Chapter 1 Torrential Rain

Torrential rain poured down.

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

Outside the Mountain God Temple, a figure appeared, causing the temperature inside to drop noticeably.

It was a woman, a very enchanting woman.

She was scantily clad and beautiful. A flash of lightning illuminated her features, confirming her striking beauty.

The merchants stared wide-eyed at the alluring woman.

"This young lady, would you like to come and sit for a while?"

Someone was bold enough to invite her to sit down.

However, the burly man with the bristling beard snorted coldly.

"In the wilderness, a woman suddenly appears, wearing so little. Aren't you afraid she's a demon who will devour your lustful hearts?"

The burly man's words jolted the merchants awake. They immediately shut their mouths, trembling slightly, afraid to think too much about it.

Indeed, in this desolate place, who knew if she was human or ghost?

"Hehe, I am indeed a demon, one who specializes in eating people."

The woman giggled, then slowly walked in, approaching the bonfire. She looked at Lu Changsheng and said, "Young master, the wind and rain outside are fierce. I'm soaked to the bone. May I stand by the fire to dry myself a little? I don't feel comfortable when I'm all wet."

The woman's voice was incredibly seductive, making hearts itch.

"A little wet is good."

Lu Changsheng smiled, not refusing. Instead, he casually tossed some dry firewood beside him into the bonfire.

Crack! Crack!

The dry wood fell into the bonfire, making crackling sounds. The flames burned, and the temperature in the Mountain God Temple rose slightly.

"Hehe, this young master is truly witty. Young master, aren't you afraid that I'm a demon?"

The alluring woman sat down next to Lu Changsheng. Her figure was exquisite, and because the gauze clothing she wore was soaked with rain, it clung to her body, revealing tantalizing glimpses, making her even more alluring.

"So what if you're a demon? So what if you're not? Who says demons are bound to harm people?"

Lu Changsheng looked at the woman with a smile, but his eyes were clear, showing no lust.

However, at that moment, the burly man couldn't help but snort.

"A demon is a demon. They use beauty to seduce people and wealth to corrupt them. Young man, don't be fooled."

The burly man said this, but he didn't look at Lu Changsheng, so it seemed casual, but he was actually speaking with ulterior motives.

However, Lu Changsheng just chuckled.

As for the alluring woman, she stirred the bonfire and slowly said, "The world says that demons are evil and do terrible things, but when humans do terrible things, they can be even more terrifying than demons."

She said casually, then continued, "Since we have nothing to do, let me tell you a story."

As she spoke, sparks burst from the bonfire, scattering around.

The Mountain God Temple was very quiet.

Everyone was silent.

"Fifty years ago, in Beiliang Prefecture, Anzhi County, there was a scholar. He studied diligently for ten years, but unfortunately, he was never able to pass the imperial examinations and become a government official. He was a poor scholar in the surrounding villages, without a wife or children, utterly penniless."

"Who knows what luck this scholar had, but while reading at home, he encountered an injured fox. The scholar fed the fox his meager rations, and the fox stayed with the scholar while it healed."

"But in fact, this fox was a spirit fox. To repay his kindness, she absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth every day and added it to the scholar, opening his mind and making him feel as if he had divine help while reading."

"Later, when the spirit fox's injuries healed, she transformed into a human, pure and beautiful, and was willing to give herself to him to repay the scholar's life-saving grace."

"She even said that if one day the scholar no longer liked her, she would leave on her own."

"And the scholar was overjoyed, perhaps because this white fox was too beautiful, or perhaps because she was a spirit fox."

"And so, the scholar and the white fox lived an enviable life, which lasted for three years. The white fox had completely fallen in love with this scholar, and the scholar had also completely fallen in love with the white fox."

"However, three years later, the scholar came in first place in the imperial examination, achieving the title of Zhuangyuan (first place), and was even chosen by the princess, who wanted him to become her consort."

"Faced with power and wealth, the scholar gave up everything. He became the consort, held the rank of second-grade official, and enjoyed wealth and glory."

"The white fox knew all of this. She wasn't angry, nor did she say anything. She simply waited in the humble house for three years."

"Three years later, the scholar had become the current prime minister, holding the power of the world. He came to the humble house, but he brought many soldiers and sorcerers with him."

"Because the current emperor was terminally ill, a sorcerer said that to cure the illness, they needed to use the blood of a spirit fox as medicine, which could heal the disease and extend his life, and the emperor said that whoever could find the blood of a white fox would have the throne passed to them."

"The scholar had returned, bringing soldiers with him. The white fox smiled. She saw the scholar and smiled happily."

"However, the scholar had a cold face, informing the white fox of his purpose. He wanted to take her blood, take her essence blood."

"The scholar understood that doing so would shorten the white fox's lifespan, but he didn't care, only caring about royal power and wealth."

"The white fox didn't say a word. Instead, she pierced her heart and extracted her spirit blood."

"After the scholar obtained the essence blood, he saved the emperor, and just then, the princess also learned of the scholar's story. She was furious and demanded that the scholar kill the white fox, otherwise, she would never allow the scholar to become emperor."

"The scholar didn't say anything. He simply put on his cold armor and returned to the humble house once again."

"Do you know what the final result was?"

The alluring woman slowly told this story. Inside the Mountain God Temple, everyone listened attentively.

Everyone was immersed in the story. When she got to this point, someone couldn't help but ask curiously.

"What was the result?"

Hearing someone ask, the alluring woman put down the branch in her hand.

Under the glow of the bonfire.

Her beautiful face revealed a cold expression, and in her eyes, there was an unsuppressable anger.

"The scholar returned to the humble house and killed the white fox. He skinned her and made her fur into a coat, which he gave to the current princess."

The voice rang out.

For a moment, the Mountain God Temple was silent.

After a long while.

A voice slowly sounded.

"Amitabha."

The old monk put his hands together. He didn't know what to say.

The burly man took a sip of wine and remained silent.

Lu Changsheng leaned against a rock and didn't say anything either.

Just then, the alluring woman's laughter rang out again.

"Hehe, everyone, after hearing this story, do you think it's the human heart that's sinister, or the demons that are terrifying?"

She said with a smile.

But inside the Mountain God Temple, there was absolute silence.

Apart from the beggar's slight snores, there was no other sound.

"What happened after that?"

Lu Changsheng asked calmly.