233: Chapter 231 Transform into a Roc, Chop Wood, Girl!

Early morning.

Luo Xiling pushed open the door, stretched, and walked into the small courtyard.

The others hadn't woken up yet; only Ye Ming sat alone at the stone table in the corner of the courtyard, looking up at the sky with a face full of contemplation.

"Brother Ye, what are you thinking about?" She sat down opposite him, elbows on the table and hands propping up her chin, asking as she yawned.

Seemingly too focused on his thoughts, Ye Ming only snapped out of it when she spoke: "Oh, Xiao Luo.

It's nothing."

At this moment, the not-so-bright Luo Xiling's brain rareley began to function at high speed: "You just think I'm stupid and feel like there's no point in telling me."

"What are you talking about? Everyone in the Special Investigation Bureau knows you are exceptionally brilliant."

"Then tell me, in what way am I brilliant?"

"For example, uh, hahaha..." After frowning in deep thought for a while, he finally gave up, scratching the back of his head and laughing heartily, trying to bluff his way through.

"Oh, you two are up quite early."

Luo Xiling's chubby face was halfway through puffing up when she was interrupted by Yue Ruo's voice.

Turning her head, she said unhappily, "Brother Ye is bullying me again."

"What's going on?" Arriving in the middle of the courtyard, Yue Ruo struck a pose and began practicing military calisthenics.

Shaking his head, Ye Ming didn't explain and directly changed the subject: "I was wondering if we are still on Planet Blue."

"How so?"

"When we first entered the Mountain Gate yesterday, the sky was full of clouds, so I couldn't see where the sun was.

But in the middle of the night, the clouds dispersed. I noticed there was light around, but I couldn't see the moon."

"That's true." Yue Ruo became interested, stopping her movements and looking up. "It's already broad daylight, yet we don't see the sun. What is the light source?"

"Maybe it's a Grotto-Heaven or something," Luo Xiling said, leaning on the stone table with her chin on her arms. "Like in the 'Peach Blossom Spring'."

After pinching his chin and pondering for a moment, Ye Ming nodded: "That makes sense.

If that's the case, although the people of the Mountain Gate have sealed off the mountain to avoid the world, they must still visit the mortal realm frequently."

"Explaining it in a modern style, the Mountain Gate can be understood as an alternate dimension," Yue Ruo said, clapping her hands in realization.

"Yes, it's similar to the home system in a game—a void space where the environment is built according to the owner's preferences."

"Then wouldn't that make them a Creator God?"

"If not exactly that, there isn't much difference."

Ye Ming looked at the sky, a strange feeling suddenly surging in his heart: "A Creator God... what kind of sight would that be?

Sigh... the world is so vast, and the unknown mysteries are endless. I feel a bit... sorrowful.

Human life is too short; we reach the end of our lives before we can even uncover a corner of the mist.

Every time I think about this, I can suddenly understand why Newton would throw his watch into the pot as if it were an egg."

The two girls stared at him with strange expressions for a while before Yue Ruo said, "No need to be so depressed.

It's precisely because of the unknown that life is full of passion, isn't it?

If you knew exactly what would happen the next day before going to sleep every night, that would be truly tragic."

Seeing that the two seemed a bit worried about him, Ye Ming smiled: "You've misunderstood.

What I just said was about the past.

Now, everything is different."

He clenched his fist: "As a Celestial, life is long to the extreme, even immortal. All doubts will eventually be resolved!"

"Speaking of which," Luo Xiling straightened her upper body, "Master has lived for at least several thousand years. Do you think he's ever been to space?"

Yue Ruo took a moment to realize she wasn't joking, then said, "When Immortal Xu returns, won't you know if you just ask him?"

"Maybe he has, maybe he hasn't."

Ye Ming first gave a non-answer, then continued: "As for going to space... I had a theory before. The reason Immortal Xu is in contact with us is that he values some aspect of us."

"No way? What aspect? Human military power?

You saw that stone giant yesterday; even if a missile hit it, it wouldn't even scratch the surface.

And that sword strike from Immortal Xu—even if you tied all the countries on Planet Blue together, they couldn't beat him."

"Don't be in such a hurry, listen to me."

After organizing his thoughts, he spoke: "The value I'm referring to isn't military power, but the hope brought by 'science'.

It's true that human modern science has developed for a very short time, but because of that, the future holds infinite possibilities.

Immortal Xu's attitude toward us should be like nurturing saplings."

Yue Ruo understood a bit: "You mean, Immortal Xu hopes for humanity to have another path?"

"Yes.

When Fellow Daoist Liu brought dinner last night, I pulled him aside to chat for a while.

The Mountain Gate doesn't just contain mountains and Cultivators; there are cities and towns of mortals in the Sea of Clouds, and quite a few at that.

Therefore, if taking disciples was purely for the inheritance and prosperity of the Mountain Gate, the act of looking for people on Planet Blue would be completely redundant."

What Ye Ming said made sense, and Luo Xiling was convinced, but what she wanted to know most right now was still about going to space.

"So Brother Ye, can Master fly into outer space?"

"Uh, I don't know. You'll have to ask Immortal Xu himself."

Hearing this, she rolled her eyes; what a waste of emotion.

Afterward, probably because they were all imagining their physical bodies traveling through the universe, they stopped chatting.

The courtyard fell silent until Director Zhao Qi and the four other fated individuals all pushed their doors open and came out, restoring the clamor.

They were all holding iron axes, gathering in the small courtyard, waiting for Fellow Daoist Liu to lead the way.

About half an hour later, Fellow Daoist Liu walked into the courtyard carrying a wooden tray. He placed breakfast on the table and said that he would lead them to recognize the way to the canteen in the evening; in the future, they could just go there themselves at meal times.

After gulping down breakfast, the group looked like kindergarten children about to go on a spring outing, all staring at Fellow Daoist Liu with expectant eyes.

Knowing what they were looking forward to, Fellow Daoist Liu smiled and said, "Since everyone is here, I shall explain some matters in the Mountain Gate that you must be mindful of."

"The first rule is: before Martial Uncle goes for his stroll, no one is allowed to leave the house."

"Who is Martial Uncle?"

"He's here."

They looked toward the sky in the direction Fellow Daoist Liu was pointing.

The clear blue sky from just a moment ago was now suddenly filled with surging clouds and mist, turning into a vast expanse of white.

"Hao——"

A resonant cry pierced through the air, and immediately after, a giant bird with folded wings dove out of the thick mist like a sharp arrow.

The giant bird's feathers were fiery red with hints of golden yellow; its beak had a hooked tip, and its eyes were as deep as the starry sky.

It spread its wings and flew over their heads. The shadow cast by its vast form covered the entire mountaintop; the surroundings felt as if a solar eclipse had occurred, and night had suddenly descended.

"Hao——"

The high-pitched bird cry faded into the distance, and light once again spilled onto the mountain peak.

Luo Xiling snapped out of her daze: "That is Martial Uncle?"

"Indeed," Fellow Daoist Liu smiled. "Yesterday, it was precisely Martial Uncle who brought you all here."

"But the one who brought us yesterday was a Kunpeng... Kunpeng?" Ye Ming was lost in thought.

So that's how it is, so that's how it is... transforming into a Peng!

As if to verify his thoughts, the giant bird's entire body overflowed with light.

By the time the group, who had instinctively shielded their eyes, lowered their hands, a giant fish was already leaping in the Sea of Clouds halfway down the mountain.

"Wu——"

With a deep and melodious cry, the giant fish plunged into the Sea of Clouds and vanished.

"Respectfully seeing off Martial Uncle." Fellow Daoist Liu bowed ceremoniously.

When finished, he turned back and said to the group behind him, "In the future, you must follow my etiquette to see off Martial Uncle every day."

Hearing this, Luo Xiling asked curiously, "What if we forget?"

"Hehe, Miss Luo, Martial Uncle's temperament is not very... cough cough..."

Halfway through, he suddenly interrupted himself, clearing his throat while glancing toward the Sea of Clouds at the mountainside. Seeing no movement, he breathed a sigh of relief:

"Although Martial Uncle is broad-minded, he most dislikes disciples being rude or negligent. Therefore, one must treat him with etiquette every day."

Perhaps fearing they wouldn't take it seriously, Fellow Daoist Liu lowered his voice and emphasized, "Previously, there was a newly initiated disciple who was negligent for three consecutive days; he was subsequently pinned under the mountain by Martial Uncle for three hundred years. Remember this well, remember this well."

Everyone gasped. One hundred years for one day? Who could withstand that?

Zhao Qi quickly ran forward: "Does Martial Uncle go out for a stroll every day?"

"Yes." Fellow Daoist Liu cautiously looked around for a moment and added, "Martial Uncle believes his physical form is peerlessly beautiful, so he swims in the Sea of Clouds for a while every morning so that the disciples of the Mountain Gate may have the honor of admiring him."

Everyone looked at each other in silence; so it turned out to be a vain Kunpeng.

The key was that he was also powerful, so they had no choice but to humor him.

"Everyone, please."

Fellow Daoist Liu woke them from their thoughts and turned to walk out the door; the group immediately followed.

Leaving the small courtyard, they twisted and turned through a long corridor and exited through a side door.

Continuing to climb up the rugged mountain path for about half an hour, they reached a forest.

"The place for your cultivation is right here. Everyone, be diligent."

After leaving those words, he headed back down the mountain without looking back.

With the iron axe on his shoulder, Zhao Qi looked around: "The door we just came out of seemed to be a back door. Is this the back mountain?"

"Undoubtedly." The Director, sporting a beer belly, walked up to a tree that would take two people to encircle, raised his axe, and chopped diagonally into the root. "To work!"

"It's cultivation!"

Zhao Qi said as he swung his axe to help, but the Director, very dissatisfied, drove him away, claiming that if he interfered with his cultivation again, he would deduct his salary when they returned.

Over here, Ye Ming stood before a tree. He wasn't in a hurry to start; he raised his hand and gently stroked the rough texture of the bark, then picked up a withered yellow leaf at his feet to examine it closely.

"What's wrong?" Noticing his strange behavior, Lin Miao and Yue Ruo walked over together.

"I don't know much about plant species." He held the yellow leaf out to them. "Take a look and see if there are any trees like this, or similar ones, on Planet Blue."

Taking it in her hand, Yue Ruo squinted at the patterns on the leaf's surface: "It seems... it seems there aren't any."

"You can't be sure?"

"Please, there are over sixty thousand types of trees on Planet Blue, and this leaf isn't from a common species. Unless we use a computer for comparison, even if you brought a botanical expert here, they'd have to look up data to be sure."

With an approving "Mm," Lin Miao said, "Why are you so curious about the trees?

We don't even know how long the Mountain Gate has been established. It's normal for there to be some plants that are already extinct on Planet Blue, right?"

"True."

"If you really can't let it go," Yue Ruo stuffed the leaf into her pocket, "just take a leaf back and use a computer to compare it."

"Don't!"

Ye Ming snatched the yellow leaf and threw it away, saying, "Wait until Immortal Xu comes, and I'll ask him first."

"Fine."

The group set aside the matter of the fallen leaves, each found a tree, and began swinging their axes.

After they entered the Mountain Gate, their phones stopped working. They had left in a hurry and hadn't brought any mechanical watches or anything similar.

Coupled with the fact that there was no sun in the sky to serve as a reference, they had no way of knowing exactly how much time had passed.

They could only keep chopping until sweat soaked their clothes and their stomachs let out protesting growls before stopping.

Everyone was hungry; forget chopping trees, they could barely lift their axes anymore.

Even Luo Xiling, who had an extraordinary constitution, looked like she was about to expire as she leaned against a tree, having only had a bowl of porridge in the morning.

Everyone sat scattered throughout the forest, leaning against their respective trees.

The Director panted heavily: "Damn it, I really have to admit I'm getting old. If this were back in my younger days, I would've chopped it down in a few swings."

As he spoke, he patted the tree behind him.

"It must have been a whole morning, right?" Zhao Qi wiped the hot sweat from his forehead. "I don't feel any changes in my body?"

"Do you think cultivation is like eating? You're full after one bowl?"

"Stop talking, you're making me hungry." The limp Luo Xiling propped herself up a bit from the ground. "When will Fellow Daoist Liu call us for dinner?"

"If I remember correctly, Fellow Daoist Liu said he would take us to the canteen in the evening."

"Huh? At dark?"

"I've been chopping trees until I'm starving; it's been at least three hours. Since no one has come for this long, that's probably the case."

"So hot, so hungry, so thirsty." Luo Xiling slid down the tree trunk to the ground.

"Hao——"

A bird cry suddenly fell from the sky. The group, snapping out of it, remembered Fellow Daoist Liu's warning. Their spirits jolted, and they hurriedly scrambled to their feet, imitating his hand gesture to bow:

"Martial... we aren't disciples of the Mountain Gate, what should we call him?"

"Immortal, maybe?"

"Sounds good to me."

Having agreed, they said: "Respectfully seeing off the Immortal."

"Hao——"

The cry sounded from overhead and gradually grew faint.

He should be gone now.

Everyone relaxed, preparing to sit back down at the tree roots to rest.

But before their knees could even bend, their vision suddenly darkened.

Subconsciously looking up, they saw a fiery red wing drifting down.

"A feather?" Luo Xiling stood directly underneath, holding up her hands to catch it. "Is Martial Uncle in his molting period?"

"Nonsense." The Director also ran over to help.

As the wing slowly approached, they realized something was wrong and all went over to help.

"Holy crap!" His palms sank, and Zhao Qi looked up and cried out, "It's so heavy!"

Since they were all starving and had no strength, they quickly laid the feather on the ground.

After walking around the perimeter, he stood with hands on his hips: "It's bigger than my double bed!"

"Why did Martial Uncle give us a feather?" Luo Xiling crouched down and poked it with her index finger. "Could it be edible?"

"It doesn't look like it... wait?"

Ye Ming grabbed a tuft of soft down and squeezed it, surprised to find that water actually seeped out, wetting his hand.

He brought his palm to the tip of his nose and sniffed: "So fragrant!"

The tempting fragrance forced its way into his nasal cavity, making his already empty stomach growl even more loudly.

Thinking that the Kunpeng couldn't possibly harm him, he extended the tip of his tongue and licked his palm.

With just one lick, a feeling of fullness came from his stomach.

"It really is edible!"

Although he didn't feel stuffed, still...

Ye Ming looked at his moist palm, thinking that licking it eight or ten times would definitely be enough.

Seeing his actions, the others immediately reached out to rub the feather, and once their hands were wet, they went straight to using their tongues.

A moment later, the now-full group lay scattered on the grass in the forest.

Zhao Qi turned his face to the left and asked Ye Ming, who was not far away: "What was that we just licked?"

Ye Ming, who had been resting his head on his hands, sat up with a look of doubt, even some confusion: "Why do you think I would know?"

"Uh, you always seem to know everything..." Zhao Qi explained weakly.

"Ge ge ge——" Lin Miao covered her mouth and giggled. After stopping a while later, she said, "It's innate, I guess.

He's been like this since the first time I met him—calm expression, indifferent eyes, as if there's nothing in the world that can stop him."

As she spoke, she showed a look of reminiscence: "I don't know what others think, but as for me... hehe."

Lin Miao chuckled foolishly.

Zhao Qi's face darkened; he felt like a stray dog on the side of the road that had been kicked for no reason.

"I'm full, to work!"