According to the Hyunjunggi (Mysterious Records of the Middle), "A fox can transform into a woman after 50 years, and into a beautiful woman or a mysterious shaman after 100 years. It can also transform into a man to have sexual relations with women. It can know things happening a thousand miles away, command venomous insects and ghosts, and bewitch people. After 1,000 years, it can communicate with the heavens and become a Cheonho (Heavenly Fox)."
A fox is considered an animal of Yin, primarily active at night, and even an ordinary fox without cultivation was thought to possess intelligence comparable to humans. There was also a theory that Dalki, a notorious villainess in the Fengshen Yanyi, was a fox. Foxes were also called evil beasts that could easily manipulate people by receiving the essence of the sun and moon and stealing the divine energy of heaven and earth. In folk beliefs, they were revered as one of the 'Ohdaesin (Five Great Immortals)' known as 'Hosin (Fox Immortal).'
But what surprised me was not these trivial details. According to the Taoist texts I learned in Mangryang, a fox with nine tails could only be a Gumiho, and that was precisely the Cheonho (Heavenly Fox).
A Cheonho is a fox that has lived for a thousand years, with golden fur and nine tails. This spirit was the highest rank a fox could achieve through cultivation. It was said to work in the Sun Palace and Moon Palace of the Heavenly Realm, and while it lived in the celestial palace, it would not harm humans. However, if it did, it would cause significant destruction due to its power at least equivalent to a minor deity. Moreover, the founder of the foxes, Hosusa (Fox Ancestor), was said to have achieved transcendence and ascended to the heavens, possessing power comparable to a higher deity.
Suddenly, the Gumiho looked at me calmly and said,
[Unfortunately, I am a Gumiho, but not a Cheonho. My fur is silver, not gold.]
"What? Is that even possible?"
[I did not ascend to the heavens. I am still in the process of cultivation.]
Sssss
However, the eerie power emanating from the Gumiho grew stronger, making my body shiver. This was due to the overwhelming demonic energy coming from her body, far more powerful than any strange phenomenon I had encountered before. Even with my inner strength, I found it difficult to withstand the presence of the Gumiho. She was truly a great demon.
The Gumiho seemed to laugh and said,
[Ahaha, strange human. Why have you come here? What is your reason for wanting to exterminate me?]
I instinctively knew I had to answer her question well. Despite feeling like cursing Venerable Jigyeol, I maintained my composure and replied,
"I came to Goryeo to find Haean (Sea Seal). Jigyeol said he could help me get what I want, so I decided to assist him."
My choice was to be honest. In this situation, there was no point in pretending to uphold justice or righteousness. The Gumiho, who could see through such pretenses, would not be fooled. I thought it was better to be sincere.
The Gumiho flinched.
[Haean? Where did you hear about it?]
"Venerable Mangryang told me there was a Haean in the East, so I came here believing his story."
The Gumiho's demeanor, which had seemed playful until now, changed. She looked at me with a mix of caution and curiosity. She then sat back down and leaned against the chair, saying,
[You must have realized my power by now. And you are now trying to break through the Naesungmun (Rohseongmun).]
I was taken aback by her words and exclaimed,
"That's impossible!"
If that were true, it would mean Jigyeol had left me behind and was trying to escape with the extermination team. If that were the case, I had just been betrayed. The Gumiho chuckled and said,
"Why not? It's a rational and logical decision. After all, it's impossible for you to defeat me with your current strength. By sending you to me, he is buying time for the others to escape and call for reinforcements, including the head of the Twelve Laws. In that case, I would be in danger, so I would flee this ruin."
"......"
"Come, why don't you verify it with your own eyes?"
The Gumiho casually pointed her wine glass towards the railing. It seemed she was inviting me to look down. I approached the railing cautiously, wary of any sudden attack from the Gumiho. When I enhanced my vision, I indeed saw the Naesungmun far away and the Twelve Laws martial artists trying to break it.
As I stood there, speechless, the Gumiho chuckled from her chair.
"Of course. My power is ten times stronger than Jeongwi and Hougui. Jigyeol must have realized that."
"......"
"If you want to run away now, I will let you. Do as you please."
"Ugh..."
I felt a deep sense of betrayal towards Venerable Jigyeol.
'If he was going to do this, why didn't he listen to me when I suggested we leave earlier?'
But I could guess the reason. At that time, the pride and morale of the extermination team would not have allowed them to retreat just because of my suggestion. However, after experiencing the power of Jeongwi and Hougui, their thoughts had changed. They had subtly sacrificed me to buy time for their escape.
I buried my feelings of betrayal and turned to the Gumiho, saying,
"I don't understand. You don't seem particularly interested in wiping us out. What do you want?"
[Ahaha... Have you figured out my intentions?]
The Gumiho laughed and continued,
"Yes. I came here out of boredom. The Dongyoung martial artist said there was a powerful evil spirit in this land, so I came to see if I could help. However, I am already living a comfortable life as the empress in the Dongyoung palace, so I don't really need it."
"Does such an evil spirit really exist?"
"It's in the basement of this building. But its power is so strong that even I hesitate to touch it. It's the evil spirit of a powerful monk who carries the grudge of a fallen kingdom. Such a thing would be too much to handle."
"Too much to handle..."
"I tried using a secret technique from the Shanhaijing, but I'm still hesitating."
From her words, it seemed she was telling the truth. In this situation, there was no one who could interfere with her. The extermination team had already fled in fear, so there was no reason for her to lie.
Swoosh
The Gumiho, still naked, crossed her legs. Every movement was a seductive and mesmerizing gesture. I couldn't help but stare at her full thighs, and she said,
"Right now, I am more interested in you."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. I will teach you about Haean. In return, you must travel with me."
"That's the problem. How am I supposed to believe you know about Haean?"
I asked this because I had a rough idea of what the Gumiho was. She could easily overpower me with force but chose to engage in conversation, toying with me. She preferred using her mind, strategies, and brainwashing over her power. The probability of her suddenly attacking during our conversation was low.
"Uhu... Do you know about the phoenix that appeared in this land two years ago?"
"I've heard of it."
"That was actually a spell cast by the king of Dan to eliminate the power of a great evil deity that had appeared in Goryeo. The power of the Sea Deity was overwhelming, causing humans to corrupt, so the greatest spellcaster of the human race strengthened the protective barrier over all of Goryeo."
It was sudden and overwhelming information. I didn't understand much of it due to my lack of knowledge, but I asked about what I could grasp.
"What are you talking about? Sea Deity?"
"A great evil deity that even the gods and great immortals of the Heavenly Realm dare not touch has established its base in the Yellow Sea. The followers of this deity are the Sea Deity's clan, and they recently negotiated with the powers of Seokyeong to come ashore. The guardian clan of the peninsula could not stand by and cast a protective spell."
"Ugh..."
I had a thought.
Before coming to Goryeo, I had encountered the Blood Path Pirates, whose leaders were clearly inhuman, resembling fish. The Seokyeong Express Agency owner had mentioned they were related to the Sea Deity's clan. Was this evil deity they worshiped real?
"Ho... So you know about the evil deity."
"That's not important. Let's get to the point."
"The Haean you're looking for is an incredibly powerful treasure. It serves as a crucial key in the protective barrier that guards this land. You could spend your whole life searching and never find it."
"Can't we find its location at Haean Temple?"
The Gumiho looked at me as if I were naive and said,
"Find Haean at Haean Temple? Your simple-mindedness is truly enviable. Haean Temple is just a place Haean passed through; it has nothing to do with its current location."
"So... What proof do I have to believe you? You might just be playing with me."
"I am sad. To be so untrusted."
The Gumiho pretended to wipe away tears and then smiled.
"Do you really not trust me?"
"......"
"If you allow me to travel with you, I promise to give you the best help. I won't corrupt you, and I'll even spare the Twelve Laws outside. I want to have a pleasant journey with you."
Her voice was earnest.
I really couldn't trust the Gumiho. I had died countless times due to rash actions in the past. I had decided to live longer this time, and after just being betrayed by Jigyeol, I was even more cautious.
But what could I do if I didn't believe her?
'Fighting the Gumiho is out of the question.'
Jigyeol had been so frightened by a glimpse of her power that he left me behind to escape. She must be one of the greatest demons in all of Zhongyuan, Goryeo, and Dongyoung. If she wanted to, she could wipe out not only me but the entire Twelve Laws extermination team. I decided to make the most rational judgment and sighed deeply before saying,
"... Alright, I'll go with you."
"Uhu. Good decision."
The Gumiho, overjoyed, jumped up and grabbed my hand. Her sincerity was evident in her words.
"If I had been lying, I would have just eaten you."
"......"
I felt like I had just passed a critical moment between life and death. The Gumiho suddenly did a backflip and transformed.
Boom!
Suddenly, the Gumiho, who had been a mature and voluptuous woman, transformed into a girl around my age. It was amazing how she could change her appearance so freely. As I stared at the girl dressed in Goryeo clothing, the Gumiho smiled.
"My human name will be Mihyo (Beautiful Fox). Please take care of me."
At that moment, an absurd companion joined my journey to find Haean.