Quyang County, Yunmeng Mountain.
The Yunmeng Mountain that Xu Qing sees today is vastly different from the one he saw more than a decade ago.
Back then, though Yunmeng Mountain had poisonous miasma, it did not have thick mist. But now, the mountain is shrouded in dense fog, making it impossible to see anyone within five steps.
Lord Yuan once told Xu Qing that in the upper realm, there are four treasures: wind, mist, cloud, and qi, also known as the Four Mothers.
A thousand years ago, when Lord Yuan was punished to guard the White Cloud Cave in the lower realm, the Celestial Emperor, in consideration of the Nine Heavens Profound Lady, lent him one of the Four Mother's treasures: the Mist Veil.
The Mist Veil resembles a curtain, and when unfolded, steaming mist gushes out. If fully expanded, it spreads for a hundred miles; even an Immortal would find it difficult to discern the mysteries within.
However, after the White Cloud Cave was sealed, the Mist Veil was taken back by the Celestial Emperor.
For a thousand years, Yunmeng Mountain, spreading over a hundred miles, was no longer covered in thick mist.
But now, the sudden emergence of mist unseen for a millennium is indeed strange.
With unusual occurrences, there must be a demon involved. Xu Qing, with furrowed brows, heads toward the White Cloud Cave with a young girl and an old aunt skilled in divination.
When they arrive at a secluded part of the mountain, the sound of water trickling suddenly pierces through the clouds and mist.
Following the sound, Bai Qiuyu discovers a deep ravine splitting the steep mountain rock ten steps ahead. The water in the ravine is extremely clear, and looking further, there is a waterfall cascading from a height of ten thousand feet!
Its sound is like the chime of jade, clear and pleasant to the ear.
In the shimmering water, it seems as though a bright moon is hanging upside down, resembling a celestial jade plate sinking to the water's depths.
Bai Qiuyu, who had never seen such a peculiar water scene, curiously asks, "What place is this?"
Beside her, Xu Qing, accompanied by a fox and a cat, explains:
"This place where Lord Yuan faced the calamity of the Five Elements, the flood, is called Bright Moon Ravine."
Bai Qiuyu peers into the ravine below; the chill is biting, and the escaping Water Spirit Qi is refreshing to the heart. The stone walls, washed for countless years by the ravine water, are as smooth as a mirror, even showing her reflection.
At this moment, Bai Qiuyu isn't using illusion techniques to conceal her appearance, displaying an innate allure with her icy skin and jade-like bones.
Xu Qing realizes that every nine-tailed fox has an outstanding appearance!
Unlike the old vixen of the White Cloud Cave, whose face has more wrinkles than the banana fan in Monk Xinyuan's hand.
The reason for this lies in the differences brought about by bloodline inheritance.
Nine-tailed foxes, being auspicious creatures by nature, adhere to the laws of nature. They don't obsess over transformation when their cultivation is insufficient and, even when it is, follow their innate transformations to assume human form.
But common fox demons are different. They often envy the pleasures and indulgences of the human world.
Upon attaining awareness, nine out of ten foxes wish to become human immediately, blend into the mundane world, and enjoy its pleasures.
Yet, fox demons of low cultivation have only one way to transform into human form.
They must use their innate ability to transform, find a human skull cap, place it on their head, and worship the moon.
If transformation is not fated, the skull cap will roll off; if it remains steady after forty-nine worships, they'll instantly assume the appearance of the skull's owner during life.
This appearance and body will follow the fox demon for life, even in their transformation to celestial foxes.
Xu Qing didn't need to think hard to know that White Cloud Cave's celestial fox must have been a pleasure-seeking fox in her early years, or she wouldn't have picked an old lady's skull from some deserted graveyard.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Bai Qiuyu notices Xu Qing's gaze and becomes wary.
Though you're my creditor and immediate superior, you shouldn't have any other ideas, right?
Besides, Xuan Yu is watching nearby!
In the face of the Qingqiu Fox Girl's questioning, Xu Qing says with interest, "I was wondering where one might dig up such a beautifully formed skull like yours, Daoist Bai."
"..."
Bai Qiuyu's fox eyes widen in disbelief.
That's right! How could she forget that besides digging graves and holding funerals, Sect Leader Xu is fixated on nothing else.
Her Qingqiu Fox Race, along with the Tushan Fox Race's innate captivating divine techniques, wouldn't affect him in the slightest.
Understanding this, Bai Qiuyu inexplicably feels a surge of competitiveness.
To avoid trouble, she often alters her appearance daily, sometimes even adopting an accent from Guandong to steer clear of the dialects from Shu Region or the Jiangnan Water Village.
Her appearance often becomes so plain it's hard to remember.
But how come in front of Xu Qing, she isn't even comparable to a skull?
Meanwhile, Xu Qing continues along Bright Moon Ravine, and on the way, he would often see Bai Qiuyu stretching by the cliffs in her divination robe, occasionally flexing lazily to reveal the curves hugging the robe and unintentionally exuding the unique charm of the Qingqiu Fox Race.
"Daoist Bai, is something troubling your body?"
Xu Qing suddenly asks, looking at the fox girl with a spring-like brow and alluring eyes.
Bai Qiuyu lifts her jade-like hand to touch her temple and replies with a soft voice, "Thank you for your concern, young master. Having abandoned everything to follow you, I'm quite fatigued. And there's a slight tightness in my chest..."
Saying this, Bai Qiuyu raises her sleeve to half-cover her lips and coughs gently, her eyes sparkling as she continues:
"It's nothing serious. As long as the young master is here, even resting by this curtain of water would suffice for me."
"..."
Beside them, Xuan Yu, following Xu Qing, feels her fur tighten and her hair stand on end!