Sugar Treats

"Bang, bang, bang..."

"Enter!"

Backyard, inner hall.

Mei Shuangfeng sat quietly behind a pearwood desk, dressed in an elegant plain robe.

On the table sat a small white porcelain bowl, an exquisite little wooden mallet, and some malt sugar and honey.

Without even raising her head, she focused on her work, gently pounding with the wooden mallet.

Only when Shen Xiuhan pushed open the door and entered did she casually ask:

"Which family did you choose?"

Shen Xiuhan stepped forward respectfully and answered truthfully:

"Reporting to Master, I chose the Ji Family. They said I would be stationed on Cloud Ripple Island as an island patrol envoy."

"Tap..."

The wooden mallet in Mei Shuangfeng's hand paused slightly, then resumed its original rhythm.

She picked a piece of malt sugar into the porcelain bowl and, together with the honey, steadily ground and crushed it.

"Cloud Ripple Island... that place lies near Sunken Sword Dock. It is a dangerous land. Have you thought it through?"

"I have."

Shen Xiuhan said solemnly, "The Ji Family's terms are quite generous. They have even specifically permitted this disciple to enter their library and choose one cultivation method or martial skill."

"Oh?"

Mei Shuangfeng slightly lifted her phoenix eyes, seeming somewhat surprised as well.

"...Did they say which floor they would permit you to enter?"

"The first floor."

"Mm... On the first floor, for unarmed combat and movement techniques, you may choose River-Torrent Step, Wind-Rending Leg, or Jade-Shattering Returning-Wind Palm. Those three are the most practical during the Bright Force stage. If you are considering weapons and weapon arts, only Willow-Sweeping Sword Technique and Gate-Cleaving Saber are barely worth looking at..."

"Th-this... Thank you for your guidance, Master!"

Shen Xiuhan was startled by how she recited them like treasured possessions.

Master usually kept herself secluded. How could she know the cultivation methods in the Ji Family library so thoroughly?

It was as casual as picking cabbages from her own backyard.

Mei Shuangfeng ignored his shock. Setting down the wooden mallet, she produced an exquisite small azure porcelain bottle from her sleeve and pushed it to the edge of the table.

"Here, take it."

"That Azure Awl Chicken had abundant vitality and blood. This batch of Jadeblood Pills produced six pills, all of superior quality. They will be of great benefit to Bright Force martial artists."

"With your foundation, taking three or four pills will push your vitality and blood to completion, allowing you to begin preparing for a breakthrough into the Bone Tempering Realm."

At this point, her expression turned stern as she warned him:

"But remember this well: pills refined from a second-tier treasure beast possess tyrannical and fierce medicinal properties. You must wait seven days between each pill. Only after completely refining the medicinal power may you take the next one."

"If you greedily seek swift progress and take them continuously, your blood vessels may burst. Do you understand?"

"This disciple understands!"

Shen Xiuhan accepted the azure porcelain bottle, pulled out its wooden stopper, and gently sniffed at its mouth.

The next moment, a rich medicinal fragrance rushed straight into his head. The vitality and blood within his body began to stir and boil of their own accord!

Worthy of a second-tier treasure pill!

A fine pill!

"There are also these Azure Awl feathers."

Mei Shuangfeng pulled another gray cloth sack from beneath the desk and casually tossed it onto the table.

Inside were the feathers from the Azure Awl Chicken, hard and sharp as refined iron.

"You can take them to a weapon shop in South Market and sell them. Good-quality ones can fetch ten copper coins per feather. If you have your own connections, you may also have a blacksmith forge them into arrows for personal use. How you dispose of them is up to you."

"This disciple understands."

Mei Shuangfeng nodded slightly, then said:

"Did the Ji Family people specify when they want you to report for duty on Cloud Ripple Island?"

Shen Xiuhan thought back for a moment.

"Steward Ji Zhong told this disciple to visit the Ji residence the day after tomorrow to select a martial art. As for the day of departure to the island, he did not mention it."

"Then it will be at the start of next month."

Mei Shuangfeng said evenly, "There are still seven or eight days until next month. For these next few days, stay peacefully at the martial hall and solidify your vitality and blood. When the day comes to report for duty, go to the Ji Family to sign in and board the ship."

"Yes, this disciple will remember."

"Once you begin working on the water, you must not neglect Mystic Eagle Stance either. If you encounter any blockage or confusion in your cultivation, you may return to the courtyard on your rest days and seek me out to resolve your doubts."

Hearing these instructions, Shen Xiuhan's heart warmed. He immediately cupped his fists in salute.

"Thank you for Master's generous care!"

Mei Shuangfeng nodded. Then she lifted the purple clay teacup at hand, lightly flicked its lid, lowered her eyes, and took a sip.

This was her reminder that it was time for him to get lost.

Shen Xiuhan was about to take the hint and excuse himself.

Yet from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the porcelain bowl and wooden mallet on the desk, and his expression shifted.

"Master, are these... some wondrous items used to assist in pill refinement?"

Hearing this, Mei Shuangfeng lowered her head and glanced at the half-finished sticky substance, then gave a helpless laugh.

"No. I was merely passing the time by making some sugar treats..."

"Sugar treats?"

Shen Xiuhan's eyes lit up. Apparently interested, he stepped forward two paces.

"I wonder, Master, could you perhaps reward this disciple with some of these sugar treats?"

Mei Shuangfeng cast him a sidelong glance with her phoenix eyes, her gaze carrying a trace of something strange.

"You are already this grown, yet you still crave the sweet, cloying snacks that only children eat?"

Under her gaze, Shen Xiuhan felt his toes curl into the ground. He forced himself to say:

"Ahem, this disciple came from a poor family. Since childhood... I have always been rather fond of such sweets..."

Seeing his embarrassed appearance, a faint, gentle smile appeared on Mei Shuangfeng's usually icy face for the first time beneath the heavens.

But soon, as though she had thought of something, her gaze abruptly grew complicated.

The smile faded. She turned her head, closed her eyes, and said softly:

"After the malt sugar is crushed and blended, it still needs to dry in a ventilated place before it can solidify into pieces... Come to the back hall in two days and take them."

"Thank you for Master's reward!"

Shen Xiuhan was overjoyed and cupped his fists again.

"Go..."

Mei Shuangfeng waved her sleeve.

After Shen Xiuhan's footsteps gradually faded away, silence returned to the room. She silently lowered her head and picked up the little wooden mallet once more.

When he left the martial hall, it was still early.

Shen Xiuhan was in no rush to return home, so he first detoured to South Market.

After searching around, he found several fairly large weapon workshops and brought out the Azure Awl Chicken feathers to sound out the market price.

Just as Master had said.

Materials from a second-tier treasure beast were tough as iron and incomparably sharp at the edges. They made excellent fletching for arrows and were quite popular with the weapon shopkeepers.

Feathers from ordinary parts generally sold for seven or eight copper coins each.

The dark, stiff feathers from the tail could sell for ten copper coins each.

Shen Xiuhan quickly calculated.

If he also brought over the pile of azure feathers at home, together with those in hand, he could probably exchange them for seven or eight strings of cash in total.

Not bad at all...

He had saved up another sum toward buying a house.

Thanks, chicken bro.

He picked an old-established weapon shop with a fair price and readily sold off the azure feathers.

Before leaving, he arranged with the shopkeeper to bring the remaining azure feathers over in a few days. Then he headed toward Little Path Bay.

He pushed open the gate to his courtyard.

Inside the thatched cottage, Madam Zheng was weaving fishing nets again.

Shen Momo sat obediently beside her, helping out.

"Mother, I'm back."

Madam Zheng hurriedly set down the half-woven fishing net and rose to her feet.

"Why have you returned so early today... Hurry and rest. I'll go make you something to eat."

"Let's do it together."

Shen Xiuhan rolled up his sleeves and smiled. "Perfect timing—I'll teach you how to make Blanket Noodles."

"Noodles!?"

Shen Momo, who had been glumly handing bamboo strips to Madam Zheng, sprang up on her little legs at once. She raised her tiny face expectantly.

"Big brother, are you making noodles for Momo?"

"That's right, noodles."

Shen Xiuhan smiled as he picked her up and pinched her little nose.

The little girl immediately brightened up. Her lotus-root-like little arms wrapped around him, and she rubbed her face against his shoulder while mumbling:

"Big brother, Momo loves noodles the most. I'll be loyal to you forever!"

"Hahahaha..."

Shen Xiuhan burst into laughter, and a rare cheerfulness filled the house.

However, just then...

Bang, bang, bang!

A violent pounding suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate, followed by a rough voice.

"Open the door!"

"The Turbulent Wave Gang is conducting business! Everyone inside, get the hell out here!"