Chapter 2: Chicken Dinner
Humans are different, so foxes are between them; the living and the dead have different paths, so foxes are between them; immortals and monsters have different paths, so foxes are between them.
Foxes are strange, but also common.
Ordinary foxes were nothing more than wild beasts, their lives fleeting in a daze. Only extraordinary foxes, like Gong Mengbi, could learn human language and transform into human form. If they passed the test of the Taishan Goddess, they could even cultivate into immortals.
The Queen Mother of Mount Tai is in charge of the assessment of all fox tribes in the world, which is done once a year. Those who pass the examination become students, and only students can practice immortality.
Otherwise, even if there is some supernatural power, it is just a wild monster.
No matter in which world, taking the civil service exam is the eternal destination.
Gong Mengbi almost wiped away tears of sorrow. He didn't take the civil service exam when he was a human in his previous life, but now he has to take it as a fox.
It is not an easy task for a fox to pass the civil service exam. One of the requirements is to be able to speak bird languages, and to be able to speak the languages of birds in all parts of the world.
Why do we need to understand bird language? Because birds are messengers of God.
Just as the Goddess of Mount Tai sent the blue bird to convey messages to the priests, the immortals and gods in heaven and the ghosts and gods in the underworld all like to use birds to convey messages.
Those of high rank use bluebirds and white cranes as their symbols, while those of low rank use sparrows and partridges as their symbols.
Without understanding bird language, it is difficult for a fox to play its role between the living and the dead.
However, even without the temptation of the wishing tree, Gong Mengbi was determined to kill other foxes and pass the examination to become an immortal official, otherwise it would be too dangerous for a wild fox to live in this world.
Demons hunt their own kind, monks and Taoists slay them, and a wild demon is left alone, and that is truly miserable.
Not to mention those far away, there are Huaguang Temple and Taiqing Temple nearby, which are both famous Buddhist and Taoist temples.
Also in Dongyang County, there are famous mountains and important places such as Jinhua Mountain and Zhenshan.
In addition, there are often various legends about demons.
Now that the Dagan Dynasty is entering its twilight years, the world is plagued by disasters, and humanity is in turmoil. Immortals and gods cannot escape the world, and even the underworld is in chaos.
Gong Mengbi, the helpless fox demon, only hopes that the Queen Mother of Mount Tai will give him some warmth, and hopes that the blue bird will bring good news as soon as possible.
It’s a pity that the blue bird didn’t wait, but waited for Shenshan.
Another night, Gong Mengbi was weaving a straw man in the courtyard. He took the sedge in the courtyard and weaved it with a secret spell, and it could be transformed into a straw god.
When he was halfway through editing, he heard candles being lit and incense being burned outside the courtyard. Roast chicken, braised goose and pickled duck were also offered, which all tickled Gong Mengbi's sore spot.
Gong Mengbi didn't want to pay any attention to it, but the fox was so greedy that he used the magic of hiding his form and left the yard.
Shen Shan led his family to stand in front of the altar. Mrs. Shen burst into tears, looking at the deserted garden with fear and expectation.
There was a ring of the door knocker and the flickering candlelight. Although they saw nothing, the Shen family, young and old, felt as if something was coming out of the East Garden.
The smoke from the incense on the altar was swirling, as if it was absorbed by something and was burning extremely fiercely.
"Don't bring so many people. Leave one to talk to me."
A shrill voice came from the smoke.
Shen Shan was surprised and happy. He quickly asked his family to leave and stayed here alone.
Mrs. Shen held his hand tightly with tears in her eyes. He nodded and said comfortingly, "The fox fairy will definitely find a way."
Mrs. Shen endured the grief and went on.
After everyone left, Gong Mengbi asked softly, "Chenshan, why did you come to see me?"
Shen Shan's face was haggard, and the burning anger in his heart seemed to burn on his face. "Please help me, fox fairy. My son Shen Qiao and nephew Shen Yan are missing. We were playing in the city today, and they disappeared in the blink of an eye."
"They were clearly in the downtown area, but no one around said they saw them. How could two living people just disappear out of thin air?"
"How could it be gone? I just turned around to buy them some candy, how could it just disappear?"
"We searched all over the streets and even sent out servants from the mansion to look for him, but we couldn't find him!"
Chen Shan's eyes were filled with tears. "If they were kidnapped, I could pay for their redemption, or even spend all my wealth. I'm afraid if they were abducted, I'll never see them again. I only ask the fox fairy to rescue the two children. If you can find them, I'm willing to erect a tablet for the fox fairy and worship her day and night!"
Gong Mengbi frowned slightly. He looked at Chenshan carefully and used the Qi-gazing technique. He saw a calamity energy falling down, suppressing the green energy on the top of Chenshan. However, this calamity energy was not serious. It only damaged the fortune and there was no bloodshed.
Gong Mengbi had an idea in his mind.
"Disappearing out of thin air is nothing more than a sorcery." A shrill voice spoke from the smoke. "Practicing magic in broad daylight isn't a ghost. Without demonic aura, it's not a demon."
"I know all the experts nearby, so they won't harm you."
"A powerful dragon has arrived in the city. Go and ask around in secret to see if there are any powerful strangers who have arrived recently."
"There's no need to rush. Those who come for wealth won't hurt you, but they'll just have to suffer."
After the incense on the altar finished burning, Gong Mengbi stopped talking.
A straw man appeared in the smoke on the incense table, and a shrill voice seemed to come from a very far distance.
"Carry it with you."
"Fox fairy! Fox fairy!" Chen Shan called out twice, but there was no response.
The candles on the incense table were also extinguished.
Chen Shan felt a little more at ease and reached out to take the straw man on the incense table. There was no candlelight, but there was still moonlight.
There was only a straw man on the altar, and the three plates of offerings had disappeared.
Chen Shan was not surprised at all, but overjoyed. He bowed towards the East Garden and hurried back to the main hall.
Gong Mengbi carried the tribute with the wind and ate his fill on the pavilion.
Holding a chicken leg bone in his mouth, Gong Mengbi lay on the fence with his eyes half closed. The back half of his greasy hands looked like a human, but the front half looked more like "claws", a slender and sharp weapon.
Gong Mengbi tapped lightly on the fence with his slender nails, and looked towards the city with drooping eyelids.
The various energies in the city were mixed, and human energy formed into blue clouds, making it difficult to see what was going on inside.
"The City God Temple is still fine, and the monks at Huaguang Temple haven't closed their doors either. This is strange. Is it some powerful person who has come, or just some wandering young man?"
These are bad years, so naturally there are many people trying to make a living.
Some are young people who have acquired some special skills by chance. They dare to do anything and don't know any rules.
Some are sorcerers with inherited methods, secret methods, but they also know a lot of rules.
There are also big thieves and evildoers mixed in the crowd, who are like fierce dragons crossing the river, their methods are cruel and extremely difficult to deal with.
Gong Mengbi's greasy hands pinched the spiritual secrets, and a cold wind blew. In just a moment, dozens of wandering souls appeared in the shadows.
Most of these wandering souls are incomplete and will soon lose their intelligence and die due to the exhaustion of their lifespan.
Gong Mengbi lit a stick of incense made from Cyperus rotundus in the garden, which was used to calm the mind and soothe the spirit.
These wandering spirits swarmed over to absorb the fragrance. The strong ones took the most, leaving the leftovers for the weaker ones to eat. Then they squeezed out and bowed before Gong Mengbi, "Master Fox Fairy, what are your orders?"
Gong Mengbi said, "There may be some talented people coming to the city recently. Find out for me and report back to me tomorrow."
"Yes!" The wandering soul then dispersed.
When the fragrance of Cyperus rotundus burns out, all the ghosts disappear.
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