Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person.

"If you had come ten days earlier, you could have caught the whole pilgrimage season. There are a lot of fun things happening lately."

Fang Dongtian returned to the temple and retrieved a fox pendant, which he then handed to Lu Jin.

"I'm giving this to you; it's a business that's recently become popular in the temple."

"That's great. The fox is cute, and it has the character '安' (an), so it's a kind of amulet for peace and safety?"

"Hmm..." Fang Dongtian hesitated, the word "peace" concealing a fox's little scheme.

The believer thought it was the "An" in peace and joy, but the fox took the "An" from its own name. When the time is right, the pendant, which embodies the believer's wishes, can be given to the fox to solidify faith.

Foxes are indeed cunning by nature!

"Thank you. Dongtian, why do I feel like you're distracted?" Lu Jin noticed her close friend's unusual behavior and asked with concern.

"Zhang Zhiwei came here a few months ago."

"Uh... um... Senior Brother Zhang..." Lu Jin stammered, gradually unable to form a complete sentence.

Ever since the Lu family's birthday banquet, that slap has become a topic of conversation among the family elders and fellow disciples, especially within the sect. Every now and then, a senior brother would come out and make a joke about it, and it hasn't stopped for more than three years.

"It's okay, no one will remember it for a lifetime."

Fang Dongtian patted Lu Jin on the shoulder to comfort him.

Lu Jin forced a smile: "Ah, I didn't take it to heart at all."

"Dongtian, how is your Yang Spirit cultivation going?"

Lu Jin's words touched Fang Dongtian's sore spot: "Don't mention it. The more I cultivate, the more I feel something is wrong."

"His spirit is outwardly displayed, like a wandering ghost roaming the streets. Does he deserve to be called a Yang spirit? He's nothing more than a Yin spirit!"

"If he were truly a Yang God, he wouldn't have..."

Fang Dongtian paused, recalling the scene when his Yin spirit left his body and bumped into Zhang Zhiwei, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. He quietly clenched his fists.

"It's alright, no one will remember the cave forever."

Lu Jin returned the comforting words verbatim.

"I didn't take it to heart at all!"

···

The two's conversation reached Chen Ruoan's ears. The fox had no intention of eavesdropping and disliked gossip, but unfortunately, the fox's ears were too sharp, and the wind on the summit of Mount Tai was strong, so it didn't even need to "listen to the wind" for the words to enter its ears on their own.

The fox listened to the two talking and felt a strange sense of amusement.

Is Zhang Zhiwei partly to credit for their close friendship?

For example, they were in similar circumstances and had similar experiences. They had both suffered at Zhang Zhiwei's hands and understood each other's feelings better.

Chen Ruoan recalled how Zhou Shengxiu would later acquire the "Seventy-Two Transformations" and occasionally transform into a bird to kick Zhang Zhiwei, which only intensified the sense of amusement in Chen Ruoan.

Privately, these individuals might even form an "anti-Zhang Zhiwei alliance."

puff~

The fox laughed, tightened its body, raised its paw and stepped onto the bluestone platform in front of the Bixia Temple.

When Fang Dongtian saw him coming over, he explained to Lu Jin, "This fox came to Mount Tai with Zhang Zhiwei and is now settling down in the mountains to cultivate."

"Although he is a fox, he has already mastered the ways of humanity and is a rare fellow Daoist."

As expected of someone from a distinguished family, Lu Jin showed no disrespect upon seeing the fox's form, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Brother Fox, I am Lu Jin."

"No need to be so polite, just call me Chen Ruoan." The fox spoke in human language, its voice carrying a hint of foxy lightness.

As soon as he announced his name, the Prayer Tree in his mind suddenly lit up, its shimmering light spreading out, and Lu Jin's precious certificate clearly appeared.

A faint, dark thread of ill-fated destiny hangs on an untouchable high branch, or seems to float on a distant horizon.

Just like the gathering of the Medicine Immortals, it was a connection from a long time in the future.

Chen Ruoan's fox-like eyes narrowed slightly, and she stopped in her tracks: "Will I become enemies with Lu Jin in the future?"

That doesn't make sense. Given that Chen Ruoan is a fox, and Lu Jin's "flawless" character, what could possibly happen between a fox and a human?

Chapter 30 An Unpredictable Fate with Lu Jin

Chen Ruoan was completely baffled.

The major upheavals in Lu Jin's life can be summarized as follows: Wu Gensheng led Li Muxuan to storm the Sanyi Sect; later, his mentor Zuo Ruotong passed away; his fellow disciples went out to seek revenge against the Quanxing Sect; the sect suffered heavy losses and countless deaths; and finally, the Sanyi Sect was wiped out.

Besides the deep-seated hatred for Sanyi, if Lu Jin had any other unresolved issues, it would probably be the death of his close friend Zheng Zibu.

Chen Ruoan pondered for a moment, thinking that the "Quanxing" was a bunch of monsters and demons, the kind of people even dogs wouldn't want to mess with, and foxes certainly didn't want to get involved with them.

As for Zheng Zibu, one of the "Thirty-Six Thieves," there's no need to say more.

The "Eight Extraordinary Skills" are techniques for creating chaos. The Jia Shen Rebellion had a significant impact. The world of extraordinary people is so deep that even a small fox thrown in wouldn't cause a ripple.

It's best to stay put and farm at the Inviting Moon Pavilion. Once you've mastered the art of preserving your life, then you can go to the mortal world to establish a divine position. This is the right path to cultivating immortality and seeking the Dao.

But since they are unrelated, why would they become enemies with Lu Jin?

Chen Ruoan couldn't understand it, but in order to prepare for future changes, one thing was already very clear—

Since a shallow and ill-fated relationship is unavoidable in the future, the fox must be stronger than Lu Jin in the future so as not to be at a disadvantage or suffer in silence.

The real problem is also in front of us: the power level setting in "Under One Person" is too vague. We only know that Zhang Zhiwei is recognized as the world's number one expert. Below the top expert, it is difficult to determine who is stronger and who is weaker. It is really not easy to rank them according to their strength.

extremely?

An fox had a sudden flash of inspiration and a wild idea popped into her head:

If I could beat Zhang Zhiwei, wouldn't that solve everything?

Don't forget that from Jiangxi to Shandong, the foxes practically walked over Zhang Zhiwei's head the whole way.

Looking across the world, I am but a fox!

Now that he sits atop Mount Tai, he can truly say, "When you reach the summit, you will see all the mountains below." He doesn't care about seniority below the summit. If he can surpass Zhang Zhiwei, then he, the fox, will be the only one left to roam the world.

It's not that Chen Ruoan necessarily wants to be the best and the strongest, but his insight into fate gave the fox the instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm, while also amplifying his anxiety about the future.

"But he's the best in the world... hehe~"

The fox seemed lost in thought, completely oblivious to everything, which greatly surprised Lu Jin.

He turned to Fang Dongtian beside him and asked, "What's wrong with Brother Chen?"

Fang Dongtian shook his head slightly, a helpless smile playing on his lips.

Ever since I met this fox, it has always liked to drift off into thought during conversations between two people, leaving me wondering what it is thinking. It is truly a strange fox.

"How could a human possibly fathom the thoughts of a fox? Perhaps it was lost in thought while observing the clouds, trying to comprehend some profound mysteries of the Tao."

Lu Jin nodded upon hearing this, then turned to the fox, bowed, and asked, "May I ask when Brother Chen began his cultivation and how many years of practice have you had?"

These words pulled An Fox back from his dream of being "the best in the world." He looked up at Lu Jin and said frankly, "I officially embarked on the path of cultivation at the time of the Awakening of Insects this year."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jin's eyes flashed with a mixture of surprise and delight.

So, from obtaining Qi, gaining spiritual wisdom, and understanding human language to now being able to understand human ways and etiquette, it has only been five months.

The Lu family has close ties with various sects, and Lu Jin had previously inquired with friends in Northeast China about some interesting anecdotes about elf cultivation.

The immortals of Changbai Mountain are exceptionally gifted individuals. From enlightenment to understanding human speech, and then to cultivating themselves and truly entering the human path, it takes at least several decades, or even longer.

In just five months, this black fox has cultivated to such a level; it is truly unheard of.

Lu Jin smiled and said, "Among the sorcerers who cooperate with elves, the shamans from the Northeast are the most cautious. If Brother Chen goes to Changbai Mountain, he should be called a 'celestial being'."

Chen Ruoan replied, "Traveling through mountains and rivers is not easy, and besides, I have already established my immortal abode in Aolai Peak."

"A celestial abode?" Lu Jin stood upright and asked earnestly, "May I ask if I may pay you a visit?"

The Immortal Abode, to put it bluntly, is a fox den.

To put it in a more sophisticated and high-class way, it's a training ground for elves. What extraordinary person wouldn't be interested in that?

“Of course,” Chen Ruoan replied.

The Inviting Moon Pavilion has been completed for some time now, but it rarely receives visitors. Even the golden pheasants in the peach blossom grove have never come to visit, making it somewhat deserted.

Inviting Lu Jin and Fang Dongtian to be guests today will also help to increase the popularity of Yaoyue Tower.

Lu Jin smiled and said, "Then tonight I will take the liberty of going to Dongtian's Immortal Abode. I hope Brother Chen will forgive me."

"tonight?"

Is there something wrong with it?

No, be careful not to fall.

···

On an autumn night at Aolai Peak, the waning moon is bathed in frost, and the night mist is like gauze.

The location of the Inviting Moon Pavilion is extremely dangerous. If Lu Jin and Fang Dongtian were not skilled enough, they might not have been able to climb the cliff.

"The location of the immortal abode is indeed in line with the animal's instinct to avoid harm." Lu Jin steadied himself and saw the six-story building in the mist.

In front of the courtyard of Yaoyue Tower is a half-acre medicinal herb field, with clearly defined rows and ridges. Several plants of Ophiopogon japonicus and Scrophularia ningpoensis stand tall with their heavy, moist leaves, hidden in the mist.

"It's quite impressive."

Lu Jin and Fang Dongtian heard a soft grinding sound. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw a slender figure standing by the herb field.

As the mist shifted, the two focused their gazes and saw that the figure had transformed into a fox, its fur jet black, its front paws firmly gripping the wooden handle of a bluestone medicine grinder.

There is an ancient myth about a jade rabbit pounding medicine, but what we see today is a black fox grinding medicine.

In the still of the night, the sound of crushing dried medicinal herbs drifted across the medicinal field on the wind, a blend of eeriness and tranquility.

The scene was like a silhouette from an old story in Liaozhai. Lu Jin and Fang Dongtian felt it wasn't quite real, as if taking another step forward would lead them into a hazy, ethereal dream.

"Brother Chen," Lu Jin called out.

"Brother Lu, Master Fang, please come in." The fox stopped what he was doing, stood up to greet them, and the group began a nighttime conversation on the first floor.

"Brother Chen, were you preparing to refine pills just now?" Lu Jin was still thinking about what had just happened.

Before Chen Ruoan could reply, Fang Dongtian glared fiercely at Lu Jin.