The Rising Phoenix

"A pleasure doing business with you." Bai Xifeng said, giving a small nod.

"Erk... What if someone else wants to buy a storage rune? Do you have any more?" Jia Xiaobo asked, scratching her head sheepishly. "Someone might see me using this and decide they want to buy one for themselves."

Bai Xifeng paused, considering the possibility for a moment. "Well, if that happens, you can simply bring them directly to me."

"Okay..." Jia Xiaobo nodded, looking thoroughly satisfied with the answer she had received.

After the deal was fully concluded, Bai Xifeng left the Pharmacist Division and walked toward the exchange point centre. There were not many people around at this late hour, so she did not have to wait long before it was finally her turn at the service window.

Bai Xifeng stepped up to the counter and handed over the official form along with her student badge. The registrar at the counter meticulously checked the authenticity of the paperwork. After verifying the signatures, the official immediately proceeded to process her request. By the time the transaction was finished, she had gained approximately twelve thousand points.

Even the person processing her request was visibly surprised by the massive total. He went back to check the form a second time, only to discover that Bai Xifeng had exchanged a large number of High Rank Elixirs. It was no wonder that the points were so incredibly high.

She was originally planning to exchange some of those points for herbs to make another batch. However, she suddenly stopped walking as a realisation struck her.

"Ah!!! I forgot about that!" Bai Xifeng exclaimed loudly.

She was right in the middle of a walkway, and there were several students scattered around the area. When they heard Bai Xifeng’s sudden outburst, their gazes immediately turned toward her in confusion.

Instead of feeling awkward or embarrassed, Bai Xifeng seemed to have entirely forgotten where she was at that moment. She began to mumble urgently to herself.

"Shit! I forgot about that. I should go back and plant it right this second." Bai Xifeng said, her pace quickening until she was almost running.

Bai Xifeng did not even spare a glance at the others. People continued to stare at her until she finally disappeared from their sight.

When she entered the Inscriber Division, she rushed straight to her courtyard. Once inside, she immediately entered the Mirror World. She reached into her belongings and took out the storage runes that contained the Seven-Leaf Frost Root. Yes, that was the rare herb she had obtained from the Shanghai Pavilion Lotus City Branch.

She had been planning to plant it in the Mirror World alongside her other herbs, but the task had slipped her mind. It was only when she thought about exchanging herbs at the centre that she remembered this specific one.

Bai Xifeng carefully removed the Seven-Leaf Frost Root from its protective jade box. The moment the Seven-Leaf Frost Root was exposed to the rich air inside the Mirror World, it seemed to come alive. Each leaf began to swing rhythmically from right to left.

One of the leaves reached out and seemed to brush against Bai Xifeng’s hand. Startled, she pulled back slightly. Then, that same leaf pointed firmly toward the soil.

"You want me to plant you in this soil?" Bai Xifeng asked, somehow sensing that this was exactly what the leaf wanted to convey to her.

In response, all of the leaves swung in unison again.

Bai Xifeng began to dig into the earth. Feeling that the hole was deep enough, she then carefully planted the Seven-Leaf Frost Root into the fertile soil. As soon as the roots made contact with the earth, she could see the plant beginning to emit a soft, ethereal glow.

Even after she finished planting it, the herb continued to shimmer. Bai Xifeng watched it, wondering why it was reacting this way.

"It is because it has already regained its consciousness," Baishe said, appearing suddenly beside Bai Xifeng.

"Its consciousness?" Bai Xifeng asked, her voice full of surprise.

"Hmm... This type of plant can gain consciousness over time. It depends entirely on how long it has lived." Baishe explained calmly.

"Oh... I see. This Seven-Leaf Frost Root was supposedly 320 years old. That is indeed a very long time." Bai Xifeng stated, recalling the description she had read when she first laid eyes on it.

"Its true age is 350 years old." Baishe corrected after observing the Seven-Leaf Frost Root more closely.

"Really?" Bai Xifeng exclaimed.

"Hmm..." Baishe nodded. "You should also take out the Nirvana Heart Fragment and plant it as well."

"Oh... That’s right! I was planning to plant it immediately after finishing with this Seven-Leaf Frost Root." Bai Xifeng said.

Bai Xifeng retrieved another box from the storage rune. As soon as she held the box, it opened of its own accord, and something shot out from within.

The piece of charcoal-like wood lunged straight toward the ground, burying itself deep within the soil without any assistance.

Bai Xifeng, who was watching this scene unfold, was left completely dumbfounded. She turned to Baishe with a baffled expression.

"Is... is that normal?" Bai Xifeng asked, pointing toward the spot where the Nirvana Heart Fragment was.

"Hmm... as I said earlier, some high-level herbs are capable of gaining their own consciousness." Baishe stated simply.

"Oh..." Bai Xifeng squatted down and watched the spot where the Nirvana Heart Fragment had buried itself.

The Nirvana Heart Fragment finally covered itself with the remaining soil and disappeared from their sight entirely.

Bai Xifeng then began to harvest other mature herbs that she could use for her recipes. After finishing her tasks, she left the Mirror World.

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko*