Chapter 502 - 217: Eagle Egg
For some time after, Chen Qing didn’t step foot outside his doors, focusing solely on his secluded cultivation.
Within his courtyard, the carefully tended Golden Feathered Eagle Egg didn’t make him wait for long.
Just a few days later, a faint CRACK came from the eggshell. A small, bald head struggled to poke through, letting out a weak but piercing CHIRP.
The newborn fledgling’s eyes had yet to fully open. Its skin was a translucent pink, with barely any downy feathers to be seen, making it look both fragile and ugly.
Following the instructions in a manual, Chen Qing carefully mixed some fresh water with a crushed Bone Strengthening Pill and used a thin bamboo sliver to feed it to the chick, one drop at a time.
Sensing the scent of food, the fledgling instinctively stretched out its neck to eat.
Fueled by the Bone Strengthening Pill and its Essence of Qi and Blood, the fledgling’s growth rate was nothing short of astonishing.
It seemed to transform daily. Dense, golden down began to sprout all over its body, and it grew at a rate visible to the naked eye.
In just ten days, it grew from the size of his palm to half the length of his forearm. Its downy fuzz receded, replaced by hard pinfeathers, and its gaze grew sharp and alert. It was already starting to look like a true bird of prey.
All it did was eat and sleep.
One day, Chen Qing finished a practice routine with his Mountain-Splitting Thunder Shock Spear. The afterimages of the spear flickered like lightning, accompanied by the faint rumble of thunder.
He lowered the spear and stood still, his consciousness sinking into his mind.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence: Achievement is Certain]
[Fifth Layer of Five Elements True Astral (9125/10000)]
[Mountain-Splitting Thunder Shock Spear (Perfection) (2551/3000)]
’After taking the High-quality Quenching Gang Pills, my cultivation speed is much faster than I expected. At this rate, I can probably reach the Mid-stage Astral Force in about three months. And I’m not far from comprehending ’Thunderous Momentum’ with my Mountain-Splitting Thunder Shock Spear, either.’
He quickly tidied himself up, changed into a clean robe, and headed for Shang Lujing’s courtyard.
He had received a message from Shang Lujing yesterday about a small gathering today.
When he arrived, Shang Lujing greeted him with great enthusiasm, personally leading him into the main hall.
Before long, Wang Bo, Qiao Hongyun, Shen Xiuyong, and Zhuo Xiaoyun arrived as well.
The group exchanged greetings and pleasantries.
Although they were all part of the same small circle, the different degrees of closeness between them were obvious.
Chen Qing, Shen Xiuyong, and Qiao Hongyun all hailed from the Four Mansions of the Poison Swamp and were naturally closer, their conversation more casual.
Wang Bo, on the other hand, was closer to Shang Lujing and often deferred to his lead.
As for Zhuo Xiaoyun, she maintained a polite distance from everyone. Unless it was necessary, she rarely initiated conversations with the others.
As Chen Qing took his seat, his gaze swept over the others. He noticed that his perception of their auras seemed to have grown more acute.
He could faintly sense that everyone’s Cultivation had improved after they had acquired resources from Xu Wang Mountain.
Once everyone was seated, a serving girl brought out fragrant tea.
As the host, Shang Lujing was the first to speak, a smile on his face. "It’s been a while since we all got together. I invited you all here today mainly to exchange some news and chat, so we can stay on top of the recent developments on the mountain."
"It has been a while," Wang Bo agreed with a smile.
After some casual chat about their recent Cultivation Insights and experiences in the Celestial Treasure Tower, Shang Lujing’s expression grew serious as he steered the conversation to the main topic. "Speaking of which, have you all heard? Tian Pingning of the Panshi Sect has broken through to the Late-stage Astral Force."
"Oh?"
Qiao Hongyun raised an eyebrow. "He’s always been so low-key. I can’t believe he broke through without anyone noticing."
"It’s more than just a breakthrough."
Shang Lujing’s tone was grave. "I heard he challenged the Celestial Treasure Tower a few days ago and reached the twenty-eighth layer in a single attempt. And... he didn’t even try to go higher, which means he clearly had strength to spare. His power is definitely greater than what reaching the twenty-eighth layer would suggest."
At this, Shang Lujing’s brow furrowed slightly, the pressure clearly getting to him.
Those of them at the top of the rankings seemed to have it all, but in reality, the competition was fiercest there. The slightest misstep could see them pushed out of their echelon by a newcomer.
Chen Qing had heard of Tian Pingning as well. He knew the man had a steady, deliberate style—the type to build a solid foundation before making a sudden, explosive breakthrough.
"’Brother Tian is indeed remarkable. The depth of his foundation is almost unmatched among our peers. However...’"
Zhuo Xiaoyun took a delicate sip of tea, changing the subject. "In my opinion, it will still be quite difficult for him to catch up to the likes of Wu Anren, He Shuang, and Luo Qianjue."
The others nodded slightly in agreement.
While Tian Pingning was showing powerful momentum, it seemed he had only just broken into the top echelon. Compared to Wu and He, whose strength was already touching the thirtieth-layer threshold, he was still a step behind.
Wang Bo glanced around before lowering his voice. "I’ve heard a rumor, though I don’t know if it’s true... They say that True Disciple Huo Qiushui recently made contact with Wu Anren."
"’Huo Qiushui? The fifth-ranked True Disciple?’"
Qiao Hongyun said in surprise, "But she’s from the Nanzhao Huo Family..."
"’The Nanzhao Huo Family?’"
Zhuo Xiaoyun’s eyes brightened. "As in, the Huo Family, one of the thousand-year-old Noble Families?"
The thousand-year-old Noble Families were colossal powers with deep, tangled roots in Celestial Treasure City.
Their influence was deep-rooted and pervasive, leaving a profound mark even within the Celestial Treasure Sect itself.
To gain their support within the Celestial Treasure Sect would be like adding wings to a tiger, making one unstoppable.
"’Exactly,’ Wang Bo confirmed with a nod."
The group fell silent for a moment, the implication clear.
For the fifth-ranked True Disciple, backed by the thousand-year-old Huo Family, to take the initiative to contact Wu Anren... it was obvious she was interested in his potential as a True Successor Candidate, intending to befriend, or even recruit, him.
Shang Lujing sighed softly, his tone complex. "To truly catch the eye of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s leadership, or even one of the thousand-year Noble Families, your potential as a True Successor Candidate is an essential first step."
Although he himself was in the top echelon and had been approached by several factions, the truly top-tier Noble Families and the Sect’s real power brokers were still observing from the sidelines.
Clearly, to these behemoths, only the most exceptional geniuses—those most likely to become True Successor Candidates or even True Disciples—were worthy of their serious consideration.
Qiao Hongyun mused aloud, "I wonder who will be the first to reach the thirtieth layer—Brother Wu or Senior Sister He? Or... will the ever-silent Luo Qianjue come from behind and surpass them both?"
Everyone understood that reaching the thirtieth layer was like the carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. It meant becoming a publicly recognized "True Successor Candidate" with the right to challenge True Disciples. Their status would be transformed overnight.
Shang Lujing focused his thoughts and said gravely, "There are still several months until the final rankings are set. The competition will only grow more intense, and these rankings directly determine our future allocation of Contribution Points."
"I’ve heard that the monthly stipends of those with lower rankings will be drastically reduced, while the shares for those at the top will increase."
"’Our Contribution Points will be cut if we rank low?!’" Shen Xiuyong’s brow furrowed at the news.
’Chen Qing understood. The Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s rules were designed to fuel competition with resources. The strong would grow stronger, while the weak, without opportunity, would likely get caught in a vicious cycle and eventually be eliminated.’
Grave expressions appeared on everyone’s faces. They were all keenly aware of the immense value of Contribution Points.
Especially the High-quality Quenching Gang Pills. Their effects were far superior to ordinary elixirs, and they were difficult to buy on the outside even with silver. They were the hard currency for rapidly advancing one’s Cultivation.
Seeing their reactions, Shang Lujing said, "Many people on Xu Wang Mountain have already started taking on Sect missions to earn Contribution Points for their Cultivation. I was planning to pick out a few suitable missions myself soon. Would any of you be interested in going together? We could watch each other’s backs."
Shen Xiuyong, Qiao Hongyun, and Wang Bo all looked tempted, agreeing to check out the missions together.
They knew each other well, so teaming up would certainly be much safer.
When it was his turn, Chen Qing considered for a moment before politely declining. "Thank you for the kind offer, Brother Shang, but my Cultivation is at a critical point right now. I need to focus on secluded training, so I’m afraid I can’t afford any distractions at the moment."
’Before his trip to Luoxing Slope, he might have considered joining a team for missions. But now he was flush with cash, and he had enough Contribution Points for the time being. His top priority was breaking through to the Mid-stage Astral Force and comprehending ’Thunderous Momentum.’ He really couldn’t afford to waste any time.’
Shang Lujing gave him a slightly surprised look but didn’t press the issue. He smiled and said, "Cultivation comes first. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to contact us."
Afterward, the group held their usual small trading session, exchanging resources they had no use for.
Chen Qing traded twenty Contribution Points to Wang Bo for two bottles of Tiger Soul Bone Tempering Pills, which would be quite beneficial for his Body Refining.
.....