"Sect... Leader?"
Chen Muxue looked left and right, but all she could see in the courtyard were three little boys.
"Is he hiding?" Chen Muxue put one hand on her hip, with the iron pot resting on her shoulder, striking a pose like a Meteor Hammer.
Da Gui looked around: "Who?"
"Who's hiding?" Xiao Hu became instantly alert.
"The person who hurt you!" Chen Muxue said, only to realize that Xiao Hu didn't seem injured at all.
She frowned and walked up, circling Xiao Hu and examining him for a long time.
Just as Xiao Hu's skin was covered in goosebumps, Chen Muxue finally clapped him on the shoulder: "Good kid, you've developed a Spirit Root!"
Although it's just the lowest grade of a Fire Spirit Root, having a Spirit Root means he has somewhat stepped into the world of cultivation—
Well, even a toe counts, right?
"I don't know how it happened... ever since..." Xiao Hu's eyes flickered as he looked at Chen Muxue, "ever since the Sect Leader's cooking got better, I've felt some changes inside every day."
"He was reluctant to eat the steamed buns left by the Sect Leader at noon and only just ate them. Once he did, it was like... like letting out a super big fart."
After describing, Da Fu scratched his head.
Oh dear! I shouldn't have spoken, I should've let Da Gui explain!
Luckily Da Fu's face was dark enough that no one could tell if it turned red.
Chen Muxue paused, recalling the spiritual energy shock when she leveled up... Indeed, it did feel a bit...
Xiao Hu excitedly clenched his fists: "Sect Leader, does this mean I can cultivate too?"
"Yes." Chen Muxue smiled and patted Da Hu's head.
As she smiled, the words "benevolent smile" popped into her mind, and she immediately stopped smiling.
Damn, she's only in her twenties!
Da Hu's face turned red with excitement.
He could cultivate too! The Qian Ding Sect no longer relied solely on the Sect Leader; he could also share the burden!
Beside him, Da Gui looked at Chen Muxue's hand on Da Hu's head and quietly pouted.
In the shadows, Cen Lizhui didn't know what expression to wear.
Usually good at controlling himself, at this moment, his heart was full of turbulent waves!
Throughout the world, there was no known method to give someone a Spirit Root if they were born without one!
How many children born into sects were sent back home at birth because they lacked a Spirit Root?
In heartless sects, they might be abandoned or even smothered at birth!
Even some elders' or Sect Leaders' children disappeared because they didn't have a Spirit Root; no one knew where they disappeared to. Before they were born, they carried so much hope; after birth, they bore so much blame!
But as long as there's a Spirit Root, even just the lowest grade, it can be refined with various elixirs and human efforts, though the process is extremely painful, it's still a way...
Cen Lizhui's gaze on Chen Muxue became more complex.
If the world were to learn of the abilities of her and her iron pot, it would surely lead to a turbulent storm...
Unaware of this, Chen Muxue merely thought this pot was simply too powerful, and she loved it!
The iron pot buzzed as if seeking praise.
"Look, here's our sect's cultivation manual, and here's, uh, the Basic Cultivation of Alchemist, post-care of the Pill Furnace, basic cultivation, theories, and techniques of cultivation..."
Chen Muxue took Xiao Hu to the pitifully small library of the Qian Ding Sect, almost dumping all the books in front of Xiao Hu.
Seeing her read the title of each book she picked up, Xiao Hu hesitated: "Sect Leader... you haven't read these books either, have you?"
Chen Muxue said in disbelief: "Is that what you think of your Sect Leader?!"
"No, no, no..." Xiao Hu quickly waved his hands.
Chen Muxue snorted internally, of course, she had read them—if the original host of this body read them, then she had read them!
Before she transmigrated, the original host read them every day; didn't you see how the books had curled edges?
"I've given you all the books. Everything about cultivation is written in them. You read it yourself!" Chen Muxue quickly ran out before Xiao Hu could speak, and considerately closed the study door.
Too risky, what if Xiao Hu asked questions? She hadn't cultivated before, how would she know?
Humming a song, Chen Muxue planned to take a nap. She vaguely felt she'd forgotten something, but after thinking for three seconds without recalling, she dismissed it.
In the kitchen, Xiao Hua waited for a long time. Hearing no noise and with the Sect Leader not returning, she didn't dare to act on her own.
The shut kitchen was somewhat dark; Xiao Hua didn't like the darkness, so she squatted in a few sunbeams from the window, watching ants move food.
A group of ants somehow brought a shiny bead, about the size of a fingernail, a purple bead that sparkled in the sunlight and immediately caught Xiao Hua's attention.
"Little ants, this seems inedible. Can I trade with you?" Xiao Hua spoke softly, taking out half a piece of steamed bun and breaking off a small piece.
Chen Muxue's steamed buns were too filling, Xiao Hua couldn't finish them all.
Surprisingly, the ants seemed to understand Xiao Hua's words; they released the bead and gathered under her hand as if waiting for her to put the bun down.
Gently placing the bun down, Xiao Hua picked up the purple bead and examined it closely, vaguely seeing something gas-like moving inside.
"So beautiful!" Xiao Hua wiped the bead with the corner of her dress and treasured it away.
After sleeping for more than two hours, Chen Muxue finally remembered what she had forgotten in her dream. She sat up in shock, checked the sky, and rushed to the kitchen.
The sky had darkened, and the kitchen was pitch-black.
Opening the kitchen door, Chen Muxue called out for Xiao Hua while lighting an oil lamp.
"Sect Leader! I thought the Sect Leader had also fallen asleep..."
Chen Muxue felt her legs being attacked as Xiao Hua tightly hugged them, her small shoulders trembling.
Indeed she had fallen asleep... but "asleep" had a different meaning for Xiao Hua.
Chen Muxue comforted: "It's alright, Xiao Hua. The Sect Leader will always be here, don't be afraid."
Xiao Hua looked up, her face wet, and Chen Muxue saw a damp patch on her skirt, realizing she had cried.
What had a four- or five-year-old girl experienced to quietly stay alone in a room, crying silently?
She realized that the little girl before her was a living person, not just a minor character described briefly in the original story.
"Alright! Come on, Xiao Hua, let's make some delicious food!"
Chen Muxue rolled up her sleeves and effortlessly lifted a jar almost as tall as herself, filtering out the water inside.
With her magical pinky, there was no need to heat water in a pot; it came out boiling hot.
Putting the filtered starch water in an oiled long, wide shallow pan, steamed for about a minute, and then unmolded and cut into strips, sweet potato vermicelli was made.
Chen Muxue nodded with satisfaction, "A small tavern? Let me show you the power of street food!"