Chapter 14: Did You Stew the Chicken?

“Damn it, next time don’t let me see you again.”

Although it wasn’t a person, being seen naked by a chicken was still unbearably irritating to Zhang Long. If that rooster had been even a little slower, it would have fallen victim to his wrath.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

Zhou Yan, who was just about to leave, paused in surprise and turned her head, deeply puzzled.

“This is the Spirit Sword Peak. How could there be a chicken crowing here?”

She swept her gaze around and spotted a large rooster flapping its wings, running straight toward her.

A strange look flashed in Zhou Yan’s eyes. Usually, she had to go into the mountains to catch chickens to eat—what was going on today, with a rooster delivering itself to her door?

“If only Senior Brother were here,” she sighed, unable to help herself from drooling as memories of Xiao Yang’s beggar’s chicken and salt-baked chicken surfaced. The more she thought about it, the more her eyes brimmed with tears.

At that moment, Xiao Yang was trapped in the Cave of Ten Thousand Insects, his fate uncertain. Zhou Yan herself, after her reckless actions the day before, had been grounded for seven days by Zhou Jingpeng. She was forbidden to go anywhere.

She was just trying to sneak out while Zhou Jingpeng was away, hoping to check on Xiao Yang at the Cave of Ten Thousand Insects.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

Just then, the rooster had already reached her.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

After watching for a while and confirming that she was indeed the woman he was looking for, the rooster crowed with excitement.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

Seeing its enthusiastic manner, Zhou Yan was stunned. Why did it feel as if this chicken recognized her?

But she quickly dismissed the thought.

“How could that be? It’s just an ordinary chicken, not even a demon beast.”

She muttered under her breath and prepared to leave—when Zhou Jingpeng returned, escape would be impossible.

But as soon as she lifted her foot, a stern voice sounded not far off.

“Yan’er, where do you think you’re going?”

Her body trembled slightly, and an expression of frustration appeared on her face.

Zhou Jingpeng was back. Today, she probably wouldn’t be able to get out.

Thinking of this, she glared at the rooster blocking her path and felt a surge of anger.

“It’s all your fault I can’t visit Senior Brother! I’m going to eat you!”

If not for this rooster suddenly blocking her way, she’d have left already. The more she thought, the angrier she grew, and she decided to vent her frustration by slaughtering the wretched bird.

She drew her sword, ready to kill the chicken.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

The rooster froze at first, but when it saw the flash of cold steel, it quickly jumped aside, then retreated several steps, its beady eyes full of confusion.

Why would the mistress want to kill him? Didn’t the master say she had a good temper?

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!” he called out, feeling wronged.

Zhou Yan stared at the sword that had cut only air, momentarily stunned. She hadn’t used her full strength, but even so, an ordinary rooster shouldn’t have been able to dodge.

“Hmph! I’m definitely going to eat you today.”

Her fighting spirit was sparked. With a light tap of her foot, she lunged at the rooster with her sword again.

The rooster dodged in a fluster, anxiously crying out.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

But Zhou Yan took this as provocation.

“So, you dare mock me? Take this!”

She attacked even faster. Several times her blade brushed right past the rooster, narrowly missing it.

The duel lasted a full quarter of an hour, yet not once did Zhou Yan land a blow.

“Damn it!” she fumed, gritting her teeth as she glared fiercely at the rooster.

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

She was about to strike again when Zhou Jingpeng stopped her.

As a Martial Marquis-level master, he could tell at a glance that this rooster was no ordinary bird.

“Yan’er, stop!”

“No, I’m going to eat it!” Zhou Yan replied angrily.

Zhou Jingpeng took one look at his daughter and knew she was just being petulant. He could only try to soothe her.

“Don’t kill it, Yan’er. This rooster is unusual.”

But Zhou Yan was stubborn, retorting crossly, “If there’s a problem, that’s easy to fix! Put it in the pot and stew it for a while—everything’s solved.”

Zhou Jingpeng couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. If she did that, even if they found the problem, it would be too late for anything else.

“Don’t be willful. Listen to me,” he urged.

“I won’t! I’m definitely stewing it today!” Zhou Yan huffed, determined to kill and cook the chicken.

Meanwhile, the rooster looked at Zhou Jingpeng, feeling that he seemed familiar. It trotted over, and upon confirming this was Xiao Yang’s master, it immediately put on a wronged expression, crowing in a much lower tone than before and glancing frequently at Zhou Yan—as if complaining.

Zhou Jingpeng was taken aback; he had never seen such an intelligent rooster.

“This creature’s intelligence far exceeds its kind,” he thought. It could so clearly express its displeasure and grievances—something even high-ranking demon beasts found difficult.

His interest in the rooster grew. He reached out and picked it up, surprised to find that the rooster, as if recognizing him, didn’t resist at all.

“What’s this?” he muttered, noticing something tied around its neck.

He untied it, discovering a note written in a familiar hand: “Master, Junior Sister, I am well. Don’t worry.” At the bottom were the characters “Xiao Yang.”

“Hahaha! Good boy, you haven’t let me down,” Zhou Jingpeng laughed, his eyes lighting up with pleasure and his face beaming with pride.

Seeing her father so delighted, Zhou Yan came over and took the note. When she read the words, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling again.

“That’s wonderful. Senior Brother is safe.”

As Zhou Yan approached, the rooster shrank its neck, a look of fear in its eyes—this near miss had almost cost him his life.

Zhou Jingpeng was astonished. How could a chicken display so many expressions? He decided to test it.

“Little one, are you Xiao Yang’s battle beast?”

The rooster nodded vigorously, clearly answering yes—he was Xiao Yang’s battle beast, pleading for Zhou Jingpeng to stop the girl from attacking him.

“This really is a freak of nature,” Zhou Jingpeng murmured after a long while, gazing at the rooster in his hands. His disciple must also be a strange one, or else he wouldn’t have raised such an odd rooster.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Rooster!” Zhou Yan’s attitude changed completely once she realized this was Xiao Yang’s battle beast. She reached out to stroke its head, but the rooster shied away, shrinking its neck—obviously still frightened by what had just happened. This woman had drawn her sword on him without giving him a chance to explain!

Zhou Yan awkwardly withdrew her hand, but felt guilty. The rooster had come so far without reward, and instead she’d chased him with a sword. She wanted to make it up to him.

“Mr. Rooster, please forgive me. I’ll make you something delicious, how about that?” she pleaded, eyes full of remorse.

The rooster was moved by the promise of good food and nodded immediately.

“I’ll carry him!” Zhou Yan said, and as soon as the rooster agreed, she snatched him from Zhou Jingpeng’s arms and rushed off to the kitchen.

Zhou Jingpeng could only smile wryly—he really had no way to deal with his daughter.

“She’s getting more and more outrageous,” he muttered, turning back to his own room.

As soon as he entered the room, the rooster shuddered at the sight of a cooked, golden feathered chicken on the table, shrinking his neck in fright, inwardly exclaiming, “How cruel!”

Noticing the rooster’s reaction, Zhou Yan glanced over, feeling a bit embarrassed. She hastily put away the unfinished roast chicken.

This scene left the rooster trembling with fear, deeply regretting having followed Zhou Yan inside.