The morning light filtered through the leaves, soft and golden. Dew clung to the wild grass, glistening like scattered gems. For once, there was no wind. No cries of distant beasts. Just the crackle of a small fire and the slow, rhythmic breath of a boy and a fox.
Shen woke to warmth pressed against his side. At first, he thought it was the fire. But when he opened his eyes, he found white fur curled tight in the crook of his arm. The little fox cub was still asleep, her tail twitching now and then, one paw resting atop his bandaged chest like she owned it.
He stared at her for a long moment.
Not just because of her beauty—though she was lovely, with her snowy coat and golden eyes. It was the feel of her presence. Something vast and heavy, like ancient knowledge pressed into fur and bone. Even now, newborn and barely the size of a melon, she exuded a calm that settled his heart.
Shen slowly reached out and stroked her fur. She made a faint chirp, scooted closer, then yawned in his lap.
"Well," Shen said, glancing toward the smoking fire pit, "looks like you're not planning to leave."
The fox looked up at him, blinked once, then stretched dramatically—back arched, tiny fangs bared.
Then she climbed up his chest, perched on his shoulder, and stared toward the clearing.
Like she was surveying her domain.
Shen sighed. "You're already acting like royalty."
She flicked her tail in agreement.
The system chimed softly:
[New Entity Registered]
Species: Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox (One Tail Active)
Name: Unassigned Bond Level: 72%
Warning: Entity requires naming to complete imprint.
Suggested Action: Choose a name aligned with the host's intent. Note: A proper name may influence growth path and affinity development.
"Name you, huh?" Shen muttered.
He looked at the fox again. She was watching a beetle with deep fascination, batting at it with an oversized paw. Every movement she made was both adorable and somehow elegant.
Shen sat back against the tree and stared at the canopy, thinking.
"I can't call you something too cute. You'll grow up to be terrifying, probably."
The fox paused and looked at him.
"You will, won't you?"
She yipped once.
"Alright then," he said. "Let's pick something that suits both parts of you. Old and powerful... but still small enough to nap in my lap."
He thought of names from books, from myths he barely remembered. His past life flickered in fragments—scrolls he'd read on rainy days, games he'd played late into the night, novels he never finished.
One name rose above the rest.
"Yue," he said softly.
The fox tilted her head.
"It means moon. But also elegance. And mystery."
The system chimed:
Name Assigned: Yue Imprint Complete.
Bond Level Increased: 72% → 79%
New Trait Unlocked: Moonlit Grace Trait
Effect: Entity's presence calms minor beasts and eases spiritual tension. Minor enhancement to stealth in moonlight.
Yue chirped and licked his chin.
Shen blinked. "Okay. You like it."
Later that morning, Shen returned to his field.
The sprouts had grown another finger's width overnight. He stared at them, amazed, then checked the soil again. Still rich. Still holding.
Yue followed behind him, hopping awkwardly from rock to rock, too proud to be carried but too small to walk in the furrows.
"You know," Shen said, "you're lucky I'm growing crops and not raising chickens."
Yue narrowed her eyes and leapt onto his shoulder again.
"I'm just saying. You look like a fuzzy thief."
She bit his ear.
"Okay, okay! You're a divine beast. I get it."
He set to work reinforcing his hut with thicker branches and packed mud. Yue napped in the sun. Occasionally, she rolled onto her back, paws twitching in some unseen dream.
By noon, Shen had reinforced the northern wall and created a small shelf inside the hut using flat stones. He placed his remaining tools there: a dull knife, two stones for sharpening, the broken axe head, and the wolf fang he'd taken for luck.
He stood back, looked at it all.
Not much.
But it was his.
That afternoon, Shen and Yue sat under the old tree. He ate roasted wolf jerky. She nibbled on a cooked root, unimpressed.
A breeze carried the scent of distant wildflowers.
For the first time in days, Shen didn't feel hunted.
He felt… settled.
"Maybe," he said aloud, "this really is a new life."
Yue yawned and curled up in his lap again.
He smiled.
Tomorrow, he'd start gathering wood for a proper fence.
Maybe even dig a second field.
Because even in a world full of monsters, sects, and hidden power…
He was going to grow something real.
And protect it.
[End of Chapter 2]