The celestial peach tree was not very tall, its branches sparkling with silver and twisting like a coiled dragon. It bore two peaches, silver-white with a hint of pale gold, their fragrance wafting through the air.
The little one fled in haste, wiping his mouth along the way, almost taking a bite out of the peaches. They were so aromatic, and the silver glow of the tree enveloped him.
Although he had obtained the tree, he did not dare to relax. This was thanks to the cocoon, which made him uneasy and on high alert.
He stored the celestial peach tree in the bag of holding and pulled out the cocoon, worried that it might cause trouble inside and ruin all the spiritual herbs and other items he had collected.
"What do you want to do?" The cocoon trembled, feeling uneasy as the little one swiftly pressed the broken sword against it, ready to chop it down at any moment.
"Are you a living being or not?" the little one asked with suspicion, not overly worried because the creature inside the cocoon was weak and lacked vitality.
The reason he could seize the silver peach tree earlier was that the creature inside the cocoon was aware of an ancient array in the Pure Land, which, when awakened, caused a rupture there, allowing him to succeed.
Half an hour later, Fire Spirit and others arrived riding the Void Beast's hide. They saw the fierce child roasting a large cocoon on the fire, occasionally sending out lightning bolts.
The Big Red Bird immediately wobbled over, exclaiming, "Such a big pupa, and it glows too! My favorite!"
As a bird, it liked snakes and insects the most. Without hesitation, it started spewing crimson flames, willingly joining in the roasting and drooling continuously.
The cocoon emitted a miserable cry, "Stop burning, it's getting charred. If you continue, I'll fight you."
The crowd looked at each other in confusion. The voice from the cocoon sounded delicate and frail, yet it spoke in an old-fashioned manner.
"It must be an ancient relic, I’m really lucky, and it’s quite a treat," the Big Red Bird said, squatting closer and working harder to roast the cocoon for the little one.
"You dare speak disrespectfully to me, a deity? Kneel and worship me!" The divine cocoon roared angrily but still spoke with a delicate, childish tone.
"You dare speak to me like that? You’re done for," the Big Red Bird, with a dark face, used the strongest divine fire to engulf the large cocoon, turning the place into a sea of lava.
Eventually, the creature inside the cocoon yielded and asked it to stop, saying there was a way to negotiate and everything could be settled.
"Then come out first," the little one said, eager to see what kind of being it was.
"I am exhausted and lack strength. Please help me break open this cocoon," the creature said from inside.
The little one wanted to use the broken sword to open the cocoon, but Fire Spirit stopped him, saying, "This is a rare material, not inferior to heavenly silkworm silk. If made into clothing, it will be pure and resistant to water and fire, with astonishing defensive power."
In the end, she had several sealers help out, patiently unraveling the cocoon like spinning thread and turning it into a silken ball of flowing, colorful light.
When the creature emerged from the cocoon, everyone was stunned. It first revealed a bald head with large, rolling eyes.
It was a bird's head, completely bald and not attractive at all, but it had a bright red beak, sparkling and clear.
Then it extended its body, which was over two meters long, still smooth and entirely featherless, making it look extremely strange.
"Why are you a bird?" The Big Red Bird was dumbfounded. Wasn’t this supposed to be a cocoon? How did a bald bird come out?
"I have mastered the supreme mysteries; I can transform into a qilin or a phoenix. My form can change according to my will. Isn’t it just a matter of thought whether I am a bug or a bird?" it said slowly, but combined with its appearance and childish voice, it was oddly peculiar.
"Clang!"
The Big Red Bird swung a black pot, using the method the little one often used to discipline it, hitting the bald bird on the back of its head, scolding, "You’re so disrespectful, acting so old-fashioned."
The bald bird was stunned and touched the back of its head with a bare, fleshy wing. It immediately jumped up, finding a large bump growing quickly like a horn. It had never experienced anything like this.
"You little brat, how dare you disrespect me! I’ll suppress you for five hundred years and refine your soul day and night," it yelled in frustration.
"Clang!"
Without saying a word, the Big Red Bird gave it another hit with the black pot, targeting the bump again. The "horn" swelled rapidly.
"I’m teaching you respect and manners. I’m showing you how to honor your elders," it said, looking down at the featherless bird.
"Ah, ah, ah, you’re driving me mad! Who dares to disrespect me like this? In my heyday, all spirits feared me, and all powerful clans bowed to me. How dare you, a little bird, lay a hand on me? I could sneeze and destroy you!" it raged.
"Still not convinced?" The Big Red Bird, with an air of superiority, gave it another thrashing. Eventually, the featherless bird was subdued, realizing that continued defiance would lead to more trouble.
The little one watched curiously, "What exactly are you?"
"I am a deity," it said proudly.
"Deity, my foot. If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll beat you to death," the Big Red Bird glared at it.
At that moment, a flash of purple light appeared in the distance, and a graceful figure emerged. The purple-haired girl appeared, passing by.
The featherless bird immediately crouched down and then crawled into the little one’s bag of holding, clearly unwilling to meet her, even if it meant self-imprisonment.
"Where do you think you’re going, beast?" the little one shouted, rushing forward.
Hearing this, the girl in purple looked back, her brows furrowing in anger, her eyes shining brightly as if she were about to act. However, seeing a group of ancient relics present, she feared being outnumbered and transformed into a streak of purple light, quickly disappearing.
"You little thief, wait for me. I will catch you sooner or later."
"Beast, next time we fight another eight hundred rounds, I'll definitely subdue you. Either become my mount or guard the village for me," the little one retorted defiantly.
The girl in purple trembled with rage, glared at him, clenched her fists, and finally vanished into the horizon.
"Why are you so afraid of her?" the little one asked, pulling out the strange bird.
"I am not afraid of her; I just don't want to meet anyone from that tribe," the bald bird replied.
The stubborn stone on the little one's hair wiggled and whispered in an almost inaudible voice, "I seem to have seen this person before. She once entered the Herb Garden and stole from the Immortal Spring."
"When was this?" the little one asked.
"At least a few hundred years ago. She was once the master of the Monkey King and, like you, came from outside," the Divine Stone continued to transmit its weak divine sense, audible only to the little one.
He was stunned and silent for a long time, no longer pressing the strange bird for answers, but his gaze kept flickering as if focused on a scroll of treasure.
"You still don’t have a name, and you haven't mentioned your origin, so I’ll give you one. Since you and Big Red are both birds, let’s call you Er Tuzu (Two Baldies)," the little one said with a smile.
"Bah, how could a deity like me be called by such a name? It’s beneath me," the strange bird was enraged.
"Just call you Er Tuzu; I think it sounds great," Big Red Bird laughed.
Despite its protests, the little one and others continued to use this name, leaving the bird hopping angrily but powerless.
Eventually, they boarded the Void Beast’s hide again, disappearing from their original location, while the ancient beast hide moved rapidly towards the distance.
As the golden crow sank in the west and night fell, it did not become completely dark. A jade rabbit appeared, emitting a pure white light that fell upon the earth. Legend has it that this is the corpse of an ancient beast, transformed into a moon, rising and setting in this ancient little world with a regular rhythm.
The Void Beast’s hide was vast, suspended above the clouds, with the group enjoying the moon and waiting for their feast.
In the black pot, golden light shimmered, and a fragrant aroma filled the air. Inside were chunks of Golden-Winged Roc meat, flowing with dazzling light, along with Monkey Head Mushrooms glowing with brilliance, stewed together with the golden meat.
The aroma from the pot was rich and mouth-watering, making everyone’s mouths water and their desire to eat immediately irresistible.
In addition, the pot also contained some spiritual herbs, all crystal-clear and radiant.
This was not merely stewing meat; it was clearly concocting a legendary elixir.
"Chicken stewed with mushrooms, my favorite," the little one said, staring intently and drooling, eager to dive in immediately.
One pot was obviously not enough, so other magical tools were also used. The Fire Crow’s bone cauldron became a cooking vessel, stewing Tiger Bone Soup with shimmering, clear liquid and an irresistible aroma.
Additionally, there were legs of Golden Sheep and camel humps from several ancient relics, roasting over the fire until golden and shiny, emitting an enticing fragrance.
Moreover, on the Void Beast’s hide, several jade tables were set with crystal-clear jade cups filled with Monkey Wine. The translucent liquid, with its intoxicating aroma, made the powerful beings feel tipsy even before they started drinking.
"I can't wait any longer," Big Red Bird swallowed its saliva.
Everyone’s eyes shone with excitement. This was not only a feast but also an opportunity for a breakthrough. Because the ingredients were so extraordinary, they eagerly anticipated and waited for the food to be cooked thoroughly.
Yesterday, after finishing the writing, it was too late, and I didn't sleep well, feeling a bit dizzy, but I will still strive for three chapters.
To be continued.
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