Chapter 3: The Eerie Encounter
A level-1 Divine Nest has three chambers, each capable of housing a specific type of lifeform.
If Zhang Yuan could find three such lifeforms to fill the chambers, his strength would see a tremendous leap forward.
He would truly defy fate and rewrite his destiny!
But out of the billions of lifeforms in the world, very few could be recognized by the Divine Nest.
Otherwise, Zhang Yuan wouldn't have only just activated his Divine Nest now!
He immediately ruled out the corpse of the young deer—it had to be a living lifeform to be accepted. He carefully searched the ground, eyes wide open, not missing a single sign of life.
Suddenly, a few ants came into view.
These ants were unusually large—each about the size of a thumb, pitch-black and shiny, with curved mandibles.
Clearly drawn by the scent of blood, they swiftly crawled to the wound of the deer corpse, working together to "snip" off a large chunk of flesh with their sharp mandibles.
One of the ants then clamped tightly onto the meat and began dragging it back toward its nest.
This single ant, astonishingly, could drag deer meat dozens of times heavier than itself!
Zhang Yuan was amazed at their efficiency and strength and immediately realized—he had found his target.
Without hesitation, he extended his left index finger and swiftly pinned down the ant dragging the meat.
In the next moment, the Divine Nest emblem on the back of his hand glowed faintly. An ancient incantation surfaced in Zhang Yuan's mind and silently spilled from his tongue.
The ant beneath his finger instantly vanished, and the Divine Nest emblem grew scorching hot.
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[Host: Zhang Yuan]
[Divine Nest: Level 1 (15%)]
[Symbiote: Level-1 Black Giant Ant (1%) / Double Strength]
[Vitality: 74/75]
[Origin Essence: 0]
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Success!
The Divine Nest emblem returned to normal, but Zhang Yuan could now sense that one of the nest chambers had a new occupant—a black giant ant, bristling with aggression.
This gene lifeform, now contained by the Divine Nest, was a supernatural entity.
Not only did it grant Zhang Yuan double strength, but it could also be nurtured and upgraded through feeding.
Unlocking even greater powers!
Zhang Yuan couldn't help clenching his fists and punching the air in excitement.
He was already strong by nature—now with his strength doubled, even killing a wild boar wouldn't be a problem.
His combat power had soared!
Suppressing his excitement, Zhang Yuan turned back to the deer corpse.
Gene symbiotes in the Divine Nest required nourishment to grow, and that nourishment came in the form of Origin Essence.
Currently, he had none—but he knew how to get it:
Sacrifice prey!
Only prey hunted with one's own hands could be sacrificed to the Divine Nest to yield Origin Essence.
And this deer was a perfect offering.
"Yuanwa'er…"
Just as Zhang Yuan touched the deer's corpse, a ghostly voice suddenly echoed in his ears.
He instantly withdrew his hand as if scalded.
Every hair on his body stood on end, an icy chill surged from the soles of his feet to his head—he was frozen in fear.
Realizing the danger, Zhang Yuan bit down on his tongue. The sharp pain and hot blood jolted him back into control of his body.
He sprang to his feet and drew his machete, turning to face the source of the threat!
But there was nothing ahead—just empty trees and bushes, and the soft gurgle of the stream.
Still, Zhang Yuan remained on high alert.
He was certain he had just encountered something unnatural.
This was the price of venturing deep into the mountains!
"Yuanwa'er…"
The voice came again.
Zhang Yuan jerked his head upward—and spotted a black crow perched on a branch!
The pitch-black bird tilted its head, meeting his gaze with glowing red eyes.
A moment later, the crow suddenly opened its beak and spoke in human tongue:
"Yuanwa'er, Yuanwa'er, you eat the meat, I'll eat the guts—caw caw!"
Zhang Yuan finally breathed a huge sigh of relief and lowered his machete.
He had, indeed, encountered something supernatural.
The crow in the tree was an Eerie.
But not all Eeries were hostile—many were harmless as long as they weren't provoked.
Some could even cooperate with humans!
This crow Eerie clearly had no malice—just a request for food.
Without hesitation, Zhang Yuan grabbed the deer carcass and skillfully cut open its belly with his machete.
He removed all the internal organs.
After washing the blood off his hands in the stream, he hoisted the gutted deer and nodded to the crow.
He didn't know how the Eerie knew his childhood nickname, but he didn't mind offering the organs as a "protection fee" for safe passage.
He even suspected he had wandered into the crow Eerie's territory.
In that case, sharing the spoils was only fair.
Carrying the deer and gripping his machete, Zhang Yuan walked out of the forest without looking back.
He had experienced too much stimulation today and couldn't continue further.
Behind him, the crow Eerie watched silently as Zhang Yuan's figure vanished into the woods, its crimson eyes glinting strangely.
After a while, it flapped down to the pile of organs and began feasting.
---
In the mountains, Zhang Yuan rushed forward.
As he broke through the dense woods and into the bright sunlight, the shadows lingering in his heart finally eased.
He looked back at the forest path, shifted the deer on his shoulder, and quickened his pace toward Chenjia Village.
Strangely, he still felt as though a pair of eyes were watching him from behind.
Only after returning to the village did that feeling finally vanish!
---
"Mother!"
Bursting into the house, Zhang Yuan quickly took down the bamboo tube and handed it to his mother, who was weaving straw shoes in the courtyard.
"Drink this."
The tube held deer blood. There wasn't much, but it was a great tonic.
Zhang Yuan's mother had worn herself out raising him alone. Years of hard labor left her frail and thin.
For years now, Zhang Yuan had tried everything to ease her burden and restore her health.
But his means were limited—he couldn't do much to cure her condition.
"Yuanwa'er."
Seeing her son return safely, Zhang's mother was overjoyed. She quickly set aside her work and drank the blood down in one go.
She knew there was no use refusing—Zhang Yuan could be very stubborn, and she didn't want him to worry or get upset.
To her, nothing was more important than her son's safety.
As long as Zhang Yuan was safe, all was well.
The deer blood brought a bit of color back to her pale face—it was clearly effective.
Zhang Yuan felt both relieved and saddened.
His mother was only in her thirties but looked fifty or sixty—her body was simply too frail.
Swallowing his grief, Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "Mom, I hunted a deer in the mountains. Let's have stewed venison today. It's been ages since I had a full meal."
He usually hunted rabbits or pheasants, and most of what he caught went to the town in exchange for essentials like salt, oil, or needles and thread.
He almost never ate his fill of meat.
Originally, Zhang Yuan planned to sacrifice the deer for Origin Essence, but the crow Eerie's appearance changed his mind.
Today, he would eat his fill—and head back into the mountains tomorrow!
"Alright."
His mother, of course, agreed.
Soon, smoke rose from the straw-roofed hut. A clay pot filled with deer meat, water, and ginger slices simmered on the stove, releasing a rich aroma.
It added a touch of warmth and coziness to their humble home.
(End of Chapter)
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