautifully crafted shrine on the altar, along with an incense burner and candles.

Chen Ruoan sat high on the roof ridge, watching people bustling about, unaware of what was happening inside.

"Master Zuo, the backyard is quite lively today."

"These lads aren't stupid; they know who truly cares for them. That's why they're trying to find a position for you. From now on, my disciples will be considered your loyal followers."

Looking down into the courtyard, Anhuli laughed, "That will be a scene of great prosperity for worshippers."

Zuo Ruotong looked out at the mountains outside the courtyard. The red maples were just beginning to turn red, and the peaks were steep and beautiful. Standing at such a height, it would be easy to feel a sense of melancholy for autumn.

"Little fox, actually I thought that since there was no hope in this life, I would stop dwelling on it and instead cultivate diligently for decades so that I could have a better life in the next life and avoid taking unnecessary detours."

"Now my thinking has changed, and I'm looking back. If I can gain some insights in the rest of my life and leave something for future generations, then I'll have lived a worthwhile life."

"From now on, Sanyi will no longer consider itself a Xuanmen sect, its founder has been denied, and I have severed the roots of the Sanyi sect myself."

Zuo Ruotong never hides her thoughts, which is why Chen Ruoan felt comfortable during their conversation.

However, there is one thing that Fox thinks Zuo Ruotong is wrong about.

"Left Sect Leader, I personally believe that the foundation of the Trinity Sect is not some kind of 'Reverse Life Triple Regeneration'."

"What is that?"

"The root of the Sanyi Sect is you, the Great Ying Immortal."

"Hmm?" Zuo Ruotong paused for a moment, then smiled with satisfaction: "The fox spirit is indeed a fox spirit. With just a few words, she has made me want to believe in her."

"When making prayers to immortals and gods, one must also consider one's own actions. If it weren't for Master Zuo's sincerity towards a strange fox, the fox wouldn't have said so much."

Zuo Ruotong hesitated for a moment, then corrected her, "If he's my beloved disciple's good friend, how could he be a strange fox?"

Chen Ruoan looked away and smiled.

The site of Trinity is very high, but the mountains are not yet cool and damp like in autumn. The sunlight shines on the fox's glossy fur, making it feel warm and cozy.

The prayer tree in my heart shines with golden light, and the entire southeast corner is bathed in golden radiance.

Chen Ruoan hugged the edge with her fox paws and shook it gently: "Tree, we're so familiar with each other, you know what I'm thinking, so you can decide what to do."

Golden patterns appeared on the precious document, and a true method of protecting life with profound yin energy flowed into the fox's mind.

The book says that birds, beasts, flowers, fish, insects, and all living things possess "Qi" within their bodies that matches their life potential. However, most living things do not know how to store and develop it, so "Qi" gradually deteriorates and is lost, hence the saying of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

This life-protecting method is meant to help foxes better optimize and utilize "Qi" to complement their life's achievements and break through lifespan barriers.

Chen Ruoan nodded and smiled.

If there is a way to prolong life, can one glimpse a chance to ascend to heaven by taking away years?

The fox looked down and felt a cool sensation enter its dantian, making the core of the pearly white pill within its body even more pure and bright.

"Are there any other uses?"