Chapter 16: Righteousness in the Fox's Heart

After inspecting the courtyard and arranging a simple Feng Shui layout, Xu Jia realized that the layout of his own residence was actually not bad; it was only in the finer details that it still required polishing and deliberation.

He secretly calculated: "Tomorrow, I can have the whole household do a deep cleaning to sweep away the bad luck, and while I'm at it, take a careful look at how to adjust the Feng Shui of each room and hall."

Xu Jia wanted to harmonize the Feng Shui and gather Vitality.

The Qi that generates auspiciousness is the most critical aspect of Feng Shui for a Yang Dwelling.

Storing wind and gathering Qi is good Feng Shui; leaking Qi is an evil site, a dead end.

If in a certain place, goldfish need to be replaced every three days and green plants wither, then that place must be an evil site, a dead end.

Once Vitality is gathered, it can facilitate the recovery of the sick, the harmony of men and women in raising offspring, and the health and longevity of the elderly.

After the moving and shifting, it was already time for dinner. The chicken porridge Xu Jia had ordered was ready. Since a whole chicken could not be used up, the remainder was made into dishes to entertain the chubby Niu Congcong.

The Xu family's one-month "vegetarian offering" was declared a failure. After all, the original intention was to accompany Xu Jia in eating vegetarian food; now that Xu Jia was no longer eating vegetarian, Master Xu also broke the fast.

Only Xu Mu had made a vow and persisted, eating only porridge and green vegetables.

At the dinner table, Master Xu was still very polite to Niu Congcong: "Is your father well lately?"

"My father went to Anguo to procure medicinal materials; I don't know if he is well or not."

Master Xu said: "Traveling north and south is indeed hard work; you should also be considerate of your father." He then brought out a wine cup: "We two are not outsiders, why not have a drink?"

Master Xu had always had doubts in his heart about Xu Jia's Return to Soul. Later, when Lady Xu said that Niu Congcong saw that Xu Jia was the original Xu Jia and there was no big difference, this dispelled some of his doubts.

After all, to tell the truth, the time they spent with their child was indeed little, certainly not as much as classmates or teachers.

"Then I will have a drink with Uncle!" Niu Congcong also knew how to handle things: "I toast you!"

The wine they drank was all homemade farm wine; freshly brewed it was white, it turned yellow after being stored for a period, and aged wine was red.

Xu Jia's predecessor probably had never been so presumptuous as to drink with his own father. Now that his body was weak, he would drink even less.

Niu Congcong knew there was an important matter tonight, as Xu Jia had arranged for him to meet the Fox Immortal. Apart from the first toast, he didn't drink much, only saying pleasant things and telling some jokes to ease the mood at the dinner table. Instead, he made Master Xu happy, and Master Xu poured himself seven or eight cups.

Master Xu did not have a high tolerance for alcohol to begin with, and soon he was stirred to sadness, saying that the Xu family had been a single-child lineage for three generations, and if Xu Jia were really gone, he would have no face to see his ancestors... Fortunately, Xu Jia had returned to his soul, which was the blessing accumulated over several lifetimes. He also said he hoped Xu Jia would get well quickly, pass the imperial examinations, and bring honor to his ancestors.

After dinner was finished, Lady Xu served Master Xu to sleep, instructing the two not to chat too late.

With the two elders gone, Xu Jia and the chubby boy went to the front courtyard.

Xu Jia sat on a chair, while the chubby boy stood under the moon. He dismissed Xiao Hong and the other servants and matrons: "You all go back to rest early too. My body is much better, you don't need to watch over me."

Hearing they could rest, the group dispersed immediately. Moving things during the day and watching the stove fire, everyone felt tired, so there was naturally no reason to refuse.

Niu Congcong drank little, which instead helped his mind stay clear. Under the faint candlelight, his two eyes shone brightly, full of anticipation.

Xu Jia then began to tell him about the matters of cultivation.

After half an hour of talking, a knocking sound suddenly came from the front hall door.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

Xu Jia performed a calculation: "Go open the door, the guest has arrived."

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!" A bird call came from overhead; the Sparrow Spirit had also arrived.

Although this Sparrow Spirit had only survived five winters and had just developed intelligence, possessing no real ability, he was fond of Eight Trigrams and was a top-tier intelligence gatherer. The foxes had eaten ten chickens last night, and he was envious, convinced that tonight these foxes were here to eat at a feast again and wanted to get some benefits. Who said sparrows only ate grain...

"Chirp, chirp, chirp," it was already chirping happily in the tree.

The chubby boy opened the door and saw a short old woman in a black ru-skirt with a cloth band tied around her head, pulling a big-headed doll, a lame and bald middle-aged man, and a hunchbacked old man.

They all had green light in their eyes, revealing a sinister expression with a fake smile.

The foxes saw Niu Congcong and let out a sinister laugh with an unclear meaning. "Is this the home of Xu Jia, Master Xu?"

"That is correct. Brother Xu asked me to invite you into the house."

Xu Jia had set up a barrier at the front gate during the day. With the "Evil-Warding Spell" paper he burned, these foxes could not climb the wall or drill through holes; they could only learn to knock on the door like humans.

Niu Congcong had just said "please."

A gust of evil wind blew by, making his spine feel cold.

The foxes accepted the invitation and crossed the threshold one by one, entering the courtyard.

The four foxes saw Xu Jia sitting on a chair and immediately took three steps in one, kneeling on the ground: "Little Fox Huaban, along with the foxes of the Wild Fox Zen lineage from the Old Crooked-Neck Tree hole in Qingtian Xiang, Yushan County, pays respects to the Immortal!"

Niu Congcong watched these four people kneeling on the ground and felt very immersed, as if they were worshipping him; he was fired up.

Moreover, since the Fox Immortal said Xu Jia was an Immortal, then Xu Jia must be an Immortal. He hadn't followed the wrong person!

Xu Jia raised his hand, signaling them to get up and speak, while he himself remained seated on the chair, striking a pose: "I called you here tonight, firstly to give you a proper name, and secondly, I intend to take you as an outer disciple and pass on a set of authentic demon-immortal cultivation methods."

Huaban Fox and the group of foxes heard that they were to be given names and taught magic, so they kowtowed repeatedly: "Disciple... many thanks to Master for your mercy..."

Huaban even began to sob, shedding quite a few tears.

Xu Jia was a bit surprised to see her shedding tears. After all, demons were cultivated from beasts; being able to shed tears meant they had fully attained human nature. Thus, he comforted her: "There is no need to shed so many tears for this. Tears are the blood of the Soul; this is a good thing, a stroke of fate, so why be sad?"

"I know that your pursuit of the Dao has not been easy. After many years of cultivation, there must have been too much grievance and confusion, wondering if the righteous path you held onto was really correct, and why there was no reward."

"Good causes planted lead to good fruits; if you keep it in your heart, there will surely be a response. You harbored kindness and saved me to Return to Soul; this was the final test from Heaven for you. From now on, you shall pass the Tribulation and ascend to Immortality, escaping the suffering of the red dust."

The old woman transformed from Huaban Fox had tears in her eyes: "Disciple is just too moved. Disciple... has never been recognized. Even those little foxes often asked me what was the use of keeping these rules... Now that I am finally valued by Master, I understand that these years were not spent in vain, not wasted, and I know my persistence was not wrong."

Xu Jia saw she had such a mindset and nodded continuously; the child is teachable. He then pointed out: "Why do you need the recognition of others? If you are satisfied in your own heart and do not fall into evil paths, you are naturally of a noble class."

"If cultivation were divided by appearance and physique, how many people in this world would become Immortals?"

"These are all external things; only virtue is the most important. From now on, if others do not recognize you, you just need to think that I recognize you, and that is enough."

Niu Congcong echoed: "Me too!"

The three little foxes also said repeatedly: "We are the same."

The old fox was amused by them and had already let go of her obsession. The strange, sinister, and depressed air between her brows dissipated completely, and her facial features had changed. Although she was still the same old woman, she had become somewhat kind.

(End of chapter)