Chapter 4 Fried Rice Noodles
Light Profound Energy slowly retracted.
"Phew—" Xiao Feng let out a long breath. Seven days had passed since he brought the woman back that day, and the acupuncture method Xiao Ling'er used seven days ago had not brought him an opportunity for a breakthrough.
For seven days, he treated her with Light Profound Energy every day. Now, her injuries were no longer fatal, and she should be fully recovered in a few days.
Xiao Feng held her soft, white, and slender hand, staring blankly at her face, which, although pale, revealed an extraordinary beauty.
In this desolate world, there was nothing but cultivation. Yet, Xiao Feng had been unable to break through the Divine Tribulation Realm.
Since he couldn't advance in cultivation, he would look for interesting things to kill time after his daily training to spice up his dull life.
Recently, Xiao Feng discovered an interesting pastime: observing beauties. Looking at a beauty always improved his mood, even allowing his mind to wander and his imagination to run wild.
So, after the daily treatment routine, he would stay for a while, looking at her to embellish his boring life.
Suddenly, Xiao Feng felt an abnormal pulse beat from the woman before him. Based on his medical knowledge, if his perception wasn't wrong, this woman should have already woken up, and her emotions right now should be quite agitated...
...
But looking at her face, her expression was as indifferent as usual. Appearances could deceive, but a pulse could not deceive him, a healer.
Xiao Feng silently placed her hand back on her waist, then let go and left.
...
Five minutes after Xiao Feng left, the woman on the bed slowly opened her eyes. Feeling the residual warmth on her hand, two blushes slowly appeared on her pale face; she looked incredibly beautiful.
Just as Bing Hanxue was hesitating whether to leave directly or thank her savior first, Xiao Feng's voice came, interrupting her thoughts.
"You're awake? Do you want some soup? I just cooked it."
He carried a rectangular wooden tray with two bowls on it. One bowl contained Winter Melon Seaweed Soup, and the other held Stir-fried Rice Noodles.
In the World of Extinction filled with Abyss Dust, crops like rice shouldn't exist. Perhaps as the Abyss Dust thinned, seeds brought from the Divine Realm to this world long ago developed a resistance.
They could grow in this extreme environment, but they were tainted with the aura of extinction and were fundamentally inedible.
Xiao Ling'er had told him this when she first taught him to identify herbs, causing him to sigh at the tenacity of life.
However, as his cultivation realm stagnated, he became addicted to nurturing crops to pass the boring time and satisfy his cravings.
With the power of the Miracle of Life and the investment of time, Xiao Feng had indeed successfully cultivated crops free of Abyss Dust.
"This... is food?" Bing Hanxue looked puzzled, but the ensuing fragrance made her nose twitch. She even felt herself constantly secreting saliva.
"It smells so good~~" Bing Hanxue unconsciously voiced her inner thoughts.
Seeing Bing Hanxue swallowing her saliva, Xiao Feng secretly laughed. She probably hadn't seen this kind of food in her life.
After all, this was the Abyss. At her current realm, even if she had long achieved inedia, the desire for food hadn't been erased.
"Yes, this is food I cultivated myself. The taste is very good. Want to taste it?" After speaking, Xiao Feng placed the wooden tray on the table in front of the bed, accompanied by chopsticks and a spoon.
"You cultivated it yourself? That's really impressive. By the way, I haven't asked for your name yet. I am Feng Hanxue. Thank you for saving my life, Young Master.
If there is anything you need help with in the future, just tell me, and I will do my best to complete it," Bing Hanxue said, getting out of bed and bowing.
"Haha, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Xiao Feng, a healer. My sister opened this medical clinic.
Saving you was just out of a healer's benevolence; no repayment is needed. If you really want to repay me, why not taste the food I made and give me a critique?"
"Alright..."
After a brief silence, Feng Hanxue picked up the porcelain bowl and gently took a sip of the Winter Melon Seaweed Soup. As the soup went down her throat, a gleam lit up in her icy eyes...
Gulp, Gulp.
She drank half the bowl in one breath. Only after finishing did she feel she had lost her composure, looking at Xiao Feng with a flushed face.
She asked Xiao Feng, "What did you add to this? Why does it taste so good?"
Xiao Feng showed a gentle smile on the side. Seeing someone eat the food he cooked so deliciously brought him a great sense of satisfaction.
He picked up the chopsticks and handed them to Feng Hanxue, saying, "I put in seasonings called 'salt' and 'chicken essence.' Taste the other dish; that one is called Stir-fried Rice Noodles."
"Okay..."
Bing Hanxue took the chopsticks, picked up a cluster of fried noodles, and put them in her mouth.
The delicious taste of minced garlic, the refreshing texture, and the flavor rushing straight to her taste buds were indescribable for someone eating fried noodles for the first time.
"This is also delicious. But is there a seasoning missing in this? Would it taste better if added?" With her current cultivation, she could taste even subtle differences with her tongue.
"Correct." Xiao Feng nodded. "Compared to that bowl of soup, this one lacks a seasoning called 'chicken essence.' In my hometown, there is a saying: 'Stir-fried Rice Noodles cannot have chicken essence added,' otherwise... an extra person might pop out..."
"So, I didn't add 'chicken essence' to this bowl."
"Eh? So that's how it is. Although I can't fully understand, Young Master Xiao is truly amazing to research such delicious food. If it could be promoted, I imagine it would gain the admiration of many people."
"That probably can't be done. The growing conditions for these foods are harsh; it's difficult to achieve mass production," Xiao Feng shook his head and said.
"That's really a pity. I was thinking I could eat it often in the future," Feng Hanxue said with slight regret.
"If Fairy Sister wants to taste it in the future, you can tell me anytime. I will make delicious meals as soon as possible."
"En."
...
What followed was a long silence. Just by her hair color, Xiao Feng knew she definitely wasn't from the Wind Cloud Empire. Now that she had awakened, it was time to part ways. Yet, "speaking up" became the cause of the silence.
"How about..."
"Thank you..."
...
Both spoke at the same time, but silence immediately followed.
Finally, Xiao Feng spoke first, "Your injuries haven't fully healed yet. Why not wait a few more days? It won't be too late to leave when you are fully recovered."
"Young Master is righteous; Hanxue admires that. To be honest with you, I was chased by the Wind Cloud Empire's Imperial Family. I was lucky to escape thanks entirely to an Empty Illusion Stone I always carried." Feng Hanxue explained the general course of events in detail.
"Since the Wind Cloud Imperial Family's pursuit failed, I'm afraid they are still searching for my tracks. So, I cannot stay here anymore. If I am discovered, even you will be implicated."
"My injuries are much better now. I must leave here as soon as possible."
After speaking, she took off a pure white jade pendant hanging from her waist and handed it to Xiao Feng. "This is my personal belonging. If there is ever anything I can help with, come to the Ice Spirit Empire's Imperial City to find me. Show this jade pendant to the city guards and explain your purpose. I will know then that Young Master has come."
Looking at the white jade pendant handed to him, Xiao Feng paused for a long time before accepting it. He said solemnly, "Alright, take care!"
"En." Seeing Xiao Feng accept the jade pendant, a smile appeared on Bing Hanxue's face, hooking one's soul. "Hanxue will remember the grace of saving my life. I will take my leave now."
But then she added, "By the way, my surname is 'Bing' (Ice), not 'Feng' (Wind). My name is Bing Hanxue..."
After speaking, she stayed no longer. In just an instant, as Bing Hanxue's "figure" dissipated, Xiao Feng could no longer perceive her aura at all...
Looking at the dissipating "figure," Xiao Feng was dazed.
He wasn't dazed by the surname, but by the movement technique she used...
"That was Severing Moon Brushing Shadow!" A movement profound skill from the Ice Phoenix!
It possessed the ability to teleport and shatter shadows. When teleporting, it would leave a phantom with one's own aura in place to interfere with the enemy. Once cultivated to perfection, one could even use it to hide!
The reason he knew this so clearly was that he had already cultivated this profound skill to perfection.
...
"Could it be?" Xiao Feng looked at the pure white, warm jade pendant.
The texture of the jade pendant was smooth, and the surface was carved with intricate patterns. If Xiao Feng guessed correctly, the pattern depicted should be the Ancient Ice Phoenix!
The Ice Spirit Empire bordered the Wind Cloud Empire, closely connected. But Xiao Feng had never understood what the Ice Spirit Empire's inheritance was.
"Could it be that the Ice Spirit Empire also has the Ice Phoenix inheritance? In this Ancient Abyss?"
...
"That person left? Why didn't you keep her? She probably didn't need to rush these few days." Xiao Ling'er's voice interrupted Xiao Feng's contemplation.
"We are not people of the same world. What's the use of keeping her?" Xiao Feng said leisurely. "She was chased by the Wind Cloud Empire's Imperial Family. Someone who can be chased by the Imperial Family and still escape... her strength must not be underestimated."
"Xiao Ling'er..."
"And her class is definitely far beyond what I can touch right now."
"We aren't on the same level. Even if she stayed, we would eventually have to part. And when we part then, it might be much more sorrowful than now."
...
"By the way, Sister Ling'er, why is it so lively outside?" Xiao Feng changed the topic and asked.
He had sensed it when he was talking to Bing Hanxue. Today, the outside was uncharacteristically lively. The streets, usually devoid of people, were filled with crowds, as if they were welcoming someone.
Xiao Ling'er came back to her senses from her daze. She revealed a smile, leaned close to Xiao Feng's ear, and said slowly:
"It's Qi Qing Yun. She's back."
Xiao Feng...
...