I am a wandering immortal in the mortal realm.

As a seasoned civil service exam candidate, Shen Yuan naturally understood the principle that "haste makes waste."

The reason he was so murderous before was just a momentary outburst of anger!

After listening to Sister Hu's earnest words, he had already calmed down.

Thoughts raced through my mind as I weighed the pros and cons.

Killing these two foxes would certainly be satisfying, but what if the older one comes after the younger one?

Moreover, this Sister Hu kept calling people "Mountain Lord" and "Grandma," which didn't sound like an ordinary little demon at all.

Even Sun Wukong, who wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, knew to let go of those demons with real power!

Who do you think you are, daring to play even more outrageous than Sun Wukong?

Shen Yuanke still clearly remembers why the original owner of this body was exiled to Yiyuan Temple.

Although there is a demon that has restrained the demons in the mountains, who can say for sure whether they will gain or lose power?

If the demons gain power in the future and want to settle scores later, all I can rely on is this small Yiyuan Temple.

Although the patriarch is spiritually responsive, whether he can protect himself is another matter. After all, compared to the vast and majestic Linquan Mountain, Yiyuan Temple seems too insignificant!

As a child who grew up in an orphanage, Shen Yuan faced too many adversities and setbacks during his growth.

Unlike other children, he doesn't have a family to support him.

Therefore, when considering a problem, one naturally strives to be comprehensive in all aspects!

The foxes can be spared, but they must be subdued to extinguish any thoughts of revenge, while simultaneously preventing retaliation from the mountain demons...

Although he was in the right at this moment, the degree of righteousness in the matter was still difficult to grasp.

Sister Hu dared not look directly at the Taoist priest, and could only steal glances at him out of the corner of her eye. After he finished speaking, he said nothing more, and his expression became somewhat uncertain. She became more and more uneasy.

Suddenly, Hu Xiaomei cried out, "Big sister, it hurts so much! Big sister, it hurts so much!"

"Little sister! Little sister!"

Sister Hu was startled and quickly glanced at the Taoist priest, seemingly afraid that Hu Xiaomei's shout would anger him.

Seeing that the other party did not react, it pounced on its little sister and gently licked the charred area under its ribs with its tongue.

While licking, she comforted her, saying, "Little sister, it doesn't hurt, little sister, it doesn't hurt, big sister will rub it for you..."

Even though Shen Yuan was in the shadows, he could see clearly that the flesh and bones beneath Hu Xiaomei's fur were charred black, and judging from her howling in such pain, she must have been seriously injured.

He couldn't help but glance at the takin lying beside him, thinking to himself that although the takin looked clumsy, it was highly skilled, and the fire it breathed was definitely not ordinary fire.

So, when you fought yourself back then, weren't you just letting the ocean run wild?

"Woof!"

The takin noticed the Taoist's gaze and responded weakly.

"Cough cough..."

The Taoist priest coughed lightly, and Sister Hu trembled. She quickly stopped licking him, knelt down before him, and respectfully said, "What are your orders, Taoist Master?"

Shen Yuan raised his chin, answering a completely different question: "How badly is your sister injured? She shouldn't be dead, right?"

Sister Hu, unsure of the man's meaning, hesitated for a long time before replying in a trembling voice, "Thank you for your inquiry, Daoist. Among the injuries of my fox clan, bone injuries are the most serious, followed by skin injuries. Your ox broke four of my ribs, and I'm afraid... I'm afraid I'll need to recuperate for some time..."

After saying this, hearing Hu Xiaomei's low moans of pain and thinking about her own situation, she couldn't help but feel a sense of desolation, like a rabbit mourning the death of a fox, and tears streamed down her face again.

Shen Yuan frowned, his face showing displeasure: "Why are you crying?"

Sister Hu immediately stopped crying and stammered, "I...I don't know either. It's just...I just...I felt something in my heart, and I couldn't control myself!"

"Heh..." Shen Yuan scoffed, "If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first place?"

Right? If only we had known this would happen, we wouldn't have done it in the first place!

As Sister Hu smelled the earthy scent on the ground, her heart was filled with regret that almost overwhelmed the entire fox.

If it weren't for coveting the Taoist's immense fortune, my sister and I wouldn't be in this predicament, with our lives in someone else's hands.

"Your teachings are wise, Daoist. I deeply regret my actions and beg you to show mercy and spare my life!"

Shen Yuan smiled and shook his head: "I'm a man who rewards merit and punishes demerit clearly. You were in the wrong first, so normally if I were to kill you all now, no one could say anything..."

When he said "kill him with one blow," he deliberately emphasized his words, making him appear menacing.

Sister Hu's heart skipped a beat, and the fox fur on her back stood on end. Then, a foul smell wafted up, and she had actually wet herself from being scared by Shen Yuan's words.

Shen Yuan immediately retorted, somewhat annoyed, "You're supposed to be a demon with cultivation, how can you be so easily frightened?"

Sister Hu's eyes showed a hint of shame, and her tone carried a touch of grievance: "Master, I didn't mean to. It's just that foxes are naturally timid, it's always been like this, it has nothing to do with cultivation level. Even the village dogs can scare us to death!"

Shen Yuan: "..."

"You called me a dog?"

"Why do you say that, Master Dao?" Sister Hu was shocked. "I...I would never dare to say that!"

"I knew you wouldn't dare!" Shen Yuan snorted heavily before continuing, "It's said that Heaven cherishes life. Although you had evil intentions, you haven't committed a grave mistake. I can give you a chance to live..."

The fox was overjoyed, but then the Taoist priest changed his tone: "The death penalty may be waived, but punishment is inevitable!"

The fox immediately suppressed its joy and said timidly, "I did something wrong, and I deserve to be punished, but... but I don't know how you intend to punish us, sir?"

Seeing its good attitude, Shen Yuan nodded in satisfaction. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly asked, "I'll spare your lives. What punishment do you think we should give you?"

"I..." The fox was somewhat surprised, then stammered awkwardly, "This...this is for you, Master Dao, to decide. How dare I presume to offer any advice?"

"You do have some self-awareness!" Shen Yuan said sarcastically, then pretended to think for a while, before finally saying with some annoyance, "But I've thought and thought, and I still can't come up with any good ideas. It's so troublesome, it's easier to just kill you all!"

"Don't kill! Don't kill!"

Sister Hu's heart jumped again. She couldn't understand how this Taoist could change his attitude so suddenly, shouting for violence. He was even more terrifying than the village dogs.

If it weren't for the Taoist priest watching it, it probably would have peed by now.

"You think you can just say you won't kill me? Then give me a reason why you won't!" the Taoist priest said fiercely.

The fox was so frightened that it couldn't come up with any reason. It stammered for a long time but couldn't utter a single word. It could only look at the Taoist with pleading eyes.

Shen Yuan didn't continue to tormenting it. Seeing its almost tearful expression, he slowly asked, "Have you heard of labor camps?"

Sister Hu was taken aback, then said awkwardly, "I...I've never heard of it. Please enlighten me, Master!"

Shen Yuan then used his profound knowledge of civil service exams to popularize the definition of labor reform.

After hearing this, Sister Hu couldn't help but look puzzled: "This...this is just being treated like a beast of burden, a slave!"

Animals naturally yearn for nature and dislike being restrained. Although Sister Hu was already aware of this, she still hesitated subconsciously when the time came.

Upon seeing this, Shen Yuan snorted coldly, "I suppose you're unwilling too. Fine, I won't wrong you. Come and offer your neck for execution!"

Sister Hu was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, hurriedly saying, "This little fox is willing, this little fox is willing! As long as the Daoist spares my life, this little fox is willing to serve as a slave and do whatever I please!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan scoffed, "Too late. Judging from your attitude just now, even if you wanted to be my slave, it would depend on whether I even think of you!"

The Taoist pointed to the side and asked, "See my ox? It's incredibly strong and can breathe fire. What skills do you have that would allow you to serve me like an ox or a horse?"

Sister Hu thought for a moment, then swallowed and said, "I attended a private school in the village for two years and can read and write. Does that...does that count?"

Shen Yuan mentally made a checkmark, but still shook his head: "Not enough! Not enough!"

Sister Hu then asked, "I studied housekeeping with my grandmother for two years. I can manage household affairs and arrange furniture. Does that count?"

Shen Yuan became interested, thinking to himself, "This fox has learned quite a lot; he's quite the managerial talent." He then asked, "Anything else?"

Sister Hu thought for a moment and continued, "Besides those, the skill I've learned best is the illusionary mist-breathing technique of my fox clan. However, due to my shallow skill, it's easy for others to see through it, so I dare not use it lightly..." As she spoke, she lowered her head in shame.

Shen Yuan nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and then asked, "So what skills does your sister have?"

"This..." Sister Hu's expression shifted, and she did not answer immediately.

Shen Yuan chuckled lightly: "This Daoist doesn't keep idle foxes. Think it over before you answer!"

"Yes..." Sister Hu's voice trembled as she whispered, "My little sister has a special constitution. An ordinary fox can be full from one chicken, but she needs at least three..."

Shen Yuan: "..."

"What kind of skill is that?" the Taoist said irritably. "Besides, you don't need to emphasize that it can eat. I have eyes; I can tell just by looking at its size!"

Sister Hu scratched her face with her paw and hurriedly said, "Please let me finish, Daoist Master. My little sister may eat a lot, but she has great stamina and travels like the wind, covering four hundred li a day. If you need a messenger, Daoist Master, she might be of use!"

"..."

"That's it?" After waiting for a while, Shen Yuan couldn't help but ask when he saw that there was no further news.

"No...that's all!" The fox's eyes flickered, and it lowered its head again.

Shen Yuanzhi, realizing she wasn't telling the truth, couldn't help but chuckle strangely: "My temple has very few chores, so we don't need errand boys. This girl of yours eats a lot but does very little; she's so useless, and she's offended the Taoist priest. What's the point of keeping her around? Just kill her!"

"No! No!" Sister Hu was terrified and threw herself on her younger sister, as if afraid the Taoist priest would suddenly attack. She cried out, "Taoist priest, please calm down! My sister has another skill!"

Shen Yuan then composed himself and said calmly, "Speak, you only have one last chance!"

Sister Hu gritted her teeth, but asked first, "Master, I'd like to ask, is there a time limit for this labor reform?"

Shen Yuan hadn't really thought about this question. After a moment of silence, he said, "On the day I, this Daoist, pass away, I will grant you your freedom!"

"It'll take this long?" Sister Hu blurted out.

Shen Yuan was speechless: "This is long? I've only lived for a few decades, how can I compare to you demons?"

Sister Hu retorted, "What if you, Daoist Master, never die?"

Shen Yuan chuckled strangely, "What are you talking about? Everyone dies eventually!"

Sister Hu looked up at him: "That's hard to say. Daoist Master, your luck is boundless, you are unique in the world. What if you succeed in your cultivation and become an immortal?"

Shen Yuan laughed and said, "Wouldn't it be better to become an immortal? Have you ever heard the saying 'When one attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven'? Then you can all be taken along, and you can become an immortal too, right?"

"You...you can do that?"

Sister Hu was stunned. She had never thought of it this way before. But now, after the Taoist priest's words of enlightenment, she couldn't help but be deeply moved.

Life is precious, freedom is even more valuable, but for the sake of becoming an immortal, both can be given up!

This is becoming an immortal! It's so much better than being a wild fox spirit in the mortal world. How could any fox spirit refuse?

If that's really the case, what's wrong with being a beast of burden for a Taoist priest?

Seeing its hesitation, Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow and said, "May you tell me now?"

Sister Hu took a deep breath and said, "Master, it's not that I'm deliberately hiding it, but there are just too many greedy people in this world. If others were to hear about my sister's skills, I fear there would be no peace in the future!"

Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest became serious and said earnestly, "Speak. These words are for you to say and for me to hear. Once they leave the Taoist temple, I will never let any outsiders know about them."

Sister Hu was still somewhat hesitant, but considering that she was now at the mercy of others, whether she spoke or not was of little significance; at worst, she would just die.

So he said, "Although my sister is a mixed-breed fox, she has the bloodline of the 'Gengjin Fox' from her ancestors, and the reason why her physique is so special is because her bloodline is gradually awakening..."

Shen Yuan frowned slightly and couldn't help but ask, "What is this Gengjin Fox?"

Sister Hu explained, "The Gengjin Fox is one of the Ten Ancient Celestial Foxes. It is said to be the most powerful and resilient, becoming clear with water, sharp with fire, and thriving with moist earth. Because of its fierce and murderous nature, it has always been the leader of our fox clan's war foxes!"

After a pause, it said, "Besides its profound combat prowess, the Gengjin Fox also possesses a unique innate divine ability unknown to ordinary people!"

Shen Yuan lifted his eyelids, waiting for what was to come.

For the first time, Sister Hu bravely met the Taoist's gaze: "Gengjin, Gengjin, as the name suggests, this supernatural power is naturally related to gold and jade. My bloodline has only awakened by a fraction of its full potential, yet I already possess the ability to smell gold and jade. With a mere touch of my nose, I can detect the scent of treasures. If my bloodline were to fully awaken in the future, I could even smell rare and precious materials at will..."

Before it could finish speaking, Shen Yuan was already shocked and couldn't help but look at the stupid fox on the ground. He never expected that this thing, which looked so unremarkable, would have such abilities.

After Sister Hu finished speaking, she hugged Little Sister Hu and trembled.

It knew that once this secret was revealed, it would have no more cards to play.

If a Taoist priest harbors evil intentions, it is as if he himself is sending his sister into a fire pit.

The reason it wanted to become a fox spirit was not only to save its grandmother, but also to protect its own sister.

It's just that fate is cruel, allowing the bloodline of the Gengjin Fox to be born into such a humble family.

Sister Hu felt a deep sorrow and some regret, and sighed inwardly, "So be it, it's just death after all. At worst, we can be sisters again in the next life!"

Thinking of this, it calmed down, hugged Hu Xiaomei, and silently awaited the impending trial.

Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared in front of him. Looking up, he saw that the fierce-looking Taoist priest had somehow appeared on him, smiling kindly.

Sister Hu: "..."

Before it could react, its paws were grabbed by the Taoist priest, along with Hu Xiaomei's front paws.

Sister Hu's heart tightened, thinking the Taoist was about to suddenly attack, but then she heard him say with genuine emotion, "It's not easy! I never expected to meet two such brilliant minds like you in this small Taoist temple..."

His eyes gleamed as he glanced at the two foxes, then said emphatically, "You must join my team!"