Two butterflies, their wings a brilliant jade color, danced through the air before alighting on her finger. A careful observer could see the two butterflies bodies were a deep, deep green as well. There was, however, no one around for miles.

           Báihú was waiting patiently for the one she would give her claw to. She couldn't remember his name… Zhao something? It didn't really matter. She had heard the song of fate playing and followed it to this spot. She would know him when she saw him and saw the paths of fate that were laid out before him. Her claw could bring untold power, but only hinted at its true potential if the user could access the fourth level of cultivation. Of course, he can't do that yet. But if he takes the lower path, he will begin unlocking the secrets just in time for his destruction and another's salvation.

            She smiled at the butterflies, the lips of her white muzzle stretching into a vulpine grin. By this realm's standards she was a demon, by others she was a commodity, a delectable morsel to be devoured. In truth, she was a traveler and just as she enjoyed taking souvenirs, she liked leaving gifts or trinkets behind.

            She glanced at the claw she held in her other hand, "I enjoy insurance on my gifts as well." Whoever this fellow was, she had followed his thread of fate far enough to see that if he chose the fool's path this gift would be his destruction. That pleased Báihú, she didn't suffer fools lightly.

            The claw shimmered a pearlescent purple in her sight. Though it was demonic in origin, it was neither good nor bad, moral nor immoral. It was a tool. Something the wise could use to increase their Qi and win people over to the owner's way of thinking. The fool would also use it as a tool, but they would use it to crush others… The claw hungered to be used in battle.

            The two butterflies lifted off on the current of her sweet breath. She called after them softly, "Have a swift journey." They may not have had a long life as humans, but they enjoy forever together… Báihú put a great deal of stock in the old fairytales, but then, she did have good reason to do so. That's why she always took the time to bless butterflies that she saw flying together.

            Báihú centered herself, focusing her energy inward. Since she wasn't certain how long she would have to wait, she figured she would use that time to raise her level. Not that any amount of study she could do here would raise it, she could drain the ambient energy of the entire forest many times over before her power level would notice it was increasing.

            That was why she had spent a great deal of time, prior to coming, weaving the suppressor into her robe. Without the suppressor, her power would radiate from her and scare off anyone, It's so much easier to catch prey when they don't know they are being hunted. Even with the suppressor, if she wasn't careful some of her power could leak out.

            It was advesperate[1]many days later when her prey finally entered the forest to hunt. He sought to rob anyone passing by of their wealth so that he could live his life in ease. This was not the first time he had engaged in banditry, but he wasn't a practiced hand at it yet. It was Báihú's hope that by showing the young man compassion, he might change his path and walk a higher road.

            Fù disagreed, of course. She didn't hold much hope for humanity, which was understandable given her history. However, Báihú couldn't help but think it was ironic that she was the one who thought people could choose the higher path and Fù believed people were bound to the lesser one. Either way, Báihú felt there was no harm in giving the boy a chance. Well, no harm to anyone who relied on her, which largely amounted to the same thing.

            The boy, Zhao Wugang, for while he felt like he was a man, he was confusing the first growth a sapling has for the strength of a great tree, stumbled from the forest and into a clearing. He pulled himself through a growth of wolfberry, breaking the vines without understanding the damage he caused. He had blundered through the forest with much purpose. His attacks on people weaker than himself had been hugely successful and left him with a large wallet and an even larger ego.

            Zhao Wugang hadn't hunted the forest much, though he intended to do more, and had become turned around, partially because he had been too busy fondling his new found wealth to pay attention to where he was walking. His directional uncertainty frightened him, or it would have if he had known himself enough to feel frightened.

            The clearing had few features; long grasses with some wild flowers growing sporadically. Had he a better eye for herbology, he would have known that this meadow was a treasure trove of natural resources. In fact, it carried far more wealth in herbs and mushrooms than eight times as many purses as he had stolen. At the far end of the clearing was a small, quaint waterfall that fell into a smaller clear pond. The peaceful trickling of the fall permeated the field. A gentle mist rose up from the water, making the air damp.

            Someone, it was hard to distinguish the person's gender since they were wrapped in a white robe, sat at the water's edge. The person's hood was drawn up and their back was to him. What appeared to be a white fur brush stuck out from the person's robe awkwardly.

            A cruel smile stretched across his face. Anyone focused enough to have missed his arrival, probably was too wealthy to pay attention! Those with little wealth were the wariest. Trying to make as few sounds as possible, he waded through the high grasses. It was a struggle. The grass seemed to entangle his legs pulling at him like hungry, clawing fingers, hampering his approach, and for such a lush field everything he stepped on seemed to be incredibly dry. Zhao Wugang was so focused on where his feet were falling that he missed the slight flick and twitch that the white fur made.

            He had been growing weary after all the people he had fought and bullied before reaching the clearing, but he added a growing frustration to the list. After far more effort than he had originally calculated, he reached striking range. Zhao Wugang pulled on his energy, centering himself and struck a solid blow on the robed figure's aenestis.

            That is, that was his plan. The robed figure, Báihú, rolled to the side, evading his attack before springing to her dainty, vulpine footpads. Zhao Wugang could now see that the robed figure was clearly female and just as clearly not human. What he had thought was a white brush was actually the demon creature's tail! Cold fear coiled in his belly. His bowels clenched.

            Báihú's white furred ears stood straight up from her skull like a fox's. A jade colored fan, embroidered with white foxes, complete with gold highlights obscured her face. All he could see of her face were her piercing blue eyes which sparkled like a graceful koi fish bursting from a lake.

            "Oh, ho! Trying to sneak up on an old woman?" Her ears flicked with disdain, "Hardly fitting for a heroic and worthy man!" She was altiloquious[2]in her remarks.

            "Old woman? Pah!" He snorted redoubling his attack against the demon fox-creature, "You are younger than I am and I will harvest your wealth, demon!" She didn’t hear me coming… maybe I can defeat her?

            She paused for a moment, her ears perking up as she appeared to consider herself, "I suppose, I am more agerasia[3]than I normally am…"

            Zhao Wugang didn't bother trying to understand what she was babbling about. Everyone knows demons can shift their appearance. So she forgot she had made herself look like a beautiful woman… He took her moment of hesitation to prepare another powerful attack, he had learned some whispers of Cultivation and begun to try it himself, but just before he landed the blow her eyes seemed to snap back into focus and she darted out of his way, chortling the whole time.

            "You seem to be quite abarstic[4]for more power. Perhaps, there is a better way to get where you wish to go… than how you are currently going?" She hopped around him, chortling "Oh, ho oh!", evading his punches and kicks.

            Zhao Wugang grunted as he swung his fist. He was already tired from his earlier battles. He had been counting on striking while she was unaware and overpowering her. His movements were growing slower and more sluggish, but just when he would think to give up, he would almost hit her or almost knock that infernal fan out of her hand…

            "You do seem to be rather bradykinetic[5], don't you? Have you been neglecting to train your body and mind in addition to your Qi Condensation base?"

            "What are you babbling about?" How did she know I've been training my Qi Condensation base? He panted, "I can't understand a word you are saying!"

            "All this time, I thought you were going to be a real master, but in truth, you are calophantic[6]." She bent backwards, avoiding being punched in the face.

            Zhao Wugang groaned and threw his energy into his next kick, which he aimed at her knee.

            Unfortunately for him, she had recovered and was able to shift away from his blow. "Your attacks are so slow, you will never be certain of living long enough to take another breath."

            He twisted toward her as she circled him. The plants once again entangling his legs, "How are you moving through the grass so quickly? Aren't they catching your feet?" He snarled, yanking a foot up after it had sunk into the suddenly mucky terrain.

            Zhao Wugang threw up his hands in frustration. "Fine! You win! I can't land a single blow on you!" He turned to walk away in disgust, but Báihú skipped forward and tripped him.

            "There is no need to be agelastic[7]."

            He fell to the ground, the little breath he had left leaving his lungs in a rush. From his position on the ground he saw that her feet weren't touching the ground at all. She had been evading him while Wind Walking, which was a technique from the fifth level of Qi Condensation. He blanched. He had attacked a fifth level from behind. There is no way I snuck up on her. She let me attack her and then taunted me.

            He wearily struggled to his feet. His mind was racing trying to think how he could grovel enough so that she wouldn't kill him. Maybe if I…

            She tripped him again. This time she used her fluffy tail, which was somehow more humiliating that being defeated by a woman. After all, she was clearly a martial master and her Qi Condensation was incredibly high… but using her tail!

            He began climbing to his feet again.

            She tripped him before he reached his knees.

            He lost count of how many times he struggled to stand as she tripped him again and again. Finally, exhausted, he could do nothing but lie in the grass, his energy completely spent.

            "Has the dawk[8]finally cleared from your eyes, young man?" She rolled him over onto his back with a nudge of her Qi.

            Zhao Wugang stared up at the fox demon. How could I have ever thought I could defeat a demon? She peered at him over her fan, occasionally chortling. It was as if someone had told her that martial arts teachers were supposed to hide behind their fans and laugh. It seemed forced and unnatural. He couldn't figure out what she was saying. If I understood her, maybe I could answer her question! But he was too exhausted to form such an insolent and arrogant comment.

            "Has the fog finally cleared from your eyes, young man?" Her eyes crinkled with real mirth.

            Did she read my mind? He panted, No, she probably just realized I couldn't understand her. "What fog, Elder Sister?"

            She cocked her head to the side, "You think you can win wealth and power by taking from others, but you can gain far more when people give their strength to yours."

            "Elder Sister, who would give up their own strength to add to mine?" His words were breathless, but he just wanted her to stop tormenting him.

            She shook her head, "When did I say they would give up their strength? Oh, ho ho oh! Two threads bound together are stronger than one, and three are not easily broken."

            He snorted. "Are you talking about friends?" He said it like a dirty word. "People who can take your winnings? Uh… Elder Sister."

            "No friend I've ever known would steal from me." She chortled behind her fan, "Are you sure you understand what a friend is well enough to know if you've had them? With that level of understanding, you must be granting titles to people who have no business holding them and taking oaths you have no intention of fulfilling!"

            Zhao Wugang looked at her confused. What… the… what?

            "Besides, I'm not necessarily talking about friends." She fluttered her fan and laughed again, "Loyal followers or a trustworthy lord could be advantageous threads as well."

            He eyed her warily, "A trustworthy lord would be… helpful… Elder Sister." I certainly don't want her against me and she seems interested in my welfare.

            She flicked her fluffy tail, "I'm not offering to accept your fealty, Little Brother. Oh, ho ho oh! I am simply a traveler, interested in your welfare. Perhaps, I can offer a few pointers-"

            Cryptic comments more likely!

            "and perhaps a trinket to help you on your journey. Oh, ho ho oh!" A fox claw appeared in her hand for a moment before disappearing again.

            Zhao Wugang couldn't suppress a groan. It slipped through his lips even as he tried to catch it.

            "Oh, ho ho." She laughed, "Now, Little Brother, if you couldn't defeat me, how will you stand against my friend, Fù?" The fox demon flicked her eyes away from him.

            He struggled to raise his head to see the newest attack, but was too weak to do so. Seeing his distress, Báihú used her Qi to prop him up. What he saw was entirely unexpected. A woman with skin the color of black tea approached. Her hair was like burnt sienna and very curly. He was used to the straight hair of his people, even the fox demon's white hair was straight! But that woman's hair was crape[9]across her head.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

            Fù carried a bamboo tray with many foods and teas on it. When the breeze shifted, the scent of the food was carried to him. That's all food from town… A strange smile was glued across her face, making him uneasy. Her eyes seemed to focus on him hungrily.

            Fù walked closer, "Báihú! Have you given up trying to teach him the higher path? Can I skin him and eat him yet?"

            Báihú shook her head, "No, I haven't given up yet. But, he doesn't understand the value of the higher path at all, at all." She shook her head sadly, "So, I was hoping you could give him a lesson."

            The crazed grin washed over Fù's face again. Her tongue rolled across her teeth, revealing that they had been filed into sharp points. Her ivory fangs were a stark contrast against the darkness of her skin.

            Báihú held up her hand, "After he recovers and eats." She tucked her fan away, revealing her vulpine features. Her muzzle was completely animal, but at about eye level it became quite human, though gently furred with a white coat. Her crystal clear blue eyes were the most human thing about her. The fox demon was a stark contrast to Fù who looked completely human until you saw her eyes were completely black except for the slit pupil that glowed red.

            Fù looked crestfallen, "Fine." She shoved the tray into his lap. "Eat. Eat fast."

            Elder Sister Báihú took the tray from him and began to set a formal dinner on a blanket, which was unsurprisingly embroidered with white foxes. Though there were moments of color, where brilliant peacocks also made their appearance.

            When she saw him eye the peacocks, she blushed and murmured indistinctly about liking the colors. Elder Sister Báihú blushing was strange. When a human blushes, their cheeks flush. When Báihú blushed, the ridges of her cheek bones whitened considerably. It was as if she lacked blood and instead had something completely different running through her veins.

            He hadn't seen her pull the blanket from anywhere, but it could have been in a bag. She could have a bag… maybe hidden behind all the mushrooms along the water's edge. It wasn't like he could see everything in his current position. Then, using her Qi to manipulate his body, which he found very disturbing, began feeding him. For herself, she only sipped at her tea. Which was a sight, given that she didn't have a human mouth.

            She saw him watching her and said, "Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” She nodded to her cup, "As I'm sure you realized, tea is much like life. Wonderful if you know how to pour it."

            If Zhao Wugang hadn't been so traumatized by having someone else manipulate his body to feed him, then he might have been able to be impressed by the delicacy with which she handled him. Not only were chop sticks not her native utensil, but she was also using another person's body to use them. She had practiced on Fù for weeks before they came to the realm that she would find Zhao Wugang. Unsurprisingly, Fù had not cared for it much either.

            She knew I was coming and sent Fù to get the food ahead of time... His previous state of fearfulness, which had been replaced with confusion and distress, once again found itself swinging firmly onto the side of fear. His blood felt like it had turned to ice.

            While Fù leered at him hungrily and Elder Sister Báihú nattered on about the "higher path" that he needed to chose, lest he fall to destruction, Zhao Wugang considered the situation around him. Maybe all this is some sort of test, or trial, that I must overcome? Two demons sit before me… all be it one of them is feeding me like I'm a puppet… but certainly, all the stories say that demons aren't seeking my benefit. I need to be wily to overcome them and perhaps if I do I will be rewarded.

            His thoughts continued while Elder Sister Báihú tried more desperately to plead her case, What if… what if these demons have come because I am growing in power quickly? They have come because they fear the power that I will become, and so seek to curry favor with me now! A shadow settled over his mind, obscuring all thoughts but this from his view, Yes! That is why she wants me to become her vassal. That way, I will feel indebted to her and even if I do reach my true potential, I will reach it feeling I owe her something. But I don't! My power will rise triumphant over hers and the other demon, Fù! They will rue the day they tried to steal my power!

            Báihú's commentary on the strength of numbers ground to a halt. "You seem like you are ready to battle her." She released the Qi she had been using to keep him up.

            For a moment he fell backwards, but then he righted himself. Understanding their plot his renewed my strength!

            His mental back flips had not, in fact, renewed his strength. The Qi that Báihú had been using to massage his muscles and the sustenance she had provided him had actually restored him. But he had grasped onto a concept that supported his desires and he held to it firmly, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, like a pig rooting for mushrooms, he sought out his desires with single minded focus.

            He leapt to his feet. He… he had never felt this powerful before.

            The black demon woman approached him hungrily. "I will wear your skull as a hat!"

            Zhao Wugang backed away from her, keeping a far enough distance that he didn't think she could strike him. He was trying to gage her movements and see what kind of style she favored. But her movements fluctuated between jerky, stilted motions and smooth crisp steps. It was off putting. Perhaps the fox demon is controlling her body like she controlled mine while I was eating? Maybe this is all an act and it isn't two demons by one? He discarded that idea. For Elder Sister Báihú to be able to control Elder Sister Fù while she was doing martial arts… that would make the fox demon stronger than he could comprehend. It was simply too frightening to be true.

            Báihú sighed, "You aren't helping to convince him, Fù." She didn't pull out her fan and taunt him, all she did was sit and stroke her tail. He didn't notice how dejected she had become.

            Fù did a few back springs and sweeping kicks, they were impressive looking, but that was it. She didn't come anywhere near hitting him and after a while he stood up from the defensive crouch he had settled into.

            He had expected her to grow claws like the ones Elder Sister Báihú had. Or to attack him with the mad ferociousness of a crazed animal, she did after all have fangs and she had seemed to be mad. Whatever she was doing was bizarre. "What are you doing? You can't hit me over there." He raised an eyebrow.

            "Of course I can!" Fù stood up, holding three rocks between the fingers of each hand. It only took a second for her to infuse the rocks with her Qi and then for her to whip them at him. The stones glowed so brightly and moved so fast they left streaks of light in the air. And they sang. Each stone was a slightly different size, carefully pre-selected before Zhao Wugang had seen the field, with a very specific amount of Qi energy in it. Too much Qi and the stone would dissolve, not enough and the stone wouldn't reach its full potential. The smooth, glowing rocks hummed with power and sang out his destruction before they struck him.

            Elder Sister Báihú watched the fight with a sad smile. She pet her tail absentmindedly. The boy's total disregard for what she had tried to give him was as disappointing as it was unsettling. His foolhardy pride made her want to give him over to Fù, but she had promised herself that whatever he chose, she would let him make the choice. Anyway, she could hardly give a vague foretelling of doom if she immediately let him be eaten. That was completely counter productive.

            He didn't have time to processes that she had infused the stones before they struck his arms and legs, causing him to lose feeling in them and fall, once again to the ground. He was laying face down in the dirt, barely able to breathe when he felt himself being rolled over once again.

            Elder Sister Báihú crouched next to him. She had used her hands to roll him over this time rather than her Qi. He expected it was because she was growing weary from all the energy she had been expending haphazardly, but in truth, she rolled him with her hands to give him one last chance to see that she was having compassion on him. Her pool of Qi had hardly been tapped at all for this adventure. He noticed that her hands had a downy fur on them. It was so slight he hadn't been able to see it, but as her hands brushed against his arm, he could feel it. "There is a benefit to having allies." she whispered gently.

            Zhao Wugang coughed up dirt. Some help you were. He glared at her. The longer and harder he stared at her the more disgusted he felt. Filthy demon. Trying to trick me and destroy me!

            "You see, Fù wants to eat you. She is quite serious about skinning you and using your skull for a hat. It, frankly, wouldn't be the first such hat she has made… nor would it be the last. I however, leave you with a choice." A slow smile spread across her muzzle, "A choice where neither option turns your skull into a hat." A demon fox claw appeared in her open hand, "This is one of my claws, as you become stronger, it will allow you to access more of its power." She looked down at him, "It has great power." She looked back at the claw, which she was turning idly in her own claws. "If you accept my teachings and the words I have spoken, you will arise to great heights and the power of the claw will take you even higher. But a caution: If you ignore my teachings and the words I have spoken, you will be as a firework, rising quickly and bursting both violently and spectacularly."

            Fù was pouting some distance away. She really had wanted to make a new hat. It was a macabre hobby she had. Her eyes drifted off as she imagined how she would have decorated her hat. I would have engraved it with flowers, that boy looks like he needs more flowers in his… heh heh… mind.

            Elder Sister Báihú placed the claw on the boy's chest and stood. She looked at him gasping for breath, her eyes far away as she watched the threads of his fate weave themselves into a cohesive pattern. She sighed, watching in trepidation. I had hoped to burn the mist from his path and show him that his route led to destruction, but his ignorant arrogance has already built a callus on his mind. His path has only become more firm. It had been a long shot. Impossible odds to change the course which he had already set his feet upon. Báihú turned and walked to the end of the meadow.

            Fù, having finished pouting, trotted over. She patted her friend's shoulder and the two strode away from the boy, who would of course eventually recover. "Not everyone will become powerful enough to join us, but surely plenty will."

            The vulpine woman nodded, "I know. I don't know why I got my hopes up for this one anyway. Even if he could manage to take the higher path, his natural cultivation base isn't large." She looked sideways at her friend who had simply raised an eyebrow, "Oh, it's large enough for this place… but for any real challenge we'll face? No, it is too small."

            Fù smiled, "You like long odds. I'm just glad you don't gamble with anyone else. It would be a disaster. Anyway, the only people with the kind of power base you are looking for are true heroes or true villains and frankly, neither of those groups no how to play nicely with others." As she finished speaking, the partners stepped between two jade pillars. The air rippled as they passed between, when it stilled, even the stones they had walked through were gone.

            Some time later, Zhao Wugang who had not been able to hear the demons' conversation, leapt to his feet, the demon claw clutched tightly in his hand. He was elated that he had been able to escape the demons' snare. Curiously, he held the claw up so he could examine it. He could almost hear the screams of foxes whispering out from it. The twisted shrieks wrapped around his mind and pulled him in, feeding his desires.

            Oddly, his ass tingled. He scratched it absentmindedly, looking forward to the secrets he would unlock studying the claw. I earned this artifact enduring those demonic creatures trials. My power base will grow stronger for the suffering I endured and no one will be able to harm me again!

            He almost considered looking for the demons to make sure they were gone from the area, but the more he looked at the claw, the more fascinated he became with it. He walked out of the meadow, the tall grasses shrinking in on themselves, as if they had been given additional life and energy by the presence of the demons or perhaps the jade pillars the demons had passed through. Whatever had blessed the grove with life, it was gone now and the grotto was returning to its natural levels.

            The plant life no longer strained to grip him and trap him. Its sentience faded with the excess power. The herbs and mushrooms that had flourished, retreated in on themselves seeking to husband the energy they had gathered. Had Zhao Wugang gathered herbs then, they still would have been more potent then any in the other regions around his hometown.

            His desires had shifted. He no longer cared for the power wealth could bring, he was focused on a greater power. He had lost his purse somewhere in his combat, perhaps with the white demon, perhaps with the black demon, he couldn't be bothered to remember which. Either way, gold held no appeal anymore. Clutching the fox claw in his fists he saw that only through Cultivation could he gain true power.

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[1]approaching evening

[2]talking loudly

[3]The quality of not appearing to grow old

[4]having an insatiable appetite

[5]slow-moving or with impaired movement

[6]pretending to be better than you are

[7]miserable or morose

[8]thick fog or mist

[9]Curled tightly