Kapitel 17: Chapter 17: Mysterious Beast Egg, Qi Refinement Level 7

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"Taoist Friend Zhou, this time we owe you a great debt for your discerning eye and miraculous healing touch. You identified the poison and found the antidote in time, sparing the Mu Family from a tremendous loss. For this kindness, we are profoundly grateful."

"Therefore, the Clan Leader has specially bestowed this item upon you as a token of our appreciation, and we insist that you accept it."

During Mu Yunshan's visit to Zhou Chun's residence, he first repeated his expressions of gratitude for the latter's miraculous poison treatment, then placed upon the table a thank-you gift from the Mu Family Clan Leader, insisting that Zhou Chun accept it.

"What is this...?"

Zhou Chun looked at the jade box on the table and with a puzzled face turned towards Mu Yunshan.

"Inside this box is an exotic beast egg, something our Mu Family store acquired in the marketplace a few years ago. It's said to be the egg of some kind of demon snake."

"However, over the years, my Mu Family has tried many methods and consulted numerous experts, yet we've been unable to identify its origin or successfully incubate it."

"After learning of your adept handling of the poison incident, the Clan Leader thought, given that your family are renowned Beast Tamers, you might have a way to hatch it. Thus, he has sent me to offer this as a gift, hoping that you might someday help our Mu Family solve this mystery."

Mu Yunshan's face broke into a slight smile as he explained the history of the gift, then gestured to Zhou Chun to open the jade box and examine its contents.

Having heard his explanation, Zhou Chun's curiosity was piqued, and he immediately reached out to open the jade box, taking out the so-called snake egg.

The egg was elliptical, six inches long and nearly three inches wide, purely white, and weighed close to two pounds.

Based on its size and weight alone, it was clear that it must be a Demon Beast egg.

As Zhou Chun rubbed his palm over the surface of the snake egg, he found the shell to be extremely hard and rough, not like the soft and smooth texture of typical snake eggs.

In Mu Yunshan's presence, Zhou Chun employed several techniques to examine the egg, but aside from confirming that it was a live egg, he was unable to determine the species of the demon snake it belonged to, or even if it was definitely a snake egg at all.

This scenario was quite rare.

Usually, only freshly laid eggs that have yet to form an embryo inside are undeterminable as to the species, and also cannot be contracted.

But given that this egg had been in the Mu Family's possession for several years, it was unlikely that an embryo hadn't formed by now, especially since the Mu Family had not sealed the egg's vitality with any secret techniques.

And yet, it was neither a lifeless dead egg!

"I'm unable to discern its origin, please forgive Zhou's limited sight. This is the first time I've encountered or heard of such an oddity. Perhaps after returning to my family and consulting the Elders and Clan Leader, it might be possible to determine the problem," said Zhou Chun, shaking his head and returning a wry smile as he put the snake egg back into the jade box.

His reaction left Mu Yunshan slightly disappointed, yet it was understandable.

After all, the Mu Family had employed several Purple Mansion Phase Cultivators to identify the egg's origin to no avail.

Initially, the Mu Family thought they had found a treasure when they first obtained the egg, presuming it to be from a mid-level Demon Beast or even a higher-level one.

But as multiple experts failed to recognize it and no changes occurred after a long time, the higher-ups of the Mu Family had all but forgotten about the egg.

Were it not for the Clan Leader pondering what appropriate gift to give Zhou Chun as compensation, he might not have even recalled the existence of the object.

So Mu Yunshan quickly composed himself, smiling as he gave Zhou Chun a formal bow and said, "Then I wish Taoist Friend Zhou success in hatching this being in the future, gaining a fine Spirit Pet. I must now return to report to the Clan Leader and take my leave."

"I will escort Taoist Friend Mu."

Zhou Chun stood up and personally escorted Mu Yunshan out, then closed the courtyard door and returned to his room to continue pondering over the snake egg.

But after three days of contemplation with no clues in sight, he had to give up on figuring it out by himself and placed it into his Storage Pouch.

Because Zhou Chun had shown remarkable expertise in detoxifying the Ink Scale Steed, his standing in the eyes of the Mu Family Cultivators evidently rose.

Not only did they treat him with increased reverence during his lectures, but other Mu Family Cultivators also greeted him with friendly smiles and salutes, and even approached him to purchase Zhou Family's secret Snake Repelling Ointment and Beast Repelling Powder.

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Zhou Chun was naturally very pleased with this.

The formulas for making Snake Repelling Ointment and Beast Repelling Powder were not a secret in the Zhou Family; even ordinary clan members had access to them.

Only the Spirit Pet Emergency Pill he fed to the Ink Scale Steed that day was a true Zhou Family secret elixir, one that not even ordinary core clan members could come into contact with the formula.

The bottle he had was bestowed upon him by Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi before he came to the Mu Family, especially in case any special circumstances arose.

Zhou Chun also took the matter of Mu Family cultivators seeking to purchase Snake Repelling Ointment and Beast Repelling Powder to heart. When he sent a message to Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi to report the situation, he specifically mentioned it, suggesting that the Zhou Family could make a substantial profit by selling these items in the marketplace in the future.

Zhou Daoyi adopted this suggestion and sent a letter back commending Zhou Chun, expressing great satisfaction with his performance at the Mu Family and promising that he would be handsomely rewarded once his term was up and he returned to the clan.

As days passed by, in no time a year and two months had elapsed since Zhou Chun's arrival at Mu Family in Biyun Mountain.

On this day, as the morning sun rose, he, who was meditating and cultivating, felt a "pop" within his body as another acupoint was cleared.

With the opening of the fifty-fourth acupoint, Zhou Chun's cultivation level also broke through to the seventh layer of the Qi Refinement Realm, and his mana grew further.

"Already at the seventh layer of Qi Refinement, huh? If things keep going like this, even if I just cultivate step by step without hitting any bottlenecks, I should have a very good chance of reaching the twelfth layer of Qi Refinement before I turn fifty!"

In the courtyard, Zhou Chun opened his eyes after concluding his cultivation and, feeling the significantly enhanced mana within, couldn't help but show a slight smile on his face.

Having been in this world for over two years, he had completely adapted to this life of cultivation and took great joy in it.

Every day he sat in meditation, refining his qi, feeling every bit of growth in his mana and cultivation level, practicing several spells, and experimenting with the limits of the spells in various ways.

Occasionally, he also amused himself with that silly Rock Earth Turtle, or chatted with other cultivators about the unique uses of various spells, debating which Golden Core Stage cultivator was more formidable.

This fulfilling yet leisurely life was something that Zhou Chun from his previous life dared only dream about.

No more daily 996 schedules, no more worries about mortgage, car loans, or dowries; all troubles were gone, and life couldn't be better.

"If only, if only this sort of life could go on forever!"

How he wished this carefree life could last forever.

But he knew in his heart that it was impossible.

What peaceful and good years? It was nothing but others struggling on his behalf.

Once the three years were up and he returned to the Zhou Family, not to mention the various mundane tasks, at least the responsibility of guarding the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion was inescapable.

Then, the idea of spending his days leisurely with tea, chess, and conversation, as he did now, would be nothing but a dream.

"Hmm, actually, it's not impossible. If I can succeed in Foundation Establishment and become a Family Elder, I could avoid all those menial duties!"

Thinking this, Zhou Chun couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

Because he suddenly thought of an amusing fact.

Many cultivators in this world were around fifty or sixty years old when they broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, which, coincidently, aligned with the retirement age from his previous life.

However, once a cultivator succeeded in Foundation Establishment, it wasn't just about peaceful enjoyment; they would also gain over a hundred years of lifespan, an advantage that no level of retirement benefits could match.

"The idle youth leads to a needy old age; it looks like I also need to give it my all. Even if it's just for the beautiful retirement life after Foundation Establishment, I have to go all out!"

Muttering to himself, Zhou Chun then turned and went in to make breakfast.

Putting effort into every meal was also a form of diligence!

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