Lin Nuoyi spoke concisely, her voice calm and distant, creating a sense of estrangement as it was the last time.
Chu Feng remained composed and invited her to dinner.
After a slight pause, Lin Nuoyi eventually agreed with a simple 'okay' and hung up without further communication.
Caught off guard, Chu Feng still had more to say, but unfortunately, Lin Nuoyi had already ended the call, leaving him no time.
He wanted to mention another woman, who she was, and ask Lin Nuoyi about recent events. However, he didn't dial back.
After all, they were about to meet; some things could be discussed face-to-face for clarity.
"What is this..."
Seeing a line written by Yellow Ox, Chu Feng was suddenly stunned.
"Rare earth mixed with secret blood."
These eight simple words brought many thoughts to Chu Feng's mind. Weren't these stones? Why were they referred to as rare earth, and why was there secret blood involved? Whose blood was it?
With many questions unanswered, he naturally asked for clarification.
Yellow Ox explained that those stone fragments were originally soil mixed with blood. Eventually, due to the dispersion of the essence of the secret blood, they solidified into stone blocks fused with the stone box.
"The creature possessing such blood must be extraordinary?" Chu Feng pressed on.
Yellow Ox told him that so-called secret blood indicated mystery, power, and immeasurability. The exact strength of such a creature was hard to determine!
Upon hearing this, Chu Feng picked up a piece of stone from the ground, crushed it into powder using his Niu Mo Fist, and tasted it just like Yellow Ox did.
"Pah!"
He spat it out immediately. Not tasting any secret blood, he found it extremely bitter, numbing his entire tongue.
"Ox King, are you tricking me?" Chu Feng looked displeased.
However, Yellow Ox was distracted, not paying attention, its ox eyes fixated on the stone box, holding it with its front hooves, unwilling to let go.
"Snap out of it!" Chu Feng waved his hand in front of Yellow Ox.
Yellow Ox snapped back to reality and began tapping the stone box with its front hooves, seemingly searching for something, convinced that this stone box was extraordinarily special!
After all, it had been stained with secret blood and once held by an extraordinary being.
Boom!
Finally, Yellow Ox used the Niu Mo Fist on the stone box, causing it to explode outward, crashing through the courtyard wall and landing in the orchard outside.
"What are you doing?!" Chu Feng wanted to hit it. This item was still useful to him, originating from the foot of Kunlun Mountain, possibly holding clues for the future.
Embarrassed, Yellow Ox followed Chu Feng to check the result.
The stone box remained intact, showing no signs of damage.
This surprised Chu Feng, knowing well how powerful Yellow Ox truly was when using the Niu Mo Fist imprint—capable of easily crushing ten-thousand-pound boulders into powder.
A three-inch-tall stone box remained unharmed, exuding an ancient and natural aura.
Yellow Ox grinned mischievously, taking advantage of Chu Feng's distraction to deliver three more kicks to the stone box, determined not to give up until it was shattered.
"Stupid cow!" Chu Feng exclaimed, quickly snatching it away, finding it still undamaged.
Yellow Ox grimaced, rubbing its front hooves vigorously, looking pained. It was the first time Chu Feng saw it suffer since meeting it.
"Serves you right!" Chu Feng laughed heartily.
Yellow Ox protested, suggesting the stone box might have some mechanism, having been in the possession of a creature with secret blood, possibly harboring secrets.
Chu Feng twitched his lips, refraining from revealing that the biggest secret was hiding three seeds. If fully informed, Yellow Ox would likely claim them immediately.
But he underestimated Yellow Ox.
Unable to figure out anything else, Yellow Ox stared at him with wide eyes, pointing a hoof accusingly, implying Chu Feng wasn't being fair.
Then, it dashed off, returning to the garden.
"Damn!" Chu Feng hurried after it.
Sure enough, the clever ox guarded the flower bed, carefully examining and almost wanting to pull out various nearby plants.
"Stop, even if you're trying to cover up, don't pull everything out!" Chu Feng whispered urgently.
Yellow Ox nodded instantly, gesturing for Chu Feng to stand back, warning not to accidentally harm the seeds underground.
This scene made Chu Feng want to scream in frustration.
This ox was too pragmatic! Initially, it mocked the seeds when buried, only to covet them upon realizing their value.
"It will grow gods, mine!" it wrote.
"Get lost!" Chu Feng pushed its head aside, warning not to mess around here.
Curious, he asked Yellow Ox how it guessed about the three seeds.
Yellow Ox calmly carved out that it had seen Chu Feng take the seeds from the stone box but hadn't paid much attention then.
Chu Feng sighed, saying, "I warn you, these are mine!"
Yellow Ox mooed discontentedly, implying sharing was caring, even threatening to eat the seeds if denied.
That night was quiet, stars twinkling, moonlight pouring down.
In the courtyard, Chu Feng practiced a special breathing technique under the moonlight, ending soon after.
Back in his room, Chu Feng browsed various reports, especially those about strange beings and Taihang Mountain, catching his particular interest.
"Reportedly, senior executives of Tian Shen Bioware have set out for Taihang Mountain, expected to arrive tomorrow."
This report included detailed analysis, stating Tian Shen Bioware aimed to acquire the peculiar fruit, hoping to create another Silver-winged Celestial Being.
If successful, who could rival them?!
Some rumors suggested Silver-winged Celestial Beings might be immune to heat weapons, terrifying everyone with their immense power.
Additionally, reports noted the increasing number of strange beings due to environmental changes, now conservatively estimated at around one hundred thousand.
Among them emerged superpowers.
Besides the top four, someone compiled a list of the hundred strongest, likened to gods reincarnate.
Chu Feng studied the list, which revealed only a dozen names. With too many strange beings, comprehensive ranking was difficult, focusing on widely recognized strong ones.
For instance, one could transform into a six-meter-tall golden giant, possessing godlike strength and bulletproof skin.
Even claiming to challenge the Big Four.
Another individual, enveloped in radiant light, mastered lightning, undefeated so far.
Chu Feng took note seriously, recognizing the world's vast array of formidable beings.
Later, he read other reports.
"Bodhi Genes making big moves, Diamond personally leading the charge!"
This eye-catching report announced Bodhi Genes entering Taihang Mountain, clearly aiming to compete with Tian Shen Bioware for the fruit.
Diamond, Bodhi Genes' top expert, would personally attend!
This sparked huge waves. Was Bodhi Genes confronting Tian Shen Bioware?
Would Diamond clash with Silver-winged Celestial Being, resulting in a peak showdown?!
This created a massive sensation!
Everyone wondered about the report's authenticity. If true, it promised excitement, sure to ignite online buzz.
Chu Feng found numerous reports about Taihang Mountain, predicting thousands of strange beings gathering for the fruit.
Because the allure of the fruit was irresistible!
Now, people knew ordinary mutated grass could produce fruits capable of creating strange beings.
Mutated trees produced even more astonishing results, so far yielding only four cases: Silver-winged Celestial Being, Diamond, Fire Spirit, White Tiger King.
They stood atop the pyramid, overseeing other strange beings!
Who wouldn't aspire to join their ranks? Rumors claimed they were immune to heat weapons.
Especially ambitious individuals seeking secondary mutations, hoping to surpass Diamond, Fire Spirit, and others.
"Wake up, surpassing them is nearly impossible. They didn't rely solely on one fruit to awaken their powers. They consumed fruits from the small tree supplemented by other mysterious fruits," someone warned.
Simultaneously, a leaked video went viral instantly.
"Oh my God, it's footage of Silver-winged Celestial Being fighting!"
"How did this leak happen? Such confidential material!"
The internet erupted. This night wouldn't be calm.
In the video, a young man with silver hair cascading to his waist radiated brilliance, his pupils also silver. Exuding an outstanding and handsome appearance, he seemed transcendent, godlike!
It showed him battling several strange beings simultaneously, effortlessly dispatching them with a single punch.
"So cool!" Many women screamed.
The video caused a great sensation.
Especially at the end, when a strange being wielding an alloy blade continued attacking despite defeat. Silver-winged Celestial Being spread his wings, snapping the blade in half.
The video ended here.
"Incredible, truly living up to his name!"
The internet exploded with admiration, many cheering for more displays of Silver-winged Celestial Being's prowess.
Undoubtedly, his popularity soared. Once shrouded in mystery, his true appearance and power now known, captivating many, especially young women.
Chu Feng watched the video, feeling pressure to improve himself.
"He masters a mysterious fist technique, taught by a master within Tian Shen Bioware?" he pondered.
The next day, Lin Nuoyi arrived, contacting Chu Feng directly, informing him someone would pick him up shortly.