Inside his spiritual sea, Xiang Yu immediately noticed the continued expansion of the sea. Without hesitation, he jumped in, allowing the rejuvenating energies to wash away his mental fatigue. As the tension melted from his consciousness, he experienced that rare moment of complete relaxation that had become increasingly precious during his intense cultivation regimen.
His peaceful interlude was interrupted by an unexpected presence. The soul infant, usually dormant and unresponsive, had awakened and was now circling him with surprising vigor. Its tiny form bobbed through the spiritual currents, orbiting him.
"It seems this little guy has matured a bit," Xiang Yu thought with mild amusement.
Before he could contemplate further, the infant abruptly collided with him, the impact sending a sharp "Ouch!" through his awareness. The miniature being began jumping energetically, its small mouth working as it struggled to produce sounds, its frustration evident in its exaggerated movements.
"Are you trying to speak?" Xiang Yu asked, genuinely curious about this development.
The infant continued its frantic gesticulation. Though it couldn't form words, Xiang Yu felt a peculiar resonance through their connection. Concentrating on this subtle link, he finally understood what the infant was trying to say.
"You're telling me not to be lazy?" he asked incredulously.
The infant nodded vigorously, its tiny features taking on a serious expression.
Xiang Yu couldn't help but laugh. He'd only wanted to relax a bit, but it seemed he couldn't do that.
"Thanks for reminding me," he conceded, patting the infant's head with gentle affection.
Surrendering to the infant's persistence, Xiang Yu assumed his meditation posture. To his surprise, the soul infant immediately mimicked him, its diminutive form settling into a perfect replica of his lotus position.
Together, they began circulating energy through harmonized patterns, their synchronized cultivation continuing uninterrupted until Xiang Yu finally opened his eyes when dawn arrived.
"Alright, it's time for me to leave," he announced, preparing to withdraw from his spiritual sea.
Unlike previous sessions where the infant would collapse from exhaustion, it remained alert despite visible fatigue. It floated upward, tiny hands grasping Xiang Yu's fingers.
"You don't want me to go?" he asked.
The infant nodded, its expression plaintive.
"Weren't you the one who said we shouldn't be lazy?" Xiang Yu reminded it with a bemused smile. "Just be good. I'll come back later."
Gently, he placed the infant in its usual resting spot within the spiritual sea. The moment he set it down, the small being instantly fell asleep, its energy finally depleted from their prolonged cultivation.
Watching its peaceful slumber, a strange sentiment washed over Xiang Yu. "Why do I feel like I've become a father?" he wondered, shaking his head as he retreated back to his physical form.
Xiang Yu's eyes snapped open as consciousness returned to his body. Reflecting on the soul infant's rapid development, he realized he might have underestimated its potential. At this pace, employing it for soul attacks might become viable sooner than anticipated—though using what was essentially a child for combat struck him as somewhat disturbing. But that could wait—he'd cross that bridge when he got there.
With a single fluid movement, he leaped from the spirit spring, and donned fresh robes. His attention turned to the small garden he had nurtured so diligently. After days of careful tending, it was finally time to see if his efforts would bear fruit.
Retrieving a knife from his spatial ring, Xiang Yu approached the herbs, ready to harvest. Each plant required specific harvesting techniques to preserve their medicinal properties—some valued for their leaves, others for flowers, buds, or fruits. The specimens before him needed their buds collected at precisely this stage of growth.
Working with meticulous care, he harvested each bud without damaging the vital parts of the plants as they could grow other buds if the 'root' is not damaged. This precision wasn't merely out of concern for these relatively common herbs; he just believed that adhering to textbook protocols would increase his chances of officially gaining the Farmer profession.
After completing the harvest, Xiang Yu settled down and accessed his system interface. Bracing himself for disappointment, he closed one eye, though it was pointless since the system displayed directly in his mind. To his satisfaction, the results weren't disappointing at all:
[Farmer: 9th Grade (10/100)]
...
Xiang Yu's face lit up with genuine delight. Obtaining the Farmer profession had been his goal, but seeing it materialize left him pleasantly surprised. As the initial excitement subsided, he tempered his expectations. Though he'd successfully acquired the profession, he'd done so through his own efforts so he didn't gain the system-assisted insight.
The ninth-grade classification offered limited benefit. He needed to wait until the next reset when his experience would double, granting him the comprehensive understanding that came with system-assisted breakthroughs.
He thought to himself that once he gained those ninth-grade insights, he might finally be able to cultivate herbs at a sustainable pace.
Conscious of the passing minutes, Xiang Yu refocused on his carefully structured schedule. He'd already devoted considerable time to this new profession—time he couldn't afford to waste with the sect's precarious situation.
He quickly summoned his alchemy furnace and arranged his workspace.
Since his personal supply of healing pills remained sufficient, he focused on refining ninth-grade pills for the sect. He noticed that he had yet to deliver yesterday's production since Elder Huang hadn't collected them as usual. No matter, he would deliver both batches when he installed the protective formations later today.
The pill refining proceeded smoothly, his enhanced success rate allowing him to produce substantial quantities in minimal time. Finished with alchemy, he transitioned seamlessly to weapon crafting. His spiritual energy flowed precisely where needed as metal took form beneath his careful manipulations. By lunchtime, he had refined several hundred high-level magical weapons.
Storing his creations carefully, Xiang Yu departed the spirit vein to prepare lunch. Just as yesterday, only Elder Guo appeared for lunch, the others still occupied with preparations for Li Yao's imminent departure.
As they settled into their meal, Xiang Yu couldn't help but notice a peculiar pattern in his master's endless stories.
"Master, why do all your tales always involve women?" he asked with genuine curiosity. Though undeniably entertaining, each narrative inevitably featured a different female cultivator in distress or alliance. Had his martial aunt been scammed?
"Hmph, what do you know?" Elder Guo responded with mock indignation, his chest puffing slightly. "This elder was quite popular with women back in the day."
Without waiting for Xiang Yu's reaction, Elder Guo launched into yet another elaborate story. Xiang Yu's expression suddenly froze—over the elder's shoulder, he spotted Elder Huang and Li Yao approaching silently, their arrival completely unnoticed by his enthusiastically reminiscing master.
"Cough, cough," Xiang Yu attempted to alert him discreetly, but Elder Guo continued unabated.
"...at that time, Mei Mei had been poisoned by the qi-eating flower..." the elder continued, completely oblivious to the danger looming behind him.
"Ahem," Xiang Yu tried again, more forcefully this time, tilting his head significantly toward the approaching women. Still, his master failed to grasp these desperate warnings.
"...the only way to detoxify the poison was through..." Elder Guo continued, clearly heading toward dangerous narrative territory.
Before catastrophe could unfold completely, Xiang Yu abruptly stood, interrupting the tale. "Martial Aunt, you're here!" he announced with deliberate volume.
Elder Guo finally paused, his storytelling momentum broken. "Junior Sister?" he questioned, slowly turning his neck.
What greeted him wasn't Elder Huang's usual pleasant expression but a darkened countenance that promised imminent reckoning. With terrifying gentleness, she placed her hand on his shoulder, gripping with subtle but unmistakable force.
"Can I talk to you for a second?" she asked, her tone making it abundantly clear this wasn't a request but a command. Her fingers tightened imperceptibly, causing Elder Guo to wince slightly.
"Umm, yes," he agreed meekly, rising from his seat with obvious reluctance.
Li Yao observed the situation with concern. "Sect Master, I won't accompany you anymore. Something just came up," Elder Huang stated flatly, never taking her eyes off Elder Guo.
Li Yao nodded mutely, silently hoping the martial aunt wouldn't eliminate him completely. The sect truly couldn't withstand losing another elder so soon.
With ease, Elder Huang grabbed Elder Guo as though he weighed nothing and soared into the sky, his form dangling helplessly in her grasp. As they ascended, the elder shot Xiang Yu a pitiful glance, silently begging for intervention. Xiang Yu deliberately averted his gaze, pretending not to notice this desperate plea for help.
"I tried to warn you," Xiang Yu thought with a mixture of sympathy and self-preservation. "Now all I can do is say a short prayer for you. If you don't make it, I'll definitely light some incense in your memory."
Xiang Yu and Li Yao found themselves alone after the two elders departed.
"Junior sister, I'll cook something for you," Xiang Yu said, rising from his seat and gathering the plates they'd been using.
As he stood at the washing basin, Li Yao appeared beside him. She took each clean plate, rinsing it carefully before setting it aside to dry.
"No need, senior brother. I just came to tell you that I'm leaving," she said, her voice carrying a hint of reluctance.
Xiang Yu's hands paused briefly. "Already?" he asked, looking up at her. "How long will you be gone for?"
"About a week," she replied, avoiding his gaze.
"Isn't that too long?"
Li Yao remained silent, her thoughts turning inward. A week did feel excessive, even to her. It seemed she was spending less and less time with her senior brother these days, as though the universe itself conspired to keep them apart.
"Since you're leaving, I'll pack some dishes for you," Xiang Yu offered, breaking through her thoughts.
"Isn't it too much work?" she asked, though hope flickered in her eyes.
"No problem at all," he assured her, his tone warm.
As he began gathering ingredients, a spark of inspiration struck him. His hands stilled over the chopping board as he turned to face her.
"As I prepare meals for you, why don't you go catch a spirit beast? I'll prepare a special dish like before," he suggested, his eyes brightening with enthusiasm.
Li Yao tilted her head curiously. "Special dish?"
Before she could question further, the Empress's voice thundered through her consciousness. [WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, GO QUICKLY!] The mental shout reverberated through her mind.
"Okay," Li Yao responded aloud, with a leap, she soared into the sky, her form cutting through clouds as she departed.
"Why are you yelling?" she asked internally, wincing. Had the Empress's voice been physical, her eardrums would have surely shattered.
[Don't you know?] the Empress's voice carried exasperation. [Only high-level spirit food requires spirit beasts to prepare. Since the dish he cooked before was fourth grade, this means he's had another breakthrough in his cooking!]
"Isn't it just an improved dish? Why are you panicking?" Li Yao questioned, scanning the forest below for suitable prey.
[Hmph! What do you know?] the Empress scoffed. [The difference between mid-grade and high-grade spirit food is like that of heaven and earth!]
"Okay, I get it," Li Yao conceded. Her eyes caught movement below. "Should we catch this one?" she asked, pointing toward a wild beast prowling through the underbrush.
[No. Look for at least Core Formation level. The higher the cultivation, the better,] the Empress instructed.
Li Yao hovered higher, extending her qi sense in an expanding circle that covered an impressive area. Countless life forms registered in her awareness—small creatures, ordinary beasts, low-level spirit animals—until suddenly, a powerful presence flared at the edge of her perception.
"Found you!" she exclaimed, her lips curving into a satisfied smile. She pivoted midair, focusing on the distant location where she'd sensed a peak level four spirit beast. For those who've forgotten, this was equivalent to a Core Formation tenth layer cultivator.
In the next instant, her body transformed into a streak of lightning, electricity crackling around her as she moved with extraordinary speed. Within seconds, she arrived at a clearing where an enormous cow-like monster stood grazing. Its muscles rippled beneath its thick hide, and curved horns gleamed dangerously in the sunlight.
The moment it detected Li Yao's presence, the beast bellowed a challenge and charged, lowering its massive horns toward her with earth-shaking force.
Li Yao didn't even flinch. With casual movement, she caught the monster's horns in her hands, lifting the entire creature as if it weighed nothing more than a feather. With a decisive motion, she slammed it to the ground, sending dust and debris exploding outward from the impact.
The stunned beast attempted to scramble to its feet, but Li Yao gave it no opportunity. In one fluid motion, she unsheathed her sword and sliced cleanly through the monster's neck. Its massive head tumbled to the ground as she smoothly sheathed her blade.
Standing over her kill, Li Yao reflected on how far she'd come. Not long ago, she had struggled against the early Core Formation stage dean. Now, she didn't even break a sweat dealing with a Core Formation peak monster. And all of this was because of Xiang Yu, without his help, although she might still have reached this level eventually it certainly wouldn't have been as quick.
...
Xiang Yu meticulously arranged the final container of food, securing each lid.
He glanced toward the forest's edge, a slight crease forming between his brows.
"What's taking her so long?" he wondered, rolling his shoulders to release the tension. For someone of Li Yao's caliber, capturing a spirit beast should be a trivial matter—like snatching a rabbit from a garden.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a powerful gust of wind announced Li Yao's return. The bamboo walls trembled slightly as she descended from the sky, effortlessly carrying a massive beast that must have weighed several tons. The creature's impressive frame dwarfed her slender figure, yet she handled it as casually as one might carry a small basket.
Xiang Yu's eyes widened, momentarily stunned by the sheer size and power radiating from the carcass. Its hide gleamed with faint spiritual patterns, and even in death, the beast exuded an aura that made the air around it shimmer.
"She really went all out," he thought, recovering quickly from his surprise. He approached the beast with measured steps, his expert eye already identifying the prime sections.
From his spatial ring, Xiang Yu withdrew a newly crafted high-level magical knife. He positioned it against the beast's hide. With a single fluid motion, he sliced through the thick skin as though it were silk, revealing the qi-saturated flesh beneath.
For this particular dish, he needed only specific portions—the parts where spiritual energy concentrated most densely. The heart, certain glands, a section of the spine where qi pathways converged. His knife moved with surgical precision, separating these treasures from the rest of the carcass.
But this didn't mean that the rest of the body was going to waste.
He stored the remaining parts in his spatial ring. Within that pocket dimension, time stood still—the meat would remain fresh until he needed it for future meals.
Turning his attention to the precious cuts he'd selected, Xiang Yu began the intricate process of preparation. His movements accelerated, hands blurring as he worked. He ground rare herbs, prepared special marinades, and regulated the fire's temperature with minute adjustments of his spiritual energy.
Li Yao observed from nearby, her chin resting on her palms as she watched with unwavering attention. While Xiang Yu believed she was admiring his culinary expertise, her focus remained fixed on the defined muscles of his forearms flexing with each movement, the way his shoulders tensed and relaxed as he worked, the occasional droplet of sweat tracing a path down his neck.
When the preparation was complete, Xiang Yu transferred the finished dish into a container he had crafted earlier—not merely a vessel but a high-level magical item itself, designed to preserve the food's spiritual properties at their peak potency.
"Here," he said, presenting it to Li Yao with a touch of pride in his voice.
She leaned forward, inhaling deeply. The aroma that wafted from the container was intoxicating—notes of spirit herbs intertwined with the rich essence of the beast, creating a symphony of scents that made her mouth water instantly.
[Idiot, you can't eat that!] the Empress's voice interjected sharply. [If you do, you'll instantly enter the Golden Core realm.]
"Isn't that better?" Li Yao questioned internally, her fingers hovering longingly over the container.
[No! If you breakthrough now, you'll just have a normal Golden Core. I want you to forge a special Golden Core.] The Empress's tone left no room for argument.
With visible reluctance, Li Yao carefully placed the container into her spatial ring, her lips forming a small pout. "It's not like I was really going to eat it now," she muttered, though her expression suggested otherwise.
Turning to Xiang Yu, her expression softened. "Thank you, senior brother."
Xiang Yu merely displayed a smug smile in response, satisfaction evident in his posture.
"But why did you just cook one portion?" Li Yao asked suddenly, her head tilting with curiosity. "Don't you want to eat as well? Should I share my portion with you?"
"Ah, no need," Xiang Yu replied quickly, waving his hands dismissively. "At my low level, if I eat such food, I will instantly explode."
Internally, disappointment gnawed at him. He had initially hoped to sample a few spoonfuls himself to accelerate his cultivation, but Li Yao had brought such a formidable beast that the resulting dish contained energy concentrations far beyond what he could safely absorb. The meal's potency had reached the peak of third grade—a density of spiritual energy that would overwhelm his system entirely upon consumption.
His cooking skills had advanced to create dishes he himself couldn't safely consume. Without a heavenly-grade spirit root or at least Golden Core cultivation, these higher-level spirit foods remained inaccessible to him.