Chapter Six: The Shadow Fox

  It's New Year! In the past, this was Little Stone's happiest time. Wearing new clothes, eating delicious food, most importantly, no homework and no early rising.

  This year is a bit different, Xiaoshi feels that he is not as excited as before, and even he himself finds it strange. Is it because he has grown up and gotten older? But looking at his old father who is over 60 years old, every time the New Year comes around, his face lights up like a blooming flower!

  He asked Dao to Zhao Wuji, the reason is that he has matured mentally, and the Taoist method he practiced is biased towards the Taoist school. The Taoist school emphasizes clarity and inaction, natural Taoism, and thinning worldly emotions, so his interest in some things in the world has faded. Xiaoshi Tuo said, "In the past, I could still bask in the sun, but recently even this task has been omitted. Do you know that the six-character mantra of Yin Yang Hehe Dafa is just knowing it? Is it okay not to practice?"

  Zhao Wujin said again, the harmony of yin and yang is the supreme method for Daoist practitioners to cultivate their energy and refine their bodies. In these over a hundred days, Xiaoshi mainly relied on Zhao Wujin's power from the sun and moon to cultivate his body, strengthen his physical form, but as for the methods of cultivating energy and spirit, he hadn't learned even half a point. However, after all, he shared the same mind and intention with Zhao Wujin, so when Zhao Wujin was practicing his skills and cultivating his energy, it had some influence on Xiaoshi, don't underestimate this influence, it's enough to make Xiaoshi's wisdom and temperament reach another level.

  Xiao Shi Tou said gloomily, "I've practiced so much that I don't have any interest in anything anymore. What's the point of having energy?"

  Zhao Wuji hastily explained, "This is an inevitable process of cultivation. I was the same back then. It will get better slowly later on. Besides, aren't you still wanting to fly through the skies and escape through the earth?"

  As soon as he mentioned flying and escaping, Xiaoshi's eyes lit up. This was his main goal in practicing martial arts. "I will work hard, big brother when will you teach me?"

  Zhao Wuji knew that to fly with a sword or by controlling the air, even people with high innate talent and good aptitude would have to cultivate for twenty to thirty years. However, he couldn't say this, so he deceived him, saying "It's like this, after the new year I'll teach you the mental method, in about three years, you'll be able to fly freely!"

  "In three years it will be enough, at that time......" Xiaoshi was immersed in his fantasy, his heart had already flown to the sky.

  Zhao Wu Jin said again "How are you feeling now? Is it better?"

  Xiao Shi Tou regained his composure and felt invigorated again, saying "Big brother, I feel much better now. Let's go out for a walk!"

  Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and Xiao Shi Tou goes out to pay respects every year. This year is no exception, first going to Bai Fu Zi's house, then Liu Pang Zi's house, then Wang Da Shu's house, and so on... Anyway, all the neighbors have to be visited. After a round of visits, he has also collected quite a bit of lucky money.

  After a busy morning, Zheng Lao returned home and started drinking with Bai Fuzi who came to pay New Year's greetings. The wine was good, even Zhao Wujiu felt a little thirsty. "It's been a long time since I've had Bi Quan Nian!" Zhao Wujiu sighed.

  "Ah! Big brother, have you drunk it too?" Xiaoshi asked him.

  Zhao Wuji seemed to be reminiscing about the scene of drinking in the past, after a long time, he said "I and Gu Changfeng drank several months ago in Lanzhou City, what good wine!"

  "Xiao Shi Tou thought for a moment and asked, 'How about this? I'll help you drink some. Is that okay with you?'"

  Zhao Wuji thought for a moment and said, "Alright then, let's drink less and not get drunk!"

  "Alright, I won't drink much either!" Xiaoshi said in response.

  Xiao Shi Tou secretly took a jar of wine back to his own room, at first he was not used to drinking it, but the more he drank, the more addictive it became, until in the end it's hard to say whether Zhao Wu Jin or Xiao Shi Tou was the one who got drunk.

  Zhao Wu Jin bitterly smiled, really didn't know how the little stone at such a young age had such a large capacity for wine, a whole jar of ten kilograms was all drunk by him. Now he knew that although he and Xiao Shi Tou were on the same wavelength, their feelings about drinking were not at all in sync.

  Xiao Shi Tuo got drunk and muttered to himself "Li Qing Tian, I'll go find you, I'll make you know my name! Definitely will!"

  Zhao Wuji sighed, it turned out that the little stone had never forgotten her, but had she ever forgotten the little stone? Was this really fate?

  That night, three people got drunk!

  The next day I woke up, my head felt like it was going to crack open, it was so painful!

  Zhao Wu Jin said with a tone of schadenfreude, "How's that? Doesn't it feel great?! You're still young and already an alcoholic!"

  "It's all because of you, my head hurts!" Xiaoshi said with a straight face.

  "For me? Who was it that poured a whole jug into his own belly last night? I advised him against it, time and again!" Zhao Wuji said.

  "Is it me? I don't even remember! Big brother, how are you feeling?" Little Stone said with embarrassment.

  Zhao Wu Jin said helplessly "I don't feel anything, it all feels like it's with you!"

  "Isn't this a waste of drinking!!!!!!"

  Get up and clean up, then secretly return the empty jars. When Zheng Lao and Bai Fuzi woke up, they found that their drinking capacity had greatly improved, and they had drunk ten more kilograms than before. They were indeed getting better with age and wanted to continue!

  The little stone slipped out of the door, feeling a bit guilty and ashamed. He had drunk so much wine that he didn't dare to stay at home, fearing his father would find out. So he decided to go visit his uncle instead.

  As I walked out of the town, there were very few people on the street. Many people had gone to the county thirty miles away, where there was a temple fair every year, which was very lively! Liu Baozi also went with his parents and said he would be back in three or four days! There were not many children in the neighborhood to begin with, and now except for Xiao Lan from Wang Dage's family, only Xiaoshi was left. And Xiao Lan was a girl, so she couldn't play with me!

  "It's no fun!" said Xiaoshi while walking.

  Suddenly, he felt a surge of hot air spreading from his lower abdomen throughout his body, the same feeling as when he was about to go on a wild run. His spirit lifted, and he really wanted to ask Zhao Wuji. Just then, he saw someone walking towards him from the front, a handsome young scholar! He looked like he was in his early twenties, with a jade-like face, red lips, sword-like eyebrows, and starry eyes. He wore a snow-white long shirt, and even though it was already cold winter, he held a folding fan, walking leisurely towards him. Truly, he had a carefree and elegant demeanor.

  The two brushed past each other, and the scholar glanced at Xiaoshi without thinking, his eyes were actually green, and he smiled slightly at Xiaoshi. Xiaoshi's face turned red, and he thought to himself "Mingdao doesn't seem as good-looking as him". Just then, the scholar had already walked far away, and just as he was about to leave again, he heard Zhao Wujin say "Don't leave town yet, follow that scholar" his voice was actually quite urgent.

  Xiao Shi Tou had never heard him speak in such a tone before; this book seemed to be very important to him. Without asking any more questions, he turned around and followed.

  Xiao Shi Tuo followed from a distance, and finally saw him enter the only inn in town. It was then that Zhao Wuji said "Let's go home first" his voice had returned to calmness, but Xiao Shi Tuo detected something unusual.

  Back home for a long time, Zhao Wujin finally said "Xiaoshi Tuo, do you remember the right path of human beings I told you?"

  One must be able to ask his heart and feel no shame.

  "Yes! There's something I need to do, or else it would be a waste of these words." Zhao Wuji said slowly.

  Xiao Shi Tou was a bit puzzled, "What's going on? Is it related to that bookworm?"

  Zhao Wu Jin sneered and said, "That scholar, humph! His name is Guo Yun Jie, he's the favored disciple of Yin Shan Old Ancestor. The treacherous fox Guo Yun Jie!"

  "Yin Hu, why is it called an unpleasant nickname?"

  "He's cunning and treacherous, extremely sinister. Don't be fooled by his good looks, he's actually a scoundrel in disguise. I've been wanting to get rid of him for a long time, but he's been hiding in the dark mountains for years. Who would have thought that I'd run into him today, and to make matters worse..." Zhao Wuji said with hatred.

  Xiao Shi Tuo didn't expect Guo Yun Jie to be such a person, really can't judge by appearance. "Is he very powerful?"

  "He has already obtained the authentic transmission of Yīn Shān Lǎo Zǔ's five accomplishments, and the Forget Love Fan in his hand is a famous magical artifact of Yīn Shān. It's said that he recently even practiced the secret technique of Yīn Shān - Yuān Yīn Jiàn Qì. However, if it were before, when he saw me, he would have run away already. Alas..."

  Xiao Shi Tou knew that his power had not recovered yet, so he comforted him saying "Let's talk about it later, after you've fully recovered we'll go find him again!"

  "If it were someone else, I would have let it go. But this scoundrel always causes trouble and commits heinous crimes wherever he goes. I absolutely cannot just sit back and do nothing!"

  "What a preposterous and outrageous thing to say!"

  Zhao Wuji thought to himself, "The Yīn Shān sect has always used the method of absorbing yin to supplement yang for their cultivation. Guō Yúnjié absorbed the primordial yin of fifteen young girls in Cāngzhōu several years ago and then brutally killed them. At that time, I wanted to settle accounts with him, but he knew about it and hid in Yīn Shān. I chased after him to Yīn Shān and had a fierce battle with the old ancestor of Yīn Shān. This old ghost's cultivation was extremely deep, and I fought him to a draw, so we agreed that Guō Yúnjié would not be allowed to leave the mountain from then on. It seems that he knew something had happened to me, which is why he dared to appear!"

  The little stone was shocked "He ran here, is he going to adopt yin and yang again to kill people!" Although he didn't understand what it meant to adopt yin and yang, but killing fifteen girls at once was terrifying.

  Zhao Wujin sighed and said, "This beast has always been like this! So today I must take action! It's just that you'll be implicated too."

  Xiao Shi Tou heard him speaking with confidence, knowing that he had already made up his mind, but was hesitant to involve himself, so he said "Big Brother, I believe you can definitely defeat that scoundrel, just don't worry about me!"

  Zhao Wuji knew he spoke from the heart, but after all, this time was truly a narrow escape. He sighed silently, "Little Stone! Our lives and deaths depend on tonight's battle!"

  The wind and clouds changed suddenly in the afternoon, and the snow came quietly. It had already accumulated a thick layer of snow on the ground before dusk.

  Zhao Wuji heard the snowflakes falling on the ground making a rustling sound, and his heart was not calm. He had fought many great battles in his life, and when he first started out, he single-handedly defeated the three friends of Chicity, who were extremely famous at the time, forcing them to retire from the world. The reason for this is still unknown, and perhaps only the four of them knew. Later, on the summit of the Tian Mountains, he beheaded the infamous White Bone Demon, a demon who had committed countless atrocities and practiced dark magic using live humans. After that battle, no one in the world did not know the name Zhao Wuji. All these things happened over 300 years ago. The most recent time was when he fought against the Old Ancestor of Yīn Mountain at the summit of Yīn Mountain. This old demon had been cultivating for over 600 years and had never suffered a defeat except at the hands of the Tian Shi Dao's Baiyun Zhenren. He was one of the top masters in the world today. Each of these battles was fraught with danger, each one a fight to the death. And yet, he had not felt as anxious as he did tonight. He was worried, but not for himself, rather for Xiao Shi Tou!

  He clearly understood that with his current level of recovery, it would be unwise to engage in a fight with Guo Yunjie. The Shadow Fox had already obtained the Five Elements True Transmission from the Old Ancestor of Yīn Mountain, and possessed the Primordial Yin Sword Energy, while the Forgetful Fan was the most precious treasure of Yīn Mountain. Even at his peak, killing him would require some effort, let alone now when he only had 40% of his strength. If he lost control, both he and Xiao Shitou would undoubtedly die. He really didn't want to put Xiao Shitou in danger, but without Xiao Shitou's help, it was impossible for him to engage in a fight with the Shadow Fox, after all, he needed to use Xiao Shitou's body.

  The little stone in his heart was not as tense as Zhao Wuji, he had confidence in Zhao Wuji, and the image of Zhao Wuji with a sword in hand, like a heavenly god, that night on Mount Qi Lian, had long been deeply imprinted in his heart.

  It was late at night, and Zhao Wuji's mind had already calmed down. He was carefully sensing the arrival of Guo Yunjie. His yuan Shen could sense everything within a radius of five miles, almost covering half of the town, including the inn.

  Guo Yunjie appeared and entered the house to capture someone. After succeeding, he took the person and flew west towards the town. Xiaoshi, now Zhao Wujin, followed closely behind.

  It's snowing heavily outside.

  In the vast snowy night, a white light flew out from Red Gold Town. If it weren't for the snow illuminating the sky and earth, the white light would have been mistaken for a large snowflake drifting in the wind due to its extreme speed. Suddenly, a red glow burst into the air, blocking the path of the white light. The white light let out a cry of surprise "Red Flame Sword", and its figure paused before falling to the ground.

  Although Zhao Wuji used the Red Flame Sword to force Yin Hu down, his heart also sank as Guo Yunjie fell. Guo Yunjie had once been forced by him into a desperate situation, and if it hadn't been for someone intervening, he wouldn't have been able to escape back to Yīn Mountain and avoid death.

  Tonight, Chiyan Sword came out, Guo Yunjie was only surprised and didn't have much fear, obviously he had nothing to fear.

  Guo Yunjie's expression changed, and he took a closer look at the person in front of him. It was just a fifteen or sixteen year old youth, but what he held in his hand was indeed the genuine Scarlet Flame Sword. The Scarlet Flame Sword was something Guo Yunjie would never forget for the rest of his life, as it had almost taken his soul years ago.

  The person in front of him was not Zhao Wuji, although his aura was good, but compared to Zhao Wuji, he was really far behind. With a flicker of her blue eyes, she put the person in her hand on the ground and said, "Who are you? Where did this Red Flame Sword come from?"

  Zhao Wu Jin coldly said "Blue-eyed Fox, even I couldn't recognize you"

  Kuang Yun-jie was shocked by the words, this voice was really too familiar, and shouted "Zhao Wu-jin, it's really you!"

  Zhao Wu Jin said in an angry tone, "Not surprisingly, Bi Yan Huo, you're at it again with this kind of evil and unjust deed!"

  Kuang Yunjie burst out laughing, his originally handsome face twisted into a grotesque grimace. "Zhao Wuji's reputation has spread throughout the land that he was struck by the Nine Heavens Thunderbolt, I thought it would be impossible to avenge my past grievance. But who would have thought that the carefree and self-righteous Xianyao Sword King would also resort to such despicable means? Hahaha, truly heaven has eyes, tonight I will make you die under my Forgetful Fan!"

  Zhao Wujin was about to speak when Xiao Shitou couldn't bear it anymore and cursed, "Get out of here, you damned soul stealer! I'm still here!"

  Guo Yunjie was taken aback, unable to understand how there could be another person, and the voice clearly came from Zhao Wujin's body. Since his enemy was already in front of him, he didn't say any more nonsense, and immediately used the Forgetful Fan.

  It was already a night of wind and snow, with the sky frozen and the ground icy. But as soon as this Forgetful Fan was used, the temperature in an area of several dozen meters around it plummeted, and the air around it actually condensed into ten walls of ice that solidly smashed towards Zhao Wuji. It turned out that this Forgetful Fan was refined from the essence of the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Ice Jade, an ancient treasure. It had been obtained by the Old Ancestor of Mount Yin and passed down to Gu Yunjie, who taught it to the Eight Methods of Forgetting Emotions. When this fan was used, it would freeze the blood and capture the soul, hence its name Forgetful.

  Zhao Wuji naturally knew the severity of the situation. Originally, his Chi Yang true energy was enough to overpower the enemy, and the Red Flame Sword's crystal was also mutually restrictive. However, with his current incomplete strength, he forgot about his emotions and swung the Cold Ice Fan, releasing a wave of cold air that made his body tremble. He let out a long whistle, and the sword energy in his hand surged violently as he charged forward. The red light and cold ice met, and ten walls of ice instantly dissolved into hot air.

  Guo Yunjie was not surprised, but delighted. Years ago, at the peak of Yīn Shān, Zhao Wújìn and his master Yīn Shān Lǎozǔ had a great battle. At that time, the power displayed by Zhao Wújìn's Red Flame Sword was far greater than it is now. After the battle, Yīn Shān Lǎozǔ said: "Zhao Wújìn's refined Red Sun True Qi and our sect's Original Yin Sword Qi are interdependent and mutually restrictive. If they were to fight again, the one with higher cultivation would win."

  Tonight, the Red Flame Sword was impressive in its momentum, but it could no longer threaten him. The Forgetting Fan, driven by the Yuan Yin Sword Qi, once again condensed an ice wall, layer by layer, layer by layer. In this ten-zhang square area, a large ice house was built to trap Zhao Wuji inside.

  Zhao Wuji gazed at the layered ice walls, his heart growing colder by the minute. He hadn't expected Guo Yunjie's yuan yin sword energy to have reached such a state. The flames emitted by the Chi Yan sword in his hand seemed to be having no effect whatsoever. His body had already been penetrated by the yin energy, and his vital energy was slowly congealing.

  Guo Yunjie fanned the Forgetful Fan while gazing at Zhao Wujin inside the ice wall. Feeling triumphant, he called out, "Zhao Wujin, did you ever think there'd be a day like today? Back then, it was just a matter of killing a few women, but now you'll be forced to return to Yīn Shān. Tonight, I'll freeze you into an ice sculpture and take you back to Yīn Shān as an offering to my master! This will also serve as revenge for your solo expedition to Yīn Shān that destroyed the reputation of our sect's might!" He burst into a fit of maniacal laughter.

  With a look that was already doomed, Zhao Wujin's heart had another regret, thinking "Little stone, big brother let you down"

  The little stone also knew that disaster was approaching, but he wasn't afraid. He had regrets and said, "Big brother doesn't blame you, only this scoundrel. I know if your powers recover, you'll definitely defeat him." Unfortunately, I won't be able to learn the Yin Yang Harmony Great Method again or fly through the skies and escape through the earth. In his heart, he thought, "And Father will be most wronged by me, raising me until now, but not being able to support you in your old age! And Liu Baozi won't be able to play with you anymore! And Master, it was all for nothing that you taught me! And Lian Qingtian, I won't be able to find you at Mount Heng! Will you still remember me? There's so much more...

  Hengshan, Tianhuo Palace. Lixue Tian's chamber. Quietly lying on the bed, playing with a black bracelet in her hand. The current Lixue Tian seems to be in much better spirits than a few months ago. Looking at the bracelet in her hand, she muttered to herself "Who is it? Why can't I remember? You!! Why won't you speak and tell me who it is? Who gave this to me?" The bracelet remained silent, if only it could speak, it would surely tell Lixue Tian that someone had been wanting to tell him, his name was Qiao Shi! Unfortunately, it couldn't speak, and Xiao Shi was about to die!

  Suddenly, Lian felt a faint pain in her chest, as if someone had hurt her heart, or the person closest to her had been hurt.