A few days later, in the early morning.
Jiang Yueliu left the Shangyuan Sect and headed for the northern border.
The Northern Desert demon tribe had been restless for some time. In the past 2 days, they had intensified their efforts, massing a significant force at the border. It looked like they could enter Nanyu at any moment to launch an offensive against the human race.
The situation was grim.
As a powerhouse in the Body Integration Stage, Jiang Yueliu traveled to the border with Yao Xining and others to negotiate. No one wanted to see war break out; war meant heavy casualties. However, the human race harbored deep suspicions. Why was that mysterious Demon Empress making such a huge fuss?
***
Condensing Moon Cliff, courtyard.
Jiang Tong woke up early.
Sword qi pierced through the sky. Watching Jiang Yueliu and her group disappear toward the horizon, he sat in the pavilion, feeling bored, and brewed a cup of tea for himself.
His Master was gone. She wouldn’t be away for too long, but for the next few days, he would be all alone in the small courtyard.
Jiang Tong frowned as he thought about his Master’s condition.
‘Even if I can refine Medicine Pills to suppress the side effects of the Hanpo Jade Body, it’s still just treating the symptoms rather than the root cause…’
Specifically, as Jiang Yueliu’s cultivation increased, the suppression effect was gradually weakening. Was there a better way to solve the problem from the root?
*Clang—*
As he was thinking, the Spring and Autumn Bell within his Sea of Consciousness suddenly vibrated, shining brightly.
**[Second Reincarnation Started]**
**[Completion Reward: Nine-Tailed Fox Fire (Extreme Yang)]**
**[You may choose to enter in your physical body or your soul state]**
Jiang Tong had grown used to the brief descriptions. Aside from the last time it had spoken more, the Spring and Autumn Bell was usually quite laconic. What caught his eye was the completion reward.
Extreme Yang Nine-Tailed Fox Fire combined with the extreme cold of the Hanpo Jade Body…
It was as if someone had handed him a pillow just as he was falling asleep. Perhaps he could use this to solve his Master’s physical issues once and for all.
“Physical body.”
Returning to his room to sit cross-legged, Jiang Tong chose his physical body without hesitation.
Although the Hehua Zizai Body could not transfer items or insights like a soul state, the benefit was that it did not consume Lingshi, and time inside the bell would pause relative to reality. With a physical body, his degree of freedom was much higher. During the last life, Jiang Tong had been stuck inside the bell for so long he had nearly gone crazy.
**[Please Choose a Name]**
“Jiang Tong!”
‘Heh, I still prefer using my real name online.’
Ripples appeared before his eyes, spreading out like waves.
The Hehua Zizai Body entered the cycle of reincarnation, growing from an embryo into a child. The Spring and Autumn Bell accelerated this process for Jiang Tong, flashing scenes before his eyes.
When the ripples settled, Jiang Tong stood up and looked around. He found that he had become a half-grown youth standing inside a courtyard. Not far away, the spire of a temple was clearly visible.
He touched the top of his head, feeling a short, prickly sensation.
Jiang Tong recalled the first 11 years of this life. This was the Western Buddhist Lands, 500 years ago. He was born in a small village near the Buddhist Sect. At 1-year-old, his parents were eaten by a great serpent. Seeing how pitiable he was, the abbot of Lingyin Temple took him in to become a monk. Moved by the name “Jiang Tong,” the abbot gave him the Dharma name “Wu Tong.” From then on, he became a little novice monk at Lingyin Temple.
For 10 years, Jiang Tong grew up around Lingyin Temple, demonstrating a brilliant talent for Buddhist studies. Master Xu Zhu, the abbot, appraised him as having excellent “roots.”
Everything had been smooth sailing for 10 years.
Jiang Tong quickly adapted to his new identity. He pressed his palms together, whispered a soft “Amitabha,” and knocked on the door to go out. However, he had not forgotten his purpose. The Nine-Tailed Fox Fire likely had something to do with a fox. Where was he supposed to find one?
Following his usual routine, Jiang Tong first went to Lingyin Temple to chant the morning sutras, then carefully wiped the face of the Buddha statue with a damp cloth and swept the fallen leaves from the ground. After finishing his duties as a novice monk, Jiang Tong bowed slightly to the statue, left Lingyin Temple, and walked back toward the small courtyard.
However, as he reached the gate, Jiang Tong felt something. He stopped and looked toward a nearby patch of grass. As the wind blew, the grass parted, revealing a small ball of white fur. There were small flecks of blood on the white fur.
“Amitabha.”
The little novice monk pressed his palms together, recited a Buddhist prayer, and walked toward the grass.
***
‘Chirp, it hurts… It hurts so much…’
‘Chirp, chirp… Am I going to die?’
‘Chirp, chirp…’
A snow-white little fox lay in the grass, her two hind legs injured to varying degrees. Blood flowed steadily, and her breath was weak. Not long ago, out of playfulness, she had wandered into the territory of an eagle demon. After being discovered, she had fled in a panic and accidentally tumbled down a cliff. Her hind legs were broken, and she couldn’t even stand up.
The little fox had struggled to crawl into the grass, covering her head with stalks, thinking that her natural enemies wouldn’t be able to find her that way. But her bottom and tail were still sticking out.
‘Chirp, chirp…’
‘Honghong must be so worried. Can she find me?’ The little white fox thought of her older sister, who was a red fox.
Soon, the little white fox buried her head in the grass again and sighed, her eyes full of disappointment. Even if she was found, it was useless. They couldn’t heal injuries of this severity.
At that moment, her ears twitched. She heard light footsteps approaching from behind.
‘A monk is coming!’
The little white fox’s face turned pale with fright. She had seen a temple nearby earlier and knew many monks lived there. Monks were born to slay demons; she was a demon, so she would be killed!
The little white fox hurried to crawl a bit further inward, but as soon as she moved, a piercing pain shot through her hind legs.
“Hm? A little fox.”
Jiang Tong saw her, his expression brightening as he hurried toward the grass.
‘A… a little monk?’
The little white fox looked up at the novice monk in front of her, filled with fear. To protect herself, she opened her mouth and bared her teeth at the little monk, trying to look terrifying.
*Growl…*
Jiang Tong hesitated for half a second and stopped. After all, he currently had no cultivation at all; he was afraid of being bitten if he approached too recklessly.
“Little fox, little fox?”
The white fox watched as the little monk waved at her. He slowly approached. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not a bad person. Your hind legs are injured. Let me help you bandage and treat them…”
The white fox remained vigilant, her clear phoenix eyes watching him without blinking.
‘A monk’s words are as treacherous as a ghost’s! I… I won’t let a stinking monk like you put me to rest!’
*Whimper!*
Thinking of this, the white fox propped herself up with her front claws and bared her teeth fiercely at the novice monk, looking as if she were about to attack.
Jiang Tong was startled.
In the next second, the white fox quickly turned her head and dragged her injured lower body, using her two front paws to crawl deeper into the grass.
Jiang Tong froze for a moment and hurriedly called out. “Little fox, don’t crawl any further! There’s a—”
‘Hmph! Stinking monk, trying to trick me into going back. I won’t fall for your trap!’
The little white fox thought as she crawled. Just as she was celebrating her escape…
*Splash!*
Her paws hit empty air, and the little white ball of fur rolled into a small pond.
Jiang Tong rushed forward. He no longer cared about being bitten; he tucked up his monk robes and reached his right hand into the pond. With a bit of effort, he scooped up the soaking-wet white fox and cradled her in his palms.
The little white fox had fainted. Through her half-closed eyes, she saw Jiang Tong anxiously wrapping her in his robes and running toward the courtyard.
‘Stinking monk…’
‘I… I don’t want to be put to rest; I don’t want to die…’
The little white fox lost her strength and exhausted, she closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was the novice monk’s worried eyes as he looked down at her.
***
Within a courtyard in the northern border, a graceful woman sat in the center. She had exquisite phoenix eyes and a shapely figure, and she held a set of old, worn monk robes in her arms. She had washed the robes many times until they were faded, but she still couldn’t bear to throw them away.
The woman lowered her head, her fingers slowly stroking the robes. A faint sense of melancholy hung between her brows.
“Your Majesty.” Someone knocked on the door.
“Enter,” the woman said softly.
She put away the monk robes.
“The experts from the human race of Nanyu have arrived. They are at the border, waiting to negotiate with Your Majesty.”
This woman was the Empress of the northern demon tribe.
“Let’s go. We shall meet them.”
The Demon Empress stood up. At that moment, eight snowy-white tails unfurled behind her. She walked toward the courtyard gate, her fox tails swaying slightly.
But among the eight fox tails, there was a single, half-severed stump.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, with one tail broken.