Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person.

Would it feel better if someone stood on top of you?

Chen Ruoan nimbly leaped and landed on Zhang Zhiwei's head.

"You little fox..."

"Good view."

Chen Ruoan had a strange feeling. Even though he hadn't reached a high level in cultivation, it didn't stop him from crushing the future "top expert" in the industry under his claws.

What's that saying again? If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

What's more, it's right above my head now.

In this moment, Chen Ruoan couldn't help but want to compose a poem: "I will climb to the top of the mountain and look down on all the smaller mountains."

Zhang Zhiwei's head was being pressed down heavily, and he said helplessly, "You sly fox!"

Chen Ruoan sat high up, his body steady and unwavering. He could see that the precious tablet, drawn by the threads of fate at the center of his mind, was becoming increasingly brilliant and bright. Its deep blue luster deepened and gradually transitioned into a dazzling purple light.

"I've made a good friend."

As Chen Ruoan thought this, his surprise was far more than just a wishing tree. Even years later, when he recalled his first encounter with Zhang Zhiwei, Chen Ruoan was grateful for his decision to travel with him.

The reason is simple—

Zhang Zhiwei is too strong.

Chapter 4: The two of us are just too strong!

The fox and the Taoist priest walked out of the territory of Longhu Mountain and were about to reach the junction of Jiangcheng and Xinshui City.

Along the way, Zhang Zhiwei started talking about the past of Longhu Mountain again, especially mentioning his junior brother Zhang Huaiyi. He talked so much that Chen Ruoan sometimes covered his ears and went crazy.

Are you tired?

"After a day of walking and jumping, covering nearly a hundred miles, I was indeed a bit tired."

"Aren't you tired of talking?"

"Talking? That's tiring."

Chen Ruoan jumped down from above and walked on the uneven dirt road: "Taoist, if you have some free time, why don't you tell me about the cultivation of spirits, so that I can have some reference."

"The cultivation of elves? Asking those wizards might provide a clearer answer."

Zhang Zhiwei found a bare rock, sat down, and rested his chin on his hand in thought.

In the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain, there is a Fox Fairy Hall, where a fox fairy statue is enshrined for believers to worship and pray for blessings. Zhang Zhiwei had only read about fox cultivation in some Taoist scriptures.

They say that fox spirits can transform into women after fifty years, and become beautiful women and divine witches after a hundred years, capable of knowing things a thousand miles away.

After transforming into human form, its supernatural powers gradually increase. After another thousand years, it becomes a "celestial fox" with nine golden tails, possessing the ability to communicate with yin and yang and control the sun and moon.

"According to my understanding, it probably requires cultivating one's spirit and breathing, refining the inner elixir, reading the books of sages and virtuous men, understanding ethics, and transforming one's mind so that one's form will also transform, and finally be included in the ranks of immortals and become a fox immortal."

Zhang Zhiwei summarized several key points from what he had learned.

"It sounds like the kind of platitudes that teachers like to spout," Chen Ruoan bluntly pointed out.

Zhang Zhiwei shrugged and said, "Well, I've never been a fox either. You can't just teach people things blindly or based on assumptions."

"In short, taking human form is definitely the first step. Even the main deity worshipped by shamans eventually cannot escape taking human form. This is how the cultivation methods of spirits have been passed down for thousands of years. There are no other records of this."

Humans have human inheritance, but foxes do not.

Humans pride themselves on being the most intelligent of all beings, but in Chen Ruoan's view, this is not just boasting. The microcosm of the human body reflects the macrocosm of the external world, which is why the saying "human life is precious" is so true.

"Then the next wish will be for the basic Qi cultivation method and the transformation technique."

The clearer the wish for the Wishing Tree, the less likely the reward will go astray. Chen Ruoan must follow the advancement method step by step.

And time must be quick.

This is the Republic of China era. In a few decades, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, animals will no longer be allowed to become spirits.

"In the legends of the strange and supernatural, why is it said that a fox transforming into a human always means becoming a beautiful woman? Does that mean that in the end, you will become an empress?" Zhang Zhiwei asked.

Chen Ruoan explained, "The supernatural tales about fox spirits turning into beautiful women to repay a debt of gratitude are mostly written by pedantic scholars, so a little wishful thinking is understandable. Besides, an empress is always better than a father-in-law."

Fluttering!

As the fox and the human were talking, a strange sound came from afar.

Chen Ruoan saw the flock of sparrows scatter in fear, with a few occasionally flying overhead.

"What happened?"

boom!

Chen Ruoan's fox ears perked up. Was that a gunshot?

In those chaotic times, there were many roaming bandits. These "gray forces" wavered in their stance, disrupted local order, and were often exploited by various parties in the war.

Composed of routed soldiers, these bandits possessed formidable weaponry, making them a dangerous force that even the local authorities could not underestimate.

According to the fleeing sparrow, Chen Ruoan heard that several passenger carriages had been robbed and stopped by a group of bandits. These bandits were only interested in one-off looting; after the robbery, no one on board, whether women, children, or the elderly, was spared and was all killed.

“Fox, you have sharp ears, can you hear what’s happening in the distance?” Zhang Zhiwei asked.

Chen Ruoan told him the truth, and the young Taoist priest looked ashen-faced, seemingly lost in thought.

"Fox, in your opinion, aren't some people even worse than beasts?"

Chen Ruoan roughly knew Zhang Zhiwei's plan and reminded him, "Taoist, the bandits ahead have guns, at least three."

"Small things."

"The path to immortality values ​​life, but the person facing you isn't human; cultivators talk about longevity, but they don't cling to life, so..."

The fox and the Taoist priest, in perfect unison, thought of the same thing.

Let's take them down!

Chen Ruoan had no supernatural powers to rely on for the time being, and originally wanted to stay put and cheer up his morale by clapping his claws. However, Zhang Zhiwei grabbed him by the back of the neck, lifted his fox body and placed it on his left shoulder, and then coated him with a layer of protective golden light.

Not far away, the bandit leader had just finished counting his spoils when he heard a steady footstep coming from the mountain path.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see a tall Taoist priest with his hands tucked into his robe.

A young Taoist priest alone would not have attracted the attention of a band of bandits, but what was strange was that a black fox was perched on the Taoist priest's shoulder, its gaze also fixed on him with a sinister look, creating an indescribably eerie and bizarre atmosphere.

"Boss, he's a true Taoist!"

"I'm not blind! This charlatan brought a beast along to create a spectacle?"

Click!

The bandit leader loaded his gun and pointed it at the Taoist priest who was tucked into his sleeve.

Before the finger could pull the trigger, a blinding flash of lightning streaked across the sky, accompanied by crackling electrical sounds. Several charred corpses lay sprawled on the ground, billowing out thick black smoke.

The bandit leader trembled, then looked again and saw that it was still the Taoist priest with his hands in his sleeves, now only half a meter away from him. But his brothers were all killed in just a few breaths.

"You, you..."

"Alright, stop stuttering, go down." Zhang Zhiwei took the gun from the bandit leader's hand and patted his shoulder lightly. Only then did the bandit leader notice that a long needle formed of golden light had been inserted into his chest at some point.

Chen Ruoan sat upright on Zhang Zhiwei's shoulder, barely feeling any jolt. Zhang Zhiwei's killing intent was so pure that the entire process of punishing evil was as clean and efficient as sweeping away dust from a table.

"Let the local authorities handle the rest."

Zhang Zhiwei glanced at the corpses scattered all over the ground, shook his head, and walked past as if nothing had happened.

···

This was the first time Chen Ruoan had truly experienced the extraordinary nature of this journey.

After passing through Xinshui City and experiencing several other events, that strange feeling intensified significantly.

Something's not right! Something's not right!

Are we too strong?

Gangs of bandits can be easily defeated in a few moves, and wild boars and bears encountered in the mountains and countryside can be taken down with a single slap.

The combination of a fox and a human is incredibly powerful; they're practically wreaking havoc!

"Is this so-called 'spiritual connection' just about finding a powerful figure to be a lucky charm or a mere ornament? Isn't that too easy?"

I felt completely uninvolved!

Chen Ruoan closed his eyes and concentrated, and saw the lush wishing tree again. After his chance encounter with Zhang Zhiwei deepened into a friendship of like-minded people, the precious document tied by fate officially turned purple.

The fox's paw pads pressed against the edge, swaying gently.

"Tree, oh tree, give me a method for cultivating Qi, or a technique for transforming into human form."

Chapter 5 Attaining Qi and Spirits

A bright red border tugged at the precious document, and the red satin among the branches and leaves swayed in the wind.

After making a wish, a pale purple aura slowly enveloped the fox's body.

Chen Ruoan opened her eyes. Zhang Zhiwei was meditating in the forest. The spring night before and after the Awakening of Insects still carried the chill of winter. The cold moon bathed the forest, and frost covered the ground.

An fox curled up under an ancient pine tree, its ears trembling slightly and its breath coming in short gasps.

With its eyes half-closed, it exhaled and inhaled, and the clear Qi of the forest, like a wisp of silk, emerged from the dew on the grass and trees, penetrating its seven orifices. The cool and comfortable sensation almost made it hum softly.

Chen Ruoan has obtained Qi.

The fox's tail swayed gently, its jet-black fur covered in a faint golden glow, and the spiritual energy of the night slowly gathered into its "dantian"—

It's probably the dantian.

The Wishing Tree told Chen Ruoan that whether it is a fox demon, a wolf monster, or a flower fairy, as long as they follow the path of absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and cultivating to take human form, they will imitate the cultivation system of the extraordinary people and condense a "sea of ​​qi" in their abdomen to store the refined innate qi.

"Finally, I have obtained Qi."

Compared to the intelligent wild fox, Chen Ruoan should now call himself an "elf".

Chen Ruoan leaped onto a branch and absorbed the moonlight.

After obtaining the Qi, the frail fox body became much stronger.