Lingyun Fox Charm Appears

The Qingyun Mountain Range spans over a thousand miles, a vast expanse of undulating, continuous peaks. It has always been a place that mortals yearn for, yet dare not tread. They yearn for it because this is where the "Immortals" of the Qingyun Sect reside—those beings capable of miraculous spells, soaring through the skies and burrowing into the earth, omnipotent in their power. To earn the favor of an "Immortal" here and be accepted as even a registered disciple would be a glorious achievement for one's ancestors. Yet, they dare not tread here because the mountains are not only steep and treacherous, but also teeming with fierce beasts; one stroke of bad luck would surely cost a person their life. Thus, the area is generally silent, save for the occasional roar or mournful cry of some unknown creature, which only serves to make the place seem even more desolate and mysterious.

On this day, the silence of the Qingyun Mountains was shattered by a Mysterious Light interwoven with black and white. The light descended from the heavens, visible even to those far beyond the mountain range. Within the radiance, the faint, melodious sounds of a flute and a crisp guqin could be heard, accompanied by the giggling of a child—a sight and sound that left onlookers utterly dumbfounded.

In an instant, news of a divine treasure descending upon the Qingyun Mountains spread like wildfire. All manner of people converged upon the range, some riding swords, some flying through the air, others mounted on exotic beasts, or arriving via teleportation formation...

The Qingyun Mountains suddenly erupted into a frenzy.

Lingyun is a Peak Master of the Qingyun Sect. Ordinarily, a Peak Master is a figure of great power and status within a sect, but he is the exception. Not only do the other Peak Masters look down upon him, but even disciples who have just joined the sect show him no respect; the label of "trash" is widely whispered behind his back. This is simply because he is the only one living on his peak. Oh, wait—there is also a snow-white fox. Naturally, this wouldn't be an issue, were it not for the fact that he is the only Peak Master in the Qingyun Sect who has yet to reach the Golden Core Realm.

The Golden Core Realm is the true threshold of the cultivation world. Most other Peak Masters are at the Fetal Transformation Realm or even the Nascent Soul Realm. The rumor that he only attained his position due to a deep friendship with the Sect Master may well be true; this reliance on connections and back-door dealings is likely the primary reason the sect's disciples and members hold him in such low regard.

On this day, Lingyun was playing in the dense forest with the snow-white fox. Looking closely at the fox, one would find it quite extraordinary: its pair of fox eyes are cunning and bright, its ears twitching with agility. Most peculiar of all is that it possesses eight tails, which sway rhythmically as it darts through the woods alongside its master.

Suddenly, the fox halted its lightning-fast movements and gazed into the distance. Perhaps due to a fox's innate sensitivity, it felt a surge of overwhelming energy—a sensation that compelled it to prostrate itself in worship, a stirring from the very depths of its soul.

Seeing the white fox stop abruptly, Lingyun paused, feeling a profound tremor in his own heart. He looked toward the horizon, watching the strange light, and as that feeling of agitation gradually clarified into realization, he suddenly remarked, "Could it be an Immortal descending from the Immortal Realm?" His tone carried a hint of skepticism, perhaps because the "Heavenly Rules" forbidding Immortals from descending to the Lower Realm are common knowledge.

"Zhi zhi..."

"Mei'er, are you saying there is a child there? Hmm, indeed, there is the sound of a child's laughter. The strangest part is the flute and zither music; such soul-level fluctuations should only be produced by a Natal Dan Artifact. Yet, this fluctuation carries an awe-inspiring pressure, far greater than the power of any Immortal Artifact." Lingyun looked at the white fox, seemingly able to understand its chirps, his eyes filled with a tenderness one might reserve for a lover.

"Zhi zhi..." The white fox leaped onto Lingyun's shoulder, nestling against his cheek.

"Very well, let us go and see. Perhaps this place will soon become quite lively." As he spoke, he drew an emerald green long flute from his waist and tossed it into the sky.

"Rise!"

With his command, the flute grew in the wind, reaching a length of ten feet in the blink of an eye. Lingyun leaped into the air, stepped onto the flute, and sped toward the source of the sound.

About a quarter of an hour later, Lingyun arrived at the location. Within a hundred-foot radius, all vegetation had been reduced to nothingness. In the center, a white jade flute and a pitch-black guqin circled a pearly-white swaddle. The swaddle hovered in mid-air, and inside, a male infant with tiny fists slightly clenched was laughing happily. The surrounding beasts, usually exceptionally fierce, now showed no trace of their ferocity; they lay prostrate on the ground like kittens, their bodies trembling. The fox on Lingyun's shoulder also appeared somewhat tense, as if it had encountered something of great significance to it.

Lingyun frowned, turning his head to look at the trembling white fox, his face filled with pity. "Mei'er, are you very afraid? Shall we leave?"

"Zhi zhi..."

"What did you say? This child is filled with the Primordial Life Force?" Lingyun's face was full of disbelief.

"Zhi zhi..." Perhaps sensing Lingyun's doubt, the white fox appeared somewhat anxious.

Seeing the fox's anxiety, the corners of Lingyun's mouth curled into a faint smile. "Silly Mei'er, it's not that I don't believe you; it's just that the Primordial Life Force is too shocking. Hehe, and besides, you are still as impatient as ever."

Watching Lingyun's teasing smile, the little white fox swept its soft, snowy tail, gently brushing against Lingyun's slightly weathered face, hopping about with extreme playfulness.

"Alright, alright, I was wrong, is that enough?" Lingyun, appearing extremely ticklish, quickly begged for mercy.

The white fox stopped and leaped from Lingyun's shoulder to the open ground. It looked at the child, maternal light flickering in its eyes. It turned to look at Lingyun, its fox eyes blinking slightly, filled with inquiry.

"I understand. You want us to adopt this child, don't you?"

"Zhi zhi..."

"Actually, I want to adopt this child as well. It has been so many years, and we have no children of our own, ever since that incident..." Seeming to recall a painful memory, he suddenly stopped. Lingyun clenched his fists tightly, his teeth grinding together with a clicking sound, and he didn't even notice a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, clearly consumed by extreme rage.

Seeing Lingyun like this, the white fox looked dejected, its eyes brimming with white light. It hopped forward a few steps to Lingyun's feet and gently rubbed against his pant leg. Lingyun bent down, scooped the white fox into his arms, and gently stroked its fur.

"Hehe, never mind, never mind. Let's not speak of sad things. Today is a good day for us to adopt this child; we should be happy." Lingyun smiled faintly, and the fierce glint in his eyes vanished. Had it really disappeared? Perhaps it was merely hidden away.

"Zhi zhi..."

The white fox became cheerful again, jumping down once more to the child's side, hopping up and down incessantly, its chirps filling the air.

"Haha..." Lingyun laughed and added, "So impatient, are you?"

As he spoke, Lingyun approached the child and reached out his hands. Strangely, the jade flute and the guqin seemed to sense that Lingyun harbored no malice; after circling a few times, they came to a halt. They bowed to Lingyun three times, as if in gratitude, before transforming into two streaks of Mysterious Light that descended into the swaddle and vanished into the infant's body.

"Such spirituality. This is the first time I have seen such a Natal Dan Artifact. It seems this little fellow is no mere mortal. I wonder if his parents are Immortals from the Immortal Realm or something else?" Lingyun marveled, picking the infant up into his arms.

"Giggle..." The infant let out a series of giggles, his tiny hands reaching toward Lingyun, his pair of dark, bright eyes blinking like stars.

"What a cute child, hehe." Lingyun held the baby with one arm and extended a finger toward him, smiling. "Child, from now on, you are our child. We will cherish you well and treat you as our own flesh and blood. Come, meet your mother." Lingyun looked at the white fox, which had jumped onto his shoulder at some point.

"Hee hee..." The infant seemed to understand Lingyun's words, grabbing the fox's tail with his tiny hand, his face full of joy.

"Zhi zhi..." The white fox gently brushed its tail against the child's cheek, chirping happily.