C13 Stewing the Chickens

"Alright, as you wish."

No sooner had he spoken than Yun Buhui noticed several Secret Realm Maps floating above him. He examined them with great attention, particularly the first one labeled Earth Spirit Secret Realm. The sight puzzled him. Were these maps not mere illusions? And if they were real, why did they bear their own names?

Brimming with questions and after another bout of teleportation, Yun Buhui opened his eyes to find himself within the Earth Spirit Secret Realm. This time, things were different from his previous visit. The area where he had battled the giant rooster was now bathed in bright, clear light.

Yet the unexplored regions remained shrouded in darkness, impenetrable to the eye. Yun Buhui mused that perhaps each monster he defeated would illuminate the path he had taken from that point onward.

After a brief reflection, he resumed his exploration. It wasn't long before he heard the familiar cackling sound again. Following the noise, he soon encountered another giant rooster.

Yun Buhui was no longer the novice he had been upon his initial arrival. Channeling the Spiritual Qi within his dantian into his palms, he charged at the rooster with a frenzy. The rooster, now aware of Yun Buhui, flapped its wings in anger and lunged to peck viciously at him.

With a swift sidestep, Yun Buhui avoided the attack and landed a heavy blow on the rooster's neck. Seizing the moment of its instability, he pounced, fists clenched, and unleashed a flurry of punches on the rooster.

Moments later, the rooster's head drooped; it was dead. Yet the reward Yun Buhui had hoped for did not materialize. The rooster's death yielded no treasures, save for a streak of golden light that shot into his mind. Accompanying the light was a message in his consciousness.

"Received 10 Reputation Value."

Feeling a twinge of disappointment, Yun Buhui pondered the meaning of Reputation Value. He was uncertain of its worth but sensed it couldn't compare to the treasures he sought. Shrugging off the feeling, he picked up the rooster and pressed on with his quest.

At first, Yun Buhui had assumed the area was teeming with Chicken Monsters, but to his surprise, he managed to slay five large hens in quick succession. As he delved deeper, he encountered nothing but these Chicken Monsters. The whole situation struck him as odd; it was as if he had stumbled into a chicken coop.

After dispatching his fifteenth chicken, Yun Buhui was seriously unsettled. Why hadn't he encountered any other type of monster? What left him utterly dumbfounded was that despite having vanquished fifteen Chicken Monsters, he hadn't come across a single treasure. Aside from an unidentified Reputation Value that had soared past 300 points, he had virtually nothing to show for his efforts.

As he prepared to press on with his exploration, Xiaoling's voice rang out: "Host, your time in this session has ended. The cooldown period remains seven days. Should your physique be exceptionally robust, you may initiate an earlier entry. The teleportation gate will soon open. Host, until next time."

Hearing this, Yun Buhui's heart sank. Apart from the dozen or so chickens and the mysterious Reputation Value, he had no idea what purpose they served. He hadn't found any of the treasures he desired, which left him feeling deeply frustrated. Before he could even voice his objections, a flash of light enveloped him, swiftly whisking him away.

Confronted with the sight of the chickens dangling from his waist, Yun Buhui was torn between laughter and tears. Reflecting on chickens, he remembered the one he had caught last time had yet to be eaten. Several days had passed, and it was likely spoiled by now. He decided to store the freshly caught chickens in the kitchen and then set out to find the one he had brought back previously.

To his amazement, when he retrieved the chicken, it looked exactly as it had when he first brought it home, showing no signs of spoilage. Perhaps these monster chickens had a longer shelf life than those on Earth? It seemed to be the only reasonable explanation.

Yun Buhui gathered some firewood from outside and boiled a large pot of water. He poured the steaming liquid over the chicken, and once it was sufficiently scalded, he began plucking its feathers on the ground. What puzzled him further was the absence of the acrid smell that usually accompanied feather plucking. This was the odor that typically arose when chicken feathers came into contact with boiling water.

The chicken before him was no ordinary bird; as soon as the hot water touched its skin, a faint yet enchanting fragrance wafted into his nostrils. The aroma alone was enough to leave him utterly captivated, his mouth watering and his appetite surging. Yun Buhui had not anticipated such a remarkable effect from this chicken and was curious about how it would taste once cooked.

After a flurry of activity, Yun Buhui meticulously plucked the chicken clean. He then took out his axe, ready to chop the bird into smaller pieces. But when he brought the axe down with all his might, a jarring sound echoed. To his surprise, the axe blade had rolled upon impact. The flesh of the Chicken Monster was as tender as that of a regular chicken, but its bones were extraordinarily tough.

With no other choice, Yun Buhui had to infuse the axe with his Spiritual Qi before he could successfully portion the Chicken Monster into smaller pieces. It was then time to start the stew. The area might have been lacking in many things, but mushrooms were plentiful. Yun Buhui foraged for some nearby and began to stew them with the chicken.

He had to concede that the stewing process was considerably slower compared to his local chickens. It took over two hours of simmering over a wood fire before the meat yielded to his bite. With a wry smile, Yun Buhui added another half pot of soup and stoked the fire, stewing it fiercely for another hour. After three hours, the chicken soup was finally ready, and though it took time, the flavor was irresistibly enticing. He savored a piece of chicken from the pot, relishing the exquisite taste. Most notably, after consuming the meat, Yun Buhui could feel a comforting warmth coursing through his body.

He served himself a bowl of rice and sat down to quietly enjoy his meal. Finishing his food, he could distinctly sense that the chicken soup and meat seemed to have a fortifying effect on his physique. While he couldn't be certain it wasn't just his imagination, he believed that such a delectable dish, if eaten daily, would undoubtedly be of great benefit to his parents' frail health.

After a bit of searching, Yun Buhui unearthed two thermal food containers that his father had bought for him back in high school. Once he transferred the chicken soup into these containers, he realized there was still plenty left over. This left him feeling somewhat helpless; if only he had a motorcycle, he could deliver chicken soup to his parents at the hospital every day, which would surely be beneficial for their health.

Shaking off the thought, Yun Buhui dressed and, with the containers in hand, headed out. Stepping out the door, he unexpectedly ran into Tiehzhu loitering nearby, which struck him as odd.

"What are you doing here instead of studying, kid?"

Tiehzhu looked up at Yun Buhui, about to speak, but upon noticing the containers, he quickly caught on. "Mr. Buhui, you're off to the hospital, right? You'd better get going. I don't have anything important to do."

Yun Buhui eyed him curiously. "You've never acted like this before. What's got into you today? Spit it out!"

"Nothing serious, Mr. Buhui. I was actually hoping you could help me with my studies when you have the time."

Hearing this, Yun Buhui gave Tiehzhu a more scrutinizing look. "Well, well, Tiehzhu. You've finally seen the value of education. Sure, since you're so determined, I'll give you a proper lesson when I get back from the hospital. But let's lay down three ground rules. If you don't pay attention like before, I won't hesitate to set you straight."

"Don't worry, Mr. Buhui. I'll study hard this time."

Yun Buhui gave the young man another once-over, silently musing, "When did this kid grow up so quickly?"

"Alright then, I'm off. If anyone asks for me, tell them I've gone to the hospital and to keep an eye on the house."

"Sure thing, Mr. Buhui. Go on without worry. I'll look after the house. Don't rush, and have a safe trip."

Yun Buhui, who was just about to move forward, hesitated for a moment upon hearing the remark: "Are you looking for trouble again, kid? Why do these words sound increasingly off to me? Believe me, I won't hesitate to give you a thrashing right now."

Tiehzhu himself realized his words sounded a bit awkward after he spoke. He couldn't help but show his teeth in a sheepish grin. "I'm heading back to hit the books. Catch you later, Mr. Buhui." Watching the youngster dash off, Yun Buhui shook his head in resignation. The kid was as impulsive as ever.

But Yun Buhui didn't dwell on it. He was pleased that Tiehzhu was showing an interest in studying. Despite the never-ending workload that left him exhausted daily, he was more than willing to teach the boy as long as he was eager to learn. He would take great pride in seeing Tiehzhu get into a prestigious university someday. Besides, Tiehzhu's parents had always been good to his own family.

He knew that without the support of his fellow villagers over the years, completing high school would have been impossible, given his parents' frail health. He was deeply grateful for the kindness shown by many in the village and kept it close to his heart, always ready to lend a hand when he could.

When Yun Buhui finally reached the county hospital after nearly two hours, he was relieved to find the food still warm in the insulated lunch box. He rushed towards his mother's ward, but as he arrived at the door, he was suddenly greeted by the sound of his father's pained groans, "Aiyo, aiyo."