In truth, after sleeping on it for a night, he had gotten over the matter completely and had not taken it to heart at all. Thinking it over carefully, she had meant well too. She had probably wanted him to latch onto a rich woman so he would never have to worry about cultivation resources again.
"It's fine. Just don't bring it up again in the future. If someone with ulterior motives hears it, misunderstandings could arise," Zhou Qing reminded her.
Lu Yaoyao nodded repeatedly, indicating that she would never do it again.
Heart Insight Points +5
Right afterward, the "so cowardly" above her head quickly changed into "so magnanimous."
Heart Insight Points +4
Meanwhile, the "Scoundrel Who Likes Playing with Silly Chickens" above Li Daoxuan's head also became "a somewhat sensible scoundrel."
Zhou Qing gave a dry chuckle.
Before long, Lu Yaoyao's face blossomed with a smile. After all, her relationship with Senior Brother Zhou had returned to how it was before.
She looked around curiously and asked, "Senior Brother Zhou, why didn't you take your chicken out for a walk today?"
Zhou Qing looked bewildered. Raising the rope in his hand, he said, "I am walking it. Isn't it right here—"
Before he could finish, he felt the rope go slack. When he turned around, his face instantly went pale.
The chicken at the other end of the rope was gone, even though he had been holding it just moments ago.
"Damn it! Which bastard stole my chicken?! My egg is still in its belly!"
Zhou Qing shouted, instantly panicking.
His mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm Spiritual Sense immediately spread out to search.
But amid the vast sea of people, where fish and dragons were mixed together, cultivators of every level had surging blood and qi that interfered with his senses so badly that he could not find anything.
At this moment, everyone, including Lu Yaoyao, stared at Zhou Qing in disbelief.
That chicken was carrying his egg?
You had to be joking!
Zhou Qing grabbed Yan Xiaohu at once, his expression frantic. "Third Senior Brother, my chicken was still being walked just now. You saw it too. It can't go missing! Help me look for it. You have to help me find it!"
Yan Xiaohu could feel Zhou Qing's terror and nodded repeatedly. "Alright, alright. I'll help you look right away."
"Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother He, Junior Sister Lu, please help me search too. I'm willing to pay five hundred—no, three thousand spirit stones, as long as you help me find it."
Seeing Zhou Qing's pleading expression, the three of them felt their minds turn into a mess.
For that country chicken, you were willing to spend three thousand spirit stones searching for it?
Was it really that important to you?
Damn—
Soon, Li Daoxuan and He Han exchanged glances, each seeing something in the other's eyes.
Yet neither of them exposed it. After all, they still had to leave Junior Brother Zhou some dignity.
Lu Yaoyao nodded repeatedly as well. "Senior Brother Zhou, don't worry. I've seen that chicken. We'll definitely help you find it."
"Thank you, everyone. It was still here about the time it takes an incense stick to burn ago. Let's split up and search with this place as the center!"
After saying that, Zhou Qing hurried away.
The others quickly sprang into action as well.
At this moment, Zhou Qing wished he could grow two more pairs of eyes as he searched the surroundings without pause.
Judging from the end of the rope, it had not been cut by a sharp blade. Most likely, the knot had come loose.
That chicken had already mutated too far and was not very bright to begin with. On top of that, his innate skill, Reduce Presence, had been raised to level three. It would be stranger if it could find him.
"My treasure, where are you? Don't let anyone stew you..."
Zhou Qing was beside himself with anxiety, calling out and asking people everywhere.
By the time night had deepened, Zhou Qing, who was nearly desperate, suddenly received a message from Third Senior Brother.
His spirits immediately lifted, and he hurried over.
"Third Senior Brother, did you find it?" Zhou Qing asked impatiently when he saw the furtive Yan Xiaohu.
Yan Xiaohu said, "I didn't expect that silly chicken's little short legs to run so fast. When I saw it, it was jumping through that gate. I nearly caught it, but the guards refused to let me enter no matter what."
Following the direction Yan Xiaohu pointed, Zhou Qing finally noticed a grand mountain villa ahead, with a barrier opened in the air above it.
Before the villa's main entrance stood seven or eight disciples dressed in Azure Feather Immortal Sect robes, chatting and laughing about something.
Yan Xiaohu said, "I asked around. Azure Feather Immortal Sect has rented out this entire villa. Disciples of all ranks from their sect are staying inside. And at this hour, they refuse all visitors. If we want to enter, we'll probably have to wait until dawn."
"It'll be too late by dawn!" Zhou Qing's eyes were full of anxiety.
Maybe some hungry disciple would casually catch it and roast it in one go.
Yan Xiaohu found this rather strange. "That chicken is skinny as a stick. Its meat wouldn't even fill the gaps between your teeth. Don't tell me you've actually grown attached to it."
Zhou Qing did not know how to explain it to Third Senior Brother, so he could only say, "Senior Brother, you know I'm someone who values relationships. Since I decided to keep it as a pet, I have to take responsibility for it to the end."
Yan Xiaohu was speechless.
Everyone else's pets were all savage prehistoric variants, the kind that gave them immense face when taken out. Yet he alone had a soft spot for a chicken.
Impossible to understand!
But seeing Fourth Child's worried expression, Yan Xiaohu thought for a moment and said, "How about we notify Lu Yaoyao? Isn't she on pretty good terms with Profound Abyss Immortal? Maybe for her sake, Azure Feather Immortal Sect will help us search."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing naturally agreed.
"But I don't have their contact information," Zhou Qing realized.
Yan Xiaohu took out his token and looked at it, saying helplessly, "As if I do. We never had much interaction with the people from Divine Peak before."
The Identity Tokens of every Taiqing Sect disciple were unique, with special Array Patterns engraved within. Not only could they verify one's identity, they could also record mission points, add friends, and more.
Clearly, the two brothers had barely interacted with the people of Divine Peak before, much less added them as friends by touching their tokens together.
Now, they did not even know whom to send a message to. Besides, Flame Dragon City was so enormous and packed with people—who knew where they were at this moment?
"I'll go give it a try!" Zhou Qing immediately headed toward the villa entrance, and Yan Xiaohu hurried after him.
"The people from Azure Feather Immortal Sect have rather bad tempers. Be polite when you speak later. After all, we are the hosts. Don't leave them with a bad impression and make Master lose face in the end," Yan Xiaohu quietly reminded him.
Zhou Qing naturally understood this principle.
As they drew closer, Zhou Qing discovered that all the guards were actually Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. The strongest two among them were merely at Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection.
"Stop!"
Seeing the two approach, the group immediately stepped forward to block them.
Just as Zhou Qing was about to introduce himself, the leaders of the group spotted Yan Xiaohu and instantly flew into a rage.
"You again? What do you want? Are you trying to bully the weak with strength again? We already told you that Spirit Cloud Mountain Villa has been rented by Azure Feather Immortal Sect. There are no shortage of Golden Core Realm cultivators like you staying inside, and there are even several elder leaders. Try forcing your way in again if you dare!!!"
Facing their hostile gazes, Zhou Qing looked at Third Senior Brother in disbelief.
Before I got here, what outrageous, heaven-incensing deed did you commit?
You had just reminded me to be polite to them, but how were we supposed to negotiate under these circumstances?
Yan Xiaohu immediately stepped forward. "I spoke to you nicely, but you wouldn't listen and insisted on forcing me to get rough."
"Nicely? Your fist nearly landed on our faces! Let me stress this again: Azure Feather Immortal Sect's rules for attending the Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering are that no one may go out after midnight, and all visitors are refused. Even elders from other sects are no exception!"
A Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator stepped forward, drawing the long sword in his hand.
"Get lost! Keep making trouble, and don't blame us for being rude!"
Zhou Qing hurriedly cupped his hands in salute. "Please calm down, brothers. We only want to go inside and find a chicken."
"Are you insulting Azure Feather Immortal Sect? Say that again if you have the guts!"
At those words, everyone's anger flared even hotter.
Zhou Qing knew they had misunderstood, but he had no idea how to explain it. He hurriedly dragged away Third Senior Brother, whose clenched fists were cracking loudly.
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