Prince Qi smiled, “‘Fan Xian’ is another name for Fox Immortal. This temple actually worships a fox spirit.”
Yan Xiaohan thought it strange to worship mountain spirits instead of Buddhist deities but said, “I suppose a fox spirit must have performed miracles here, inspiring local worship.”
Prince Qi noted, “Ancient texts say ‘No fox spirit, no village.’ Local fox spirit worship is common. Since there’s a fox spirit temple, a village must be nearby.”
Yan Xiaohan nodded, “Your Highness is a true dragon’s son. Demons and spirits will naturally avoid you. Please rest without worry.”
After the recent miraculous snowfall, Prince Qi was still quite believing in supernatural tales. However, he noticed Yan Xiaohan’s manner suggested he didn’t truly believe such stories.
As the heavy rain continued and evening approached, visibility became difficult. They had enough provisions and water for the night. Yan Xiaohan’s main concern was a large lake near the temple. Though the temple was on high ground, he feared the floodwaters might rise overnight.
Suddenly, a sound of splashing water came from the distance, like something running through water. The sound grew closer.
“
Yan Xiaohan listened carefully, and soon a figure in a wide-brimmed hat emerged from the rain, rushing towards their temple.
In an instant, the person was before them. The hat concealed their face, wearing a plain black long robe, with a long cloth package on their back seemingly containing a sword or knife. Riding a thin, wet horse, they called out loudly, “Brother, the road is slippery in the rain. May I borrow your place to shelter? Much thanks!”
With a clang, the sword was drawn from its sheath, its cold light flashing across the path, blocking the horse. The rider was so startled that he almost fell off. Yan Xiaohan’s slightly cold voice mixed with the rain, barely audible: “Sorry, I won’t lend it.”
The man was stunned, and after a moment, he shouted in disbelief: “What did you say?”
“I said, go somewhere else,” Yan Xiaohan remained unmoved, “There’s no place for you to stay here.”
The King of Qi was inside, and who knew what kind of person this was. Even if he innocently died outside, he couldn’t be allowed in.
