In the world of cultivation, one grinds for proficiency and longevity.

Fortunately, another flock of birds flew in from the distance. "Look, girl, those...evil birds, they're back again?"

The woman first looked up, then glared at Chen Changqing with annoyance. "This is a half-tier spirit bird. Not only is it cunning, but it's also incredibly fast. Didn't you see how I missed hitting it twice when it was right in front of me?"

It means this bird is quite extraordinary; you might not even be able to hit it if it were right in front of you, let alone when it's flying in the sky.

Chen Changqing remained silent, holding the four steel balls between his fingers, and slightly raised his head to gaze at the sky.

Zhou Youran saw through Chen Changqing's intentions and sneered inwardly, thinking that this man was really fanciful.

However, thinking that the birds might land nearby, they did not choose to make things difficult for or disturb Chen Changqing at this time.

call out!call out!call out!call out!

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Changqing swiftly made his move—

The steel ball hit its mark precisely. After a few pleasant muffled thuds, the five birds didn't even have time to struggle before tumbling and falling like windmills.

It's worth mentioning that the largest bird almost had to dodge Chen Changqing's master-level spiritual energy flick, which shows how difficult it is for ordinary people to defeat them.

"Wow! Wow! Young master, you're amazing!"

Before Chen Changqing could speak, the woman darted out and headed straight for her prey.

Before long, they returned home laden with their spoils, amidst the envious gazes of everyone.

Returning to her original position, Zhou Youran looked at Chen Changqing, her eyes becoming clear and bright, and her attitude becoming dignified and polite:

"I almost forgot, Young Master Chen is someone who can even break magical artifacts, so killing a mere bird is a piece of cake for him."

Let me introduce myself again. My name is Zhou Youran, and I am at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Ok?

Is this...the same person as before?

How fickle!

"As you know, Chen Changqing." Then, Chen Changqing pointed to the prey hanging on her body, "I wonder if it's enough to compensate you, young lady?"

"I can only shoot three birds at most with two arrows." Zhou Youran handed the other two birds to Chen Changqing. "Here, these are yours."

"Here, take it as compensation for what I did earlier."

Chen Changqing waved his hand.

Actually, he also wanted to eat the birds, but he noticed that they all had ruffled feathers, which would be troublesome to prepare, so he decided against it.

"Wow! Wow! Young Master Chen, you are so generous!"

Zhou Youran's eyes darted around quickly, as if she was thinking about something. After a while, she said again:

"Young Master Chen, let me tell you the truth. This bird is called a 'Papaya Bird.' Not only is its meat delicious, but it also has many health benefits. Otherwise, why do you think I would have moved here specifically to make it easier to catch this bird?"

"Papaya bird! That's a name?!"

Chen Changqing glanced at the person's chest, then revealed a look of sudden realization, "In that case, I definitely can't eat it."

"Oh, no. This bird woman benefits a lot from eating it, and men benefit just as much. Besides, it also helps improve cultivation."

To improve one's cultivation level...

"Then come over and help me, I'll show you what I'm capable of—"

Yakitori!

"Yay, this is great! I'm getting tired of drinking stewed bird soup every day!"

Fifteen minutes later, Zhou Youran was already boiling water and plucking feathers, busy with various tasks and very diligent.

Chen Changqing took out his treasured cumin, pepper, and rice wine, and even found lychee wood to use as firewood.

He might be an average cook, but he's an absolute expert at grilling. Back when he was traveling as a fairy, he showed off his grilling skills with a chicken, which impressed Zhou Chengjun so much that Zhou Chengjun later risked his life to save him.

In addition, Fang Qingxue's infatuation with Chen Changqing in the secular world should also be attributed to this aspect.

However, Chen Changqing was rather lazy in this regard. Not only had Li Erniu never tasted his cooking, but he himself hadn't eaten it many times either.

Perhaps they didn't want people to know how good he was at cooking, so they often asked him to cook.

If Zhou Youran hadn't provided enough emotional value this time, and if he hadn't encountered the fact that eating this prey could improve his cultivation, he might not have made an exception.

About half an hour later, the pickled papaya bird was put on the shelf, and soon it sizzled with oil and smelled delicious.

"Young master, it smells so good! It looks delicious!"

Zhou Youran stared at the golden-brown roasted papaya bird, her eyes shining, and she kept swallowing her saliva, looking every bit like a glutton.

"Wait a minute, don't rush, it will taste even better after the juices have reduced." Chen Changqing hadn't grilled in a long time, but he still handled it with ease.

"I'll listen to Brother Chen."

Look, Zhou Youran changed her way of addressing me before we even ate, which shows how amazing her cooking skills are.

The moment Zhou Youran took a bite of the grilled meat, she froze, and then tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

"Why are you crying? Is it so bad?"

"No... Brother Chen, it's amazing, absolutely delicious!"

"Then why?"

"I'm heartbroken, thinking about all the junk we used to eat..."

"Poor child, then eat more."

After eating a whole papaya bird, Chen Changqing not only felt a burning sensation in his lower abdomen, but his cultivation level also increased by one point.

Indeed, it's worth trying.

"Brother Chen, why don't we go inside and eat?"

Zhou Youran looked out into the courtyard and said this.

Why?

Chen Changqing was puzzled.

"My two sisters also hunt birds nearby, and I'm afraid they'll be attracted by the smell and come over to steal my food,"

Zhou Youran looked flustered and ate even faster, no longer caring about her ladylike image.

"There's no need for that. It would make me, Chen Changqing, seem petty."

In a few days, Chen Changqing will regret those words, but that's another story.

"This papaya bird is really something!"

After eating the second bird, Chen Changqing's cultivation level still increased, and he exclaimed in amazement.

"Hehe, Brother Chen, I wasn't lying to you, was I? Women who eat this papaya bird will have beautiful skin and fuller breasts; men who eat it will have enhanced virility and sperm count. Even the elders of the library love to eat it."

Your clothes are barely covering you, aren't you satisfied yet...?

"Such a fine bird, if we catch it, won't the Duan family cause us trouble?" Chen Changqing asked.

Zhou Youran shook her head:

"At first, when these birds came to our Cuiya Lake to steal the spirit fish, we didn't dare to catch them and only drove them away. Later, the Duan family probably saw that the number of birds they released was not small, and they tasted the sweetness of it, so they released more and more recklessly."

After that, we sent people to the Duan family to reason with them. The Duan family, relying on their three Foundation Establishment elders, said something like, "Where the birds go is their freedom," and they couldn't control it! However, they allowed cultivators from our Zhou family below the fourth level of Qi Refining to hunt birds, and they wouldn't investigate how many birds they caught!

The Duan family's actions are truly despicable! Everyone knows that their birds are incredibly agile; even a Qi Refining Level 4 cultivator like myself would struggle to catch two in a whole day.

"Oh, I see. So, you moved in with Miss Liu just to make it easier to catch birds?"

"Living with Miss Liu? Not at all, Brother Chen, you're only half right. Miss Liu is already married."

"Get married?"

In my memory, Liu Feifei was a very strong and ambitious person. How did she suddenly get married?

Chen Changqing was genuinely surprised.

"Brother Chen, you don't know?"

Immediately afterward, Zhou Youran briefly mentioned that Liu Feifei had been betrayed by her lover and then married Zhou Guang as a concubine.

Oh, so it was the loss of the support of "love"...

Chen Changqing instantly felt that it made perfect sense.

"Brother Chen mentioned her, could it be that you have feelings for Miss Liu...?"

When Zhou Youran said this, she puffed out her full chest.