"Hey! I'm finished! I'm finished!"
Thunder seemed to rumble through the dark clouds overhead. The village houses nestled at the mountain's base appeared misty in the nighttime haze. Cherry blossoms drifted pink in the breeze, and suddenly cheerful sounds rang out among them.
In a dwelling situated in the village's remote section, books about two fingers thick lay torn to shreds, the paper fragments falling like snow mixed with dust particles.
The blue-eyed, two-tailed white fox cast aside the thing that had long troubled it, leaped onto the bedding and bounded with joy, a few whimpering sounds escaping its voice.
The lovely black-haired woman resting on her side upon the bed showed no annoyance on her features. She quietly drew the quilt's edge over her head and ignored the clamorous sounds from the world outside.
"I'm finished!"
"..."
"Didn't you hear me?!"
The two-tailed white fox dug its four paws into the bedding, slapping the woman's cheek with its paw pads. Seeing her complete stillness, it flicked its tail twice with irritation, narrowed its eyes slightly, and arched its back.
"Puff-"
"Mmmmm--!!"
"Ha~~"
She pinched the tip of the folded ear and gently massaged it with her index finger and thumb, transforming it to resemble an ordinary human's. She lay lazily upon the quilt, preventing the white fox's attempts to escape from beneath the covers.
The woman covered her mouth and laughed: "How pitiable! It must be from eating too much this evening. I suppose I should just prepare some rice for you tomorrow."
Listening to the fox's piercing cry and watching the quilt's struggles gradually weaken, the woman curved her lips in boredom and loosened her grip a little.
She gestured to illuminate the alchemical lamp on the nightstand, and the dim orange glow fell upon her delicate feet. Her jade feet nimbly caught the white fox that had escaped the quilt and pounced toward her. Her small toes, arranged like white pearls, brushed against the fur on its body.
The white fox bared its fangs and snorted, "I have finished memorizing the book 'The Self-awareness of the Fox Spirit' that you gave me. Quickly give me what you promised!"
"Since you've committed it to memory, why not try it yourself? Use the technique I taught you, and I guarantee you can make those foolish people surrender the fried tofu you desire." The woman dangled the white fox between her feet and spoke with a gentle, alluring voice.
"If you can be self-sufficient, you won't need to debase yourself by warming my hands and feet anymore~"
Look at how adorable he appears, anticipating his reward.
The pupils concealed in the clear blue eyes dilated, and the white fox couldn't help but loudly protest: "You foolish caretaker! Put away your arrogant delusion—we foxes prefer eating chicken above all!"
"What's so delicious about fried tofu? It lacks both the flavor and texture of meat. A fox that enjoys such vegetarian fare is simply a heretic among heretics!"
The white fox writhed in dissatisfaction, grinding its teeth gently, and glared down at the woman from above, declaring:
"When I first learned that you humans harbored such fantasies, I, the God of Servant Yingsai, vowed to my fellow tribesmen—the Tuanque who was crushed beneath my claws—that no matter the cost, I would change your misconceptions about foxes!"
"So this explains why you must consume at least 100 of my chickens monthly?"
"This is a necessary sacrifice. And you see, none of my collaborators for the braised chicken, roasted chicken, beggar's chicken, corn chicken soup, etc. raised any objections to me. You have no right to use this reason to criticize me."
The fox eyes regarded the woman earnestly. At this moment, the servant Yingzhai finally displayed the majesty of the Baichen bloodline within him, speaking righteously and unreasonably:
"Furthermore, as far as I know, my collaborators were all willing to be brought back by you. They made no noise or trouble during the journey and were very cooperative. If you distort the truth now, wouldn't their sacrifice be meaningless?"
Thinking of his collaborator whose body temperature rose due to excitement during the trip here, and who had to remove his feather garment for passersby to admire, the samurai god Sakurasai shed a sorrowful tear.
He wept vaguely, "I will never betray their sacrifice!"
"Alright, alright, I admit what you said makes considerable sense."
Wiping away the saliva dripping from her feet with disgust, the white fox's keeper finally set down the samurai Sakurasai, opened the second drawer of the nightstand, and retrieved a locked combination box.
She asked once more, "Are you certain you want this?"
"I am absolutely certain!"
"You must understand that this treasure is stored in a very perilous place. If you wish to obtain the treasure, you will have to endure a series of hardships and setbacks."
Taking noble steps toward the woman, the samurai Sakurasai gazed longingly at the brown paper the woman extracted from the combination box. There was an unwavering determination in his eyes, as if he were a sacred cherry tree rooted in Inazuma's soil.
"Zhongzi, you must understand that this is my dream objective. It has troubled me for most of my existence."
"I have a mystical premonition that I will be able to obtain this treasure successfully!"
"How old are you this year?"
Though she teased the samurai Sakurasai's age, Shigeko's eyes still revealed a hint of parting sorrow.
She solemnly passed the brown paper to the servant Yingzhai and sighed softly: "The luggage I packed for you is placed beneath the cabinet. I also have an intuition that you cannot remain here much longer. Perhaps I shouldn't have told you this initially..."
Without uttering a word, he leaped off the bed, retrieved a small bundle from the cupboard and carefully stored the brown paper away, then he removed the broom handle and lifted the bundle. The attendant god Sakurasai shouldered it and walked toward the closed wooden door.
The cool night breeze drifted into the room. The white fox, which stood only as tall as a normal person's knee, slowed its pace and turned its gaze slightly before stepping out of the house.
"Thank you for telling me, Chongzi."
"But I told you then... because I also have my own selfish reasons..."
"Zhongzi, you needn't blame yourself. I am a free fox. I cannot be confined here indefinitely. A free spirit should not be impeded by excuses."
Looking skyward, it seemed as though he had pierced through the clouds, space, and time, and witnessed the scene described by Baryon when the treasure was lost.
The evil god was enveloped in thunder's power, with special lightning gleaming in his pupils. The seated warrior unsheathed his sword, releasing a brilliant blade light, and used his mighty force to leave behind the precious ancient recipe that had withstood time's test.
Beside the oppressed chef, there was a delectable roast chicken prepared according to an ancient recipe, with a nectar-like fragrance flowing over it, and the rising white steam resembled white clouds in the heavens.
Just one bite and you could experience the sensation of becoming an immortal.
The attendant god Yingsai lifted the corner of his mouth.
"I will reclaim the lost treasure of your ancestors. Even the so-called gods and the bravest warriors under her command cannot obstruct the steps of my servant Sakurasai!"
Suddenly, loud thunder crashed in the sky, and purple light tore through the clouds, taking root in them like a cherry tree, and descending with the heavens' gift.
After the thunder comes the sound of rain.
The sound of water droplets fell, obscuring the white fox's departing silhouette.
"Ha, are you drooling from greed?"
Seeing a puddle of water on the floor tiles, the woman chuckled, lifted a strand of cherry hair with her fingertips, and closed the open wooden door without leaving her bed.
She clapped her hands together and said, "I have been scheming for four years and it has finally succeeded. It is so simple to deceive little foxes."
Lying on her side with her fingers beneath her chin and her soft fur tail brushing against the bed, 'Zhongzi', who had transformed into a pink vixen, frowned slightly and murmured sadly.
"It's just somewhat melancholy that the little fox has become such an easy target to manipulate. He lacks the bearing of a senior entirely."
"I suppose he doesn't dare imagine now that his predecessors, in their youth, could easily see through the trick and play pranks on the foolish one. Hehe~"
"Yawn!"
"What an inauspicious beginning! I won't catch cold, will I?"
After departing the village in a heroic manner, the white fox hurriedly ran to a tree hollow to shelter from the rain, shook the water from its fur, and stared vacantly at the green leaves outside as they were drenched by the rain.
After a long while, the attendant god Yingsai sighed.
"It's difficult to kindle a fire in this weather."
He also wished to see whether this so-called Eye of God lived up to its nickname - [External Magic Organ].
Although it felt somewhat firm to the touch, it was definitely like people in the past had not discovered that insects could be fried and taste delicious, and had not found a suitable cooking method.