He didn't know who his parents were. He didn't know where he came from. All he knew was that he was different from the thousands of weird bipedal apes that lived in stone and wooden burrows around him. His bloodline told him he was a shadow fox and that he was special. He had the innate ability to disappear into the shadows. This didn't mean he couldn't get hurt but it made sneaking around and stealing food easier.
As he grew older, he came to understand the world better and realized these apes were called humans and that they had no patience for a pest like him. He lived the first few years of his life in perpetual terror. He was chased by little children, adults, their pet dogs and cats, and even oversized sewer rats. He couldn't beat any of them and would have to flee if he was discovered.
Despite this, his favorite hobby was silently sitting in the shadows and observing these humans. He watched as children grew up and adults grew old. He watched them in their moments of love, anger, sadness, and joy. He watched and listened for so long that he gradually learned the human language. His appetite for learning was insatiable and he soon understood everything about speech and one day, something fell into place in his mind and he was able to speak the human language.
He was able to make his first friend with his human speech, a young human boy who wasn't afraid of him. They talked to each other all the time and the boy would steal food for him. However, good things didn't last. His parents found out and it was the end of his peaceful days.
Humans were not fond of ghosts in their house, especially one that spoke to their kids. He soon had to flee for his life as ghost hunters and cultivators came after him. The myth of a talking ghost spread throughout the city. It attracted a lot of attention at first but no one could capture him. His abilities had evolved and he could now meld formlessly into the shadows.
The shadow fox couldn't show his face around the humans anymore but he still stayed within the city. This was the only home he ever knew and it provided him both food and shelter. Then one day, he was finally found and cornered. He was always careful to hide his trace but this human still found him easily.
The human cultivator's name was Chen Wentian and had a unique soul art that could detect other beings with strong souls within a vicinity. As a wisdom beast, the fox's soul was like a bonfire in the darkness. He tried to fight but he really didn't know how. He was easily defeated but to his great surprise, Chen Wentian didn't kill him and instead asked to be his friend.
Perhaps the shadow fox was too naive and easy to trust. Perhaps he desired a friend after many years of loneliness. He readily agreed and became Chen Wentian's friend and travel companion. He never had a name so Chen Wentian gave him one, Chen Mo, which meant black ink.
Chen Mo loved his name and he loved the wide new world that Chen Wentian showed him. They became best friends and traveled across the lands. Chen Wentian was already at the peak of the Spirit Initiate Realm and on the path of his immortal Dao. He taught Chen Mo a great deal about cultivation and also helped him with his abilities. Chen Mo never realized he could use his shadows for attack and he quickly learned many tricks for sneak attacks using his stealth. He was also gradually influenced by Chen Wentian's world view and personality as he saw more of the brutal and despicable world of cultivators.
Chen Mo was a key part of Chen Wentian's team. He was responsible for surveillance and covert operations. Many fights were won due to his sneak attacks and traps. But all good things never lasted as they finally met their match deep inside an ancient tomb.
That place was the final resting place of a legendary golden serpent that had been turned into a training ground for the surrounding sects. Chen Wentian and some loose cultivators joined the local sects for a training exercise. Chen Wentian's soul triggered the awakening of the golden serpent soul that was hidden deep within. It was a Spirit Lord Realm remnant soul and it was very vicious and cunning. It wanted to escape so pitted the cultivators against each other and used their greed to cause a bloodbath.
Chen Mo and Chen Wentian struggled against the odds and managed to survive until the very end. The golden serpent didn't like Chen Wentian and took over the mind of the other remaining cultivator who was also at the peak of the Spirit Initiate Realm. This instantly boosted his power to the half-step Spirit Lord Realm. The spear welding puppet overwhelmed them both and it looked like the end.
But Chen Wentian had some trump cards hidden and they managed to fight back. The battle raged at a deadlock for a long time until they were all running out of energy and about to fall. The snake soul unleashed a final attack in desperation that caught Chen Wentian off guard.
Chen Mo didn't think, he only acted, and in a moment of pure bravery, he took the full force of the last spear that was meant to take Chen Wentian's life.
It didn't hurt as much as he expected. As his vision blurred, the last thing he ever saw was Chen Wentian's tear stained face. Chen Mo was glad he could save his friend even if it cost him his life.
He was glad he could mean this much to someone...
---
"Wait, wait a minute!!" Jasmine pointed a finger at him. "That's total bullshit, how are you still alive?"
Chen Wentian smiled mysteriously, "Chen Mo didn't die. His soul is now joined with mine. I am Chen Wentian but I am also Chen Mo. You have a strong soul as a divine beast, you know this to be true. Chen Mo will never die as long as I am alive."
Jasmine stared at him like he was an alien beast. What kind of soul art could do this? Deep down, she knew he was telling the truth. She felt Chen Mo's shadow fox soul was strong and vibrant. She would have never trusted this strange man if it were not for that. Now that he explained it, she realized there was also a strange element within his soul that she didn't recognize. Was that his human soul?
"Okay... say I believe you. How did you escape from the golden serpent?" Jasmined asked.
"Ah, yes. Funny thing is that my soul strength is quite strong So in the end..."
Chen Wentian leaped backwards and turned into a puff of black smoke. The smoke then expanded and took on a golden glow. Jasmine gawked as she saw golden metallic scales emerge as well as a thick sinewy body. A giant golden serpent head finally emerged and looked down on her. She sensed the bestial soul of the snake and it was obviously at the Spirit Lord Realm.
"How?"
"The golden serpent tried to take over my soul but he failed. His soul is a part of me now. Just like Chen Mo." Chen Wentian then turned back into his smoky human form, "I have a few more tricks as well."
"I can absolutely get you out of here, will you trust me?" He asked again.
"... Okay."