Beware Of Chicken

Book 5: Chapter 58: The Return of Uncle Fox

Nezan shoved Shenhe out of the way, starfire stabbed deep, and the world faded away.

It wasn’t the way he thought he would go…but when his eyes closed, Nezan found himself content with his death.

He was old. So old, and so tired. He had been blessed enough to see the day the Shrouded Mountain Sect was brought low. He had hope for the future—Yun Ren was less burdened by hate and the things he had done. Even if they couldn’t take back their mountain…they would have a home in the Azure Hills and never have to fear persecution again.

So he let his eyes fall closed, and Nezan dreamed of Wen.

He dreamed of her smell. He dreamed of her silken hair. He dreamed of her soft voice singing tunelessly.

It was beautiful and perfect. It was his greatest wish to see her again, beyond even his wish to see the Misty Fang again. The darkness closed in and his eyes grew heavy. He felt the Qi of his family caressing his core; he felt the deep strength of the earth gently trying to wake him.

Yet he was content with sleeping. Content with his dream.

And then he felt a little strand of lightning, a trail to guide him. Lightning that felt so much like Wen.

Ah, she was here to guide him into the afterlife. He grasped the lead and the world began to brighten. He found himself walking through a mountain valley in the height of summer, the warm sun beating down on his back and the smell of flowers in his nose.

But…Wen was further away now, even though he was following her lightning. She was on the other side of a mountain stream.

His dear smiled at him. It was wide and bright and took up most of her face; a brilliant, breathtaking sight.

“Itʼs not time just yet,” she said, her voice gentle.

A spark, a jolt of energy, and Qi so similar to Wen’s filled his body.

Nezan opened his eyes.

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“Not so rough, nephew,” Nezan complained to the boy as he was embraced. It took all of his willpower to keep corporeal—he was barely awake, and even that much was straining him. But it was indeed a joyous thing, to be loved so much, so he endured it for Yun Ren’s sake.

“I knew you couldn’t be dead, you bastard. You’re not a fox, youʼre a cockroach!” the man said, swiftly wiping the tears away from the corner of his eyes. Nezan pressed his forehead into Yun Ren’s and chuckled.

“I resent that comparison. What bug is so cute and fluffy?” Nezan asked.

‘Nezan is a fuzzy caterpillar. The useless, wriggly kind children step on,’Summer’s Sky sniped, the sword rattling in an offended manner. The blade was obviously quite upset with Nezan and his temporary death.

“Good to see you as well, dear. And you,” he said before turning to the other person in the clearing. Zang Shenhe had her hand still raised and looked on with a pained expression on her face. “Do be more gentle when you wake a gentleman up, especially when your hand is on such a sensitive organ. I can’t handle that kind of rough play in this state.”

The woman blushed at Nezan’s crass joke, outrage coming into her eyes before the fire died. Then the woman sucked in a breath, got on to her knees, and pressed her forehead to the snowy ground.

“Thank you, for saving my life. I know you did not have to,” Shenhe said, kowtowing before him.

So she knew, then. She had seen the truth. Her Qi was fluctuating, on the brink of deviation. She had obviously seen something that had completely shattered her worldview and had disturbed her greatly. Guilt rolled off her in waves.

The dark part of Nezan took great joy in this scene, a member of the Shrouded Mountain Sect kowtowing to a fox. He would have gloated and shoved the knife in as deep as he could. He would have made her feel as powerless as the foxes their sect had butchered.

And yet…what would that accomplish? Had he savaged Wen, when his dear had come to him, barely coherent? Why should he heap punishment upon a woman who was already punishing herself?

His nephew had been right when they had spoken last. The foxes could retake their mountain without another drop of their blood being spilled.

All it required…was to put an end to things. It sounded so simple, saying it, but… words were always easier than action.