[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-commanding-the-five-thunders-across-two-worlds":3,"chapter-commanding-the-five-thunders-across-two-worlds-commanding-the-five-thunders-across-two-worlds-chapter-18":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Commanding the Five Thunders Across Two Worlds",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2363146,4620,"Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen: Taking the White Fox Home","commanding-the-five-thunders-across-two-worlds-chapter-18",18,"\u003Cp>“I’m sorry…” Xiuniang lowered her head, a hint of regret stirring in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had heard her grandfather say that Gu Zhao had encountered a formidable foe, fled accidentally to this place, and likely still bore internal injuries; now, by involving him in this, she wondered if she might have worsened his condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s there to be sorry for?” Gu Zhao, seeing Xiuniang’s timid expression, did not tease her; instead, he gently ruffled her hair. “I’m the one who should apologize—I was delayed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiuniang looked at Gu Zhao, moved nearly to tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There, there, don’t cry, don’t cry.” Gu Zhao had no experience dealing with women’s tears—or girls’ tears. “Let’s go home. Your grandfather must be worried sick by now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiuniang nodded vigorously, ready to leave with Gu Zhao, when suddenly she remembered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced down at the white fox—its fur matted with blood and dirt—and gathered her courage, speaking softly, “Young Master, it… it just saved my life. May I take it home to heal its wounds?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s probably a demon, isn’t it? Does it really need you to heal it?” Gu Zhao teased. “By the time you get it home, its wounds might already be gone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Xiuniang froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ying ying ying…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white fox lunged forward, wrapping its paws around Xiuniang’s leg, rubbing against it, nodding frantically, and even showing her a wound on its side, its body twitching at just the right moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Zhao, “…”.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never seen a demon before—his curiosity burned fiercely—but if Xiuniang hadn’t just been terrified, he might already have been examining the fox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fox couldn’t beat that ghost, and the ghost couldn’t beat him—wasn’t the food chain obvious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, the fox had just saved Xiuniang’s life, understood human speech, and was nearly human in its behavior. Gu Zhao didn’t know its intentions, so out of politeness, he hesitated to reach out and check whether it was male or female.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since it was willing to follow Xiuniang, Gu Zhao had no reason to refuse. “Then bring it along.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Young Master!” Xiuniang exclaimed happily, scooping the white fox into her arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandpa, we’re back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking home with Gu Zhao, Xiuniang’s face was lit with smiles; from afar, she waved at Old Man He, who sat by the courtyard gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re back!” Old Man He rose at once upon seeing Gu Zhao. “The food’s still warm on the stove. Zhang’s wife brought some wild greens this afternoon—I boiled them into sweet porridge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You and the Young Master eat first. I’ll go wash it.” Xiuniang cradled the white fox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that they were closer, Old Man He finally made out the fox in the dim twilight. He hesitated. “Did Young Master Gu catch a fox? It’s a bit late to cook it—maybe we should eat it tomorrow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Zhao: ??\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiuniang: ??\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White fox: ??\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandpa!” Xiuniang stamped her foot in panic, quickly stroking the fox’s fur, terrified it might attack her grandfather. “This white fox saved my life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Old Man He was confused. “How could a fox save you… save… save…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze turned to the fox, filled with dread. “This… this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiuniang nodded—and saw Old Man He turn and bolt into the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after two steps, he realized his mistake, halted awkwardly, and turned back, bowing repeatedly with a nervous smile. “This humble old man had no idea who he was dealing with. Please, White Fox Lord, forgive my ignorance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Old Man He couldn’t help glancing at Gu Zhao beside Xiuniang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white fox ignored him, merely twisted in Xiuniang’s arms, settling into a more comfortable position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Zhao was speechless. No wonder Old Man He had fled from Xiuyue County back to the village—he was truly terrified of such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is the stove still burning?” Gu Zhao asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” Old Man He replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. I brought back a few dishes—just reheat them. We’ll eat together.” Gu Zhao lifted the plastic bag and takeout containers in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! Yes, yes!” Old Man He had never seen such things, but he dared not ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Gu Zhao followed Old Man He into the kitchen. Xiuniang, carrying the white fox, went to the side of the courtyard, scooped a gourd of water from the water vat, and began washing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ying ying ying…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white fox lay quietly on the counter, letting Xiuniang clean its fur and wounds, its dark, glossy eyes carefully watching the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the white fox sniffed sharply, its pupils dilating, its wounds suddenly feeling less painful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So fragrant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiuniang, washing the fox, also caught the scent. She turned to look at the kitchen—and saw Old Man He and Gu Zhao carrying out several bowls. The aroma came from them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master, what is this?” Xiuniang asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I brought back a few dishes,” Gu Zhao replied. “Come taste them. See which ones suit your tastes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh!” Xiuniang replied. “I’ll just dry it—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could finish, the white fox suddenly stood up, shook itself twice, glanced instinctively at Xiuniang, then leapt off the counter, trotted aside, and began shaking its body vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless droplets flew off its fur; a faint warmth rose, and in an instant, its coat dried completely, transforming it into a fluffy, pure-white, adorable fox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very moment the warmth rose, Gu Zhao sensed the aura sharply and turned to look at the white fox.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That aura was not the cold yin of a ghost—it was a warm, restless energy. Gu Zhao felt within it a vitality far exceeding that of an ordinary human, along with a natural wildness and spiritual essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this… demon energy?” Gu Zhao thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Gu Zhao’s gaze, the white fox immediately suppressed its aura, flashed a pleading smile, and sidestepped nimbly to Xiuniang’s feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Zhao paused, then ventured, “Do you want to taste these dishes too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ying ying ying!” The white fox nodded frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll set some aside for you,” Gu Zhao said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ying ying ying!” The white fox nodded again, even more frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll get it a bowl,” Xiuniang said. Seeing the fox on the ground, she no longer tried to hold it, but quickly returned from the kitchen with a porcelain bowl, walked to the table, and saw the three dishes Gu Zhao had brought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One bowl held large, glistening red chunks of meat—fatty and lean, tender and smooth, the aroma overwhelming. Just one glance made Xiuniang’s mouth water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another bowl held meat rings edged in red—less fragrant than the first, but carrying a faint honey-like sweetness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third bowl held chopped chicken pieces, skin golden and meat white, exuding a rich, spicy aroma that made the appetite surge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiuniang couldn’t help swallowing. Then Gu Zhao pointed at the dishes: “Give it a piece of Dongpo pork, a few slices of char siu, and for the five-spice chicken, give it the head and the tail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t want the chicken tail!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ying!” The white fox glared, ready to rage—and it did rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After raging, it immediately smiled again, licked its lips, raised its front paws, and bowed repeatedly. “Ying ying ying~~~”\u003C\u002Fp>",1189,"2026-06-21T06:19:08.116Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","fbda895accf7b665512b461c52a790183fc1dd6d9ee0978b77caef80ddcb9026","commanding-the-five-thunders-across-two-worlds-chapter-19","commanding-the-five-thunders-across-two-worlds-chapter-17",141,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcommanding-the-five-thunders-across-two-worlds-cover.jpg"]