The Rising Phoenix

She told Cerberus that they were not in a particular hurry, so there was no need to rush their pace.

Eventually, Bai Xifeng arrived at the outskirts of the Black Ridge Forest. She looked around at the darkening trees and got down from Cerberus’s back.

"We are going to take a rest here for the night." Bai Xifeng said.

She then set to work, creating a sturdy protection array around her chosen campsite to ward off intruders.

"Cerberus, you can go back for now." Bai Xifeng said, dismissing her contracted beast.

By now, Bai Xifeng was feeling quite hungry. So, she decided to cook something for a meal. Tao-chan emerged from her space at the scent of preparation.

"Remember to cook for me as well!" Tao-chan reminded Bai Xifeng eagerly.

"It will not be a meal with too many dishes." Bai Xifeng replied.

"I don’t care about the variety. I just want to eat your cooking." Tao-chan insisted.

So, Bai Xifeng started cooking. She decided on a hearty chicken soup. It was a simple task. She just threw the fresh ingredients into the pot and let it simmer for an hour.

As the soup cooked, Bai Xifeng thought about her quest. She was required to retrieve specific stones from Xien Cave. These were not normal stones. They were a rare type of mineral that was perfectly suitable for creating many kinds of high-level weapons.

Bai Xifeng was thinking of gathering some extra for herself. She also wanted to practice her skills as an armament master. She realised she had neglected that particular profession lately. Compared to her other skills and professions, her rank in the armament master profession remained quite low, and she intended to change that.

The aroma of the simmering chicken soup began to waft through the clearing, the savoury steam curling upward and disappearing into the dense canopy of the Black Ridge Forest. Bai Xifeng sat by the fire, the orange glow dancing in her eyes as she stared into the flames.

"Is it done yet?" Tao-chan asked, looking eagerly at the pot.

"Be patient." Bai Xifeng murmured, stirring the broth with the wooden ladle.

"I think it is done." Tao-chan stated while staring at the soup.

"Not yet. I put some spiritual herbs into this soup. They need time to release their essence into the meat. If you eat it now, you will only be chewing on tough chicken and raw ginger." Bai Xifeng explained.

"You put spiritual herbs inside? The ones in that space?" Tao-chan asked.

"Yes." Bai Xifeng nodded.

"Then, I will wait," Tao-chan stated, settling himself on Bai Xifeng’s shoulder.

Even though Tao-chan had never heard of the method of putting spiritual herbs into cooking, he believed completely in Bai Xifeng’s skills. He had seen the spiritual herbs inside that place before. Bai Xifeng had warned him not to eat those spiritual herbs, or they would drive him crazy.

As Bai Xifeng waited, she pulled out a manual from the storage rune. It was a basic guide about mineral purity. It was something she had not looked at in months after creating the sword back in Capital City. Her progress in other professions had not been bad, but her hands still felt clumsy whenever it came to the forge.

To an armament master, the stones from Xien Cave were like unpolished diamonds. They held a unique resonance that could amplify a weapon’s spiritual conductivity.

"If I can refine the Xien stones properly, I might be able to upgrade my own weapons. The current steel is too brittle for the amount of Qi that I am channelling through it. A few more uses and it might break." Bai Xifeng mumbled to herself.

Suddenly, the rustle of dry leaves caught Bai Xifeng’s attention. It was not the heavy, rhythmic tread of a beast, but the light, deliberate footfalls of someone trying and failing to stay silent. She glanced calmly in that direction.

Tao-chan also glanced over and scoffed. Then, he no longer paid any attention to it.

Bai Xifeng did not reach for a weapon. Instead, she slowly poured a portion of the soup into a wooden bowl.

"I want a lot. This is not enough." Tao-chan complained.

"Once you finish this bowl, I will scoop another one for you. We have plenty." Bai Xifeng said.

"Hmm.." Tao-chan nodded.

He immediately began eating the chicken.

Bai Xifeng heard the sound again.

"There is a protection array." Bai Xifeng said loudly, her voice cutting cleanly through the crackle of the fire. "If you take three more steps forward, the lightning seals will trigger. I do not think your master would appreciate you returning with charred skin."

The rustling stopped abruptly. A moment later, a figure stepped out from behind a massive ancient oak. It was one of the younger students from Zou Weizhe’s entourage, a boy who looked barely sixteen years old. He appeared nervous and pale.

"I... I was not trying to sneak up on you, Lady Bai!" The boy stammered, holding up both hands. "His Highness... he sent me to bring you this. He said the forest is colder than it looks at night."

He held out a high-grade silk cloak, lined with the fur of a Snow Fox. It was an item of obvious luxury, clearly meant to both protect and impress.

Bai Xifeng glanced at the cloak, then back at her soup. A cold smile touched her lips.

"Go back and tell your Prince that I have a fire, a contracted beast, and a very sharp blade. I have no need for his charity, nor do I have any desire to be ’kept’ warm by his gifts." Bai Xifeng stated, refusing the gift.

***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*