The night was captivating, and sparks of light dotted the earth.
This was a Buddhist country, where low buildings in red and gold stretched as far as the eye could see. People often lit candles at night, keeping the whole city brightly illuminated until dawn. Faint chanting could be heard from the temples, as if the entire city were steeped in faith.
An Yang didn't want his lodgings to be the only dark spot among the scattered lights, so he lit a candle too before beginning his cultivation.
The room followed the style of the country. Bright red scarves hung from the wooden pillars, and in the unsteady candlelight, the whole room seemed hazy and wavering, as if it were trembling.
As the night deepened, cold wind swept over the entire city.
One by one, some of the houses grew dark. Perhaps the wind had blown out their candles, or perhaps they had burned down.
Fearing a sudden attack by the Eternal Life Demon Palace, An Yang now kept the little fox's soul with him at all times, never more than a few feet away—close enough to summon with a wave.
Xiaochán still had the form of a fox. She lay inside the Soul Bead, lost in thought, only occasionally looking up at An Yang, who sat motionless, or at the burning candle. Sometimes she gazed blankly through the window at the candlelit city beneath the cold night sky.
An Yang's breathing grew steadier and steadier.
With a clatter, the Soul Bead rolled off the bed and onto the floor.
The little fox turned her head inside the bead and glanced at An Yang uneasily. Seeing that he was still sitting motionless on the bed, fully absorbed in studying and cultivating the Ancient God Scripture, her small, pointed fox face