Chapter 22: Contract Emberclaw Rooster

Lie Zhanfeng stood in front of the fire, a determined glint in his eyes. His hands moved with practiced ease as he tied the Emberclaw Rooster's legs, securing the bird to a sturdy metal rod. The rooster flapped its wings wildly, squawking in a feeble attempt to free itself, but Lie Zhanfeng showed no mercy. He had already been made a fool of by this stubborn creature once before, and now it's time to put it to use.

With a grunt, he shoved the rooster into the flames, placing it carefully in the spot where they had roasted meat earlier. The fire crackled, and the heat intensified as the bird's body began to sizzle. Lie Zhanfeng wiped his hands on his clothes and stepped back, watching the flames dance around the rooster.

Xie Dongyi, who had been quietly observing from the side, raised an eyebrow at the sight. He hadn't been around Lie Zhanfeng for long enough, but he knew that this wasn't a typical roasting session. The way the rooster's wings twitched and the frantic squawks echoing from the bird made it clear that something else was at play. Xie Dongyi couldn't help but feel like there was something off about the situation.

A strange sensation tugged at his chest as he looked at Lie Zhanfeng, who was standing tall, hands on his hips, watching the bird with a glimmer of amusement. He opened his mouth to say something, to stop Lie Zhanfeng from going any further, but before he could speak, something unexpected happened.

Xie Dongyi froze. He had been prepared for the crackle of fire, for the smell of roasting meat, but what he saw next was nothing like he expected.

The rooster, which had been thrashing in the fire, suddenly stopped. Its body, rather than being consumed by the flames, seemed to draw the fire towards it. The flames seemed to bend and twist, swirling around the rooster's body, being absorbed by its feathers. The embers from the coal that had been crackling away died out, leaving behind only the faintest traces of heat.

Xie Dongyi's mouth fell open in shock. He watched in disbelief as the fire that had been burning so brightly now seemed to fade, drawn into the rooster like it was some kind of insatiable fire-eater.

Lie Zhanfeng's eyes gleamed with a knowing satisfaction. He crossed his arms, a smug expression playing on his face. "I knew it," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. "This chicken's as pesky as a cockroach. It can't die easily."

Xie Dongyi, still wide-eyed, blinked and turned to Lie Zhanfeng, confusion written across his face. "What… what just happened? Why isn't it burning?"

Lie Zhanfeng grinned as he turned his gaze to the rooster, his eyes glinting with recognition. He reached out to pull the bird closer to him, the rooster no longer struggling, its feathers shimmering as if it had absorbed the energy of the fire. "This is no ordinary rooster, Dongyi," Lie Zhanfeng said, his voice taking on a more excited tone. "I suspect this one's an Emberclaw Rooster."

Xie Dongyi blinked, still trying to process the strange event. "Emberclaw Rooster? What's that?"

Lie Zhanfeng straightened, a small gleam of excitement in his eyes as he began to explain. "Emberclaw Roosters are creatures of legend. They're born from the embers of Phoenix flame itself and have the ability to devour fire. They can absorb the flames around them, even the hottest of fires, and use that energy to fuel their own strength. Their fiery cores burn with the essence of Yang, making them one of the most potent Yang creatures known in this world…" He paused, his smile fading into a more thoughtful expression. "They're also known for being notoriously difficult to handle. And this one—" he gestured to the rooster, which was now calmly perched in his hands, "—isn't quite up to par."

Xie Dongyi's brows furrowed in confusion. "Not up to par? But this rooster is absorbing fire… Isn't that powerful?"

Lie Zhanfeng shook his head, a wry smile crossing his face. "Oh, it can devour fire, sure. But this one's flawed. Its strength is weak, and its qi is erratic. It's nowhere near as powerful as a true Emberclaw Rooster should be. Maybe it just awakened a trace of its ancestral bloodline by chance and now struts around thinking it's the king of the mountain."

Lie Zhanfeng had been studying in the library after he got the Void Bracelet, and he came across a description that matches this little guy perfectly. Of course, he only did it to study what this chicken is. Unexpectedly, its resemblance to the Emberclaw Rooster is uncanny!

He glanced at the rooster, which was still calm in his grip but now eyeing him suspiciously. "This one's a bit of a disaster in terms of potential, but it's certainly unique."

Xie Dongyi looked at the rooster again, taking in its bright red feathers and fiery aura. He was still a little skeptical. "What are you going to do with it, then?"

Lie Zhanfeng giggled, clearly unfazed by the rooster's poor condition. "What else would I do? I was going to eat it, of course. I, Lie Zhanfeng, never jokes when it comes to food." He rubbed his hands together, clearly pleased with the idea of a good meal. "But since there's an unexpected surprise here, I suppose there's no harm in a change of plans."

Xie Dongyi frowned, still unsure of where this was headed. "So… what's the new plan?"

Lie Zhanfeng leaned forward, holding the rooster carefully in his hands. He narrowed his eyes playfully at the bird, his tone teasing. "Hey, chicken," he said, his voice full of mockery, "wanna be as tough as me?"

The rooster's eyes flashed with defiance, and its wings flapped angrily, sending sparks flying as it attempted to strike at Lie Zhanfeng. But as it did, there was only a puff of smoke that came out—no flames, just a soft billow of gray smoke.

Lie Zhanfeng acted as though the smoke was far more dangerous than it was. He let out a theatrical wail, clutching his chest. However, his tone is full of sarcasm. "Ah! I'm covered in smoke! Now I've got bronchitis!"

Although the rooster had no idea what bronchitis was, it was still infuriated by Lie Zhanfeng's mockery. Puffing up its fiery chest, it unleashed a relentless stream of smoke in his direction, as if determined to prove a point. The smoky assault continued unabated, until Lie Zhanfeng, who had been laughing at first, began coughing for real, his amusement turning into a struggle for air.

Xie Dongyi nearly choked at sight. His shoulders shaking as he fought to contain the laughter bubbling up inside him. Clutching his stomach, he struggled to keep a straight face, but the absurdity of the scene was overwhelming. The Emberclaw Rooster's "attack," consisting of nothing but harmless puffs of smoke, coupled with Lie Zhanfeng's genuine coughing fit, was too much. No matter how hard he tried, the image of the rooster's triumphant yet utterly ineffective strike was seared into his mind, threatening to send him into a full-blown fit of laughter.

Lie Zhanfeng, however, stopped goofing around. His expression suddenly turned serious. He reached out and grabbed the rooster by its neck, lifting it up to meet his gaze. The rooster squawked in indignation, its beady eyes filled with fury. "Listen here, you little fire-eater," Lie Zhanfeng said, his tone firm but not unkind. "If you want to get stronger, I can help you. I can fix whatever's wrong with your body."

The rooster glared back at him, still too proud to acknowledge its own weakness. "What are you talking about?" it seemed to say with a cluck. It had no idea what Lie Zhanfeng was getting at.

Lie Zhanfeng's eyes narrowed. "I can help you. But only if you follow me as your master. I'll help you purify your bloodline, and together we'll make you stronger."

The rooster's defiance faltered for a moment. There was a brief hesitation in its gaze, as though it was tempted by the offer. But before it could fully process what was happening, Lie Zhanfeng's spiritual sense surged forward, invading the rooster's consciousness. He placed his hands firmly on the rooster's trembling form, and immediately, a wave of spiritual energy surged from him. It was like a tug-of-war between their wills. The rooster fought back with all its fiery strength, thrashing wildly, its body glowing brighter with the fire's energy, but Lie Zhanfeng held it in place with ease.

The rooster tried to fight back, its mind scrambling to resist the intrusion. But Lie Zhanfeng's spiritual sense was too powerful, too overwhelming. The rooster's will crumbled, and before it knew what had happened, a contract had been formed. A master-servant contract had been sealed, binding the rooster to Lie Zhanfeng's will.

The rooster let out an angry squawk, its feathers puffing up in indignation. "You bastard!" it screeched. "Cunning scumbag! You tricked me!"

Lie Zhanfeng winced as the rooster's words echoed in his mind, but he held firm, still grasping the bird by the neck. "Well, you're bound to me now," he said, his voice calm despite the rooster's tantrum. "And from now on, you'll be my pet." he teased.

Xie Dongyi approached, looking at the scene with a mixture of amusement and concern. He watched Lie Zhanfeng hold his forehead, clearly exhausted from the spiritual contract.

"Are you okay?" Xie Dongyi asked, his voice soft.

Lie Zhanfeng nodded, though it was clear he was anything but fine. "I'm fine. It's just… I didn't expect it to be so overwhelming." He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the dizziness. "But now, I can understand what the rooster's saying."

Xie Dongyi blinked. "You can understand it now?"

Lie Zhanfeng nodded with a slight grievance. "Oh yes. It's currently throwing a tantrum, calling me all sorts of names. 'Bastard,' 'cunning scumbag'... you name it. It's cursing me out in every possible way."

Xie Dongyi chuckled at the thought, shaking his head in disbelief. "What are you going to name it?"

Lie Zhanfeng looked down at the rooster, which was still squawking angrily in his hands. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Jimao. Call it Jimao."

Jimao means 'chicken feathers.'

The rooster immediately responded with another round of curses. "Jimao?! You think I'll respond to that?! You, fucking pig!!"

Lie Zhanfeng grinned widely, clearly unbothered by the rooster's fiery response. "Yep. Jimao it is," he said, a gleam of mischief in his eyes.