Nine-Tail of Qingqiu

Although the food actually belonged to Xiao Wan'er, it had, after all, been bestowed by Yin Yunze, the fox immortal.

Without Yin Yunze's permission, Xiao Wan'er did not dare give any directly to Widow Sun.

As Xiao Wan'er saw it, Yin Yunze could send over these delicious meat buns and soy milk with a word, and he could just as easily turn them all into yellow earth and muddy water with a word.

For now, Xiao Wan'er could only hope that Lord Fox Immortal would be magnanimous.

Seeing Xiao Wan'er's pitiful, troubled expression, Yin Yunze could not help softening.

Widow Sun had indeed angered Yin Yunze, but two adults were arguing over this and leaving a child caught between them, torn in both directions.

Thinking it over, it really was a little embarrassing.

Besides, the food already belonged to Xiao Wan'er. Yin Yunze should not put too many restrictions on how she chose to use it.

Just as Yin Yunze was about to relent, Widow Sun unexpectedly spoke again. "I'm not eating anything from that wild fox! Xiao Wan'er, you just eat it yourself! No need to beg that wild fox! ...Oh, right, remember to save some for tonight."

With that, Widow Sun resolutely closed her eyes, as though she did not even want to look at the food.

At first, Yin Yunze could not help growing angry again.

But when he heard that last sentence, he understood.

Unlike Yin Yunze, who lived in the prosperous modern world, this mother and daughter lived in ancient times, in the midst of a drought.

A steamer basket of buns and a cup of soy milk were nothing more than Yin Yunze's breakfast.

Even though both of them were female, and one was still a child,

the portion was only enough to let the mother and daughter barely fill their stomachs for one meal.

If Widow Sun chose not to eat and gave it all to Xiao Wan'er, on the other hand, Xiao Wan'er could make it last a day.

From a more practical standpoint, Widow Sun still could not stand steadily after being struck with the crutch yesterday. Even if she shared this meal, she would most likely have to lie down for another day. By comparison, giving it all to Xiao Wan'er would be better than splitting it, even if she ate and then went out to look for more food.

But Xiao Wan'er clearly had not understood what Widow Sun was thinking. "Mother, stop talking! If you won't eat, then I won't either! There's no reason under heaven for a child to eat her fill while her mother goes hungry! Lord Fox Immortal! Whatever the fault, please put all the blame on me! Please let me share a little with Mother!"

"Your filial devotion is commendable," Yin Yunze first praised her, then said coldly, "But don't you think I'm far too easy to talk to? Your mother has insulted me again and again, and she still wants to get something from me? If your mother repents to me, I might let it go. Otherwise, you don't need to eat either!"

Yin Yunze was only trying to frighten the little girl with those words, and take the opportunity to see what was truly in her heart.

Why did ancient societies like to govern the world through filial piety?

Wasn't it because filial people tended to have more of a conscience?

How could anyone trust a person who was not even filial to their own parents to be loyal to others?

Of course, even if Xiao Wan'er had acted a little more selfishly, Yin Yunze would not have thought too much of it.

Naturally, Yin Yunze would not demand too much of a child living through a year of disaster.

She was still young, and there was still room to teach her.

Besides, Yin Yunze was only an ordinary person, after all, and he really could not bear to watch the little girl go hungry.

Not to mention, if Yin Yunze really wanted to take back the food, he would have to expend Power of Incense Offerings.

Naturally, Yin Yunze would not make such a losing deal.

"This..." Xiao Wan'er's little face paled when she heard that. She looked at the soft, steaming meat buns in her hands, then at Widow Sun. Finally, with the utmost reluctance, she said, "Lord Fox Immortal, then I won't either..."

"You wild fox!"

Before Xiao Wan'er could finish, Widow Sun hurriedly cut her off. "What does my disrespect toward you have to do with Xiao Wan'er? Why are you taking it out on her?"

"Because I feel like it. Haven't you heard the saying, 'A father's debts are repaid by his children'?"

Yin Yunze could not be bothered to be polite to Widow Sun anymore. "And you, you shrew, I've put up with you for long enough! Every time you open your mouth, it's 'wild fox' this and 'wild fox' that! I'm not a wild fox. I am a Nine-Tail of Qingqiu Fox! Green Hill Yi Yun!"

Yin Yunze understood that Widow Sun's attitude stemmed in large part from the fact that fox immortals were mostly unorthodox, lowly gods.

Naturally, Yin Yunze did not want to be just some unorthodox fox immortal. So after waking that morning, he had already prepared to invent a more orthodox origin for his fox immortal identity.

As for inventing a fox's origins, the first thing Yin Yunze thought of was the three great surnames of nine-tailed fox spirits.

The Yousu Clan, the Tushan Clan, and the Qingqiu Clan.

Well, there was also Chunhu, which was said to stand alongside the three great surnames.

But Chunhu was not as famous as the other three. Before searching online, Yin Yunze had not even known that this fourth heavenly king existed.

Besides, Chunhu did not sound like a surname at all, so Yin Yunze ruled it out immediately.

Of these, the Yousu Clan bore the surname Su, originating from Su Daji.

The legendary Su Daji came from the Yousu Clan.

But Su Daji's name had too unsavory a reputation. Using the Yousu Clan's name would probably make it easy for him to be taken for a dissolute fox spirit, and might instead reinforce the stereotype that he was no good fox.

Compared with the Yousu Clan, the Tushan Clan could be said to have the closest ties to humans among the three great surnames.

Nü Jiao of the Tushan Clan, as Yu the Great's wife and Xia Qi's mother, could be said to have left a bold, vivid stroke in the pages of history.

But that was also the problem with the Tushan Clan: its ties to human society were too close.

If he really adopted the Tushan Clan's name, and this world happened to have some connection to real history...

Yin Yunze did not want to find himself one day surrounded and stared down by a crowd of foxes from Mount Tu.

By comparison, although there were accounts of the Qingqiu Kingdom, the Qingqiu Clan did not have close ties with humans. And the endorsement of the Classic of Mountains and Seas gave the Qingqiu foxes considerable orthodoxy.

Both orthodox and far from the emperor's reach, it was perfect for Yin Yunze to borrow the tiger's skin and raise a great banner.

And once he had settled on the Qingqiu Clan as his surname, the name Green Hill Yi Yun naturally popped into his head.

To put it plainly, Yin Yunze had casually made use of his own name.

As for why it sounded like a girl's name, for one thing, the fox immortal Fox Seventh Aunt had originally been a vixen.

For another, in most folk beliefs, especially at the village level, goddesses were somewhat more popular than male immortals.

After all, in many people's minds, male immortals' divine duties mostly involved fighting, killing, and subduing demons, while female immortals were more closely associated with people's livelihoods.

Of course, there was one more point, the most important of all.

In Yin Yunze's very simple view of the world, fox spirits were supposed to be female!

Male fox spirits were all evil and unorthodox!

Fox spirits were female, so fox immortals were female too!

So, although he had drastically altered nearly ninety percent of Fox Seventh Aunt's established details, he had kept her gender.

As for the difference in gender, Yin Yunze did not think it was a big deal. Wasn't it just like playing a female character in a game?

How many male gamers had never used a female character?

As a gamer who played almost exclusively with female characters, Yin Yunze felt this was a detail that needed no attention at all.

Raising a female character like a daughter was already standard practice.

"Nine-Tail... of Qingqiu? Green Hill Yi Yun?"

Hearing Yin Yunze say this, Widow Sun's expression changed a little.

"The Classic of Mountains and Seas says: On the Mountain of Qingqiu there is a beast, shaped like a fox but with nine tails. Its cry is like that of a baby. It can eat people, and those who eat it are immune to bewitchment. It appears as an auspicious omen in times of peace."

To make himself more credible, Yin Yunze directly recited a passage describing the Nine-Tail of Qingqiu Fox from the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

While he was at it, Yin Yunze also patched up the boast he had made yesterday.

After all, a wild fox being able to contact the Dragon Lord was a little too implausible.

But if it were a Nine-Tail of Qingqiu Fox, it made much more sense.

"How do I know whether you really are a Nine-Tail of Qingqiu..."

Widow Sun's tone was noticeably weaker as she said this.

After all, a wild fox that wanted to eat people would most likely be incapable of casually reciting such a passage as Yin Yunze had. It would have had a hard enough time understanding it.

And even here in a mountain village, what fox immortal capable of understanding and remembering it would dare brazenly claim to be a Nine-Tail of Qingqiu Fox?

"And if you're a Nine-Tail of Qingqiu, why did you want the villagers to offer Xiao Wan'er to you..."

"I only mentioned it in passing... I just didn't want to be disturbed!"

Yin Yunze naturally had an explanation ready for this pitfall left by his predecessor. "Besides, wasn't Xiao Wan'er offered to me? And what have I done to her? I've given her good food and drink, and protected her from harm by the other villagers."

"Think carefully. From beginning to end, have I ever harmed either of you? The people in the village, on the other hand...

"The ones who harmed you were humans, not me, a Nine-Tail of Qingqiu Fox!"

"To tell the truth, if I hadn't felt sorry for your daughter, what would your lives have to do with me!"