Chapter Eight: The Wrathful Sun Chicken (Continued) The contract has already been sent—please cast your recommendation votes!

As Li Yang drew closer, the Angry Sunshine Rooster’s eyes grew increasingly wary, emitting a low “gugu” warning from its throat.

“Very good, let’s see what you’re capable of…” Far from alarmed, Li Yang was delighted and his interest was thoroughly piqued by this reaction.

From the pocket of his hemp robe, the Golden Toad leapt out, swelling in the wind until it became the size of a calf, squatting imposingly on the ground.

Faced with the gigantic toad, the Angry Sunshine Rooster showed not the slightest fear; instead, its previous languor vanished. It stood tall, revitalized.

“Crow—oo—oo!” it cried, a piercing crow full of the power to distinguish yin from yang. The scarlet comb atop its head visibly deepened in color, blazing like a crimson lotus of fire—a truly resplendent sight, like the great sun illuminating the world.

“Excellent!” Li Yang’s delight only grew at this display. The Angry Sunshine Rooster was indeed as fearless and formidable as the tales suggested; no wonder it dared stand against the Six-Winged Centipede, which had already refined an inner elixir, in the original story.

The Golden Toad, too, now sensed a subtle threat from the rooster and abandoned all trace of disdain. Its round, headlight-like eyes spun ceaselessly.

With a cluck, the Angry Sunshine Rooster sprang into the air, its talons hooked like silver sickles slashing down at the Golden Toad’s head, its beak aimed directly for the toad’s bulbous eyes.

The Golden Toad opened its mouth with a resounding “gwa!” and inhaled deeply. A white wave of air shot forth like an arrow, faster than the rooster’s attack. Feathers exploded in a flurry through the air, the battle scene devolving into chaos. In that instant, a tongue slick with mucus lashed out, ensnaring the rooster midair as it lost balance, binding it tightly.

Seeing the Angry Sunshine Rooster crash to the ground, still struggling fiercely, Li Yang let out a soft chuckle and paid it little mind.

The Golden Toad, whose bloodline he’d awakened and cultivated these past days, was no longer what it once was. Imposing as the Angry Sunshine Rooster might be, its bloodline had yet to be fully awakened; it was no true match for the Golden Toad.

“Impressive technique, my friend…” Watching the rooster subdued in a heartbeat, the elderly Miao tribesman looked at Li Yang with growing awe, unconcealed envy in his eyes as he gazed at the calf-sized toad.

Though his own inheritance was incomplete, his discerning eye could still recognize the immense value of this exotic Golden Toad—no less rare than his own Angry Sunshine Rooster.

In this age where the arts of cultivation were fading, such ancient beasts were increasingly rare. For someone as young as Li Yang to possess both profound cultivation and such a spirit beast for protection—how could one not be envious?

If only he knew that Li Yang had not even cultivated for half a year, who knows what he would think.

“Bind…” Fixing his gaze on the rooster, Li Yang intoned an incantation, then shouted. Instantly, a drop of radiant red essence blood forced its way out, transforming mid-air into a rune brimming with primordial, barbaric energy.

Seeing the rune take shape, the rooster panicked, a primal sense of doom driving it to struggle even harder, but it was futile. Helplessly, it watched the blood rune descend into its crimson comb, flickering a few times before merging within.

Li Yang let out a long breath, his face turning deathly pale, vision swimming as he staggered a few steps before sitting cross-legged, steadying himself with the help of the Golden Toad.

This was no task for ordinary men. Fortunately, his cultivation followed the core method of the Human Immortal path, internal refinement. Otherwise, just that drop of essence blood would have cost a normal person their life.

Human Immortal cultivation was all about vital energy and blood; expending essence blood meant depleting one’s very foundation. What’s more, that drop contained the vital energy of his cultivation. If not for the Golden Toad’s devouring power last time, recovery would have been anything but easy.

Despite his extreme weakness, Li Yang dared not relax. He pressed both hands tightly to the rooster’s body, altering his breathing. A hazy red glow spread forth.

A clarion crow resounded in Li Yang’s mind. With it, a red sun vaulted above the horizon, turning a shadowed world brilliant. In that shining realm stood a radiant, multicolored divine rooster.

Suddenly, a swarm of venomous insects and demonic fog, black as thunderclouds, blotted out the sky, drifting in from the edge of the world. The golden sun was darkened, the land plunged into gloom, and countless ghosts appeared, surging toward the divine rooster.

Basking in sunlight, the rooster was enraged by this assault. With a triumphant crow, it shattered a multitude of demons and monsters, which fell like rain to the earth. Then, stretching its neck, the rooster inhaled, drawing all the evil spirits and malicious energies into its belly as multicolored vapor.

“Drive out poison, dispel illusions, devour ghosts, and consume evil!” The vision shattered; eight ancient pictograms flickered in Li Yang’s mind, then merged into two—“Exorcism”—which finally stabilized.

He opened his eyes. The rooster he had refined showed little change in form, only slightly larger. Its comb now faintly emitted wisps of black and white energy; its tail feathers were vibrant, each distinct. Its spirit was thoroughly renewed, and it circled Li Yang energetically.

“Cough, cough… good!” Li Yang forced himself to rally, coughing twice as he tried to rise, but found himself too weak.

“My friend, you must forgive me…” He offered a wan smile to the Miao elder, whose expression was deeply conflicted, and directed the Golden Toad to ferry him onto its back with its tongue.

“No need for apologies, my friend. If anything, your determination puts me to shame. To the point of sacrificing your cultivation for the Angry Sunshine Rooster’s bloodline—perhaps it’s fortunate for him to follow you now…” The Miao elder looked at the transformed rooster with a complicated gaze. “By the way, you mentioned coming to purchase medicinal herbs. I do have quite a few rare ones, all thanks to this rooster’s help in gathering them from Bottle Mountain. Without him, I would never have dared climb those toxic, monster-infested slopes. Today, I’ll sell them to you all at once.”

Li Yang gave an awkward smile. “Heh… my friend, you flatter me. It’s not that I don’t want them, but my purse is embarrassingly light. The talk of buying herbs was just a pretext—I hope you won’t take offense.”

The old man broke into hearty laughter. “Is that all? In our line, resources are always scarce. Thanks to you, I’ve completed my family’s inheritance. Take these herbs as a gift.”

With that, he fetched several bundles from the house and handed them to Li Yang.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Seeing many herbs he truly needed, Li Yang hesitated only briefly before accepting them.

After exchanging farewells, the elder, seeing Li Yang’s poor condition, did not insist he stay.

Mounted atop the toad, laden with bundles, Li Yang rode out of the Miao village, watched curiously by young and old alike.

Glancing at the Angry Sunshine Rooster, now following with wide-eyed wonder, Li Yang felt ever more satisfied. Before refining the Golden Toad, it had gorged on poisonous insects, making the process easier. But the rooster had been malnourished, requiring far more of his vital energy—nearly draining him dry. Still, when he saw the faint black and white aura atop its comb, he felt it was all worthwhile.

According to legend, in the ancient, primordial times, heaven and earth gave birth to gods and demons representing cosmic authority. The phoenix was one such being—a unique existence, neither male nor female, embodying both yin and yang, master of the five elements. After the phoenix’s fall, two eggs remained: one became the Golden-Winged Roc, inheriting its yin and yang power; the other, the Peacock, inheriting its mastery of the five elements.

The faint black and white energy atop the Angry Sunshine Rooster’s comb, Li Yang believed, was the very breath of yin and yang. Though faint for now, with proper cultivation, it would surely become a supernatural power of earth-shattering might.