The gale swept across the square of Fox Mountain.
Bai Mo sat on a fishing chair reclined next to the Alchemy Furnace, allowing the wind to rustle his clothes.
His Pill Fire blazed fiercely within the furnace, roasting the Forked Grass flying inside.
His Divine Sense was fully imrsed in the furnace, observing the dance of every blade of Forked Grass.
Under the dual effect of Divine Sense and Pill Fire, the Forked Grass continuously withered, its stalks were burnt away, leaving behind forked leaves which gradually adhered together, forming a dense weave...
"When it involves Divination, when it involves taphysics, many of the principles differ in the end."
"The reason Forked Grass restrains Divination has little to do with its dicinal properties, it’s mainly about its shape."
"The key to refining also lies in its form, not particularly focusing on its dicinal properties."
Bai Mo muttered while reflecting on today’s lessons, feeling he’d gained sothing new.
Beside him, Bai Liandan’Er quietly squatted, wagging its tail, giving its master an adoring look, and nudging its head against the master’s shoulder... It didn’t understand what the master was saying. But the master was the greatest, whatever the master said was always right!
Bang!
With a crisp sound, the lid of the Alchemy Furnace popped open, spewing hot steam and leaping flas.
Under the steaming flas and heat, a black square piece of paper fluttered out, spinning with the wind, landing in Bai Mo’s hand.
A whole bag full, weighing over a hundred pounds of Forked Grass, after refinent, had been condensed into this small thin sheet. If looked at closely, tiny forked patterns could be seen on the surface of the black paper.
"Hmm, not bad!"
"Where should this go?"
Bai Mo pondered for a while, simply took out his phone and tucked it into the phone case. His phone case was opaque, so no one could see inside.
...
The mountain wind howled, the night deepened.
In the dormitory hall at Fox Mountain, Bai Mo sat on the bed, recalling and organizing what he learned throughout the day, sotis opening a tablet, looking at notes, or adding new ones.
Beside him, hundreds of fox disciples ford a big circle, hosting a competition!
"Ying ying ying!"
A circle of hundreds of foxes, all raised their right paws, each fluffy right paw clasped a Bronze Sword!
"Ying ying ying!"
A circle of hundreds of foxes, all raised their left paws, each fluffy left paw held a chestnut!
"Ying ying ying!"
Quanquan Hu was the first to jump into the circle, accepting the challenge.
This was the foxes’ Sword Dao arena challenge, as long as there was a chestnut in the paw, one could step onto the stage for battle. The winner takes all the chestnuts, the loser slinks off the stage.
Big Head was the second to jump into the circle, starting a fierce fight with Quanquan Hu!
Bang!
The sword blades of the two foxes clashed.
Causing a cheer from the spectating foxes.
"Ow ow ow!"
"Ying ying ying!"
"Ow ow ow!"
The watching White Claw looked down at its left paw, observing the chestnut in its palm. This was a Golden Chestnut specially cultivated by the master, it tasted good and was nutritious, but the yield was too low. It could only eat one every three days.
It looked again at the Bronze Sword held in its right paw, then glanced back at the stone wall not far away where the master had engraved Swordsmanship... It had learned all the sword moves on it!
Looking again at the two brothers fighting in the circle, seeing their crude sword moves... White Claw was full of confidence, today it would definitely win with satisfaction! Definitely eat with satisfaction!
...
The foxes dueling with swords didn’t need extended fights, a few moves were enough to determine the winner.
In just half an hour, the competition was over.
So foxes were joyful, bouncing around "Ow ow ow" showing off with chestnuts in arms.
So foxes were crestfallen, drooping their heads, holding a Bronze Sword and questioning their fox lives.
White Claw carried a Bronze Sword in its right paw, its left paw was empty... having just lost the Golden Chestnuts.
It was downcast, wobbly, running to the master’s bed, dropping the Bronze Sword and throwing itself into the master’s arms, starting to cry "Wu wu wu".
Feeling it was disgraceful to cry aloud, it quickly stifled the sound, its head nestled in the master’s arms, crying silently.
Bai Mo quickly patted its head, looked around to ensure no other fox disciples saw.
He lowered his head and lifted White Claw, whispering beside its ear, making sure other disciples couldn’t hear, "Don’t cry don’t cry, why are you a little crybaby? I still have two chestnuts here, eat them all."
White Claw felt its paw stuffed by the master with two round Golden Chestnuts.
Its nose twitched, unable to hold back its tears again, yet returned the chestnuts to the master’s pocket.
It wasn’t heartbroken solely for the chestnuts... partly indeed, but not entirely for the chestnuts!
It wiped its tears on the master’s shoulder, gesturing towards the distant stone wall.
"Ying ying ying!"
After so gesturing and fox speak.
It took Bai Mo a long ti to grasp its aning. Apparently, it had practiced for a long ti according to the stone wall, learning all of Wu Qingyun’s sword moves, but still couldn’t win against its brothers in the duel.
"Ah this..."
In reality, foxes are not all the sa.
Though every fox is plump, indeed so had stronger muscle talents, greater strength.
So were simply fat, with weak muscle talents and strength. For example, White Claw, it belonged to the slightly fat type. It losing against other brothers was perfectly normal.
Bai Mo pondered for a while, organized his words, adopted a serious expression, and softly spoke to White Claw while holding it.
"Don’t feel bad.
"Foxes differ from foxes as well, you’re inherently unsuited to use the Bronze Sword.
"But you have your own talent.
"No need to use your weaknesses to compare against your brothers’ strengths."
White Claw was stunned, its dark crimson eyes flickered in the darkness, seeming to have an epiphany... The master said it wasn’t good at the Bronze Sword? Then what was it good at?
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