Chapter 31: The Golden Swallow

Chen Feng carefully recalled the scene and felt that the swallow had flown out of her left palm.

She looked at the scar on her palm, silently reciting, “Enter, enter, enter…”

Suddenly, she found herself in another space. Only this time, she wasn’t standing on the ground but perched on a tree branch.

There was a particularly pleasant fragrance lingering here, serene and beautiful, instantly refreshing her exhausted mind and easing the stiffness in her body.

Looking down, she saw a thick tree trunk, slightly slanted, large enough for two adults to embrace. The bark was rough, with many dark “wounds,” as if pecked at.

The tree was not attractive at all. Such appearance would be considered useless in the mundane world, and its existence here seemed to be a waste.

Beneath the large tree was a circle of land, with many tree roots protruding, creating an uneven surface. The land was not large, about the size of the tree canopy, surrounded by white mist.

What kind of space was this? The small circle of land, with so many tree roots, couldn’t grow fruits, grains, or medicinal herbs.

Chen Feng was extremely disappointed.

She looked up at the tree again. The branches were numerous, but the leaves were not lush, not sparse, just not abundant. The leaves were slim and green, unfamiliar to her, and she didn’t know what kind of tree it was.

Suddenly, she noticed several branches shimmering with gold. Upon closer inspection, she realized that these were small houses crafted from gold.

There were a total of nine, each with a unique design—some circular, some square, some polygonal, and one even shaped like a pyramid. The small houses were resplendent, exquisitely crafted, and incredibly beautiful. However, they were all very small, about seven to eight centimeters tall, and with a diameter or length of only thirteen to fourteen centimeters. She reached out and picked up the nearest small circular house, feeling its weight, estimating it to be at least half a kilogram.

The craftsmanship was truly exquisite, with even the seams of the bricks on the walls clearly visible. The small animals on the roof ridge were lifelike. There were doors, windows, and intricate carvings, with precious gems like rubies, cat’s eyes, and diamonds adorning the lintel. Opening the door, inside was similarly carved with columns and railings, and there was a semi-circular, pale green swallow’s nest, presumably the swallow’s bed.

Chen Feng dared to assert that even the master craftsmen of her previous life couldn’t match this skill.

Thinking of the blood hole on Er Bai’s face and the swallow’s fondness for ornate structures, she guessed that these houses were probably pecked out by the swallow.

While other swallows build their nests with mud, it used gold.

What a magnificent mansion-building tycoon!

After marveling at this, Chen Feng became ecstatic. Oh, Heavens, this fortune was too direct. There was no need to grow medicinal herbs, fruits, or grains. These small houses alone were worth a fortune, let alone the green swallow’s nest inside, which surely surpassed white or blood swallow nests in value.

As Chen Feng was reveling in her delight, a flash of darkness suddenly appeared before her, and the swallow from her dream flew in front of her.

It opened its beak and said, “Chirp, it’s shameful to seek gains without effort. Quickly put down my golden house. That’s my home. Don’t even think about taking it to sell.”

The voice was pleasant, but the content was disagreeable. Nevertheless, Chen Feng was filled with gratitude toward this little creature that had saved her.

She hurriedly put down the golden house and said with a smile, “I didn’t intend to sell your house. I was just curious, admiring it.” Then she waved at it and continued, “We’ve known each other for a while now, but I still don’t know your name. I’m Chen Feng. What about you?”

The little swallow politely greeted Chen Feng, saying, “Hello, Mom Feng. I am Golden Swallow, also known as Golden Treasure.”

“Mom Feng”? That title sounded too plain.

Ignoring Chen Feng’s perplexity, the Golden Swallow flew down to the ground, flapped its wings, and dropped two jade-inlaid golden hairpins and a gold bracelet from its wings. It muttered to itself in a dejected tone, “This little gold is only enough to make a fan-shaped door. I’ll have to steal a few more times.”

The way it said “steal” was as matter-of-fact as saying “buy.”

Chen Feng also slid down the tree and asked, looking at the jewelry, “Did you steal these?”

The Golden Swallow raised its head, stretched its neck back and forth, and coldly snorted, “I don’t steal. I bought them, you Fool!”

With that, it spread its wings, lay on the ground, its beak half open, looking very uncomfortable.

Chen Feng squatted down, observing it closely. The swallow had emerald green eyes, and its beak, chest, and belly were golden, while its back and wings were black, with a hint of golden sheen. When its wings were folded, its size was similar to an ordinary swallow, but when spread, its wings were much broader than those of a typical swallow.

She carefully examined the sharp little beak, which sparkled with a cold light.

Trying to appease it, Chen Feng smiled and said, “It’s my fault, I was wrong. I didn’t let you see the light of day in your previous life. I’m sorry for mistreating you. Also, Golden Treasure, I’m very poor now. I haven’t eaten meat for several days. Can you think of a way to help me earn some money?”

The Golden Swallow fluttered its eyelids and gave her a few sharp glances, chirping, “Chirp chirp chirp, you’ve offended me to the core and now you want me to help you get rich. How is that possible?”

Well, that problem could be addressed later. First, it was important to try and soothe the little one’s temper for better communication. Chen Feng coaxed gently, “Golden Treasure, you are a lovely and gentle little swallow. When you speak, you sound even more impatient than the chattering sparrows in my yard. Your behavior greatly affects your image.”

The Golden Swallow indeed listened and stood up straight, looking very aggrieved. “Mom Feng, it’s not that I don’t care about my image. It’s just that I’m really angry. For so many years, I’ve been trapped in the space, unable to leave, nibbling on tree bark when hungry, and eating leaves when thirsty. I’ve been living in an old house, and the days were lonely and tough.”

Its murmurs were tender and delicate, even more endearing than Chen Dabao’s speech impediment, melting Chen Feng’s heart.

Quickly, she earnestly apologized again, “Yes, I was foolish to keep you confined for so long.” Seeing the little one’s softened attitude, she inquired further, “Golden Treasure, others have made a fortune by using their spaces to earn a lot of money. But my space is too small, I can’t grow crops or medicinal herbs, and there’s no spiritual spring. How can I make a fortune?”

The Golden Swallow gave her a disdainful look and said, “Mom Feng, you’ve got it wrong. This space is mine, not yours. Because I’m with you, the space is on you. Our relationship chain goes like this, the space is mine, I’m yours. Also, everything on this tree, including the leaves, you can’t take casually.”

So, this space not only was useless but also didn’t belong to her.

Well, if it’s not yours, then it’s not yours. With such a powerful Golden Swallow, it was already a sign of divine favor.