Chapter 4: Karmic Connection with a Fox

Xu Jia also had some understanding of the matter of Worshiping the Dipper. Zhuge Liang set up the Seven Star Lamp and failed to borrow years by Worshiping the Dipper; this is a regret in the hearts of many. But how could a mere wild fox and mountain demon know of this technique, which is a secret Daoist transmission?

But then he thought, this is no longer Blue Star; there is no rule that one cannot become a spirit. Perhaps the ancestor of this one attained the true fruit and passed it down.

"Then this young scholar thanks the Fox Immortal profusely. As for the roast chickens, they will certainly be offered afterward! A gentleman's word is as good as a team of four horses; how could I go back on my word? Besides, this is a life-saving grace. Never mind a few chickens, even if it were a few pigs, this young scholar would still provide them."

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox looked up at the sky: "It will be dawn soon; I'm afraid it won't work today. How about this: since you have forgotten where your home is, I will send birds to help you inquire about it in the village. I don't want your pigs, but you must give me the chickens; you gave me quite a fright!"

"Besides, you are not a fox. I still need to find some oil lamps and candles, and I will help you perform the Worship the Dipper to Cultivate Life technique tomorrow night to light your Life Fire and dispel disasters."

Xu Jia bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Fox Immortal!"

That Miscellaneous Fur Fox felt the Karmic Connection deepen a little, so he grinned and muttered to himself: "I, this fox, am just too kind-hearted. Helping you this once will bring me so much trouble!"

Xu Jia said: "I have troubled you, elder. I will prepare two extra roast chickens as a thank-you gift when the time comes."

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox asked: "And how many were in that full chicken feast from before?"

Xu Jia said uncertainly: "It would have to be eight to fill a table!"

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox counted on his fingers: eight plus two.

After a long while, he finally figured it out and said: "Then prepare ten roast chickens!"

Immediately, he transformed back into his original form, the appearance of the old woman gone: "Follow me!"

Xu Jia hurriedly followed. He had already calculated with his fingers just now; although his Daoist Practice from his previous life was no longer with him, his knowledge of arithmetic and divination was not lost. This old Zamaohu, while having some petty thieving habits, was generally honest and had no intention of harming him. Following him would indeed provide a turning point.

The old fox led Xu Jia to a wild temple. This temple was only the size of a rural dry latrine, and there were no deities inside. It stood by the side of the road, surrounded by dense weeds and wild bushes. It was unknown when it had been built, and it had long since fallen into disrepair.

"Stay here for now. I will urinate around the perimeter to set up a barrier for you. You must absolutely not go out during the day. Your Life Fire is not strong; basking in the sun will not replenish your Yang energy, but will instead easily scorch you. By the way, you must not eat anything..."

Xu Jia did not feel hungry, so naturally, he would not eat anything.

He was only breaking out in a cold, oily sweat. He could barely stand walking those few steps, his face grew paler, he felt like retching, and his head was dizzy and heavy. He was clearly in a state of being near death.

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox was terrified that Xu Jia might die at any moment, turning the established Karmic Connection into a dead knot, so he hurriedly said: "Do you still have any Pressing Money? I will borrow more Life Fire for you."

"None left." Xu Jia gasped for breath, but he tried his best to press his palms together and his soles together. Although they were ice-cold, it prevented the leakage of Yang energy, while he smoothed out his breathing.

"Fox Immortal, please go ahead. I have learned the method of meditation and sitting in stillness; I will certainly be able to hold on until tomorrow night."

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox watched for a while, then found some dry grass and a tattered quilt from somewhere to cover Xu Jia, so he wouldn't die of hypothermia.

After confirming that he was truly fine, he leaped out of the desolate temple and returned to the Fox Cave under the crooked-neck tree.

By this time, it was already dawn, and a group of foxes was discussing why the old Zamaohu hadn't returned yet.

"Did Uncle get eaten by a zombie?"

"I heard that when zombies eat, they twist the head off first, and the blood gushes out like a spring, and they catch it with their mouths to drink."

As soon as the old Zamaohu entered and heard this, he was furious. He used his claws and tail to give each fox a slap.

That Quetui Hu even shrieked: "He's back, he's back! I told you he wasn't eaten by a zombie! Uncle, I said you weren't eaten, why did you hit me?" The other foxes couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind and crowded around the old Zamaohu, asking one after another: "Uncle, what kind of monster was it? How did you deal with it?"

The old Zamaohu clicked his tongue and said: "That's no monster; it's a living person. The Underworld arrested the wrong soul and released him back, but he's half-dead and I'm afraid he won't live past tomorrow."

"I wanted to save him to earn some Merit, so I formed a Karmic Connection with him and lent him a wisp of Life Fire."

The nest of misfits was shallow in experience and couldn't tell truth from falsehood. They had only heard stories from storytellers at the market, but those were all about scholars and young ladies doing things they liked to do, and there were no scripts about the Underworld arresting the wrong person in them.

But hearing that he had formed a connection with this person, they all said: "A loss, a loss! What if he dies early?"

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox had this worry too, but he spoke up: "He promised that if it succeeds, he will give us ten roast chickens as thanks."

"Then it's fine." Single-Testicle Fox drooled: "This person is too good! Ten chickens, we can eat until the New Year!"

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox gave him a kick: "Don't just think about eating chickens. First, find seven old oil lamps, seven bowls, some beans and grain, and get a bundle of incense." The old Zamaohu said: "Hurry and collect these things; we'll need them tonight."

"Use money to buy them, no stealing!" the old Zamaohu fox didn't forget to admonish.

Those foxes went off in a puff of smoke. Snakes have snake paths, rats have rat ways, and foxes have their own channels.

Although the foxes had become demons and understood human nature, their animal instincts were hard to change. If they always thought about stealing chickens and ducks, they would easily be beaten to death.

Therefore, the old Zamaohu fox taught them carefully that they must never steal, because stealing is addictive. For example, Quetui Hu had his leg broken by a woman with a broom for stealing a chicken, and the Pellet of Single-Testicle Fox was also lost because he wanted to sneak into a house to steal money; when he came out, he crawled through a dog hole and was bitten off by a dog, nearly dying of pain.

Bald-Tail Fox stole food from a prepared banquet and was discovered. In his anxiety, he crawled into the stove and had his tail burned off by a fire. He jumped in pain and slipped out from between a person's legs.

This is the Calamity in a fox's life; most cannot survive it and die directly.

Although they were all crippled and disabled, they had after all survived their Calamities. A fox becomes a spirit with age; if they commit theft again and are caught, even if they have some spells to bewitch or create illusions, if a dozen village dogs surround them, they would be helpless and could only wait for death.

Or if someone invited a shaman, witch, monk, or Daoist, it would be even more troublesome.

Therefore, after Wild Foxes transform into humans, they must learn all kinds of human principles.

They often imitate and play the role of that person; otherwise, even if they turn into humans, it is very easy for others to see the clues.

The Miscellaneous Fur Fox himself chattered away, asking a group of sparrows that had already woken up about the situation, requesting the sparrows to find Xu Jia's home.

Among the sparrows, an old sparrow that had survived five winters had become a spirit and asked directly: "What will you give us as thanks?"

The old Zamaohu fox said: "I'll give you a liter of grain to eat when the time comes."

The sparrow spirit knew how much a liter of grain was and said: "Not enough, not enough, it must be three liters!"

The old fox acted fierce: "If you are any more Greed-y, I will call the leopard cats to catch you all!"

The sparrow spirit was startled, but being a bully of the weak and a coward before the strong, it flew away immediately.

(End of chapter)