The golden calf remained silent, neither mooing nor nodding or shaking its head, just calmly gazing at Chu Feng as if pondering something.
"I think there's something strange about this calf; it's better not to provoke it," Zhou Quan spoke up. He had been a bit scared by what happened earlier and didn't want to focus on the golden calf anymore.
"Pollen, catalyst." Suddenly, Chu Feng uttered these words.
When Lin Nuoyi graduated and left school, her family had sent a car to pick her up. These words were vaguely mentioned back then, but he was kept at a distance and couldn't hear clearly.
After saying these words, the golden calf's eyes sparkled, and it nodded at him, finally showing some response.
It could understand Chu Feng's words, those few words touched a nerve.
Chu Feng was slightly lost in thought. The so-called exotic fruits might not be the most important; the pollen from some peculiar flowers might be more critical. He inferred such a conclusion.
Even so, when Chu Feng asked other questions, it still didn't answer, showing no reaction.
"I once saw a bronze mountain on the western plateau that appeared after being struck by lightning. A strange plant took root there, with blossoms that exuded an incomparable fragrance even from afar, making one feel light and airy, almost like they were about to ascend to immortality."
Chu Feng said this to test it.
Zhou Quan was somewhat stunned, quietly listening.
Sure enough, the golden calf couldn't remain calm, becoming emotionally agitated, coming closer, nodding continuously, and mooing as if urging him to continue speaking.
Chu Feng felt puzzled. Were the flowers of that small tree really that important? He had come into contact with them before, only feeling a faint warm current without any other anomalies.
But looking at the excited state of the golden calf, its desire for the blossoms of that tree far exceeded its reaction to seeing Zhou Quan's red fruit earlier.
"I met a giant golden bird, a divine Tibetan mastiff, and a big black bull of your kind there." Chu Feng spoke while observing its expression.
This golden calf had expressions as rich as humans. Upon hearing this, it grinned, showing astonishment and tension, caring deeply about the outcome of this matter.
"In our world, yaks and Tibetan mastiffs don't count among the top intelligent primates, their wisdom hasn't fully awakened, but those few creatures appearing on the bronze mountain are very different, more spiritual than humans."
Chu Feng watched its reaction and slowly spoke, thus speculating.
Indeed, upon hearing this, the golden calf showed a solemn look, seemingly taking great importance to those creatures.
"I think that in that environment back then, they all could awaken their intelligence, facing no rivals on the western plateau. So, after this world's transformation, they might become even more extraordinary, even achieving sainthood."
The golden calf listened intently, nodding unconsciously, clearly an instinctive behavior, acknowledging this viewpoint.
Suddenly, it came back to its senses, calming down, showing no emotional fluctuations, unwilling to reveal what it was thinking.
However, Chu Feng saw clearly, confirming his suspicions.
"I think, after the drastic changes in our world, can we call it the primal stage? In this early primal period, it's easy to... achieve sainthood?" Chu Feng carefully chose his words, trying to find a term to describe that unknown level.
The golden calf's pupils contracted, obviously touched by his words again.
"You guys keep rushing here, indicating that the so-called primal stage is beyond imagination, all seeking opportunities for sainthood?!" Chu Feng reiterated.
Zhou Quan was shocked, then felt immensely impressed. Chu Feng deduced various vague outlines of possible occurrences after the change from some details.
Now, even Zhou Quan grasped some directions, secretly amazed, starting to follow Chu Feng's thoughts in conjecture.
The golden calf looked at Chu Feng with obvious friendliness, even some regard, at least not with the same look it gave Zhou Quan.
"What do you mean? Looking at me like I'm an idiot, full of contempt and disdain, but treating him equally, even valuing him. You little calf, you're driving me mad!" Zhou Quan felt hurt.
Especially now, the golden calf was grinning silently, mocking him, with a gaze too obvious to ignore.
In the latter half of the night, the mountains were quiet, far from the exit of the Taihang Mountains, no longer feeling the terrifying aura emitted by fierce birds and beasts.
Moonlight flowed like water, pouring through the forest, with a hazy radiance flowing.
"Brother, was the little tree you saw on the bronze mountain really that magical? When the three monsters got the flowers, did you gain nothing?" Zhou Quan asked.
"I got four petals in my palm," Chu Feng replied.
"Really gained something?" Earlier, Zhou Quan had just casually asked. In his view, with such formidable Tibetan mastiffs and golden giant birds around, it was already good enough for Chu Feng to come down the mountain alive.
At this moment, the golden calf seemed very excited, directly rushing over, using its head to touch Chu Feng's palm, wide-eyed, as if trying hard to see something.
"It's been many days, long gone," Chu Feng smiled.
But the golden calf still wouldn't leave, circling around him, with a strange look, eventually standing upright, extending a front hoof, pointing at Chu Feng, with excitement and regret, a complex expression.
"What exactly do you know, tell me quickly!" Zhou Quan glared at the calf.
"Moo!" It mooed in response.
Zhou Quan was so angry he wanted to slap it but dared not.
Chu Feng walked ahead with Zhou Quan, and the golden calf followed behind, not leaving, seeming determined to follow all the way.
They headed towards the county town called Shunping, where Zhou Quan's home was located. After being delayed for so long, they were finally approaching.
"Bull calf, do you have a name? Following us constantly, we don't know how to address you, should we always call you little calf?" Zhou Quan turned back.
Then, he enthusiastically offered to name it.
"You're so small yet so mischievous, and a monster at that. I think calling you Bull Demon King would be both mighty and catchy." Zhou Quan strongly urged it to accept.
Bang!
As a result, he got hit by a hoof, falling flat on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.
"Damn you, Bull Demon King!" Zhou Quan struggled to stand up, feeling extremely angry and wanting to pounce forward for revenge.
Finally entering the county town, though small, it was already late at night, the streets silent, occasionally a cat running past, streetlights dim.
Chu Feng bid farewell to Zhou Quan, needing to walk another dozen miles to reach home.
Zhou Quan tried hard to persuade him to leave in the morning.
Chu Feng shook his head, having a hidden worry. If waiting until morning, those dozen miles might turn into dozens or even hundreds, with unpredictable changes in the world over the past two days.
"Brother, take care! Once I meet my family and settle down, I'll come looking for you," Zhou Quan said.
He understood that perhaps in the near future, the whole world would be different. This fellow townsman and friend made on the road was worth befriending.
Seeing the golden calf decisively follow Chu Feng without hesitation, not even looking back at him, Fat Zhou clenched his teeth in anger.
"You ungrateful calf, eating my strange grass, not even giving a sign at parting?!" Zhou Quan shouted from behind.
The golden calf heard but didn't turn back, moving slowly, raising its tail high, waving it at him.
Zhou Quan was dumbfounded. The tail raised high towards the sky, never seen before, was a sign of contempt.
"Get lost, you Bull Demon King!" Zhou Quan angrily said.
He wanted to help Chu Feng find a vehicle but was refused because the calf was too conspicuous with its golden color, unsuitable for too many people to see.
At this point, Fat Zhou was exhausted, wanting to fall asleep immediately, feeling some strange changes within his body since eating that fruit.
"Goodbye!"
Though it was late at night, it wasn't dark, with a bright moon hanging high, covering the earth in silver.
Under the moonlight, the golden calf shone brilliantly.
On the road, Chu Feng was curious, trying to stroke it, finding it truly had fur, not metal, smooth and soft like silk, except for the two cold, hard golden horns.
Qingyang Town, ten miles from the county town.
Chu Feng was born here, living until he was ten years old before going with his parents to Shuntian, a great city two hundred miles away.
Shuntian, known as the ancient capital of six dynasties, is the largest city in the north.
But over the years, every holiday, his family would return to Qingyang Town, feeling closer here.
Although it was already late at night, Chu Feng couldn't resist turning on his communicator, contacting his parents, connecting quickly.
During the day, he had already contacted them, knowing they were still in Shuntian, not having returned yet.
Now, knowing about the Taihang Mountain anomaly, very dangerous, if several fierce birds or giant beasts escaped, it would be a disaster, he didn't want his parents to return.
"Dad, I'm almost home."
After connecting the call, he briefly informed them of the situation, earnestly telling them not to come back, and that he might go over.
In Chu Feng's view, it was the center of the north, the largest city, if there was any danger, the protection should be the highest level.
The call lasted a long time, finally persuading his parents to wait in that great city.
The night was quiet, finally arriving home.
This was a two-story building on the easternmost side of Qingyang Town, with a large yard, adjacent to orchards, offering views of the Taihang Mountains, with unique scenery.
This was why Chu Feng's family liked to return here.
It was late at night, after bringing the golden calf into the yard, Chu Feng ignored it, feeling quite tired.
He went upstairs, entered his room, and fell asleep instantly.
In the morning, golden clouds poured into the room, the sun rising, emitting life-filled dawn glow.
Despite sleeping late, Chu Feng woke up at the first moment.
He turned on his communicator, checking for any sensational news, as various phenomena were happening everywhere, worth paying attention to.
"God-King?"
He was stunned, seeing reports online about this. In these two days, besides the mysterious young man who grew silver wings, three more cases of human mutation had appeared.
And it was confirmed that these three individuals had acquired incredibly supernatural abilities, with enthusiasts referring to them as God-Kings.
An article analyzed various aspects, stating that if this continued, more people might acquire supernatural abilities, possibly ushering in a mysterious grand era.
Those earliest possessing super abilities were likely to lead others, potentially being revered as God-Kings someday.
For example, the young man with silver wings taken by Tian Shen Biotech could now fly freely, unimaginable in the future!
Chu Feng put down his communicator, went downstairs into the yard.
He was immediately stunned, seeing the golden calf bathed in the brilliant dawn glow, its posture too strange.
At this moment, it sat like a person, hind legs crossed, forelegs naturally spread, facing the rising sun, breathing in the dawn glow.
This was too bizarre, clearly a cow, yet sitting like a person, seemingly meditating.
Chu Feng found it fascinating, noticing its breathing method had a strange rhythm, with an inexplicable pattern.
Curious, he stared for a long time, then followed its rhythm, attempting to mimic it.