From waterfowl, it began to transform into the Great Sun Golden Crow.

Gu Heting closed his eyes and lay down on the couch beside his straw nest.

The grassy patch was small, just some bent reeds. The riverbank was clear and calm, without a single wave.

"My little doghouse is still the most comfortable. Lying on it, I feel like an immortal."

"Cool!"

Reed marshes on Shenzhou Island.

He had just leveled this ground. Where he couldn't level it, he used his beak to bend it. The area is rich in aquatic life, with small fish and shrimp.

The evening breeze is so pleasant; it's really comfortable to sleep here.

Gu Heting stepped onto the waterbird's webbed feet. He rubbed his wings against the stalks of reeds.

Next to his doghouse was a half-eaten jujube.

As soon as he swallowed the water spirit fruit, a surge of watery gas rose in his stomach. His stomach became bloated, and now he could only lie there in the reeds, lost in thought.

"I want to eat yellow croaker."

"Eat sea bass."

"Eat ribbonfish."

"I don't want to eat plain food."

Even in the world of cultivation, fish possessing spiritual energy are still very rare. Floating in the lake are mostly whitebait. Fortunately, they are birds and beasts, so swallowing them whole is no problem.

My stomach is so bloated.

The spiritual energy from the Water Spirit Fruit is too potent. This thing is like ginseng! I feel like it's going to give me a nosebleed.

Even now, Gu Heting has no concept of the innate spiritual fruit.

All things nurtured by spiritual energy are the essence of the sun and moon, and the embellishment of heaven and earth. They come in the wind and go in the rain, bearing fruit over a hundred years.

Sunlight and luster are both indispensable.

He downed more than half of it in one gulp, and naturally became weak. Even if Feng Xianshu didn't record it, it doesn't mean it wasn't a highly nourishing substance.

"System, system. Open the Phoenix-Carrying Book."

The proclamation slowly appeared before his eyes. The customer didn't even have the strength to reach out. He couldn't even move his feet.

He could only use his little bird beak to support the phoenix-carried book.

I had just turned to Chapter 2 when I saw the illustration of the Water Spirit Fruit.

[A mortal item from the cultivation world: Water Spirit Fruit.]

[Entirely bluish-green in color. Inside is a ring, each ring representing 100 years. This is a piece of water spirit over 200 years old.]

[Suitable for cultivators with water-elemental roots, this is a daily supplement for them. It has the effect of storing water and nourishing essence, and is suitable for replenishing qi for those with water-elemental roots.]

It typically grows in low-lying swamps and areas with abundant moisture.

[Comment: This is a mundane product, containing too many impurities. Newly initiated Foundation Establishment cultivators should absolutely not consume it in large quantities.]

Do not eat too much?

"I'm so awesome, why didn't you say so sooner?"

Gu Heting's belly was swollen. He pecked at the stones around him, swallowing small pebbles and sand, which, according to bird habits, should aid digestion.

Sunset West Mountain.

The small fish and shrimp in the lake seemed to sense Gu Heting's spiritual energy and all avoided him. It wasn't until evening that Gu Heting recovered.

Now he only dares to take a small bite of the water spirit fruit he has.

Having learned his lesson, he dared not eat any more.

"Book, activate the treasure hunt feature."

The phoenix-shaped book was slightly unfurled. A few streaks of light flashed. The pages turned rapidly. Soon, two more pictures appeared.

[One: Thousand Water-Condensing Grass, found in the muddy ground of a swampy depression. Covered in the soil. Probability of appearance: 0.0038%. It is not recommended that the host search for it.]

[Moonlight condenses into frost, white dew turns to frost. This item is used to awaken the water-based Moonlight skill. This skill reaches its peak at night.]

[Two: Evergreen Heartfire Spirit Bamboo. Commonly grows on the backs of Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts. Has a symbiotic relationship with some slow-moving demonic beasts. Appearance probability: 99%.]

[Fireflies shimmer like fire. A phoenix ignites a prairie fire. This item is used to awaken area-of-effect fire skills.]

"what?"

What's going on?

99%. What kind of plane is this?

Unbeknownst to him, Gu Heting felt waves of burning sensation. This burning sensation was excruciating, leaving him unable to recover.

Looking back, I realized...

The entire reed marsh was engulfed in flames. The raging inferno resembled shooting stars. A few streaks of fire had already obscured Gu Heting's forehead.

"grass"

My doghouse.

The water spirit fruit that Gu Heting had tucked between his wings fell to the ground. The entire reed marsh, carried by the evening wind, spread like wildfire. The fire was quickly becoming uncontrollable.

Who started the fire? Didn't your mother tell you to pee your pants if you played with fire?

The pungent smell of burning wafted over several times.

Where is that burnt smell coming from?

The smell of burning coals was very strong, like some large wild beast being roasted. The stench of the animal filled the air, making the waterbird feel nauseous.

Looking around, Gu Heting's spiritual vision was fully activated. Everything beyond a hundred meters could be perceived.

Passing through the raging fire, a saber-toothed tiger with two fangs appeared on one side of the reeds. Gu Heting recognized the saber-toothed tiger. It was the first time he had seen it when he awakened his spiritual power.

The saber-toothed tiger's body was covered with burn marks.

Its upper fur had long since been charred. A huge salamander was perched on its body.

Clearly, the saber-toothed tiger was already dead; it made no sound.

The enormous salamander moved slowly, its eyesight deteriorated. But a ring of fire surrounded its body, bursting from its gills.

The spiritual power stored within his body was even more immense than that of the water bird he was.

It was another fight between two beasts.

This blessed land of Dongting Lake actually has its own ecosystem. Indeed, wild beasts can never escape their nature.

Even if they are equal to cultivators.

They are nothing more than unintelligent wild beasts.

"This...this is the Ten-Thousand-Year Pure Heart Fire Spirit Bamboo."

Suddenly, the Phoenix-Inlaid Book within Gu Heting's body appeared before his eyes. Soon, the fiery salamander was recorded. At the same time, the ten-thousand-year-old Pure Heart Fire Spirit Bamboo on his body was also drawn in the book.

[Like fireflies, yet engulfed in flames. A mid-stage Core Formation stage demonic beast.]

[Fire Salamander.]

[Its back is covered with fire moss. It has a symbiotic relationship with the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Pure Heart Fire Spirit Bamboo.]

[The Heart-Clearing Fire-Invigorating Bamboo uses moss as fertilizer.]

[Note: Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all part of the natural order. The strong prevail, the weak eke out a living. Everything in the world has its own way of survival.]

Their symbiotic relationship is mutually binding. The Fire Spirit Bamboo provides fire-type spiritual energy, while the Fire Salamander provides the conditions for growth.

[Note: A treasure that can only grow in a symbiotic relationship.]

[It often parasitizes slow-moving spirit beasts.]

[Can awaken fire-type skills.]

Holy crap, are you trying to rob me?

To negotiate with a tiger for its skin, or to take something from a bag—this is the norm for cultivators. Fighting for opportunities is commonplace. In this world of cultivation, opportunities are fleeting.

Any form of exorbitant profit and risky returns can coexist.

Is it worth risking your life for this?

Is it worth it or not?

This question troubled Gu Heting, who was lost in thought.

"Ah, the living have no fear, the dead have no way out."

That's all for now.

Gu Heting had nothing to fear anymore. Your opportunities were in my hands. How could I let them slip away so easily?

So what if it's a Core Formation Demon?

I am, after all, a spirit beast that has gained intelligence. Compared to others, I have an extra brain.

Thinking of this, Gu Heting's eyes were no longer confused.

His feet stomped lightly on the reeds, minimizing the sound. The spiritual energy of the water surged wildly within him.

Now, his exploration of the surroundings has reached its limit.

"How can an egg remain intact if you try to pull a tooth from a tiger's mouth?"

We'll give it our all.