Chapter 104 The Storm Is Brewing

Chapter 104 The Storm Is Brewing

"What do you mean my home is about to disappear?"

A sense of unease crept into Chen Ruoan's heart.

The political situation was turbulent and social order was chaotic. The provincial government and local authorities had neither sufficient funds nor the awareness to plan and develop the scenic area.

Against this backdrop, the only major event that could significantly impact Aolai Peak would be a large-scale campaign similar to the "destruction of temples to promote education" and "elimination of superstition" that Shaolin Temple once experienced.

The little phoenix closed its eyes and nodded, but the persecution suffered by the entire Mount Tai was far more than that.

In 1928, the provincial government, which had moved to Tai'an, began demolishing and altering the historical sites.

Another year later, the four corner towers of Dai Temple at the foot of the mountain were completely demolished, the main hall of Bingling Palace was destroyed, the ancient stele of Guandi Temple was broken, and Yaoyue Tower escaped the disaster because of its strategic location.

During the Central Plains War in 1920, Mount Tai became a military high ground, and the temples of immortals and Buddhas were turned into barracks and warehouses.

The Inviting Moon Pavilion was affected by the war, suffering from artillery fire and stray bullets. The herb garden in the courtyard was left with shell craters, the stone ox was blown away, and the first and third floors were also damaged to varying degrees.

The Moon Invitation Pavilion is dilapidated, and Little Phoenix wants to repair it.

The golden pheasant, far removed from the world and lacking any knowledge, had no idea how to begin construction.

After listening, Chen Ruoan sighed.

It would be better to turn this into a tourist attraction!

"Fox, you've been away from home for so long, don't you miss it? The incense and memorial tablets haven't been touched for a long time. I thought you had an accident during your travels and would never hear the prayers entrusted in the incense again."

"Feel sorry."

This is what they call "a mother's heart is always with her son, no matter how far he travels"—a fox who had eaten an egg was thinking in this way.

"I'm going home."

"I'm waiting for you."

Chen Ruoan treads on the clouds and mist, heading towards the countryside. Autumn has permeated the mountains, and the forests are tinged with light gold and ochre.

The fox had lived through all four seasons of Qinghe, but it had never felt so saddened by autumn as it did now.

In the past two years, I haven't formed any particularly deep connections with anyone; I've only been able to nurture my life using two methods of fox cultivation.

If the fox's remaining life is long enough, these two years, when reflected upon in the passage of time, will probably only be summed up in four words—"neglecting his duties."

As Chen Ruoan flew forward, he saw a figure carrying a bamboo basket in the autumn grass, and called out from the clouds, "Shufen'er, I'm going home."

"I told you, don't use the 'er' suffix when you call my name!"

Wei Shufen turned her head, the hem of her indigo dress swaying gently in the autumn wind. She gripped the ropes of the bamboo basket tightly with both hands and asked in confusion, "Going home? So suddenly?"

"Then I'll hurry home and pack my bags."

Chen Ruoan was slightly taken aback, her voice slightly hoarse with a hint of dazedness: "Why are you packing your luggage?"

Looking at the fox carried by the clouds and smoke, Wei Shufen spoke with the unbridled courage of a seventeen-year-old, as if it were a matter of course.

"I'll go back with you."

The fox shook its head and refused.

The situation in Tai'an is a hundred times more complex than in Qinghe. Although every village in western Hunan is infested with bandits, Qinghe is protected by a group of Gu masters, making it isolated yet stable.

The fox's eyes reflected the autumn light of the mountains and fields, and as it opened its mouth, the wind carried its words down.

"Whether I have a home when I go back is another matter, but as long as you stay in Qinghe, I will at least have a place to return to."

Wei Shufen had never heard Chen Ruoan say such a thing before. She bit her fingertip and pondered: Did it mean the saying in the book that "men are boats and women are harbors"?

The fox thought to itself that it hadn't actually traversed the area under fire and didn't know the level of danger. If there really was nowhere left to stay in Mount Tai, the mountains and fields of Qinghe would certainly be nice. Of course, the Sanyi Sect, Liangshan, Longhu Mountain... were all auspicious places suitable for cultivation.

Wei Shufen cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone and shouted, "If you have nowhere else to go, go back to Qinghe."

"it is good."

"I'll be eighteen next year."

"I know."

"Are you leaving? Don't you have anything important to tell me?" the woman with the basket called out again.

Chen Ruoan recalled that there were indeed a few things he needed to explain.

"You experienced sleep paralysis a while ago, and you put up talismans at the door and by your bed, but they didn't work at all. That's because there was no ghost at all. As the weather gets colder, I'm curled up in your quilt..."

"oh."

"The bamboo bees and water centipedes you reserved for making Gu were small and weak. I felt sorry for them, so I secretly fried them and ate them with sauce."

Tell me something I don't know!

"Several groups of matchmakers came to my door from the surrounding villages, but I checked their horoscopes and none of them were a good match. So I secretly used my methods to stop the matchmakers from coming."

As soon as Chen Ruoan finished speaking, he spun around and soared into the clouds. With a sweep of his black fox tail, he dispersed the last wisp of cloud and mist clinging to his side, and the fox's figure disappeared along with the mist.

After autumn arrives, the wind will gradually shift to the north. Unable to go against the wind, Chen Ruoan uses green plants to weave a sword and flies along on it.

.

When the fox returned to the foot of Mount Tai, a heavy snowfall unexpectedly arrived.

The majestic Five Sacred Mountains were completely shrouded in pure white, with thousands of peaks and valleys covered in silver frost, ancient pines hanging with snowflakes, and cliffs shrouded in cold mist. As far as the eye could see, it was a crystal world of pristine purity.

The shell craters, the smoke of war, the ruins... all the horrific and chaotic traces were silently buried by this thick snow.

Chen Ruoan returned to Aolai Peak, where Little Phoenix had been waiting for a long time.

The woman she conjured was much taller than the one the fox had seen when she descended upon the divine will. She was dressed in luxurious clothes and her appearance matched the gentle and elegant characteristics of a noblewoman, yet she also possessed the majesty of an empress.

"You're back, around the time I expected. I've left you some hot soup."

For Little Phoenix, repairing the house is difficult, but cooking is simple: first, figure out how to cook the food, and then it's just a matter of seasoning.

Inside, there was a bowl of hot egg drop soup, with oil and chopped greens floating on top.

After the fox finished drinking and warmed up, it thought about going to the mountains to take a look.

However, after the Central Plains War ended, Mount Tai immediately entered the post-war recovery and local governance phase. There were even special agencies to clean up battlefield relics and repair the trails and temples.

everything is over.

"Sigh, there's nowhere to vent my anger."

Standing beside the Bixia Temple, Chen Ruoan looked at the bullet-riddled stone wall and asked the craftsman in charge of the reconstruction, "Aren't you going to repair the bullet holes?"

"We're not repairing it. The higher-ups said that in the future, these bullet holes will be historical witnesses, very meaningful!"

"You guys are the smartest."

The fox thought, "Why not just leave the Inviting Moon Pavilion as a historical landmark? When the scenic area is planned and developed in the future, we can build a few walls around it and set up a ticket booth—it'll definitely be a popular spot for social media check-ins."

"Tsk!"

Chen Ruoan left with her umbrella.

I may think about it, but how can I really not repair it? If Yaoyue Tower really becomes a tourist attraction in the future, and I have to pay an entrance fee just to go home, how frustrating would that be?

.

With a sense of helplessness towards the chaotic world in his heart, Chen Ruoan shattered the snow-covered mountains and returned to Aolai Peak to rebuild his immortal abode.

The fox is no longer the naive and weak little fox that first climbed Mount Tai. It now possesses a wealth of refined wood-based magic, capable of revitalizing withered trees, reinforcing beams and pillars, and repairing buildings. It is perfectly suited for repairs.

Withered trees sprout new buds, decayed pillars are revitalized, and broken eaves are restored to their original neatness... In just a few days, the dilapidated Yaoyue Tower has been rebuilt amidst the white snow of Cangshan Mountain. The building is elegant in design and appears even more serene and dignified than before.

After the immortal abode was repaired, Chen Ruoan sent a message of peace to Wei Shufen through incense. More than two months later, the woman sitting in front of the altar was still pondering the words the fox had spoken before it left.

"Are you hiding something?" Wei Shufen asked.

"no."

"It would be better if you liked me sooner rather than later."

"I will try my best." The fox head in the blue smoke left a meaningful smile before dissipating with the wind.

As time passed, the snow and ice in the mountains eventually melted, and the rugged cliffs of Mount Tai were adorned with delicate, timid wildflowers.

The land ravaged by war slowly awakens in the spring breeze. Grass and trees sprout, streams thaw, and even the human habitation at the foot of the mountain awakens along with the wilderness.

Pilgrims who came to Mount Tai to pray returned, incense burners in temples and monasteries were lit again, markets reopened, and temple fairs were bustling with activity. At first glance, it was a scene of thriving prosperity after surviving a disaster.

The flames of war are long gone, and peace will prevail over our land.

This year is 1931.

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