Zhu Xian

Chapter 115 - White Fox

Laguna Collective (Mooy’s translation) = Little Pond Town

The Divine Land expanse of land, vast and boundless. After subtracting people who were known as the spirits of the ten of thousands of creations, innumerable living things live together with humans in this space between Heaven and Earth. Like a household having chicken, duck, pig and dogs, ferocious beasts like panther, wolf, tiger and jackal, were all what humans commonly known and seen.

And since ancient times, different kinds of rumours had travelled and spread in the world, in the Divine Land surrounding secluded wildlands, among the barren mountains and unruly rivers, there were some ancient spiritual intelligent beasts, remnant species of the chaotic primeval times left in the mortal world. In the next hundred thousand years, countless tales of hot-blooded youths travelling over mountains and seas to capture dragons and demons were delightfully talked about, spreading around by word of mouths.

And in those many varied folklore, the fox spirit race which might not be the most savage and strongest monster but without any doubt, the fox spirit species was the most mysterious, mystical folktale in the eyes of the humans and the only legend that had some human relationships.

Like the ‘Black Water Mystical Viper’ type of ancient huge beasts which had became the target of those countless youths who wished to prove their abilities and training, the fox spirits instead when mentioned, always had some dubious relationships. Although there had also been always folktales where the fox spirits inflicted injuries on humans but the difference as compared with the other creatures was, the fox spirit race usually leave behind touching stories of falling in love with a human and this, in the varied folk tales of demons harming humans, was really a prominent and unusual matter.

Of course, all these were just spread by the ordinary folks, common people in the mortal world, in the genuine cultivators’ eyes, the fox spirit clan was a group of extremely intelligent and cunning creatures. Their strength were unlike the Black Water Mystical Viper those kind of inconceivable ancient demonic beasts but those fox spirits instead understood the relationships between humans and legends even said that when their cultivations reached a certain level, the fox spirits would develop an ability to transform into humans, this might be the reason for those poignant human and demon love tales.

And within the fox spirit clan, there was a family branch that was the most intelligent and most mysterious, legends said that with their increasing Taoism cultivation, the number of tails would continue to increase, a hundred years of cultivation would have three tails, known as demon fox; thousand years of cultivation would have six tails, known as elk fox; and until the stage of nine tails, it would be the supreme realm of the mortal demonic creatures, nobody knew exactly how many years of cultivation it would take to reach that realm but in the legend, when the fox spirit had reached the level of nine tails, it was already an unequalled demon, its power exceeded deity, known as ‘Nine tailed Celestial Fox’!

Just that this legend was too mystical, not many common people knew about it but in Ghost Li’s heart, it was as clear as a mirror. Not because of anything, but because ten years ago, in that Fire Dragon Cave, that pair of fox spirit figures dying for love, was the first jolt in his life to his once unwavering faith.

Even until now occasionally in his dreams, that desolate and beautiful white fox figure, was still vaguely distinct.

Faint streams of blue lights from the icy solid frozen ice refracted into the surroundings, causing the third level of the altar to constantly waver between brightness and darkness. In front of Ghost Li and Xiao Hui, from the deepest recesses of the darkness, in the faint eerie blue lights, an enormous figure slowly emerged.

A white fox, a gigantic white fox!

This was the first time in his life seeing such gigantic white fox, from where he was standing, he could see that the white fox was twice as high as him, almost the height of two humans. Even in this dim light, that pure white fur body was still so beautiful, the smooth fur was like the best silk cloth in Central Plains.

This was a creature that captivated the humans with one glance, just that its body was so massive, subconsciously it felt somehow scary. And in reality, this white fox was in an extremely emotional agitated state.

The altar space which was initially tranquil, right now was filled with the white fox’s wails and howls, the pair of deep black eyes set on the fair and white skin, right now was filled with madness.

The blue lights became brighter and brighter, somehow a wind had started to blow. Ghost Li’s clothes flapped in the wind, Xiao Hui’s shrieked out loud, bared its teeth at that white fox, making threatening stances.

Abruptly, a scream from the white fox’s throat, its front feet suddenly leaving the ground, it actually stood up and almost at the same time, Ghost Li felt the surrounding frozen ice radiated brightly with blue light, in the rumble of sounds, two enormous, almost the height of three men, ice moved through the air, each heading towards Ghost Li.

Ghost Li frowned, the Soul-Absorbing stick glowed with dark-green light, swiftly carrying him and Xiao Hui backwards. Almost at the same time their figures shifted, two of the enormous ice collided together with a rumble, making a deafening explosion, broken ice scattered all around.

Before they even came to a stop, the entire third level ice which was emitting faint blue light, lighted up at the same time, instantly the eerie demonic energy increased tremendously in this space, innumerable small and big blocks of ice slowly floated up into the air, glittering profusely, extremely beautiful and magnificent.

Ghost Li frowned even deeper, this nine-tailed celestial fox’s evil powers was as expected powerful, those demonic beasts that he had encountered the past years, other than the unimaginable ancient huge beast Black Water Mystical Viper, this nine-tailed celestial fox in front of him was the strongest.

However, when his eyes looked past those innumerable ice fragments twinkling with beautiful blue lights, that white figure with eyes filled with grief and anguish, it was an expression he had not seen for a long time, just like that pair of foxes’ images, started to oscillate in his heart, no matter what, he did not wish to fight against this white fox.

Just that while he was hesitating, the nine-tailed celestial fox made a sharp whistle, those ice fragments floating in the air streaked over with lightning speed, as if they had received a mysterious command.

Ghost Li’s face turned cold, stretched to grab Xiao Hui and hugged it in his bosom, at the same time, wielded the Soul-Absorbing stick and flew to the side. In a moment, blue lights flashed everywhere, the solid ice like rain, collided against each other incessantly. In every flint-spark moment, countless streams of pale white light and blue solid ice, pursuing after that dark-green figure.

The dark-green shadow like ghost, always escape at the critical moment, in the raining hail, left or right, up or down, avoiding this never-ending layers of hail.

The white fox’s sharp whistle turned even higher, just that for some reason, the angry scream seemed to lack stamina. While the intense fight was going on, a dark-green figure suddenly flashed, out of nowhere Ghost Li had traversed those layers of ice and dashed near the white fox.

The white fox was shocked, its beautiful white fur moved on its own, its front paw waved and looked as it was going to conjure some strange effects, unexpectedly at this moment a dark red light leapt up suddenly from behind, almost at the same time, the white fox’s body shuddered, like it had suffered a heavy blow, its eyes unfocused and in that instant, the evil power dissipated entirely, its body collapsed.

And the next moment, the dark figure floated, a pale hand from the light shot out, grabbed the white fox’s throat.

The white fox groaned, its eyes showing immense pain but looking at its expression, it instead closed its eyes, as if resignated, waited to die.

The place where the hand touched, it was icy cold yet still soft, Ghost Li’s hand landed on the white fox’s throat, the enormous body was just in front of him but for some reason, it was like a weak little bird in his hand.

Xiao Hui crouching in Ghost Li’s bosom, suddenly softly called out.

Ghost Li quietly looked at the white fox in front of him, slowly withdrew his hand.

The white fox slowly opened its eyes, reflecting into its eyes, was that man’s figure in front of it.

One human one fox, looking at each other like that!

[Rumble]

Following the sound, that blizzarding hail behind Ghost Li, lost its demonic power conjuring and started to fall, when the ice collided against each other, the ice crystals splattered everywhere, white ice mist floated out, spreading from the back and totally covered Ghost Li and that white fox figure.

After a long time, the ice dust gradually settled down, Ghost Li and that white fox figures emerged again.

Xiao Hui had again crawled up to Ghost Li’s shoulder, three of its eyes blinked and blinked, looked at Ghost Li and looked at the white fox again and then looked around, it suddenly developed an interest in the beautiful ice crystals scattered all around and jumped down from Ghost Li’s shoulder, sat on the floor, took up some beautiful ice crystals emitting blue faint lights and started to play with it.

The white fox’s eyes, from Ghost Li shifted to Xiao Hui, it looked intently and then back to Ghost Li, after a while, said, “Why didn’t you kill me?”

Its voice had evidently calmed down. Ghost Li did not answer immediately, his eyes unexpectedly glanced behind the white fox, very quickly, he found the thing that he had suspected.

A dark red chain as thick as a human arm, locked around the white fox’s waist, red light faintly emitting from the chain, even separated by a distance, one could feel that unusual power.

The white fox had abruptly lost its power while battling, evidently the chain had activated its power. But it was not unusual too, if not for this powerful control, with the legendary celestial fox’s unmatched power, how could the Inferno Altar trap it?

The white fox stared at Ghost Li, Ghost Li did not answer its question, it seemed not to mind because what it was concerned about, was entirely another matter.

“How about Xiao Liu? Is it that you killed him and then took the Inferno Mirror?” Its voice seemed low, as if exhausted.

Ghost Li was silent, after a while he unhurriedly said, “The Xiao Liu that you mentioned, was it an elk fox who had six tails?”

The massive white fox’s body trembled and it lowered its head.

“It is dead!” Ghost Li’s voice was not loud but clearly said.

The white fox’s eyes looked to the ground in front of it, dimly said, “How?”

“Ten years ago, I with...two friends heard that there were some evil creatures creating trouble below Little Pond Town Black Stone Cave and so went to investigate.” Ghost Li’s face was still as water, indifferently spoke about the past. For the moment, the spacious place was silent, only his voice gently reverberated, occasionally Xiao Hui could be heard playing.

“......Until the end, it saw that things were coming to an end and the three-tailed fox was dead too, it decided to commit suicide, before it died, it tied the Inferno Mirror on my arm.” Ghost Li took the Inferno Mirror out from his bosom, under the faint blue lights, the ancient flame totem seemed to be also burning lightly.

The white fox stared blankly at the Inferno Mirror, after some time, it quietly said, “Xiao Liu was my son!”

……

The surrounding stillness seemed dead, Ghost Li looked at that sorrowful white fox in front of him, suddenly felt a feeling of suffocation. Engraved deeply inside his heart, that white fox figure entering the molten lava, as clear as if it was in front of him.

Ten years of time, like it was just only yesterday.

What was it, that quietly changed, your heart my heart?

“The death of your son, I am partly to blame.” Ghost Li faintly spoke, “In the future if you have the chance, go ahead and kill me.”

The white fox’s head rose, stared deeply at him and suddenly, Ghost Li sensed that the white fox was laughing, with thousands and hundred years of time in its eyes, a laughter with faint anguish.

“If he can give the Inferno Mirror to you, I as his mother, how can I not know what he was feeling at that time?” The white fox faintly said, slowly turned its body, the chain at its waist making ear-piercing sounds, confining it.

Ghost Li looked at the white fox slowly making its way back into the darkness, suddenly an inexplicable urge in him, he burst out, “Is there anything I can help you?”

The white fox’s body paused but did not turn over, only its voice, suddenly had a faint excitement, “You are willing to help me?”

Ghost Li did not speak or answer.

The white fox slowly turned around, right now suddenly, a strange gleam surfaced in its black deep eyes.

“Three hundred years ago, our fox clan snatched the Inferno Mirror from FenXiang Valley but our casualties were huge, other than Xiao Liu who managed to escape, only I survived and am imprison in this Inferno Altar, suffering the ‘Inferno Chain’ torment. My power is being suppressed by this Inferno Chain and the ‘Eight Savages Inferno Formation’ in the Inferno Altar, suffering day and night.”

It gave a cold laugh and said, “If not for the fact that FenXiang Valley wants me to divulge the location of the Inferno Mirror, I would have been dead long ago.”

Ghost Li silently nodded.

The white fox glanced at him, said, “This Inferno Chain is a Heaven and Earth unusual object, ablaze with strong Yang, once locked, it cannot be opened unless it is by a person well-versed in FenXiang Valley’s secret incantation. But other than that, with the Inferno Mirror, it can also open this thing!”

Ghost Li’s gaze, slowly looked to the Inferno Mirror in his hand, the faint warm from that ancient flame totem radiated out.

The white fox’s voice continued upfront, “The Inferno Mirror is the essence of ten thousand fires, a celestial weapon since the creation of Heaven. You only need to go to the end of the stone walls behind me, there is a round pillar shaped stone platform, the Inferno Chain starts from there, at the same time it extends deep into the volcano lava below and absorbs the infinite heat energy. Place the Inferno Mirror on the stone platform and the Inferno Chain will be unlocked, without this restriction, with only the Eight Savage Inferno Formation below without the Inferno Mirror as the core, it will not be able to trap me.”

Speaking until the end, the white fox’s voice seemed to be quivering, showing its excitement.

Ghost Li did not speak, his face as still as water.

The white fox looked at him, after a while, a deep disappointment appeared in its eyes, it made a wry laugh, softly said, “Have you regretted? Then forget it, actually in this world, who is not like that?”

Speaking, it looked like it was about to turn back again, Ghost Li suddenly moved.

He slowly walked forward, walked past the white fox, Xiao Hui behind, raised its head and seemed to develop an interest in the situation here, in two three jumps it leapt up to Ghost Li’s shoulder.

Ghost Li walked past the white fox, the white fox too followed and turned, its massive body accompanying Ghost Li, for some reason, its eyes had a different gleam.

“Young man, why are you helping an evil beast?”

Ghost Li did not turn and without any change in expression, the white fox following behind him, could not see his expression, after a while, that man who was walking alone in the darkness, quietly spoke to himself, “Actually in this world, who is not like that?...”

“Ten years ago, when I placed them into the lava with my own hands; ten years ago, under the Zhu Xian Formation, when I watched helplessly as she fell from the air……”

The white fox stopped walking, the end of the Inferno Chain had an extremely powerful restriction on evil beasts, it was unable to move forward. And Xiao Hui right now also seemed to sense something, jumped down from Ghost Li and stopped beside the white fox.

And Ghost Li, did not stop.

The white fox silently watched, as the darkness from the most dim areas faintly shone down, swallowing that man’s figure.

It suddenly sighed!

After a moment, it turned its massive fox head, went near Xiao Hui, Xiao Hui facing this hundred times bigger than itself evil beast, did not have any fear instead, [zhi zhi] called out twice, three eyes looking at the white fox at the same time.

“Is he also a grieving person?” the white fox faintly asked.

Xiao Hui blinked, [zhi zhi] called out, at the same time, scratched its head.

The white fox laughed faintly, in its laughter, there were more sorrow and vicissitudes of life.

“Your cultivation is not enough and your spiritual intelligence has just opened, the love between humans in the mortal world, how will you know?” It softly said to itself, its voice gradually turning softer, faintly heard, “Because the mortal world has such infatuated man, thus it then made us in the thousand hundred years, still deeply sentimentally attached…”

FenXiang Valley entrance.

The ambience became more and more somber, the place was silent. The human fish tribe with their angry eyes stared at the FenXiang Valley men with ShangGuan Ce as leader, and on the FenXiang Valley side, fear and shock.

A number of disciples had started to secretly look around, the cold breeze blew over, tree branches gently danced, a low ghost wail started from somewhere and travelled over, making one turned cold upon hearing it.

ShangGuan Ce frowned, his face was solemn, even if this unknown killer had high skills, with his current skills, he was not worried. But with such high skills and yet used such ruthless methods, it was obviously trying to incite conflicts between FenXiang Valley and the human fish tribe, this was indeed worrying.

Unless, the big plan that FenXiang Valley had been plotting for hundred years, eventually was still leaked out?

Once such thoughts formed, even with ShangGuan Ce’s deep skills resolution, his heart involuntarily panicked.

But he was after all not a normal figure, after a moment he calmed down, he knew that right now the killer was watching covetously from the dark, he must not lose his sense. And in these several hundred years, this was the first time someone had such audacity and dared to behave impudently in FenXiang Valley. If he did not properly teach the person a lesson, next time any tom dick and harry would also dare to come and make trouble!

ShangGuan Ce focused, his head moved to the side, Li Xun understood and walked up, ShangGuan Ce coldly said, “Pass down the order, all of the disciples to move out, seal every exit in the valley, in addition release all of the ‘Red Eye Eagle’, let them circle around in the air, we must not let this murderer escape.”

Li Xun nodded, hesitated a moment, quietly said, “Teacher Uncle, then Valley Master…”

ShangGuan Ce shook his head, said, “Since valley master asked you to pass his orders to me to handle the matter tonight, most likely he is unable to leave. You also know that he…” speaking halfway, ShangGuan Ce suddenly stopped, raised his eyes to look at Li Xun, “At a much later time, I will naturally explain things to him.”

Li Xun lowered his head and said, “Yes, disciple will go do it now.” and then turned and left.

When his suave figure walked to the back, the surrounding FenXiang Valley disciples made way for him, and from the start standing beside him, listening to every word between him and ShangGuan Ce, YanHong watched Li Xun’s figure, indistinctly a strange gleam in her eyes.

Li Xun’s figure very soon disappeared into the FenXiang Valley darkness. A stir went through the human fish tribe, a few of the human fishes [ji ji] peculiarly called out at the same time. The tall big human fish as their representative exchanged a few words with the others, turned back with its face incensed, “ji ji ji ji” speaking ceaselessly.

ShangGuan Ce frowned, SunTu beside him had already started to translate, “They are asking us to quickly hand over the killer for their tribe leader, if not they will kill us all.”

ShangGuan Ce humphed, coldly looked towards those human fishes, those human fishes evidently still fear ShangGuan Ce, for a moment were shocked but their savage characteristics took over and even more human fishes started to shout out in anger.

ShangGuan Ce knew that these wild tribes could not be judge using common reasoning and with the FenXiang Valley’s upcoming important matter, it was absolutely not the time to turn things sour with the wild tribe, and the powerful figure hiding in the ten thousands great mountains, not only him, even the valley master, Yun YiLan, with skills surpassing the heavens also feared him to some degree.

He was pondering on how to appease the wild tribe temporarily, slowly spoke, “Everyone, the matter today, ShangGuan Ce will definitely give you an answer but for the time being, will have to put you through the inconvenience here…”

Before he could complete his words, suddenly with no warning, the earth beneath his feet violently shook.

This quake was so sudden and violent, many of the FenXiang Valley disciples were caught unaware and fell down.

ShangGuan Ce had deep skills, naturally he was different from those common disciples, he almost stabilized his body in an instant, while in shock, from the corner of his eyes he saw, standing beside him YanHong was also unsteady but was only slightly later than him in standing firm.

“Ah, the sky, sky has changed in color!”

Not knowing who was the first to shout, everyone looked up in that instant, the dark black night sky had turned red, numerous clouds like burning flames moved swiftly, started to gather and circled around a certain place, indistinctly wind and thunder could be heard, a majestic scene, extremely spectacular.

ShangGuan Ce was shocked, his countenance change greatly, almost subconsciously he turned to look and as expectedly, where the clouds had gathered was indeed around the mysterious Inferno Altar.

ShangGuan Ce was shocked and enraged, disregarding everything else, he stomped angrily and transformed into a grey light, rapidly flew towards the Inferno Altar. But when his body soared into the air, for some reason, a faint doubt flashed across his head, “YanHong’s skills, when did it improved so much?”