Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Chapter 159 Human Transcending to Immortality

Although Ah Sheng is just a little girl, it is precisely because of her young age that she has a constant stream of whimsical ideas.

The stories of fox spirits passed down by the elders and the fox spirits she witnessed with malice constantly collided and merged, leading her to guess countless possibilities.

Perhaps the fox spirit became tainted with impurities after saving people, which is why it turned into what it is now; or perhaps the departure of the previous fox spirit and the incense offerings at this small temple attracted an unkind fox spirit...

In short, in order to save the old woman, Ah Sheng overcame his fear and began to actively contact the fox spirit.

"Fox spirit, fox spirit, where are you? The frogs are croaking so loudly tonight, I can't sleep. Can you come and talk to me for a while?"

Ah Sheng opened the window, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and prayed.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw a fox spirit in the moonlight, its fur almost transparent and clear.

The fox-human was always extremely beautiful, but as he smiled slightly, he revealed inhuman fangs. Ah Sheng trembled and sat down next to him timidly.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hide this fear, but the fox spirit simply said:

"You don't need to be afraid, I am the only person in this world who will never hurt you."

"But you're going to hurt Grandma!"

Ah Sheng immediately retorted.

The fox spirit tilted his head, staring at her with a hint of doubt. His shoulders shrugged, and his tail wagged constantly, as if his wild nature had not been shaken off, making him less human.

The following plot describes Ah Sheng's clumsy and naive attempts to test the fox spirit, some of which are so reckless that they make Wang Dahe break out in a cold sweat.

If the fox spirit were truly an evil demon, Ah Sheng would have been gone long ago.

As Ah Sheng probed and talked with him, Wang Dahe gradually became convinced that the fox spirit was not so bad after all, and what it had done before was more like a reminder with a mischievous undertone.

In the story, Ah Sheng also discovers that the fox spirit does not seem to have any ill intentions towards him.

However, this made Ah Sheng even sadder, because it meant that Grandma's death was not caused by the fox spirit, but because Grandma was truly old.

The old woman passed away before the autumn harvest.

At the simple grave, Ah Sheng wept softly. The fox spirit remained silent, quietly keeping him company, wrapping its tail around itself and Ah Sheng, shielding them from the autumn chill.

Wang Dahe remembered the book's title—"The Three-Life Umbrella".

Could it be that the fox spirit and Ah Sheng were destined to be together in a past life, and this happens to be their third life? And it is because they waited for so long that the fox spirit paid the price and became what it is now?

Sigh...maybe he was a good fox spirit before, and didn't look so much like a fox.

The fox spirit accompanied Ah Sheng through the most difficult days. The villagers in this mountain village were simple and honest, but where there are people, there is bound to be malice.

He hid in the shadows and protected ten-year-old Ah Sheng.

Those who tried to bully her always ended up inexplicably unlucky. Over time, rumors spread in the village that Ah Sheng was protected by a fox spirit, and her life became much more stable and peaceful.

Ah Sheng was excessively kind; she argued vehemently with the fox spirit:

"You can't do that!"

"why?"

"Because they are all from the village, everyone should get along well!"

Although the fox spirit didn't seem very intelligent, ten-year-old Asheng didn't seem particularly clever either. Their argument came to nothing, and Asheng sulked in a corner while the fox spirit sulked in another corner.

Four more years passed, and Ah Sheng grew into a more poised and elegant man, with an undeniable charm in his eyes.

She was used to the fox spirit's company, and the fox spirit only appeared to her.

Occasionally, someone in the village would say a few sarcastic remarks, but Ah Sheng was well-liked. The old lady from the east side had accepted her herbs, the old man from the west side had fallen into a ditch and she was the one who found him and called for help, the girl from this family was found by Ah Sheng in the mountains, and the boy from that family was pulled down from a tree by Ah Sheng...

Few in the village had not received Ah Sheng's kindness, and gradually, there were fewer disputes in the village, and much of the hostility dissipated.

With the arrival of the Lunar New Year, it's once again time to worship the fox spirit.

When the fox spirit saw Ah Sheng take the mask, he seemed very agitated. He swung his tail back and forth, occasionally looking up at the sky and baring his fangs, as if he was worried about what was about to happen.

On this day, yellow sand obscured the sky, and the faint sound of foxes could be heard. The unusual celestial phenomenon caused the villagers to kneel and worship repeatedly.

Once a woman starts singing for a temple ceremony, she must never stop, otherwise there will be a shortage of performers the following year. This is a rule that her grandmother taught her.

"The fox spirit is angry..."

"No, I've read the village chronicle; this is something the fox spirit wants to offer!"

The group exchanged bewildered glances, looking at the altar in front of them, then at Ah Sheng, who was wearing a mask and performing opera. They remembered that Ah Sheng seemed to have been taken as a possession by the fox spirit all along.

"Could it be that the fox spirit wants Asahi as a sacrifice...?"

Once this guess came to mind, the more I thought about it, the more I felt it made sense.

The old woman, who had once received herbs from Ah Sheng, gritted her teeth, grabbed Ah Sheng's arm, and said:

"Sweetie, stop singing and go inside to hide."

Ah Sheng was singing when she was interrupted. She didn't know what had happened, and she panicked, fearing a truly poor harvest next year. Looking up, she saw the fox spirit on the altar—

He seemed to be waiting for the villagers to bring Ah Sheng over.

Even amidst the swirling yellow sand, the beast's eyes remained clearly visible, and its tail swayed gently and slowly.

This time, it seems that not only Ah Sheng could see it, but even the villagers saw the faint shadow of a fox in the sandstorm.

Some people were so frightened that they immediately knelt down on the ground.

Others' faces darkened, they gripped their hoes tightly, stepped forward, and blocked Ah Sheng's path, shouting:

"The fox spirit has appeared; this child cannot be used as a sacrifice!"

Whether it was because they had spent a long time together and developed genuine feelings for each other, or because they were afraid that the fox spirit would take Ah Sheng away and then set its sights on their own child, the villagers were unwilling to hand Ah Sheng over to the fox spirit.

A human wall separated Ah Sheng from the fox spirit.

Ah Sheng, wearing the fox spirit mask, suddenly realized something, and at that moment the fox spirit's voice came—

"The time has come!"

A sharp voice, like a prism, pierced through the fog, and Ah Sheng's memories surfaced, his past and present lives becoming one.

Amidst the fox spirit's infatuated laughter, eight fox tails suddenly unfurled behind Ah Sheng.

The fox cultivates through three lifetimes; immortals are formless, only humans reflect themselves!

The fox spirit appeared in the world for the last time, saving the villagers and achieving perfect merit. However, whether the beast becomes good or evil after becoming an immortal depends on how people worship it.

Human hearts are full of greed and delusion. Regardless of the fox spirit's original intentions, after becoming an immortal, it will inevitably conform to the image of the fox spirit worshipped by the world, which embodies selfishness and greed, and will then bring disaster to the village.

Therefore, the fox spirit divided its formless body into two aspects: a human form and a beast form. The human form entered the world to guide the villagers towards goodness, while the beast form should have hidden in the deep forest.

The fox spirit foresaw that disaster would strike today, and thus chose this moment to gain enlightenment and resolve her grievances.

A roar came from the yellow sand, revealing the figure of a colossal creature—a sand-swallowing, earth-shaking beast. It was incredibly tall, with fierce eyes, and gradually moved towards this place, as if it wanted to flatten this village.

What sits on the altar is merely a clay sculpture, but the incense reflects the human heart.

The form with which you worship will determine the form of the deity you inspire.

Ah Sheng, who was protected by the villagers, may also be a fox spirit.

Today, it is exceptionally powerful.