Chapter 89: Parents' Transformation

In the early morning, the room was bathed in the warm glow of dawn. Chu Feng opened his eyes, feeling well-rested after a deep sleep.

He had already put the blood and negative emotions from the previous night behind him. Being an optimistic person, he knew how to de-stress himself regularly. A new day had begun, and he felt invigorated.

Chu Feng didn't practice any special breathing techniques. After getting up, he immediately rushed to his parents' door and knocked, eager to see how they had fared overnight.

It was clear that after consuming the purple-gold pine nuts, their bodies were undergoing a transformation. They had slept longer than usual; otherwise, they would have been awake by now.

"Ah!" Chu Feng heard a scream and was startled. He quickly pounded on the door, yelling, "Mom, don't take it too hard! What's wrong with growing horns? At worst, we'll go to a beauty salon and get them sawn off." He was genuinely concerned that Wang Jing might be distraught.

"This is..." Soon after, he heard Chu Zhiyuan's voice, which also sounded as if he was dumbfounded by shock, only managing two words before falling silent.

"Dad, if you grow horns, don't saw them off—that would be so majestic! Open the door quickly!" Chu Feng urged from outside.

"You brat, is that how you talk?" Wang Jing opened the door, and from her voice, she no longer sounded fearful, but rather slightly amused.

"Huh?" After the door opened, Chu Feng also cried out, utterly surprised.

Wang Jing had not only not grown horns, but her complexion was also excellent. She looked years younger, and the wrinkles around her eyes had vanished.

"Who is this? When did I get an older sister?" Chu Feng exclaimed in an exaggerated manner.

Hearing this, Wang Jing became even happier, though she chided him, "You're so disrespectful! Is that how you talk?" It was clear that her eyes, too, were smiling; she was incredibly pleased. Her earlier worries had vanished without a trace, as this transformation made her immensely satisfied.

"Mom, you've become younger. See if there are any other changes," Chu Feng urged.

He was also very happy. His mother was nearly fifty, and time had been unforgiving; she was no longer young, with crow's feet already at the corners of her eyes.

Now that the wrinkles had disappeared, her complexion was excellent, and she looked radiant, as if she had shed over ten years.

Wang Jing now looked like she was in her late thirties, which filled her with immense joy and excitement.

No woman doesn't love beauty, and for those whose youth has faded, regaining it is even more cherished.

"Is this... real?" Even after a long time, Wang Jing was still gazing at herself in the mirror, somewhat disbelieving.

As for Chu Zhiyuan, he was already in the living room with Chu Feng. Father and son were both in high spirits, conversing.

Chu Zhiyuan's transformation was also very obvious. The scattered gray hairs at his temples were gone; he now had a full head of black hair and was full of vigor.

He looked significantly younger, appearing to be around forty. His complexion was rosy, and his former dark eye bags had disappeared.

"I feel full of energy now, as if I have inexhaustible strength, even better than when I was young!" Chu Zhiyuan said, describing his feelings.

"Dad, take a closer look, has anything else grown?" Chu Feng reminded him with a smile.

"You brat, are you really hoping your mom and I grow scales and horns?" Chu Zhiyuan glared, then chuckled himself.

"This is truly wonderful; we haven't turned into monsters and have become much younger!" Wang Jing's emotions finally stabilized, and she walked over, her face beaming with smiles.

"What do you two want to eat? I'll go to the morning market to buy some groceries," Wang Jing said, implying she wanted to prepare a large feast to celebrate.

"Breakfast doesn't need to be too elaborate," Chu Zhiyuan said. "Just braise all the meat Xiaofeng brought back. It would also be great if we could get an old duck to stew. Also, see if there's any lamb. Oh, and don't forget eggs and milk."

Wang Jing immediately glared at him, saying, "And this is your idea of 'not too elaborate'? How much more do you want to eat?"

"I don't know why, but I'm incredibly hungry," Chu Zhiyuan said, his old face flushing slightly.

At this moment, Wang Jing also felt ravenously hungry, with an intense craving for food.

"This is normal," Chu Feng told them with a smile, explaining that after physical evolution, people initially experience a greatly increased appetite.

"I haven't felt anything else special," Chu Zhiyuan said while eating breakfast, describing his feelings in detail, "just that I have abundant vitality and my strength has greatly increased." Wang Jing nodded, confirming that she felt the same way and had not gained any mysterious abilities.

Chu Feng frowned; something didn't seem right. Didn't consuming exotic fruits grant almost supernatural abilities? His parents apparently had none.

He tested his father's strength, which was immense—stronger than several burly young men combined—but this hardly counted as a mysterious ability.

Beside him, Wang Jing didn't mind; she was already very content. For her, simply becoming younger was the best gift from heaven.

Chu Feng opened his communicator, hesitating briefly. He sent some text messages to Lin Nuoyi, asking if consuming exotic fruits always led to mutations.

Superspirit Organics had a deep understanding of this, having known many secrets even before the drastic changes on Earth.

Soon, Lin Nuoyi replied, telling him it wasn't so; some people lacked mysterious factors in their bodies and wouldn't mutate even after consuming exotic fruits.

Chu Feng was stunned.

Because of his relationship with Lin Nuoyi, someone from Superspirit Organics had previously taken his hair for testing and had already concluded that he could not mutate.

However, he himself did not know this.

"Why is that?" Chu Feng sent another message.

Lin Nuoyi told him it was very complex, but also that it wasn't necessarily a bad thing and required time to verify.

From beginning to end, Chu Feng never mentioned whether he had mutated, and Lin Nuoyi also didn't ask.

"Xiaofeng, you don't need to frown; just let nature take its course," Chu Zhiyuan said. "Even if we gained those supernatural abilities, we wouldn't use them."

"That's right," Wang Jing added. "Do you expect your father and me to go fighting and killing? Forget it, we're old and frail; we can't handle such frights."

"Your mother and I just want peace," Chu Zhiyuan comforted him. "Think about it, at our age, are we supposed to run into the wilderness to fight monsters?"

Chu Feng nodded; it was indeed true. Even if his parents gained mysterious abilities, he wouldn't let them do such things.

He merely wanted his parents to have some ability to protect themselves.

But now it seemed the situation was complex. Different people had different mysterious factors within them, and it was hard to fully understand this phenomenon right now.

Soon, Chu Feng felt relieved, saying, "With me here, there's no need for you two to face danger."

He felt that as long as he was strong enough, he could deter others from targeting his parents. And he needed to become even stronger!

Chu Feng pondered that if necessary, he could show his edge, or even his "fangs," to some people.

Suddenly, he remembered that he still had the breathing technique!

"Dad, Mom, there's still one more path, I wonder if you'd like to try it." It wasn't possible before because they hadn't encountered the mysterious pollen, but now that they had eaten the exotic fruit, they should be able to try.

"Old Yellow, how did you pass on the breathing technique to me, that secret method? Quickly tell me." Chu Feng contacted Old Yellow, wanting it to explain.

Breathing techniques are divided into "form" and "spirit." The "form" can be imitated and learned by following, which Chu Feng picked up quickly back then. However, to truly master it, one needs to obtain the "spirit." Old Yellow had secretly imparted it by using a strange power to make Chu Feng's heart and soul resonate, allowing him to truly and completely acquire it. That method was like an "initiation ritual."

As for the Great Thunderous Breathing Technique, both Chu Feng and Old Yellow had imitated it, but the results were not ideal. The only reason was that they couldn't obtain the "spirit"; there was no one to perform the "initiation."

From afar, Old Yellow was furious and immediately replied to Chu Feng, telling him not to even think about it. Passing it on to him was already an exception, and it absolutely could not be spread further!

"Can't you be less serious?" Chu Feng shamelessly pleaded with it.

"Moo!" Old Yellow frantically jabbed the communicator, telling Chu Feng that this was no joke. It would absolutely not pass it on again; mastering this breathing technique might bring great disaster to both it and Chu Feng in the future.

Seeing Old Yellow agitated, Chu Feng found it difficult to ask again, so he quickly inquired about the specific situation.

Old Yellow told him that this breathing technique had too significant an origin; it was claimed to be supreme, comparable to the complete Great Thunderous Breathing Technique, and both were ultimate unrevealed secrets.

It warned that if one was lucky enough to obtain it, it was best to keep a low profile and absolutely not leak it, or a great disaster would surely befall them one day!

"Unless one day you become a saint or an ancestor, only then can you offset that terrifying pressure," Old Yellow warned with utmost seriousness.

Chu Feng was greatly startled; the special breathing technique he had mastered seemed to have an excessively grand origin, almost feeling as if it could oppress the heavens!

Old Yellow added that it was fine for it, as it had obtained it somewhat legitimately, but Chu Feng was different.

Chu Feng felt a headache coming on and remained silent for a long time. This matter was extremely significant.

However, he wasn't overly worried. Old Yellow had once said that after the great changes in this world, it would be astonishing, and one year's gains here would be equivalent to ten or even a hundred years elsewhere.

"Become a saint or an ancestor, I'll go all out!"

This was originally Old Yellow's goal, but now Chu Feng had adopted it. He, too, had to achieve it.

Subsequently, he asked if it was possible to just teach the "form" without the "spirit."

Old Yellow said it was no problem. Just like the Great Thunderous Breathing Technique, its "form" was also circulating outside and was not considered top secret.

While the sun was not yet intense, Chu Feng began teaching his parents the special breathing technique, a method very suitable for the early morning.

"Cough..." Sure enough, when the two practiced this breathing technique, they also encountered the same problem Chu Feng had initially, almost choking themselves.

Although it was only the "form" and could only be considered an incomplete breathing technique, it still required considerable effort to master.

Chu Feng had no immediate plans to teach them the Great Thunderous Breathing Technique, as it was too overbearing and could easily harm the practitioner, like thunder shaking bones and impacting flesh.

The two gradually mastered it, and Chu Zhiyuan let out a long breath, feeling it was incredible.

"Xiaofeng, don't fuss over us. This breathing technique is good for health preservation, but we never intended to become masters," Chu Zhiyuan said. After calming down, he finally began to ask, "In fact, we're more concerned about you. What exactly have you been through these past days?"

Chu Feng thought for a moment and decided to tell them. Of course, he glossed over some particularly dangerous events with a sentence or two, not wanting them to worry.

The couple was shocked. After listening to Chu Feng recount his recent experiences, they remained silent for a long time. It was simply incredible.

"Xiaofeng, you weren't hurt anywhere, were you?" Wang Jing asked, very anxious.

"I'm fine; I'm considered a top expert now," Chu Feng said with a smile, wanting to reassure them.

"The Mu family and that woman named Xu are both significant troubles," Chu Zhiyuan said gravely.

"Yes," Wang Jing said, also showing worry. She had quickly thought of many things, adding, "This time, Xiaofeng took action and uprooted thirteen exceptional individuals. That woman will surely be startled awake instantly, realizing there's a big problem."

Chu Feng nodded; the disappearance of thirteen exceptional experts would surely shock and grieve that woman, and at the same time, she would realize he was a major problem.

However, he had no choice but to do this. How could he possibly let them go?

"Do you already have a plan?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.

"Yes!" Chu Feng nodded. Since he was about to be exposed, he naturally had to make plans early.

"Let me think," Chu Zhiyuan mused. This concerned his son's safety, and he needed to help plan to ensure the whole family was safe.

"You are very strong now, and they might not be able to do anything to you in the short term," Chu Zhiyuan said. "However, human hearts are unpredictable, and there are too many sinister tricks; it's impossible to guard against all of them. Moreover, they will most likely target you through your mother and me."

"Actually, I'm not afraid for myself; I'm just worried about you two," Chu Feng admitted, revealing his weakness.

"You are very strong, but you're alone and isolated. You should make a choice," Chu Zhiyuan said.

Chu Feng nodded; this was exactly his plan.

"Bodhi Gene is strong enough to contend with Superspirit Organics," Chu Zhiyuan listed. "And there are also the Pre-Qin Research Institute, the Extraterrestrial Civilization Institute, the Tonggu Alliance... These forces are all very powerful."

Recently, some major financial groups and powers had gradually emerged. They had engaged in a bloody battle at Mount Song, vying for the Vajra Bodhi sacred tree. Although they failed, it was still alarming.

"Actually, there's an even more powerful one worth joining," Chu Zhiyuan said with a sudden smile.

"Which one?" Wang Jing asked.

"The biggest one, of course, is the country," Chu Feng said, but also frowned. "If I'm managed by others, I'm afraid I might not be able to bear it."

"Not necessarily," Chu Zhiyuan said. "The country is now recruiting exceptional individuals. If you're strong enough, you'll have full freedom and won't be restricted at all. You just need to contribute at critical moments."

"Then what are you waiting for? Quickly ask your old classmate," Wang Jing urged.

His father had an old classmate in the military whom Chu Feng had met once before, but he hadn't known much about him, only that his father had a reasonably good relationship with him.

He showed a strange expression. Could that person have a high military rank?

"It's not what you're imagining; he's just in the logistics department," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, knowing Chu Feng was overthinking it.

"However, he knows a lot about military matters, so I'll ask him," Chu Zhiyuan said. He then turned and went to contact his old classmate.

A long time later, he returned to the living room from the bedroom and shared some important news.

"I've learned that White Tiger is one of their people," he said. "They are very free on a daily basis, with no restrictions, only needing to help at critical moments."

This meant that if one had strength on par with Vajra, Fire Spirit, or White Tiger King, they could be unrestricted and have sufficient freedom.

"No problem!" Chu Feng nodded directly. He was not intimidated at all when it came to the ranking of strength.

"If you truly join, it is said there are many benefits," Chu Zhiyuan informed him. "Such as ancient martial arts manuals, all sorts of the latest news, protection for family members, and so on—all included."

Chu Feng was immediately tempted. Not only could he protect his family, but he could also read ancient martial arts manuals? The conditions were too good!

On this land, was there anyone else who possessed more secret texts than the nation? Certainly not!

"It's not given to you for free; it depends on your contributions," Chu Zhiyuan informed him. "The more you contribute, the more you get. If you don't contribute anything, you get nothing. The level of protection for your family is also considered based on the size of your contributions."

These words certainly wouldn't be spread outside; they were only for internal discussion.

"Is it dangerous?" Wang Jing asked. This was her biggest concern, fearing that something might happen to Chu Feng.

"That depends on your own choices," Chu Zhiyuan said solemnly. "Some contributions aren't easy to fulfill, for example, the current major operation."

"What major operation?" Chu Feng asked.

"Do you know why the Azure Wolf King in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau went mad?" Chu Zhiyuan asked. "And the beast tides in Shu, and many exotic beasts attacking Shuntian, are all because they want to distract the nation."

"Huh?" Wang Jing was puzzled.

"Now everyone is competing for famous mountains and great rivers, and the nation definitely has to take action," Chu Zhiyuan said. "They must at least control more than two famous mountains, and the fighting is incredibly fierce right now. Moreover, if they truly cannot obtain those two or three locations, they might resort to using ultimate weapons and directly destroy them."

So fierce? Chu Feng was surprised.

"One of these places must be obtained, at all costs, no matter what!" Chu Zhiyuan said.

"Which place?" Chu Feng asked.

"The Fengchan site, where emperors of all dynasties performed sacrificial rites!"

Nowadays, blood flowed like rivers there; it was the most tragic battleground. Although the mountain itself was glowing and incredibly miraculous, countless corpses lay strewn, and all factions had fought until they were terrified.