Chapter Fifty: My Protective Talisman Is a Power Bank

The soldiers heard the cries and looked up. In the distant sky, several tiny black dots appeared.

Lu Hu opened his eyes and followed the sound, seeing that the King of the Bald Eagles had returned. Behind him trailed three more eagles, one large and two small.

"Brother Bald Eagle, you’re back so soon! I am here to greet you, and welcome your beautiful wife and your adorable children," Lu Hu waved his arms, sending out an eagle’s cry to the King.

The soldiers only saw the deity emit a sharp, piercing screech towards the black dots, the sound shooting straight into the clouds.

After a long while, the black dots gradually grew larger until it became clear they were eagles.

How could the difference in eyesight be so vast...

"My deity, you truly deserve the title. At your feet, there’s even a shining little sun," the King of the Bald Eagles exclaimed, not knowing what a solar panel was, only seeing its glittering reflection in the sunlight.

Since the King believed it so, Lu Hu went along with it, continuing his charade, "This little sun is my protective treasure, also called a power bank. It absorbs the essence of heaven and earth here."

"Greetings, my deity," the Bald Eagle Queen called as she beat her wings fervently, her reverence overflowing.

"No need for such formality, sister-in-law. We are all family, bound by affection and sincerity," Lu Hu extended an olive branch to the Queen.

"Husband, look at our deity, treating us as his own. I am so moved," the mother eagle turned to her husband, speaking from the heart.

"Wife, if you’re moved, I am even more so. With the deity, our whole family no longer needs to guard against enemies or live in fear on cliff edges," the King assured her.

"Too bad the deity is still cultivating and can't soar through the sky as we do," the King explained to his wife how Lu Hu couldn’t fly yet, and she felt quite regretful.

"With the strength of the two of us, we can carry him and let him soar," the King said confidently.

"Dad, just take him to the cliffs and push him off. He’ll learn to fly," their son piped up, sharing his own experience.

"You know nothing! We trained you that way so you wouldn't starve in the future. The deity is mighty—how he flies is his own decision. We dare not mess about," the mother eagle schooled her child.

"Mummy, Daddy, brother, look! Look! Those wicked humans are kneeling down and bowing to us, ha ha ha..." the other young eagle shouted excitedly.

"It’s wonderful the deity is here. Those people used to shoot arrows at us, now they’re kneeling and—ha!—making fools of themselves!"

The young eagle spoke carelessly, saying whatever came to mind.

As they neared the great tent, the King of the Bald Eagles ceased flapping his wings and glided smoothly, his wings stretched wide.

His wife and children followed suit, swooping gently down.

The family of four landed steadily on the open ground before the tent.

Lu Hu struck a dashing pose, arms outstretched as wings, and jumped down from the tent top.

The Eagle Queen was much smaller than the King—he was about one meter seventy, she at most one meter sixty, and the two young eagles barely a meter.

"Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome!" Lu Hu reached out enthusiastically, intending to embrace the mother eagle but, fearing the King’s jealousy, settled for a bit of breakdancing instead.

"Thank you, thank you, truly grateful," the Queen danced her wings, hopping joyfully in a disco move.

"Brother, sister-in-law, you must be tired after your journey. Come, bring the children home and rest," Lu Hu thought if he invited the Queen for a waltz or some other dance, they’d hardly match steps; in this cold weather, it was better to gather inside the tent, warm and cozy, for some family conversation.

The King and Queen followed Lu Hu, their tail feathers swaying as they entered the tent, the two young eagles bouncing and skipping after them.

"What are the names of your precious children?" Lu Hu asked the mother eagle.

"They haven’t been given proper names yet," she replied, a bit embarrassed. Feeding them well was already a feat; who had leisure to come up with good names, especially when they had no education?

As for reading, the whole family was essentially illiterate.

"May I name your children?" Lu Hu yearned to show off before the unlettered eagles, while also doing them a favor—a win-win.

"Oh my goodness, thank you! It is our family’s great honor to have the deity bestow names upon our children," the mother eagle blurted in excitement, her rustic expressions slipping out.

The two young eagles were at that moment tormenting their servant, Sun Zi—one hopped up and pecked his scalp, the other jumped and pecked his forehead, practicing their leaps by competing.

Sun Ji's head was left covered in bumps.

"This one seems sturdier; let's name him Eagle Strong," Lu Hu said, pointing to the livelier child.

"Thank you, deity. That name is so powerful! With this great name, our Eagle Strong will surely grow into a robust warrior," the mother eagle's eyes shone with respect and gratitude.

"And the adorable one shall be Eagle Rise. Our children are outstanding—when he grows up, he will surely soar high."

"Wonderful, wonderful! Thank you, deity! Our children are fortunate to have met the deity, and perhaps they will become learned beings one day!"

No sooner had the mother eagle finished speaking than the King looked displeased, "What nonsense, make them cultured humans? Humans are the worst! Our deity is no human!"

The Bald Eagle King had nothing good to say about humanity; I couldn’t ruin my shining image in his eyes.

Lu Hu nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, my brother is absolutely right—I am not human."

Having spoken eagle for so long, Lu Hu's mouth was tired, so he shouted, "Brother-in-law, bring in the gifts I asked you to prepare!"

Yakexi had been waiting outside; at the command, the soldiers filed in, placing their food offerings on the ground.

Eagle Strong and Eagle Rise cheered...

Lambs, fawns, pheasants, baby rabbits—a whole wave of small animals were fresh and lively. As soon as the soldiers released them, they scattered and darted about the tent. For a moment, chickens flew, lambs leapt, rabbits bounded, deer raced, and chaos reigned.

Eagle Strong and Eagle Rise called and chased, half flying, half running, half hopping, as the little animals cried out in alarm...

The King and Queen pretended to enjoy watching their children play, their heads swiveling as they discreetly sucked back the drool that threatened to spill...

Fresh meat was the eagle family's favorite.

Let them have their fill inside.

Lu Hu laughed and slipped out of the eagle tent.

No sooner had he stepped outside than he heard a gust of wind within—the two elder eagles could no longer restrain themselves and rushed at the feast...