Chapter 742: After the Dispersal of the Divine Stone

Chen Xi looked awkwardly at the massive rooster, which was nearly one and a half meters tall. His own dog wasn’t particularly large, only about a foot long, so no wonder its back had been scratched. For a chicken to grow this big was quite an accomplishment.

"Zhongkang, come over and help!" Chen Xi immediately stepped outside and, disregarding his status, shouted toward Liu Bei’s residence.

"What’s happened to Zichuan now?" Liu Bei, hearing Chen Xi’s shout from inside, turned his head to look at Xu Chu. "Zhongkang, what’s going on that Zichuan is yelling so frantically? Go check it out with Anguo. He hasn’t been bitten by a dog again, has he?"

"Understood." Xu Chu and Wu Anguo clasped their fists, trying to stifle their laughter as they responded.

As soon as Xu Chu and Wu Anguo arrived, they saw the enormous rooster fighting with Hum-Hum in the outer courtyard. Immediately, they understood how to handle the situation.

Xu Chu charged forward like a bear, completely ignoring the rooster’s pecking. He slapped the rooster’s head, knocking it sideways, while Wu Anguo grabbed its claws and promptly dragged it away, planning to roast it for lunch—just as Chen Xi had intended.

"Military Adviser, it’s taken care of," Xu Chu said, scratching his head as he approached Chen Xi. Hum-Hum, after seeing Xu Chu’s brute strength and the fallen rooster, quickly retreated back to the inner courtyard.

"Take it to Lord Xuande’s place. We might need to send troops to capture all the livestock and poultry that have developed internal energy. I’ve had a nagging feeling something was off for a while, and now I remember," Chen Xi said, rubbing his temple in frustration.

Xu Chu followed Chen Xi back to Liu Bei’s residence. Upon seeing Wu Anguo dragging the large rooster, Liu Bei immediately understood the situation.

"For a chicken to grow this big is no small feat. Everything alright at your place?" Liu Bei asked, amazed at the sight. He pointed to a reclining chair, motioning for Chen Xi to sit before asking.

"No issues," Chen Xi sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "We’ll have it cooked for lunch; it should be quite nourishing."

Liu Bei waved his hand, signaling that everything was fine. "You left not too long ago, and now you’re back again. What’s the matter this time?"

"It’s because of that." Chen Xi pointed at the rooster that Wu Anguo was still dragging around.

"I didn’t think you’d be so stingy. Alright, take it back and cook it. Make sure I get a bowl of soup once it’s done," Liu Bei teased with a laugh.

"Lord Xuande, you misunderstand. What I meant is, don’t you think it’s strange that a rooster can grow this large? And what about other animals? There have been numerous incidents of livestock developing internal energy recently," Chen Xi explained, rolling his eyes.

"Now that you mention it, it does make sense. Just as people can develop internal energy after eating well, so can livestock. But ordinary animals with internal energy aren’t too much of a threat. It’s only cases like this…" Liu Bei began to frown as he understood the potential danger.

"When the numbers increase, stranger creatures will appear. During the locust plague a few years ago, there were cases of locusts with the power of the Refining Qi into Steel stage, but they were still just insects. As long as they didn’t reach the Internal Qi Projection stage, there was a limit to their physical strength and internal energy output, so a single slap could still kill them. It wasn’t too alarming," Chen Xi added, frowning.

"Order a thorough inspection of the entire territory. Any livestock or poultry with internal energy strong enough to harm people should be captured immediately," Liu Bei said after thinking for a moment. "But this shouldn’t be too pressing of an issue."

"I just remembered that several years ago, incidents like this were rare, if not nonexistent. But recently, there have been numerous cases of livestock harming people, and there are some things about this worth pondering," Chen Xi said, frowning as he looked at Liu Bei.

"That’s because the Divine Stone has nearly fully dissipated, and the world’s vital energy has increased substantially. Moreover, the natural vital energy is now much easier to absorb. Animals are even more sensitive to these changes than humans," a voice interrupted. It was Zuo Ci, who appeared suddenly, shaking his horsetail whisk as he offered an explanation.

"Daoist Zuo, aren’t you supposed to be reciting scriptures at the Jingling Temple? What brings you to my humble abode?" Liu Bei asked, smiling as he greeted Zuo Ci.

"How could a place as magnificent as Lord Xuande’s residence be called ‘humble’?" Zuo Ci replied, tilting his head to look at Liu Bei. He could see the golden clouds gathering above this courtyard. Whether it was Liu Bei or Chen Xi, both were figures of great fortune. Even a small fraction of their luck would be highly beneficial to him.

"Daoist Zuo, are you saying that the increase in vital energy is causing animals to develop internal energy at a higher rate? What about humans? We’re the most intelligent of all creatures. Surely, this must affect us too!" Chen Xi asked, his brow furrowing deeply.

"This generation won’t be too affected. At most, people will find it easier to develop internal energy, and those who already possess it will find it easier to cultivate. However, the next generation may see children born with internal energy. These offspring are likely to reach the Refining Qi into Steel stage with ease," Zuo Ci said gravely. "By my estimation, such individuals will have a high chance of achieving this."

"Hiss…" Chen Xi remained calm, but Liu Bei couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath.

In Liu Bei’s mind, children born with internal energy would be even more gifted than the likes of Lü Bu or Zhao Yun. Even Zhao Yun and Lü Bu hadn’t developed internal energy until they were five or six years old. The gap between them and these children would be staggering!

"Being born with internal energy isn’t the problem. I want to know if this will affect the breakthrough to the Internal Qi Projection stage," Chen Xi asked seriously, fixing Zuo Ci with a focused gaze. Nothing was more important to him than this.

Chen Xi wasn’t particularly concerned about babies being born with internal energy. What worried him was whether the rise in vital energy would impact breakthroughs to the Internal Qi Projection stage.

Whether the rise in vital energy made it easier or harder for people to reach the Internal Qi Projection stage, neither outcome was good news for Chen Xi.

If it became easier to break through, it would erode the advantage Liu Bei currently had with his elite generals, making the Internal Qi Projection stage less valuable. If it became harder, it would mean the next generation’s potential would be diminished, and the number of top-tier warriors would decrease.

"There will be no effect on that. I can assure you. The breakthrough to the Internal Qi Projection stage is entirely about self-realization, not the accumulation of internal energy. Some people may accumulate vast amounts of energy but still fail to break through, while others manage to do so with far less," Zuo Ci said, shaking his head. The Internal Qi Projection stage wasn’t something that could be achieved through sheer internal energy accumulation.

Of course, there was an issue of perspective here. Those at the peak of the Refining Qi into Steel stage could still accumulate internal energy, which suggested that the next stage could be breached through sheer energy accumulation.

However, in practical terms, breaking through purely by accumulating vast amounts of energy was akin to using brute force to prove one’s path. The sheer amount of energy required for that would be roughly equivalent to the full accumulation of nine Zhao Yuns...

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