Legend of Nine Tails Fox (Green Hill Fox Legend / The Foxes of Azure Hills / Qing qiu hu chuan shuo / 青丘狐傳說)

When Pangu split Heaven and Earth apart, the light and clear Yang became the skies, and the heavy and muddy Yin descended to become Earth.

The sun and moon, mountains and rivers were created.

Nuwa bestowed life force upon the earth and the myriad things got their wit.

Enabling the human environment to become a paradise.

Nuwa let the spiritual foxes become one of her four great mythical beasts

alongside the qilin, phoenix, and azure dragon.

The spiritual fox's resourceful wit was greatly beloved by Nuwa.

Later on, in order to pacify Western Zhou dynasty's chaos of war,

Nuwa ordered a spiritual fox to mingle among men, making King Zhou lose his sanity.

But as it brought calamity over the mortals, Nuwa was enraged and banished the spiritual fox out of the four mythical beasts.

She stripped it of its mythical powers. Sent it to Green Hill

with the punishment of raising the magical tree, waiting upon the celestial emperor.

The magic fruit that the magical tree bears every 500 years, can give it's eater supreme immortal powers of seduction.

Fei Yue! Sister Fei Yue, are you okay?

You ran so fast. Were you trying to beat me?

If I can't even beat you, how can I be a fairy?

Are your feet okay?

Seems like you won't be able to join the ceremony to welcome the magical fruit.

No, it's not okay.

This magical fruit tree is a sacred item Lady Nuwa bestowed upon our fox-kind.

It bears only one fruit every 500 years.

If I miss it, I'll have to wait for another 500 years. I have to participate.

Besides, we are all taking care of the magical tree. How can we miss this?

Fei Yue, but Grandma already said you cannot participate in the ceremony.

Brother Hu Si, don't make me mad.

I have to go.

This magical tree has miraculous immortal powers of seduction.

No need to eat it, just by merely touching it can increase your power.

But I have a date. I cannot participate.

Tonight, I will be proposing.

Proposing?

You try and keep failing every time. You're still proposing marriage?

Even if I get rejected, so what?

If they are happy, I'm happy.

This is real love, isn't it?

You guys don't understand.

Bye!

Do you feel better now?

It's better, but I'm still confused.

Why won't Grandma allow me to participate in the ceremony?

Anyway, you don't really have any care about mortal love.

For you, the magic fruit almost has no meaning.

That's right. If you don't make it this time, there's the next time.

What next time? I had to wait 500 years for this time.

I want to see what this ripening magic fruit is like.

Even if I get to just see it once, it's enough.

This girl... only knows how to dream to become a fairy.

Well, I should go for a bath and get ready for the welcoming ceremony.

Okay, I'll wait for you over here.

Sister Hua Yue!

- Ying Ning? - It's not good. The wolf clan has attacked.

What? They dare to come and cause trouble at a time like this? They are seeking death.

Sister, we two are not their opponent. Quickly, find Grandma first, I will buy some time.

All right, then, you be careful. I'll go and come back quickly.

Okay.

- Look over there. - Wow, it's pretty. - It is.

- This is the magic fruit. - Indeed.

- Greetings, Grandma! - Greetings, Grandma!

Elders, no need for courtesy. Did you all prepare for the welcoming of the magic fruit celebration?

Replying to Grandma, everything has been prepared.

The only thing left is to wait for the ripe fruit to fall down.

There are so many magic fruits but which one is the ripened one?

500 years have gone by and it is the time again for the magic fruit to ripen.

Everybody, follow me to welcome the magic fruit—

Grandma! Grandma!

Bad news, bad news! The wolf clan is coming!

This wolf clan has some nerve. How dare they come at such a time to stir trouble.

Quick, follow me.

- Who are you? - What do you think you're doing?

Someone wants to steal the magic fruit. Come quickly! Come quickly!

I can't let you steal the magic fruit!

- What happened? - What's going on?

- Inform Grandma at once that someone is stealing the magic fruit! - Okay!

Put down the magic fruit!

The sky lanterns are beautiful indeed.

Just like the stars.

Is this a falling star?

Is it someone fighting?

Fei Yue?

- Quickly go back. Grandma is waiting for you. - Okay.

Let's go.

Grandma is back.

Grandma... Don't worry, Grandma.

What's going on? A moment ago Fei Yue pursued the magic fruit. Did she return yet?

- I didn't see her. - No.

- Did anyone come to her aid? - Grandma!

- How did it go? Did you catch her? - I did.

This is the piece of clothing I tore away from the magic fruit thief.

Did you catch the vixen who stole the magic fruit?

How can she do it with strength like hers? She probably let it run away.

Grandma, it's all because of my insufficient strength.

That vixen was much stronger than I am. I was no match for her.

Being able to steal the magic fruit, she is no common person. There must have been some pre-planning.

Making noise on one side and attacking on the other. You shouldn't have gone showing off your powers.

I'm sorry, Grandma. I was mistaken.

I thought that the wolf pack was attacking at that time,

so I forgot about Fei Yue.

I know. And I don't blame her either.

Now, except for this ragged piece of cloth, we have no lead whatsoever.

How can we find her?

Grandma, a piece of cloth is also a lead. Maybe it still has the vixen's smell?

Indeed.

In the capital.

I'm so puzzled. I was planning to attend the welcoming ceremony with you;

but unexpectedly, I fell asleep under the tree.

How strange...

You clearly came running to me and had me inform Grandma that the wolf pack was attacking.

And now you're telling me that you fell asleep? Who are you trying to fool?

Sister Hua Yue, I'm not fooling you. I just woke up when you came.

I, too, don't know how to explain this.

Stop quibbling.

- I... - Enough. The two of you quarreling won't solve a thing.

The most important thing now is to find the magic fruit.

This has to do with the future fate of our fox-kind.

That's right. Maybe the whole thing can be cleared up once we find it.

With you guys saying such, have you found clues about the magic fruit?

Yes. We've just looked at the water mirror and found out that it is in the Meng Mansion in the capital.

Meng Mansion in the capital?

Grandma, I think that in this case of the stolen magical fruit,

it would be best to beg for Lady Nuwa's forgiveness first.

Afterward, we will think of a solution.

It would be better to keep it a secret from her as long as we can.

If Lady Nuwa were to find out, she would punish us more severely.

I am aware of that, of course. But as the calamity will be hard to avoid,

I would rather take the chance to save ourselves.

Grandma, other than the fact that the vixen vanished near the Meng family,

there are no other clues. Where should we go look?

If you are brave enough, look inside the Meng Mansion.

If you ask me to, I dare not to.

This concerns the survival of Green Hill, of the fox-kind.

How can I take it on myself?

It should probably be done by the genius, Liu Changyan.

Clan Leader.

Su Xi, why are you crying?

It was the smoke. Clan Leader, the smoke was too much.

- If you don't believe it, you can try it. - Okay, okay.

Enough, now is the most exciting part.

Shoo! Shoo!

It must be you! You knew you were about to lose,

that's why you called the animal to come and destroy the game.

It is obvious that you called the animal. I won the game.

- I won! - I won!

Daoist Masters, don't fight anymore.

I can restore this game to how it was earlier.

Restore?

Both, please.

There are so many different colored pieces on the board on different positions and you remembered them all?

Not a single mistake, nor missing a piece.

Just because you said it's correct doesn't mean it is correct.

There are so many pieces. How was I supposed to memorize them all?

Clan Leader has the best memory. If he claims to be the second best, then no one in the world would dare to claim to be the first.

- If he says it's correct, then it must be correct. - Enough.

The chess placement seems so much alike, but how can you prove that not one of them is wrong?

That is very easy. Can I ask for another chessboard?

Daoist Masters, I will put them back once more.

If it was just casually placed last time, then it won't be possible to put the pieces back in the exact same position.

If both chess game pieces are placed in the exact same position, then I will believe you.

Okay.

Please.

Didn't I say that our Clan Leader can't be wrong? Do you believe now?

Amazing! This young man's abilities are formidable.

You want to learn the "Hidden treasure in the sleeve" technique. We will both teach you.

I am Liu Changyan. Thank you both.

You are smarter than most. You most likely will not disappoint us.

Are you really going to search for the magic fruit?

Look at me. Do I look like I am joking?

Fei Yue, I think you should reconsider.

Besides, you are no match to that vixen.

That's correct. Right now, your opponent is not just that vixen.

I am more worried about you falling for the trick of that Meng Anren!

How powerful can a mortal be?

Hua Yue, we are spiritual foxes.

That's right! We are spiritual foxes.

Rumor has it that Meng Anren is sinister and cunning, excels in trickery.

A treacherous official cast out from human society.

This man is vengeful. He finds it pleasurable to play with other people's feelings.

And he has a reputation of having the blackest heart in the world.

Fine, I know I am not a match to that vixen.

But I am the only one in Green Hill who fought her, right?

So I can identify her once I see her.

About that Meng Anren...

I'm the last person to be moved by intimate actions between a man and a woman.

I am then the best person to deal with an unfaithful evil man like that.

Changyan, you must think of a solution.

Find the magic fruit before the worship ceremony.

The future of the whole fox clan relies on you.

I will do my best to find the magic fruit.

But Grandma, I really do not agree to hide the truth from Lady Nuwa.

If you get the magic fruit back before the worship ceremony, before Lady Nuwa finds out, it is not considered cheating.

I will confess my sin to her.

If we do not get the magic fruit back, the crime of deceit is way graver than negligence.

I will bear the responsibility.

Lady Nuwa would punish you all less severely.

I understand.