Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 167 A Crystal-Clear Appearance, A Frosty Heart

Chen Xu opened the Fireworks Collection to check for new hints.

Outside the cave, white rain danced like wild pearls, while inside, a blue eagle cried out incessantly.

As he stood there, his mind and body seemed to merge with the wild and vibrant world around him.

But the joy remained; he was still himself.

New techniques have been unlocked at the fireworks display:
The "Stove Fire Protection Technique" draws smoke and fire from the stove into the body to temper and protect it.

When first formed, it possesses a fiery armor body, which can temper the physique, making it impervious to water and fire, invulnerable to weapons and evil spirits.

When it is reborn, it becomes a spiritual being, able to breathe the energy of heaven and earth, accelerate its cultivation, and gather spirituality.

Ultimately, one attains a state of perfect clarity and transparency, with all five internal organs imbued with spiritual energy, eternal youth, and a long and prosperous life.

May your youth never fade and your life be long!

Is it immortality?

Chen Xu's heart pounded, but after careful examination and explanation, he discovered that the Glazed Appearance was not a path to immortality.

Or rather, immortality is not that simple.

"Youthful and ageless" refers to a slower aging process, while "long lifespan" refers to an extended lifespan.

That's all.

Even so, it is something that countless masters in the world pursue their whole lives and yet can hardly obtain.

Chen Xu's three elemental attributes have all reached over 290 points, but his lifespan growth is not much stronger than that of ordinary people.

The Heavenly Book panel displays:

[Cultivation Level: Late Stage of Meridian Opening Realm 21%]

【Shouyuan: 18/180】

Compared to when he first entered the Meridian Opening Realm, his lifespan limit has increased by thirty years.

It is easy to imagine how difficult it is to prolong life.

Chen Xu's lifespan is only possible because his vital essence is strong. For example, Magistrate Feng, although he was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and had a vast literary talent, could hardly surpass the lifespan limit of a hundred years for ordinary people.

This "Stove Fire Protection Technique" is clearly designed to unlock Chen Xu's potential from the very foundation of his physique.

This ensures that his powerful three-elemental attributes are not wasted, making it, overall, a superior and extraordinary technique.

However, Chen Xu can only unlock the first level, [Fire Armor Body], at present.

The cave was a bit inconvenient, so Chen Xu didn't rush to unlock the cultivation. He focused on regulating his breathing and calming his emotions.

The eagle let out a long cry, folded its wings, and looked around, full of spirit.

Then it suddenly leaped up on its eagle legs and landed in front of Chen Xu.

Then the magnificent eagle suddenly lowered its proud head, bowed its head and bent its body, curled up one leg, and stretched its neck toward Chen Xu.

This is a sign of submission.

Chen Xu smiled slightly, reached out and gently stroked the top of the green eagle's head, and said, "Brother Eagle... no, perhaps I should call you Fellow Daoist Eagle."

The large eagle was with two eaglets, which appeared to be a female.

At first, Chen Xu couldn't distinguish between male and female, so he casually called the other person "Brother Eagle." Now he calls him "Fellow Daoist Eagle," which is suitable for both male and female.

The eagle opened its beak and cried out, rubbing its head against Chen Xu's palm before walking to the inside of the cave, where two snake corpses lay.

The two snakes, one large and one small, each had their front half in the cave, while their back half was deeply hidden in the crevices deep within the cave.

Upon closer inspection, it appears that there should be no path at the end of the cave, as the cave walls are blocked, which is why the eagle built its nest there.

Now, with the light of the oil lamp shining through, it becomes clear that a narrow crevice has appeared among the jagged rocks of the cave wall.

The two snakes were able to crawl through this narrow crevice to hunt.

The eagle opened its beak and caught the two snakes, then suddenly yanked and flung them, pulling out a long, thin snake tail that was six or seven feet long from the depths of the crevice.

Snapped!
The snake's tail fell to the ground.

Two eaglets huddled in a corner, chirping softly.

The eagle responded with a cry, then plunged its sharp beak into the crevice and began to peck.

A moment later, it picked up a dark red, pebble-like object, walked over to Chen Xu, and placed it at his feet.

The eagle tilted its head and cried out.

Chen Xu's gaze fell on the ground, but he clearly saw a word displayed above it:
Bloodstone marrow is a substance that grows around the nests of spiritual species. When ground, steamed, and consumed, it can enhance qi and blood.

Alternatively, it can be processed into bloodstone, which, when used to draw talismans, can increase the effectiveness of the talismans by more than 20%.

This is such a rare spiritual material!

The eagle pushed the bloodstone marrow on the ground towards Chen Xu, making a sound to urge Chen Xu to quickly take it.

"You want to give this to me?" Chen Xu asked with a smile.

The eagle nodded repeatedly and flapped its wings to urge it on.

Chen Xu raised his hand and used his Spirit Control Technique. The bloodstone marrow on the ground suddenly leaped up as if it were alive and fell directly into Chen Xu's palm. The eagle cried out joyfully, flapped its wings, and turned to peck at the cave wall repeatedly.

This time, it shattered all the rocks in the crevices of the cave wall, and then flapped its wings, causing all the rubble to crowd into the crevices.

It is evident that although this eagle has only just begun to develop intelligence, its thinking is already quite agile.

It even uses pebbles to block the road to prevent long snakes from exploring its nest.

Chen Xu simply watched quietly, without interfering with the eagle's actions.

Finally, the eagle used its beak to push the pebbles together tightly.

It came to the snake carcass again—

There was a secret about this snake carcass that Chen Xu had never noticed before. It was only when the eagle pulled the snake's tail out of the deep hole that Chen Xu realized that this so-called "two-headed snake" was indeed a two-headed snake!

It turned out to be a snake's body with two snake heads.

This snake is clearly no ordinary creature; it can be considered a demon.

The eagle used its beak to peck open the snake's body about seven inches from the front, and after a few tears, it pulled out two dark blue snake gallbladders.

It then brought the snake gall to Chen Xu, urging him to accept it.

Both the snake's body and its gallbladder have their own entries:
[The flesh and blood of a two-headed stone-crevice python, a low-level mutated monster. It is edible after removing its gall bladder and can subtly increase one's qi and blood.]

【Green Frost Gallbladder, the gallbladder of a two-headed rock-crevice python, after special processing, is steamed with yellow rice wine three times. Taking it can detoxify and improve eyesight, and to some extent enhance night vision.】

The eagle was very eager to give Chen Xu the snake gall, the most prized part of its spoils.

Chen Xu did not refuse its kindness. After accepting the snake gall, he took out a bowl of Xuan Yang Fire Date Soup that he had stored in advance from the kitchen.

The spiritual food prepared by Chen Xu not only has a more thorough activation of its effects, but also has first-class color, aroma and taste.

Eagles grow wild and untamed; they have never heard of such exquisite creatures.
The eagle's eyes widened instantly, and it stretched out its beak to peck into the bowl. Hey, the eagle froze completely in place.

Seeing that soup was about to drip from the bird's beak, the eagle immediately ran quickly to the corner of the cave.

Two eaglets were huddled there.

The eagle stretched out its beak, and the eaglet initially cowered, but then, propelled by the eagle's wings, tentatively extended its little beak and pecked at the corner of the eagle's mouth.

"Chirp!"

"Chirp!"

A moment later, the two eaglets became excited, pecking happily with their two beaks.

[Like +1 +1]

The little eagle is too weak; even though it eats spiritual food, it can only bring Chen Xu a single point.

Then came the sound of a great eagle flapping its wings and letting out a clear cry.

【Like +100】

Chen Xu smiled slightly, cradling the still-drunk little hedgehog in his arms, and bid farewell to San Ying.

“Fellow Daoist Eagle, our meeting was by chance, and we must part ways eventually. Now that your troubles are resolved, I will depart.”

He arrived at the cave entrance, about to step back into the rain.

Then I heard the cries of eagles behind me. I turned around and saw the big eagle with two eaglets beside it, its eyes glistening as if it were reluctant to part.

Chen Xu laughed and said, "Heaven and earth are vast and boundless, and mountains and rivers will meet again. Fellow Daoist Eagle, you are a creature of the vast sky. Now that you have gained wisdom, the vastness of heaven and earth will naturally follow you."

I only hope you will remember this: never target humans when hunting. Then our encounter today will not have been in vain.

The eagle responded with a soft cry.

Chen Xu waved his hand. Outside the cave, the wind and rain were dark and gloomy, but he stepped into the rain, went against the wind, and returned to the mountain peak.

In the wind and rain, his figure disappeared into the distance from Qihe Mountain.

As his sleeves fluttered in the wind, Chen Xu observed the world and finally gained some insight.

The poem I wrote in the examination hall that day, when I look back on it again, has a different flavor.

"Time beyond worldly things is inherently free; who can fathom the cycle of birth and death in the human world?"

The rise and fall of empires over the past century have all passed like a dream…

A carefree smile blends into the wind and rain.

The vast sky and earth were filled with white ribbons fluttering in the air. The crowd that had gathered on Qihe Mountain to participate in the literary gathering had long since vanished without a trace.

Only a few dilapidated wooden sheds remain beside the path down the mountain, revealing that this place once boasted a bustling and prosperous atmosphere.

Within Chen Xu's body, the innate Qi flowed silently, and his cultivation level increased imperceptibly.

He walked through the rain and waves, braving the wind.

However, they did not notice that red smoke was billowing like mist on the Hundred Tales Stele at the foot of Qihe Mountain.

Like mist and haze, like flowing light.

Swaying in the rain, towards the world.

(End of this chapter)