Chapter Two: The Battle of the Eggshells

As expected, it was just like when the black-feathered chick had tried to push Jiang Xuan's egg before. Once again, with its back to the white egg containing the Heaven’s Mandate Empress, the little chick summoned all its strength, its bare wings flapping desperately, and its tiny legs kicking with all their might.

Only, the Heaven’s Mandate Empress was clearly not as hefty as Jiang Xuan had been. It was obvious she could be moved!

Just as the white egg was about to be pushed out of the nest, Jiang Xuan heard the furious and aggrieved voice of the Heaven’s Mandate Empress in his ear.

“That damned black-feathered chick!”

“I’d hoped to quietly cultivate within this eggshell, letting my spiritual energy circulate endlessly, but it seems that’s no longer possible!”

“You’ve ruined my plans. If I don’t teach you a lesson, do you really take me for someone so easily bullied?”

As her words fell, a small hole was suddenly pecked in the white egg, and then a flawless, snowy-white chick poked its head out from the shell.

Without hesitation, it began pecking furiously at the black-feathered chick, its back still to her.

“Ow, ow, ow! Why is this white-feathered chick biting me?”

“No, not biting—pecking!”

“So you want to fight, do you? I, the Demon Lord, am happy to oblige!”

The black-feathered chick was no pushover. After a few pecks, it lost its patience, spun around, and began pecking the white chick right back, wings flapping furiously.

To witness these two great beings, both reincarnated for another life—a Demon Lord and an Empress—brawling before him in such a childish, thuggish manner, left Jiang Xuan utterly dumbfounded. He had no words.

“Sigh, if only I had some peanuts or sunflower seeds to snack on!”

“Forget WWE—nothing is as thrilling as watching a real fight like this!”

While Jiang Xuan was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, a sudden prompt sounded in his ear.

“As the eldest brother, the host should take responsibility for caring for his younger siblings!”

“Please step in to stop the brawl between the chicks. Complete the task to receive a random innate divine ability as a reward!”

Ah! So, according to the system, he was considered the eldest brother!

Jiang Xuan blinked and quickly understood. In the world of spirit beasts, the hierarchy among birds was determined by the order in which they broke out of their shells.

Although the black and white chicks had hatched before him, his egg was actually the first to crack—he had just been too lazy to come out immediately.

Now that the system recognized him as the elder brother of the black and white chicks, it was only right that he discipline his siblings!

With that thought, Jiang Xuan patted his bottom, preparing to break out of his shell at last.

“Vile creature! If I don’t beat you black and blue today, I’m not worthy of being called the Heaven’s Mandate Empress!”

“Damn it! When has this Demon Lord ever been so humiliated? White-feathered chick, you court death!”

Just as the black and white chicks were locked in a furious, even fight, a sudden crack sounded in the nest.

They turned to see the largest, roundest egg, which had always lain quietly in the corner, now split open with a loud crack.

From within, a giant chick—at least three times their size, plump and rotund—squeezed out of the shell!

Jiang Xuan didn’t even need to do much; by simply spreading his wings, he effortlessly pressed the white chick to one side of the nest and the black chick to the other, pinning them down so firmly they couldn’t move at all.

“What… what kind of joke is this?”

“How can someone from the same clutch be this fat?”

The Empress was stunned. She’d sensed before that Jiang Xuan was the fastest growing and developing of their brood, but his actual size still left her speechless.

The difference was even greater than between a scrawny child and a giant wrestler!

The Demon Lord, too, was fuming; now he understood why he had failed to push the egg, no matter how hard he tried.

How could he ever have managed to move such a giant chick? Even if he risked his life, it would have been impossible!

With his two siblings thoroughly subdued, Jiang Xuan yawned, feeling that the exertion just now had been a bit much. Without hesitation, he sprawled out in the nest, one wing pressing down on each chick, and promptly fell into a deep sleep.

“Spiritual energy +1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1…”

Never in their previous lives had the Demon Lord and the Empress suffered such utter humiliation. Both were fuming with rage, struggling with all their might to break free from beneath Jiang Xuan’s wings.

Yet no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t budge an inch.

At this stage, they were all newly hatched and at their weakest. No matter how many immortal arts or divine abilities they might possess, without cultivating enough spiritual energy, they were useless.

Right now, it was all about size and strength—and Jiang Xuan was, without a doubt, in a league of his own.

“Forget it, I give up. Let this fat bird use me as a pillow. One day, I swear I’ll pay you back tenfold!”

“I can’t take it anymore! Damn you, fat bird! One day, I’ll pluck every feather from your body and roast you over a fire!”

After about three hours, Jiang Xuan finally woke up. He yawned and crawled out of the nest.

At that moment, the system prompt sounded in his ear.

“Congratulations, host! You have accumulated one thousand points of spiritual energy and can now break through to a Tier Two spirit beast!”

“At the same time, you have completed the task of disciplining your siblings and have received a random innate divine ability: Lithe as a Swallow!”

“Lithe as a Swallow: Avian races are known for their speed, and this ability greatly enhances the host’s swiftness. When activated, your movements become as light and agile as a swallow!”

Ah! What a wonderful gift. Jiang Xuan had been worrying he might have grown too fat, and that he’d lose the birds’ most important ability: flight.

But with this divine talent, no matter how much he ate or how heavy he became, there was no need to worry about being unable to fly.

“Huh?”

“Strange, where did the black and white chicks go?”

Looking around, Jiang Xuan couldn’t see either chick.

Just as he was puzzling over this, he felt something moving beneath his wings.

He lifted one and saw that the black and white chicks had nearly been flattened by his weight.

“Ah…”

“Sorry about that! I got carried away sleeping and completely forgot about you two!” Jiang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly.

Regardless of whether his cheerful chirping was understandable to them, the pitiful Empress and Demon Lord, after being used as pillows for an entire afternoon, finally managed to escape from beneath his wings.

Both chicks looked utterly dispirited, their fighting spirit thoroughly crushed.

Clearly, Jiang Xuan’s “discipline” had been most effective.

After a glance at Jiang Xuan’s enormous size, the two chicks exchanged a look and seemed to understand each other instantly.

“Cooperate!”

“We must work together!”

“Otherwise, the two of us will be bullied to death by this giant, fat chick!”