Chapter 1 Pine is Not Pine

Chapter 1 Pine is Not Pine

Chapter Summary: Songsong clearly saw the man whose neck was being gripped by a white-browed tiger with piercing eyes.

Yunzhou City, Yanggu County, Jingyanggang.

The gentle slopes to the east are covered in lush greenery, and at this time of year, hundreds of flowers bloom and birds sing, while deer, foxes, and rabbits linger and look around. To the west, the deep ravine is shrouded in darkness and miasma, and even wild animals and birds pass by without entering.

The mountains to the north are steep and rugged, with many dangerous peaks. Unidentified fruit trees jut out from the cliffs, attracting foxes and rabbits to crane their necks in anticipation.

The pine forest to the south is so dense it blocks out the sun, the pine trees rustling like waves; a tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead lives in the forest, having devoured thirty or twenty people, and has developed a somewhat evil nature...

Having cultivated his spiritual intelligence for a hundred years and learned to transform into human form for twenty-five, the little fox Songsong on Jingyang Ridge is now familiar with every flower, tree, blade of grass, and leaf in the mountains.

It's another beautiful spring day with a gentle breeze.

As usual, Songsong basked in the sun on Dongpo for half a day, watching the swallows come and go, admiring the spring flowers bloom and close, scaring away a wild rabbit and startling two pheasants...

As dusk fell, he carried three spring flowers in his mouth, crossed half a mountain, and came to an old pine tree with gnarled branches and a faint spiritual glow around it.

He placed Chunhua at the base of the pine tree, licked his front paws to wash his face, shook his fur, and wrapped his snow-white, fluffy tail around his tucked-up front paws. Then he sat down in the rustling shade of the pine tree, just as he always did, to accompany her in enjoying the magnificent sunset.

A gentle evening breeze, tender sunset glow, and misty mountain air.

What I see before me is clearly no different from yesterday, the day before yesterday, last year, the year before last... but when a pair of wild rabbits hop past me, a pair of swallows chirp across the sky, the evening breeze stirs up a shower of falling petals, and a petal lands on my forehead in that instant...

The little fox's high-perched ears suddenly drooped, and its drooping tail gently brushed against the swaying, freely spreading spring grass in front of it. A strange and unsettling flutter suddenly surged through its heart.

"Grandma Song..."

He lowered his head, staring at the swarms of ants passing through the grass, then twitched his drooping ears and murmured something.

"Wild geese often come to roost, butterflies and swallows always fly in pairs. The old woman has cultivated herself here for a thousand years, and has seen the spring come and go, and the changes of the world... Has she ever felt lonely?"

A rustling sound of pine trees filled the air, and shimmering pine needles fell from the branches, like the gentle hands of a loving mother, carried by the spring breeze, landing on him.

"Does Songsong feel lonely?"

A hoarse voice, as if it hadn't been uttered in a long time, was muffled in the wind.

Songsong turned her face away, licked the fur on her back, shook her tail, and said awkwardly, "Grandma, you've cultivated for a thousand years, do you know if there's another fox in the world that has cultivated into a spirit?"

"roar!"

Before Songsong could finish speaking, a tiger roared from the forest to the south, and the entire Jingyanggang area was instantly engulfed in a fierce wind, with the ground shaking violently.

Songsong suddenly turned around, its ears standing up high, its eyes wide open, and its fur bristling into a snow-white ball.

"It's that tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead!"

Hearing a faint groan in the breeze, Songsong ignored her mother-in-law's repeated attempts to stop her, darted over the hilltop, and ran like the wind towards the dense forest where the sky was blocked out and birds were scattered in fright.

"roar!!"

Deer fled in terror, while foxes and rabbits hid in the shadows.

When Songsong arrived, panting heavily, the forest was almost silent except for the rustling wind and the foul, fishy smell.

The dark and winding mountain path pressed against my back. I looked left and right, crawling along. First, I saw a felt hat from Fanyang, then half a red silk sleeve. Beside the scattered bundle, a stick was broken in two.

He tiptoed around a cliff and suddenly saw the man with his neck being gripped by a white-browed tiger with piercing eyes beside a wide mountain path.

With long limbs and a tall, imposing build, he should have been a dignified and majestic figure, but because a tiger had bitten his neck, his body was covered in blood and flesh, and he was on the verge of death.

Songsong couldn't help but frown, annoyed that he was too late again. A ray of sunset swept through the forest, and he subconsciously looked up, just in time to see a drop of saliva drip from the tiger's mouth, through the man's red silk jacket, and onto the back of his limp hand, his five fingers curling up in response.

The person is still alive!

Songsong's eyes lit up, and she silently took half a step forward.

Seeing the tiger with its piercing eyes and white forehead, drooling, turn its back, tighten its grip on the man, and take a step to leave, Songsong didn't hesitate. He gathered his meager spiritual power, lifted the blue stone blocking his way, saw the tiger's exposed back, and with all his might, slammed it down heavily.

"Roar!"

The tiger, struck on the back, instinctively released its grip, then angrily raised its neck and let out a deafening roar.

Before Songsong could flee in terror, the tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead staggered and coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. After taking only a couple of steps toward the cave entrance, it collapsed with a thud, sending dust billowing everywhere.

Songsong's hair stood on end, his fox-like eyes wide open, and he hid behind the cliff, not daring to move.

As the dust settled and there was no longer any sign of life in front of the cliff, he breathed a sigh of relief, tilted his head and thought for a moment, then transformed into the hunter he had seen before and quickly ran towards the man in the red silk coat who was on the verge of despair.

"Brother!"

Perhaps sensing his impending doom, he vaguely saw someone approaching. Before the other person could speak, the man suddenly grabbed his hand, his brow beaded with sweat and his face pale, and spoke haltingly and hurriedly.

“Brave warrior, my name is Wu Song, and I am from Qinghe County in the neighboring prefecture… I am the second son in my family… Take all my clothes and money, my only request is that when you have time, you go to Qinghe and… take a look…”

The grip on his hand suddenly loosened, and the man, his eyes wide with despair, reluctantly breathed his last.

"Brother? Brother!"

Songsong quickly took his hand and poured spiritual energy into his body.

Until she could no longer maintain her human form, the wind blowing through the pine forest grew colder and colder, and the hand she was holding loosely also grew colder and colder.

Deer returning to the valley peek out cautiously, while weary birds returning to their nests sing in succession.

Songsong knelt beside the man, closed his eyes for him, lowered her head, and looked blank.

Qinghe County? Where is that?

I vaguely heard the hunters who went up the mountain mention Yanggu. What is Qinghe?

Are there many people? How far is it from Yanggu County?

...

As the new moon rose, Songsong mustered his strength, found a sturdy pine tree in the forest, dug a hole, buried the man with the same name as him under the pine tree, bowed three times to the simple grave, then picked up his bundle, felt hat, and staff, and quietly hurried towards the fox den.

"Rustling..."

At the fox den, seeing him return under the moonlight carrying an unfamiliar bag, Granny Pine shed a gentle rain of pine needles and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Songsong, where did you get that bundle? Why do you look so worried?"

Songsong threw the bundle at her mother-in-law's feet, lowered her head, drooped her ears, and shook her head sheepishly: "It's the bundle of the traveler who crossed the hill."

The sound of wind rustling through the pines under the moon rises gently.

As if seeing through the softness in his heart, the pine branch closest to him fell silently, gently brushing against the little fox's lowered head. Grandma Pine's soft, comforting tone drifted into his ears on the evening breeze.

“Everyone has their own destiny. The traveler who crossed the hill did not obey the official notice, and the hungry tiger in the forest did not understand human feelings. It was their fate to suffer this calamity, not Songsong’s fault.”

"I am not saddened by his unjust death..."

Songsong wagged its tail, looked up at Granny Pine's gnarled branches, and briefly explained what had happened in the forest. Then it lowered its head, its expression melancholy, and said, "Granny knows, I was injured by some naughty children from the foot of the mountain when I was young, and I'm terrified of travelers. Now, not only travelers, but the traveler's last wish was for Songsong to go to the human world, to a place called Qinghe. I..."

"Qinghe?"

Seeing his unease, Granny Pine's usually sharp pine branches softened, and she patted his slightly hunched back, saying gently, "Before leaving, Songsong asked Granny if there was another fox in the world that had cultivated into a spirit?"

Songsong suddenly raised her head, propped up her ears, and her eyes instantly brightened: "Have you found Grandma?"

The wind rustled through the air, and the pine branches swayed, as if an elder were giving him an irresistible smile.

"To be honest, Songsong, my mother-in-law has heard from afar that there's a woman in the neighboring county of Qinghe who's often called a fox spirit by her neighbors. If I'm not mistaken, she's probably one of Songsong's kind!"

"really?!"

Songsong suddenly stood up and walked around Grandma Song with light steps.

While overjoyed at the news of similar cases, the unfamiliar name "Qinghe" filled him with unease and anxiety.

"Don't be afraid!"

The pine branch fell again, patted the little fox's shoulder, and gently advised, "If Songsong is really scared, then break off this branch from Grandma!"

Songsong paused, the fur on her back standing on end, her fox eyes widening: "What are you doing, Grandma?"

With a snap, the pine branch broke off without wind and landed at the little fox's feet, which it was frantically scratching at.

The old pine trees rustled, and the spiritual energy flowed continuously into the branches through the evening breeze, faintly accompanied by the pine tree's gentle, unrestrained laughter.

"Don't be afraid, Songsong. Let Grandma leave a wisp of her spirit in this mirror to accompany you down the mountain. If you encounter any difficulties or troubles along the way, just raise this mirror and you will be able to find Grandma and speak with her!"

Songsong lowered his eyes and looked at the pine wood mirror that had been transformed from pine branches at his feet. He carried it with him, and it was just right.

"Can……"

Songsong lowered her head, looked at her snow-white reflection in the mirror, and said with a worried expression, "Grandma, most people in the county are xenophobic, and Qinghe County is far away. Where should Songsong begin her search?"

"Songsong just said that the traveler who crossed the hill was also from Qinghe County?"

Granny Song leaned out of the pine branch, ruffled the bundle and staff at her feet, pondered for a moment, and said, "I was going to go for him anyway, but why don't you temporarily transform into the traveler's appearance, visit his brother, settle down in Qinghe County, and then slowly inquire about the woman's whereabouts? Is there any rush?"

"There's nothing else we can do for now..."

Songsong looked up at the smoke rising from the mountain below and murmured to himself.

The next morning, as the sun rose in the east and birds sang merrily, Songsong transformed into the pilgrim Wu Song, carrying his bag and magic mirror. He bid farewell to the flowers and plants on the mountain and, alone, descended the mountain path.

More than half an hour later, beside a crystal-clear stream, Songsong felt aches and pains in his back and dizziness because he was not used to walking upright.

After confirming that no one was around, he rubbed his sore calves, took off his bag and straw sandals, bent down by the stream, and scooped up some water to drink.

Despite having four limbs, it only walks on two feet; its palms are large, but it has no fleshy pads, and its five fingers are thin, long, and bald, making it truly ugly!

Songsong stared at his reflection in the water, occasionally raising his hand to lick his wet palms, looking left and right, not quite satisfied.

"...Why can't we hear the tiger's roar?"

There seem to be many more birds than usual!

After a short rest, the sound of rustling footsteps suddenly came from the reeds on the opposite bank of the stream.

It's a hunter!

Sensing human presence, his ears twitched, and Songsong abruptly stood up, picked up his staff, and prepared to leave.

wrong!

As he caught a glimpse of his current appearance in his peripheral vision, Song Song's fleeing pace abruptly halted.

With his current appearance, I wonder if he can keep the fierce hunters with guns and sticks in check.

His bright fox eyes darted around, and he casually put the staff back in its place. He put on his straw sandals, and imitating the official at the foot of the mountain, he stood up with his head held high and looked down at the opposite bank, saying in a deep voice, "Ahem! You!"

Two tiger figures suddenly appeared from the reeds. Songsong instinctively shuddered, barely managing to suppress the urge to turn and run away. His hands, which were behind his back, clenched involuntarily.

Until the two men wearing tiger skins finally showed their heads, they let out a long sigh of relief, stiffened their necks, and said in a deliberately intimidating tone, "You two, what are you doing sneaking around in the woods?"

The two hunters were startled to find that there were other people in the woods.

Upon looking up and seeing the imposing figure of the man on the opposite bank, he immediately felt respect. He quickly took off his tiger skin, strode forward, and said, "Why is the brave warrior here alone? Did you not see the notice of the lawsuit posted down the mountain?"

"Are you two hunters?"

Songsong suppressed the urge to retreat, his heart pounding. His hands clenched tighter behind his back, but his expression grew increasingly imposing. He coughed lightly and said, "If it's for that tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead, there's no need to go! I've already killed that vicious tiger with one punch!"

"Kill him with one punch?!"

The two hunters were taken aback. After exchanging glances for a moment, they couldn't help but say, "It's not that we don't believe in you, brave man, but... even with more than ten hunters from the county working together, they couldn't subdue it. How could you possibly manage it alone, brave man..."

"You don't believe me?"

Songsong's face showed a hint of displeasure. He pointed towards the wild pine forest and raised his head, saying, "The tiger's corpse is still in the same place. If you two don't believe me, come up the mountain with me and you'll see!"

Seeing his confident demeanor, the two hunters were somewhat convinced. As they hurried toward the pine forest, they said to him, "Brave warrior, you have rid the people of a scourge! If this is true, you must come with us back to the county to inform the magistrate! Although Yanggu County is small, the magistrate greatly appreciates heroes. Perhaps he could even promote you to the rank of captain!"

"Headman?"

Songsong blinked, tilted his head and thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Although I don't know what a captain is, to be honest, my name is Wu Song, the second son in my family, and I am from Qinghe County. I am just passing by this time, and I have some things to do at home, so it is not convenient for me to stay here for long."

Qinghe County?

The hunter rubbed his hands together, a broad smile spreading across his face. "It's only a stone's throw from Yanggu. Even if there's trouble at home, brave warrior, please go ahead without worry. We'll report today's events to the magistrate, and if he has a solution, he'll make sure you know!"

Songsong nodded slightly, then cupped his hands to the two men and said, "In that case, I'll trouble you two to take care of things!"