(...)
By the time Ao Tian Xue had recovered from his state of shock at hearing the sound of falling lightning so close to his ears the entirety of the world had gone dark without a single trace of life, grass, or dirt in sight.
(What happened? ..................)
As he sinks into silence a bad feeling wells up in Ao Tian Xue's heart.
(Did I just get killed by lightning?)
.........
As seconds pass and minutes go the white fox eventually felt the urge to curse loudly at his rotten luck. He hasn't even begun to take the first step into achieving his ambitions in that dream but he is already forced to wake up from it.
(I-!)
Just as he is about to start cursing light appears in the distant horizon and rather quickly this light grows and spreads in his direction.
As if a flood of waters had devoured him the white fox can't help but avert his gaze while raising his arms to shield himself.
Subjected to a heavy push Ao Tian Xue felt as if his body is being carried away by a powerful current and the next thing he knew-
"..."
"Back at last."
A voice filled with leisure speaks to him.
"...?"
Lowering his arms and opening his eyes Ao Tian Xue puts on an expression that made it look as if he had just seen a ghost.
"This is...?"
This place is none other than the living room of the Scented Fox's Dream and sitting at the porch with their back facing him is none other than Dao He Cang Yue.
"Heh."
A light laugh comes from Dao He Cang Yue as he sips clear colored wine from a cup. Instead of swallowing the wine immediately he savors the taste in the manner of chewing on candy.
"Well why don't you take a seat then?"
Swallowing the clear wine in his mouth the fox immortal in white points to the spot beside him.
"...Senior I think I'm better off staying here."
Caution fills Ao Tian Xue's heart as he chooses not to sit by Dao He Cang Yue and have instead chosen to sit by the entrance of this room. It was also then that he noticed the surplus fat on his body has all but vanished without a trace.
Towards Ao Tian Xue's answer to his invite the fox immortal in white-
"It's not like I'll eat you. But if that spot is good enough for you so be it."
Doesn't force the matter as he laughs lightly and refills his cup.
.........
As the sound of wine being poured into the ceramic cup fills the room an eerie sense of awkwardness looms in the air.
"..."
"..."
Neither Dao He Cang Yue or Ao Tian Xue said a word to the other but the former was clearly feeling more at ease than the latter as they solemnly sip the wine in their cup.
Although Ao Tian Xue wanted to ask about the dream world that he just experienced he wasn't courageous enough to speak.
Eventually-
"25 years of age and only at the ninth level of Qi Condensation. Saying your talent is average would be putting it nicely."
Dao He Cang Yue brings up the level of Ao Tian Xue's cultivation base as if to remind him of the giant chasm that separates them.
"Senior I already know that my meager talent doesn't amount to much."
"Then what do you think of a 25 year old Core Formation realm?"
"A genius?"
"A worthless trash."
As if talking about an insect that can and should be trampled underfoot the clear sense of cold ridicule in Dao He Cang Yue's voice instantly causes the temperature of this room to drop into the negatives and feeling this coldness on his skin Ao Tian Xue can't help but shiver.
"...Then what's considered a genius?"
No matter what a 25 year old Core Formation realm practitioner would be considered a genius in the Autumn Moon Mountain Range and should someone like that ever appear they would instantly be the center of everyone's attention.
"Do you know about the cultivation handicap that foxes are given?"
Instead of answering the white fox's question Dao He Cang Yue chooses to ignore it and raise his own.
"Handicap?"
Raising an eye the white fox puts on a puzzled look.
(This bastard is simply using his strength to bully me...)
The one in control of this situation is the fox immortal before him and with their cultivation base killing him, a worthless trash is as easy as snapping a chicken's neck.
This gives Ao Tian Xue no rights to raise any objections if they choose to not answer his questions and concerns.
"Unlike humans and other species of beasts, foxes like us don't have to deal with tribulations."
"Tribulations?"
"Breaking through into a next realm of cultivation requires one to undergo a tribulation that takes on the form of heavenly calamities such as getting struck by a hundred bolts of lightning."
"A hundred bolts of lightning?"
"Yes."
Hearing Dao He Cang Yue giving off several more examples of what tribulations are like Ao Tian Xue can't help but blink his eyes in astonishment.
"I-Isn't this a bit too much? If there's such risks why do those people even bother to cultivate? Do they have a death wish or are they simply masochists?"
"Because it's thenorm. Not having to deal with tribulations is what's considered strange and thepeople of that "dream" world you justexperienced see this special treatment given to foxes as heaven's blessing,hence foxes are considered sacred beasts that bring fortune."
