Kitchen.
Feng Yin brandished a kitchen knife with formidable vigor.
Feng Yi crouched nearby, his mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg.
“You said Madam found many Seven-Colored Wild Chicken Eggs today!”
“Indeed.” Feng Yin replied without looking up as he handled the ingredients, chatting with Feng Yi.
“She also said she’d share some with everyone when we return.”
Feng Shan came to the kitchen for water and, upon hearing this news, approached like a cat drawn to the scent of fish.
His tiger-like eyes gleamed brightly as he stared at Feng Yin. “What did Madam say she’d share?”
He remembered that during the last Rabbit-like Beast hunt, Madam had promised to share the beasts with Feng Yi and Feng Qing, and indeed gave each five. That rascal Feng Yi had the kitchen cook all of his that very day and ate to his heart’s content.
As for Feng Qing’s five—three large and two small—he had intended to raise them, but they all died by the next morning. In the end, he ate several large bowls with a stern face.
“Seven-Colored Wild Chicken Eggs.”
Feng Shan’s eyes lit up. “That’s excellent! My elderly mother is weak and could use some nourishment.” Those in the team without female family members could exchange for more, so Feng Shan immediately set his sights on Feng Yi. “I recall your family has no women. How about selling me your share of the Seven-Colored Wild Chicken Eggs?”
Feng Yi thought for a moment. “Alright.”
Feng Shan patted his shoulder with a large hand. “Good brother, you’re the best.”
Feng Yi grinned. “I’d believe you if you patted a little lighter.”
Feng Shan laughed heartily in embarrassment.
When Feng Ci arrived, Feng Yin told him about the matter.
Feng Ci smiled. “Do as Madam said, and don’t forget to set aside some for her.”
The next day, Qin Ye heard about it and approached Feng Ci. “I heard your wife found quite a few Seven-Colored Wild Chicken Eggs. How about sparing me some?”
“I’ll trade you with spirit replenishing pills?” He had many female elders in his family, and such suitable tonics for women were rare. Acquiring some would allow him to nourish the women in his clan.
Feng Ci shook his head. “My wife found these, and she has already promised to share them with the clan’s disciples.”
Qin Ye was incredulous. “Such valuable goods, and you’re letting her handle them as she pleases?”
Feng Ci neither confirmed nor denied. “Since she found them, it’s only right that she decides how to distribute them.”
Qin Ye clicked his tongue in amazement. “Your wife is quite the spendthrift.”
“However, you’re the head of the family. How can you let a woman interfere with food distribution? If you spare me some, I doubt she’d have anything to say.”
Spare some for Qin Ye? The thought made Feng Ci imagine his little wife baring her claws at him again if he actually did it.
He shook his head firmly. “She is the mistress of this household. If she goes back on her word, wouldn’t that embarrass her?”
Seeing Feng Ci’s resolute refusal, Qin Ye didn’t press further, only saying, “If you come across such treasures again, remember to save some for your brother.”
Feng Ci laughed. “You’ll have to ask my wife about her belongings. If she’s willing to give, I have no objections.”
Qin Ye: “…”
How has marriage changed this man so much?
A light drizzle fell today.
The various great clans still took their Martial Spirit Masters out hunting.
Song Liuhua slept in, and Feng Yin had left breakfast for her.
After eating, Song Liuhua went to the crafting room.
Feng Li and the others were resting today and had gone out early with baskets to gather Spirit Plants and dig for wild vegetables.
Song Liuhua took out her Refining Cauldron and began Artifact Crafting.
With a series of bang bang bang sounds, everything failed.
Song Liuhua no longer felt the initial disappointment. She took out a small table, arranged Spirit Fruits and Spirit Fruit Cakes on it, sipped a pot of light tea, and leaned back in her rocking chair to steal a half-day of leisure.
In the afternoon, after her nap, Song Liuhua continued her Artifact Crafting.
“Hundred Spirit Fruit, Fragrant Coin Grass, Purple Orchid Vine… Azure Ox Bone, Gale Grass, third-grade Exotic Beast Blood…”
As each material was added to the Refining Cauldron, the Spirit Power gradually stabilized. Song Liuhua took out the small clay bowls and clay cakes she had molded yesterday and refined them with intense heat.
After one hour, the Spirit Power completely settled.
Lifting the lid of the Refining Cauldron, she revealed several exquisitely patterned small bowls adorned with floral designs. Their walls were as thin as cicada wings. Song Liuhua lightly tapped them with her knuckles, producing a crisp, pleasant sound like jade beads falling onto a plate.
As she refined more frequently, she was no longer as clueless about her creations as she had been at the beginning.
Now, she could clearly sense the purpose of these ten small bowls.
Outside, the rain grew heavier, soon pouring down in torrents. The crude roof of the refining room drummed loudly under the relentless downpour.
Thinking of Feng Ci and her brother still out there, Song Liuhua couldn’t sit still. She stood under the eaves, gazing into the distance.
Sure enough, within moments, the women and children who had been foraging for wild vegetables nearby came running back frantically. Feng Li, Feng Su, Feng Rou, and Feng Liu dashed onto the flying boat, carrying half-baskets of wild vegetables.
Feng Xuan, shielded by a defensive barrier, seemed to be bidding a reluctant farewell to someone.
The heavy rain obscured her view, making it hard for Song Liuhua to see clearly.
As Feng Xuan passed by the refining room, a smile still lingered on her face, a touch of crimson at the corners of her eyes adding color to her otherwise plain features. Surprisingly, she smiled at Song Liuhua when their eyes met.
She seemed to be in high spirits.
This left Song Liuhua somewhat puzzled.
Watching Feng Xuan busily working in the refining room, Song Liuhua couldn’t help but admire her. Whenever she had time, Feng Xuan devoted herself to studying Artifact Crafting. With such high talent and diligence, her future achievements were bound to be remarkable.
The rain continued unabated, showing no signs of letting up. Song Liuhua brought a chair under the eaves, watching the rain and scanning the distance. Finally, after half an hour, figures of Martial Spirit Masters from various clans began emerging from the distant mountains.
Soon, Feng Ci, Song Yuan, and the others returned with their clansmen. Everyone looked grim, and even the usually gentle Feng Ci wore a solemn expression.
Feng Shan shook the rainwater from his head and cursed, “Damn it, what a loss! Those Li Family bastards are utterly shameless. They took advantage of the heavy rain to steal our Silver-Striped Deer. We had already wounded it badly—just a little more siege and it would have been ours.”
Feng Wu and Feng Liu, brothers both, wore expressions of bitter resentment. “To take down that fourth-grade Silver-Striped Deer, we used up almost all our spirit replenishing pills and broke so many Spirit Swords. And then those sons of dogs snatched it away! If we had succeeded, we could have returned by now. Now we have no choice but to go back—we’re out of spirit replenishing pills for the next few days.”
Song Yuan’s fists clenched until his knuckles cracked. “Just wait till I get my chance…”
Only then did Song Liuhua realize they had been robbed of their prey by the Li Family. The most serious issue was the severe shortage of spirit replenishing pills and Spirit Swords. This expedition had turned into a major loss.