Taiyi continued, "Actually, at a cultivation level like ours, spiritual roots can no longer do much to improve our realms or power."
"But for low-ranking demons, they're an incredible opportunity. You should know that the more powerful a demon's origins and the more astonishing its talent, the harder it is to take human form. It often takes hundreds or thousands of years."
"Based on my earlier calculations, the spiritual roots here at the Peerless Expert's residence are extraordinary. With the Primordial Spirit Spring, they should be able to reach the opportunity to take human form in just a few years. If they've accumulated enough, perhaps even a few short months will suffice."
"So I was thinking that I should return first and select a few low-ranking demons with excellent talent from among the various clans. When the next opportunity comes, I'll bring them to the Peerless Expert's courtyard."
Di Jun nodded approvingly. "Brilliant! The Eastern Emperor has thought this through."
"You flatter me. We should return at once and quickly select a few suitable members of our clan."
"Agreed!"
Di Jun and Taiyi hurried back to the Heavenly Court.
After his lunch break, Jiang Ping felt refreshed, the fatigue from a busy morning completely gone.
He opened the door and saw that all the feed in the large basin had been eaten. Jiang Ping felt very pleased.
He shook his head with a sigh. It seemed the animals in the Primordial World were all quite clever. A little simple training, and they were so well-behaved and obedient.
"Heng Ha Generals, where are your friends?"
Jiang Ping was a little puzzled. The others were all lazily sunning themselves in the courtyard, but the two Three-legged Chickens were nowhere to be seen.
The Heng Ha Generals chirped a few times.
When Jiang Ping heard their answer, he was furious.
"You've made some bad friends! You brought back two freeloaders who just wanted to eat and drink. Look, they've eaten all the feed I prepared so carefully."
"They ate everything and then ran off. That's just awful!"
"Next time you make friends, be careful. Don't bring back scoundrels like those again."
The Heng Ha Generals pecked their heads up and down, their tufts of feathers swaying wildly.
That afternoon.
When mealtime came around again, Jiang Ping held a Rolling Pin.
This time, he'd prepared another large basin of feed.
He thought that if those two Three-legged Chickens caught the scent and came back to freeload, he absolutely couldn't let them have their way.
Even after all the others had finished eating, the two Three-legged Chickens still didn't show up.
Jiang Ping figured they'd probably gone elsewhere to freeload.
Over the next two or three days, the two Three-legged Chickens finally stopped coming by.
Jiang Ping breathed a sigh of relief, though he also felt a little disappointed.
Had he been too fierce last time and scared them off?
If more small animals came next time, he'd have to be gentler.
If they all ran off, what would he eat?
He'd keep the obedient ones and slaughter the disobedient ones for a snack.
Another ten-odd days passed, and the courtyard returned to tranquility.
Jiang Ping spent his days doing farm work, writing, drawing, and playing the zither. Life was leisurely enough.
He did feel a little melancholy now and then. After all, living alone for so long was bound to get lonely.
Fortunately, this dull, monotonous life didn't last much longer.
One day, tens of thousands of miles from the courtyard, Di Jun and Taiyi slowed their flight and paused.
Taiyi looked at the four demons following them, his expression stern. "Today is your great opportunity. Be sure to remember my instructions. Otherwise, you may not return from this trip!"
The four demons shuddered and answered in unison, "Please rest assured, Demon Emperor. We will not disappoint you!"
Taiyi nodded, then quickly transformed along with Di Jun into Three-legged Golden Crows.
When they reached the courtyard gate, they found it shut tight.
Di Jun's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the Peerless Expert doesn't welcome us?
He hurriedly sent a telepathic message. "Fellow Daoist Kunpeng, would now be a convenient time?"
There was no answer for a long while. Di Jun hurriedly sent messages to the others as well.
Still, there was no response.
Taiyi narrowed his eyes. "Make some noise."
The four demons nodded, went up to the gate, and began scratching at it with their claws.
Inside the courtyard, Jiang Ping's ears twitched.
Huh? What was that noise outside?
"Da Huang, stop sleeping. Go have a look."
Da Huang hung his head. He'd sensed Di Jun and Taiyi's arrival long ago, but had deliberately ignored them.
Now that he'd heard Jiang Ping's command, he hurried over.
With a light leap, he deftly lifted the latch.
Jiang Ping peered out toward the courtyard gate.
Well, would you look at that. The two Three-legged Chickens had come back again.
And behind them were four little ones.
Jiang Ping had no idea what kind they were.
They didn't look like chickens or ducks, and they looked even less like birds.
Jiang Ping thought to himself that the Primordial World really did have all kinds of living creatures. It wasn't surprising that it had a few strange kinds of fowl.
In any case, since they'd come, he'd raise them for now. As long as they didn't leave, he'd fatten them up before slaughtering them.
"Well, well! So you two know your way back..."
Jiang Ping had meant to give them a good scolding, but then realized it would be like talking to a brick wall.
Talking to a bunch of chickens, ducks, cats, and dogs made him sound like a lunatic.
At the thought, Jiang Ping felt utterly miserable, nearly weeping in silence.
Wasn't it said that the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial World was sentient? Heavenly Dao, I'm begging you—send me a girl.
I don't care if she's ugly or chubby. I just want someone to talk to, someone to discuss life with. I'm really about to go crazy from being cooped up.
If you don't grant my wish, then once I can cultivate, I'll make a great breakthrough and take you down!
Jiang Ping looked at the cloudless sky, cursing furiously in his heart.
As soon as he'd finished, the sky suddenly changed, flashing with lightning and rumbling with thunder.
Jiang Ping shuddered. Whoa, could it really be that effective? Did the Heavenly Dao sense how desperately I'd been pleading and respond?
At Purple Sky Palace, Hongjun abruptly opened his eyes.
He keenly sensed that the Heavenly Dao seemed somewhat furious—and perhaps somewhat afraid?
This astonished him. The Heavenly Dao was supposed to be free of joy and sorrow, forever looking down indifferently upon the entire Primordial World.
Why had it revealed emotions that should not have appeared today?
How strange.
At Nuwa's abode, she had spent the day turning the matter over in her mind. In the end, she decided she would go seek the Peerless Expert's advice.
She had a strong intuition that her opportunity to attain the Great Dao lay with the Peerless Expert.
Nuwa quietly made up her mind. She would make preparations today and visit the Peerless Expert tomorrow.
In the courtyard, Jiang Ping looked at the leftovers in the large basin and decided they shouldn't go to waste. He'd let the newcomers eat them first.
Before the four demons had come, Di Jun and Taiyi had given them instructions.
They knew very well that the opportunity the Demon Emperor had mentioned lay in the large basin in the courtyard.
The Demon Emperor had told them that once they went inside, they mustn't be surprised by anything they saw or heard.
But now that they saw only an ordinary living creature, they were still terribly disappointed.
At first, they'd thought the Demon Emperor was taking them to meet some Peerless Expert. They hadn't expected him to be such an unremarkable fellow.
He also seemed rather eccentric, as though he wasn't quite right in the head.
"Hey, you're late. There's only this much left, so all of you have some. That's it for today. I'll make something better for you tomorrow," Jiang Ping said, pointing at the large basin.
Before you continue