Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person.

After Zhang Zhiwei finished his own part, he finally had time to greet the fox who had come to visit.

"Why didn't you come over earlier? I was thinking of reserving a seat for you at the opening ceremony." Zhang Zhiwei thought to himself that there must be some of Fox's friends among the leaders who came to support him.

"Forget it, all leaders give speeches the same way; the opening remarks are always long and tedious. Besides, I don't know many of them anyway, wouldn't it be awkward?"

"Don't you know anyone?"

"Yes, their ranks are all too low." The highest-ranking official is a deputy senior official, and below that are subordinate bureaus or units in religious affairs. I don't even recognize these foxes who have no real power.

"You even packed it up for me?" Zhang Zhiwei suddenly didn't want to talk to the fox anymore.

"I am stating the facts."

"Alright, I still have things to do. You can wander around for a bit." Zhang Zhiwei turned his back into the mountains.

Chen Ruoan then toured the entire venue. Behind the high platform was the setup area for the Luo Tian Grand Ritual. With the weather clear for tomorrow, the altars and other items had already been prepared.

According to Taoist rituals, the Luotian Grand Ritual offers sacrifices to 1,200 deities, creating a truly awe-inspiring sight from afar. More than ten altars stand majestically, their altars ancient and sturdy, incense sticks placed in a pleasing arrangement, and spirit banners and canopies hanging either high or swaying gently…

Tomorrow, Taoist priests will be chanting scriptures and praying for blessings here.

With nothing else to do, Chen Ruoan sketched something on the fluttering spirit banners and canopies, making wishes for "national prosperity and peace" and "favorable weather," and then casually drew a talisman-like ethereal light to guide it to the sky.

"Sizzle!"

The lightning patterns disappeared into the air and vanished in an instant.

···

The next day, incense smoke billowed like clouds, stretching from the mountain gate all the way up the hundreds of steps.

The aroma of cypress seeds, the scent of incense sticks, and the smoky smell of people mingled together, creating a sticky, viscous mixture.

The sounds of bells and chimes drifted through the crowd, becoming indistinct. Passing spectators stood on tiptoe, craning their necks, their sweat-drenched backs pressed together, yet their eyes shone brightly, filled with reverence and eager anticipation.

Wearing a thick gold chain, Deng Youcai squeezed through the crowd and looked around.

"Hey, brother, Xia He, this is Longhu Mountain, one of the most powerful forces among the extraordinary people in the world, a blessed land with a thousand-year history."

The scene before him was completely different from what Deng Youcai had imagined.

Compared to the quiet place for meditation, this place is much more bustling and noisy, with a constant stream of tourists and the constant announcements of products from shops along the street.

Deng Youfu straightened his suit: "You've been confined to a remote corner these past few years, and your horizons have certainly narrowed. Don't imagine things to be too rosy. Which famous mountain and scenic spot isn't a tourist attraction these days? Which one hasn't been ravaged by commercial development?"

Even though it's Master An's Inviting the Moon Pavilion, there's still a ticket booth at the foot of Aolai Peak.

Longhu Mountain is no exception. The front of the mountain is under the management of the local tourism bureau, and even the Taoist priests in the mountain only have a tiny bit of land at their disposal.

This is the case in many well-known mountains and Taoist temples across the country. Not long ago, there was a news story about a Taoist priest who went down the mountain to travel. When he returned, his temple and home had been renovated, and he was even required to pay an entrance fee. This angered the Taoist priest so much that he broke his decades of meditation.

"Brother, is Uncle Kunsheng's illness better yet?" Deng Youcai asked.

Since Liu Kunsheng blocked Chen Ruoan's path and challenged him last time, this big black snake seems to have lost its arrogance and has become more reclusive, rarely wandering around the Changbai Mountain area.

"I can borrow power, but I'm afraid of having to ask a deity to possess me," Deng Youfu sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Who knows how much psychological trauma a large snake could cause to a hundred-year-old snake?

"Why don't you come down and let me show off for you?" Deng Youcai, with his shifty eyes, chuckled and patted his chest.

"Forget it, those gray fairies are probably busy making a fortune for someone somewhere. If all else fails, I'll borrow Grandpa An's power; we have his memorial tablet in our ancestral hall, don't we?"

Unlike the power borrowed by Grandpa Kunsheng, the power borrowed by Grandpa An is truly capable of activating a type of supernatural ability.

Deng Youfu pushed up his glasses. As a "sea turtle" with gold plating, he needed to borrow a superpower that was full of prestige. The one-on-one duel after the multi-player elimination rounds would be his time to show his power.

Hehehe...

"What are you grinning about? Have you been studying abroad for years and ruined your brain?" Deng Youcai turned around and looked back. "Wait a minute, where's Xia He?"

"She ran away a long time ago; she was in a real hurry."

Xia He stood on the edge of the cliff.

To reach the arena for the extraordinary individuals behind the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony, one must cross a ravine several tens of meters wide. Ahead are two suspension bridges, the wooden planks in the middle of which have been removed, leaving only four swaying ropes.

Without exceptional skills, one can only rely on this rope to cross.

The Luo Tian Grand Ceremony's schedule, including the current ditch, means the test has already begun.

"Hey, Sister Xia He, it's been a while!" Lu Linglong appeared out of nowhere, waving and greeting everyone. Behind her was a group of supporters holding banners, with Zang Long waving his flag particularly enthusiastically.

"I hope we don't meet too soon, Linglong sister." Xia He replied with a smile, a yin aura emanating from her body. With a light step, she leaped across the entire ravine.

Zang Long stopped waving the flag, thought for a moment, and said to Linglong, "She's a senior from our school, right? Such a cool and aloof girl, does she speak with such sharpness?"

“There must be some misunderstanding between us.” Lu Linglong shook her head and smiled, then turned her head and saw the banner that read “Goddess of Ice and Snow.”

"Zang Long, pick that thing off me!"

"My goddess, you can't hurt the hearts of so many fans."

"Don't call me Goddess!"

"Yes, my goddess."

Lu Linglong clenched her fists in anger, but she managed to control her rage. She lightly tapped her feet on the rope and hopped a few steps towards the back of the mountain.

In the back mountains of Longhu Mountain, heroes gather, and extraordinary talents from all walks of life converge.

The individuals from different schools of thought exchanged pleasantries and pleasantries until two figures appeared. Suddenly, everyone's breathing became rapid, and they all fell silent.

Someone lowered their voice and said, "It's the Emperor and the Old Celestial Master."

Zhang Zhiwei's talent is obvious in the industry. He would show up at those grand events or forums every now and then. Although people respected him, they were not surprised.

However, the legendary Emperor Xuantian is rarely seen.

Everyone's memories of Chen Ruoan are quite peculiar.

As a child, this fox existed only in the legends told by its elders; as an adult, it became a hot topic in the news on the Extraordinary People Network.

I used to hear it as a legend, now I read it as news, but today I've finally seen it in person!

Zhuge Qing squinted his fox-like eyes and gazed into the distance: "So young, much younger than I imagined."

"Master An has a knack for preserving youth!" Zhuge Bai clenched his fists, his fingertips trembling slightly, his eyes shining like they held shattered stars, his expression more excited than if he had seen a deity descended from heaven.

"Bai, calm down, don't get carried away." Zhuge Qing had been in the entertainment industry before, and some fanatical fans acted the same way when they saw him. Qing was really afraid that his younger brother would do something outrageous.

"Brother, I just want one thing. I'm not a sasaeng fan."

You'd better not really be.

More and more people gathered on the back hill.

Chen Ruoan and Zhang Zhiwei stood side by side, while the rising stars and veterans around them whispered amongst themselves, their eyes glued to the two. Besides the story of the fox within the circle killing the "Quanxing," the group was also interested in the early travels of the Emperor and the Celestial Master.

Those who cultivate themselves know that among the countless beings in the mortal world, those who share the same profound principles are few and far between. To become a fellow practitioner and support each other on the path is a rare and precious connection.

"This is clearly a stage set up for young people, so why is all the attention on us?" Zhang Zhiwei calculated the time; the competition should be starting soon.

Just as the old master was about to speak, a sharp sword aura suddenly exploded from behind the crowd.

This crescent-shaped sword aura had no intention of harming anyone, but it carried an undeniable domineering force, forcing everyone to dodge to the sides and creating a wide passage.

"Master! Where is my master?"

A clear female voice came from the other end of the passage.

As everyone looked over, they saw Yuan Shixiao holding a piece of iron, walking and waving it, with sword energy emanating from the iron piece.

Finally, after the dense crowd dispersed, she saw Chen Ruoan.

"Master—Father—"

Yuan Shixiao's eyes lit up, and he took off running, arms outstretched, as if he wanted to pounce into Chen Ruoan's arms and rub against her. He didn't care at all about the hundreds of strange people watching them.

Before she could even get close, Chen Ruoan had already raised his hand and delivered a punch to her head, neither too hard nor too soft.

boom!

Yuan Shixiao clutched his head in his hands, seeing stars from the pain. He squatted on the ground, curled up in a ball, his eyes red and tears streaming down his face.

"Master, are you going to beat me to death?"

"You're flamboyant and don't know how to restrain yourself," Chen Ruoan said expressionlessly, her tone indifferent. "You still have the same bad habits as before."

Master Yuan covered his head, tilted his face up, tears still clinging to his eyelashes, yet he grinned: "Master, I just miss you..."

Zhang Zhiwei stroked his beard, looked at Yuan Shixiao with interest, and chuckled, "Fox, is this the disciple you mentioned?"

Chen Ruoan sighed, her tone full of disdain: "What a terrible thing."

"I think he's unconventional," Zhang Zhiwei nodded with a smile. "He's a talented person."

Chen Ruoan didn't reply, but simply shook his head slightly. He looked around, and sure enough—that sword energy that had cleared the way was extremely flamboyant and had already drawn everyone's attention.

Many extraordinary individuals stared at Yuan Shixiao with complex expressions, some resentful at being humiliated by the sword energy, but more so with undisguised curiosity and eagerness to try.

The disciple of the Xuan Tian Emperor – these six words are a golden brand in themselves. Who can resist taking a second look at her worth?

Those young and ambitious rookies already had a fighting spirit burning in their eyes.

The atmosphere suddenly became lively.

Zhang Zhiwei observed all of this, laughed loudly, took a step forward, looked around at everyone, and said:

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. Apart from the routine sacrifices, the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony has always been an opportunity for us Qi cultivators to exchange ideas. Of course, you are not here to sit down and discuss metaphysics like us old folks. I have also been through the prime of my life, and I understand your thoughts."

"Since everyone wants to spar, then I won't waste any more time and let's begin!"

"Good!" The crowd raised their arms in unison, and the resentful fellows all looked at Yuan Shixiao.

The first event is a multi-player elimination tournament. Based on the results of the draw, people with the same lot will enter the same arena, and the last one standing will be the winner.

After the line was formed, Zhuge Bai drew a lot – Bing Zhuque (丙朱雀).

He held the ticket in his hand, took a deep breath, turned to look at Zhuge Qing on the sidelines, and grinned, revealing his little tiger teeth: "Brother, I'm going in!"

Zhuge Qing crossed his arms and waved, saying, "Good luck!"

"Alright." Zhuge Bai strode onto the field, where three people stood opposite him, each with a different posture.

The leader flicked his wrist, and an iron walnut spun around on his fingertip, leaving afterimages—a move reminiscent of a head-flicking strike. The one on the left was burly and thick-waisted, with bulging temples, his chest remaining perfectly still as he breathed, a master of the Iron Bell Cover technique. The one on the right was lithe and agile, with a faint aura swirling in his palm, suggesting a foundation in the Gale Palm technique.

Three pairs of eyes fell on Zhuge Bai at once. After scrutinizing him for a moment, the leader suddenly sneered, "The little sissy from the Zhuge family!"