Chapter 108: This Person’s Good Fortune Is No Less Than Mine

The next day, after finishing their chores, the four foxes quietly descended the mountain, entered the Qindao Kingdom, and arrived before the True Lord Temple.

The temple was where the aura of incense was most concentrated, carrying the aspirations of mortals, possessing incredible power and a solemn, dignified air. Feeling the weight of this incense, the four foxes—with Hu Yan at the lead—felt a tremor of trepidation. But then, realizing this was the temple of their own mountain master, they bolstered their courage and strode inside.

"Wow."

Seeing the majestic clay statue of the True Lord and the stream of people kneeling in prayer, the four foxes couldn't help but show reverence. How awe-inspiring he looked!

The elderly temple keeper, a carpenter’s son who had grown up on legends of the True Lord, watched them with a smile. Since the temple’s founding, he had been appointed its caretaker and cherished everyone who showed devotion to the Merciful Lord who Saves from Calamity.

"Young lads, are you here to offer incense?"

The four foxes had just watched others purchase incense or offer gold and silver to the keeper. They touched their empty sleeves and said with some embarrassment, "Old man, we left in a hurry and have no money to buy incense."

The old man laughed, "It is only a few sticks of incense; take them as you please. The True Lord does not look at worldly goods, only at a sincere heart. Those others offer gold and silver only because they wish to show their respect."

"Gold and silver may be valuable, but sincerity and reverence are worth far more."

So saying, he handed three sticks of incense to each of the four foxes. They were overjoyed and showered the old man with thanks. They then stood behind the others, carefully observing how to offer the incense, learning with great focus.

When it was their turn, the four foxes wore expressions of utmost solemnity and piety, performing the ritual with perfect precision.

The moment they knelt, the incense smoke in the temple seemed to be drawn toward them. In a daze, the old man even saw a brilliant light spark in the eyes of the clay statue. He rubbed his eyes in shock, but when he looked again, there was nothing unusual.

The Merciful Lord who Saves from Calamity sat quietly upon his pedestal, his face compassionate, a jade bottle hanging at his waist, a precious sword in his hand. The bottle held nectar to bless the world, and the sword was meant to cut down demons and dispel evil.

At that moment, the four foxes lifted their heads and, amidst the scent of incense, caught the many wishes of those who had come to pray.

"Merciful Lord who Saves from Calamity, please bless me with great wealth."
"Merciful Lord who Saves from Calamity, my cat is lost, please help me find it."
"Merciful Lord who Saves from Calamity, I want to become an immortal."

The four foxes: "..."

They were surprised to hear the inner voices of the people, yet felt helpless. Why were their wishes either trivial matters or completely unrealistic fantasies?

Hu Yan sent a telepathic message: "Damn, we can't handle the big stuff, so let's start with the small. Let's go find that cat. Every little bit helps." The other three nodded in agreement.

Cao Kong, observing this scene from the air, smiled slightly before returning to Hidden Mist Mountain to continue his breathing exercises, refining his Golden Elixir and seeking his Great Dao. Occasionally, when he had leisure time, he would not begrudge transforming into a wandering Taoist to perform acts of kindness in the city.

Unbeknownst to him, he was becoming more connected to the world, and he no longer resisted it—this, too, was a form of cultivation.

As for the Golden Horned Boy and Cao Xiang, they hit it off quite well. The Golden Horned Boy often dragged Cao Xiang out to explore the mortal realm. This made Cao Kong reflect; he had tried many times to take his younger brother out, but Cao Xiang had always refused. Ever since meeting the Golden Horned Boy, however, he had become quite active and they had become fast friends.

...

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

During these three years, the Merciful Lord who Saves from Calamity frequently manifested in the Qindao Kingdom, rewarding the good and punishing the evil with remarkable efficacy. The incense became even more abundant, and the Lord’s name was praised by all; even passing merchants and porters would stop to offer a few sticks of incense, praying for a safe journey.

A rumor spread through the city that because the world was full of hardship, even the Merciful Lord could not see everything at once, so he kept four spiritual foxes by his side to perform good deeds on his behalf. Consequently, four clay statues of foxes were added beneath the great statue in the temple.

When Hu Yan and the others saw their own statues, they were both delighted and terrified, fearing they had acted behind their master's back. They worried that by accidentally revealing their true forms and having statues erected, they might have diluted the master’s incense or drawn it away from him. They hurried to Cao Kong to confess their "mistake."

"The fact that you have been cast in clay just shows how prosperous my incense has become—otherwise, who would bother to cast yours? If anything, I should thank you. Do not worry; go on, go on. I am very comforted by the good deeds you perform."

Cao Kong’s words sent the four foxes away happily, and he smiled to himself. They still thought they had accidentally revealed their true forms, but in reality, it was his own doing.

He looked inward, feeling a spark of joy. Three years had passed, and the impurities in his soul had diminished further. Within forty years, he would have a chance to refine the Pure Yang spirit. He had also begun to grasp the secret of "True Nature Silent, Soul Hidden, and Wood Returning to the Origin." It was a state where the true nature became as still as stagnant water, without ripples, allowing the Wood of the Five Elements to merge with the spirit.

He was already on the path; in less than ten years, he would achieve the Wood Origin. His progress in the Wood Element also bolstered his cultivation of the Wood Luminary, which was now neck-and-neck with his progress in the Metal Luminary, nearing the threshold of minor accomplishment.

This was reflected in his Taoist cultivation, allowing him a glimpse into the gate of "Law of Heaven and Earth." Cao Kong had a premonition that the day he mastered the Wood Origin would be the day he mastered the entry-level techniques of the Law of Heaven and Earth. This was a peerless combat ability; in the original legends, only Sun Wukong and Erlang Shen could wield such power, which spoke to its intensity.

As for the Golden Leopard, though he roamed the mortal world with the Golden Horned Boy, his cultivation had not lagged, and he was on the verge of plucking the Lead Flower, which filled Cao Kong with anticipation.

"Brother, I'm back! I went to so many places with Golden Horn, it was so much fun!"

Cao Xiang returned with the Golden Horned Boy, who wore a smile, looking as if he had no desire to return to the heavens; the mortal world was far too free.

Seeing this, Cao Kong was about to smile, but before he could, he suddenly felt a tremor in his heart. The next moment, he appeared beside the Golden Horned Boy and the others, looking up at the sky.

The Golden Horned Boy sighed, "It has come, after all."

A beam of celestial light pierced through the heavy clouds and shone down. Amidst auspicious vapors and glowing mist, a warrior in white robes and silver armor stepped forth.

"Golden Horn, if you've had your fill of fun, come back with me. The Old Lord is waiting for you."

The silver-armored general had refined features, but for some reason, whenever Cao Kong looked at him, he felt an unusual sense of lethargy. The general noticed Cao Kong’s gaze, but he was more interested in Cao Xiang standing beside him. His eyes flickered as he used a technique to observe his aura.

"Hiss... this person’s fortune is not below my own."

At that very moment, in the Tushita Palace, the Taiyi Savior of Suffering and the Supreme Old Lord were playing a game of go.

The Taiyi Savior of Suffering smiled, "My disciple has been well taken care of over these years."

The Supreme Old Lord understood the underlying meaning and laughed, "I understand your intent. Very well, one day I shall forge a treasure for your disciple."

The Taiyi Savior of Suffering nodded with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist, you have a look of anticipation; are you..."

The Taiyi Savior of Suffering laughed, "I hear the Old Lord’s boy is very clever; I would like to see him myself."