48: Going home

Chen Kesong's gaze, as he looked at the three snake eggs, gradually changed from casual to solemn. He even stepped forward and rubbed his fingertips over the surface of the three snake eggs a few times.

A moment later, he looked at Chu Jingyu with a complex expression.

"Are you selling these three Source Beast eggs?"

The smile on Chu Jingyu's face faded. "What is it? Has Elder Chen discovered what species these three eggs belong to?"

Chen Kesong did not mind Chu Jingyu's coldness and continued to speak with a smile, "Forgive my shallow knowledge; I have not been able to observe what kind of Source Beast these Source Beast eggs belong to. In order to fulfill the arrangements of the Main Family, I must take the initiative to purchase them."

"Then, what if I can guarantee that these are not the eggs of the Three-Flame Star Domain Bird, but the offspring of two giant pythons?"

Chen Kesong shook his head slightly. "This is not for you or me to decide. Because these Source Beast eggs are special, I will offer you three Source Spirit Stones."

Three Source Spirit Stones—one Source Spirit Stone is equivalent to one hundred Origin Rune Stones. For those eggs of ordinary beast rank that are casually placed in rooms, this is certainly a terrifying price.

But for the offspring of two Uncommon Rank Source Beasts, and three of them at that, it is likely not enough.

Therefore, Chu Jingyu shook his head firmly. "I stole these from the cave of two Uncommon Rank giant snakes; I will not sell them at this price."

Hearing Chu Jingyu's words, Chen Kesong frowned in difficulty, his tone laced with threats.

"It is the Huo Family who initiated this search—a true Seventh-Rank Notables. Let alone your family being just a small Ninth-Rank Humble Family, even an Eighth-Grade Magnate Family would not dare to defy the Huo Family's will.

I am still willing to offer a price to purchase them now, but that may not be the case later."

Chu Jingyu had been running around for most of his life, and this was truly one of the most stifling moments of his life.

The Chen Kesong before him only had the Realm of an Intermediate Alien Tier, but Chu Jingyu believed that as soon as he passed the message on, a Spirit Rank or even higher-Realm Contract Master would arrive immediately.

For the sake of the three snake eggs, it was not worth truly offending the Huo Family; Chu Jingyu sighed deeply in his heart.

Secretly keeping this stifling feeling in his heart, he took one last reluctant look at the three snake eggs on the table, and Chu Jingyu prepared to agree.

Who would have known that a commotion would break out outside, followed by a roar.

"All Huo Family disciples and Guest Elders, go Beyond the Border immediately to search for Luo Bingchen's tracks. He has traces of the Jade Crystal Spirit-Gathering Bird on him; bringing the Crystal Jade Bird will allow you to find his tracks."

This voice was extraordinarily grand, seemingly spreading across the entire endless city wall.

Chen Kesong must have been very familiar with this voice, as his expression subconsciously became respectful upon hearing what it said.

He did not even look at the three snake eggs on the table again, but instead rushed out the door in a hurry, seemingly to attend to some urgent matter.

"Since you didn't pay, I'll be taking them."

Chu Jingyu muttered to himself, then calmly wrapped the three snake eggs on the table back in the bundle, strapped them onto his back in the original way, and calmly left the room.

He glanced Beyond the Border; this was the first time in many years he had seen so many high-level Contract Masters appear before his eyes.

More than a dozen Contract Masters were hovering in the high sky outside the city wall, with rare birds and exotic beasts appearing beside each of them. Being able to hover in the air meant their rank had already reached the Spirit Rank.

Furthermore, there were also Contract Masters dressed similarly below the city wall, heading in different directions Beyond the Border. Source Beasts of various appearances were galloping on the ground, giving off a primal feeling.

It seems the Huo Family places great importance on the eggs of the [Three-Flame Star Domain Bird], to have dispatched so many people all at once.

Thanks to that person named Luo Bingchen, I was able to keep these three snake eggs. If we meet in the future, I will help him if I can.

The daylight outside gradually faded, and Chu Jingyu could only silently pray that the person named Luo Bingchen would be able to evade this pursuit.

He followed the path he had come by to find the passage back to Heyu Town, and walked in without looking back.

Walking into the street, there were not many people. The shops selling spirit materials and equipment on both sides were very desolate. Looking closely, the items in the shops were actually just those few things.

When the Liu Family was still here, Heyu Town was considered a lively, large town, not only with a considerable number of Spirit Rank Contract Masters, but also countless Uncommon Rank Contract Masters.

The trading market was quite prosperous back then. Now that the Liu Family is gone, the number of Contract Masters has suddenly dropped by more than half, and business between Contract Masters has become difficult.

The Shi and Zhang families, two Ninth-Rank Humble Families, cannot support Heyu Town. It is estimated that in the new year's assessment between towns, Heyu Town will be ranked at the bottom.

However, this has not much to do with the Chu Family for now. Brushing past the guards patrolling the streets and ignoring their curious gazes directed at the bundle on his back, Chu Jingyu returned home safely.

Although he had only been away for two days, upon returning, Chu Jingyu felt as if he had been gone for years. It was currently evening, and the courtyard gate was unlocked.

Chu Jingyu pushed open the courtyard gate and walked in. The first to notice his return were the two little ones playing in the courtyard, Chu Shengyuan and Chu Shenghan.

Seeing Chu Jingyu, the two little ones immediately greeted him. Chu Shengyuan even eagerly went to take the bundle from him, asking curiously, "Grandfather, what good things are in this bag?"

Fearing that the little one might not be able to hold the bundle, Chu Jingyu did not hand it to him, but walked to the stone table in the courtyard and placed the bundle on it.

He patted the little one's head and said with a smile, "Of course it's something good. Inside are three Source Beast eggs."

"Wow, let me see!" Chu Shengyuan exclaimed.

Chu Shenghan's eyes also held a bit more anticipation.

Chu Jingyu slowly opened the bundle, revealing snake eggs the size of a head, wrapped in a layer of pinkish-white crystalline shell.

Chu Shengyuan reached out his little hand and poked the surface of the snake egg gently. "Grandfather, what Source Beast's egg is this? Why does it look so pink and tender?"

"Don't look at it like that now. Once it hatches, it will grow into a giant python over a dozen meters long in the future. It will be very majestic."

"Wow, really?" Chu Shengyuan's eyes revealed a look of anticipation.

As for Chu Shenghan, the hand she had originally extended to touch the snake eggs silently retracted after hearing Chu Jingyu's words; she was afraid of all snakes.

"Father." Chu Qinhui and Jiang Nian walked out from the Main Hall. Seeing that Chu Jingyu had returned safely, both of them were visibly relieved.

Chu Jingyu nodded at them and then introduced his harvest to the two little ones one by one. From time to time, the children's exclamations and laughter could be heard, and a sense of family happiness echoed in the courtyard.

At night, the bright moon hung high.

The two little ones were sent back to their rooms to sleep. Chu Shengfan did not come home today; after all, it was too far from the town.

Recently, Chu Shengfan had been quite busy. Wasting time on the road between home and town would undoubtedly squeeze his already limited time for Cultivate.

Therefore, unless there were special circumstances, he would return home every ten days during his rest period.

Chu Jingyu and Chu Qinhui were in the Main Hall. Chu Jingyu pointed to the medicinal herbs containing energy that he had collected and brought back,

"From these medicinal herbs, pick out some that are well-preserved and of good quality, and try planting them to see if they can survive. Pack up the rest and send them to the Medicine Heart Hall tomorrow."

He also pointed to the horn of that [Lingxi Ox] and the unknown golden scales. "Send them over together."

Chu Qinhui obediently agreed. "Yes, Father."

"With the Origin Rune Stones obtained, besides buying enough spirit liquid for those three snake eggs to absorb, use the rest to buy the spirit items needed for the Ginseng Baby and Flower Medicine Butterfly to grow. They are in a period of rapid growth right now, so we must not neglect their Foundation."