Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person.

"Binding the orifice?" Chen Ruoan scoffed.

What's the difference between forcibly establishing a relationship and forcibly taking it?

Thinking back to the battle at the Sky-Piercing Cave, the Northeast Serpent Spirit Liu Huajiao helped the Tang Clan, and the reward he demanded afterwards was actually Lu Huigu from the Tang Clan.

The single word "love" kept her in Northeast China, severing her ties with her homeland and family.

It's perfectly reasonable to offer help and then ask for payment afterwards, but Chen Ruoan felt a little strange when the payment came from a woman.

Perhaps he really wasn't a lecherous fox, nor did he understand the meaning of "love".

"For foxes, forming bonds for cultivation is instinctive. But those intertwined bonds of affection are something that can only be encountered by chance, not sought."

"I am but a black fox born in the mountains and fields. What kind of fate could I possibly have that would make a woman willing to hold my hand and spend the rest of her life with me, day after day?"

Zhang Zhiwei ruthlessly exposed: "The lifespan of a Xuanhu is only about ten years. Even if you obtain Qi, your remaining life will not be long."

"You have such a foul mouth, why doesn't anyone teach you a lesson?"

"There's no other way."

Chen Ruoan kept quiet. The two had been bickering all the way, with each side winning and losing. This time, the Taoist priest won.

An Fox felt that Zhang Zhiwei's most urgent task was to return to Longhu Mountain and take over the position of Celestial Master as soon as possible, so that "Celestial Master's Degree" could be given a ban debuff.

“Fox.” Zhang Zhiwei tucked his Taoist robe into his sleeve and looked up at the northern horizon. “According to our pace, we will reach Mount Tai in less than two days. At that time, you will establish your immortal abode, and I will continue my travels. That will be the only way we can go.”

"What's wrong, feeling sad?"

It must be admitted that Chen Ruoan has been steady and reliable along the way, and Zhang Zhiwei is a good cultivation partner, but unfortunately he has a big mouth.

"I was just thinking that when I'm all alone in the future, I'll see a different kind of scenery."

"Can you even tolerate 'people' anymore?"

"I'm not sure, but it's probably big enough to accommodate a fox."

With the atmosphere so intense, Chen Ruoan felt a rare pang of melancholy, but that insignificant feeling of parting quickly morphed into a twisted idea.

"Actually, it won't be difficult for us to meet again in the future. After you return to Longhu Mountain, erase the writing on the ancestral tablet in the Fox Fairy Hall and carve my name on it. I... no, I can then send a wisp of divine will over and descend at any time."

Do you want your master to slap me to death?

Master Jingqing wouldn't have the heart to kill such a precious little rascal...

Chen Ruoan thought to herself without saying a word.

"Taoist, there is no convenient way to send messages in this world. Most of the concerns of ordinary people are trapped in letters that can never be sent. Many people set out with their bags, and as they travel, they lose all contact with each other, becoming a source of regret for their hometown people over the years."

“But you and I are different. In the future, I may guard the cloud-covered cliffs and stone paths of Mount Tai, while you will guard the Taoist temple and the green lamp of Mount Longhu. We will both know each other’s place of refuge.”

"As long as the mountain stands, so do we. With this certainty, my heart is at peace."

"Hmm..." Zhang Zhiwei crossed his arms and pondered, remembering a question he had wanted to ask for a long time, "Have you read a lot of books?"

“When I lived in Baiyuan Village, Yingtan, I would hear the chanting of sutras and the voices of pilgrims coming from the southern mountains every morning and evening. Over time, I became accustomed to it.”

"Hmm, isn't that Longhu Mountain? Perhaps I haven't read enough, how come I can't come up with such a pretentious remark?"

"When you are reborn, you will be a refined scholar, perhaps with a touch of pedantry."

"Oh, thank you."

Chapter 20 The Elves' Social Skills

In Chen Ruoan's opinion, after transforming, he must be a handsome and elegant man, and the modeling must be of the highest quality. As for labels like "pretentious" or "pedantic," let whoever wants them take them.

The fox flicked its tail and strode confidently northward.

The journey to Mount Tai was roughly as Zhang Zhiwei had calculated; it would take a little over two days.

Chen Ruoan stood at the foot of the mountain, looking at the stone steps that had been trodden and polished by passersby. It was early morning, and the mist had spread over the steep cliffs of the Eighteen Bends, blending the verdant pine trees into a hazy, dark blue.

The fox's four paws trod on the cool stone steps, its black fur damp with the mountain mist.

It moved with light steps, occasionally pausing to glance at the cliff carvings on the cliff edge, or to steal a glance at the pilgrims passing by.

It's not yet the peak season for pilgrimages to the mountain, but some mountain dwellers dressed in short jackets are already carrying incense sticks and heading to the summit.

In later generations, some people enjoyed filming themselves crying and screaming with exhaustion while climbing Mount Tai, adding eye-catching titles like "Mount Tai will subdue every stubborn person"...

To this, Chen Ruoan could only say—that's absolutely right.

He was already exhausted after traveling halfway, and since most of the Taoist temples on Mount Tai are concentrated on the summit, he still had to climb to the top.

The higher you go, the clearer the wind becomes, and the faint sound of bells and chimes can be heard drifting from the clouds.

After climbing for an unknown amount of time, Chen Ruoan suddenly found himself in a bright and open space after turning a corner.

A cluster of Taoist temple buildings with green tiles and red walls is built against the mountain and spread out in a staggered manner on the flat ground at the top of the mountain.

The plaque above the mountain gate bears the three powerful characters "Bixia Temple," and the copper bells on the eaves sway gently in the wind, making a clear and melodious sound.

Inside and outside the Taoist temple, wisps of incense smoke mingled with the fragrance of pine and cypress trees, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility and effectively dispelling the weariness of climbing the mountain.

"We've arrived," Zhang Zhiwei said.

"We've finally arrived." Chen Ruoan was so tired that she stuck out her tongue.

In front of the Taoist temple not far away, a young Taoist priest dressed in a blue robe was sweeping the courtyard.

Zhang Zhiwei glanced at him a few times, then waved with a smile: "Junior Brother Fang, it's been a long time!"

Fang Dongtian, who was sweeping the floor, turned around upon hearing the sound, squinted at the person who came, and suddenly his face turned red, and he hissed through gritted teeth.

Chen Ruoan was startled by that indescribable expression.

Is this a Taoist priest or a round-headed old man? Why is he breathing out?

"Zhang Zhiwei!"

Fang Dongtian swung his broom and rushed over, delivering a sweeping blow to Zhang Zhiwei.

"You've already cultivated a Yang Spirit, so why is your temper still so bad?" Zhang Zhiwei put his hands in his sleeves, and nimbly jumped back a few steps to dodge.

"No need for further words, act quickly!"

Fang Dongtian shouted, dropping the broom. Just as he was about to get into a fight, he was hit hard on the head with a flick of the wrist.

"You worthless wretch, I told you to cultivate your character, and you've gone astray!"

Fang Dongtian turned around and found his uncle staring at him angrily.

"Uncle-Master, you mustn't use foul language in front of the Primordial Lord!"

"So you're just letting your temper run wild and going wherever it leads?"

"This... I know I was wrong." Fang Dongtian bowed his head to admit his mistake, then turned his head and glared angrily at Zhang Zhiwei opposite him.

When the master sighed, he said to the visiting young Taoist, "Zhiwei, all the elders in the temple have urgent matters to attend to today, so let the cave heaven entertain you first."

"Please go ahead with your work," Zhang Zhiwei replied, bowing slightly.

After his martial uncle left, Fang Dongtian snorted and said with ill intent, "What are you doing here?"

"I passed through this place during my travels and made a special trip to see it."

"And you brought a spirit companion?"

"It was a fox we met along the way."

"Hmph, I can't be bothered with you, you can wander around by yourself!" Fang Dongtian retrieved his broom, his anger seething inside, and took it out on the dust and fallen leaves in front of the Taoist temple.

Along the way, Chen Ruoan listened to Zhang Zhiwei recount many of his past experiences and could roughly guess some of the reasons behind this sweeping alley.

Three years ago, Zhang Zhiwei slapped the once-famous Lu Jin until he cried, which made him famous and all the sects in the world know that the Jingqing Celestial Master had such a treasure in his hands.

After the Lu family's birthday banquet, Zhang Zhiwei gradually went from being a challenger who came to discuss and exchange ideas to becoming a mini-boss who was challenged by other schools of thought.

Most of the young talents from various schools of thought have suffered losses at Zhang Zhiwei's hands. Some of those who harbor deep resentment towards Zhang Zhiwei do so because their defeats were too undignified.

"This Taoist priest Fang was defeated by you before?" Chen Ruoan asked.

"Yes."

"How did you lose?"

Zhang Zhiwei explained: "There are more than fifty Taoist practitioners in Mount Tai, mainly from the Quanzhen Longmen and its branch Jinshan School. In their practice, they abandon all strange skills and tricks and focus on refining their 'life and nature'. Over time, they will also develop a skill called 'exiting the Yang spirit'."

"The Yang Shen leaving the body is a means of the soul, and the attack is naturally aimed at the soul as well."

"This junior brother Fang's kung fu is really not up to par. He bumped into me with his Yang Shen and he became dizzy and disoriented."

Chen Ruoan was speechless for a moment. This was indeed not a matter of being dignified or not.

"You're so hated, it would be quite interesting if you became the 'Quanxing' demon kingpin."

"Look on the bright side, fox."

"Zhang Zhiwei, are you really sure you've never lost?"

“Aside from the seniors within the sect, there really aren’t any. My master helped me find a Daoist partner, but all the ones I encountered were a little lacking. A few, however, left a deep impression.”

Zhang Zhiwei was speaking halfway through his sentence, seemingly waiting for the fox to chime in and pick up the thread.

Which ones?

"You don't even know him."

"Tell me about it, so that if we meet again in the future, I can easily use it as an excuse to get closer to you."

“Junior brother Zhang Huaiyi, the Zhou brothers Zhou Sheng and Zhou Meng from Wudang Mountain, Lü Ren from the Lü family, and the young monk Jie Kong from Shaolin Temple.”

As Zhang Zhiwei had said, those who were still alive in the future all became big shots in their respective regions.

So... Lu Jin wasn't even one of the most memorable people?

Pitiful.

Chen Ruoan shook her head and walked towards the sweeping path.

Fang Dongtian immediately adopted a defensive stance, about to explode again.

After all, anyone who walks the same path as Zhang Zhiwei, even if they are a fox, must be an arrogant and conceited fox.

"Master Fang, I have a question for you. Approximately how many spirits reside in this sacred land of Mount Tai?"