I didn’t expect that wewould capture that little fox so easily. Her tail seemed to be her weakness. I reached and pinched her tail. The onlookers looked at us strangely, butI didn’t caremuch about that.

I asked her, “Who are you? Why did you ambush us?”

The little girl looked at us pitifully. She foldedher earsand gave usan aggrieved look. I thought she didn’t understand Chinese, so I took out my phone to call Xiao Gao to come down here to translate.

However, the little girlsuddenlysaid, “Mr. Huang asked me to come here to protect you guys.”

I was a little surprised. This little girl could speak Mandarin.Still, she was a fox spirit that could live for a long time. It wasn’t strange that she could speak many languages.

“Who is Mr. Huang? I have never heardofhim.”

“What? You don’t know him? If you don’t believe me, ask your pockmark-faced friend.”

“You mean Li Mazi?” I spotted a flaw in her words. “If you came to protectus, why did you cast your magic illusion on us?”

“I didn’t hurt you!”The little girl shook her head.

“Is that so? We almostbecame crazyin your magic illusion. Be honest. Who is Mr. Huang?” My voice grew cold.

“He… He asked me to bring you guys to a place. You’ll know when you get there.”

I didn’tunderstand and turnedto Chuyi.Hefrowned and said, “She’s fooling you.”

I turned and caughtasmirk on the girl’s face. Immediately, a stinky gas emitted from her lower body. It was like tear gas, andI couldn’t even open my eyes. I covered my mouthand coughedhard.

Herfluffytail slithered like a snake, and she gotaway from mygrasp. I was mad at myselffor being easily fooled bya little monster.

Chuyi chased after the girland tried to stab hertwice, but the little girlmovedagilely. She jumped from the counter. Afterward, both of her legs hooked onto the chandelier, herbody danglingupside down. She swungand madea face.

“You fool! You fool!Haha!

I angrily drew the Sirius Whipand lashedat her. The little girl caught the whip. Then, she attemptedto pull me toward her.This little fox spiritwas too naive.The Sirius Whip was covered in spells that could exorcise ghosts and monsters. As soon as she caught it, she shrieked in pain. The whip left a burning streakinher palm.magic

I withdrew the Sirius Whip then lashed again. The little girl jumped off the chandelierand dashedto the door, fleeing.

I wanted to chase after her, but Chuyi stopped me. “We don’t know that fox spirit’s origin.We should becarefulas we don’t want to be trapped again. She didn’t do anythingbesidesusing thatillusion, sowe shouldn’tattack recklessly. It’ll be safer if we hold back for now.”

I nodded.I felt reallytired, soI decided toheadback to my room to rest.Suddenly, I got a call from Yin Xinyue. “Brother Zhang, did youcatchthat little fox?”

“No, I didn’t.” I felt strange, though. Yin Xinyue hadn’t seen the girl,so how didshe know it was a little female fox?Something waswrong!

Yin Xinyue soundedanxious. “Go after her. She stole our passports!”

“Did she steal anything else?” I asked.

“No, but the four passportsaregone. She didn’t steal money. Hurry,we’ll be in bigtrouble if weloseourpassports!”

I sneered. “Little fox, you want to fool me again? You’re not Yin Xinyue!”

After keepingsilent for around ten seconds,Yin Xinyuesaid,“Brother Zhang, did you hit your head somewhere?”

“Youdamnfox, did you steal my wife’s phone?Did you fakeher voice to fool me again?Did you reallythink that I would buy it?”Shehung up after I scolded her. I felt proud of my quick wits.

Soon, Yin Xinyue came out of the other elevator booth. She lookedveryangry. “In more than twenty years, it’sthe first timesomeonethoughtthat Iwasn’ta human. And,youwere the one who did that to me! I feel hurt. Anyway, lookhere.”

She shoved her phone to my face. It was a photo she had just taken.Someone had usedabrush to write a line on the wall. It read, ‘Little fox immortal Jade Tail visited here!’

She swiped to the second photo, which was our luggage. Except for our passports, it seemed nothing else was missing.

“Now, do you buy it?” Yin Xinyue fumed.

I was so stunned that I couldn’t make a sound.I wished that the ground underneath would open up and swallow me whole.I tried to show off but ended up failing hard.

IlookedatChuyi through the corner of my eye. The man looked as though he was smiling. “Hey, are you laughing at me?”

“No, I’m not.” He pulled his cold face back againand wipedall the evidence.“Why are you still standing there? Without passports, we can’tgohome. I don’t want to be an illegalimmigranthere!” Yin Xinyue sounded mad.

Anyway, itwasn’tas serious as she said. We could always go to the Embassy togetanother passport. However, wewould haveto showevidenceand the procedure was extremely complicated.It was possible we hadto stay in Japan for a month.

Chuyi said, “Let’s go before she goes too far.”

I answered helplessly,“Yeah.”

After weleftthe hotel, Chuyi began to sniff along the street. I asked,“Howcanyou smell the monster aura? I can see ghosts, but I can’t sense monsters.”

He gave me a faint answer.“You haven’t fully awakened.”

I didn’t know how long we had walkedwhenwe saw the little girl sitting on a street light. She was combing her tail.Itseemed she was waiting for us.

I tried to call her.“Miss Jade Tail, we don’t haveagrudge. Please give back our passports.”

“No.”

“What do you want,after all?Willyou begentleenough to tell me?” I said begrudgingly.

“I want you to stay hereandplay with me!” Then, she took out a passport from her pocketand toreit. I almost cried.

Fortunately, sheonly torethe protectivecover of the passport. Then, she fanned the four passports in her hand as if they were poker cards, sniggering.“Come catch me. If you can catch me, I’ll give them back to you.”

She gently bounced fromonelamp post to anotherwhilegiggling. We had to run after her on the street. I was irritated.

Wewere always beingchased byzombiesand evil ghosts, and when we finally went on a nice trip to Japan to rest,thislittle fox was teasing us. I pledged to myself that I would make her into a nice fur!

We ranthe entire way andgradually left the city. Kyotowasn’t that big in the end.

The road led us to a mountain flank with denseandbig trees. I had to stop and gasp for my breath. Jade Tail jumped onto a red, archway-like thing that looked like theChinese character ‘開’. I remembered itwascalledtorii, whichwas usually the entrance toJapanese Shinto shrines.

Jade Tail jumped above a series of torii and disappeared into the woods.

Inadvertently, we were brought toashrine.A high and ancient structure stood in the night.Perhaps because it was leaning against the great mountain, it looked especiallyimposing.

If Iwas correct,this should beafamous shrine in Kyoto. It was the Inari Shrine!

Aswe were about to enter, a bamboo stick was suddenly placed at my throat. A young girl around twenty years old with aponytailstood before me. She was of medium height, and herattire looked like a Chinese Han suit. She woreitwith a loose, white coat accompanied by a crimson skirt.Itwasthe typical attire ofaJapaneseshrine maiden.

The bamboo stick was actually a broomstick. The girl looked at us with bright eyes. She looked hostile!