The Little Fox's Immortal Cultivation Encyclopedia

Chapter 117 Locking Breath and Avoiding Water

"Why didn't you become a god?"

"I don't know either. Maybe he finds being a god too tiring, with too many things to manage?" The turtle spirit judged others by his own standards.

The fox, judging others by its own standards, also found this statement to be reasonable.

"Why did General Turtle want to capture it?"

"Because that fish always went against the king, the king was very angry and said he would catch it and make a pot of fish soup. He also said that if the servants behaved well, they could also get a bowl."

The fox was puzzled: "Simmer fish soup in water? Wouldn't drinking river water have the same effect?"

Upon hearing this, the turtle spirit widened its eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

The fox was also pondering that the red fish it had encountered while traveling by boat must be the water god.

The fish had traveled north all the way, and it was unknown whether it had been caught or not. With so many tributaries in the Peach Creek, it was impossible to know where it had escaped to. Even more troublesome was that the fox couldn't swim and didn't recognize any water spirits; finding fish in such a large river was far too difficult for it.

The fox pondered for a while, then glanced at the turtle demon and suddenly had an idea: "General Turtle, how many monsters did you take with you when you went out? How many are left in your nest?"

"The little one can't count—"

The fox grabbed a handful of silver ingots from the surrounding area, about a dozen: "Each ingot represents one turtle. Is that more or less than these?"

Now the turtle spirit understood: "These are about all that's left in the manor."

"Where is your nest?"

"In the river."

The fox attacked it again.

After some questioning, the fox roughly figured out that these turtle demons weren't local turtles; they came from Lanchuan Prefecture. The Lanjiang River makes a bend at the border of Yunling Prefecture and Lanchuan Prefecture, and their burrow is located in the canyon at the bottom of the bend.

As for the turtle general, the turtle spirit claimed that it had cultivated for hundreds of years, and its shell was so hard that it was impervious to swords and spears; it could bite off a person's head with a single bite.

Whether this was true or not, the fox had no way of knowing, but the turtle spirit said that the turtle general was very imposing, and that when he went out, the turtle spirits had to carry him in a sedan chair.

It's only a little over a hundred li from here to the turtle's nest, a journey that takes a little over an hour in the Seven Fragrances Cart. And at the pace of these turtle spirits, there might be enough time for the fox to take a couple of naps inside.

Isn't this the perfect opportunity for the fox to steal their nest? Fortune's wheel turns, it's time for the fox to take over the turtle's den!

The only problem right now is how to get into the water.

The fox pondered for a moment, then picked up the turtle spirit and headed towards the Pillow River Tower.

Inside the Pillow River Tower.

Hu Nianshuang had already arranged a guest room for Young Master Shen to stay temporarily. Although Young Master Shen was delighted, he had to take his leave hastily because of family matters. With the case still unsolved and many eyes and ears in the city, Hu Nianshuang personally escorted him, using illusion magic to cover his departure so that he could leave unnoticed.

After finishing all that, she finally pushed open the door and went back to her room.

Then she saw the fox throw a large turtle on the table, with gold, silver, antiques, and calligraphy scattered around it.

"Brother, what is this—"

"I picked it up on the road." The fox casually tossed the turtle spirit into a corner. "Squat there and don't move."

The turtle spirit obediently squatted down, as calm and still as a chicken.

"The fox got some information out of us." The fox recounted what had happened in one breath, ignoring the tea Hu Nianshuang offered him. Instead, he brewed himself a cup of honey water and drank it with relish. "This guy is inexplicably stupid. The fox used illusion magic to bewitch him, so he's not afraid of disobeying."

Hu Nianshuang's expression changed slightly upon hearing this: "Brother, you must not act rashly. That is a great demon that has existed for hundreds of years. If you go to save people, I will go with you."

The fox shook its head: "A fox can protect itself, but it can't protect you."

Hu Nianshuang lowered her head, pondered for a moment, and suddenly spoke: "Brother is a fox from the mountains, I'm afraid he can't swim, right?"

'

The fox's eyes lit up: "You can?"

"I have a treasure that might help you, brother." Hu Nianshuang pulled a pearly white bead from her dressing table and held it in her palm. "There's a lot of water in the south, and I loved playing in the water when I was little. This is a water-repelling bead that Mother gave me. If you put it in your mouth, it can—"

A voice rang out: "The inner core of the alligator dragon is formed by absorbing the spiritual energy of mountains and marshes and condensing one's own essence. Holding it allows one to control water and breathe freely. Even in abysses thousands or tens of thousands of feet deep, one's body will remain indestructible."

"Wearing it can harmonize the Qi and blood, enhance water-based cultivation, and occasionally cause waves to capsize boats or gather water into mist."

"However, this elixir has been stored away for many years, and its spiritual energy has gradually dissipated, its essence has been depleted day by day, and its efficacy is far inferior to what it used to be."

Hu Nianshuang stroked the inner core, her expression one of reminiscence. The fox waited until she finished reminiscing before calmly speaking, "Since it was left by your mother, the fox need not use it."

"Brother has helped me so much, how could I possibly keep anything from you? Please accept this from me."

"Foxes have big throats and have never been in water. What if they get nervous and swallow this bead? You should keep it."

"My brother isn't a child, how could he swallow it?"

"Because the fox is a big fox, its throat is also big."

Hu Nianshuang was both amused and exasperated. She glanced at the fox suspiciously, then realized what was going on: "Brother, are you perhaps looking down on your sister?"

"right."

"My little sister is all clean now!"

The fox remained unmoved.

"Alright, alright, whatever you say makes sense, brother. It just so happens that I have another method here, but its effects are far less than this bead, and it requires a long time of practice to master."

Hu Nianshuang explained in detail: "It's called magic, but it's actually just a method of locking one's breath, which requires—"

"The Breath-Locking and Water-Avoiding Technique uses the power of the dantian to seal the mouth, nose, lungs, and internal organs, storing one breath within the body without inhaling or exhaling, allowing the internal breath to circulate naturally. At the same time, it guides the power to cover the entire body, repelling water from entering."

"Beginners can hold their breath underwater for an hour. Although the effectiveness varies depending on the level of cultivation, the power to hold one's breath will eventually be exhausted."

The fox listened to the incantation, took a deep breath, circulated its magic power, and silently comprehended it.

Given the fox's level of magical power, it could have maintained its power for at least three hours. However, the fox was a beginner and not very skilled. Although its magical power was still plentiful, its breath dissipated quickly.

Hu Nianshuang watched from the side and said softly, "Brother, don't be impatient. Back then, it took me three months to hold my breath for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

The fox remained silent, inwardly brooding: Once you're inside the fox's belly, what choice do you have?

The hidden energy slowly rose and enveloped that breath. The breath, as if frozen, indeed remained still.

The main lock of Qi is stored.

The fox looked up with satisfaction and said smugly, "Fox—"

As soon as he opened his mouth, a burst of breath surged out like a wild horse, carrying a chill, and condensed into white mist in the air.

The fox was startled, then suddenly realized that if it were to speak, it would have to open its throat, which would break through the blockage at its mouth and nose, rendering its magic ineffective.

"Brother, what's going on?"

"It's alright, the fox has already learned it, and it won't be any shorter than your bead's water-repelling time," the fox said, sticking out its neck.

Hu Nianshuang praised, "Brother is indeed exceptionally talented. However, the riverbed is not like the shore. The undercurrents and whirlpools are unpredictable. I am really worried about you going down alone."

Before the fox could speak, she interrupted, "Although my cultivation is shallow, I have lived by the water for decades, so my swimming skills are better than yours, brother. Besides, I have a water-repelling pearl—"

"Decades?"

"Hey, it's getting late. If we keep dawdling like this, that big turtle will be back soon."