A White Fox Steals a Book

Chapter 29: A White Fox Steals a Book

A thief?

Zi Bofeng pretended to be fast asleep, yet he slid a hand under his pillow. There lay a sharpened chisel, its triangular edge honed to a razor-sharp point.

The next second, Zi Bofeng paused in surprise. It wasn't a person squeezing through the window, but a small, snow-white creature.

It was the white fox—the very one the village children had chased so relentlessly.

In recent days, while Zi Bofeng lectured beside the blue rock, he had often spotted this white fox crouching in the grass by the creek. After the children failed to catch it a few times, they had given up. Yan Lao Wu and the others had set traps, but they were never triggered. After several bouts of wits, they had returned empty-handed, and even Yan Lao Wu had shaken his head with a sigh, remarking that while he had seen many cunning foxes, this was the first time he had encountered one so clever.

Yet, here this fox was, standing right before Zi Bofeng. What shocked him most was that it was holding a book in its mouth.

It was one of the picture books Zi Bofeng had bound for Little Stone and the others to use for their basic education.

Hunting dogs and foxes were natural enemies. Seeing the little fox enter, Xitui leaped out of the wooden crate, lowered her body, and let out a low, rumbling growl.

The white fox appeared petite, far smaller and shorter-legged than Xitui, yet it showed no fear. It took a step forward, charging directly at Xitui. The moment Xitui lunged to engage, the fox flickered, darted past her, and made a beeline for the wooden crate.

"No!" Zi Bofeng shouted. The white fox leaped onto the crate, peered down at the eight puppies sleeping soundly inside, and turned back to let out a soft, delicate cry. As if understanding the intent, Xitui stopped, though she continued to emit a threatening growl.

The fox sprang onto Zi Bofeng's desk, dropped the picture book from its mouth, picked up another one, and looked back at Zi Bofeng.

Xitui scrambled back into the crate, not daring to leave her puppies again, her eyes locked onto the white fox.

"Fine, take it. Just don't steal next time; I'll lend it to you," Zi Bofeng said.

During his lectures these past few days, he had been silently circulating the first technique of the Monster Raising Art: Unity Transformation. For Uncle Blue Rock, the effect wasn't as potent as writing directly onto the stone, but it had the advantage of being faster than writing, so the difference was negligible.

For the white fox, which had been sneaking in to listen to his lectures, this was akin to hearing the Dao. Zi Bofeng's Monster Raising Art had nourished it and helped awaken its intelligence.

Zi Bofeng had wondered if this white fox might become a monster, but he had never imagined it would actually read picture books.

The white fox raised its hind legs in a bow, clamped the book in its jaws, and turned to leap off the desk.

In a flash, Xitui lunged from the crate, snapping at the fox's spine.

The white fox let out a yelp and rolled under Zi Bofeng's bed. The space beneath was cluttered with debris, trapping the fox in a dead end. Xitui seemed to have planned this; she shifted her stance, lowered her body, and blocked the exit. The fox tried to bolt several times, only to be driven back.

Xitui was quite cunning herself! She clearly understood the Art of War—feigning weakness to lure the enemy in, only to trap the prey in a jar.

"Stop fighting!" Zi Bofeng scrambled out of bed, scooped up Xitui, and carried her back to the crate. He then addressed the white fox, which still refused to drop the book under the bed: "Go on, then. Remember to knock next time you come."

Xitui struggled, letting out a disgruntled whine; she was furious that someone had threatened her children. But since Zi Bofeng wouldn't let her go, she could only offer a few more threatening growls. The white fox chirped back, turned, and leaped out the window, vanishing into the night.

"Alright, alright, don't be angry." Zi Bofeng stroked Xitui's spine until she finally calmed down. Worried that another large beast might appear, he went out to check. The main gate was bolted tight, and the surroundings were silent; the little fox was gone. He walked to the east wing and heard his father's thunderous snoring. The earlier commotion hadn't even stirred him—he must have had quite a lot to drink.

He pushed the door open to peek inside. The room reeked of alcohol, and an empty bowl sat by the bed. He nudged his father, but the man only grunted, rolled over, and continued to snore. Helpless, Zi Bofeng poured some water, dampened a towel, wiped his father's face, and returned to his own room.

Inside, Xitui was still keeping a wary watch. Seeing Zi Bofeng enter, she let out a whimpering sound of grievance.

"Alright, alright, don't be mad." Zi Bofeng stepped forward to soothe her, stroking her ears. Xitui ignored him, curled her body around the puppies, and closed her eyes.

"Fine, Uncle Zhuzi hates me, and you hate me too." Zi Bofeng shrugged helplessly; he really had no way to deal with this family.

Xitui opened one eye, let out a soft whine as if scolding him again, then closed her eyes, licked a restless puppy back under her belly, and shot Zi Bofeng a final glare before drifting off.

"Women..." This little temper of hers was nothing like a dog; she was just like a willful little girl. "And you're a mother now, too."

Xitui whined in protest—couldn't a mother be willful?

Zi Bofeng went to the desk and examined the picture book the fox had stolen.

The book was bound with crude straw paper, and there were faint bite marks on both the front and back covers. Seeing them, he realized he had seen similar marks on other books before. He had assumed the village children were being careless and had even lectured them for it.

This book was titled Legend of the White Snake: Part 4. It was a story Zi Bofeng had drawn based on the Legend of the White Snake from his previous life. Looking closely, the other books with bite marks were parts two and three. Part one had been borrowed and not yet returned, and part five was the one the little white fox had just taken.

The little creature was actually borrowing books, and in the correct order—it was clearly literate.

They said foxes were spiritual and prone to becoming monsters. In the legends of monsters he had read, eight out of ten were about fox spirits. Now, Zi Bofeng had seen it for himself.

As the saying goes, "Plant flowers with intent, and they may not bloom; plant a willow by chance, and it may grow into a shade." The Abacus Lord, which Zi Bofeng had spent great effort on, writing the abacus formulas every day, was still stuck in the first stage of monsterhood: "Ink Trace Stage." It only moved when pushed; if left alone, it remained still. Even its occasional erratic actions felt like "reflexive" responses, much like a single-celled organism reacting passively to the environment.

Zi Bofeng now understood that for things born without innate wisdom, no matter how much effort he poured in, it was unlikely they would ever cross the threshold of the "Ink Trace Stage" to truly condense a spark of spirit.

Uncle Blue Rock had only been cultivated because Zi Bofeng had spent ten years writing on him with absolute focus. To cultivate one in ten years meant that even if he lived to be a hundred, he could only create ten monsters like Uncle Blue Rock—the efficiency was abysmal. And in this world, who else would spend ten years practicing calligraphy on a blue rock like he had?

For living creatures, however, there was no such struggle. They were essentially born at the early stage of the second level of monsterhood: "Enlightening the Stubborn Stone." Zi Bofeng's Monster Raising Art was still at the first level, "Unity Transformation." It was highly effective on inanimate objects like stone statues, paper, or abacuses, but for living beings at the "Enlightening the Stubborn Stone" stage, it served only as a supplement to their spiritual energy and intelligence, with little other effect. That was why he could command stone statues to capture the four dogs and order the Galloping Horse Stone to run for dozens of miles, yet he couldn't persuade Xitui to stop being angry at him.

Still, "Unity Transformation" was a unique technique. Compared to the second level, "Yin-Yang Genesis," it was like comparing a single copper coin to a tael of silver—but if one saved enough copper, it could eventually be exchanged for silver. Over time, "Unity Transformation" would benefit even higher-level monsters, just as it did for Uncle Blue Rock.

Zi Bofeng crouched down again, stroking Xitui's spine, coaxing her with "good girl" and "good child" for a long time before she finally licked the back of his hand—her way of forgiving him.

"That's a good girl. When I master the Monster Raising Art, I'll turn you into a monster, then transform you into a breathtaking beauty to seduce Uncle Zhuzi. Heh heh..." Zi Bofeng looked down at Xitui. Though she was gaunt from hunger, she had a slender frame and a refined face; by human standards, she was a beautiful dog. If such a beautiful dog became a monster, she would surely be a beautiful dog-spirit. He would make Uncle Zhuzi fall head over heels for her, only to reveal in the end that the one he loved was his own dog—a dog that had already given birth to eight puppies...

Thinking this, Zi Bofeng suddenly felt his thoughts were too sordid and malicious, and he quickly shook his head to clear them. Xitui shook her head as well, laid back down with her chin on her front paws, and stared ahead, wondering what she was thinking.

"Good child, sleep now. Tomorrow I'll go find more jade stones, and then we'll have good food and drink." Zi Bofeng patted Xitui again. He loved dogs, and back when Lower Yan Village was in its prime, the jade carvers had cherished their Jade-Seeking Dogs, providing them with the best food. It was only because the people were now struggling to eat that these creatures, who had contributed so much to the village, were suffering.

Early the next morning, Zi Bofeng heard a commotion outside, followed by Zhuzi pounding on the door: "Big Brother! Big Brother, are you up?"

"I'm up!" Zi Jian went to open the door, and Xitui, who had been curled up in the crate, darted out and bolted toward the entrance.

Hmph, ungrateful little thing, Zi Bofeng thought to himself, after all the times I used the Monster Raising Art on you.

He walked over to the crate and saw the eight puppies huddled together, sleeping soundly, and his heart softened once more.

As soon as Zi Jian opened the door, Xitui rushed out, tongue lolling in excitement as she circled Zhuzi's legs. Zhuzi crouched down and rubbed her neck vigorously.

Zi Jian stood frozen. Outside, a crowd of thirty or forty people stood waiting, leading over a dozen skin-and-bone Jade-Seeking Dogs, all of them looking incredibly excited.

Record of Raising Monsters