At noon, the blazing sun hung high in the sky, its heat driving small animals to either crouch beneath the shade of lush trees or scurry to the riverbank for a drink. Beneath the waterfall in the canyon, this was one of the many peculiar sights.
Except now, there was one more person.
Yang Xiyan sat on a smooth boulder at the edge of the lake, her slender legs dangling into the clear water, relishing the soothing rush of the current as if it could wash away all her weariness.
Humming a tune, she savored the coolness beneath her feet, listened to the roaring waterfall, and watched the leisurely animals drinking nearby, feeling utterly content.
On such a scorching day, nothing was more refreshing than resting by the lake. If not for fear of being seen by the nearby willow warblers, she might have even taken a dip.
“The weather’s so nice. It’s rare for Demon Beast Island to have sunlight like this,” Yang Xiyan murmured, leaning back on her arms, her snow-white sleeves rolled up as she gazed at the sky. Her delicate feet swayed naturally in the water.
Staring absentmindedly at the blazing sun filtered through the branches, she found herself recalling last night’s events—that girl from Tian Xingzi Academy… Was she really alright? She had seemed in so much pain.
Yang Xiyan didn’t know her well, having only met her a few times, but there was no denying the deep impression she had left. Even their close encounter hadn’t made her heart race uncontrollably.
She hadn’t seen her all morning. Where had she gone? Had she already left? Probably not—she wouldn’t just abandon her here alone.
Her name was Xia Qiu, right? She knew Lady Ying. If she had passed the aptitude test back then and entered Aixinya Magic and Martial Arts Academy, becoming a member of Tian Xingzi, would she have known them?
Yang Xiyan’s thoughts wandered, drifting from one thing to another, until she suddenly noticed a little squirrel scampering up beside her. It was so fluffy and adorable that she couldn’t resist picking it up and placing it on her lap.
“How do ordinary little animals like you survive on this dangerous Demon Beast Island? It’s really incredible,” Yang Xiyan mused with a sweet smile. The squirrel, completely unafraid, hopped playfully on her thighs.
After a moment’s thought, she took out some pastries from her spatial pouch and offered them to the little creatures. To her surprise, they weren’t frightened at all—in fact, they seemed to love it. But before long, the animals suddenly scattered in fear, darting toward the trees by the stream.
“Why’d they all run away?” Yang Xiyan looked around in confusion before spotting a woman standing by the stream to her left, holding a nearly lifeless “pheasant” in her hand, watching her intently.
Yang Xiyan noticed the woman’s gaze was unusually open—not that she minded, since she was well aware of her own striking appearance. But unlike the usual looks of greed or possessiveness, this woman’s eyes held the appreciation of an art connoisseur, as if beholding a masterpiece.
There was also a hint of awe in her expression.
Though accustomed to attention, Yang Xiyan still felt a little bashful. She broke the silence with a smile. “You’re back?”
Liu Ying snapped out of her daze and raised the pheasant in her hand. “I caught a Thunderstorm Plover nearby—a male. You haven’t had proper poultry in a while, right? We’ll make soup later.”
She grinned cheerfully.
What had she just seen? It was a breathtaking scene—a woman in a green dress, ethereal as a goddess, resting by the river. Animals flocked to her side, and against this backdrop, her already striking beauty took on an even purer, more enchanting quality. She seemed completely at one with nature, like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.
There was no denying it. Liu Ying had been genuinely stunned, both awed and surprised. How could this woman be so intimate with these small creatures? Although the animals on the Demon Beast Island weren’t as powerful as the demonic beasts, they had evolved an unparalleled sense of vigilance.
They possessed an innate ability to detect a human’s presence from thousands of meters away and would flee if they sensed any threat. It could be said that almost no human could get close to these creatures so attuned to nature.
Unless, of course, one naturally exuded a harmony with nature… Yang Xiyan had truly exceeded her expectations.
“A thunderstorm plover?” Yang Xiyan gathered her skirt and stood up, her eyes fixed on the creature in Liu Ying’s hands. It resembled both a chicken and a bird, and suddenly, as if struck by realization, she exclaimed, “Is—is that the incredibly rare Amethyst Jade Water Plover?”
“Yes, it’s the so-called Amethyst Jade Water Plover,” Liu Ying replied, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh at Yang Xiyan’s astonished expression. “I’ll go downstream to bleed and clean it. We’ll be able to eat it soon.”
“It’s really the Amethyst Jade Water Plover?” Yang Xiyan stared at Liu Ying’s retreating figure, dumbfounded. She hastily grabbed her sandals nearby, lightly tapped her lotus-like feet on the lake’s surface—small magic circles appearing beneath them—and glided across the water.
With a few quick steps, she reached the shore and hurried back to the cave to find a suitable pot to wash.
……
By the time Liu Ying returned with the cleaned ingredients, Yang Xiyan had already lit the fire and covered the pot, though she sat by the flames looking a bit disheveled, her fair face tinged pink from the glow.
Liu Ying burst into laughter. “You look like a little soot-covered kitten now. All traces of your fairy-like grace are gone. Go wash your face outside. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Flustered, Yang Xiyan raised her arm to wipe her face, only to smear it with more soot. Seeing Liu Ying laugh even harder, she blushed and dashed out to wash up.
When she returned, Liu Ying had already finished preparing the ingredients and was sitting by the fire, waiting for the food to cook. Feeling as though she hadn’t contributed much, Yang Xiyan rummaged through her spatial pouch. “Wait, Yiyi gave me a lot of spices. They’ll make the dish even more delicious.”
As she fumbled around, her hand suddenly brushed against something massive—a motorcycle. But it was far too heavy, and she lost control of it.
In an instant, a motorcycle materialized inside the cave, hovering in midair for less than a second before plummeting downward. Had it landed, Yang Xiyan might have lost half her life.
But in the blink of an eye, Liu Ying had already rushed over. With a light touch to the wheel, she sent the motorcycle spinning before it landed smoothly on the ground.
Liu Ying moved the bike, which now took up a significant portion of the cave, to the side. Then, crouching beside the pale-faced Yang Xiyan, she scooped her up and placed her on the bed, sighing in exasperation. “Oh, my young miss, how could you be so careless? Just sit still and leave the rest to me.”
Under Liu Ying’s doting smile, Yang Xiyan lowered her head meekly, pressing her snow-white legs together as she sat quietly on the bed, too embarrassed to even look at her.
This was so humiliating.
So, so humiliating.
Liu Ying tidied up the mess, added some firewood, and watched Yang Xiyan treating her knee on the stone bed. She couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Is it serious? Do you need my help?”
“No, it’s just a minor injury. I can handle it. I’m a water mage, after all. I can heal myself.”
“What happened to you? You suddenly seemed so flustered earlier.” Liu Ying stopped tending to the soup and sat down beside the stone bed, looking at Yang Xiyan’s injured knee and delicate face with a hint of confusion.
Yang Xiyan’s face flushed like a budding flower, but she quickly regained her composure. “Is that really the Amethyst Jade Plover—the kind you’d only see in royal banquets?”
Liu Ying paused, then chuckled. “Amethyst Jade Plover—that’s the aristocratic name for it. It’s so rare and expensive that they named it after ‘amethyst,’ the most valuable currency. But its common and scientific name is Storm Plover. They’re the same creature.”
“The Storm Plover is a species under the order of shorebirds in the magical beast classification. It’s a rare but safe delicacy on the Beast Island. I thought a young lady like you would appreciate it. After all, most food here is too tough to chew, so this was the best I could catch for you.”
“The best you could?” Yang Xiyan stared at Liu Ying’s regretful smile, her attention entirely fixed on those words. It almost sounded like Liu Ying was saying, “Since there’s nothing better, this is all I could get for you.”
“Seems like you really like it,” Liu Ying said, pleased. “I’m not much of a cook, but this ingredient tastes better without seasoning.” She pulled up the blanket to cover Yang Xiyan’s snow-white thighs before checking the fire.
Truthfully, Liu Ying had wanted to catch something even more delicious, but there hadn’t been a chance—hence the Storm Plover. If they’d been a little closer to the shore, she might have gone for some fresh giant shrimp.
The waters near the Beast Island’s restricted zone were dangerous, but the shrimp and fish there were exceptional. For her sister’s birthday, she’d once caught a Skywater Shrimp Beast so large it took two people to hold—truly delicious.
Suddenly, Yang Xiyan murmured from the bed, “I’m sorry. When I was little, I saw this dish at my grandfather’s grand birthday celebration. It was frozen for preservation back then, but even so, I could only watch from afar—never allowed to touch it. Meanwhile, my brother got to eat chicken legs, and I was so envious. But the memory of that soup’s flavor has stayed with me till now.”
She had never tasted Amethyst Jade Plover before, and the excitement was overwhelming. This was a delicacy fit for state banquets, one of the ancient nobility’s favorite dishes. Combined with the childhood resentment of watching her brother eat what she couldn’t, it was no wonder she’d lost her composure.
Liu Ying froze.
“I’m sorry!” Yang Xiyan averted her gaze, her cheeks still slightly flushed. This wasn’t something ordinary people could ever hope to eat—not even the most luxurious hotels served it. No amount of money could buy it.
The reason? Amethyst Jade Plovers were notoriously difficult to catch. Rumor had it that only mages of S-rank or higher could manage it, and even then, it was a matter of luck. Who would expect an S-rank mage to hunt a plover just to sell it? It was practically unthinkable. That’s why these birds only appeared as gifts for grand occasions—rare and elusive.
As a child, she had dreamed of one day tasting it, but even now, the opportunity had never come. She’d even wondered if she’d get to try it at her own wedding someday. Yet here it was, unexpectedly within reach.
“Wait a moment.” Liu Ying felt a pang in her heart as she saw the dejected look on her face. Every family has its own troubles to bear. Even though the young mistress might appear glamorous and carefree, things might not be so rosy within the family. Perhaps her good looks and ability to captivate Tuoba Yichen were the only assets her family valued in her.
By exposing this conspiracy, she might have delayed the inevitable for a while, but it wouldn’t last forever. Without Tuoba, who knew if they’d marry her off to someone like Chen Tianjing, a complete scoundrel?
Yang Xiyan shook her head and tried poking the meat in the pot. Finding it ready, she pulled out a chicken leg, added some broth, and handed it over. “Here, try this fresh one first. As for the rest, you’ll have to judge my cooking skills.”
Yang Xiyan took the small bowl, amused by Liu Ying’s determined expression, and giggled, feeling a warm surge of emotion inside. One bite confirmed it—tender and delicious, as if she were floating on clouds, utterly satisfied.
Truly, top-tier ingredients.
After the soup, Yang Xiyan experimented with various cooking methods. Before she knew it, she had eaten an entire chicken, all coaxed into her by Liu Ying. Her stomach was now round and full, and by the time she realized it, her face was flushed with embarrassment, too shy to even look at Liu Ying.
This was so unbecoming! If she had lost her composure for some other reason, it might have been excusable. But to do so over food—didn’t that make her seem like a glutton? For someone of Yang Xiyan’s status as a young mistress, this was downright humiliating!
The worst part was Liu Ying’s occasional stifled laughter, accompanied by her teasing remark, “Isn’t being a foodie kind of cute?”
Even after the meal, Yang Xiyan remained shy and blushing. Watching Liu Ying busily cleaning up, she quickly stood to help. “Let me do it. I can handle washing dishes and such.”
Unsurprisingly, Liu Ying refused, no matter how earnestly Yang Xiyan pleaded with her beautiful eyes. She didn’t want to see a mess of pots and pans. But she underestimated Yang Xiyan’s persistence—soon, the task was snatched away.
However, without using magic, Yang Xiyan was incredibly clumsy. Her foot slipped, nearly causing her to fall, but she managed to steady herself. Though she muddled through washing the dishes, by the time she returned, her knee was bleeding, and she winced in pain.
“Did you mess up your water magic? It’s dangerous if you’re moving while casting.” Liu Ying’s amused expression instantly froze. She rushed over, scooped Yang Xiyan up, and carefully laid her on the bed.
“I don’t know.” As soon as she lay down, the blood continued to flow uncontrollably, as if bitten by a leech-like magical beast—nothing could stop it.
Liu Ying’s face turned serious. She first wiped the blood away with paper, then used healing magic to treat the wound.
Yang Xiyan’s pained expression gradually eased. Her thigh felt cool and soothing, both from Liu Ying’s touch and the magic. Soon, the wound had healed completely, leaving her astonished.
A miscast spell was a serious matter. Had Liu Ying really fixed it so effortlessly? Truly, as a student of Tian Xingzi, her skills were beyond comparison.
Liu Ying wiped her sweat and carefully placed Yang Xiyan’s fair leg back down, her gaze discreetly shifting away. Just then, someone outside shouted, “Miss, we’re back!”
As the voice echoed, the entire world seemed to fall silent.
The bedsheet was stained with blood, the two were in close proximity, and Liu Ying was holding Yang Xiyan’s calf—combined with the presence of lovegrass, anyone who understood the implications was instantly stunned, their minds reeling.
No… this can’t be happening, right?