"Thump... thump..."
A faint yet powerful tremor sounded from within the egg, as if a tiny heart were beating vigorously.
With every beat, the surrounding spiritual energy rippled faintly.
Li Qingshan held his breath, staring intently at the Golden Wind Cicada egg, his heart full of anticipation and a trace of nervousness.
He could clearly feel the little life inside the egg gathering its last reserves of strength.
"Crack..."
An almost imperceptible yet crystal-clear snapping sound rang out.
A hair-thin crack appeared at the top of the egg, where its radiance was brightest.
The crack immediately spread downward and branched out as if it were alive, covering most of the shell in an instant.
"Crack... crack..."
The cracking sounds grew more and more frequent.
Suddenly, all the golden radiance drew sharply inward, retreating into the egg! The next moment—
"Bzzz—!"
An invisible yet piercingly sharp buzz burst from within the egg!
The sound did not strike the eardrums. Instead, it pierced straight through the body and slammed into Li Qingshan's soul!
Even though he had been prepared and shared a blood-refining bond with the cicada egg, his soul still wavered slightly, and his vision blurred for an instant!
Incredible! It's only just been born, yet its cry can already shake the soul of a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator!
Li Qingshan was astonished, then overcome with even greater joy.
With that first cry, the Golden Wind Cicada egg, covered in cracks, finally burst apart!
A dazzling golden ray shot out and hovered in midair.
The golden light slowly faded, revealing what lay within.
It was a cicada about the size of an infant's fist.
Its body was not made of flesh and blood. Instead, it seemed carved from the purest gold and white jade, its entire form shimmering with a gentle