Even if my injuries were fully healed, facing a fierce beast of this realm would still be a tough fight.
This is even considering going all out without regard for the consequences!
But now, I'm just planning to hunt for some energy during this downtime. There's no need to take on such a huge risk!
"I'm scared, I'm scared. I'll just be an honest person again."
Li Chonglou sat down on the ground. If he was bored, he'd just consider it his rest time.
However, before he could even settle in, a figure appeared in his line of sight: Zhizhi Number One.
Li Chonglou frowned.
"Didn't I tell you not to come in?"
Who knew if there were any high-tech surveillance here? If he was caught on camera interacting with a Zhizhi beast, his plan might be ruined.
"Zhizhi!"
"Your wife is pregnant?" Li Chonglou's eyebrows shot up. He cupped his fists in a perfunctory manner. "Congratulations, congratulations."
"Zhizhi!"
Li Chonglou's expression changed. "You can eat anything, but you can't say anything. What do you mean it has something to do with me? We haven't even known each other for half a day!"
This is too frightening. It's as if I've been having an affair with your wife!
"Zhizhi!"
Li Chonglou's expression turned blank.
"You want me to hunt more hearts? Otherwise, she'll have a difficult labor?"
Standing up from the stone door, a frown creased his brow.
Only now did he finally understand what Number One meant.
In its original words, their lineage had a specific reproductive cycle.
It wasn't like humans, where a careless mistake could lead to a life lost the very next day.
Their reproduction was far more rigorous. From before conception, meaning from the moment they decided to have offspring, they had to prepare vast amounts of rare treasures as supplements.
This process required the passage of long years, possibly several years, or even decades!
Only when their energy reserves were sufficient did they dare to conceive.
This was again different from humans. As long as their energy was sufficient, their next generation might be born in a few days or a little over ten days.
There was no need for months of gestation, or even years.
But now, they had no intention of conceiving, so how could their energy reserves be sufficient!
Forced by necessity, Zhizhi Number One had to stand here.
However, even though he understood the meaning, Li Chonglou was still a bit confused. "Since you had no intention of supplementing, why did she suddenly get pregnant?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Chonglou realized something.
"Could it be because of the hearts?"
Zhizhi Number One nodded, then shook its head.
"Zhizhi!"
"You don't know either?"
Li Chonglou looked troubled. "Then, if there isn't enough energy supply?"
To be honest, after just experiencing that terrifying aura, he didn't want to go anywhere now!
He just wanted to stay here honestly until the miners returned to open the door!
"Zhizhi!"
Zhizhi Number One lowered its head in a wronged manner, its front limbs even kneeling directly, looking like it was begging.
Only then did Li Chonglou understand that this special reproductive condition was their characteristic. This pregnancy period was not random, but determined by the mother's strength.
Or, in other words, once a Zhizhi beast mother conceived, its life and spiritual energy would flow entirely to its womb. Without sufficient energy, what awaited it was not just failed reproduction, but the end of its own life!
And their offspring, Zhizhi Number Three, was born after they had stored nearly fifty years of spiritual energy!
Among these, the top-grade living grass from the underground mine played the biggest role.
This couldn't be understood either, as within a dozen kilometers radius outside, except for the three of them, who were weaklings, all others were at least at the seventh level!
Li Chonglou estimated that within a hundred meters of the cave entrance, they would know nothing.
However, this meant he had to venture out again.
Li Chonglou paced back and forth for a long time, looking troubled.
He glanced again at Zhizhi Number One, which was looking pitiful and begging.
Finally, he sighed.
"Let's go, let's go. Who asked me to get into this mess."
If he didn't agree to the situation, Li Chonglou figured their relationship would be over.
He had planned to rely on these three little guys to guard the entrance for him in the future. If this matter ended here, the hearts he had hunted before would have been in vain.
Zhizhi Number One was instantly overjoyed, even nudging its head towards Li Chonglou, rubbing against him.
Just like a fawning dog.
However, it had just finished eating, and the air it exhaled was foul, almost making Li Chonglou puke out his last meal.
"Alright, alright."
Li Chonglou quickly pushed it away and asked, "Roughly how many hearts are needed?"
"Zhizhi?"
Three to five?
Fortunately, it wasn't a lot.
Li Chonglou nodded, and then returned to the underground world with Zhizhi Number One.
After learning the reason, the other two Zhizhi beasts also knelt on the ground, bowing to Li Chonglou.
"Alright, just be more obedient from now on."
Waving his hand, Li Chonglou embarked on the journey to hunt fierce beasts once more.
For safety's sake, he directly ignored the previous direction and headed in the opposite direction.
Time ticked by.
Soon, it was daytime in the underground world.
After successfully hunting the fourth heart, Li Chonglou was informed that the mother beast had entered the gestation period.
Looking at Zhizhi Number Two, curled into a ball with a significantly distended belly, Li Chonglou suddenly felt a sense of seeing his own child.
"Pah! No, this is a little brother, not a child!"
He went back to the underground mine for another look, but the stone door still showed no reaction.
"It's over. A whole day has passed. This mission might be a failure."
Sighing deeply, he suddenly recalled an old saying.
Where there is gain, there is loss.
Although he unintentionally gained three gatekeeping beasts, in return, the mission was considered a failure. He would probably have to find Tie Lao again after he got out.
The "Commoner" faction was no joke. Without the protection of the General Bureau, with just his Dragon Team identity, he might not be able to intimidate them.
And in Shangjing, besides Zhou Tong, his greatest worries were Ya Lili and the others.
If, because of him, they, or even their factions, suffered irreparable losses, Li Chonglou would likely never be able to live with himself.
If that day came, he himself could hardly guarantee what choices he would make.
In this life, besides family and love, there is friendship. He was not a saint, nor a recluse. Some things had to be done!
"I hope Tie Lao still has a plan. After this incident passes, many plans can truly begin."
Li Chonglou sighed again.
Since returning from Tie Lin, the situations he encountered had been constantly changing.
From an outsider, he had now come into contact with the real secrets, all within these changes!