"Daoist Zhou, this time, it was all thanks to your keen insight and miraculous skill that you promptly identified the cause and found the antidote, sparing my Mu Family tremendous losses. For this favor and kindness, my Mu Family is deeply grateful."
"Therefore, the patriarch has specially bestowed this item as thanks to you. Please be sure to accept it."
Inside Zhou Chun's residence, after Mu Yunshan came to visit, he first once again expressed his gratitude for Zhou Chun's skillful cure of the poisoning, then placed the reward gift that the Mu Family Patriarch had asked him to bring on the table, urging Zhou Chun to accept it.
"This is..."
Zhou Chun looked at the jade box on the table, then turned to Mu Yunshan with a puzzled expression.
"Inside is an egg from an unusual beast. It was acquired by one of my Mu Family's marketplace shops several years ago. It is said to be the egg of some kind of demon snake."
"However, over the past few years, my Mu Family has tried many methods and asked many people to examine it, yet none could identify its exact origins, much less hatch it."
"When the patriarch heard of fellow Daoist Zhou's skillful cure this time, he considered that your Lineage is a Beast Taming Family and might possibly have a way to hatch it. Thus, he instructed me to bring this item as a gift to you, hoping that you may one day help my Mu Family unravel this mystery."
Mu Yunshan smiled faintly as he explained the gift's origins to Zhou Chun, then gestured for him to open the jade box and inspect it.
After hearing him out, Zhou Chun's curiosity was also piqued. He immediately reached out, opened the jade box, and took out the so-called snake egg within.
The snake egg was oval-shaped, half a foot long and nearly three inches wide. Its entire surface was white, and it weighed close to two catties.
Its size and weight alone showed that it was certainly a Demonic Beast Egg.
As Zhou Chun ran his palm over the egg's surface, he found the shell extremely hard and rough, unlike the soft, smooth shell of an ordinary snake egg.
Right in front of Mu Yunshan, he used several methods to examine the snake egg. Yet apart from confirming that it was a living egg, he could not determine what kind of demon snake had laid it. He could not even be certain that it was truly a snake egg.
Such a situation was exceedingly rare.
Generally speaking, only eggs that had just been laid would have no discernible origin because the embryo inside had yet to take shape. Such eggs also could not be contracted.
Yet this egg had been kept by the Mu Family for several years. Logically, an embryo should have formed long ago, especially since the Mu Family had never used any secret art to seal its Life Force.
And yet, it was not a lifeless dead egg!
"I cannot tell. Please forgive my poor eyesight. This strange matter is also the first of its kind that I have ever encountered or heard of. Perhaps only after I return to the Lineage and consult several elders and the patriarch will it be possible to identify the problem."
Zhou Chun shook his head with a bitter smile and placed the snake egg back into the jade box.
His reaction left Mu Yunshan somewhat disappointed, but he also felt that it was only natural.
After all, the Mu Family had invited several Violet Palace cultivators to appraise the egg at the time, yet none had been able to determine its origins.
When the Mu Family had first received the egg, they had thought they had stumbled upon a treasure, believing it might be the egg of some Mid-grade Demonic Beast, or even a High-grade Demonic Beast.
But after seeking appraisal from many parties to no avail, and after the egg showed no change for so long, the Mu Family's higher-ups had more or less forgotten about it.
If they had not been considering what gift would be suitable as a reward for Zhou Chun this time, the Mu Family Patriarch might not even have remembered this item.
Thus, Mu Yunshan quickly composed himself. Smiling, he cupped his hands toward Zhou Chun and said, "Then I wish fellow Daoist Zhou success in hatching this item someday and obtaining a fine pet. I must return and report to the patriarch, so I shall take my leave first."
"I'll see Fellow Daoist Mu out."
As Zhou Chun spoke, he rose and personally escorted Mu Yunshan outside. Only after closing the courtyard gate did he return to his room and continue pondering and studying that snake egg.
But after studying the snake egg for three days straight, he still had not found the slightest clue. In the end, he could only give up on figuring it out himself and put it into his Storage Bag for the time being.
Because Zhou Chun had displayed highly professional ability in detoxifying the Ink Scale Colt, his standing in the eyes of the Mu Family cultivators visibly rose afterward.
Not only did several Mu Family cultivators treat him with great respect during his lessons, but whenever other Mu Family cultivators saw him, they would greet him with friendly smiles and exchanged courtesies. Some even sought to purchase the Zhou Family's specially made Snake-Repelling Salve and Beast-Repelling Powder from him.
Zhou Chun was naturally more than happy about this.
The methods for making Snake-Repelling Salve and Beast-Repelling Powder were not secrets within the Zhou Family. Even Ordinary Clansmen could access them.
Only the Spirit Pet First Aid Pill that he had fed the Ink Scale Colt that day was a truly secret Zhou Family medicinal pill. Even ordinary Core Clansmen had no opportunity to access its formula.
The bottle in his possession had been specially bestowed upon him by the patriarch, Zhou Daoyi, before he came to the Mu Family, in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Zhou Chun also kept the Mu Family cultivators' requests to purchase Snake-Repelling Salve and Beast-Repelling Powder in mind. When he sent a message to Zhou Daoyi to report the situation, he specifically mentioned it, suggesting that the Zhou Family could later sell these items in large quantities at the marketplace to earn Spirit Coins.
Zhou Daoyi accepted this suggestion and sent a letter commending Zhou Chun. He was very satisfied with Zhou Chun's performance at the Mu Family and stated that once Zhou Chun's term ended and he returned to the Lineage, he would certainly receive a generous reward.
Days passed one by one. Before long, a year and two months had passed since Zhou Chun arrived at the Mu Family of Biyun Mountain.
One morning, as he meditated and cultivated facing the rising sun, another soft pop sounded within his body as he broke through another acupoint.
With the opening of this fifty-fourth acupoint, Zhou Chun's cultivation naturally broke through to Level Seven Qi Refining, and his magical power increased further.
"Already Qi Refining Stage Seven, huh? At this rate, even if I simply cultivate step by step, so long as I don't encounter a cultivation bottleneck, I should have a strong chance of reaching Level Twelve Qi Refining before I turn fifty!"
In the courtyard, Zhou Chun opened his eyes after finishing his cultivation. Feeling the considerable increase in magical power within his body, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Having come to this world over two years ago, he had fully adapted to his current life of cultivation and was thoroughly enjoying it.
Every day, he meditated and refined qi, feeling his magical power and cultivation grow bit by bit. Then he practiced several spells, testing the limits of those spells through every possible method.
Now and then, he teased that stupid Rock Earth Turtle, or chatted with other cultivators about all manner of things, exchanging special uses for various spells and debating which Golden Core stage cultivator was more formidable.
Such a fulfilling yet leisurely life was something he had only dared dream of in his previous life.
No more working 996 every day, no more worrying about mortgages, car loans, or betrothal gifts. All troubles could just say goodbye. Could life get any sweeter?
"What a pity, what a pity. If only these days could go on forever!"
How he wished such leisurely days could continue forever.
But he knew in his heart that it was impossible.
Where was there ever such a thing as peaceful years? It was only because someone else was carrying the burden forward for him.
Once the three-year period ended and he returned to the Zhou Family, leaving aside all the other trivial tasks, at the very least, no one could escape the duty of guarding the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion.
By then, dreaming of spending every day drinking tea, playing chess, and chatting away his free time like he did now would be nothing but a dream.
"Mm, actually, it isn't impossible. As long as I achieve successful Foundation Establishment and become a Family Elder, I can be exempted from all miscellaneous duties!"
At that thought, Zhou Chun could not help laughing at himself.
For he suddenly thought of something amusing.
In this world, many Foundation Establishment cultivators broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm around the age of fifty or sixty. In an invisible way, that seemed to align with the retirement age from his previous life.
But once a cultivator achieved successful Foundation Establishment, it was not merely a matter of being able to enjoy life in peace. They would also gain more than a hundred extra years of lifespan out of thin air. No retirement benefits at any level could compare with such a reward.
"If one does not strive in youth, one can only grieve in vain in old age. Looks like I need to give it a real push too. Even for the wonderful retirement life after Foundation Establishment, I have to give it everything I've got!"
Zhou Chun muttered to himself, then turned and went inside to make breakfast.
Working hard to make every meal was also a kind of hard work!
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