Luo Zhi and Wang Lei smiled slyly, pleased to say, "As soon as that brat shows up at the exam hall, I'll gather my brothers and take him down!" "With just you two, even if you bring thirty more, you won't stand a chance against him. But in the meantime, keep checking up on where Gao Liang is studying—find out exactly where he's getting his tutoring. We'll strike when the college entrance exam comes around!" As soon as Zhou Chao spoke, everyone nodded and immediately took action. "And you! Go fetch me a set of bean-balls—specifically, the large, sturdy kind!" Zhou Chao directed at Liu Qiang standing beside him. "Yes, boss!" Everyone responded promptly. Zhou Chao's lower body was noticeably swollen lately, due to his growing preoccupation with Zhang Yuping's health—he simply couldn't bear it anymore. He had to relieve himself of his passion, or else he'd burn up from the intensity of his desire. Zhou Chao has been consistently training his water-based ability lately, which has taken a heavy toll on his body and urgently requires energy replenishment. Using the method of drawing from the yin to strengthen the yang would be ideal, but unfortunately, he has no partner. Zhou is quite frustrated, and is now venting his frustration at the just-arrived oil stick: "You're a complete meal ticket! I've been feeding you for nothing! Speak up—what's going on at Fenghuo Hall?" "Boss! Boss! Nothing!" The oil stick shakes his head. "For heaven's sake! Go to hell!" Zhou kicks the oil stick hard, and immediately, the oil stick kneels before him, clutching his shoes with both hands, his face solemn and tearful, saying, "Boss! I know you're frustrated. I know what you're thinking. But even though Zhang Yuping is a stunning beauty, there are others who are even more exciting! Would you like to meet them?" "Nonsense! Is there anyone in the world more radiant than Zhang Yuping? If you keep fooling me, I'll cut off your tongue right now!" With this threat, the oil stick immediately bows low, head nodding "No matter how many leopard's courage the oil stick has, he wouldn't dare to speak nonsense!" The oil stick's words lit up Zhou Chao's eyes, who desperately needed a boost. If there were indeed any woman more radiant than Zhang Yuping, that would be absolutely fantastic. He immediately pulled the oil stick up and said, "Quick! I want to see her right away!" Then, he gave a lecherous smile. Under the oil stick's guidance, Zhou Chao arrived at a place he had never been before. Where exactly was this? The Wild Plant Garden of Hanhai City—come on, what's the point of bringing me here? "Boss! We've arrived! We've arrived!" The oil stick finally led Zhou Chao to a dense thicket within the garden. As Zhou Chao was about to shout, he noticed a steady mist rising from the thicket, accompanied by an unmistakable scent that immediately filled his nostrils. Zhou Chao still held his nose—definitely a strong body odor. Yet, a moment later, the smell vanished. "Boss! Look! Look!" With his fingers pointing toward the oil stick, Zhou Chao saw a figure emerge from the mist—a woman dressed in white. Zhou Chao's eyes widened in obvious admiration, clearly captivated by her. The white-clad woman turned sharply and caught sight of Zhou Chao's stern expression. Zhou Chao immediately sensed something extraordinary in her gaze—an eye that seemed capable of enchanting men across the land. "Ah! A fox spirit!" Zhou Chao, having trained in supernatural abilities, possessed a good understanding of various natural beings. Sweat beaded on his forehead; he expected his host to grow furious and scold him thoroughly. Yet strangely, Zhou Chao acted as though possessed, rushing after the fox spirit woman, shouting, "Hu Mijing! I've come! I've been tormented all night in my dreams—finally, I see you!" But the fox spirit had vanished. Thereafter, Zhou Chao was enchanted by the alluring gaze and fell deeply in love with foxes, beginning to gather stories about fox deities. Whenever he came across photographs or film materials related to fox spirits, he made a point of collecting them. His team of younger associates, even during the final months before the college entrance exams, spent entire days and nights gathering tales of fox spirits for him. Though Zhou Chao never managed to meet a fox spirit personally, his passion for foxes remained unshakable. The subtle charm of that enchanted eye completely transformed his devotion to fox spirits. His household now also began to honor white foxes. Foxes are known for their cleverness; according to legend, a fox must live for a thousand years to develop nine tails, and ancient traditions speak of centenarian foxes becoming beautiful women and millennium-old foxes possessing the ability to foresee the future—these tales trace back to the ancient veneration of the fox as a totem. Ancient tribes such as the Tu Shan and Chun Huxi, as well as the Su clan, were all considered totems of the fox. Prior to the Han dynasty, there were no recorded references to fox spirits; the concept first appeared in the Jin dynasty. Ge Hong, in his *Baopuzi*, states that foxes live for three hundred years before transforming into human form, and in his work *Xijing Zaji*, there is a story of a white fox from an ancient tomb who becomes an old man and enters people's dreams. In the *Soushenji* by the scholar Dian Bao, numerous tales about foxes are recorded, and Gu Pu himself acknowledges the reality of fox deities, indicating that among the Jin dynasty scholars, interest in fox deities had become a well-established literary trend. By the Tang dynasty, the number of fox-themed narratives expanded significantly, with works such as *Guangyi Zhi* and *Xuanshi Zhi* filled with such stories, and *Taiping Guangji* dedicating nine volumes exclusively to fox-related tales. During the Song and Ming dynasties, the number of such works gradually declined. In the Qing dynasty, narrative prose works such as *Liaozhai Zhiyi* and *Yuewei Caotang Biji* revived and greatly popularized the theme of fox deities, with *Liaozhai Zhiyi* creating numerous beautiful and touching female characters. In legends and novels, fox deities Thus, common people refer to attractive, alluring women as "fox spirits," while in ancient times they were called "fox-magic women." Zhou Chao's passion for foxes deepened over time; if real fox deities truly existed, he would be delighted to have one as his wife. The most thrilling moment arrived: the college entrance examination. The exams were held at Haihai City's No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and all the way up to No. 18 High Schools, but the scene at No. 1 High School was particularly grand, as it symbolized the city's overall academic prestige. Graduating from Haihai City No. 1 High School was a long-held aspiration for many students, and even more so, securing admission to nationally renowned universities from there. Overall, Haihai City's educational standards rank among the top nationwide, which explains why a significant number of students are admitted to premier national universities. Guangliang and Zhang Yuping were fortunate enough to be scheduled to take the exam at their own alma mater. Even more fortunate, they were assigned to the same classroom, though their seats were separated by three other students. With only ten minutes left before the Chinese language exam began, Zhang Yuping looked visibly anxious—every student in the classroom except Guangliang had arrived. Where was Guangliang? If he arrived more than five minutes late, his exam eligibility would be canceled.