Food System in Cultivation World-Chapter 491 - 453: Nighttime Encounter, The Fox’s Gratitude
As night fell, Chen Xu was halfway through his flight.
He was about to cross the Jing-Heng Road, re-entering the Northern Border.
Yet he saw a crescent moon hanging askew in the sky, slender like a sickle, radiating a cool light.
The vast Hengling Mountain Range resembled a gigantic dragon lying prone, silently winding across the vast land.
Among the wild mountains, much of the terrain was desolate, dominated by rocks and dry ground.
Only between two opposing peaks, a grand river flowed through.
The rushing river surged majestically, breaking waves in the moonlight, white caps piled as if of shattered jade and jade dew.
This magnificent river was none other than the North-South Grand Canal, recently opened by the joint efforts of Chen Xu and Wen Daoyuan!
With the canal completed, the north and south were thus connected.
Wherever the river flowed, lush greenery now spread over the once barren ground.
This night, as Chen Xu flew over the river once more, he was about to traverse the entire Hengling Mountain via the canal.
When suddenly, he saw a lone figure kneeling in the moonlight, on the water.
Chen Xu could have ignored that figure under the moon and flown away directly.
But his hearing was too sharp, and he overheard the figure praying:
"Celestial Venerable, may you protect us. I only hope that Top Scholar Chen does not venture to the north again, for the north is fraught with danger, it should not be traversed!"
Chen Xu was slightly startled.
The words of the prayer seemed suspiciously directed at him, and the voice sounded strangely familiar.
Given this, Chen Xu had no choice but to control the wind to descend, landing on the river surface to see who was praying here.
At the same time, his divine thought swept down without a trace.
Upon seeing, he discovered that the prayer indeed belonged to an "old acquaintance".
Though an "old acquaintance", the other party was not truly a "human".
But rather, the Fox Demon Chen Xu had once encountered on the streets of Jichuan County, Hu Xi!
However, the Hu Xi now was noticeably different from the Hu Xi that Chen Xu had seen before.
The former Hu Xi, though human-like, could never quite conceal his fox-like form in his shoulders and limbs.
Especially his face, with fox eyes slanted upwards and sharp cheeks, exuding a wild demonic aura even without speaking.
At first glance, one couldn’t help but think: demon!
Now, Hu Xi knelt alone on the small boat in the water, still garbed in a scholar’s robe with a red flower pinned by his temple, yet his temperament had changed greatly from before.
The demonic aura seemed to have faded, and he knelt straight-backed in the moonlight.
Now, he looked more human!
No, if not for the past acquaintance, if Chen Xu were to first encounter Hu Xi at this moment, he might mistake him for a human.
This fox indeed learned well from humans, increasingly resembling them.
Hu Xi, kneeling on the small boat, suddenly sensed something, and abruptly lifted his head.
Then, a mix of surprise and joy appeared on Hu Xi’s face: "Mr. Chen, it truly is you!"
Chen Xu started to feel something was off, and he calmly asked: "Why would Mr. Hu say such a thing?"
Hu Xi first ignored Chen Xu’s question and bowed thrice to the moon.
A fox worshipping the moon, Chen Xu naturally stepped aside.
When he finished bowing to the moon, he explained:
"I say this because I divined that Mr. Chen would pass by here, so I chose to wait and express my gratitude."
What?
The Fox Demon adept at divination?
Something’s not right; Chen Xu possesses the Tribulation Mirror Divine Power, not even those one realm higher could easily divine him.
And Hu Xi’s cultivation...
Chen Xu silently assessed, not directly using the Tidal Observation, yet intuitively felt—
Hu Xi’s cultivation posed no threat to the current Chen Xu.
Even if he could transform into a human completely, without exceeding Chen Xu’s cultivation, how could he divine him?
Chen Xu questioned: "You divined me to express gratitude, what do you mean by this?"
The Fox Demon responded: "I did not directly divine Mr. Chen; you alleviated the Northern Boundary’s great drought and have overseen the South-to-North Water Transfer.
Your deeds are radiant and shining.
Though I’ve learned some divination, it’s impossible to divine someone with such merit.
My divination concerned how I should act to fulfill my gratitude.
The conclusion was to wait here.
My divination proved correct; for ten nights, I’ve worshipped the moon here and tonight I finally meet Mr. Chen."
Hu Xi sat cross-legged on the small boat, a clear joy on his face.
Evidently, he was quite satisfied with his divination.
So that’s it.
Upon hearing this, Chen Xu finally understood the ins and outs.
But the cause-and-effect was indeed quite bizarre.
He merely intended to fly to the Jade Capital, and midway encounters a fox expressing gratitude?
Is Hu Xi’s divination truly so miraculous, or has his "merit" begun to work through fortune’s increase?
Chen Xu felt it was remarkable, but he still said:
"Mr. Hu, if you say the South-to-North Water Transfer is a great deed, indeed it’s true.
But if you say I have done you a favor, I dare not claim such credit."
Honestly, Chen Xu couldn’t even remember doing Hu Xi any favor.
Yet Hu Xi said: "Is not imparting wisdom also a favor?"
Speaking, he stood up from the small boat.
Upon standing, Chen Xu suddenly noticed three fluffy tails extending from behind him!
Hu Xi appeared in scholar’s attire, lean and tall.
Judging purely by physique, he was entirely human now.
Except for the three large tails behind him!
