Chapter Fifty-Two: "There Truly Exists a Fox Spirit in This World"

Chapter Fifty-Two: There Truly Are Fox Spirits in This World

This secluded paradise was like a miracle in the midst of ice and snow. Warm steam rose from beneath the waterfall, stirring Xia Zheng's intense curiosity. What kind of place could give birth to such a hidden haven?

He searched carefully all around. Though he didn't find any Fuming Grass, there were quite a few unusual-looking fruits and herbs nearby. Comparing them to the information on his phone, Xia Zheng identified more than a dozen varieties. He gathered samples of each and packed them into his backpack. There were still a dozen other strange herbs and fruits he dared not collect without knowing more, so he took photos to consult with experts after returning to the company.

He remembered his classmate Chen Xiu had majored in pharmacology and pharmaceutical studies and likely knew other students or experts in the field. As long as he marked the spots, he could return and gather them purposefully.

As for animals and rare birds, he found several species here that were almost extinct outside, and even one or two believed to be already extinct. If he could bring any of these living creatures back, it would surely cause a sensation.

"If this place were to be exposed, hordes of people would flock here. It would either become a tourist attraction or be stripped bare, destroying its pristine environment. Better to keep it secret for now. Once I have enough resources, I’ll develop it myself, balancing preservation with selective tourism," Xia Zheng schemed privately—human nature, after all. He had discovered this sanctuary by braving ice and snow.

Unfortunately, among all the animals, he did not find any trace of the Jueming Snow Fox. As expected, the three ingredients required for the task were not so easily found. But Xia Zheng was no longer as anxious as before. Since he had obtained the Ice Spirit Fruit by such a coincidence, perhaps the other two ingredients could appear by chance as well.

It had been two months since Xia Zheng last bathed. Hearing the sound of hot water beneath the falls, he was tempted to soak. Using his psychic power, he constructed a staircase and descended to the other side of the waterfall, where a steaming hot spring awaited.

Since there was no one around, Xia Zheng used his mind to open a hollow nearby and buried his backpack, then moved some large rocks to cover it, ensuring neither people nor animals could snatch it away. He caught one or two small animals, testing the water temperature by dipping them in. For those unable to swim, he supported them with his power to prevent drowning; for natural swimmers, he restrained them to keep them from escaping.

After a series of trials confirmed the water was safe, he released the animals. Selecting a spot at about forty degrees, he entered the spring and began to wash. Grime sloughed from his body, floating away toward the waterfall.

He soaked a towel, placed it over his eyes, lay back on the water, and used his mind to create a barrier around himself to keep from drifting toward the falls. Soothed, he gradually fell asleep.

He hadn’t had a proper rest in ages. Now, as he relaxed, exhaustion overwhelmed him and he began to snore thunderously.

The surface of the water rippled. Bubbles rose as a shadow glided beneath. It drew closer to the sleeping Xia Zheng and slowly emerged—a silver fox’s head, with eyes almost indistinguishable from a human’s.

Watching Xia Zheng ten meters away, the fox’s mouth parted, drool seeping out. Its eyes narrowed, and a seductive, feminine voice—mimicking a human woman—issued from its mouth, laced with temptation and charm. Waves of sound enveloped Xia Zheng. This method had never failed; it had used it successfully many times before. Ever since it had tasted human flesh once in its long life, it could never forget that exquisite flavor.

Though not a blood beast, this creature was no ordinary animal. It had heard, long ago, that there were cultivators among humans. They called such extraordinary beasts—demons.

Xia Zheng fell into an intensely vivid dream of desire—sometimes Shen Hua’s alluring figure, sometimes the innocent beauty of Nalan Sheng, even Lieutenant Felina made an appearance. Women he’d known and never met surrounded him in pleasure.

After several such indulgences, he suddenly sensed something wrong—he was not one to lose control so easily, and this felt nothing like an ordinary dream. There was something strange at work.

Crack!

A new, baleful will awakened within his mind, manifesting as a spiritual avatar. Bursting through the dream’s seductive snare, it appeared above the hot spring and saw a snowy silver fox, imitating a woman’s voice, using psychic power to hypnotize him and plunge his consciousness into desire.

“How dare you attempt to hypnotize and insult me! Seeking death!” the avatar snarled, transforming into a bolt of red lightning that struck the fox’s brain. The fox was sent hurtling away, blood spraying from its mouth. It scrambled to the shore but collapsed, unconscious, after only a few steps.

Though the silver fox was skilled at hypnosis, its own power was at best at the level of a C-class psychic. Xia Zheng, also C-class, was a mentalist, unafraid of opponents at his level and able to contend with B-class psychics. Moreover, this attack was a direct spiritual assault on the brain—impossible to resist—leaving the fox severely wounded.

His spirit returned to his body. Xia Zheng awoke to chaos around him and, embarrassed and angry, glared at the apparently lifeless fox on the shore. He hastily washed again, dressed, and went to check on it. He found the fox surprisingly resilient—gravely injured but still alive.

Xia Zheng knew that after such an overpowering spiritual attack, there would be a destructive force left in the target’s mind, causing lasting damage unless he actively healed it and removed the residual imprint.

“This silver fox isn’t a blood beast or ordinary animal, but it’s a master of hypnosis—quite a rarity. Killing it would be a waste.” With that thought, Xia Zheng decided to see if he could save and perhaps tame this unique creature.

He propped the fox up, sat behind it, and pressed a finger to its nape. The third, vertical, ethereal eye between his brows opened, and his spirit surged forth, entering the fox’s mind.

After a period of healing and clearing away the residual energy, his spirit returned to his own body. To his surprise, he found his psychic power had grown again—thanks to his soul-refining technique. Whenever he invaded an enemy with mental faculties, he could absorb their spiritual energy.

The silver fox survived, though greatly weakened after the trauma to its brain.

“Thank you, noble benefactor, for sparing my life and granting mercy. I was blind and foolish to offend one such as yourself; I deserve a thousand deaths.” To Xia Zheng’s utter shock, the silver fox spoke in human language. It turned, lowered its head, and addressed him in an ancient, courtly style, as if from a drama of old.

“You… you can speak human language?” Xia Zheng pointed at it, still unable to believe his ears.

The silver fox nodded. “I have cultivated for nearly nine centuries. In another hundred years, I could shed this form and become human. Since childhood, I learned human speech from my elders.”

Xia Zheng felt his mind reel. So, there truly were demons in this world—not mere inventions of novels and dramas. But then, in this era of gene-modified humans and the rise of psychics, what was truly impossible? Was it so strange for a beast to become a demon after centuries or millennia of cultivation? Perhaps not.

“Well… in that case, it’s actually better that you can speak. I was originally going to tame you as my pet, but since you have self-awareness, that doesn’t seem right. You should go. Don’t seduce or harm people again; today you were lucky it was me, or you’d surely be dead.”

Seeing the silver fox’s gentle, courteous manner, Xia Zheng felt it would be wrong to keep her as a mere pet.

But the silver fox’s eyes spun with calculation, and she said coquettishly, “To remain by your side would be a blessing for me. Besides, I have long wished to see the human world. My elders commanded me to cultivate here for nearly a thousand years, and I have never dared defy them. Yet our fox clan’s ancestral law states that if we meet a kind and capable human cultivator, we are freed from our oath. Just now, your spiritual power nearly ended me in a single blow, and you are so young, with boundless potential. I am willing to serve as your servant and accompany you into the mortal world.”

Faced with such a speech, Xia Zheng found it difficult to refuse. Still, not fully trusting this clever fox, he remained cautious.

“In that case, let’s travel together. But we are companions, not master and servant—let’s call it friendship,” Xia Zheng said. The silver fox could hardly object.

Dizziness swept over the fox, and she swayed. “Since you command it… since you wish it, I must obey. Sir, my mind is still weak. I need to return to my lair for some restorative fruits, but I lack the strength. Would you carry me to my cave?”

“Oh, you have a lair? Excellent, let’s see it,” Xia Zheng replied, curiosity piqued. Still, to be safe, he left a trace of his spiritual power on the silver fox. Having been nearly trapped by her hypnosis, he had inadvertently mastered the art of spiritual avatars—useful insurance.

The fox’s lair was at the bottom of the pool, accessible only by diving. But this posed no problem. Cloaking himself in psychic energy, Xia Zheng parted the hot spring’s water, and, holding the fox to his chest, swiftly descended to the pool’s depths.

The silver fox was awed by these extraordinary abilities. Sensing the young man’s power, she set aside any hidden schemes she may have harbored.