As the approaching eagle drew nearer, Su Muqing felt a twinge of fear, worried it might attack her. Instinctively, she took a step back. After placing the snake gall down, the eagle also appeared frightened, retreating several paces.
(It seems these two creatures were mutually wary and fearful of each other!)
"Is this for me?" Su Muqing asked, holding up the snake gall.
The eagle responded with a series of "goo goo goo" sounds from its throat, a stark contrast to the piercing screeches it made during the fight.
"Then I'll accept it." Su Muqing tentatively placed the snake gall into her spatial dimension. When the eagle made no move, she became certain it was a genuine gift.
Having secured the snake gall, she then noticed the dry bloodstains on the corner of the eagle's beak. It must have been injured when the python restrained it. A check with her scanner confirmed internal injuries.
She then produced a healing pill and placed it in her palm. "You gave me the snake gall, so I'll give you a healing pill!"
The eagle hesitated for a moment, looking at the pill in the distance, before slowly pacing forward. As it approached, Su Muqing was astonished to see its eyes; they moved with incredible speed, like surveillance cameras. Often, what seemed like a fleeting glance to her was already several full rotations.
The eagle gently took the pill from Su Muqing's hand with its beak, then tilted its head back and swallowed it.
Seeing that it had accepted her offering, Su Muqing decided to make a small request. "I'm leaving now! Could you give me some of those small lingzhi spores from over there?"
Although she could have discreetly collected them herself, given the newly mended relationship, Su Muqing thought it polite to ask. If the eagle showed strong resistance, she would abandon the idea, as she already had a large lingzhi in her spatial dimension.
To her surprise, the eagle showed no signs of displeasure. Instead, it took small, quick steps towards the platform, extending its magnificent wings. It then turned its head towards Su Muqing and let out a "goo goo" sound.
Was it inviting her to ride on its back like a plane? Su Muqing's thoughts began to spiral in all sorts of directions. While she could trade for a plane in her spatial dimension, she didn't know how to fly one. She suspected that piloting a plane wasn't something one could learn just by reading a manual.
However, how wonderful would it be if she could trick—no, tame—this majestic eagle to serve her? Then, if they encountered difficult paths ahead, Brother Lu would have transportation.
Su Muqing quickly considered her options, then boldly stepped onto the eagle's back. Wow! The sensation was warm and soft, far more comfortable than riding a horse. Its back was also incredibly broad, wide enough for two people to lie down comfortably side-by-side.
"Alright, fly!" Su Muqing patted the eagle's back, indicating she was ready.
Witnessing its superior capabilities, Su Muqing's resolve to recruit it only strengthened. Fei La had been a gift from the system, and the black bear had come to her willingly. She hadn't put much effort into acquiring those two pets. But this majestic eagle…
How should she conduct herself to appear sincere without seeming to bully an animal? Communicating with a different species was truly a vexing matter.
The eagle, unaware of Su Muqing's inner musings, flapped its wings and took flight upon hearing her confirmation. It didn't head directly towards the cliff where the lingzhi grew, but instead shot straight up into the sky.
Its speed was astonishing; it ascended like a rocket. During this vertical ascent, Su Muqing, who had been contemplating how to win over the eagle, could only retract her thoughts and cling tightly to its neck.
Just as she finally managed to hold on securely, the eagle began to change its posture, flying sideways intermittently. Consequently, Su Muqing found herself being swung back and forth in the air like a pendulum, carried by the eagle.
She thought this must be the limit, but she had underestimated this creature. The eagle suddenly changed direction, folded its wings, and then plummeted downwards with a cry of "chiu!"
"Ahhh!" A sharp, piercing scream tore through the sky. Su Muqing used all her limbs, her entire body straddling the eagle's neck as they plummeted. They tumbled several times, her hair whipping around her in the strong wind.
"Did you hear that?"
Lu Yuzhi, in the forest, suddenly asked Leng Ren and the other. Both nodded. The group quickly moved towards the grassy area across the stream. Fei La, as if sensing something, barked excitedly towards the sky.
Everyone looked up. They saw a black speck in the sky, falling at an incredibly fast speed. Despite the distance, they recognized Su Muqing's scream.
"Muqing…" Lu Yuzhi rushed towards the direction of the falling speck, the others following closely behind.
As the majestic eagle was about to crash into the cliff ahead, Su Muqing thought, could this creature, having lost their previous encounter, have deliberately lured her here to perish together? Was its resentment that deep?
Just as she was about to let go and escape, the eagle abruptly spread its wings. With a tricky maneuver, it changed direction and ascended once more.
By this time, Su Muqing's hands had already let go. Due to the inertia, her entire body was thrown backward, dangling upside down from the eagle. She clutched the eagle's feathers tightly with her hands and wrapped her legs around its neck.
After reaching a certain height, the eagle resumed its normal flight pattern. It let out another "goo goo goo" sound from its throat. Su Muqing, lying on the eagle's back, took a long time to recover. This creature had definitely done that on purpose; it wanted to show her who was boss!
With a surge of strength from her waist, she abruptly sat upright to adjust her posture. However, her legs, due to the excessive exertion, felt as if they were glued in place and refused to release. It took a considerable amount of time for them to regain some flexibility.
The eagle continued to carry her through the sky for a long time…
Soaring through the blue sky and white clouds, although her vision was occasionally obscured by her hair, and her entire face was a mess in the wind, with saliva flying everywhere, Su Muqing's mood remained beautiful.
This was because she realized the majestic eagle had deliberately showcased its extraordinary flying skills. It was making a purposeful effort to promote itself.
Heh heh! She was about to gain another formidable warrior. Su Muqing reached up to smooth her unruly hair. Of course, if the wind were just a little less strong, it would have been even more perfect.
"Let's quickly go and collect the lingzhi! There are people waiting below!" Su Muqing patted the back of the eagle's neck. The eagle changed course and flew towards the cliff where the lingzhi grew.
Su Muqing stopped it as it was about to peck at the lingzhi with its beak. She knew that direct pecking would surely damage the lingzhi spores. She flew forward and produced a shovel. Carefully, she dug up the entire patch of soil where the lingzhi grew and quickly placed it into her spatial dimension. After confirming there were no omissions, they prepared to land.
"Do you want to go back and see your home again? If you leave with me like this, you probably won't be able to return for a long time." The eagle let out a few "goo goo goo" calls, but Su Muqing couldn't understand its meaning.
However, it didn't return to the previous platform but flew directly downwards. Therefore, Su Muqing guessed that its previous calls meant "no."
"Muqing! We're over here…" Lu Yuzhi and the others, seeing the eagle flying in the sky and Su Muqing on its back, waved frantically and called out her name loudly.
"They're over there!" Su Muqing pointed to the eagle's right neck. It naturally changed direction and slowly descended towards the waiting group below.
As soon as Su Muqing landed, before she could even dismount the eagle, Lu Yuzhi rushed over and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright? You guys just…"
"No, no! It was just showing me its special skills. Brother Lu, and everyone else, I have great news to tell you. From now on, it's also one of us! It will be much easier for us to travel from now on." Su Muqing pulled her arm from his grasp, tied her hair, which had become a complete mess, loosely behind her head, and then patted the eagle's back, introducing their new member to everyone with great excitement!
After speaking, Su Muqing hopped down. However, her gait looked rather awkward. She nonchalantly attributed it to being too nervous in the sky earlier and not quite adjusting to being on the ground.
Everyone's mood was exceptionally good today! Not only had they successfully crossed the mountain, but they had also gained the powerful assistance of the black bear and the eagle. Su Muqing had even given them names: Xiong Taishan, the King of Terrestrial Strength, and Ying Batian, the King of Aerial Flight. With the land and air forces secured, only the aquatic domain remained!
After Su Muqing got down, she took a closer look at the surroundings. The babbling stream, the lush green grass, the environment was exceptionally beautiful. It was like a Peach Blossom Spring described in books. Strangely, despite having just crossed a mountain, the weather on either side differed greatly.
Yesterday at noon, they still felt chilly wearing double-layered down jackets. But upon reaching this side of the mountain, everyone felt the temperature was extremely high and promptly removed their jackets.
However, Su Muqing loved this land. Once Huaxia City was established, she intended to incorporate the entire vicinity of this mountain into their territory.
The rumbling of her stomach pulled Su Muqing out of her reverie. After all the commotion this morning, it was already past three o'clock. She immediately took out a large amount of ingredients, preparing for an outdoor barbecue.
The eagle suddenly flew into the air and then disappeared into the jungle. Just as everyone was wondering where it had gone, the black bear and Fei La also got up and jumped into the nearby stream, splashing around. Everyone simply assumed they were too hot and jumped into the water to cool off.
A moment later, Fei La returned, completely soaked. It bit onto Leng Feng's trouser leg and tugged him towards the water. After a few steps, it looked back and picked up an empty bucket with its mouth, placing it in front of Leng Feng as a signal for him to carry it.
After a few more minutes, Leng Feng returned with a bucket, a smile on his face. He dumped all the fish from the bucket onto the ground, then picked up two more buckets and called Leng Ren to help him carry the fish.
It turned out the black bear and Fei La had gone to catch fish in the stream. After carrying fish back and forth more than ten times, they finally stopped carrying at Su Muqing's request. She then called the two young ones back.
Looking at the large pile of wriggling fish on the ground, Su Muqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Each fish was so plump, weighing at least ten pounds. The heaviest one weighed several dozen pounds. How could they possibly eat so many? She wondered if the river in her spatial dimension could sustain fish.
She tried throwing a bulging fish into the river, and to her surprise, it could indeed be raised. Moreover, the plump fish seemed to enjoy the environment in her spatial dimension, its tail flicking as it swam with great joy.
Thus, Su Muqing collected all the fish from the ground into the river within her spatial dimension. She only kept a few that had already started to float belly-up, intending to roast them later.
Seeing that she had successfully stored the fish in her spatial dimension, the black bear and Fei La, like the wind, went off to catch more fish. Leng Ren and the others shook their heads helplessly and continued to follow the two young ones, acting as their haulers.
Su Muqing skillfully scaled and gutted the fish, cleaning out their insides. Lu Yuzhi, carrying the little bun on his back, came to help with the preparations.
Meanwhile, the fish brought back by Leng Ren and the others needed to be promptly stored in Su Muqing's spatial dimension to prevent them from being out of water for too long. Perhaps because this area had long been uninhabited, the fish here had a very weak sense of danger. Not only did they not evade the black bear, but they even actively approached it. She hoped that this lesson would make other fish smarter in the future!
Originally, the large river in her spatial dimension was empty, and one could describe it as clear to the bottom. However, after the diligent efforts of the black bear and the others throughout the morning, the large river was successfully upgraded to a fish pond!
Su Muqing, fearing they might not have enough space, even widened the large river. This way, even with more fish, she wouldn't have to worry about not being able to accommodate them!
Although she had been traveling, Su Muqing diligently considered the tasks that needed to be done once they returned to Huaxia City.
Building a city with so many people living in it was no small feat. The livelihoods and welfare of the people had always been paramount. If the common people were unable to secure enough food and clothing, and lived difficult lives, they would certainly have little inclination to contribute to the city's construction or serve the nation.
Although she possessed endless food and capabilities to support many people, this was not a long-term solution. She would eventually complete her mission and leave. Even if she were to live out this life, future generations would need a stable living environment!
Therefore, in addition to cultivating practical personnel, it was also crucial to vigorously develop military, education, agriculture, healthcare, and diverse employment opportunities. Only by gradually strengthening these indispensable elements could the nation progress steadily.
While Su Muqing's mind was occupied with future development plans, her hands were also busy. After preparing the fish, she stewed a pot of sauerkraut fish and made a sizzling iron plate grilled fish. She then placed the remaining 8 large fish on the barbecue grill.
Fei La couldn't eat salt. Su Muqing had never raised eagles or black bears and didn't know what precautions to take, so she followed the feeding methods for dogs.
Dog food was Fei La's staple diet, corn was for the black bear, and mixed grains were for the eagle. The side dish was grilled fish. This combination of meat and vegetables was simply perfect!
Just as Lu Yuzhi and the other were diligently turning the grilled fish, a shadow suddenly appeared in the sky. Su Muqing looked up and saw Ying Batian flying back, a bundle of snow-white material dangling from its claws.
It was a very plump sheep. After placing the sheep down, it let out a few "goo goo" calls and then flapped its wings to fly out again. What did it mean by leaving the sheep and flying away? Had it not just captured one?
Indeed! A short while later, the eagle returned with two smaller sheep. Su Muqing couldn't help but press her forehead. It had captured the entire family! She quickly reached out to stop it, but the eagle seemed to be addicted to catching, completely ignoring her outstretched hand.
Some of the small animals had sustained minor injuries during capture. Su Muqing applied medicine to them and then specifically demarcated a breeding area within her spatial dimension.
Thus, in just one afternoon, Su Muqing's spatial dimension not only gained a fish pond but also a small zoo. Several sheep, several sika deer, a flock of wild pheasants, and a family of wild rabbits… and even a few animals she couldn't name!
However, these were gifts from Ying Batian and Xiong Taishan, and Su Muqing naturally wouldn't refuse them. She was simply fortunate that these animals couldn't make loud noises, otherwise, she wouldn't dare to place them in her spatial dimension.
Midway through, Leng Ren and the others returned with fish. Su Muqing told them to come back and eat first, and then they would go and see them together.
After a busy day, everyone finally enjoyed their afternoon meal at five in the evening. This meal was satisfying for both humans and animals, especially the black bear and the eagle. They had never eaten grilled fish before and found this meal incredibly delicious, leaving them wanting more.
Their large frames naturally meant a considerable appetite. Su Muqing thought that having these two pets was a wonderful thing, although they were a bit costly in terms of food. Fortunately, she had her spatial dimension; otherwise, she certainly couldn't afford to keep them!
After the meal, Su Muqing produced two pills. Although she knew they might not understand, she patiently explained. "This is called a Loyalty Pill. It's not poisonous. After taking it, we can all play together happily!"
The black bear sat on the ground and opened its mouth wide. Su Muqing dropped the pill into its mouth. The eagle also paced over, pecked the other pill into its mouth, and then tilted its head back and swallowed.
Su Muqing was quite satisfied with their behavior. Although she wasn't sure if the pills would be effective on animals, based on their actions, they seemed to understand her intentions accurately. She gave them the Loyalty Pills purely as a precaution.
After tidying up this area, the group went to the place where they had caught fish earlier. Perhaps because the black bear had caught too many earlier, the fish had become smarter. When they arrived, only a few small fry occasionally swam by in the water.
Su Muqing felt it was best not to be too greedy, as the two of them had already nearly emptied this area. Therefore, before it got dark, they continued to walk forward along the river.
During this time, Su Muqing had Lu Yuzhi climb onto the eagle's back, encouraging them to communicate and familiarize themselves with each other. She, carrying the little bun, followed behind for protection.
Initially, the eagle was somewhat reluctant. After being coaxed for a long time, it became less resistant and finally agreed to let Lu Yuzhi ride on its back.
However, what was unexpected was that it then began its previous mysterious maneuvers. Su Muqing had to hand the little bun over to Leng Ren on the ground and fly desperately into the sky to chase after the eagle and Lu Yuzhi.
It had no idea how important the person on its back was to her! If he were accidentally harmed, wouldn't all her efforts this time be in vain?
But no matter how hard she tried, it was ultimately futile. Su Muqing couldn't fly to the eagle's altitude; she could only stare at them fixedly in mid-air.
If they couldn't be at the same height, even the closest proximity would suffice. This way, if anything happened to Lu Yuzhi, she could immediately pull him into her spatial dimension.
This eagle was truly something! Every person who wanted to ride it was invited to experience its "exquisite" flying skills and feel the thrill of a near-death experience!
Lu Yuzhi seemed to understand the eagle's intentions. It was the overlord of the sky and would never easily bow to anyone. If it were to submit, the other party must be someone it recognized as strong. Otherwise, why would it allow itself to be commanded?
This was a test for him, and Lu Yuzhi knew he absolutely could not fail! He clung tightly to the eagle's back, reacting with counter-evasive maneuvers according to its various movements.
The eagle's movements this time were even more drastic, not only with trickier angles but also with greater force than when dealing with Su Muqing. Several times, he was almost thrown off, but fortunately, Lu Yuzhi managed to dodge them all!
After he had thoroughly experienced this enhanced flight lesson, the eagle returned to its normal flying mode. This signified its acceptance of Lu Yuzhi, its formal acknowledgment of him riding on its back, and its willingness to obey his commands!
Su Muqing patted her chest. That was great! The ordeal had finally concluded without incident.
Next, Lu Yuzhi and the eagle began to develop their synergy. Seeing them getting along harmoniously, Su Muqing returned to the ground, put the little bun back on her shoulders, and then stored the others in her spatial dimension to speed up their travel.
Under Lu Yuzhi's command, the eagle descended to a low flight mode, then turned around and flew back. "Muqing, you come up too!"
"Okay!" Su Muqing didn't hesitate. Grasping Lu Yuzhi's hand, she flew onto the eagle's back.
Lu Yuzhi pointed to a black speck in the distance. "Ahead is Weiters City in the Kingdom of Wanfeng. We don't have a valid entry permit. It's best if we quietly blend in at night when they're not paying attention."
Su Muqing wasn't very familiar with the relations between countries in this region. "Does the Great Yu Kingdom have trade relations with Wanfeng Kingdom?"
Lu Yuzhi nodded, recalling what he had heard before. "Yes. But as you can see, the two countries are too far apart, and the entire route is by water. Up to now, the Kingdom of Wanfeng has only been invited to Great Yu twice, and each time it incurred enormous financial cost. Therefore, their interactions with neighboring countries are not very close."
She had originally planned to find a small island to rest first and wait until nightfall before setting off. But who knew that the distance, which looked like a mere speck from the sea, was actually quite far when flying.
The eagle flew intermittently, stopping at a small deserted island about ten kilometers away from Weiters City around nine in the evening. They had another good meal and then rested for a while.
They didn't set off again until past midnight. The group embarked once more, heading towards Weiters City!