As everyone watched the human and cat leaping about on the stone steps, which were covered in restrictions, chasing the rooster around in a panic, they all looked on with surprise and doubt. Some of the more skeptical people even tried to climb the steps, only to stumble and nearly fall on the stone steps.
"It didn't disappear, the restriction didn't disappear, how did Yang Zhen and that Shameless Cat manage to do that?"
"Have you noticed that Yang Zhen, the Shameless Cat, and that rooster all move with a certain pattern? Perhaps there's some kind of numerological manipulation on these stone steps, and some of them don't even have any restrictions."
"This gentleman has a very keen eye; have you managed to identify the pattern?"
"I... I'm currently studying it. Numerology is extremely complex, and it may... take some more time."
"Damn it, I feel like they're just running around aimlessly."
The group of people looked at each other, their expressions hesitant, but their horror grew.
A person and a cat chased the rooster, leaping over almost every spot on the stone steps. Clearly, there was no magic involved; otherwise, how could they have jumped over everything?
Hua Youyue arrived at the bottom of the stone steps. Looking around, her eyes also revealed surprise. She watched Yang Zhen and the Shameless Cat chasing the rooster around, not only looking disheveled but also making strange noises. A smile appeared on her lips, but at the same time, a trace of sadness flashed deep in her eyes.
"It doesn't taste good!"
After chasing for a while, the rooster kept repeating those three words, completely losing its arrogant demeanor. Its feathers were all disheveled, and its bright red comb was crooked and looked terrible. It was in a sorry state.
"You think it's bad just because you say so? Let me tell you, even a pile of shit can become a delicacy in my hands!"
"Disgusting!" The rooster glared at the Shameless Cat, his expression furious. "Bastard!"
"Oh dear, you dare to swear? Don't let me catch you, or I'll scald you with boiling water before plucking your feathers."
Yang Zhen grabbed at the rooster, but the rooster flapped its wings and dodged. "Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and catch this bastard, he's pretty fast."
Upon hearing this, the rooster's neck feathers bristled, and it ran off at breakneck speed, hooting, "Not tasty! Spirit Peak, I'll tell you the way!"
"Um?"
Yang Zhen was taken aback, grabbed the Shameless Cat by the tail, dragged it back, and stared at the rooster, asking, "Do you know how to reach the Spirit Peak?"
Seeing that Yang Zhen and the Shameless Cat had finally stopped catching him, the rooster stopped and leisurely preened its magnificent plumage, saying arrogantly, "Yes!"
"Damn it, so arrogant, let's beat him up first!" Yang Zhen flung the Shameless Cat at the rooster, scaring the rooster into flying up and scratching and clawing at the Shameless Cat, making the Shameless Cat howl in pain. "Damn it, kid, you're so wicked!"
Yang Zhen was furious and pointed at the Shameless Cat, saying, "It was that Flirtatious Chicken who scratched it, what does it have to do with me?"
At this moment, Hua Youyue suddenly said softly, " Yang Zhen, wait a moment!"
Yang Zhen was taken aback, turned to look at Hua Youyue and asked, "What is it?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Yang Zhen suddenly moved with explosive speed, leaving a series of afterimages in his wake. His body moved like lightning as he pounced on the rooster.
The rooster let out a strange squawk in fright, its tongue lolling out, and hurriedly hopped away, but it was too late. Yang Zhen grabbed it by the tail and lifted it up by the back.
The Shameless Cat laughed loudly and kicked the rooster in the rear end, "Run! Go ahead and try to run again, or I'll pluck all your feathers off!"
The rooster flapped its wings and started punching and kicking the Shameless Cat, leaving Yang Zhen speechless.
This flashy, showy brat is absolutely terrifying when he goes crazy; he even ruffled the fur on the Shameless Cat's face.
What frustrated Yang Zhen the most was that the Shameless Cat" seemed to be no match for this Flirtatious Chicken.
"Hmph, I won't stoop to the level of a Flirtatious Chicken like you." The defeated Shameless Cat walked aside with a disdainful look, like a victorious general, head held high, drooling as it stared at the rooster.
Yang Zhen ignored the spineless fellow, picked up the rooster, and walked up to Hua Youyue, grinning, "What's up, little girl? I'll treat you to roast chicken later."
"It doesn't taste good!" the rooster roared, glaring at Yang Zhen. Even as Yang Zhen was holding him, he was still slowly and meticulously grooming his colorful feathers, displaying the admirable quality of "the head can be cut off, but the feathers cannot be disordered."
Hua Youyue looked at the rooster with surprise and said, "That person has awakened. With him here, we cannot reach the Spirit Peak."
Yang Zhen asked curiously, "Who? Who woke up?"
At this moment, the Spirit Maiden Hongluan also came over, glanced curiously at the rooster, and said, "In the Great Mount Sumeru, on the road leading to the Spirit Peak, there is a Ghost Crossing Ravine. There is only one path that can be passed through, and most of the time there is no danger. However, there is a wooden house there, and inside is a sealer who calls himself the Celestial Venerable Ziwei. Once he awakens, no one can pass through."
" Celestial Venerable Ziwei?"
Upon hearing this name, Yang Zhen was startled. Then, thinking back, the only Ziwei he knew besides a princess in a TV series was a legendary Great Emperor- level figure.
Princesses couldn't possibly come here, and the Great Emperor wouldn't lower himself to call himself a Heavenly Venerable. Thinking this, Yang Zhen felt relieved. It seemed that this Celestial Venerable Ziwei was just a coincidence of names.
Hua Youyue glanced at Spirit Maiden Hongluan, nodded, and explained softly, "On the way here, you should have heard that roar. That roar alone sent Lin Tianli flying back a hundred feet, causing him to cough up blood."
Yang Zhen exclaimed "Oh dear!" and looked at Lin Tianli's corpse lying on the stone steps, saying, "No wonder this bastard didn't go to the Spirit Peak, but instead came here to steal a chicken from you."
" Golden Crow!"
The rooster, still grooming its feathers while being held by Yang Zhen, earnestly corrected her, only to receive a slap from Yang Zhen. It then angrily began to rearrange its feathers, which Yang Zhen had previously messed up.
"A single shout from this Celestial Venerable Ziwei can make Lin Tianli vomit blood; he seems incredibly powerful."
Hua Youyue and Spirit Maiden Hongluan exchanged a glance. Spirit Maiden Hongluan smiled bitterly and said, "It's more than just powerful. It's said that the Celestial Venerable Ziwei was merely a wisp of his Divine Sense sealed inside the wooden house."
"What?" Yang Zhen was startled, and his hand trembled, causing the rooster's feathers that he had painstakingly pressed down to fall loose again.
If a mere wisp of Divine Sense can be so arrogant, then what's the point of even reaching the Spirit Peak? Everyone should just go home and find their own mothers.
Hua Youyue smiled and said softly to Yang Zhen, "That's why I asked you to wait a bit, to see what this golden... rooster has to do."
" Golden Crow!"
The rooster glared at Hua Youyue, then miraculously twisted its neck in a circle, hanging from its body, but managing to straighten its gaudy head, giving it an arrogant and smug look.
Yang Zhen picked up the rooster, stared into its eyes, and said, " Flirtatious Chicken, tell me, how do you deal with that so-called Heavenly Venerable?"
The rooster rolled its eyes. "Wishful thinking!"
"Damn it, kid, let it go! I'll slap it to death! It's too arrogant!" The Shameless Cat had just finished grooming its face when it saw the rooster's haughty appearance. It was immediately enraged and pointed at the rooster as if it was ready to fight to the death.
Meanwhile, along the Spirit Road, a group of young people exuding an ancient aura arrived at the Heavenly Mandate Spring. One of them, a woman from a foreign land dressed in snow-white fur, paused, then asked in a low voice, "Where is the Heavenly Mandate Spring?"
A young man beside her, also dressed in a long snow-white fur coat, frowned and said, "Spirit Maiden, we've come here to break the Technique Gate array. We can ask about the Heavenly Mandate Spring later."
The foreign woman nodded and said, " Aleida, go find a cultivator and ask why the Heavenly Mandate Spring disappeared and who destroyed it."
In the crowd, a lean young man nodded, and his figure gradually disappeared without a trace.