The Little Fox's Immortal Cultivation Encyclopedia

A bird, entirely black with a round belly, carefully laid the newly brought moss at the bottom of its nest and began to build it.

This is the second time it has moved. It has almost plucked all the white hairs from the tips of the deer's tails. Now, the deer run away as soon as they see it, leaving it to make do with moss.

I really hope that fox won't cause any more trouble. First, it caught all its rabbits, and then it made a lot of noise at the place that people built, making all sorts of noise.

As the black bird thought of this, it unconsciously looked up and its movements suddenly froze.

The mountain god temple in the distance was bustling with activity, with people lining up from the temple all the way to the foot of the mountain. Wisps of smoke from incense gathered into columns that shot straight into the sky.

Not again?

The temple was packed with people, both inside and outside.

The story of the mountain god's miraculous intervention, defeating the earth and stone monster and protecting the children, has spread throughout Tao Township, then from the township to the county, and even to neighboring counties.

Along with the mountain god's miraculous appearance, news of the fox god also spread. Although the craftsmen kept their mouths shut, the matter of sculpting the fox spirit statue, though kept secret, inevitably leaked out, and several sharp-eyed villagers spotted the unfinished sculpture.

One day it was just a rough draft, and the next day it was lifelike, with even the paint applied. Although craftsman Li was skilled, I had never heard of anyone who could achieve such a level of artistry.

If he were truly that powerful, he would have already created his own image, which would be perfectly suited for worship alongside this mountain god.

Such stories were passed down by word of mouth among the people, and the tales became increasingly fantastical. The images of the mountain god and the red fox became more and more mysterious, not to mention the comments from the Cloud Master.

When the news reached the county, someone asked Master Yun about the consecration ceremony. The master simply smiled and said, "The spirit manifested itself, and the statue was naturally formed. Since it is already in place, there is no need for me to do anything further."

This statement undoubtedly further confirms the claim that the deity manifested.

Therefore, people came to worship one after another.

The craftsmen built a small shrine specifically for the Hu God, standing right next to the main shrine. Though called a small shrine, it resembled more of an exquisite altar. Built against the mountainside, the shrine was narrow yet deep. The plaque above it bore seven large characters: "Guardian Fox of the Mountain God."

No one is allowed inside the hall; it is only large enough for a statue of the Hu god to sit upright. In front of the statue is a small offering table, and behind the statue is a bottomless, dark cave.

Pilgrims must kneel outside the hall to look directly at the statues of the gods.

The fox was now inside the cave, digging its own hole by scratching the ground with its paws.

After the titmouse left, the place remained quiet for only a few days before becoming lively again. Although most people went to worship the mountain god, people have always had an unusual fondness for foxes, so the fox-themed incense offerings were also very popular.

The fox is willing to do something for humans because they built a nest for it, but it finds most people's wishes annoying.

The dark-skinned farmers knelt before the temple, bowing their heads in prayer: "We hope that the God of Hu will bless our winter wheat to grow well, that there will be fewer pests next year, and that we can have a bumper harvest so that our children can have more full meals."

"You're being kind by not letting the fox eat your food."

The merchant, dressed in a long silk robe, knelt down with difficulty, supported by his servant, his face obsequious: "Fox spirit, I, a believer in the silk shop on South Street, beg your favor, so that my business may prosper and my wealth may flow in. If my wish is granted, I will surely come to recast your golden statue!"

The fox itself has no money.

A familiar-looking young man knelt down, secretly glancing up at the statue of the God of Hu: "God of Hu, um, could I possibly make a small incision in your statue, just a tiny one..."

"..."

"Grandpa Fox Fairy..."

"The Great Fox Spirit..."

"Uncle Hu..."

Voices piled upon voices, wishes upon wishes. They came crashing down on us all, without any regard for priority or urgency.

"Stop arguing, stop arguing, the fox simply can't do it!"

The fox buried its head in its tail, forcing itself to calm down, constantly connecting its mind with the idol, trying to capture that invisible connection between itself and the idol.

It carefully tightened the connection and invoked the power of the image to form a barrier.

The world is finally peaceful.

The fox breathed a sigh of relief. "Let's leave it at that for now. If any foxes are interested, we can rebuild the connection later."

On the other hand, the fox had to admit that these prayers weren't entirely without merit. After obtaining the elixir, the fox's ability to learn bird language improved dramatically, and it could now even speak human language.

These people of different identities and ages, from all over the world, speak similar languages ​​day after day, just as their voices explain the languages ​​of birds across the land to the fox, so that the fox can learn from them.

With its ability to observe minds and discern thoughts, the fox's understanding of humans deepened. These people looked very similar, yet they had completely different thoughts; they said the same things, but their inner feelings were sometimes worlds apart.

The fox had always wondered why it learned bird language first and then human speech, but now it seemed that the sounds were always correct. It vaguely understood that the complexity of bird language lay in regional differences, language habits, and variations in pronunciation rhythm.

The complexity of human language may lie more in the human heart.

The fox thought about it absentmindedly, then turned to look at its newly renovated burrow.

The fox dug itself a comfortable nest deep inside, exactly the same as its old one. Only the leaves and down it had painstakingly collected were gone. It was a pity the sparrows were too fast; otherwise, the fox could have plucked some feathers from them.

From that quiet, moonlit night to now having his own cave and statue beneath this mountain god, it seems like only a few sunrises and sunsets have passed, yet it feels inexplicably long.

The fox yawned, looking at the familiar surroundings, a wave of weariness washed over him, and a long-lost sense of security and relaxation washed over him.

The fox drooped its ears; the burrow isolated it from the chill of the autumn night and from the hustle and bustle of the world.

As its eyelids grew heavier, the fox drifted off to sleep.

The moon sank behind the western hills, and all was silent. The crowds of worshippers had long since dispersed, and the temple was deserted, with only a few wisps of lingering incense smoke adding to the desolate atmosphere.

Suddenly, a slender figure quietly emerged from the night and went straight to the mountain god temple.

The tinkling of jade pendants gradually approached, accompanied by a rich and sweet aroma of honey.

The figure moved with light, graceful steps, heading straight to the statue of the God of the Hu in the side hall, seemingly oblivious to the statue of the Mountain God in the main hall.

The moonlight shone on her, illuminating her silhouette.

She was sixteen years old, with a slender waist and light, graceful steps, dressed in palace attire. Her beautiful face appeared pale in the moonlight, and her eyes held a lingering sorrow.

She bowed gracefully before the statue of the God of Hu, touching her forehead to the ground.

"Immortal," her voice was cold and suppressed, "I humbly beg you to have mercy and lend a helping hand to save the lives of my countless people!"

"Those bandits and thugs who have long coveted our country's wealth and are solely engaged in plunder have resorted to a vicious scheme. They have summoned a terrifying giant python from who-knows-where, which now lies coiled outside our capital, lurking day and night!"

"That monstrous python is a thousand feet long, its head is as big as a hill, and its eyes are like mountains and seas. My farmers who are working in the fields and the soldiers who are patrolling the borders have not returned. If this continues, I fear that the country will be in danger of destruction!"

"I know this matter is difficult, and perhaps it is asking the impossible. But the entire nation has exhausted all other options. We can only hope that the Immortal will have mercy, take pity on the innocent people, and save our people from the jaws of the snake!"