CHAPTER 246: CHAPTER 246: WHY ARE YOU BACK AGAIN?

"What the hell!" Jiang Yuan was stunned, thinking that the system doesn’t play by the rules!

Normally, the system would have a progress bar that can be interrupted at any time. Although some progress bars move quickly and some slowly, they can still be easily interrupted, so he was curious and wanted to click to try, thinking he could interrupt the summoning if things looked wrong.

Who would have thought that the summon contract mount wouldn’t even have a progress bar, giving him no time to react?

What should I do now!

He immediately signaled Yun Mo with his eyes to stay quiet, turned around with a gentle smile, and explained, "Old man, don’t be afraid. This is my eagle. It’s grown a bit larger but is very obedient and understanding, won’t hurt anyone."

"It can talk. You’ve raised a monster!" The other party actually seemed calmer than Jiang Yuan, wolfing down the meat in his mouth. The old beggar carefully scrutinized the handsome young man, confirming he had no horns, fur, or tail and was indeed a real person.

He took another big bite of fragrant chicken, muttering incoherently, "Hurry up and leave, get far away from East Lake Port, or your monster will be caught and offered to the gods!"

Jiang Yuan was even more confused, thinking that people outside the wilderness were obviously more knowledgeable and bolder. Had he known, he would have ridden the paper crane for the task; worried that its appearance in broad daylight might cause panic...

"You still don’t believe?" The old beggar noticed his lack of response, raised his voice a bit and snorted, "A few years ago, there was a kid in town just like you, who stumbled and picked up a wolf cub from the wilderness. Wow, that little guy was smart and obedient, didn’t eat the family’s food but even went hunting in the mountains to support the household.

What a pity. Made people jealous and reported it to the official. Not only was the little monster cub caught and skinned for a god offering, but the kid’s entire family was driven out of East Lake Port.

Whether they were exiled to a deserted island or driven into the mountains without an identity document or official travel permit is uncertain. Nothing good came of it. Your big eagle is not small, but whether it can beat the chief constable sent by the official is unknown, you’d better leave quickly!"

"Thank you for the reminder, old man." He bowed and turned to ride on the wide back of the Ice-winged Eagle, pointed to the nearby mountain, and softly directed, "Try to fly higher, we want to land on the mountaintop."

Yun Mo flapped his huge wings and soared smoothly into the sky.

"Beggar, what did that monster say to you just now?"

"Where did the roast chicken come from? You old fellow are quite lucky!"

"Could it be that monster gave it to you just now?"

"Ah, nonsense! Monsters are evil things that eat people, they’d never give a beggar roast chicken..."

A group of boatmen and porters only dared swarm over once they saw the fellow who appeared out of thin air going off riding a big eagle they didn’t know he had gotten from somewhere, drooling over the roast chicken the old beggar was gnawing on and bombarding him with questions and envy.

The old beggar ate so fast he choked and burped, shouting, "What monster, that was a living, breathing person."

He wiped the grease off his mouth with his sleeve, pointed to the temple offering to the Water Virtue Star Monarch in the distance and laughed, "We worship the Water Virtue Star Monarch; no monsters dare come during daylight. He was only asking me for directions, the big eagle he was riding is raised by his family, definitely not a monster."

"What nonsense, that big eagle doesn’t look ordinary, must be a wilderness monster!"

"Exactly, even if someone raises a monster, it’s desecrating the divine!"

"Come on, let’s report to the officials! If the government catches the monster for a god offering, there’s a reward in it for us..."

...

Seeing a group beckoning to report to the authorities, the old beggar got anxious, "I told you there’s no monster, why are you making a fuss? Besides, he neither harmed anybody nor did anything bad, just asked for directions; who did he provoke? Aren’t you afraid of being falsely accused and getting beaten for it?"

In his opinion, even if someone raised a monster, so what?

Just like the kid in town who pitied and took in a wolf cub from the wilderness, which didn’t hurt anyone, apparently not all monsters are bad.

Moreover, that young man not only didn’t harm but gave roast chicken and silver, way better than the town bigwigs full of virtues verbally who wouldn’t spare even leftovers.

He squinted upward, and only when he noticed there was no more sight of the big eagle did he relax, continuing to gnaw at the steaming, fragrant roast chicken.

"Did that person give you the roast chicken? Is it tasty?" These days, ordinary folks finding meat to eat is hard, especially such big fat and fragrant roast chicken, which only the wealthy dine on in elite restaurants.

Seeing the old beggar take big bites, the onlookers drooled with envy.

Had they not feared being caught and beaten for outright robbery, this group of strongmen, lacking any fat, would never stand by watching a beggar eat chicken undebatably drooling. They would’ve taken it by force!

"Tasty! Tender meat, my teeth can even bite it, so damn delicious!" The old beggar proudly picked his teeth, laughed, "Suppose he didn’t raise a monster, even if he did, asking for directions then giving an old beggar roast chicken, could he be ordinary? If you report to the officials, they can’t catch him and antagonize him. Aren’t you afraid of revenge?"

The group exchanged glances; some thought the old beggar’s reasoning made sense to stay out of trouble;

Others were so captivated by the fragrant roast chicken, hoping to eat like that themselves. They harbored luck, hoping the officials catch a monster and give a huge reward, wouldn’t they then be able to dine on roast chicken?

Before anything else, undeniably broad daylight doubtfully sees monsters appearing in East Lake Port, reporting to the officials is foolproof! If someone else beats them to it, rewards belong to whoever reports first!

"Sir, are you searching for something?" Yun Mo landed steadily on the mountain top, watching Jiang Yuan walk around and curiously asked.

He wandered around without finding the system prompt, thinking it might not be this mountain, climbed back on its back, Jiang Yuan nodded and replied, "I’m looking for a place, not something."

Can’t help but admit Wan Mingchuan’s description was vivid and specific, as he stood on the mountain peak gazing afar, layered mountain ridges stretched endlessly in the sunlight appearing magnificently.

Imagining the scene when heavy rains cleared, brilliant sunshine breaking through clouds shone upon the glorious landscape must’ve been so breathtaking, truly a picturesque and meaningful name.

"Searching for a place? Alright then, sir," Yun Mo wasn’t too understanding, but knowing it’s something serious he’s instructed, he obediently flew to further mountain peaks.

They landed on five consecutive mountains without any notice, until they settled at the last one with an octagonal pavilion at the foothill, the system suddenly prompted - [Side Quest 1 completed, rewards issued]

[Task 2: Investigate the anomaly from seventeen years ago on Wangting Mountain. Reward: Special material gift pack +1]

Done?

Jiang Yuan hadn’t expected it would be so smooth, standing atop the mountain where Wan Mingchuan had found his apprentice, overlooking the mountains, lamenting yet again the system lacked a screenshot camera feature, any snapshot taken would make superb wallpapers!

He signaled Yun Mo to return him to his original place, clicked to retract the contract pet, making the large Ice-winged Eagle suddenly disappear, sending it back to his small courtyard, then Jiang Yuan came forward and asked, "Old man, I have more things to inquire."

"Why have you returned? Run quickly! Some have gone to report to the officials to arrest you!"

The old beggar had eaten his fill, ready to nap in the sun, planning to hide the silver when unnoticed. Inadvertently glancing, he saw the young man returning, widening his eyes, "Where’s your big eagle? Have it quickly fly into the mountains to hide, don’t show up during daylight, the government’s constables are formidable!"