Legend has it that after the fox spirit stole the sacred water from the Spirit Spring Well, Master Zhang Tian Shi learned his lesson and became a hundred times more vigilant, to prevent himself from being tricked into the house by the clever disguises of demons and monsters when he went out. Therefore, whenever he went out, he would use three magical techniques at the three gates to prevent evil spirits from entering the house.

At the first gate, he filled a bowl with water and placed a chopstick across the middle. The demon saw that the front of the Celestial Master's house was a large river, with a long plank bridge crossing it, and was afraid to cross.

At the second gate, he hung a winnowing basket from the top. The demon saw that it was a fierce tiger with bared teeth and claws, and was afraid to enter.

On the third door, a rope made of grass was placed at the bottom of the stone steps. The demon saw it and thought it was a large python with a wide open mouth, so it did not dare to go up the steps and enter.

One autumn, in the “Charming Cave” on Tiantai Mountain opposite Shangqing Palace, there was a fox demon that repeatedly tried to enter the Tianshi Mansion, hoping to uncover the secrets of the Tianshi's three spells, but it was unable to enter in human form.

One day, Zhang Tianshi went out and returned home very late, forgetting to withdraw the three spells on the door. That night, there was a fierce wind, lightning and heavy rain. At this time, the fox spirit ran to the gate of the Tianshi Mansion again. It accidentally discovered that the spells on the door had not been withdrawn, so it must be that Tianshi was out of the house. It tried the three doors again, but the fierce tiger and poisonous snake were still guarding, so it did not dare to go in.

The fox spirit was “unrelenting in its determination” and took advantage of the thunder and lightning to descend from the sky, but unexpectedly landed in the middle hall of the “Sansheng Hall”. At this time, the celestial master was resting in the living room behind the middle hall. When he suddenly saw a white flash of light entering the middle hall, he felt strange and immediately lit the lamps and candles, but they were blown out three times by the wind. The celestial master thought to himself: Could it be an evil demon? So, armed with a magic sword, he muttered the incantation and only then lit the oil lamp and went out to take a look. “A ghost cannot hide from Zhang Tian Shi.” This is a metaphor used by Shangqing people to describe Zhang Tian Shi's great supernatural powers. Indeed, when the priest walked out of the room, he did smell a fox-like smell. He shouted, ”Little fox! You have the nerve to trespass on my home, don't even think about hiding. Come out quickly and confess the truth to avoid my sword.”

The fox spirit hid upstairs and was scared by Zhang Tianshi's few words. She thought to herself, “I'm out of luck, I just happened to fall under Zhang Tianshi's nose, and he happened to not be out. It seems that I can't escape, so I might as well confess and beg Tianshi to spare me.” So she jumped downstairs, plopped down, knelt at Tianshi's feet, kowtowed and begged for forgiveness, and told him everything: “I'm a little demon from the Charming Cave in Tiantai Mountain. I'm guilty for not going through the front door. But tonight I broke into your house not with malicious intent, and I didn't dare to do anything wrong in front of the Taoist priest's door, let alone cause trouble in the house. It's just that I went down the mountain a few times and saw that the talismans on the three doors of your house are very skillful. The little demon, the little demon, wanted to see what they were really like, to gain some insight and learn a little...”

“Okay! No need to say anymore. Let me ask you, in the future...” the Taoist priest asked impatiently.

Without waiting for the Master to finish speaking, the fox spirit hastily replied, “I beg the Master's forgiveness. I, the demon, will definitely change from evil to good in the future. Please give me guidance and advice, and I will obey you in all things! If there is anything I can do, I will do my best to repay the Master for not beheading me.”

Master Zhang then said, “In that case, since you did not enter the house with malicious intent and are willing to repent and do good and serve me, I will spare your life. You are ordered to hide in this building and observe your actions. If you act without authorization, you will be punished!”

“Yes! Yes! I obey!” The fox spirit kowtowed repeatedly.

From then on, the fox spirit was placed under house arrest by Zhang Tian Shi in the upstairs room of the central hall of the Three Provinces Hall of the Tianshi Mansion, and never appeared again.

Legend has it that an altar was set up for the fox spirit in the eastern corner of this upstairs room, and every day incense and lamps were offered to it. Subsequently, this central hall also came to be known as the “Hall of the Fox Spirit”. Even today, many tourists stop here to peer upstairs, wondering if the fox spirit is still under house arrest here.

传说，张天师自从被白果精盗喝了灵泉井的法水以后，吸取教训，百倍警惕，预防自己外出时被妖魔鬼怪的巧化伪装乘机骗进府内，行邪作祟。因此，他每逢外出便在三道门前施用三道神功妙法，使邪妖不能入门进府。

第一道门，用碗盛满水，将一根筷子横置碗中间，妖精看见天师府门前却是一条大江，江面上是一条长长的独木桥，不敢过去。

二道门上，将一只簸斗挂于上方，妖精至此，见是一只张牙舞爪的大猛虎，不敢进门。

三道门上，用草搓成一根绳子，置放石阶下，妖精看见却是一条张着血盆大口的大蟒蛇，不敢登阶进门。

一年秋天，上清官对面的天台山“迷人洞”里，有只狐狸精，三番五次想进天师府，妄想揭开天师三道法术的秘密，可是无法化身入门。

一天，张天师外出因回府很晚，忘记收回门上的三道法术。就在这天晚上，狂风大作，雷电交加，大雨倾盆。这时狐狸精又跑到天师府的大门口，它意外的发现门上的法术未收回，肯定是天师外出不在府。它再次试探了三道门，猛虎毒蛇张牙舞爪仍在守卫，不敢进去。

这个狐狸精“不到黄河心不死”，便乘雷电交加之机，从空而降，不料恰恰落在“三省堂”的中厅。这时，天师正在中厅后的居室休息，忽见一道白光闪人中厅，顿觉奇怪，随即点灯燃烛，但三次被风吹灭。天师心想：莫非有邪妖?于是，身佩法剑，默念咒语，才点燃了油灯，出门去看。“做鬼瞒不过张天师。”这是上清人对张天师神通广大的一句比喻话。的确如此，天师走出房间，果然就闻到了一股狐腥味，便大声喝道：“小狐狸!你狗胆包天，竟敢越门闯府，休想躲藏，快快出来，从实招供，免受一剑。”

狐狸精躲在楼上，被张天师的几句话吓得发抖。心想：“该倒霉，恰好落到张天师的眼皮底下，偏偏他又没外出，看来难以逃脱，不如自首招供，恳求天师高抬贵手。”于是跳下楼来，扑通一声，跪在天师脚下，磕头求饶，并一五一十地说：“小妖来自天台山迷人洞，未走正门，实有罪过。但今晚闯府非怀恶意，也不敢在天师门前为非所歹，更不敢在府内行邪作祟。实因几次下山，看见贵府三道门上的符非常高超，小妖、小妖想看个究竟，见识见识，学点……”

“好了!不用再说。我问你，往后……”天师不耐烦的问道。

狐狸精不待天师说完连忙回答道：“求天师饶恕，小妖往后一定改邪归正，请天师指点、赐教，小妖一一从命!若有使用之处，当尽力效劳，报答天师不斩之恩。”

张天师听后接着说：“既然如此，本天师念你此次闯府未持恶意，同时又愿意悔改从善，为我效劳，免你一死。命你在此楼隐修，以观后效。如有擅自行动，定斩不饶!”

“遵命!遵命!小妖遵命!”狐狸精连连磕头说。

从此，这个狐狸精就被张天师软禁在天师府三省堂中厅的楼上，再也没有出现过。

相传，在这楼上东边的一角处，还为狐狸精立了坛位，每日香灯供祀，随之，这个中厅也就传称为 “狐仙堂”。时至今天，还有不少游人在这里停步向楼上探望，遐想狐狸精是否还软禁在这里?