The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 257: Happiness of the Egg

Happiness of the Egg . . .

It was an undeniably awkward position, and the manner in which the spiritual qi permeated him was equally peculiar. However, Cha Eun Xiao quickly realized the tremendous benefits of this rather unorthodox seating arrangement.

In this unusual posture, he found that he didn't need to exert any effort. The spiritual qi surged into him with unrestrained enthusiasm, akin to relentless storms sweeping through. His sole task was to accept it, to absorb it with every fiber of his being, and to allow it to coalesce within him. Digestion, concentration, and purification—that was the extent of his responsibilities.

The velocity at which the spiritual qi inundated him bordered on the incomprehensible. It was as though he were struggling to keep pace with an unstoppable force. The streams of spiritual qi surged over his Jing and Mai meridians with an unrelenting fervor. Cha Eun Xiao scarcely had the opportunity to contemplate the intricacies of this process; it simply unfolded before him in a ceaseless cascade.

"It is indeed an extraordinary place," Cha Eun Xiao marveled, his eyes gleaming with amazement. While he had harbored some inkling of the plate's exceptional nature, given the egg's protracted occupation of it, he hadn't anticipated its sheer magnificence. As he glanced at the egg, a hint of envy crossed his gaze.

"[What an insufferable egg,]" Cha Eun Xiao thought, a twinge of frustration in his tone. "[It remained perched here for an extended duration. I can't fathom the staggering quantity of spiritual qi it must have absorbed. It must be a truly astronomical figure—beyond enumeration or comprehension!]"

Even in his previous life as the Xiao Monarch, Cha Eun Xiao doubted he had absorbed a spiritual qi reservoir as vast as this egg had. The Xiao Monarch had been obliged to purify the spiritual qi before it became useful to him, a process the egg seemed exempt from. Regardless of the volume of spiritual qi it ingested, the egg exhibited an insatiable appetite, perpetually accepting every trace of it. For countless days, it had absorbed a monumental quantity of spiritual qi, and yet, it showed no signs of hatching.

"You're a truly enigmatic egg," Cha Eun Xiao sighed with a mix of emotions. He focused on grappling with the unceasing torrent of spiritual qi, offering all that he could to manage it. Nevertheless, as time passed, the task grew increasingly formidable. The sheer volume of spiritual qi proved overwhelming, rendering purification an impossibility.

Moreover, his precarious posture sitting on a plate intended for an egg made him feel as though he had transformed into an oversized egg himself. He sat there, seemingly out of place, with a brisk wind breezing beneath his buttocks, while the spiritual qi continued to swirl into the cavity beneath him—an experience both extraordinary and decidedly awkward.

In the most improbable of scenarios, Cha Eun Xiao found himself with not one, not two, but three eggs in his immediate vicinity. The realization left him feeling distinctly uneasy, and he promptly rose to his feet.

Indeed, standing up was more than just a choice—it was a necessity. To continue sitting in that position would risk an overload of spiritual qi within his Jing and Mai meridians, a potentially catastrophic outcome. Cha Eun Xiao recognized the urgency of digesting and purifying the surplus spiritual qi within his body.

Following the peculiar yet oddly pleasant experience he'd undergone, he cast a bemused glance at the plate before him. His mind raced as he calculated the pace at which the spiritual qi emanated from the plate. The result was nothing short of astonishing.

The conclusion was staggering—even at the pinnacle of the Sky Origin Stage, Cha Eun Xiao would be unable to withstand the continuous influx of spiritual qi. The sheer intensity would cause his body to rupture, an unimaginable fate.

To sustain uninterrupted cultivation while seated on this plate, one would need to have attained at least the zenith of the Spirit Origin Stage. However, even at that level, the endeavor would remain feasible for a mere two hours at best.

The egg appeared genuinely taken aback by Cha Eun Xiao's swift departure from the plate. It soared over to him, its demeanor a curious blend of confusion and disappointment.

"[I granted you the prime position... and you chose to vacate it? Are you still harboring a grudge against me? Don't you think you're being excessively narrow-minded?]" the egg seemed to express, its emotions vivid.

Cha Eun Xiao, sensing the egg's sentiment, cleared his throat, feeling a twinge of embarrassment for his earlier actions. He acknowledged, "This is your spot, and your generosity is duly noted."

The egg shifted back slightly, evidently puzzled by Cha Eun Xiao's decision.

Unperturbed, Cha Eun Xiao lifted the egg and gently placed it back onto the plate. Then, he positioned himself at a corner nearby and nodded with determination. "I'm perfectly content sitting here!"

The egg, clearly moved by Cha Eun Xiao's gesture, hopped onto the plate, radiating an air of happiness and gratitude. "[What a noble individual. He graciously relinquished the prime spot to me... What an exceptional person. He treats me so kindly and considers my welfare. I once ousted him from this very place, which was a grave mistake on my part... It's only natural that he harbored some resentment.]"

Touched by these sentiments, the egg fluttered upward and nestled into Cha Eun Xiao's embrace, as if to convey its appreciation.

It was a scene reminiscent of a devoted kitten trying to earn its owner's favor. The egg's actions left Cha Eun Xiao utterly bewildered.

The depth of reliance the egg displayed was nothing short of astonishing—tenfold reliance, to be precise.

"[What on earth happened? What did I do? I didn't do anything, did I?]" Cha Eun Xiao's thoughts raced as he grappled with the egg's unexpected behavior. He was genuinely taken aback. "[I merely returned to you what was rightfully yours. And I did so because I couldn't handle it... Yet it appears to have moved you so deeply? After all, it's just an egg...]"

With a resigned sigh, Cha Eun Xiao contemplated the situation. He couldn't bring himself to harbor ill feelings towards an egg. Instead, he chose to be magnanimous and resolved to treat it better henceforth.

As he prepared to depart the Space, the egg's reluctance to part ways with him was palpable. "[The kind-hearted man is leaving...]" it seemed to convey through its actions. The egg escorted him to the entrance, almost leaping into Cha Eun Xiao's arms in a bid to accompany him.

Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. It didn't seem right to take advantage of the egg's simple-mindedness.

Upon exiting, he restored all the materials that had been collected by Ling-Bao Hall in recent days back into the Space. The volume of materials was staggering, nearly filling the House of Ye's storeroom to capacity.

With a simple gesture, Cha Eun Xiao transferred them all into the Space simultaneously. In an instant, the Wood Space doubled in size, while the Gold Space reached its limit. Over time, the essence of gold and metal underwent digestion, and the other materials within turned to dust. This transformation yielded approximately half a thousand kilograms of essence, which silently congregated at the center.

The Gold Space, once teeming with materials, now stood empty.

Meanwhile, the other Spaces also experienced significant gains. Spiritual qi proliferated rapidly throughout the domains, resulting in an upsurge of vibrant energy. Spiritual qi danced through the Space, creating an atmosphere of palpable excitement.

The egg, carried away by its exuberance, could hardly contain itself. It tumbled and somersaulted through the air, its joyous antics a testament to its elation. If it could speak, it might have exclaimed, "Hail!" Such was its unbridled delight in this newfound abundance.