Zhang Xiaohua looked elated when she heard this, and quickly asked someone to take her hair and then tie a red string around the ankles of two straw effigies.
When everything was ready, everyone dispersed, leaving Zhang Xiaohua to rest alone as she fell into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, the Fox Fairy Nannan, upon seeing the straw effigies and the thread that connects a thousand miles of destiny placed in the room, broke into a cold sweat. She turned her head to look at Zhang Xiaohua and thought to herself, "If Zhang Chen finds out about this, he’ll definitely go to extremes to deal with it. At that point, you’re doomed. Kid, listen to your aunt’s advice, you can’t handle this matter."
After saying this, the fox turned its eyes and directly jumped out of the small building, heading in the direction of Zhang Chen at full speed. Along the way, no daoist troubled him, as the observatory master had already instructed all the daoists in recent days that the Crown Prince liked to keep foxes, and no one should be disrespectful to avoid offending the Crown Prince and bringing disaster upon themselves.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen had just returned to the courtyard, mulling over his troublesome niece and the misfortunate Zhang Xiaohua, when suddenly footsteps rushed in. He saw the red-haired fox running from a distance, jumping straight up to land on his shoulder.
Zhang Chen didn’t stop the red-haired fox’s actions but instead asked, "Why are you here?"
At this time, the red-haired fox had several strands of white hair hidden among its fur, completely inconspicuous. Then, the Fox Fairy Nannan’s soul emerged, with wide eyes staring at Zhang Chen, "Kid, you’re seeing someone dying and not helping! I agreed to watch Zhang Xiaohua for you, so why are you ignoring her plight? That was our deal."
Upon hearing Fox Fairy Nannan’s reproach, Zhang Chen sat directly on the deck chair, "You’re overestimating me. Do you know what kind of terrifying existence Zhang Xiaohua has provoked? How could I deal with that existence? If I help Zhang Xiaohua, I’d probably get myself involved."
Fox Fairy Nannan heard Zhang Chen’s words, realizing that he seemed to know something, and her eyes suddenly sparkled, "Kid, you seem to know something?"
Zhang Chen’s thoughts turned, and a scheme had already formed in his mind. He didn’t hide it, "The reason Zhang Xiaohua is beaten in her dreams is purely because of the power of the female corpse in that grand tomb. That Tree of Life Coffin is extremely important to the female corpse. To make the female corpse stop, you must find the Tree of Life Coffin and invite the female corpse back, or else Zhang Xiaohua will be in deep trouble. Just think, with my meager Dao practice, where would I dare to offend the female corpse?"
"Are you telling the truth?" Fox Fairy Nannan’s pupils contracted upon hearing this, as her lair was at the edge of the grand tomb, and she had been following Zhang Chen for a long time, so she of course knew how terrifying the female corpse was.
Zhang Chen shook his head, "Believe it or not, I dare not meddle in the karmic consequences. If you want to cure the Crown Prince, it’s best to retrieve the Tree of Life Coffin, or else, not only the Crown Prince but everyone in Prince Pingbian’s Mansion will suffer misfortune soon."
Fox Fairy Nannan seemed to ponder deeply and said, "I was wondering earlier. The Crown Prince has the protection of the ancestral Dragon Vein, and logically, should not be affected by such Nightmare Techniques. But if it’s a matter involving Ancient Gods and Demons, that would explain it."
"Thank you for your guidance, I will definitely repay you and give you a chance to rise through the Dragon Gate." Fox Fairy Nannan looked at Zhang Chen proudly and instinctively tightened the strands of hair in her paw:
"Rest assured, I, Fox Fairy Nannan, am not an ungrateful beast who forgets gratitude."
With that, she left gracefully, leaving a bewildered Zhang Chen behind. Watching the departing fluffy red figure, he scratched his head, "Is ’beast’ really used this way?"
To hear ’beast’ from a Fox Spirit, Zhang Chen found it quite odd.
Though he had hinted at the Tree of Life Coffin through the Fox Spirit, carefully analyzing the situation in his mind.
Previously, when Zhang Xiaohua invited him, he pretended to know nothing, not mentioning the Tree of Life Coffin or the Princess entering dreams, because with his current status, saying anything would invite suspicion, putting himself in danger, hindering his goal of stealing Incense Fate.
But through the Fox Fairy Nannan, those worries didn’t exist.
Yet Zhang Chen didn’t know that a red string was about to be tied around him.
Fox Fairy Nannan returned all the way back to Zhang Xiaohua’s pavilion, finding her in a deep sleep. Looking at the two straw effigies on the counter, she quietly jumped up, removed Zhang Xiaohua’s hair, and replaced it with Zhang Chen’s hair.
Then gazing at the two straw effigies, a thought suddenly flashed in the little fox’s mind, "What if Zhang Chen and Zhang Xiaohua were bound together? Would they no longer have to kill each other and all grievances be resolved?"
Fox Fairy Nannan stared at the two straw effigies, her eyes flashing with an inexplicable light, "Though binding two men together doesn’t conform with the cycle of Yin and Yang, delaying Zhang Xiaohua’s life, based on Zhang Chen’s current growth pace, Zhang Xiaohua is bound to be defeated by Zhang Chen eventually... Better that than Zhang Xiaohua dying at Zhang Chen’s hands, right? Even if he were bent, at least he’d still be alive, wouldn’t he?"
But recalling Zhang Chen’s temperament, the fox shook her head vigorously to erase the thought, "With Zhang Chen’s tenacity, he’d never succumb to the binding red string of fate. He might even kill Zhang Xiaohua to break free. Zhang Xiaohua would die even faster then, so it’s best not to meddle. That brat is really eerie."
But thinking this prime match would be unfairly taken by Zhang Chen made the fox feel indignant. She glanced deviously toward the rear courtyard of the Daoist Temple and scampered out to a large tree, plucking its leaves, then retrieving Xie Lingyun’s hair and placing the leaf inside the puppet.
Not long after the Fox Fairy Nannan left, Elder Chuan Gong, leading three carpenters, arrived at the big tree, "This tree was planted by the Ancestral Master personally, cultivated by incense for decades, and has gained spirituality. As the Water God’s ceremony approaches and a sculpture hasn’t been found, this tree will suffice. Hurry and cut it down to make a sculpture."
The three carpenters dared not delay and promptly began chopping down the tree.
Three days later
In the back hall of the Yellow Heaven Dao, Elder Chuan Gong directed his disciples as they set up a new sculpture inside a large hall.
The sculpture had no face, only a vague outline, indistinguishable between male and female.
"The Water God’s consecration ceremony for the Miluo River is approaching, and the Water God’s sculpture is finally ready. I hope the Observatory Master is satisfied," Elder Chuan Gong said with a smile.
As he spoke, a jade fragment slipped unnoticed into the sculpture’s mouth.
If Zhang Chen were here, he’d notice something amiss, for the jade fragment was the very piece Zhang Xiaohua had used to steal Incense Faith.
Rewinding time, after the Fox Fairy Nannan had completed everything, she jumped off the cabinet and approached Zhang Xiaohua, who bore bruises and swelling on her face, with new injuries continuously emerging. She was at a loss, "Is she dreaming again?"
Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s injuries increase, Fox Fairy Nannan became restless, "I know a Dream-Entering Technique, maybe I can help Zhang Xiaohua."