"I wish to build a clothes-and-crown tomb for my master."
It was an ordinary sentence, but when it reached Xu Qing's ears, it was a completely different matter!
Xu Qing had seen the old hag's horse lantern, when she first encountered the Nine-tailed Fox, the little white fox was joyfully playing by itself in the ruins-like remnants of Qingqiu.
Finding a skull, it could wear it on its head and play for an entire day. Yet, this carefree, innocent little white fox was lured into the murky world of mundane human life by the old hag with grand promises of avenging the ancestors of Qingqiu and rebuilding Qingqiu.
In the old hag's memories, every time Xu Qing saw the Nine-tailed Fox, it would nervously wring its clothes.
The reason was simple, because every time the old hag assessed its lessons, she would show an expression of utter disappointment.
Even after losing a tail and becoming the incomplete, disabled Eight-tailed Fox, the old hag's face still reflected endless disappointment.
As a result, many years later, when the little white fox unexpectedly encountered the old hag outside the Capital City, it could only flee in panic and distress.
Initially, when Xu Qing saw this scene, he thought the Nine-tailed Fox was merely afraid of the old hag due to its lost tail.
But when this fox girl, who had experienced the joys and sorrows of the world, spoke of building a tomb for her master, Xu Qing suddenly obtained an unbelievable answer.
The fox's fleeing upon seeing the old hag was not just because it had lost a tail, but because it had not reached the old hag's expected goals, feeling immense shame inside, and dared not face the old hag's disappointed expression once more...
Seeing the shopkeeper of the Funeral Shop remain silent for a long time, the female Divination Master had to ask again, "Can the shopkeeper take on this matter?"
Xu Qing snapped back to reality, looking up and down at the female Divination Master, noting the well-worn divination robe washed to a faded white, and the pin made from an astragalus stalk threading through her hair twisted into a primal bun...
Her attire was a standard outfit for those destitute Divination Masters on the overpass who went hungry twice every three days.
With a cheerful smile, Xu Qing approached and gestured for her to take a seat.
The female Divination Master glanced at the Master's Chair beside her and shook her head.
Xu Qing was not surprised; he gathered his sleeves and asked in a conversational tone, "May I learn your esteemed name and where you hail from?"
The female Divination Master nodded and said, "My name is Bai Qiuyu, and I come from Qingzhou."
Bai Qiuyu from Qingzhou...
Xu Qing's thoughts drifted; early on, when Hu Baosong had traveled to the ruins of Qingqiu, he encountered a female Divination Master.
The Divination Master was very kind, guiding him through the dilapidated ruins of Qingqiu, acting as a tour guide.
During which, she could fluently answer all questions about the past Qingqiu.
During their journey, Hu Baosong obtained some cultivation techniques, including the Celestial Treasure Talisman he later taught to Xu Qing.
When they finally left Qingqiu, Hu Baosong couldn't help but inquire about the female Divination Master's identity.
The female Divination Master replied:
"My name is Bai Qiuyu, and Qingqiu is my hometown."
Xu Qing was then completely sure of her identity, and from Bai Qiuyu's words, he derived some additional information.
It's known that fox spirits, those over five hundred years tend to have the surname Bai or Kang, those over a thousand years Zhai or Zhang; this was fox demon knowledge imparted by Hu Baosong to Xu Qing, 'Hu' being the common surname of all fox spirits.
Though Xu Qing did not understand the reasoning, by this pattern, he could estimate the female Divination Master's cultivation level.
Approximately more than five hundred years, but less than a thousand.
"So it's Aunt Bai, my apologies, my apologies."
Xu Qing cupped his hands in respect and called her 'Aunt' as a gesture of reverence.
He called her 'Aunt' not to rashly claim kinship for the sake of business, as 'this aunt is not that aunt'.
Historically, there has been talk of the Three Aunts and Six Grannies; the Three Aunts being nuns, Daoist priestesses, and divination priestesses, the Six Grannies being tooth grannies, matchmaker grannies, teaching grannies, brothel grannies, medicinal grannies.
These professions were very common in worldly society, with teaching grannies working in exorcisms and rituals; brothel grannies managing brothel affairs; medicinal grannies healing or harming people, all collectively called medicinal grannies.
The other professions were even more familiar, and among the Three Aunts, people called the nuns on the stage 'Auntie', Daoist priestesses as 'Auntie', and divination priestesses likewise.
It's similar to how all fox spirits have a 'Hu' as a common surname.
On hearing Xu Qing call her Auntie, Bai Qiuyu quickly nodded and bowed slightly in return.
"A few days ago, my master unfortunately passed away; as her sole disciple, it's only right I see her off on her last journey."
Saying this, Bai Qiuyu sighed, "It's just that my master left no corpse, only some clothes and trivial items. Now I wish to build a clothes-and-crown tomb for my master, and I implore the shopkeeper to put in considerable effort to see my master off on her last journey."
Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, the sole disciple...
So that old woman was quite the player, claiming each disciple she took as her sole one.
But in some sense, that wasn't entirely untrue, since most of her past disciples had already perished under great tribulations, the latter ones she accepted would indeed be her only ones.
If not for Bai Qiuyu and Xuan Yu being born with extraordinary bloodlines, possessing more than one life, they might have already become the remnants buried behind the old hag.
"Please accept my condolences, Aunt."
Xu Qing led Bai Qiuyu into the shop, where samples of paper effigies, coffins, and burial clothes were displayed.
Bai Qiuyu looked at the coffin placed in the center and asked, "How many silver taels does this coffin require? What is the procedure for the funeral?"