Deep in the mountains, surrounded by peaks and shrouded in mist, stood a mysterious cave open to the sky. Time had worn the entrance into a patchwork of marks. Weeds crowded around it, and vines climbed wherever they pleased, as if telling a story no one was meant to know. Inside the cave, a nine-tailed fox named Qing Ci was sealed away.
Qing Ci's fur was white as snow, and her nine tails fell softly behind her, each one brimming with powerful spiritual energy.
Spring, summer, autumn, and winter came and went. Trapped in that tiny space, Qing Ci could only feel the world outside changing.
Every day, Qing Ci called out toward the entrance, “Save me.” Those two simple words held all her longing for freedom. Day after day, year after year, her voice went from clear to hoarse, from strong to faint, but she never gave up. She called out those words for more than a hundred years.
Then one day, a young general in the prime of his life, Shen Yi, passed by while pursuing the remnants of an enemy force deep in the mountains. Clad in silver armor, Shen Yi stood tall, his eyes full of resolve and courage. As he passed near the cave, a faint cry for help reached his ears.
Startled, Shen Yi reined in his horse and listened carefully, trying to pinpoint the sound. He followed it and at last found Qing Ci sealed inside the cave. Seeing the beautiful yet sorrowful nine-tailed fox, Shen Yi took pity on her and broke the seal.
Qing Ci slowly stood and stretched her body, long confined. She looked at Shen Yi, her eyes full of gratitude. “General, thank you for freeing me. I am a nine-tailed fox. To repay you, I can grant you three favors.”
