Chapter 36: We Just Want to Find the Chicken (Request Follows)

In fact, he forgot about it after one night’s sleep, never giving it a second thought; looking back, she’d meant well—probably hoping he’d latch onto a wealthy patroness so his cultivation wouldn’t be an issue.

“It’s fine, just don’t mention it again. If someone overhears, it’ll cause misunderstandings,” Zhou Qing warned.

Lu Yaoyao nodded vigorously, swearing she never would again.

【Heart Mirror Points +5】

Immediately, the 【Coward】 above her head changed to 【Very Generous】.

【Heart Mirror Points +4】

Then, Li Daoxuan’s head tag 【Colorful Rascal Who Loves Playing with Stupid Chickens】 changed to 【Still Reasonable Rascal】.

Zhou Qing let out a dry laugh.

Soon, Lu Yaoyao’s face lit up with a smile—after all, her relationship with Brother Zhou was back to normal.

She glanced around curiously and asked, “Brother Zhou, why didn’t you take your chicken for a walk today?”

Zhou Qing frowned, holding up the leash. “I’m walking it right now—it’s right here…”

But before he finished speaking, he felt the leash go slack. He turned—and his face turned pale.

The chicken at the end of the leash was gone. It had been right there a moment ago.

“Damn it! Who stole my chicken?! It’s carrying my eggs!”

Zhou Qing shouted, panic seizing him.

His mid-Foundation Establishment spiritual sense immediately surged outward, scanning the area.

But the sea of people was thick with mixed cultivators, their spiritual energies roaring and overwhelming—impossible to pinpoint anything.

Everyone, including Lu Yaoyao, stared at Zhou Qing in disbelief.

That chicken is carrying your eggs?

Are you joking?

Zhou Qing grabbed Yan Xiaohu by the arm, frantic. “Third Brother, my chicken was just walking—it’s right there, you saw it! It can’t be lost! Help me find it! Please!”

Yan Xiaohu felt Zhou Qing’s panic and nodded quickly. “Alright, alright, I’ll help you look.”

“Brother Li, Brother He, Sister Lu—please help me too. I’ll pay five hundred, no, three thousand spirit stones—just find it for me.”

Seeing Zhou Qing’s desperate plea, the three felt their heads spinning.

That scruffy chicken? You’d pay three thousand spirit stones to find it?

Is it really that important to you?

Damn—

Soon, Li Daoxuan and He Han exchanged glances, each reading something in the other’s eyes.

But neither spoke up—after all, they still owed Brother Zhou some face.

Lu Yaoyao nodded vigorously. “Brother Zhou, don’t worry. I’ve seen that chicken—we’ll find it for you.”

“Thank you. It was last seen about an incense stick ago—search from here, split up!”

Zhou Qing spoke and hurried off.

The others moved quickly too.

At that moment, Zhou Qing wished he had two extra pairs of eyes, scanning every corner.

The end of the leash wasn’t cut—it had likely slipped loose.

It had already mutated too far, wasn't smart to begin with, and with my innate skill [Reduce Presence] upgraded to Level 3, it would never find me again.

“My treasure, where are you? Please don’t let someone cook you up…”

Zhou Qing frantically called out and asked everyone he passed.

As midnight neared and Zhou Qing was nearly hopeless, he suddenly received a message from Third Brother.

He snapped to attention and ran over immediately.

“Third Brother, found it?” Zhou Qing demanded the moment he saw Yan Xiaohu skulking.

Yan Xiaohu said, “Turns out this dumb chicken’s short legs are fast. I saw it jump through that gate—I almost caught it, but the guards wouldn’t let me in.”

Following Yan Xiaohu’s gesture, Zhou Qing noticed ahead a grand mountain villa, its aerial barrier now open.

At the villa’s main gate stood seven or eight disciples dressed in Qingyu Immortal Sect robes, chatting and laughing.

Yan Xiaohu added, “I asked around. This villa’s been fully booked by Qingyu Immortal Sect—they’re housing all their disciples here. And right now, they don’t allow visitors. You’ll have to wait till dawn to get in.”

“Dawn’s too late!” Zhou Qing’s eyes were wild with anxiety.

Any hungry disciple might grab it and roast it on the spot.

Yan Xiaohu frowned. “That chicken’s skin and bones. What’s the point? Not even enough meat to fill a tooth gap. Don’t tell me you’ve bonded with it.”

Zhou Qing didn’t know how to explain to Third Brother, so he just said, “You know I’m sentimental. If I decided to raise it as a pet, I owe it my full responsibility.”

Yan Xiaohu was speechless.

Other people’s pets are wild, exotic beasts that make them look impressive—you’re obsessed with a chicken?

I don’t get it!

But seeing his fourth brother’s worry, he thought a moment. “What if we call Lu Yaoyao? She’s close to Xuanyou Immortal. Maybe Qingyu Sect will help us out of respect for her.”

Zhou Qing immediately agreed.

“But I don’t have their contact,” Zhou Qing realized.

Yan Xiaohu checked his token, sighing. “Like I have theirs? We’ve never interacted with Shenyue Peak disciples before.”

Every disciple of Taiqingmen had a unique identity token, inscribed with special array patterns—not just for identification, but also for recording mission points and adding friends.

Clearly, he and his brother had had almost no contact with Shenyue Peak disciples, let alone exchanged tokens to add friends.

Now he didn’t even know who to message, and with Yilong City so vast and packed, who knew where they were right now?

“I’ll try!” Zhou Qing marched straight toward the villa gate, Yan Xiaohu hurrying after him.

“Qingyu Immortal Sect disciples have bad tempers. Be polite when you speak. We’re the hosts—don’t give them a bad impression and make Master look bad,” Yan Xiaohu whispered.

Zhou Qing understood perfectly.

As they drew closer, Zhou Qing realized all the guards were Foundation Establishment cultivators—the strongest two were merely at Foundation Establishment peak.

“Stop!”

Seeing them approach, the guards immediately blocked their path.

Zhou Qing was about to introduce himself, but the leaders spotted Yan Xiaohu and flew into a rage.

“You again? What do you want? Still trying to bully people? We told you—this [Lingxiao Mountain Villa] is fully booked by Qingyu Immortal Sect! Dozens of Jin Dan cultivators live inside, even a few team elders! Try forcing your way in again and see what happens!!”

Facing their hostile stares, Zhou Qing stared in disbelief at Third Brother.

What the hell did you do before I got here?

You just told me to be polite—how are we supposed to negotiate now?

Yan Xiaohu stepped forward. “I was being reasonable. You refused to listen. Now you force me to use force.”

“Reasonable? Your fist nearly hit our faces! Let me repeat: Qingyu Immortal Sect’s rules for the Five Sects Treasure Exchange Fair—after midnight, no one leaves, no visitors allowed—not even elders from other sects!”

A Foundation Establishment peak cultivator stepped forward, drawing his sword.

“Get lost! Keep causing trouble and we won’t be polite!”

Zhou Qing bowed urgently. “Brothers, please calm down—we just want to find our chicken.”

“Are you mocking Qingyu Immortal Sect? Say that again if you dare!”

At those words, their fury surged.

Zhou Qing knew they’d misunderstood and had no way to explain—he grabbed Yan Xiaohu’s fist, clenched and cracking, and pulled him away quickly.

(End of Chapter)