After returning from the Temple of Fox Fairy, the little fox began to grow somewhat paranoid, constantly touching the white hairs on her tail every day.
She claimed these white hairs were peculiar - no matter how hard she pulled, they wouldn't come out, as if they'd grown naturally from her body. If she tugged too forcefully, the pain would bring tears to her eyes. She feared she might have contracted some terminal illness, for hair discoloration signified a terrifying mutation. After all, ordinary foxes couldn't possibly grow white hairs unless they were arctic foxes.
I found this both amusing and endearing. Who'd have thought a demon would worry about terminal illness? This little fox was simply adorable. Though she fretted all day long, all her anxieties would vanish the moment she caught sight of roasted chicken.
Stein suggested that perhaps the Fox Fairy had formed some connection with the little fox. These white hairs, he said, must be the Fox Fairy's blessing upon her. There was no need for excessive worry - nothing bad would come of it.
Stein was right. Considering the little fox's age, it was highly unlikely she could have cultivated into a spirit. As the old saying goes, the older the animal, the more likely it is to become supernatural. For a young animal to achieve this was exceedingly difficult unless born with exceptional racial traits.
Yet this little fox was just an ordinary fox. At her tender age, not only had she cultivated into a spirit, but she could also take human form, learn human speech, and communicate with people - no small feat.
That three-tailed fox had three single-tailed foxes under her. When I asked the little foxes about this, they revealed they were all over a hundred years old. Their ability to become spirits wasn't surprising at all.
By comparison, our little fox seemed born with innate magical talent. Yet looking at her - silly, simple, without any remarkable features, unable to demonstrate any particular prowess, and even disliked by other demons...
After Stein and I reassured her, the little fox forgot all about it within days, returning to her usual happy, playful self. But the mystery lingered in our minds.
What exactly had happened to that nine-tailed Fox Fairy's body? Why had it suddenly disappeared? Where had it gone? For now, we had no answers - only its past might hold clues.
When we returned to the tattoo parlor, we resumed business as usual. After all, money still needed to be earned.
But today, instead of new customers, we received an old one - Mr. Lam.
This Mr. Lam was wealthy and influential, yet he'd lost his son in his old age. To help him conceive another child, I'd tattooed a Child-Bestowing Guanyin on him. But this particular Guanyin tattoo was meant to kill him - whether it would grant him a child or not remained unknown, but his death was inevitable.
I wondered what had brought him to see me today. We'd never had much interaction beyond that initial encounter.
Could it be... that he'd discovered my affair with Nuwa's Forsaken Shade? I couldn't help but break into a cold sweat at the thought. Being caught cuckolding someone would be... rather unpleasant.
This Nuwa's Forsaken Shade was truly insidious. To get back at me and Mr. Lam, she had come up with a brilliant scheme—conceiving my child and making Mr. Lam a cuckold.
So she slept with me…
Mr. Lam arrived with an entourage, though Nuwa's Forsaken Shade wasn't among them. The moment he stepped out of his car, several bodyguards surrounded him. After all, he was wealthy but in poor health, old and frail—without protection, he'd probably feel uneasy.
"Yo, Mr. Lam! What a rare guest!" I greeted him, though my mind raced, wondering what to do. If Mr. Lam had truly discovered my affair with Nuwa's Forsaken Shade, a man like him wouldn't let me off easily.
But I didn't need to panic. In terms of combat, I had Antonio, and now with the addition of the feisty little fox, I shouldn't have too much trouble handling things.
"Mr. Tang, I've missed you!" Mr. Lam strode forward, shaking my hand warmly, addressing me with exaggerated respect.
I silently wondered what the old man was up to. It seemed he hadn't found out about me and Nuwa's Forsaken Shade.
"I've missed you too, Mr. Lam," I replied hypocritically. To probe him further, I asked, "How's the… child situation these days?"
Mr. Lam's expression darkened at the question, and my heart sank. This can't be good…
"Ah, don't even mention it. That Nuwa's Forsaken Shade is useless—not a single sign of success." Mr. Lam sighed in disappointment.
I patted my chest in relief. Thank goodness, this has nothing to do with me.
"If Nuwa's Forsaken Shade isn't working, why not try someone else?" I suggested.
It was probably a common problem among men. While someone like Nuwa's Forsaken Shade was the last person I'd want to be involved with, she had been my woman. I'd rather she stay far away from Mr. Lam.
"You're absolutely right, Mr. Tang. If it doesn't work, we must change immediately. I've already found three more beauties. If they don't work either… well, then the problem must lie with your Tattoos of Gods and Ghosts, haha…" Mr. Lam laughed, though his joking tone carried an unmistakable threat.
If nothing worked, then my tattoos were at fault—and that would put me in danger.
But I wasn't worried. How could Nuwa's Forsaken Shade possibly get pregnant when she was wearing a contraceptive ring? If she hadn't interfered and messed things up, my Child-Bestowing Guanyin tattoo would have given Mr. Lam a child long ago.
And once the child was successfully delivered… Mr. Lam would die.
Now that he had discarded Nuwa's Forsaken Shade and found other women, success was practically guaranteed.
"Mr. Lam, don't worry. Even if you don't trust me, you should trust Guanyin, shouldn't you? That child is guaranteed to be delivered to you. But if your old man wants three or four… hey, can he handle it?" I raised my eyebrows with a sly grin.
Even without the tattoo's side effects, Mr. Lam would've died on a woman sooner or later—had he forgotten his age?
"Of course I can!" Mr. Lam boasted. After getting the Child-Bestowing Guanyin tattoo, he claimed to feel decades younger, just like a vigorous young man. He finished with a hearty laugh.
Since he hadn't discovered my affair with Nuwa's Forsaken Shade, I relaxed. Cutting to the chase, I asked, "What brings you here today? Surely not just to chat about that?"
Mr. Lam planted his cane firmly and tapped the floor a few times. His entourage took the hint, filing out to stand guard at the alley's entrance.
"You lot—mind giving us some privacy?" He pointed at Antonio, Stein, and the others.
"No need," I said. "They're my sworn brothers. Whatever you have to say, say it outright—their lips are sealed tighter than a vault."
But Mr. Lam insisted. "This is too big. I can only discuss it with you alone."
Reluctantly, I sent Stein and the others upstairs, leaving just the two of us on the ground floor.
"Alright, Mr. Lam, out with it. What's so mysterious?" I pressed.
He leaned in close and whispered, "Mr. Tang… do you know of Peng Zu?"
My body stiffened—first from shock, then from the weight of that name.
How does Mr. Lam know about Peng Zu? Is that why he came to see me today?
"Of course. The longest-lived man in antiquity—who hasn't heard of him?" I replied carefully.
"They say he holds the secret to immortality," Mr. Lam murmured. "Care to explore it with me, Mr. Tang?"