Chapter Twenty-Five: The End of Calamity

Page 1/3

Waves of yellow sand rose, lashing against the houses of Fox Immortal Village. The wind howled and roared, as if intent on swallowing people whole, chewing them again and again before finally deigning to swallow. Though the sun had risen, the village remained shrouded in gloom. No one wished to set foot outdoors; everyone huddled inside, fearful of the sandstorm. A sudden thunderous crash startled the children within, sending them to tears.

Ye Sansi and his companions were awakened as well. Glancing at the window, it still seemed like night. He muttered, “Why isn’t it light yet? Feels as if we’ve slept an eternity.”

The burly man also sat up and replied, “Young hero, you wouldn’t know—these past two days have been like this. The sky is filled with sand, blotting out the sun and leaving everything in darkness. But as it’s brightening a little, I reckon it’s already morning.”

Liu Lingshuang approached, rubbing her drowsy eyes. “Is it morning already? Hard to believe, looking at the sky. Let’s eat some dried rations, then head up the mountain to have a look.”

Taiyi got up and agreed, “Alright.” He took out the food and shared it among them.

The woman hurriedly interjected, “Young heroes, how could I let you eat mere rations? I’ll prepare a meal at once.”

Liu Lingshuang gently held her back. “Sister, there’s no need. We don’t know how difficult this matter will be. If we’re late, we might not even see the fox immortal before night falls. Eating rations is quicker and makes it easier for us to get moving.”

Hearing this, the woman could only nod her assent.

After eating, the four prepared to depart. Liu Lingshuang pulled Lin Nian’er aside. “Nian’er, you should stay here. The three of us can go.”

“No. I left home for experience, and now that there’s danger, am I to hide behind you? What kind of training would that be? I can’t let myself get used to being protected by you. Someday I’ll learn the immortal arts, and when danger comes, I’ll stand beside you all.”

“Very well, I can’t out-argue you,” Liu Lingshuang said, holding Lin Nian’er’s hand. “Then, from now on, you’ll first learn my Heaven and Earth Lock, alright? I bet you’ll learn it better than those two men, ha!”

“Alright!”

The four stepped outside. The wild wind made every step a struggle. They quickly shut the door behind them. Sansi and Taiyi instinctively took the lead, shielding Lingshuang and Nian’er from the brunt of the wind. They held this formation, trudging slowly toward Fox Immortal Mountain.

A hundred paces on, the wind began to ease; at a thousand, the sand disappeared. Ten steps further, greenery blanketed the ground. Ye Sansi shook the sand from his clothes, looked up, and pointed ahead. “Look, we’ve reached Fox Immortal Village. The trees on the mountain are thriving. Let’s hurry and find the fox immortal.”

With that, he dashed up the mountain path. Li Taiyi called after him, “Brother Sansi, be careful! Watch for barriers!” Sansi waved back, “I’m already up here, there’s no sign of any barrier!”

Liu Lingshuang laughed, “Don’t worry, Taiyi. Sansi’s already crossed; perhaps the barrier has dissipated. Let’s go up quickly.”

“Alright.”

Lingshuang took the lead, but after a step, sensed something amiss. She tried to retreat, but it was too late—she was bounced back several steps and tumbled to the ground.

She got up, dusted herself off, and cursed, “What kind of fiendish barrier is this? Is it sentient? Why could Sansi pass but not me?”

Ye Sansi hurried over, scratching his head. “Lingshuang, are you alright?”

“You’re one to talk! The barrier recognizes people, does it? Letting you pass but not me!”

Taiyi gently placed his hand on the barrier, only to be repelled. Nian’er tried, with the same result.

Liu Lingshuang pointed at Ye Sansi. “Why is it only you can pass? Hmph! Is this barrier looking down on me?”

Taiyi chuckled, “It’s alright, Lingshuang. Since the barrier accepts Brother Sansi, we just need to hold hands with him and pass through together.”

“That’ll do, I suppose.”

So Sansi came back out, and the group held hands. Sure enough, they passed through the barrier together.

Liu Lingshuang cheered. Li Taiyi reminded, “There’s still a long way. Let’s hurry.”

Page 2/3

By midday, they reached the mountainside and saw a wooden cabin. Ye Sansi remarked, “The villagers said all cabins were demolished. This must be the one where the fox immortal lives.”

Li Taiyi, cautious of danger, took the lead and slowly pushed the wooden door open, peering inside. There, a beautiful woman lay slumped on the ground. There was something fox-like and enchanting between her brows. At the sound, she opened her eyes slightly and trembled, “Who… is it…”

Seeing her wounded, Taiyi opened the door wide. The four entered; the woman shrank back in fear. Ye Sansi spoke gently, “Miss, don’t be afraid. We mean no harm. We’re only looking for the fox immortal to offer our apologies.”

“Apologies? What could you possibly have to apologize for?”

Lingshuang explained, “The mayor of Fox Immortal Village revealed your hiding place to a villain. Because of that, you were disturbed, and in anger, sent disaster upon the village. The mayor, wracked by guilt, has taken his own life, but you didn’t know. We’re here to ask you to withdraw the disaster.”

The woman shook her head. “How foolish. I never blamed him… Such a pity, a life lost for nothing.”

“You… you’re the fox immortal?”

She shook her head with resignation. “What immortal? I’m just a fox demon. Those mortals were mistaken.”

Li Taiyi nodded. “I suspected as much. I sensed demon energy a few steps away from this cabin, yet you make no effort to hide it.”

The fox demon smiled. “What’s there to hide? I am a demon, after all.”

Ye Sansi asked, “You’re wounded? Was it the villain’s doing?”

“Indeed. The day he came up the mountain, he recognized me as a demon and wanted to kill me. But I had already spent ninety percent of my power protecting the village; I was no match for him. He stabbed me, I cast a spell to escape, but he gave relentless chase. He caught up, struck me, and took my inner core. I begged for mercy; he insisted on killing me. I broke off my tail, created a false body, and barely managed to escape.”

“I’m not one to cling to life, either. You’ve seen the terrifying sandstorm in the village—it’s not my doing, but the remnant of a disaster from seventeen years ago. I witnessed the villagers in misery. This calamity threatened to spread; if unchecked, it would doom the world. So I stayed to suppress it with my magic.”

“But now that my inner core is gone, I can no longer hold it back. Don’t mind me—go seek an immortal to stop it. I’m gravely wounded and can barely move. I beg you, please take charge of this matter. I’ll kneel before you.”

Liu Lingshuang hurried forward to support her. “Fox Immortal Sister, please rest. Don’t move. We’ll find a way to stop this disaster, and not only that, we’ll save you too.”

The fox demon laughed. “You silly girl. I told you, I’m a demon—a demon!”

Liu Lingshuang pouted. “What does it matter? You may be a demon, but you’ve done the work of an immortal, all for the sake of the people. You deserve to be called immortal. There are so-called immortals out there who do nothing but evil—they’re unworthy of the name! We’ll find a way to save you.”

The fox demon smiled. “How will you save me? Without my inner core, nothing can restore me—unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless I obtain another inner core to consume. Then I can recover. But even so, it might not be enough to suppress the disaster.”

Liu Lingshuang thought for a moment, then fished out a red pearl from her sash. “I don’t have an inner core, but I have a Fire Fox Pearl. Will this do, Fox Immortal Sister?”

The fox immortal took it. “Heavens, I never thought! The Fire Fox Pearl is the treasure I sought for years. The Red-tailed Spirit Fox can only be slain by things of extreme cold and yin; otherwise, when enraged, it incinerates all living things within several yards. For you to have obtained it—you are truly remarkable. Had I found this in my youth, I could have joined the ranks of immortals. But because of this disaster, I stayed behind.”

Liu Lingshuang stepped back in alarm. “I had no idea the Red-tailed Spirit Fox was so dangerous! If not for that wild youth, I’d have died!”

The fox demon swallowed the Fire Fox Pearl, her body rising into the air, glowing red as she circulated her power. The four watched in silence, afraid to disturb her.

An hour passed. The fox demon descended, her injuries greatly healed. “This Fire Fox Pearl is even more marvelous than I imagined. After refining it for an hour, my wounds are nearly gone. Now I can suppress the disaster completely. Thank you all.”

Liu Lingshuang waved her hand. “No need for thanks. You were injured for the sake of the world; it’s only right that we help you.”

The fox immortal bowed. “You are truly righteous. If you ever have the time, come visit my mountain, stay a few days—wouldn’t that be delightful?”

Page 3/3

Ye Sansi replied enthusiastically, “We’ll definitely visit if we have the chance. I live in the mountains myself and love the life here. For now, we must go cultivate the immortal arts. Once I’ve learned enough, I’ll fly over on my sword and visit you.”

“Cultivating the immortal arts? Then you must be careful, very careful around cultivators.”

Liu Lingshuang was puzzled. “Careful? What’s there to be afraid of? I’m not scared of them, and besides, cultivators are supposed to be righteous and good. Not everyone is like that villain.”

“I’ve met cultivators myself, and I know some are kind. But… if you’re a demon…” The fox demon trailed off, then laughed. “Perhaps I’m overthinking. In any case, be careful.”

“We will, Fox Immortal Sister.”

“Will you rest here for the night, or return to the village?”

Li Taiyi said, “Fox Immortal, we’ll return to the village. Your spellcasting can’t be disturbed by outsiders, and it’s not proper for us to stay.”

The four quickly made their way down the mountain. Reaching the barrier, they paused. Liu Lingshuang stretched out her hand to test it, and found it had vanished. She laughed, “Ha! You wouldn’t let me through before, but now you’re gone!”

A hundred steps further, the greenery remained. The four were overjoyed, their hearts brimming with pride—they knew they’d saved not only the villagers but perhaps the entire world.

When they returned, the villagers were waiting at the entrance. Before the four could speak, they were ushered into the village, where a dozen tables had been set out in the open square. Ye Sansi, puzzled, asked, “What are all these tables for?”

The villagers bade them sit. Then an elder stepped forward. “Young heroes, I am the new village chief. The previous chief was my brother. It is a tragedy—he knew his guilt and took his own life.”

Liu Lingshuang sighed and waved her hand. “It’s such a pity. The fox immortal never blamed him.”

The chief asked, “You met the fox immortal? I was wrong to doubt you. When you first arrived, we hid from you. It was the Wang family who let you stay. When Wang’s son told me, I scolded him for letting outsiders disturb the fox immortal. I was blind, I deserve punishment!” He made to kneel.

Taiyi quickly stopped him. “There’s no need, Chief. We only did what anyone would do. You must always remember the fox immortal’s kindness. The disaster was not her doing, but the remnant of the calamity from seventeen years ago. The fox immortal has spent all these years suppressing it, never leaving the village. Our small help is nothing compared to her great sacrifice.”

“Young heroes, our villagers will never forget the fox immortal’s and your kindness. Please wait a moment while we prepare a feast.”

Sansi asked, “A feast? What does that mean?” Liu Lingshuang glanced at him, unimpressed. “It means we’re eating!”

“Hooray, finally a meal! With so many tables, there must be so much food!”

Liu Lingshuang smiled helplessly and shook her head, whispering, “Be mindful, Sansi. We’re heroes now—try not to eat too greedily.”

“Don’t worry.”

The dishes arrived. Though there were many tables, the food was simple and few in variety. Even so, Sansi was delighted—for he had done good, earned people’s respect, and was sharing a meal with friends. He knew he would remember this happiness for years to come.

After they finished, the chief arranged rooms for them, but upon hearing they were to be vacated by villagers, they declined. Ye Sansi said, “Thinking it over, it’s really more comfortable sleeping on the floor at Brother Wang’s house. I’ll stay there.”

Liu Lingshuang agreed, “Yes, Sansi likes sleeping on the floor. We shouldn’t trouble the villagers. Let them rest—we’ll leave at dawn.”

Hearing this, the chief could not insist and nodded.

Exhausted, the four returned to their rooms and quickly fell asleep.

That night, the moon was exceptionally bright and pure.