Chapter 34: Sinister Intentions

“All right, we’re here.” As the two landed, Meng Jiao formed a hand seal, and the giant sword vanished instantly. “Junior sister, is there any particular spirit beast you’d like to spar with?”

The Ancient Fallen Forest was abundant with resources, boasting hundreds, if not thousands, of spirit beasts within its depths.

They had only two days, but Meng Jiao had already consulted the system: this was a training expedition, akin to a spring outing, and wouldn’t count against the restrictive timeline.

So she needed to seize every moment to hone her practical skills.

“Senior sister, let’s just fight whatever we come across! I’m not picky.”

Facing Ji Jiuxuan, whose round cheeks still held a trace of childish plumpness but whose expression was surprisingly mature, Meng Jiao nearly couldn’t resist scooping up her adorable junior sister for a kiss. Fearing she might startle her, she held back.

“All right, then we’ll defeat whatever crosses our path. Let’s go!”

There were plenty of ordinary spirit herbs around, but it was their first visit, and they were unfamiliar with the forest. Meng Jiao had studied up on the Ancient Fallen Forest, and with her senior sister’s guidance, Ji Jiuxuan’s nervousness about her first training journey gradually eased.

Before long, they encountered their first spirit beast.

A first-rank Fire Spirit Fox. This fox was swift and could spit fire to injure its foes.

Spirit beasts were ranked from first to ninth; beyond that were Beast Kings, Beast Emperors, Sacred Beasts, Beast Gods, and finally, ascension to immortality.

Ji Jiuxuan was currently at the third level of Qi Refining—how would she fare against a first-rank spirit beast?

Sword in hand, she was eager to give it a try.

“Go on, junior sister! I’ll watch over you. Your safety is assured,” Meng Jiao said, standing off to the side with her sword, extending her spiritual awareness to monitor their surroundings.

“Thank you, senior sister.”

The Fire Spirit Fox was of the fire element. Though she herself was also fire-aligned, restraining it was not an option. She decided to test out the Mysterious Clear Sword Technique.

She had sparred with Qin Yuzhou before, but fighting a spirit beast was still a different experience.

A burst of flame came hurtling at her, and Ji Jiuxuan quickly dodged aside.

Gripping her juvenile sword, she engaged again—each strike instinctive, fast, precise, and merciless.

Driven back again and again by Ji Jiuxuan, the Fire Spirit Fox grew frustrated and leapt further away. Suddenly, a crimson shadow flickered into being and charged straight at her.

“Innate ability!”

Some spirit beasts were born with innate gifts, and those with such abilities were often far stronger than those without.

Channeling her spiritual energy to the sword’s tip, Ji Jiuxuan met the fox’s spiritual projection head-on. The two forces clashed for a moment before the projection was shattered, dispersing into the air.

The juvenile sword, now wreathed in flames, shot towards the Fire Spirit Fox. With a sharp hiss, Ji Jiuxuan pierced the fox with a single thrust—killing it instantly.

She instinctively stood her ground, catching her breath and recovering her spiritual energy.

Looking at the lifeless fox at her feet, Ji Jiuxuan felt a pang of realization. It was true what they said—you never know until you try. She was already exhausted after fighting just one first-rank spirit beast. If a whole pack had appeared, she would have been finished.

Meng Jiao, at her side, had been prepared to intervene. A spirit beast with an innate ability could easily be the leader among first-rank beasts, and not much weaker than a second-rank. Spirit beasts of the first to third ranks corresponded to the Qi Refining stage in cultivators, which itself had nine levels. First-rank beasts matched up to the first through third levels of Qi Refining. A Fire Spirit Fox could trouble even a fourth-level cultivator—yet her little junior sister had slain it.

Pleased for her, but keeping her expression composed, Meng Jiao said, “Little sister, the pelt of the Fire Spirit Fox fetches a good price—it’s excellent for warmth.”

Ji Jiuxuan blurted out, “Is its meat tasty?”

The Fire Spirit Fox looked nothing like a modern fox. Perhaps it was this world’s influence, but she felt no fear when she killed it—she even thought about eating it. She couldn’t help but be amused by herself.

Looking up, Ji Jiuxuan spotted a familiar figure in the distance—his face dark and sinister as if he wished to tear her apart.

Yu Heng?

Though he had used a concealment talisman, Meng Jiao sensed him immediately and lifted her gaze, shifting her focus from the Fire Spirit Fox.

Her grip tightened on her giant sword, ready for trouble.

But the figure made no move to approach and vanished altogether.

Ji Jiuxuan didn’t know her senior sister’s exact cultivation, but from Yu Heng’s reaction, it was clear he feared her—his cultivation was certainly lower.

She’d been so focused on the training that she’d forgotten about him.

Clearly, she needed to be vigilant from now on.

Stowing the Fire Spirit Fox in her spatial pouch, she turned to Meng Jiao. “Senior sister, shall we look for some edible spirit beasts?”

Though she was curious about the Fox’s meat, she wasn’t eager to try it right away. She planned to gather more ingredients and treat herself occasionally.

Meng Jiao was momentarily surprised, then smiled. “Sure, let’s find some delicious spirit beasts.”

She’d heard the junior disciples in the Spirit Herb Garden rave about Ji Jiuxuan’s cooking—the aroma alone would have wafted far beyond the garden if not for the protective barrier.

That fragrance—smelling it every day was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

Expanding her spiritual awareness, she searched and finally set her sights on the Phoenix-tailed Chicken. Though it looked weak, it was a true fighter among first-rank beasts. Its sharp beak could pierce even the defenses of a third-level Qi Refiner, and it was vicious.

Phoenix-tailed Chickens were vengeful and moved in flocks. Usually, fighting one meant facing an entire group, but their meat was especially delicious.

“Junior sister, next time you cook spirit food, can you let me have a taste as well?” Meng Jiao asked, unable to resist after hearing the others talk.

“Of course!” Ji Jiuxuan replied at once, delighted by the request. Food was always better when shared.

In a flash, Meng Jiao carried her up to a treetop. “Junior sister, look—what do you think of those Phoenix-tailed Chickens?”

Their fiery red feathers and tails like a phoenix’s, the birds strutted below, heads held high. Ji Jiuxuan’s eyes sparkled with excitement—delicious!

According to records, Phoenix-tailed Chicken, when properly cleaned, was exceptionally tasty and highly nourishing.

She was still growing and not at all afraid of supplements.

Roast chicken, fried chicken, chicken stew with mushrooms, chicken and pork tripe soup, spicy diced chicken, Sichuan mouthwatering chicken, salt-baked chicken, yellow braised chicken, crispy chicken...

A myriad of chicken dishes flashed through Ji Jiuxuan’s mind, and the more she thought, the hungrier she became.

But these birds fought in groups. After killing the Fire Spirit Fox, she had a sense of her own strength. Taking on one would be easy, but a whole flock would be overwhelming.

“Senior sister, is there a way to lure out just one or two? Too many will be hard to handle.”

Meng Jiao smiled. “No problem. How many do you want? I’ll hold the others back.”

Hold them back?

Without another word, Meng Jiao set down a few simple formations, trapping the Phoenix-tailed Chickens in place—they couldn’t move at all.

A basic trapping formation!

Ji Jiuxuan’s eyes lit up. She recognized the formation patterns and their effect. Though she hadn’t started learning to set formations, she had read enough to identify some by name and function.

“How many should I release, junior sister?” Meng Jiao asked, her smile warm, though she remained vigilant, especially after sensing that hostile presence earlier.

A quick count showed more than a dozen birds caught in the formation.

“Let’s try just one first, senior sister. If I can handle that, you can release another. It’s the perfect chance to test my abilities.”

And so, the trial continued.