Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person.

Fang Dongtian was not a sorcerer and had a superficial understanding of "elves," having not paid much attention to them before. He asked in return, "Why are you asking this?"

"To be honest, I want to build a mansion in the mountains so that I can be immersed in the Daoist teachings and devote myself to cultivation."

Fang Dongtian thought for a moment and said, "As far as I know, there is a golden pheasant in Peach Blossom Valley in the northwest of Mount Tai. Some believers call it a 'wild phoenix,' which should be intelligent. People often fall to their deaths at the Yin-Yang boundary of East Hundred-Zhang Cliff, where Yin energy accumulates and there are several ghosts."

"Then there is Aolai Peak, where there are towering cliffs and few people. It is a good place for animals to cultivate themselves. After so long, perhaps there are some that have become powerful."

Fang Dongtian looked displeased, but he explained in great detail. Chen Ruoan was glad that the young Taoist priest did not insist on the mentality of "hating the house because of the crow".

Now that he had a general understanding of the situation of the spirits in Mount Tai, Chen Ruoan felt it necessary to make a trip there himself.

Even if an elf wants to move to a new home, he must first observe the character of his next-door neighbor and carefully cultivate the relationship.

Who says that mountain spirits and monsters don't care about human relationships and social customs?

Chapter 21: Acting as an accomplice to the "fox"

Looking out at the sea of ​​clouds, Chen Ruoan remembered that he had the ability to ride the clouds and wind, so he picked up a wisp of cloud from the mountaintop and stepped on it, slowly heading towards Peach Blossom Valley.

Halfway there, it caught a glimpse of clusters of new green shoots emerging from the cliff below the clouds. On a whim, it lowered its cloud head and descended, plucked a few tender grass shoots that looked like they could be squeezed for water, and parted the grass to catch a few plump larvae.

After finishing, they continued on their journey.

Before long, the outline of Peach Blossom Valley came into view.

There is no magnificent scenery stretching for miles here; a few peach trees stand sparsely on the slope, their buds half-open, their pale pink petals gently unfurling.

Chen Ruoan strolled slowly into the valley and indeed caught a glimpse of a golden pheasant standing by the stone path not far away.

The golden pheasant's plumage was shimmering and colorful, its gold and red feathers dazzlingly bright, and its dark green tail feathers trailing three feet on the ground. With each step it took, it possessed an elegant and dignified air despite being a "free-range pheasant."

It looked up and saw Chen Ruoan, its sharp beak slightly parted: "Where did this fox come from?"

"I am..."

"Alright, enough said. Do I look beautiful?"

"Hmm? It is quite beautiful." Chen Ruoan didn't understand the meaning behind Jinji's question, so she went along with the praise.

"So, are you considered beautiful among foxes?"

Chen Ruoan was taken aback. Who knew what this ghost was? It wasn't exactly fox-like.

"It is."

Regardless, the quality of my fur is definitely better than that of a Tibetan fox.

Some Tibetan foxes look absolutely hilarious.

"That's fine then. I don't want to associate with ugly people. What do you want?"

Chen Ruoan's fox-like eyes curved into a smile as he said in a friendly tone, "I'm planning to find a place nearby to build a celestial abode. I've come today specifically to let my neighbors know."

Upon hearing this, the golden pheasant said calmly, "Build a mansion if you will, but don't make it too noisy. I prefer quiet and hate the hustle and bustle of the world."

Chen Ruoan chuckled inwardly. This Peach Blossom Valley is quiet now, but once it's developed into a tourist area in the future, with its bustling traffic and crowds, it will probably be impossible to find even a trace of peace.

At that time, wouldn't the golden pheasant have to hide in the forest and cry every day?

Despite its inner grumbling, it maintained a respectful demeanor on the surface, nodding and replying, "Understood, I will not disturb your peace."

After saying that, Anhu took out the tender grass shoots he had picked and the fat larvae he had caught and placed them in front of the golden pheasant.

"A gift to mark our meeting."

The golden pheasant glanced down, spread its iridescent wings, and gently fanned itself at Chen Ruoan as a way of thanking him: "Thank you."

Chen Ruoan waved his paw and turned to head towards the "Yin-Yang Boundary".

The name "Yin Yang Boundary" sounds intimidating, but it is actually a rocky vein. The cliff face on the east side is steep and slippery, and it is difficult to find a safe place to step. If you are not careful, you will fall into the abyss and be smashed to pieces. Hence, it has earned such a terrifying name.

The deeper Chen Ruoan went, the colder the air became, and a strong, eerie aura swept over him, chilling him to the bone.

Clouds and mist surged between the cliffs, and ghostly figures could be vaguely seen drifting and swaying in the gloomy atmosphere.

Chen Ruoan squinted and saw five dark ghosts crawling on the slippery stone wall, grinding against the barely footholds and corners.

Stone chips fell in a soft rustling sound, polishing the already slippery stone wall even smoother, making it as smooth as a mirror. As a result, anyone who dared to cross this boundary between the living and the dead would be even more likely to slip and fall to their death.

"Do these five ghosts use such insidious methods to harm the living?"

Chen Ruoan opened his mouth and exhaled mist, using the "Soul Control Technique" to quickly bind the five Yin ghosts polishing the stone wall.

In the fog, the ghosts let out mournful screams, yet they could not break free.

Chen Ruoan's fangs were visible, and he was about to bite the ghost to pieces and annihilate it when he suddenly heard a wailing sound.

The leader of the ghosts cried out in a pitiful voice, "Don't...don't destroy us! We didn't mean to!"

Chen Ruoan coldly rebuked, "If it wasn't intentional, why did you grind the cliff and endanger lives?"

The ghost wailed, recounting its past in broken sentences.

It turns out that deep within Mount Tai, as early as the Qing Dynasty, there lived a tiger that had attained Qi.

It hides in the dense forest at the bottom of the Yin-Yang boundary, never daring to show itself easily. It waits until it gets hungry, then sends the errand boys in its belly to polish the stone walls and try to make travelers fall to the bottom of the cliff so that it can feast on them.

Later, a Taoist priest passed by and noticed the unusual yin energy in the area. He followed the trail to the dense forest, gathered a group of helpers, and finally killed the tiger.

When the tiger died, the controlled vengeful spirit also vanished. But who would have thought that the tiger's resentment before its death was boundless, and its black aura lingered, corrupting the wronged souls who had fallen off the cliff.

These wronged souls are trapped in the "boundary between Yin and Yang," driven day and night by their resentment, involuntarily polishing the stone walls until they become what they are today.

“We didn’t want to harm anyone, and we didn’t harm anyone. Nobody has been here for a long time.”

The ghost's voice grew increasingly mournful: "Think about it, if we were to do anything harmful, the Taoist priests at the summit of Mount Tai would have already stepped in to uphold justice."

The whereabouts of the Yin Ghost did indeed come from the Taoist priest Fang Dongtian.

Chen Ruoan tentatively believed it, then complained, "The Taoist priests on the summit of Mount Tai also know you're here, so why don't they hold an altar to refine you and help you ascend to the path of goodness as soon as possible?"

“Several Taoist priests have mentioned this. Over the years, most of our colleagues have gradually dispersed, but we alone have remained attached to this place and are unwilling to leave, hoping to one day get rid of this place and go home to see our relatives.”

Chen Ruoan stepped through the clouds and landed at the bottom of the cliff, discovering that the terrain here vaguely resembled a small, imposing structure.

That's how you can keep the spirit from dissipating.

"No one has been able to solve this problem for so many years. Could it be that the 'Spirit Binding Technique' is considered a top-tier, mysterious technique in this world?"

Chen Ruoan returned to the stone wall.

It just so happened that it had acquired the "Soul Control Technique," which allowed it to restrain and command ghosts, and so it started discussing a deal:

"I will take you away from this place. In exchange, you will serve me faithfully, especially in the recent construction of the Immortal Abode, which requires your help."

"Of course, when I have more incense offerings and my strength improves in the future, I will be able to take you to travel freely through the world to finish what I did not finish in my previous life."

Upon hearing this, the five ghosts almost burst into tears formed from black qi.

I don't know how many years I've been waiting for this day!

"Do it! Do it! We'll all do it! Master, just give the order, and from now on we'll be your henchmen!" The ghosts' anxious way of addressing each other changed.

Chen Ruoan opened his mouth and pointed inside with his paw: "Now enter my world of food and drink."

"Yes!"

The fox inhaled and exhaled clouds of mist, engulfing the five ghosts and swallowing them whole, carefully licking its sharp teeth.

"Oh my god, Su Daji, you smell so good!"

"Ugh..." The five ghosts, huddled together, trembled, wondering if they had fallen into the fox's trap and were about to be eaten.

It's not uncommon for demons to eat ghosts.

That tiger once devoured flesh and blood and tore at the soul.

If it weren't for that Taoist priest arriving in time, they wouldn't even have had the chance to be bound in the "Yin-Yang Boundary" and would have become prey for the tiger long ago.

"Don't be afraid."

Sensing the Five Ghosts' unease, Chen Ruoan laughed and said, "If you deceive me even slightly, I will devour you without hesitation. But if you never utter a single lie, then I will be a very good boss."

From now on, you will be considered "accomplices of the fox".

Chapter 22: Guaranteed minimum for 10 consecutive pulls, 5 consecutive full-color pulls.

From within the belly came the voices of the five ghosts: "We would never dare to deceive our master, but you must keep your promise and take us back to our homeland in the future."

"Don't worry about that. A fox's word is as good as his bond."

Chen Ruoan subdued the five ghosts and rode the clouds to the towering and precipitous Fanzi Cliff. To the west of the cliff was Aolai Peak.

Aolai Peak is no more than half the height of the main peak of Mount Tai, but it is sharp and rugged, with an air of arrogance that refuses to bow down to Mount Tai. Hence the folk saying: "Aolai is high, Aolai is high, up close it is as high as Mount Tai, from a distance it is only halfway up the mountain."

When Wu Cheng'en of the Ming Dynasty went to the capital to take the imperial examination, he visited the cliffside and was greatly inspired, which gave him a lot of creative inspiration for "Journey to the West". He incorporated the magnificent scenery of this place into the story.

Standing atop the peak, Chen Ruoan gazed into the distance and saw a continuous range of peaks, dark green in color, with cliffs rising sharply like swords. Ancient pines leaned against the crevices of the rocks, and the sound of the pines swirling in the mountain wind created a magnificent and awe-inspiring scene.

However, as one's gaze swept across the entire mountain peak, whether among the trees or in the caves, not a trace of unusual energy could be detected.

The fox landed on Eagle Beak Rock, opened its mouth and exhaled a bluish-green, demonic wind, and said loudly, "May I ask if there are any great spirits residing and cultivating on Aolai Peak?"

The sound of the wind lingers in the empty valley, leaving only a faint echo, without any response.

The five ghosts from the Yin-Yang realm were polishing the stone wall day and night, unable to escape, and naturally did not know the details of Aolai Peak. Chen Ruoan then took off again and circled the mountain three times.

Peaks and ravines, forests and caves—it saw through every place that could shelter living beings, and ultimately found no trace of any spirit dwelling there.

Aolai Peak is an empty, unclaimed mountain.

With the turbulent times, animals have far fewer opportunities to obtain Qi than before. In particular, the sounds of cannons and gunfire have a natural deterrent effect on animals. It is not easy for humans to live, and it is also difficult for animals to cultivate themselves.

Chen Ruoan stood on the summit, relying on a bit of wild animal intuition to observe the mountain's energy.

The peak's energy-gathering formation is quite good; it's a rare and promising location, making it an ideal place to raise foxes.

"There is no spirit in the peak, and I have nowhere to go."

"Perfect, this is the place."

The ancestral veins of Mount Tai stretch for thousands of miles, with a vast and powerful dragon aura. It is a grand structure between heaven and earth, and it is not up to a little fox to covet. For Chen Ruoan, being able to suppress this area of ​​Aolai Peak and carve out a celestial abode of his own is already a great success.

So here's the problem: if I'm talking about building a mansion, where am I supposed to find a bunch of civil engineers who can do plastering and drawing?