Xiao Lie also nodded repeatedly.
Mo Cheng: “How do you know I wouldn’t?”
Shen Ci thought seriously for a moment, “Because Senior isn’t angry.”
After a pause, she lifted her small face, eyes curved like crescent moons, “Besides, Senior Mo is a very, very good person.”
Mo Cheng was somewhat taken aback.
A voice as intoxicatingly charming as bone-melting honey suddenly interjected, “Little sister, hearing that even makes this sister’s heart flutter~”
Everyone turned to see Ling Yimian lazily leaning against a mountain rock, her purple gauze sleeves fluttering gently in the wind, revealing a section of jade-like calf. The corners of her eyes tilted slightly, her flowing gaze seeming to carry hooks. Xiao Lie let out an “ao” sound and covered his eyes.
Shen Ci nearly bit her tongue, forcibly swallowing back the words “beautiful sister.”
After some thought, she still stepped forward and politely performed a junior’s bow, “Greetings, Senior.”
Ling Yimian raised an eyebrow in surprise, bending down to stare into Shen Ci’s eyes as purple spiritual light like mist and smoke coiled around Shen Ci.
“Eh?” Shen Ci made a curious sound, feeling strangely warm all over.
Just as Xiao Lie was about to step forward, Mo Cheng raised a hand to stop him, “Don’t worry, she won’t do anything to this little girl.”
After a moment, Ling Yimian’s laughter rang out, “Little sister.”
Shen Ci nodded obediently, “What instructions does Senior have?”
Seeing Shen Ci unaffected, all three showed expressions of slight surprise.
Ling Yimian, unwilling to accept this, reached out to stroke Shen Ci’s cheek, “Little sister, is this sister beautiful~”
Shen Ci blinked her eyes and nodded honestly: “Beautiful, like a fairy from a painting.”
Ling Yimian covered her lips with a low laugh, “Fairy?”
She suddenly withdrew her hand. Having lived over three hundred years, she was accustomed to being called “sorceress” or “temptress,” but this was the first time someone had praised her as a fairy with such candid eyes.
Looking down at the girl’s clear eyes, she unconsciously pinched Shen Ci’s cheek, “What’s your name?”
The little girl, smelling the floral scent on her, smiled unreservedly: “Senior, my name is Shen Ci, the ‘Ci’ from mercy.”
Ling Yimian suddenly pouted her vermilion lips, a rare coquettishness flashing in her eyes, “Senior? Am I that old?”
“Call me sister.”
Shen Ci’s eyes lit up, her heart pounding as she called out crisply, “Beautiful sister.”
“Good girl~”
A purple silk ribbon flew from Ling Yimian’s sleeve, gently tying around Shen Ci’s wrist, “Take this as a meeting gift…”
Before anyone could react, she had already transformed into a wisp of fragrant breeze and vanished into the forest, leaving only a few scattered tunes drifting in the air.
Xiao Lie’s jaw dropped wide enough to fit an egg. He pointed at where Ling Yimian had disappeared: “Mo Cheng, has she… has she taken the wrong medicine?”
Then he sniffed the air and walked up to Shen Ci, grinning foolishly: “A-Ci smells so nice.”
Shen Ci held up her wrist wrapped in the purple silk, her eyes shining like they were filled with stars. She turned and gave Xiao Lie a bear hug around his neck, “Brother Xiao, A-Ci is so happy.”
She excitedly waved her arm, “Look, look, it’s from the beautiful sister.”
Xiao Lie nodded frantically along with her movements, “A-Ci smiles, smells nice!”
Mo Cheng chuckled lightly, “Do you even know what this is? Getting excited over nothing.”
Shen Ci’s eyes sparkled, “No matter what it is, someone gave A-Ci a gift!”
She paused, then stepped forward and raised her index finger, “Senior gave me a Naring and clothes too, A-Ci was also very happy.”
“I wear them every day.”
Mo Cheng was momentarily stunned, then turned his face away: “Silly girl.”
Shen Ci chuckled mischievously, “I’m going to pick some fresh mushrooms!”
Then she tugged on Xiao Lie’s sleeve and dashed into the forest, “I promised to prepare a mushroom feast for Senior~”
Mo Cheng leaned against the stone table, his divine sense rippling out like water, clearly projecting the forest scene into his mind:
Shen Ci stomped her foot anxiously: “Brother Xiao! Don’t pick that red-capped white-stemmed one – it’ll make you see little people dancing!”
The wolf demon youth crouched on the ground pitifully, ears drooping: “But… but it looks like a little umbrella…”
“Not that one either!”
Shen Ci stopped him from reaching for the glowing mushroom, warning: “Eating this will make you bark like a dog!”
Xiao Lie’s eyes suddenly lit up: “Woof?”
Shen Ci facepalmed, “Brother Xiao, just help A-Ci carry the basket.”
…
Unconsciously, the corners of Mo Cheng’s lips curved upward, his expression noticeably softer than usual.
As the sun dipped westward, the two finally filled a basket with mushrooms. Shen Ci squatted counting on her fingers: “Grilled mushroom skewers, mushroom sauce, chicken stew with mushrooms… chicken…”
Oh right, no chicken.
Just as she was pondering this, a pheasant plopped down right by her feet.
Shen Ci: ?
She looked up blankly, meeting Xiao Lie’s sparkling eyes begging for praise. The wolf-eared youth wagged his tail triumphantly: “A-Ci, chicken.”
Shen Ci enthusiastically clapped her hands, “Brother Xiao is amazing!”
She had been prepared to return to the Sect and… borrow an old hen.
The two set up a simple kitchen in the Back Mountain cave residence, with Xiao Lie already skillfully starting the fire and washing the mushrooms.
Shen Ci took out a kitchen knife and cutting board from her Naring, dicing all the mushrooms into small pieces before adding minced garlic to the oiled wok.
When the garlic sizzled in the hot oil, a rich aroma mixed with the fresh scent of mushrooms instantly filled the air. Xiao Lie’s nose twitched continuously, helplessly starting to drool again.
Seeing the mushrooms becoming somewhat soft, Shen Ci added some soy sauce and sugar to the wok.
While stir-frying, Shen Ci reminded: “Brother Xiao, low heat~”
“Got it!”
“Others store either Spirit Stones or magical tools in their Narings…”
Mo Cheng’s voice suddenly came from behind, “But you, girl, fill yours with pots, pans, and dishes.”
Without turning around, Shen Ci casually pulled out a bunch of green onions from her Naring: “Because cooking makes me happiest!”
Mo Cheng found this amusing, “You should become a culinary cultivator. Why carry that shabby little sword around all day?”
Shen Ci tilted her head, “A-Ci still wants to become powerful. I just broke through to late-stage Qi Refining recently and will soon reach Great Perfection.”
Mo Cheng asked again: “Have you tested your Spirit Root?”
Shen Ci paused: “Cultivators who haven’t reached Foundation Establishment can hardly awaken their Spirit Roots.”
She remembered in her previous life, Shen Qingyao awakened a supreme single-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root after Foundation Establishment. Shen Qingze had an Earth Spirit Root, Rong Yuan a Water Spirit Root, while Luo Xingyao and Song Heyu weren’t bad either – Fire Spirit Roots.
As for her, she died before reaching Foundation Establishment, so she never tested her Spirit Root.
Shen Ci looked curiously at Mo Cheng, “Senior, could it be you were born with a Spirit Root?”
Otherwise, why would he ask something everyone in the Cultivation World knows.
Mo Cheng frowned slightly, while Xiao Lie also muttered in confusion, “Where we’re from, everyone is born with Spirit Roots.”
“Ah?” Shen Ci was completely bewildered, not understanding what Brother Xiao meant.
But Mo Cheng seemed to suddenly comprehend something, “No wonder your world can’t nurture Spirit Roots – the Spiritual Qi here is so thin.”
Shen Ci grew increasingly confused as he listened, but still followed along with the other’s words: “It’s not just scarce, senior—forget about Spirit Roots, some cultivators can’t even achieve Foundation Establishment in their entire lifetime.”