Chapter 318: Where Did the Chicken Feet Show Themselves?
Setting aside the talk of eating and entertainment for now…
Under the detailed descriptions provided by the two well-prepared girls, Luo Wusheng gradually formed a general understanding of Qifeng City. He quickly identified several potential locations where the Ancient Phoenix Essence could be planted.
'The most suspicious yet seemingly improbable spot would be under the so-called Qifeng Parasol Tree in the center of the city... It's said that this massive parasol tree grew due to the influence of a powerful phoenix Netherkin that descended upon Qifeng City in ancient times. Though the phoenix clan has since vanished, this tree remains standing, shedding withered leaves but never fully dying...'
This enormous withered parasol tree, embellished with legends over time, has become a unique landmark of Qifeng City. Among the possible sites Luo Wusheng identified, this spot has the strongest ties to the ancient phoenix Netherkin and boasts the most folklore, making it highly suspicious.
But one point made Luo Wusheng hesitant.
This Qifeng Parasol Tree was situated right at the heart of Qifeng City. Planting the Ancient Phoenix Essence there would be far too obvious—almost like sending an open invitation to the Buddhist Sect: "Come and camp this spot!"
And according to Luo Wusheng's plan, being watched like that was out of the question.
If he couldn't find a way to remove the monk's seal from his essence in time, he'd have to proceed with the original plan and take his chances at the Ancient Heavenly Gate. In this process, the Ancient Phoenix Essence would be crucial.
Having partially refined this resurrection tool, Luo Wusheng was now clear on its conditions for use and the specifics of the revival process.
If he died now, the Ancient Phoenix Essence would activate immediately, but his revival wouldn't be instantaneous. Instead, his essence would quickly awaken within the planted spirit essence, but his physical body would not be reconstituted on the spot. Instead, his essence would create an embryonic form, which would then develop rapidly over 49 days. By the last day, the body would have aged back to his age at the time of death.
In other words, if Luo Wusheng were to die now and activate the Ancient Phoenix Essence, he'd essentially relive his 18 years of life in just 49 days.
The interval for the Heavenly Gate's opening to the Ancient Heavenly Gate was ten years.
Luo Wusheng wasn't sure if the effects of the Ancient Phoenix Essence could exploit this loophole, allowing him to re-enter the Ancient Heavenly Gate, but it was worth a try.
If this was the case, he needed to carefully manage the timing.
His revival would need to coincide perfectly with the opening of the Heavenly Gate, allowing him to enter the Ancient Heavenly Gate before the Buddhist Sect had time to react.
As long as he could make it inside, the Tribulation Crossing Realm Buddhist cultivators wouldn't dare follow. He could then break through to the Nascent Soul realm himself, awaken his Diabolic Saint Physique, and greatly increase his strength.
'...Though this plan has two crucial points.'
'One, I absolutely cannot let the Buddhist Sect camp the site of my death... The worst-case scenario would be if that Chosen Buddha could still sense my essence while I'm in the middle of reviving. That would be a total disaster. But as long as he's still focused on staging the Demon Purging War, I should have a chance.'
'Two, I must time my death precisely, ensuring my revival aligns perfectly with the opening of the Heavenly Gate...'
Luo Wusheng had already calculated the latter.
While there might be slight deviations in the Heavenly Gate's opening schedule, it would only vary by a few days. The gate stayed open for three days in total, so with some care, he could time things just right.
'...Which means that after the Human Immortal List, I'll need to pick a good day to cut my own throat...'
Well, at least he'll emerge as a valiant hero in another 18 years.
Luo Wusheng allowed himself a moment of dark humor.
During this time, he endured several more rounds of bombardment from his two adorable "tour guides."
However, the two girls seemed to have covered everything they could without spoiling the trip ahead. Gradually, they stopped pushing, leaving only an occasional glance between them that carried a subtle, indescribable meaning.
Noticing this, Luo Wusheng began to think.
'Hmm, these two really get along well...'
According to the original plot, Lu Yuliu and Bai Xiaoyao weren't supposed to grow closer until their shared experiences in the Ancient Heavenly Gate. But now, they were already calling each other "sister"—though neither had decided who would take on the "big sister" role yet.
"Speaking of which, Qifeng City's cuisine does seem to favor dishes named after phoenixes. Especially those meat dishes—many are called 'phoenix meat.' Of course, it couldn't possibly be real phoenix meat. Senior Brother, can you guess what kind of meat is usually used to make those dishes?"
Luo Wusheng blinked at his Junior Sister's sudden question.
After pondering briefly, he replied, "The meat of common poultry... domesticated chicken?"
His reasoning wasn't unfounded. If phoenix-themed dishes were a signature of Qifeng City, they needed to be accessible to the general public. Thus, the most likely choice would be domesticated spirit chickens.
"Correct! It is chicken meat! As expected of Senior Brother, you guessed it right on the first try~"
Luo Wusheng couldn't help but smile at Bai Xiaoyao's praise.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuliu secretly pursed her lips and turned her head away slightly.
She lacked the confidence to replicate Bai Xiaoyao's approach.
Moreover, Lu Yuliu was beginning to feel that things were not going as she'd planned.
Wasn't Bai Xiaoyao supposed to focus on resolving the matter of this guy's engagement to the Empress? Shouldn't she be just as worried as me about the complications that might arise?
The Sword Fairy sighed internally.
She had barely managed to fool her master into approving this trip, and now there was one twist after another...
Honestly, it's all this guy's fault. Why does trouble always follow him around?
Lu Yuliu pouted slightly, her gaze wandering to the scenery around her as she plotted how to regain some ground.
But as she continued looking, her body froze.
"What's wrong?"
Because of their close proximity, Luo Wusheng quickly noticed her unease. He turned toward her, his tone curious.
Lu Yuliu blinked her big, dark eyes, rubbed them, and tilted her head slightly, her finger pointing in one direction.
"I think I just saw a strange chicken foot over there... A chicken foot standing by itself on the ground. It gave me a really strange feeling."
"But then it disappeared in the blink of an eye..."
Luo Wusheng frowned.
A surge of spiritual energy emanated from him, swiftly enveloping the area Lu Yuliu had indicated and spreading outward.
But he found nothing.
Not even a feather, let alone a chicken foot.
'Something feels off... The protagonist's words carry an almost fateful truth; they rarely, if ever, lead to mistakes.'
After some thought, Luo Wusheng asked, "A strange feeling? How strange, exactly?"
The Sword Fairy blushed slightly at the question, her head lowering shyly.
Her voice grew softer.
"All of a sudden, I really wanted to eat chicken..."
<+>
Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD
- - - - - - - - - -
Note: If you want to see more chapters of this story, please join my Patreon[1], for $5 each month, you can read all of the available chapters.
Patreon Account: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=93297024[2]
Latest Chapter In Patreon: Chapter 459: Perhaps This Is the Reason?[3]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-459-this-145189084[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/user?u=93297024
[2] https://www.patreon.com/user?u=93297024
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-459-this-145189084
[4] https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-459-this-145189084