With the white fox's soul finally finding release, the story of the scholar and the little fox came to an end. Taking an innocent life over a mere millet dream was a rather ruthless act for a scholar, yet his subsequent conversion to Buddhism—was that his way of acknowledging his sins and practicing Zen to atone?
I suspect that is only part of it. The other part is answered by Bukong's Shadow Spirit Scroll.
Bukong was among the very first to follow the old scoundrel Huangmei in his ascetic practice. He rarely emerged from the temple hall, seemingly locked in an endless cycle of scripture recitation. He was also remarkably gifted in poetry and painting, having illustrated the heavens and deities of all realms while lamenting the myriad facets of secular life. Yet whenever he finished a piece of art, he would simply toss it aside. When people asked why, he would always reply: "The self I perceive is not truly myself; the void is empty, and all of it is illusion. Why hold on to any of it?"
Chapter 783