"Estimating from this, it probably won't be easy for it to lay another egg like that. Otherwise, the Farming Family people would have discovered how extraordinary it was long ago. Why would they have sold it to the stall owner, let alone let it fall into my hands?"
"Maybe it has something to do with what it eats. I'll have to study and experiment with it properly!"
Zhou Qing muttered to himself. He simply sat down cross-legged on the spot, picked up the precious Spirit Egg, held it in his palm, and began absorbing the spiritual power within.
A smile quickly spread across his face. The pure, impurity-free spiritual energy flowed directly into his body, making even the circulation of the Taiqing Mysterious Qi Art much easier.
"If I had this thing to absorb and refine every day, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage would be as easy as turning my hand!" Zhou Qing exclaimed in wild delight.
Just then, Yan Xiaohu's anxious shout came from outside.
"Fourth Child, Fourth Child, are you alright?"
Zhou Qing had barely risen when Yan Xiaohu kicked the courtyard gate open and charged in like a gust of wind.
"Third Senior Brother, you should at least respect my privacy," Zhou Qing said helplessly.
Seeing that Zhou Qing was fine, Yan Xiaohu gave a disdainful "Tch." "Unless you bring a female disciple home for the night, what privacy could you possibly have? Say, did you blow up that mountain?"
As he spoke, he pointed into the distance.
Zhou Qing nodded, then spread his hands and explained, "The Silver Dragon Hand has reached minor accomplishment. I couldn't resist trying it out."
"Minor accomplishment already? That fast?" Yan Xiaohu asked in surprise.
On his way here, he had witnessed that power with his own eyes. It truly was extraordinary, worthy of being the Grand Elder's famed divine ability.
Zhou Qing merely smiled.
"Cluck cluck cluck, cluck cluck cluck~"
After that, Yan Xiaohu crouched down and teased the Old Hen. Not only did this Old Hen have poor eyesight, but its hearing also seemed to be bad.
He was clearly calling from the left, yet the Old Hen turned its head to the right, searching blankly for him before pecking rapidly at the ground.
"What a stupid chicken!" Yan Xiaohu said, utterly speechless.
Zhou Qing only smiled without saying a word.
"Let's go. I heard the Golden Thunder Sect is fighting Tianji Gate today. Those people are good at divination—I wonder how much combat power they actually have. I'm pretty curious!" Yan Xiaohu said as he rose.
Of course Zhou Qing was going. Recently, he had relied entirely on being a melon-eating spectator to farm Ignorance Points.
"Wait a moment!" Zhou Qing went inside to change clothes first, then took out a rope and tied up the Old Hen.
Watching Zhou Qing walk the chicken again, Yan Xiaohu finally could not hold back. "What's so worth walking about this scrawny hen? Wouldn't it be fine just tied up at home?"
Zhou Qing did not dare take that risk. What if it ran away?
Or what if someone stole it and ate it?
After all, it looked rather plump. Its feathers were simply far too deceptive.
And it was not just the feathers—the entire chicken was full of deception.
Later, he would have to investigate properly what breed this thing actually was.
"Third Senior Brother, let me warn you: don't get any crooked ideas about this chicken. From now on, it's my little brother!" Zhou Qing said seriously.
Yan Xiaohu gave another "Tch" and turned to leave.
That deceitful Old Hen? Even if someone gave it to him for free to eat, he would think it too tough on his teeth.
But after taking two steps, Zhou Qing stopped again and gazed into the distance.
Yan Xiaohu walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "Stop waiting. I heard Senior Si Kong Yan from the Azure Flame Dao Palace has been pursuing Profound Abyss Immortal all this time. In the end, she was so annoyed that she moved into an inn in Flame Dragon City. So there's no breakfast for you."
Zhou Qing was taken aback, then awkwardly scratched his head. The two of them headed down the mountain.
Flame Dragon City!
Near noon, the battles indeed began once more. Amid the crowd, Zhou Qing deliberately kept his distance from Third Senior Brother, hugging the Old Hen as he became a melon-eating spectator.
Ignorance Points +1 Ignorance Points +1 Skill Shard +1
As afternoon approached, a Skill Shard unexpectedly refreshed, filling Zhou Qing with delight.
That gave him two shards. He only needed one more before he could synthesize another new talent skill.
Zhou Qing was full of anticipation.
Over the next ten days, as his Ignorance Points continued to rise, a virtuous cycle formed. More and more people failed to notice him, causing his points to increase without end.
Ignorance Points +1 Skill Shard +1 Ignorance Points +1
Today, another Skill Shard had refreshed. Not only that, but the talent skill Reduce Presence had successfully risen to level three.
Skill Shard: 3/3 (Available)
"Acquire."
In his excitement, Zhou Qing hurriedly began the synthesis.
The Skill Shards were instantly cleared to zero, and Available changed to Unavailable.
Soon, a message appeared in his mind.
Talent Skill—Daily Appraisal: Other than humans, it can appraise all things in the world. This talent is a fixed skill and cannot be upgraded or gain additional uses.
Zhou Qing blinked. He had not expected this newly acquired talent skill to be fixed. Appraise all things in the world?
What did that mean?
Still, it sounded rather interesting.
With a thought, the panel appeared.
Name: Zhou Qing Age: Nineteen Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivation Art: Taiqing Mysterious Qi Art Talent Skills: Daily Appraisal, Mind Mirror Vision—LV2 (55/200), Reduce Presence—LV3 (1/100) Skill Shards: 0/3 (Unavailable)
Looking at the Old Hen in his arms, which did not seem especially bright, Zhou Qing appraised it.
The result quickly arrived.
Egg Treasure Chicken: A rare spirit chicken that mutated too far. It possesses powerful digestive abilities and can devour anything to purify it, then expel it from its body by laying eggs. Feed it more good things in daily life and walk it around more to increase the chance of egg-laying.
Line after line of information appeared before him, and Zhou Qing finally understood what the new talent skill Daily Appraisal meant.
Other than humans, he could only appraise one thing per day.
"An Egg Treasure Chicken that mutated too far? I knew it! I searched through so much literature these past days, yet couldn't find even one related to you. So you mutated!"
Zhou Qing was utterly speechless.
He had also read about Egg Treasure Chickens. Their colors were extremely conspicuous, and they were much larger than the one before him. They were famous for laying at least ten eggs a day.
So that stupid-looking country chicken appearance of yours was because you mutated too far.
Zhou Qing could not help but smile bitterly.
Still, fortune and misfortune clung together like twin vines. Though your mutation had gone too far and failed to stop in time, who told you to run into me? From now on, you won't have to struggle every day to lay eggs, only to face slaughter in your old age.
I'll care for you until the end of your days. In return, just lay me a Spirit Egg every ten days or half a month. Fair deal, right?
Zhou Qing grinned as he stroked the chicken's head.
Heart Insight Points +3
Just as Zhou Qing was beside himself with joy, the notification suddenly sounded.
He could not help but freeze. Sweeping his gaze around, he quickly spotted Li Daoxuan.
At that moment, Li Daoxuan seemed to have inadvertently seen Zhou Qing. Disgust flashed across his face before he looked back toward the battle in the square.
And the note above his head, which had originally read Scoundrel Who Clings Shamelessly, swiftly changed into Scoundrel Who Likes Playing with Silly Chickens.
Zhou Qing immediately flew into a rage.
What the hell? So what if I play with chickens? What does that have to do with you?
Believe it or not, I'll go find another chicken.
How utterly ridiculous!
Before you continue