Xiao Man nodded in agreement. The cultivators of the Seven Sects were indeed too weak. Nascent Soul stage cultivators, killed by her, a mere Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, truly showed an unstable foundation. But it wasn't just that. It was also due to the intentional or unintentional suppression by aristocratic families and sects. They were allocated the worst resources – medicines, martial arts, and even incomplete and problematic cultivation techniques. This was why the Nascent Soul stage cultivators of the Seven Sects were so weak and could only stop at that stage. Practicing their original cultivation techniques their entire lives, they could never become Nascent Soul stage cultivators.
"Girl, it's moving, it's moving!" Old Qin exclaimed, staring at the egg with a look of terror.
Xiao Man and Nangong Yu exchanged glances, then rose simultaneously and walked towards the egg.
"What kind of egg is this?"
"I don't know." Xiao Man shook her head. She didn't know what kind of egg it was, but Zhu Qing was very afraid of this egg. And that little thing, Zhu Qing, had been lost in the East Yue Forest and hadn't returned yet.
"Where did it come from?"
"A friend gave it to me." Xiao Man said unhurriedly. This egg was given to her by Ze Fang. Thinking of this, Xiao Man frowned slightly. Ze Fang, that young man, looked very much like someone from her memory, which was why she had paid special attention to him. But in the end, he had disappeared.
"What friend?" Nangong Yu clearly sensed a change in Xiao Man's emotions. A friend who could give her a spirit beast egg must have an extraordinary identity, and their relationship with Xiao Man was likely not simple either. Thinking of this, a surge of jealousy rose in Nangong Yu's heart. In his absence, another figure he had to be wary of had appeared around Xiao Man.
"A young friend. However, in Wuji City, he went missing, his fate unknown." Xiao Man's tone was filled with worry. "I don't know if he is well now."
"You have many friends."
"Girl, do you smell something sour?" Old Qin asked with a smile.
Xiao Man glared at him. "I treat him like a brother."
Nangong Yu snorted. "You treat him like a brother, but what are his feelings?"
"What are his feelings, what does that have to do with me?" Xiao Man asked back inexplicably. "Can I control how others think?"
Nangong Yu gritted his teeth. "I'm asking about the relationship between you and him."
Xiao Man reached out and touched the egg, actually feeling a heartbeat. A flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes. She leaned down and listened, and indeed heard a heartbeat. Su Dan Novel Network.
"I said, I treat him like a brother."
"Then what about me, what do you consider me?"
Xiao Man, unusually, did not answer. She had the answer in her heart for this question, and had had it from the beginning. It was just that now, she couldn't say it, because she felt that the moment she made her decision, she had forfeited that right.
"A'Yu, who am I?"
"Xiao Man." Nangong Yu said decisively, "My beloved."
Xiao Man did not feel happy upon hearing this answer, even feeling a little sad. After experiencing so much, Nangong Yu could still calmly call her his beloved. Yet, her heart was already full of holes, and she owed too many emotional debts, too many to repay. She now lacked the qualification to even speak of love.
"Xiao Man, your answer."
"The most important person." Xiao Man gave her answer. Nangong Yu was the most important person in her heart. This most important person could be family, a friend, or a lover. Xiao Man's answer was ambiguous, but Nangong Yu wanted peace of mind, and Xiao Man could not give him that.
Just as Nangong Yu was about to press Xiao Man further, he suddenly heard a crack. The eggshell, which was impervious to water and fire and extremely hard, split open!
"Oh no, oh no!" Old Qin shouted in alarm.
"Is it hatching?" Distracted by this, Nangong Yu couldn't ask the questions he wanted to. He could only look at the cracking egg, wondering what kind of creature would emerge from it.
But their eyes ached from staring, and the egg didn't break open, just a crack appeared, and then there was no more movement.
"What's going on?" Xiao Man reached out to touch the crack, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in her fingertip. When she withdrew her hand, blood was oozing from her fingertip, and blood had also stained the eggshell. The blood was quickly absorbed by the eggshell, and a light emanated from the cracked fissure, forcing them to close their eyes.
Crack, crack.
It sounded like something was breaking out of its shell. Xiao Man removed the hand shielding her eyes. The eggshell had completely shattered. A head emerged, like that of a newborn chick, but its down was fiery red.
"A turkey?" Xiao Man stared at the chick inside the eggshell, utterly astonished.
The little fiery red bird quickly pecked and swallowed the eggshell. Afterwards, it let out a satisfied burp, flapped its short wings, and flew into Xiao Man's embrace, nuzzling her affectionately.
Xiao Man held the little bird, looking at its smug little eyes, and asked Nangong Yu, "Is this a turkey?"
The little bird was displeased with Xiao Man's appellation and immediately pecked her hand. It preened the three feathers on its head with its wings, strutting back and forth with an air of arrogance.
"Oh, a battle chicken!"
Upon hearing this, the little bird in Xiao Man's palm immediately collapsed, looking utterly dejected. It, the majestic phoenix, was being called a chicken by such an ignorant creature! And this ignorant creature was its master!
The little phoenix was disheartened. It turned around, showing its tail to Xiao Man, expressing its displeasure.
Nangong Yu looked at the remarkably human-like little phoenix, a smile curving his lips. "This should be a phoenix."
As soon as it heard the word "phoenix," the little thing immediately jumped up and nodded fiercely at Xiao Man. Yes, it was a phoenix, the one and only phoenix in the world, the empress of all birds!
Xiao Man chuckled. "Like this, and you call yourself a phoenix? A featherless phoenix is no better than a chicken."
The little phoenix became agitated, flapping its wings against the sparse feathers on its body, as if saying, "Don't these count as feathers? Which eye of yours sees me as featherless?"
"It just hatched, it will get better in a few days."
"I still think it's a battle chicken."
The little phoenix became anxious, jumped up, and pecked Xiao Man's head, wanting to peck her until her head was covered in bumps for calling it a chicken!
Xiao Man raised her hand to block the little phoenix and flicked it away, sending it crashing to the ground.
The little phoenix was stunned. It climbed up from the ground and only then realized it had been thrown to the ground. It immediately collapsed, rolling back and forth as if crying and complaining that Xiao Man was bullying it.
Nangong Yu watched this scene, completely astonished. "A'Man, this little thing has become sentient. It can actually understand human speech."
Xiao Man was also a bit surprised. She squatted down and beckoned to the little phoenix. The little phoenix glanced at her, remained unmoved, and continued to roll on the ground, just like a child throwing a tantrum because it couldn't get candy.