The Heavenly Fox Sleeps on Mount Qingqiu

In the northwest of the continent stood Qingqiu Mountain, teeming with countless birds and beasts. Among them were many unusual creatures, born from the spiritual essence of heaven and earth.

The Heavenly Scent Grass was one such marvel, unremarkable in appearance, resembling common weeds.

During each full moon, collecting the dew that clung to its leaves allowed alchemists to refine the Heavenly Dew Scent Elixir.

Initially odorless, it would develop a peculiar fragrance after ten years.

Worn continuously in a sachet, the wearer would, after a century, begin to exude a natural fragrance themselves.

Furthermore, it was rumored that the Heavenly Dew Scent Elixir possessed rejuvenating properties, making it a coveted treasure for countless female cultivators.

Human cultivators often ventured into the mountain, risking peril. Many renowned Mahayana experts would even stake out the area for years, solely to gather enough Heavenly Scent Grass dew.

This mountain, however, was the territory of the demon race.

Eight hundred years prior, the demon race and human race were embroiled in incessant conflict. Yet, after a great calamity, the two races began to coexist peacefully, exchanging resources and knowledge.

Over the centuries, tales of humans and demons forming dual cultivation partnerships became common.

Within the demon race, there were four great Demon Ancestors. The most renowned among them resided on Qingqiu Mountain: the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox.

On the misty slopes of Qingqiu Mountain’s Mount Baowu lay the Fur-Eared Cave, named for its owner’s fondness for the beast ears of demon maidens.

“Mmm~”

A soft moan, carried on a fragrant breeze, emanated from within the cave.

Though faint, the sound stirred a ripple of unrest across the entire Qingqiu Mountain.

Indeed, even a small, inconspicuous tree saw a turtledove significantly affected.

Its eyes turned crimson, and it ceaselessly scanned its surroundings, yet found none of its kind.

An inexplicable urge compelled it to spread its once pristine wings, exposing its vulnerable belly.

A branch of the small tree trembled incessantly…

After a long while, the turtledove’s eyes finally cleared, though a hint of disgust lingered on its face.

It then let out a mournful cry, seemingly lamenting its weak will.

“Auntie, please wake up. If you keep sleeping, Qingqiu Mountain’s animal population will double again…”

Inside the Fur-Eared Cave, a small, yellow-furred, long-eared fox lay on a stone bed covered with Heavenly Scent Grass. Its two plump pink paws gently nudged a sleeping woman.

The woman’s eyelashes fluttered faintly.

Then.

She merely rolled over.

“…”

With no other recourse, the little fox hopped onto the head of the bed, extending its tender pink tongue to gently lick the woman’s eyelids.

Finally, the woman opened one eye halfway.

“Oh, A-wu, you’re… here… to… mm…”

Before she could finish her sentence, the woman’s eyelids, as if weighted by a thousand pounds, closed once more.

“???”

Undeterred, the little fox stubbornly bumped the woman’s chest with its fluffy head.

Yet, it only caused the soft flesh on the woman’s chest to jiggle twice, achieving absolutely nothing.

“A-wu is angry, hmph!”

The little fox, looking indignant, unceremoniously stepped over the woman’s body, leaping in a few bounds to her feet.

It extended its sharp claws, hesitated for a moment, then retracted most of them, leaving only the very tips exposed.

As the little fox began to rub the sole of the woman’s foot, the woman’s body started to twitch.

Seeing that it was working, the little fox intensified its efforts.

“Ah… hahaha…” Amidst a burst of shrill laughter, the woman finally awoke completely.

The little fox, however, showed not a hint of joy; instead, it turned and fled.

Alas, it was ultimately a step too slow.

A colossal white tail suddenly materialized, instantly coiling into a cage-like form, trapping the poor little creature within.

It then securely wrapped around the fox and presented it before the woman.

“A-wu! You’ve grown bold, haven’t you! How dare you disturb my pleasant slumber!”

In stark contrast to her previous lazy demeanor on the bed, the now-awake woman fully exuded the formidable aura of a Nine-tailed Celestial Fox.

Her roar was unexpectedly accompanied by a spiritual pressure that made the little fox tremble uncontrollably, its body coiling into a tight ball.

The little fox, its eyes brimming with tears, secretly glanced at its auntie.

“Auntie, your sash has come undone. Let me help you with it.” As it spoke, the little fox bravely extended a front paw.

“Oh.”

To its surprise, the woman absently agreed, her imposing aura vanishing without a trace.

Even the colossal tail she had unleashed relaxed its grip.

Striking while the iron was hot, the little fox added, “Auntie, let me lick the fur on your head and ears; it’s all messy.”

“Oh.”

The woman sat on the edge of the bed, silent, staring blankly ahead.

The little fox, diligently grooming its auntie, noticed she had drifted off into a daze again. It sighed softly, gazing intently at its auntie’s fair face, its own eyes involuntarily clouding over with admiration.

‘Auntie is truly beautiful.’

‘Mother said Auntie wasn’t always like this. Her divine consciousness was severely wounded during the calamity eight hundred years ago, and she can only recover slowly through sleep.’

‘Having cared for Auntie for ten years, I’ve observed that her divine consciousness is only fully awake when she’s asleep. When she’s awake, she often seems to be dreaming. However, after each long sleep, she remains lucid for about half an hour.’

Suddenly, a flicker of brilliance entered the woman’s eyes.

“A-wu, quickly, fetch me paper and a brush! I have inspiration!”

Hearing her auntie’s familiar request, the little fox was overjoyed and promptly leaped from her shoulder.

In no time, the little fox brought the items back in its mouth.

The woman snatched them without ceremony.

She then settled back onto the bed.

However, she was now vibrant and energetic, holding the writing brush. She would occasionally chuckle to herself, sometimes placing the brush on her upturned lips, her face flushed with a spring-like glow.

In her excitement, her two smooth, slender calves bent, forming a perfect acute angle with her thighs, swaying incessantly from side to side without her conscious notice.

The little fox was delighted to see its auntie in this state. Its mother had told it that such conditions were beneficial for her divine consciousness to recover.

It stealthily crept past its auntie’s arm and peeked at the paper, a sudden flush of heat spreading through its entire body.

Since the little fox’s fur was yellow, the rapidly rising blood rushed to its ears, turning its small, downy ears a vibrant pink.

‘Though Mother had always warned me not to look at Auntie’s “nonsense” writings.’

‘But I just can’t help myself.’

The little fox then looked at its auntie’s face, admiring her eyes—how beautiful they were, like rubies.

“A-wu, fetch more paper; I’m about to cast a spell.”

“Ah? Oh.” The little fox quickly snapped back to attention.

Once the little fox returned with the paper, the woman unfurled her nine tails.

As her tails ceaselessly swayed, a faint purple glow emerged, and the entire cave surged with potent demonic energy.

Within Qingqiu Mountain, under the immense pressure of this demonic power, countless birds plummeted from the trees like rain, and all the beasts bent their limbs, collapsing to the ground.

Yet, the little fox, closest to the woman, remained perfectly unharmed.

The little fox understood that at this moment, its auntie was at her most lucid.

When the woman’s aura completely dissipated, the entire stone cave was filled with drifting images.

The little fox wanted to look, but its mother’s words constantly cautioned it to restrain itself.

It could only cover its eyes with its two front paws.

With a wave of the woman’s left hand, all the images in the cave gently settled onto the stone bed, one by one.

With a wave of her right hand, the dozens of pages of manuscript she had written earlier flew between the images. The two combined, interleaving in a pattern of one page of text, one page of image.

A flash of crimson light gleamed in the woman’s eyes. She glared at the stack of papers, and instantly, they bound themselves into a book.

The grand task was complete.

The woman let out a soft breath, finally calming her earlier excitement. Suddenly, the entire world seemed dull and uninteresting.

Yet, at this very moment, a surge of power abruptly intruded upon her already scattered divine consciousness. As a Demon Ancestor, one of the strongest beings of the demon race, she easily perceived it to be a sword qi.

The woman steadied her mind and released her divine consciousness to carefully probe. The moment she gained a slight understanding, she immediately retracted it.

The returned divine consciousness was somewhat scattered, almost beyond her control, even causing a tightness in the woman’s chest.

The woman glanced at the little fox beneath her, casually stroking its constantly twitching long ears. Only then did she feel a sense of relief in her heart.

“A-wu, you should leave soon.”

The little fox’s ears involuntarily quivered, and its eyes, adorned with long lashes, instantly filled with tears. “Auntie, are you abandoning me?”

“Address me as Demon Ancestor.” The woman’s voice suddenly turned utterly cold.

“Huh? Waaah… Auntie, what’s wrong with you?” Auntie’s sudden change was hard for the little fox to accept, making its tiny heart ache slightly. It cautiously extended a slender paw, taking a tentative step forward.

“Stop. Listen to me carefully now. I feel very tired, and there’s something I need you to do.” Resisting the urge to pick up the little fox and cuddle it, the woman waved her hand, causing the newly bound book to float before the little fox.

“I have an old acquaintance among the humans. Take this book and go see her. She’ll know what to do when she sees you. I’ve already informed A-miao with my divine consciousness; she knows the way, so having her escort you would be most suitable.”

As she spoke, the woman cast another spell. Soon, a brocade box floated out from the depths of the cave, surprisingly adorned with numerous sealing arrays.

“The contents here are very important. Take them… with you… mm.”

No sooner had the words left her lips than the woman, still sitting, fell asleep.

The little fox watched with a pang of sorrow. Mustering all its spiritual energy, it cast a spell to gently shift the woman’s body, laying her flat on the stone bed.

As the woman once again drifted into slumber.

Qingqiu Mountain gradually returned to its usual tranquility.