The sun was blazing, its heat almost unbearable. I found an old tree in the northwest corner of the village, spread a piece of clothing on the ground, and settled down, hoping for a quick nap.

　　I wasn’t rushing to find Xu Xiaoli. There had to be something going on between her and Ma Daqiang—something I didn’t yet know. It made more sense to start with him, to get the facts straight before confronting Xu Xiaoli. That way, I wouldn’t have to sift through her lies.

　　Staring up at the thick branches overhead, I slowly drifted off, the rustle of leaves fading away. I didn’t know how long I’d been asleep when a faint rustling in the grass nearby pulled me back.

　　At first, I brushed it off, thinking it was probably just some rats or bugs. After all, those things were common in the fields around here. But then, I felt it—a creeping sensation, like something was standing right in front of me.

　　My eyes flew open, and in that instant, my breath caught in my throat. Staring back at me were a pair of haunting, almost otherworldly eyes, fixed on me as if trying to pierce right through to my very soul.

　　I sprang to my feet and backflipped several meters away. When I looked back, a chill ran down my spine.

　　Standing in front of me wasn’t a person—it was a fox. And not just any fox, but a white one!

　　It was gorgeous, its fur snow-white and spotless, not a trace of dirt on it. But it was the eyes that really caught my breath—so clear and bright, like they could see right through you. But that wasn’t the craziest part. What truly sent a jolt through me was that it was standing upright, staring straight at me!

　　In that instant, a memory flashed back from my grandfather’s funeral years ago, when the Five Immortals cleared the path for me. Didn’t they stand before me just like this?

　　I steadied myself and asked, “Who are you?”

　　I was sure it understood me. I could feel the spiritual energy radiating from it. There was no doubt—this white fox had been cultivating for many years.

　　For a moment, it just stared back, then suddenly spun around and darted into the grass.

　　I kept my gaze fixed on where it disappeared, not relaxing until I was sure it was really gone. I finally let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Whatever that fox was—good or bad—at least it had left.

　　Foxes are known as the most powerful among the Five Immortals, wielding formidable magic. If this one had truly mastered its abilities, I wasn’t sure I’d stand a chance.

　　I glanced up at the sky. The sun was setting, painting the western horizon a deep red. Dusting off my clothes, I stood up and headed straight for Ma Daqiang’s place.

　　On the way, I couldn’t shake the image of that fox from my mind. Among the Five Immortals, the Fox Immortal was known as the leader, and among the Fox Immortals, the white fox held the highest honor. There was no way a white fox like that would show up for no reason. But what could it want?

　　The more I thought about it, the more I felt lost, shaking my head as I tried to make sense of it.

　　“You’re finally here!” Ma Daqiang’s wife rushed out to meet me as soon as she saw me at the gate, her face pale with anxiety.

　　“What happened?” I asked, alarmed.

　　“Go check on Xiaodong!” she cried, her voice breaking, eyes full of worry.

　　The panic in her voice left no room for hesitation. I sprinted toward the house.

　　As soon as I stepped inside the courtyard, I saw Ma Xiaodong sprawled on the ground, rolling around, laughing hysterically one moment and sobbing the next, his body twitching occasionally.

　　Ma Daqiang was pacing nearby, wringing his hands in helplessness. “Please, do something! What’s wrong with him? He’s never acted like this before!” he pleaded, his voice cracking.

　　I frowned, my instincts telling me he was possessed by some kind of evil spirit. Without wasting another word, I marched right up to him and shouted, “Get out!”

　　He froze, his wild eyes locking onto mine, and then he grinned—a sinister, mocking grin. “Another fool come to die, huh?” he taunted.

　　I scoffed, my expression hardening. “So, we’re not talking this out, then?”

　　Ma Xiaodong stood up slowly, brushing the dirt from his clothes as if he hadn’t just been writhing on the ground. “Do you even know who you’re dealing with?” he sneered. “You really think you can just boss me around?”

　　I let out a low chuckle. “You’ve got some nerve, don’t you?”

　　Not wasting another second, I grabbed a fistful of his hair and started dragging him toward the water tank.

　　“What are you doing?” Ma Daqiang cried out, rushing forward, his face twisting with fear.

　　I shot him a sharp glare and barked, “Stay right where you are! If you don’t want your son to die, then you’d better stand still and not move a muscle!”

　　Ma Daqiang was clearly rattled by my intense presence, standing there frozen, too scared to move.

　　I dragged Ma Xiaodong over to the water tank and shoved his head right under the surface. He fought hard to get away, but it was no use. Even if a malevolent spirit was clinging to him, it was still limited by his physical body and couldn’t muster much power.

　　“Are you going to leave or not?” I demanded, my voice firm.

　　“No!” Ma Xiaodong shot back defiantly.

　　Not in the mood for chit-chat, I dunked his head back into the water and pulled him up again. “So, are you leaving or not?” I pressed.

　　“No!” he growled, determination lacing his words.

　　“Oh, you really want to play this game, huh?” I muttered, pushing him down into the tank once more.

　　We went through this back-and-forth four or five times, and by the end of it, he was completely spent, slumped over the edge of the tank, gasping for air. His eyes were locked on me, burning with a fierce hatred.“Smack!” I didn’t hesitate—I slapped him again. “Dare to glare at me one more time!”

　　He turned his head, still trying to stare me down. Not intimidated, I hit him once more. Just as I was about to bring down a third slap on Ma Xiaodong’s face, he finally broke. “Alright, stop! Fine, Dao Master, I’ll leave! I’ll leave, okay?”

　　I scoffed, “And where exactly do you think you’re going?”

　　“To the ends of the earth! I’ll climb the heavenly ladder!” he shot back defiantly.

　　“Good luck with that!”

　　I glanced over at Ma Daqiang and his wife. They were wide-eyed, huddled together in the corner, clearly overwhelmed by the chaos unfolding before them.

　　“Get me two pairs of chopsticks and some red strings!”

　　They were still frozen in place, so I pressed, “Hurry up!”

　　Finally snapping out of it, Ma Daqiang rushed off with his wife. Moments later, she returned with the items.

　　I grabbed them and quickly set the chopsticks up in the corner, tying them together with red strings to create a makeshift ladder against the wall. I turned to Ma Xiaodong and warned, “Get going, and don’t make me do this the hard way!”

　　He stepped closer to the ladder but threw a glance back at me, saying, “You meddlesome Daoist, you’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. Good luck with that!”

　　I laughed. “You think you can threaten me? Now scram!”

　　I maintained this attitude because I knew these types only responded to strength. If he wanted to play tough, I had to show him just how much tougher I could be.Ma Xiaodong let out a cold snort, and I watched as a wisp of white smoke drifted from his body, rising up the heavenly ladder before vanishing into thin air. Moments later, he collapsed.

　　As the smoke disappeared, confusion washed over me. Why had Ma Xiaodong been possessed by an evil spirit? This type of possession is different from being haunted by a ghost; it often involves creatures that have gained power in the mountains. The playful spirits rarely cause harm, but the more dangerous ones can seek revenge or even attempt to take over a person’s body.

　　“Xiaodong!”

　　Ma Daqiang and his wife rushed to his side, quickly lifting the unconscious Ma Xiaodong.

　　“Don’t worry; he’ll be fine!” I assured them, trying to ease their panic.

　　“What’s happening? Why is this going on?” Ma Daqiang’s wife cried, her voice trembling with fear.

　　I didn’t respond to her; instead, I focused on Ma Daqiang and asked, “Did you get what I asked for?”

　　“Yeah, yeah!” Ma Daqiang replied, hurrying into my room to gather the items.

　　I glanced at the supplies he brought back. Everything looked good, but then I added, “Get me a few more white candles. I’ll need them tonight!”

　　Ma Daqiang, still puzzled, asked, “We’ve got plenty of white candles. What do you need them for?”

　　I locked eyes with him and said firmly, “To summon the soul!”