Deviation

On the sun-drenched avenue, two people with chapped lips and ragged clothes staggered along the road.

"Do you really think that the Qingqiu Fox Immortal from Clear Creek Village can grant you rice?"

Suddenly, one of the taller ones, looking at the seemingly endless road and the scorching sun overhead, couldn't help but ask a question.

"Brother! You definitely can!"

Upon hearing this, the shorter man immediately nodded and said, "I've heard many people say that the Clear Creek Fox Immortal really does give out food! It's the kind of food we managed to snatch before, called Fox Rice! That Fox Rice is so magical."

No need to cook it at all, just soak it in water and it'll turn into a bowl of porridge. Of course, if you can cook it, it will taste even better!

"That porridge was so delicious!"

Hearing his younger brother's words, the older brother couldn't help but lick his chapped lips. However, seeing that no one had returned from Clear Creek Village on the road, he asked curiously, "But if we really could get rice, why isn't anyone coming back? Surely they haven't all stayed in Clear Creek Village!"

"Maybe it is!"

Upon hearing this, the younger brother couldn't help but nod and say, "I heard that Fox Rice only costs three coins a pound, and you can even buy it on credit. If you don't want to buy on credit, you can work there to exchange it for food! Brother, we should at least go and take a look—"

"That's true, since we're already here, we should take a look—"

The two walked and talked, and finally arrived at Clear Creek Village, which was said to be protected by a fox spirit.

As soon as they arrived at the village entrance, the two were stunned by the scenery inside.

The first thing that catches the eye is a gray stone road several meters wide that runs through the entire village.

Along both sides of the road, there are rows of newly built two-story houses.

If it weren't for the absence of towering city walls, the two might have thought they had accidentally wandered back to the county town.

To the brothers' surprise, the village, though seemingly prosperous, was rather deserted. They couldn't see a single person on the road, and it wasn't until they had walked halfway through the village that they heard voices coming from one direction.

Following the sound, the two brothers felt it getting louder and louder, and then they saw a crowd of people everywhere.

It's unclear whether it was several thousand or tens of thousands of people gathered here, creating quite a lively scene.

At the center of the crowd was a platform several meters high.

At that moment, melodious music drifted from the high platform. Accompanying the music were nine beautiful young women dressed in strange red and white costumes, devoutly performing a ritual dance to worship the gods.

Seeing this scene, the two brothers wondered for a moment if they were dreaming.

Soon, their attention was drawn to a scene elsewhere nearby.

While beautiful sights may be tempting, they can't really stave off hunger.

For the two starving brothers, the table piled high with countless white steamed buns was far more appealing than the nine beautiful girls.

Countless white steamed buns were piled haphazardly on the table, for people to take and eat at their leisure.

In addition, freshly baked steamed buns were continuously delivered over.

Seeing this scene, the two brothers could no longer suppress their appetite. They rushed to the table, grabbed a steamed bun in each hand, and began to wolf it down.

Hey you guys!

Just as the two were feasting, a burly man wearing black cloth armor on his upper body and carrying a knife at his waist walked over.

"Um, sir, we saw others taking it freely—so we—"

Thinking they had done something wrong, the two of them immediately began to stammer and explain.

"I didn't say you couldn't eat it!"

The burly man looked at the two of them, seemingly unsurprised. "I just wanted to remind you that you might choke if you eat like that. There's some meat soup over there; you can go get a bowl and drink it while you eat. There are also some other dishes over there—"

Just be careful not to eat too much if you've been hungry for a long time! You can take it with you to eat on the way back.

"Don't worry, all the food today is free, it's all a gift from the Lady Fox Immortal! If you're willing to believe in the Lady Fox Immortal, you can even take twenty catties of Fox Rice home for free! By the way, if you have any questions or need help, find someone like me! We are the White Fox Corps under the Lady Fox Immortal's command!"

After briefly explaining the situation and finding that the two men had no further questions, the burly man went to patrol elsewhere.

It was only then that the two noticed the chibi-style white Nine-Tailed Fox atop the black armor behind the burly man.

For a moment, the two brothers looked at each other in astonishment and exclaimed from the bottom of their hearts, "This Lady Fox Immortal is a true deity who saves people from suffering!"

And similar scenes are constantly playing out in various places around this high platform.

Another similar scene, however, took place in front of a group of four.

One of them appeared to be a guard, while the other three were a wealthy family of three.

The scene showed everyone enjoying the food and expressing their heartfelt gratitude to the fox spirit.

The beautiful, gentle young woman with a beauty mark at the corner of her eye glanced at her husband beside her and said softly, "Husband, I told you, Sister Yiyun is a true fairy descended to earth, but you didn't believe me! What evil spirit could do such a good deed of eating, drinking, and taking things for free!"

"Yes, Daddy!" The exquisitely beautiful little girl pointed at the crowd and said, "Look, so many people are praising Godmother! How could Godmother be a bad fox! Daddy, you also said that a gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. With such widespread praise, who dares to say that Godmother isn't a good goddess!"

After being scolded by his wife and daughter, Xu Hanxian, the magistrate of Qingling County, couldn't help but touch his nose and say with a wry smile, "Xiaoyu, Yue'er, your husband and father know they were wrong! I really shouldn't have misunderstood the fox spirit because of my own prejudice. I've come here to apologize to the fox spirit!"

"Madam, young master, I can vouch for him; the patriarch has truly reformed." Seeing this, Peng Shulan also spoke up for Xu Hanxian, saying, "To express his remorse, the patriarch has even prepared two gifts!"

Xu Hanxian his mistake and was willing to come and apologize, which Peng Shulan was naturally happy to see. Both publicly and privately, cooperation between Yin Yunze and Xu Hanxian would be mutually beneficial. Both sides were good people, Peng Shulan naturally hoped that this cooperation could be achieved.

"Daddy, what's the gift?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yue couldn't help but ask a question.

"These are all things that fox spirits would like."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hanxian stroked his beard and smiled, "The first thing is the gold we recovered from those unscrupulous merchants. Compared to letting it rot in their warehouses, it's clearly the right thing to do to give it to the fox spirit in exchange for food to help the people."

"The second matter is that I intend to use my position as the magistrate of Qingling County to officially recognize the fox spirit. Although the fox Divine Ability is incredibly powerful, she doesn't actually need a mere magistrate like me to officially recognize and legitimize her. But regardless, without official recognition from the imperial court, she will be recorded as a licentious shrine. It's fine while I'm in office, but if it's the next magistrate, I'm afraid that things will repeat themselves, like I did at the beginning, where someone was blind to the fox spirit's greatness and offended her."

"What title has your husband prepared for Sister Yi Yun?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Xiaoyu also asked a question out of curiosity.

Early this morning, Xu Hanxian mysteriously led them out. It was only after arriving here that Zuo Xiaoyu learned that Xu Hanxian come specifically to apologize and reconcile after hearing that Yin Yunze was holding a temple-building ceremony today.

Upon hearing Xu Yue's question, Xu Hanxian smiled without saying a word and gestured to Peng Shulan.

Peng Shulan then took out a scroll from the bundle on his body.

As the scroll was unfurled, the four characters "The World-Saving Immortal Fox Who Saves the World" were written in a flamboyant and elegant style. The signature included Xu Hanxian's name and the official seal of Qingling County.

Xu Hanxian, the county magistrate, had the authority to bestow an official title upon a village deity who did not receive a salary.

"World-Saving Immortal Fox? This—"

Looking at these four characters, Zuo Xiaoyu said softly, "Although Sister Yiyun is worthy of these four characters, I wonder if she would like them."

"It's alright if you don't like it." Xu Hanxian said confidently, "I've also prepared a few blank scrolls with official seals. We'll see what the fox spirit herself thinks then."

"That's not bad." Zuo Xiaoyu nodded after hearing Xu Hanxian's suggestion.

"Look over there, what's that commotion—"

Suddenly, Xu Yue pointed towards the high platform and shouted.

Behind the platform, a group of burly men wearing cloth armor printed with Q-version Nine-Tailed Fox were seen driving the crowd away from an area.

Although it caused a commotion, there was no uncooperative behavior.

After everyone had left, a loud shout rang out from the high platform, audible to everyone. "The temple has appeared, bringing peace to the world!"

With this shout, a magnificent and exquisite temple appeared in the previously empty space.

"Sister Yiyun, you really have amazing Divine Ability!" Looking at the exquisite temple, Zuo Xiaoyu couldn't help but say, "Even the City God doesn't have the ability to conjure a temple with a single thought!"

Xu Hanxian about to speak when he heard this, but he felt a chill on his face.

"Is it raining? Could it be that the fox spirit Summon Wind and Rain on purpose—"

Xu Hanxian wasn't surprised that Yin Yunze could Summon Wind and Rain. But when he subconsciously looked up, he was astonished to find that what was falling from the sky wasn't rain, but rather a heavy snowfall.

However, because the weather here was too hot, the snowflakes melted into rainwater before they could even fall.

However, as the snowflakes continued to fall, the previously hot and dry air gradually cooled down.

As the temperature continued to drop due to the snowfall, the snowflakes finally fell to the ground.

This astonishing scene caught everyone's attention, and immediately a cacophony of voices erupted.

Just then, another woman's shout came from the high platform.

"Please Lady Fox Immortal, return to your place!"

Following the sound, Xu Hanxian saw that among the nine girls on the high platform, there was a peerless beauty with fox ears, nine tails, and white hair.

And these nine young girls were dancing a new sacrificial dance around the white-haired beauty.

"I understand!" Upon seeing the white-haired beauty, Xu Hanxian seemed to have figured something out and couldn't help but exclaim, "So this is the powerful fox Divine Ability! It's the Lady Qingnü!"

"Huh? What is the Lady Qingnü?"

Upon hearing Xu Hanxian's exclamation, those around him couldn't help but ask a question as well.

Even Zuo Xiaoyu and Xu Yue cast curious glances their way.

"The full name of Lady Qingnü is Azure Heavens Jade Maiden, a deity who governs frost and snow. In legend, she is a peerless beauty with white hair."

Xu Hanxian didn't stand on ceremony and explained directly, "Look how long this place has been suffering from drought, without even a drop of rain, let alone snow in July! Given this situation, coupled with the features of that white-haired beauty, doesn't it prove that this fox spirit's true form is the Azure Heavens Jade Maiden in disguise!"

Hearing Xu Hanxian's seemingly well-founded words, the people around him immediately believed his story.

Compared to a powerful fox Divine Ability that appeared out of nowhere, people were more inclined to believe that it was an Avatar of a recorded deity.

Those who knew this secret often used it as a topic of conversation, telling everyone they knew, "Did you know? This Lady Fox Immortal is actually the Azure Heavens Jade Maiden who brought down frost and snow!"

"You don't know, do you!? Actually—she's the Azure Heavens Jade Maiden, the goddess who governs frost and snow!"

"Let me tell you, this white-haired goddess who controls frost and snow is actually named Azure Heavens Jade Maiden! --- Don't worry about whether she has fox ears and a fox tail! Just tell me if she's the white-haired goddess who controls frost and snow!"

Before Yin Yunze even realized it, this statement spread like wildfire.

Yin Yunze wasn't sure what had happened, but he felt that the rate at which the Incense of Faith was increasing much faster.

As the nine girls' performance came to an end, Yin Yunze conjured up a statue of Green Hill Yi Yun that was over ten meters tall.

Looking at the crowd before him, Yin Yunze opened his mouth.

A gentle voice, not loud, yet clearly reached everyone's ears.

"People of the world, call forth my name! Qing----"

"Azure Heavens Jade Maiden!"

"Azure Heavens Jade Maiden!!"

"Azure Heavens Jade Maiden!!"

Upon hearing Yin Yunze's words, the name Azure Heavens Jade Maiden resounded like a tsunami, even drowning out anything Yin Yunze was about to say.

Even those who didn't know before, seeing others shouting it, began to call out the name of the Azure Heavens Jade Maiden out of her herd mentality.

The commotion, as loud as a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down, left the girls on the platform looking at each other, somewhat at a loss for what to do.

Shouldn't this be someone called Green Hill Yi Yun?

Even Yin Yunze was somewhat stunned after hearing the entire audience chanting the name "Azure Heavens Jade Maiden".

"What the heck, the Azure Heavens Jade Maiden?"

Immediately, Yin Yunze became furious. This was a ceremony he had spent several months preparing!

"Which bastard dares to steal my fruit?! No way! Someone's actually trying to steal it?! Isn't this supposed to be a world of immortals and heroes?! Is there some kind of glitch in the sequence of existence?! Is this person going to take someone else's place during their ascension ceremony?!?!"