"Ying ying ying—"
Just as Master Fuli began to speak, Fox Father and Fox Mother's rapid-fire "ying" had already interrupted him.
As soon as Fox Father and Fox Mother spoke, it was all, "Who are you, why are you at our home, and also, you're quite strange."
Master Fuli stood upright, his whole skeletal form inclined towards a beastman's shape, but he still retained the appearance of a little fox.
Yet, to the eyes of the pure Fox Race, it was like: "Dude, you look quite unique."
"Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma, there's danger—"
Perhaps the two foxes were too loud, which brought an attendant from outside the room rushing back in. As the attendant stepped forward, she lifted the two foxes high.
As she retreated, the attendant kept a wary eye on Master Fuli, speaking to the two Red Foxes:
"We can't fight; if you get hurt, you have to be hospitalized, and even if you win, you still have to be hospitalized."
"Nonsense!"
Tian Xuanzi, thrown away by Master Fuli, with dried grass branches on top of his head, looked inside from the window and spoke loudly to the attendant:
"Little girl, first put the two saints down, don't delay Master Fuli of the Security Bureau in handling the case. Be careful, or I'll make you buy a ticket to enter the temple during work hours!"
Zulu Mountain Ancient Temple belongs to the scenic area; it usually requires a ticket to enter and exit.
However, those responsible for taking care of the two foxes are staff members, so they don't need tickets.
"Ying..."
Master Fuli fell back on all fours, looking towards Fox Father and Fox Mother, and "yinged" once.
It was at this moment.
The previously guarded Fox Mother seemed to realize something, staring at Master Fuli with a hint of hesitation on her face, sniffing towards him.
"Ying?"
Fox Mother, with a confused look at Master Fuli, obviously recognized that the wild fox at home seemed to be her cub once he assumed the correct posture.
Fox Mother freed herself from the attendant's grasp, landed on the floor of the room, and approached Master Fuli, tentatively stretching out her fox paw to greet him, patting his muzzle.
"..."
Master Fuli looked back, his face full of black lines.
"Ying..."
Once she was sure the opposite would not bite her, Fox Mother stood by Master Fuli's side, stood upright on her hind legs with her paws on him, and rested her head on him.
Fox Mother showed a contemplative look and snuggled up, seemingly verifying something.
After a long while, Fox Mother revealed a joy-filled expression, and her mouth emitted a "haha" sounding "ying."
Fox's "ying" has many forms: a wide mouth "ying" towards the opponent is a scolding warning.
A closed muzzle soft "ying" is when a fox is bored or complaining.
And a slightly opened muzzle "haha" is when a fox is happy and exhilarated.
"Ying ying ying..."
Fox Mother circled Master Fuli, joyfully "yinging," the whole fox sprawling on the ground, issuing playful "yingings" to invite Master Fuli.
"Ying?" Fox Father froze, showing a puzzled and doubtful expression as he looked towards Fox Mother and Master Fuli.
"Cough cough cough..."
Tian Xuanzi tidied his attire and returned indoors with a series of light coughs:
"Master Fuli, the two saints haven't suffered any grievances here with this poor Taoist..."
On this matter, once Tian Xuanzi spoke, he seemed filled with confidence and assurance.
Of course.
The high living standards of Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma don't really relate to Tian Xuanzi; primarily, the wealthy merchant who took Fox Father and Fox Mother away indulged in some superstitions.
The wealthy merchant felt the two foxes were spiritual, so he adopted them at Zulu Mountain Ancient Temple.
Spent four to five million a year to fulfill his dream of having strong backing in the mysticism world.
Forget whether spiritual or not, I'll just ask you, aren't foxes a symbol of good luck in ancient times?
If they weren't auspicious, you wouldn't find tales of the Fox Lady repaying favors throughout ancient books written by impoverished scholars.
Unless it was a bit supernatural, who would favor this story?
"This is your reason for binding the two saints?" Master Fuli cast a sidelong glance at Tian Xuanzi.
"Uh..." Tian Xuanzi shrank his neck, showing an awkward expression again as he said: "It wasn't my invitation; honestly, it was a case of the flood washing into the Dragon King's temple."
"We did not know the two saints had a familial relationship with you."
"Had this Taoist known, he would've asked Old Sun to pay more and raze my temple, turning it into a sanatorium for the two saints. After their arduous journey, they truly deserved some enjoyment."
"You speak quite pleasantly, old Taoist; where did you come from originally?" Ansheng raised his paw, calming the slightly agitated Fox Mother due to his disregard, and asked Tian Xuanzi.
"We were poor in the mountains back then, I was begging... or what one may now call public relations and marketing." Tian Xuanzi said.
The term begging is common in the Buddhist community, but before national and Daoist Alliance funding procedures were standardized.
Priests wanting to repair temples or roads could not sustain solely on the self-sufficiency of Daoist temple lands.
Thus, they had to go downhill and earn money.
So-called begging often simply means setting up stalls to tell fortune and say encouraging words to patrons.
Tian Xuanzi not only excelled in cultivation but had extraordinary talent in saying encouraging words.
Zulu Mountain Ancient Temple remained fresh and new, thanks to Tian Xuanzi's wide-ranging industry.
...
"Ying ying....."
Fox Mother led the way, enthusiastically inviting Ansheng to see something good.
"Hmm?"
A puzzled "ying" from Ansheng, a bit curious, moved forward to check out Fox Mother, wondering where she was taking him.
"Ying—"
Fox Mother arrived at the air conditioner, used her muzzle to nudge the cabinet outlet, then sat herself down in front of it, proudly raising her head, basking in the breeze.
She looked at Ansheng and "yinged," signaling him to quickly come over and sit.
The warm breeze here was soothing all over.
The air conditioner's warm wind caressed and teased Huhu's fur, providing a ticklish sensation alongside a warm flowing feeling, everything was just perfect.
Fox Mother was indeed a fox who knew how to enjoy life.
"Just a bit lacking, when Ah Qing comes, I'll have her show the attendants some exclusive techniques, that's true enjoyment..."
Ansheng sat before the air conditioner, mimicking Fox Mother's manner, raising his head, allowing the warm wind to brush against his chin and neck fur.
"Uh? Are you... recognizing each other?" Just like hearing Master Fuli's summons, Ah Qing, who had just gotten off the plane and rushed over, saw the two foxes sitting before the air conditioner, exchanging "yings."
While another fox draped over a beach lounge chair in front of a sunlamp, a platter of slightly red honeydew melon slices before it.
"Hmm... the Security Bureau got it right. They are indeed my parents."
Ansheng nodded gently, indicating that this time the Security Bureau wasn't bluffing him.
"Wow... Black Silk Huhu."
Ah Qing squatted beside the little fox, seriously observing Fox Mother's demeanor with a look of awe.
Though Ah Qing often saw Red Foxes at the Fox Kingdom Hotel, Fox Mother was truly different.
Her physique was larger, even bigger than Ansheng, and she had what humans called a smiling mouth.
It might not be exactly a smiling mouth, but from any angle of observation, you felt Fox Mother had an air of smug pride.
With her head held high, it indeed felt super righteous.
In truth, just like Xiaolan.
Hmm... speaking this way, it doesn't seem wrong; the producer of the little fox was originally Fox Mother.