Chapter 38: The Egg of the Python-Dragon Beast
After Mu Feng finished cultivating, he and Mu Kuang dug a pit to bury the body of the middle-aged man. Even though he was an enemy, they chose not to leave him exposed to the elements.
Once the task was done, they opened the man's leather backpack. Inside, they found three slightly larger-than-fist-sized eggs: two with a green hue and one with a jade-like white luster.
Besides the eggs, the bag contained various bottles of medicine—wound salves, hemostatic potions, and antidotes—as well as a golden token. The palm-sized token was engraved with the words "Tongbao," a universal currency system issued by the Southern Ling Kingdom's banks and trading guilds. These tokens, similar to modern debit cards, were given to individuals with deposits of over 1,000 gold coins.
Mu Feng also found a broad, five-foot-long sword. Its blade gleamed with a cold, white light, and faint energy rippled along its surface. It weighed over a hundred pounds.
"A Yuan Artifact!" Mu Feng exclaimed, excitement flashing in his eyes. Yuan Artifacts were specialized weapons inscribed with energy-conducting runes, allowing the flow of internal energy through them. Even though this was merely a low-grade Yuan Artifact, it was immensely valuable—worth over 1,000 gold coins. For comparison, Mu Feng's current blade was just a high-quality steel weapon with no energy-conducting properties.
"Wow! No wonder people risk their necks to become bandits," Mu Kuang said, grinning ear to ear. "Feng, we've struck gold this time!"
Mu Feng chuckled. "The saying isn't wrong: 'Wealth comes from danger, and fattening a horse requires nighttime grass.'" He then turned his attention to the three eggs.
"These must be the Python-Dragon Beast's eggs," he said, turning the white egg over in his hands. It was cool to the touch, its surface smooth and radiant like polished jade.
Mu Kuang picked up a green egg and examined it. "Feng, why would that guy risk his life for these things? Are they really worth that much?"
"Python-Dragons are Condensed Force-class beasts, incredibly powerful creatures," Mu Feng explained. "Their eggs contain vast amounts of life essence. Alchemists can refine them into potent elixirs, or beast tamers can hatch and raise them into war beasts."
"Oh! That makes sense," Mu Kuang said, nodding. "So, what should we do with these?"
Mu Feng contemplated briefly. "We should sell them. The gold we'd earn could buy us a significant amount of cultivation resources."
As Mu Feng continued inspecting the white egg, a soft, feminine voice rang in his mind.
"Interesting..."
"What's wrong, Yue'er?" Mu Feng asked mentally, addressing the voice of Xi Yue, the spirit residing in his Shura Divine Jade.
"Don't call me Yue'er!" she snapped, her tone somewhere between irritation and embarrassment.
"Alright, alright," Mu Feng teased. "What's caught your attention?"
"That white egg is different," Xi Yue said, ignoring his playful tone. "Its energy is far stronger than the other two. Though all three are Python-Dragon eggs, this one appears unique. Judging by its color and the potent life essence within, it might be a variant egg. Don't sell it—try hatching it instead. You might end up with something extraordinary."
"Hatching it?" Mu Feng was intrigued but puzzled. "I'm no beast tamer. I don't even know how to hatch a beast egg."
Xi Yue's tone turned instructive. "That's simple. Your Shura Blood Energy can nourish all life, and beasts are particularly drawn to blood energy. When you cultivate and absorb blood energy, divert a portion of it into the egg. This process will not only nurture the creature but could also awaken latent dragon bloodlines within it. With luck, you might even hatch a true Spirit Python."
Mu Feng's eyes lit up with excitement. "A Spirit Python? That's worth a shot."
Splitting the Loot
Mu Feng carefully stored all the items, including the eggs, into his spatial storage ring. The ring's convenience far surpassed lugging around a bulky backpack.
"By the way, Yue'er, since you're the spirit of the Shura Divine Jade, are there other techniques stored within it? Like advanced Yuan Arts?" Mu Feng asked, a mischievous grin on his face.
"There are," Xi Yue replied after a pause. "But most of them are beyond your current capabilities. Let me see… For now, you're best suited to practice Yellow-grade Yuan Arts. I've found a selection: two blade techniques, a finger technique, a fist technique, and a sword technique. Which one interests you?"
"What's the blade technique called?" Mu Feng asked. His primary weapon was the blade, with the spear being secondary for mounted combat.
"One is called Tiger Slash Overlord Blade, a high-damage technique that channels all your Yuan Energy into a single devastating strike. It's powerful but energy-intensive. The other is Breaking Waves Nine Cuts, a balanced technique that's less taxing and more versatile."
Xi Yue hesitated briefly before adding, "Given your strong and pure Yuan Energy reserves, I recommend Tiger Slash Overlord Blade. It aligns with your natural strengths and maximizes your explosive power."
"Alright, let's go with that one!" Mu Feng said enthusiastically. "Oh, and what's the finger technique about?"
"That one is called Golden Breaker Finger. It trains your sword finger to be as tough as steel. Once mastered, you can unleash concentrated energy strikes using just your fingers, mimicking the sharpness of a blade."
Mu Feng's eyes gleamed with interest. "Sounds like an excellent surprise tactic. I'll take that one too."
As they prepared to leave, Mu Feng couldn't help but glance again at the white egg nestled in his storage ring. A sense of anticipation filled him—what kind of creature would emerge from it?