A month had passed since Tang San had fully absorbed his second spirit ring.
The nights were silent, but his journey had not stalled. Instead, it took root, quietly growing like vines under stone—firm, slow, and unstoppable.
He was no longer alone in the shadows.
He now had six loyal subordinates—all once fox-type spirit beasts, each over 800 years old.
They now walked in human form.
The Planting of Seeds
It had begun in a forgotten forest valley, surrounded by thick mist and old trees.
Tang San stood at the center, the Fox Emperor Soul Bone in his body resonating with the beasts kneeling before him.
They had not resisted—they had submitted.
Six in total: five males, one female, each with pure bloodlines and sharp minds. Not simply wild beasts, but creatures capable of intelligence and evolution.
Tang San had chosen them carefully.
He raised his hand, and the green aura of the Fox Soul Seed bloomed in his palm.
With focused precision, he planted a seed in each of the six foxes. The transformation was instant—bodies reshaping, bones shifting, fur receding. In less than an hour, six humans knelt before him, each bearing remnants of their beast form—fox ears, tails, or golden pupils.
They were his now.
Loyalty Forged in Power
The process had not ended with their transformation.
Tang San didn't leave them to fend for themselves. He personally helped each of them obtain two spirit rings, carefully selected to complement their natural attributes:
Illusion-based rings for stealth and control.
Agility-enhancing rings for survival and escape.
Minor charm and confusion techniques to fit the style of the Fox Path.
Each spirit ring was handpicked from spirit beasts Tang San hunted or guided them to fight. He ensured that they would never fall behind.
And in turn, they swore unbreakable loyalty.
Their names were:
Yun (calm and calculating)
Rui (agile and observant)
Huo (the strongest in combat)
Zhen (the planner and trader)
Lan (focused on charm and illusion)
Mei (the only female, emotionally sharp and the closest to Tang San)
He gave them identities. Clothes. Roles.
A Web of Influence
Disguised as common citizens, the six spread across nearby towns and cities. They began building small businesses: herb shops, ore traders, beast core buyers, and spirit tool craftsmen.
Each operation was separate, yet quietly tied to Tang San's growing needs:
Rare herbs for internal training.
Special ores to forge spirit-conducting weapons.
Intelligence on rogue cultivators and spirit beast migrations.
None of these businesses bore Tang San's name. None were connected publicly.
But they all served one master.
"Gather resources. Build influence. Learn the human world. And stay hidden," he instructed them.
They obeyed without question.
The Hidden Forge
In a concealed cave behind a waterfall—his own secret base—Tang San had begun experimenting with weapon crafting.
Using rare spirit-conducting metals, paired with the materials his six vassals collected, he began designing weapons tied to his agility, spirit energy, and the Fox Emperor's charm techniques.
Thin blades that left afterimages.
Throwing needles laced with spirit illusions.
A folding fan infused with charm and spiritual aura.
Each was a silent extension of his evolving identity—nothing flashy, but deadly in his hands.
Growth in Silence
Tang San's own training didn't stop.
He refined his body with the blood refinement technique granted by his spirit bone, increasing his strength and stamina. His combat ability improved, and so did his resistance to spirit pressure.
No one knew about his six followers.
No one knew about the weapons.
No one knew he was slowly weaving a network of control and strength, rooted not in fame, but in absolute secrecy.
Even Grandmaster remained unaware of the six transformed fox beasts. When asked about his progress, Tang San only smiled and answered modestly, hiding the true extent of his growth.
Fox Emperor's Path
Each night, Tang San stood on a mountain peak, watching stars trace paths through the sky.
He could feel the six seeds pulsing faintly from afar, their bond strengthening.
He wasn't ready to reveal them to the world.
But the day would come when those six would walk beside him—not as servants, but as shadows of the Fox Emperor's Will.
And on that day, the world would no longer be safe for those who underestimated him.
End of Chapter 28