Chapter Seventy-One: Calling Zhang Ziying

"Yiyi... (Master, I've grown another tail! Does it look pretty?)"

The little fox bounded energetically around Li Yunfei, her two fluffy tails swaying gracefully, coiling around him from time to time with gentle ease. Li Yunfei stroked the tail wrapped around him, savoring its soft comfort, and smiled warmly, "Very pretty. Honghong is the most beautiful of all."

The fox's joy grew, and in a flash, she shed her battle form, returning to her petite size and leaping into Li Yunfei's arms to cuddle. To Li Yunfei's relief, when the fox reverted to her original form, the extra tail vanished on its own, leaving her with just one. Moreover, in her true state, unless she actively used her abilities, she emitted not the slightest trace of demonic aura. With this, there was no need to worry about being seen or sensed by cultivators, or about her true nature being exposed.

The Donkey-Headed Wolf King was delighted for the little fox and called out, "Congratulations, Honghong, on your progress in cultivation!"

Nestled in Li Yunfei's arms, the fox smiled at the Wolf King, "Thank you, Brother Dalang."

Li Yunfei glanced at the pile of spirit stones in the cave, then at the dozen or so tunnels dug by the wolves, and said to the Wolf King, "Dalang, we've been here long enough. It's time to leave. Remember, spread the spirit stones out and cultivate atop them from now on. The spiritual energy in the tunnels is much denser than outside, so you can cultivate in there too. Your cultivation will progress much faster."

The Wolf King looked at Li Yunfei with reluctance and replied, "Yes, Dalang understands. Master, please visit us often."

Li Yunfei nodded, "I will. Cultivate well, and remember to regularly sweep out the wild boar tribe. Stay alert. Never let them regain their strength."

The Wolf King responded solemnly, and Li Yunfei gave a few more instructions, declined their escort, urged them to focus on cultivation, then mounted the fox and departed.

The Shennongjia Forest stretches sixty-two kilometers east to west, and fifty-two kilometers north to south. The Donkey-Headed Wolf clan’s lair was right at the heart of the forest, so whichever direction one ran, the edge of the forest was never more than thirty kilometers away. Yet deep in the woods, it was impossible to tell direction. The area’s magnetic field was strange, phones had no signal, and maps were useless. Even compasses spun wildly, offering no guidance.

Night had already fallen, clouds swirling overhead, obscuring sun and moon; not a single star was visible to determine direction. Li Yunfei had no choice but to let the little fox pick a direction at random. With her speed, reaching the forest’s edge would take less than ten minutes.

Even if they didn’t emerge near Taihuang Mountain, it would be no trouble to run a bit farther.

Li Yunfei rode atop the fox, phone in hand, watching for the first signs of signal. After a few minutes, the signal returned. He opened the navigation app and saw he was heading northeast. Taihuang Mountain lay due east from the forest’s center; they’d veered off by about sixty degrees, so they’d need to head thirty kilometers south to return to Taihuang Mountain.

Li Yunfei quickly had the fox turn south. Minutes later, she carried him out of the woods. He’d entered the forest west of Taihuang Mountain, but now found himself seven or eight kilometers north of it.

About two kilometers from the forest’s edge lay a village called Fangjiaping. Where there’s a village, there’s always a graveyard. Li Yunfei decided to seek out a graveyard dungeon and test its waters, to see how powerful its ghosts might be.

Upon reaching Fangjiaping, Li Yunfei let the fox return to the pet space, planning to summon her again once he found a dungeon. It was just past eight o’clock; villagers were still awake, the lights bright throughout the village. A concrete road ran through it, stretching into the distance.

Tonight, Fangjiaping was lively; a family was throwing a wedding, though it wasn’t clear if they were marrying off a daughter or welcoming a bride. After more than a month deep in the primeval forest, surrounded only by beasts, Li Yunfei longed for human company and decided to join the festivities.

He followed the concrete road toward the house hosting the wedding. Cars of all colors lined the roadside, brought by friends and relatives. The family’s home was among the best in the village: three buildings forming a U-shape, all topped with blue-gray glazed tiles and tiled exterior walls. The main house was two stories tall, with one-story wings on either side and a wide courtyard in the center, about twenty meters from the road.

A broad concrete path connected the courtyard to the road, making it easy for cars to drive right in. A black mesh canopy had been erected, hung with colorful lights—shade by day, atmosphere by night. Fluorescent lamps lit the courtyard brightly. Tables were set up; guests played cards or chatted in small groups. Children ran about, playing and laughing.

With a faint smile, Li Yunfei walked nonchalantly into the courtyard.

Both the courtyard and the houses were bustling and noisy. Not all the guests knew each other, so Li Yunfei’s arrival went unnoticed. Yet his handsome features and well-proportioned build drew the eyes of a few young ladies and wives.

He made his way to a large tea barrel by the street, poured himself a cup, then took a spare plastic stool and settled in a quiet corner. He didn’t plan to stay long—just a short rest to enjoy the lively atmosphere before heading to the back hills to find a graveyard dungeon.

He pulled out his phone and hesitated, then decided to call Zhang Ziying. Ever since Liu Bin contacted her, she’d gained a special privilege: the instructor had returned her phone, clearly so Li Yunfei could reach her easily.

So when Li Yunfei dialed her number, she picked up after just three rings.

Zhang Ziying’s clear voice came through the receiver, tinged with annoyance, “You rascal, you finally decided to call me!”

Li Yunfei grinned, teasing, “What’s wrong? Missing me after just a month?”

Zhang Ziying paused, then retorted, “Missing your big head! Where are you? Why’s it so noisy?”

He’d hit the mark: since learning he wasn’t just an ordinary person without talent, she’d thought of him every day. Not just him, but all sorts of things—like their future together.

For more than a month, Zhang Ziying had tried calling him daily, but the calls never went through. At first, she was resentful, but gradually began to worry for his safety. Now, receiving his call, she finally felt at ease.

Li Yunfei replied casually, “A small mountain village in southern Ezhou. I have an old comrade here, and there’s a wedding going on—just joining the fun.”

His words were half true, half false. Soldiers have comrades from all over the country; Zhang Ziying had no way to verify it.