Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person.

"I'm too ashamed to go home right now, I'll go with you..." Wanzhen said timidly.

"Well."

I wiped away my tears, then hugged you...

"Hmm—that's fine too."

······

Chen Ruoan spent the night in an abandoned house in the village. Wanzhen had just gone through this mess, so Zhang Zhiwei naturally wanted to avoid suspicion and slept far away from her, leaving the fox den next to the girl.

The next morning, the group headed towards the town.

Chen Ruoan noticed that there was someone outside the entertainment circle nearby, which meant she didn't have to listen to Zhang Zhiwei's incessant chatter, and her ears were finally able to have some peace and quiet.

To keep Wanzhen away from the rumors, the fox didn't mind going a bit further away, and gradually, he ended up in a business district.

The business community of Jining County is located on the long street east of the canal wharf.

The dirt road was rutted with tire tracks of varying depths. Shops lined both sides of the road, with blue cloth banners fluttering and copper bells jingling from general stores. The most enticing thing was the sweet aroma wafting along the street—the crispness of fried dough and the richness of sugar candy, mixed with the canal vapors carried on the wind.

Wanzhen carried Chen Ruoan as they walked along the street.

She pulled her blouse tighter, her gaze sweeping over the shop signs: "Ruifuxiang Cloth Shop," "Deshunyuan Grocery Store," "Fushunzhai Pastry Workshop," and so on.

Finally, my gaze fell on the yellowed job posting at the entrance of Fushunzhai. The red paper with black characters read, "Looking for one helper. Must be quick and hardworking."

She stopped and looked inside.

The workshop was small, with golden twisted dough sticks and shiny sesame cakes displayed through the wooden lattice windows, and dough piled on the cutting board.

The innkeeper was a man with a weak left leg. He had a solid build and a kind face, and he always wore a sincere smile when greeting customers.

Are you looking to buy cakes?

The man saw the fox and was a little puzzled.

Only noblewomen would keep exotic animals like foxes, but the woman in front of me was dressed simply, her hair was tied up with only an old wooden hairpin, and her brows and eyes showed signs of being travel-worn and haggard. She looked nothing like a wealthy person.

"I'm not buying cakes, I see you're hiring."

Upon hearing this, the man looked her up and down again: "Hmm, what do you want to do?"

"think."

What can you do?

"I can endure hardship."

The man grinned: "It's not too hard here. On weekdays, I just knead dough, wrap fillings, and watch the stove. On some holidays, it might be much busier."

"It's ok."

"Then you can give it a try, but foxes can't come in. I'm afraid they'll shed their fur, which would affect the shop's business."

Chen Ruoan's body went limp, and she slipped away from Wanzhen's embrace like flowing water.

No matter how lovable a fox may be, it is still a formidable enemy to food stalls and shops.

"As the saying goes, you can know a person's face but not their heart. Let me take another look at you."

Chen Ruoan's eyes narrowed slightly, and two bright red lines were clearly reflected in her pupils—connecting the two of them, fiery and full of color.

Such a pure and benevolent connection is unprecedented; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a romantic relationship.

True destiny doesn't need a fox to pull the strings; it just happens to happen on its own.

Since we've already run into them, let's get another assist.

"Boss, do you provide meals and accommodation? What are the benefits like?"

"My goodness, the fox is talking!"

The shopkeeper froze, the rolling pin in his hand clattering onto the cutting board, looking like he was about to surrender in a comical manner.

Wanzhen was amused and explained, "Don't be afraid, this is a mountain god and fox spirit from the Xishan region. I encountered bandits, and it was this fox spirit and a Taoist priest who saved my life."

"Then you are truly blessed, Fox Fairy! Please bless me to become rich!" The man clasped his hands together, raised them above his head, and bowed.

Chen Ruoan said, "Hey, why are you bowing? You haven't answered the question yet."

"Oh! As for the money, it depends on how business is at different times of the year. During peak season, the monthly payment can be higher, and during off-season, it will be lower."

"I can't provide for the food. I'm the only one in the workshop, and I just make do with what I have on weekdays. As for accommodation, there's a storage room outside the shop with some odds and ends. I can tidy it up and lay out some straw bedding. If the young lady doesn't mind, she can stay there. It's just that you'll have to walk a bit further to get water for washing your face."

Chen Ruoan tilted her head and looked at Wanzhen: "What do you think?"

"I'm fine, I can do it."

"Then you stay."

"Where is the Mountain God going?"

Chen Ruoan looked towards Mount Tai in the northeast and sighed, "As the saying goes, there is always a higher mountain. I am not satisfied with just Dongshan. In the future, I will most likely go to Mount Tai to establish my immortal abode."

"Mount Tai? Mount Tai is great! During the pilgrimage season, the pastry workshops at the foot of the mountain sell out quickly. If I had the chance, I'd like to move my business there." The man was focused on business.

"With the current chaos and turmoil, you should refrain from making any moves. It's better to wait until things are more stable before considering it."

"Hehe, just imagine, if my skills can be sold all the way to Mount Tai in the future, and you successfully establish your immortal abode, maybe the pastries on the offering table will be made by me. Then you can certainly try my skills!"

The man, proud and ambitious, suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead.

"Oh my goodness, I'll let you have a taste right now!" He found some sugar cakes, fried dough twists, and a soft, glutinous mung bean cake.

Chen Ruoan laughed and said, "You're quite perceptive. What's your name?"

"Hu Erxi, just call me Xizi."

Wanzhen took the pastry and fed the fox a bite. The fox laughed and said, "Good, I've remembered your name and the taste of the pastry. When I establish my immortal abode and your shop opens at the foot of Mount Tai, I will definitely try your cooking again to see if it has improved."

"A word is settled!"

Xi Zi's frankness pleased Hu, Chen Ruoan chatted happily, and another piece of the wishing tree's treasure book lit up.

This time, the names of two people are engraved.

Chapter 19 Spirit Binding Technique, Soul Control Art

The tree's prayer scroll shimmered with light, displaying a vibrant and intense purple hue.

It was just a casual matter, with a little planning. Chen Ruoan really didn't expect that the precious document would shine so brightly. It was truly an unexpected delight.

It wagged its tail on its own.

In fact, Chen Ruoan did not know that in the future, when Wanzhen and Xizi reminisced about the past under the bright moon under the eaves, they would always unconsciously think of the shadow of a black fox.

What should I wish for this time?

The path to transformation and advancement already exists. Praying to this precious document now would only be adding bricks and tiles to the existing spiritual and physical foundation. It would be more prudent to seek some practical methods for self-preservation.

Chen Ruoan blinked, recalling the female ghost Zhilan he had met not long ago.

That pretty girl didn't even have time to say a few more words to her father before she vanished into the breeze.

The fact that the dead cannot be brought back to life is perhaps the most tragic reality inherent to mortals.

But Chen Ruoan then thought that while these words were an ironclad rule for ordinary extraordinary people, they held a deeper meaning for shamans—

In the eyes of a shaman, death is merely the decay of the physical body; only when the spirit completely perishes and the soul is scattered can it be considered "death" in the true sense.

Foxes are born witches.

A clear light flashed in Chen Ruoan's eyes; his mind was made up.

If that's the case, then let's seek a method to control souls.

"Tree, let's talk this over. I mean, could you give me a copy of 'Spirit Binding and Commanding Techniques'?"

Chen Ruoan blushed, fidgeted, and made the request with embarrassment.

If an elf has the "Spirit Binding and Commanding" ability, does that mean they will instantly become the Elf King?

If we use the Pokémon Tournament as an analogy for a battle between wizards who command spirits, does it mean that my Pokémon has pulled out a new Pokémon?

···

The wishing tree suddenly lost its brilliance, fading from dazzling radiance to a grayish-white, until even its last bit of warmth dissipated.

Deep within my mind, there was no wind or ripple, not even a trace of spiritual energy; only boundless, cold, and deathly silence remained.

Chen Ruoan stood frozen in place, clearly taken aback by the sudden silence.

It hurriedly waved its paws, its voice tinged with embarrassment, and quickly tried to lighten the mood: "I was just kidding, why is your tree so easily teased? Just give it to me as I see fit."

As it spoke, the fox's paw tip gently hooked the thread binding the treasure certificate.

The precious scroll floated down in front of them, its light shimmering slightly. Below the names of Li Wanzhen and Hu Erxi, three more words appeared: "Soul Control Technique".

The term "yihun" (役魂) literally means "to command the soul."

This is one of the supernatural abilities that foxes can cultivate, as recorded in ancient books. Once mastered, a fox can control ordinary ghosts and command them to serve it.

Although not as tyrannical as "binding spirits and commanding generals," it is more than enough to command some minor demons.

Not bad.

The pastries tasted good too.

I hope we'll have the chance to meet again in the future.

···

Chen Ruoan left under the watchful eyes of Wanzhen and Xizi. When she reached the archway at the street corner, she saw Zhang Zhiwei leaning against the stone wall, holding a half-eaten sesame seed cake in his hand, with a smile on his face.

"Three days ago, you said you were going to go through a love tribulation. I thought you were going to entangle her like some kind of spirit from Northeast China, or do something like a magical binding."

In Northeast China, there is a saying about being "entangled" by spirits. Being entangled by spirits means that you have a connection with them. During the process of forming this connection, you may experience a series of symptoms such as headaches and mental confusion.

These symptoms are sometimes seen by shamans as signs of the spirits "testing" and "reforming" their disciples.

Chen Ruoan felt that Zhang Zhiwei must have misunderstood her.

When he prayed to the moon at night to ask for a title, he called himself a "lustful fox," and that label stuck to him ever since.

He was neither human nor god; he was solely driven by lust.