"Isn't that why you're here? Could you bear to watch a little girl like me helpless before an ancient tree?" Zhiyan pouted, looking at Master Fei with such an innocent expression that his lips couldn't help but twitch, and a series of dark lines popped out of his forehead. It seemed that the girl had simply pegged him as a coolie... Tsk tsk, to think that he, a mighty Spirit Demon, had been reduced to this...
In the end, the mighty Spirit Demon had indeed become a common laborer. The Sky-reaching Ancient Tree was moved into the Qiankun Bracelet, where the Spiritual Energy was dense, shrouding everything in mists; all that could be seen was a plaza-sized patch of visible green.
In the center of a dozen square meters of lawn, there was a pond. With Master Fei's help, Zhiyan planted the Sky-reaching Ancient Tree at the edge of the pond. Then, they divided the surrounding area into numerous plots, planting medicinal herbs, fruit trees, and flowers respectively.
Once everything was ready, it was already dark outside. Zhiyan decided to stay in the Qiankun Bracelet and meditate to cultivate her spirit.
The ample Spiritual Energy continuously cleansed her body, and in just a few hours, the Yin Yang Qi within her had significantly increased. However, in comparison to advancing to the next level, it was but a drop in the ocean. Sage cultivation emphasized a gradual and ordered progression, and the Demon Doctor's practice paid even more attention to the right timing, geographic advantages, and serendipity, requiring not only an increase in Cultivation Base but also an elevation in spiritual realm.
After a night of cultivation, when Zhiyan walked past the medicinal herbs she had planted the day before, she suddenly discovered that not only had they survived, but they had also grown significantly. The Sky-reaching Ancient Tree was no longer withered and yellow but instead lush and thriving, sprouting branches and buds as if spring had arrived. The Nightglow Grass at its roots had grown about half an inch taller, shining with a brighter, more transparent, and pure light.
"We've got enough basic herbs for now. Today we'll take a stroll inside and bring back some high-end stuff," Master Fei said, squinting his eyes in satisfaction at the sight before him. He had been in the Qiankun Bracelet for tens of thousands of years and had never seen such vitality before.
"The sooner I can start making elixirs, the better," Zhiyan said, staring at Master Fei with eager eyes, itching at the thought of Alchemy.
"Sure, unless you can perform Alchemy without any tools, not relying on any objects," Master Fei hummed lazily.
"Why wouldn't I use a Medicine Cauldron if I have one?" Zhiyan asked, puzzled. It was just Alchemy, after all. She had even refined Fourth-grade Spirit Gathering Liquid, so what was so difficult about a mere First-grade Elixir?
"Pfft, can Alchemy and medicine-making even be mentioned in the same breath? You can easily concoct medicine with a broken pot and a bit of fire. But in Alchemy, humph, a moment of inattention could lead to failure, and an exploding Cauldron is a common occurrence. If you end up missing an arm or a leg, don't blame me for not warning you," Master Fei said, glaring at her fiercely, irritated to have to explain these simple issues over and over again to someone of his status as a Spirit Demon.
"Alright, it's just about finding a reliable Cauldron, isn't it? You could have said that in one sentence instead of beating around the bush," Zhiyan shot back fiercely, leaving Master Fei speechless and, to his chagrin, feeling somewhat rejected.
The deeper they went, the thicker the fog became. The entire wood was filled with a chilly breeze that whispered past her ears, bringing a hint of coolness. Zhiyan instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, her lively eyes constantly scanning her surroundings.
Silence. The whole forest was eerily quiet. Zhiyan's eyebrows knitted together in caution as she stood still. No, something was off. She felt as if someone was watching her every move, as if there were a pair of eyes on her back, but when she tried to pinpoint it, she couldn't quite say where.
"Forget it, I'm not going any further," Zhiyan declared, annoyed, and promptly sat down on the ground. Her delicate and smooth face tinged with a hint of exasperation. Damn it, whatever it was, it wouldn't come out. What exactly could it be?
Back and forth, walking then stopping, Zhiyan had completely lost her way in the end. Geez, wasn't the fog a bit too thick? And wasn't it supposed to be summer? Why were there ice crystals everywhere, and what was with the thick layers of snow on the ground?
Zhiyan looked around in confusion at the world shrouded in a blanket of silver, every direction was a hazy expanse of white, and without the sun, she could not even distinguish which way was which for a moment, the trees were all equally nondescript, providing no clue for discerning north from south.
"You little dummy, you are now in someone else's Ice and Snow Array." As Zhiyan racked her brain without coming to a solution, the voice of old Fei drifted from the Qiankun Bracelet, startling her. Damn it, no wonder the journey had felt off, it seemed like that person had been watching her in secret all along.
"What should I do now?" Zhiyan asked, pouting her lips aggressively.
"Cough cough, just have a look around, there isn't really any danger." Old Fei sounded extremely casual; this grade of Ice and Snow Array was practically non-existent to him, but for Zhiyan, it was an excellent test, so he allowed her to fumble on her own for a while, knowing it wasn't too late for him to intervene if necessary.
Zhiyan, with a face full of black lines, thought since she couldn't get out, she might as well enjoy it, after all, this ice and snow world favored the absorption of Yin Energy within her body.
The further she walked, the colder it became, and as the sky grew dim, Zhiyan halted in her tracks, her face showing a look of astonishment. Ice sculptures?
Looking at the two towering Ice Beasts in front of her, Zhiyan's face lit up with admiration. Amazing, she had not expected ice sculpture artistry of this era to be so advanced, to have carved these large beasts so lifelike and imposing, as if they were living creatures, especially those pairs of eyes which made one feel disdained, tch tch, if she could meet this master sculptor and have him make a few decorative pieces for her Qiankun Space, that would be splendid.
Zhiyan raised her head, her eyes squinting into a smile, with a charm like blooming spring flowers on her face that was indescribably enchanting, exuding endless allure.
Two statuesque Ice Beasts' eyes darkened, and their majestic handsome faces revealed a hint of infatuation.
"Awoooo..." A long howl emanated from ahead, swish swish swish, a myriad of silvery figures suddenly flashed, a pack of silver, redb-eyed wolves with bristling fur encircled her, panting heavily, their mouths wide open revealing chilling teeth, salivating profusely, a hungry and impatient look on their faces.
Zhiyan's scalp tensed, and she looked at the pack with a speechless expression. Did she really look that easy to bully?
"Awoooo..." The wolves howled up at the sky, their sharp claws digging deep grooves in the ground, Zhiyan could even imagine what those claws would do to her flesh. Alright, she admitted, these creatures were not to be underestimated.
With a thought, her smooth little hands held dozens of silver needles, Zhiyan's lips slightly curled, a glittering cold light exploding in her eyes...
"Beasts, back off…" Her cold voice suddenly rang out, a layer of hidden ripples appeared in the air, Zhiyan was taken aback, that voice was ethereal and cold, yet also melodious like dripping water, and so pleasant to hear, she withdrew her small hand holding the silver needles, her usually poised face suddenly flushed with panic, and her eyes filled with a layer of watery shimmer.
"Woo woo, save me!" Looking up at the sky above, Zhiyan whimpered in a nearly pleading tone, damn it, she was still a vibrant and unbeatable beautiful young girl, she just couldn't believe she couldn't smoke out the person hiding behind the scenes.
"Woo woo, Yanyan is scared!" With no response, Zhiyan continued her efforts, her small shoulders shook symbolically, and she forced out two tears.