"Eee–"
While Lin Ying was praising Master Fuli, her tone carried a hint of indulgence akin to coaxing a child. Coupled with the "Fuli special skill" Ah Qing taught, Master Fuli nestled in Lin Ying's arms let out a joyous murmur.
Lin Ying's coaxing tone might seem a bit childish if used with children.
But Master Fuli felt that, for himself, such praise was just right, perfectly fitting the cozy home atmosphere. A wise and cool big sister speaking indulgent words made Master Fuli feel very comfortable.
Of course.
In any public setting, Master Fuli would never admit he liked this sort of thing.
The fox is almost a year old; if the world's spirit beasts knew he still liked to snuggle and roll in someone's arms, how could other spirit beasts comprehend the sense of majesty Master Fuli carries?
"Lin Ying, can you find me a towel?" Rolling twice in Lin Ying's arms, Master Fuli gradually shook off the proud and smug mood and looked at Lin Ying, saying:
"Soon, I might need to check my body; my human form might need an inspection too."
The increase in the number of fox tails is not merely about the addition or reduction of tails; it's more like an outward manifestation of returning to the [primordial] state.
During the one or two tails stage, it is about the growth in physique.
In the three tails stage, bones become more flexible, allowing upright human-like walking, and at four tails, flexibility increases further; the position of the neck and cervical vertebrae undergoes mutation, enabling speech.
In the Five-tailed Fox stage, a Beastman form emerges, gradually aligning with the [Primordial Gene] form, transforming into the current human appearance. Humans were species that inherited Dragon People civilization in ancient times, naturally achieving higher levels of return.
By the Six-tailed Fox stage, Master Fuli can truly manifest a human form, bearing fox ear characteristics.
There is an enhancement in the power level, reaching the same level as humans in revealing primordial genes.
In xianxia novels, it is said, humans are the spirits of all creatures, seven apertures aligning with the alternation of heaven and earth's yin and yang.
If spirit beasts wish to become immortals, they must cultivate a human form, developing apertures to distinguish yin from yang, thus stepping onto the path of the great way.
The evolution from Six-tailed Fox to Seven-tailed Fox.
Ansheng felt his physique steadily growing, yet he had no other sensation, only vaguely perceiving that some change was occurring within him without understanding the reason.
The change was so subtle that, from a macro perspective, it seemed negligible, observable only through a micro-world lens.
And now.
Master Fuli was preparing to ascend to an Eight-tailed Fox; he was curious about what changes would occur from seven tails to eight.
"Gulp gulp gulp—"
Master Fuli landed on the long table in the suite, stood upright, grabbed a glass bottle of cola, tilted his head back, and took a hearty gulp. The plush seven fox tails behind him gradually revealed, emitting a murmuring sound, as he exclaimed:
"Come forth! My eighth tail!" Master Fuli willed it, and the body data on the wish list began to change.
[Physique: 181→210]
[Wisdom: 5]
[Wish Power: 29→0]
The 29 points of Wish Power extended from the wish list, gradually spreading to Master Fuli's limbs and bones, faintly revealing a golden glow beneath his fluffy white fur.
"Eight... Eight tails!?"
Lin Ying, who was fetching a towel for Master Fuli, was stunned upon hearing Master Fuli's bold declaration.
Wasn't Master Fuli a Six-tailed Fox? When she invited him to her home during the Mid-Autumn Festival, he was only....
But.
As Lin Ying thought about it, she fell into silence. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, over a hundred people among the two to three thousand Lin Clan members in Xia Country ended up in prison picking up soap.
Though most matters were minor, involving severe criminal acts only in financial crimes, without other major transgressions.
But describing it as a chaotic dance of demons is not far off.
Given that Master Fuli swept through Lin Manor, his evolution to the seventh tail was actually normal.
However, thinking about how Master Fuli soloed her home and sprouted the seventh tail, Lin Ying couldn't help but have some nuanced thoughts.
With changes in senior management roles and strict internal audits against embezzlement and bribery within the group and its subsidiaries...
She wondered if having Master Fuli investigate could possibly help him grow the ninth tail, becoming a true auspicious sign in Xia Country's mythical history? Lin Ying mused whimsically.
"Eee—"
Master Fuli let out a murmur, and the entire Master Fuli appeared exhausted, crouching on the long table with an expression of complete contentment, shivering slightly.
The number of fluffy fox tails drying by the table had, unbeknownst to him, increased from seven to eight.
"What...what a comfortable feeling, cousin's massage technique is simply an epic improvement."
Master Fuli lay on the table for a while before squatting back on the long table, turning his head, and raising his paw to count his fluffy white tails.
Eight large tails, not one less, all hanging from his behind.
"I feel..... no major changes?" Master Fuli glanced at the glass cabinet next to him, using the mirror reflection to examine his body. Besides the usual physique enhancement and an increase in tail count, his little fox form hadn't changed at all.
Ansheng looked towards Lin Ying, who put away her phone used to take photos of Master Fuli and handed him the towel.
Master Fuli landed on the ground, stood upright, and used his two paws to lift the towel close.
Master Fuli's figure grew taller, and in an instant, a childlike appearance with white fur and fox ears appeared in the room.
Master Fuli wrapped the towel around his waist, covering his critical areas, raising both arms, and spun around in front of Lin Ying, inquiring:
"Do you see any changes in me? Did I grow taller or bigger?"
"Changes?"
Watching the little fellow twirl with a raised arm at chest height before her, Lin Ying was taken aback, then chuckled and said:
"You've become even cuter, and it makes people want to hug you more—does that count as a change?"
October marks the cooling season in the north; although Master Fuli doesn't shed fur habitually, the fox's coat adjusts with the temperature.
In October, even if Master Fuli's weight didn't increase much, its fluffy white fur made the fox appear plumper.
"Nonsense! I, Master Fuli, rely on my looks—I've been famous for my beauty ever since my debut."
Master Fuli rolled his eyes but also understood from Lin Ying's reaction that his human form or fox form hadn't changed much.
"Ah..."
Master Fuli sighed inwardly, intending to turn back to the table to take a sip of cola, but he keenly noticed Lin Ying, without realizing it, move from half a meter away closer to him, her hands somewhat awkwardly at her sides.
Master Fuli looked surprised, with three black lines slowly appearing over his head. He opened his arms and hugged Lin Ying, who was approaching him, saying:
"By the way! Is there anything to eat in the hotel? I'm hungry!"
"Of course, there is...."
Seeing the little one willingly hugging her, with a smiling childlike face, Lin Ying's stoic expression softened as she gently embraced Master Fuli.
"I'll go notify room service now." Master Fuli's gentle hug seemed to touch something, making certain barriers and distance in Lin Ying's mind disappear.
The matter of Lin Manor, though resolved, always left Lin Ying's heart somewhat restless about it.
Lin Ying found herself caught between kinship, law, and Master Fuli; she wanted to say something, but didn't know where to start, wanting only to give herself an injection of Spirit Particle Potion.
Only the Spirit Particle Potion...
But with Master Fuli's gentle hug, some barriers in Lin Ying's heart vanished.
Nothing had changed...
Master Fuli was still as warm-hearted as ever.
"Hmm..."
Watching Lin Ying walk to the bedside to call room service, Master Fuli turned around, preparing to grab the cold cola on the table and subtly teased in his mind:
"I've seen many who love being coddled, but those who enjoy watching and comforting others being coddled, I..."
As Master Fuli muttered to himself, he was momentarily stunned by the scene outside the window when he grabbed the cola from the table.
Outside, nothing had changed; the Northern street at night had no blazing lights, only some food stalls and chain supermarkets illuminated.
Yet to Master Fuli's eyes.
The Northern Grassland position seemed vaguely ascendant with hovering indistinct mist.
Those things were very faint and unevenly distributed.
"Am I... haunted?"
Master Fuli's expression froze, raising a paw to rub his eyes, repeatedly confirming the scene outside the window.