The Qingqiu Fox

Qingqiu Mountain was dotted with pavilions and towers, each more beautiful than the last.

"San Niang, San Niang!" A little fox with fur as white as snow darted out of the woods, speaking in human words.

In the Moon-Viewing Pavilion, a woman in white gauze lay asleep on a long stone bench.

A gentle mountain breeze stirred the hem of her gauzy skirt. Looking up, one would see a face of peerless beauty, with bright eyes, pearly teeth, and skin like jade.

Though the woman was flawless and fair, a hint of seduction lingered between her brows. At a glance, she was clearly no ordinary woman.

She was more like the bewitching fox of legend, whose every frown and smile could ensnare the soul.

The little fox raced over, but when she saw the woman still lounging lazily, she puffed up in a remarkably human display of indignation.

"San Niang, stop sleeping! I picked some fresh peaches for you." The little fox leaped into the woman's arms and nudged her with its head.

The woman's exquisite brows knitted slightly, but she didn't open her eyes. Her drowsy voice only made her more alluring. "Xiao Liu, don't be a nuisance. Your big sister's sleepy."

Only then did a closer look reveal that the little white fox had six tails!

The little fox giggled and quietly stretched one snowy-white tail toward the woman's nose.

"Ah-choo!" The woman suddenly sat upright, grabbed the little fox, and pinned it to the stone bench, tickling it.

"Ehehehe... San Niang, I'm sorry! I won't do it again, I promise! Please let me go. Ehehehe..." Though the little fox had a beast's body, its voice was sweet, and its laughter rang like silver bells.

"Hmph! Let's see if you dare do that again." The woman in white wrinkled her nose, looking utterly adorable.

Luckily, there were no men nearby. Otherwise, half their souls would have been stolen away.

That was no exaggeration. The Qingqiu Fox Clan was born with the ability to bewitch and ensnare souls. It wasn't something they could control.

Even if they had no intention of harming you, the slightest frown or smile could make anyone weak-willed lose their soul.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash rang out!

All of Qingqiu Mountain shook violently. One by one, the gorgeous towers that looked as if they belonged in a celestial realm collapsed.

"San Niang... what's happening? I'm scared." The little fox was timid, and darted straight into the woman's arms.

Terror spread across the white-gauze woman's porcelain-doll face. Qingqiu Mountain was the stronghold of their Qingqiu Fox Clan, protected by a powerful formation. How could it be shaking?

"Rumble! Crack!" An even more violent tremor struck. Ripples appeared in the air, and waves of force surged through it. The entire mountain peak was reduced to rubble.

"San Niang, take Xiao Liu and run! A powerful enemy is attacking. Our Qingqiu lineage may face disaster today. Go as far as you can, and don't look back! Remember!"

A man's voice rang out from the heavens, deep as a bell and full of strength.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

But before the woman could act, that whole part of the world around Qingqiu Mountain was crushed to dust. The woman lost consciousness.

When she awoke, she was in a cave.

At the entrance stood a figure in a snow-white cloak, his back straight and imposing.

"Ancestor..." San Niang called weakly.

The figure turned around. He was an exceptionally handsome man, his chiseled features as if carved by a master sculptor, yet as natural as they came.

"Our Qingqiu lineage has suffered calamity after calamity. The Heavens are unjust! Unjust!" The man let out a sorrowful sigh.

San Niang was still weak. She wanted to speak, but stopped, her face full of worry.

The man seemed to know what she wanted to ask and merely sighed.

"Are... are they all dead? Mother... Big Sister, Second Sister... Xiao San, Xiao Si, Xiao Wu, Xiao Liu, Xiao Qi... are they all dead?"

Killing intent surged from the man for an instant before receding. He sighed again. "If you already know, why ask? Foolish child, foolish child."

Judging by her name, San Niang was the third-born.

"Damn the Heavens! Damn the Heavens! Hasn't our Qingqiu lineage suffered enough? From this day on, I, Zhou Qing, will never believe in Heaven again! The Heavens are unjust. Since they treat my Qingqiu lineage like dogs to be slaughtered, I'll defy them!" The man roared at the sky, his voice laced with helplessness.

"Ancestor, you don't need to do this. If you hadn't protected us, we might have suffered a fate worse than death, unable even to die..." San Niang was already weeping uncontrollably.

"After my generation, our Qingqiu lineage was cursed, and no more sons were born. What a joke! We should have gone extinct, yet no matter what clan we joined with, the child born was always a daughter of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. I hate this bewitching beauty our clan was born with. I hate it! I truly hate it!" As he spoke, the man seemed to make up his mind. When he turned back, his resolve was unshakable. "Bai Sanniang, heed my command."

"Ancestor!" San Niang's face was stricken with grief.

The man's expression softened, and he gave her a warm smile. "My dear child, you've suffered so much. I have to go settle accounts with that person. I can't look after you anymore. I can't..."

San Niang nodded, then struck herself between the brows with her palm. She fell silent...

The Qingqiu Fox Clan was destroyed, and the ancestor was going to take revenge. Hmm? How could I still think? Shouldn't my soul have been scattered?

Where am I? It's so dark... so cold.

There was only darkness, no time, and seemingly no space.

After who knew how long, a thought seemed to come from a distant place: Since I can kill it and replace it, if this Three-Tailed Fox turns out to be too useless, I'll kill it when I need a replacement...

San Niang received this unfamiliar thought and shivered all over... It was as if her heart were filled with countless terrors.

Then, a domineering thought mingled with blood and entered her brow. She understood: it seemed she had lost her freedom.

Sigh, is this the fate of the Qingqiu lineage...?

After an irresistible force pulled her into a vortex, she saw a person.

Though the person was a stranger, she knew he would be her master from now on. And her soul, which had been without a body, was remade by a mighty force.

"Master," she said respectfully.

To her surprise, the man cried out, "Holy crap! It's sentient!"

San Niang was frightened and extremely cautious. She called to him again, softly. "Master?"

The man frowned and said something that left her horrified. "Looking like this... I'm afraid I won't dare summon you in front of anyone! You know... most of our spirit beasts can talk, but they all seem to have beast bodies. You're way too strange... So if I can't summon you, what use are you to me...?"

Since I can kill it and replace it, if this Three-Tailed Fox turns out to be too useless, I'll kill it when I need a replacement...

What use are you to me...

I'll kill it when I need a replacement...

What use are you to me...

Bai Sanniang was so scared that her legs gave way. She collapsed onto the floor!

Was I going to be... killed again...?

But when she fell, the man's gaze grew even more dangerous! San Niang hurriedly did as he wanted, using an ability from her memories to transform into a tiny Three-Tailed Fox.

The dangerous aura began to fade, but the man still complained.

"If you could make yourself smaller, why did you start out so huge? Were you trying to see if you were taller than your master?"

Bai Sanniang was close to tears. Was this man a demon? He had to be a demon, right?!

Later, the little boy had her fight someone else, and she won.

That seemed to please him?

San Niang suddenly felt that this wasn't so bad after all. Though she had lost her freedom and might be used as a weapon in battle, as long as she won, she could stay alive.

It was good to be alive...

"Good. I like clever foxes who don't get spoiled by favor. So, do you have a name?"

Bai Sanniang thought it over. This idiot didn't seem to realize she was a woman. She'd tell him she was a man, so he wouldn't get any funny ideas.

"Master, my name is Bai Sanlang."

"Huh! Going by your name, you're a male fox?" The man seemed a little disappointed.

Bai Sanniang shuddered. No matter what, she absolutely couldn't let him discover her sex!

So Bai Sanniang hurriedly nodded. "Yes, yes, Master, I'm male. You absolutely have to get my sex right..."

"All right. From now on, your name will be Bai Xiaoqi."