CH 66

Chapter 66: Yuming Mountain’s Spirit Vein

After the meal, Yun Zhao chased the little ones to the hot springs for a bath. They spent the whole day running around the mountains, getting their fur covered in debris.

The freshly washed little ones lined up, one by one, allowing Yun Zhao to towel dry their fur. They had expressions of pure enjoyment and didn't want to move away.

Ao Jing washed himself, and he watched as the little phoenix lay back on Yun Zhao's legs, allowing the youth to trim his nails. Curiously, Ao Jing asked, "Can't Le Huang transform into a human form?"

Le Huang, with his eyes half-closed in contentment, replied, "I can."

Wu Mu added a few strokes to his younger brother's head fur and wondered, "Then why haven't we seen you transform? Sometimes it's more convenient to be in human form."

Le Huang shook his sparkling golden tail feathers and said seriously, "But then I can't show off my tail! It would be bare without feathers, and being in human form wouldn't look good!"

"Is that so?" Ao Jing was puzzled. He didn't see any difference in beauty or ugliness between human and original forms.

Upon hearing this, the little phoenix proudly displayed his feathers to him.

Yun Zhao lifted the dried little chubby bird and interrupted Le Huang's display. Le Huang immediately looked up and asked, "What's wrong?"

Yun Zhao, with an expressionless face, pushed open the door and said, "It's time for you, the bare human form, to go to sleep."

Le Huang: "..."

Putting the little bird to bed was not an easy task, especially when they had been playing too excitedly during the day. It was even more difficult to settle them at night.

Sun Yang, Ao Jing, and the others were relatively easy, finding their own spots to sleep. But the remaining little ones started making a fuss.

Yun Zhao gently patted the wiggling kitten’s buttocks, saying, "Go to sleep. I've been playing with you for so long with the teasing wand."

Wu Mu sprawled in his nest, claws scratching at Yun Zhao's robe, leaving the sleeves in a sorry state.

"Play one more time!"

Yun Zhao sighed, "No, you never keep your promises."

Wu Mu rolled around in dissatisfaction, then grabbed his wrist and lightly rubbed his delicate skin with his sharp teeth.

The kitten tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, "How about you make bubble water again tomorrow?"

Yun Zhao raised an eyebrow. This little one was quite good at making conditions. He was about to refuse when another person appeared by his side.

Ao Yu flicked Wu Mu's head with his hand, surveyed the surrounding divine beasts who hadn't gone to sleep yet, and said in a calm voice, "Go to sleep."

"Okay."

Wu Mu obediently meowed and quickly extinguished the candle. He picked up his younger brother and snuggled into the bed, pulling the blanket over them. Before settling in, he politely said, "Goodnight."

Yun Zhao was stunned by his swift actions, and in a daze, he was led back into the room by Ao Yu.

After a busy day, Yun Zhao collapsed onto the bed like a dead dog, burying himself in the fragrant soft pillows and taking a deep breath.

Catching fish, cooking, and just now washing so many little furballs—it was only now, when he relaxed, that he felt the soreness in his waist and arms.

A slightly cool hand gently kneaded his waist, with a gentle and rhythmic pressure, just right. Yun Zhao occasionally let out a hum of pleasure.

"Don't make random noises." Ao Yu blushed and slapped the young man's soft flesh. Feeling the pleasant sensation, he couldn't help but squeeze a few more times.

Being able to enjoy the service of a little dragon masseur, Yun Zhao suddenly felt that being a bit tired was quite worthwhile.

He squinted his eyes, enjoying the moment when he heard the low and pleasant voice of Ao Yu: "Is it still sore?"

"Not anymore!" Yun Zhao happily replied. Just as he was about to get up, his shoulder was pressed back down.

Puzzled, he turned his head and saw Ao Yu lowering the veil, his golden eyes shining with intensity.

"As long as it's not sore anymore." Long slender fingers lifted the hem of his clothes as he pressed closer.

Blushing, Yun Zhao muttered in frustration, "Damn it! I forgot about the night shift!"

...

When dawn broke, the veil between the bed was pushed aside, and the sunlight shining through annoyed Yun Zhao, causing him to mumble in discontent.

"Just sleep a little longer." Ao Yu nuzzled against the young man's hair and got up.

In a drowsy state, Yun Zhao mumbled in response and changed positions to continue sleeping. His pig-like sleeping appearance made Ao Yu watch for a while before he got dressed and left.

By the time Yun Zhao woke up again, it was close to noon. However, the weather today seemed gloomy, with a hint of coolness in the air.

When Yun Zhao stepped out, he noticed that there were no little ones in the courtyard, only Bai Ze leisurely sitting in a rocking chair, watching the rabbits clean the courtyard.

He asked, "Where is everyone? Where did they go?"

Bai Ze threw a piece of dried fruit into his mouth and casually replied, "Your little dragon took them all to the bamboo forest for training."

Yun Zhao shook his head and chuckled. Lately, these little ones either slept all day or energetically played around the mountain. Only Ao Yu could keep them in check.

The courtyard became quiet for a while. Yun Zhao was about to go to the spiritual field when he heard the system announcement: [Congratulations, Host! After the nurturing of these divine beasts, the spiritual veins have been repaired and reached 80% completion!"]

Upon hearing this, Yun Zhao quickly opened the interface in his sea of consciousness and found that the small mound of soil had transformed into a mature tree with extended branches and lush leaves.

"Does this mean that Ao Yu's abilities have also recovered to 80%?" Yun Zhao asked.

The system replied, [Yes, indeed!]

Yun Zhao looked at the tree and suddenly wondered if since Yuming Mountain was Ao Yu's companion immortal mountain, did this tree also exist in reality?

The system seemed to have noticed the host's curiosity and suggested, [Since it's just you now, let me take you to see the spiritual veins. It's really beautiful!]

Yun Zhao exclaimed with delight, "Really?"

[Yes, follow me] the system replied.

As soon as the words fell, a pale golden butterfly appeared in front of Yun Zhao, fluttering up and down. He quickly told Bai Ze that he was going to the mountains and immediately followed the butterfly.

The system-generated butterfly didn't fly too fast and occasionally adjusted its speed to match Yun Zhao's. It would pause between flowers and leaves.

Yun Zhao followed the butterfly further and further, estimating that they were heading towards the deepest part of the forest. He brushed aside the obstructing leaves and saw a cave surrounded by vines.

"Do we go in?" Yun Zhao hesitated as he looked at the dark cave.

The system reassured him, [Don't worry, there's nothing inside.]

The little butterfly fluttered its wings at the entrance of the cave, and countless golden lights sprinkled down, illuminating the cave instantly.

Relieved, Yun Zhao followed the butterfly inside.

The cave wasn't long, and it was quite spacious. Following the butterfly, Yun Zhao didn't walk for long before he faintly saw a bright light ahead.

He quickened his pace and reached the source of the light. He pushed aside the hanging branches at the entrance of the cave and was greeted with a breathtaking sight.

It was a massive ancient tree. Its thick roots spread out like a spider's web, and the clear water flowed over the roots, creating shimmering reflections on the surface.

Golden leaves gently swayed, seemingly sensing the warm and friendly spiritual power emanating from the visitor. The vines entwined around the tree trunk reached out towards the young man as if they were alive.

Yun Zhao was slightly taken aback but didn't try to avoid them. Seeing this, the vines happily swayed in front of him and affectionately brushed against his cheek.

"Hahaha... It tickles," Yun Zhao chuckled, amused by their antics. He looked at the tree radiating a faint golden light and exclaimed, "It's so beautiful, it resembles the one in the Dragon Domain."

The system replied, [That golden-leaf ginkgo tree is the Dragon Domain's spiritual vein. This one hasn't fully recovered yet.]

Yun Zhao was surprised. The tree before him was already awe-inspiring, and he didn't expect it to be incomplete.

The system reminded, [It's currently restored to 80%. When it reaches the full value, you'll see how beautiful it is!]

Yun Zhao nodded, somewhat understanding. He was led deeper into the area by the vines and leaned against the sturdy tree trunk, gently caressing it.

The tree emitted the same aura as Ao Yu, making Yun Zhao feel a strong sense of familiarity. He found a raised tree root and sat down, enjoying his time playing with the vines.

...

On the other side.

The exhausted young creatures, left behind by Ao Yu to cultivate in the bamboo forest, began to make their way back to the courtyard. Each step seemed heavy, revealing their exhaustion.

Xuanming, Sun Yang, and Ao Jing continued their cultivation, while Wu Mu's stomach growled with hunger. He planned to go back to Yun Zhao and ask for some snacks.

As they approached the courtyard, Le Huang suddenly stopped in his tracks, squinting his eyes and looking alertly around.

Luo Xue, walking with her head down, bumped into Wu Mu without noticing and shook her head. "What's wrong?"

Wu Mu felt a chill run up his back, and his black fur instinctively bristled. He looked keenly around.

The forest fell into silence for a moment. Le Huang and Wu Mu stood back-to-back, protecting Luo Xue and Xiao Diao (little ferret), who were still somewhat confused. They looked up and surveyed their surroundings.

In that fleeting moment of eye contact, they simultaneously shouted in one direction, "There it is!"

It was a large, jet-black bird with shimmering dark purple light flowing between its pupils, signaling to Wu Mu that it was no ordinary monster bird.

Le Huang spread his vibrant tail feathers and was about to fly forward when a shadow rushed past them.

"Watch over them. It's the Abyss Raven," a voice said, seemingly coming from the shadow.

Wu Mu quickly stood up, his paw pads gripping the rock surface as he leaped towards the black bird.

Le Huang became instantly alert. It was a creature from the Abyss, not to be underestimated. He couldn't help but worry, looking up at Wu Mu.

Startled by Wu Mu's killing intent, the Raven let out a piercing cry. Several black feathers shot towards the black cat like sharp arrows. It even extended its claws, which were enveloped in a faint black aura, towards the Phoenix on the ground without any hesitation.

Wu Mu missed his target and landed on a tree trunk. He immediately turned around and chased after the Raven. Le Huang conjured a layer of golden light to block its path on the ground, but the Raven effortlessly passed through it.

It didn't want to confront the Phoenix and attempted to fly away in a different direction. Suddenly, a white figure flashed by, and the intense pain in its neck made it go black before its eyes.

A crisp cracking sound echoed through the forest as Wu Mu and Le Huang rushed over, panting.

The little white cat pressed its paw against the Raven's neck. Facing their shocked gaze, it tilted its head innocently and asked, "Can we eat this bird?"

Wu Mu: "..."

Yun Zhao had a playful time with the vines, smiling as he watched them twist and turn. It wasn't until the system reminded him that it was getting late that he reluctantly bid farewell to the vines.

On the way back through the cave, Yun Zhao worried that Wu Mu and the others might have returned to the courtyard without finding him, so he quickened his pace.

However, he unexpectedly encountered several young creatures in the forest near the courtyard. They were huddled together, engrossed in something.

Curiously, Yun Zhao walked over and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, Yun Zhao!" Wu Mu exclaimed with joy. He then used his paw to swipe at the bird in front of him and said, "We caught..."

"It's a bird," Yun Zhao crouched down as well and poked it with a stick. Although he couldn't identify the bird, it seemed to be quite big and plump.

He understood and asked, "Do you want to eat it?"

Luo Xue nodded and meowed, "Can we?"

Yun Zhao rubbed his chin and replied, "Seems like it."

Saying that, he took out a small knife from his storage bag and began to prepare the bird.

Watching Yun Zhao's skillful actions, Wu Mu raised his paw but hesitated. He wasn't sure if this thing was edible...

Just as Yun Zhao had anticipated, the meat of this bird was fatty and tender. He cut it into small pieces, skewered them on bamboo skewers, and applied seasoning. Then, he grilled them over an open fire.

The fine oil sizzled and emitted a tempting aroma as it mingled with the seasoning. When the outer layer turned golden brown from grilling, Yun Zhao blew on it and handed it to the eager young creatures beside him.

The fragrance of the grilled bird filled the air, and Luo Xue quickly devoured a piece, her mouth filled with oil. Le Huang and Wu Mu exchanged a glance, and after a moment of thought, Le Huang said to Yun Zhao, "Yun Zhao, this is the Abyss Raven..."

Wu Mu straightened up and gestured with his front paws, indicating, "It's a very fierce and dangerous bird. Its sharp claws are like steel blades, and its pointed beak can pierce through skulls!"

Le Huang echoed, "If they appear in groups, they can devour even the largest of beasts, leaving only the skeletons!"

Yun Zhao took a bite of the grilled bird meat, nodded, and asked, "Oh, then what? Can't we eat it?"

Le Huang: "..."

Wu Mu reluctantly lowered his gesturing paw and pursed his cat lips.

It's not that we can't eat it, but your attitude makes us look like two fools...