Three-Flower Gathering Flame Art

The roar of the waterfall crashing into the deep pool was deafening, and sprays of water shot dozens of meters into the air, falling all around like a torrential downpour.

Hu Jiujiu had already run up to the waterfall and stood at the edge of the deep pool, half-soaked by the flying spray.

But she did not mind at all. Instead, she spread her arms and raised her face to greet the cool droplets, jumping and shouting as her drenched fox tail swished back and forth. She was having the time of her life playing in the water.

Lin Yu stood on the shore, watching Hu Jiujiu hop around before the waterfall, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted.

The little fox had completely forgotten about candy pills and medicinal herbs. She was simply cheering with delight at the beautiful sight before her.

Her fur became even more crystalline after being dampened by the mist. Beneath the rainbow's glow, she looked as though she had draped herself in a veil of seven colors.

Yao Chen also walked over to the river. The waterfall's roar made his ears buzz, but its overwhelming grandeur eased some of the gloom in his heart.

Heaven and earth were so vast. Before this waterfall hundreds of meters tall, all of humanity's troubles and pain seemed to become insignificant.

He shook his head, casting aside those thoughts, then walked to a dry rock by the river. He first submerged his waterskin in the cool water and filled it, then took out some dried provisions from his pack.

With a flip of one hand, crimson flames appeared out of nowhere in Yao Chen's palm.

Three-Flower Gathering Flame Art.

This was a basic fire-attribute cultivation art of the Medicine Clan. Its rank was not particularly high, but in Yao Chen's hands, the flames' temperature and stability far surpassed the ordinary.

The crimson flame danced in his palm, as gentle as a bundle of flowing silk, precisely controlled at just the right temperature to heat the food.

He placed dried meat above the flame, keeping it at exactly the right distance.

The heat seeped evenly into every fiber of the jerky. The hard meat gradually softened, fine beads of oil seeped from its surface, and it began to sizzle.

The aroma of meat began to spread through the air.

He sprinkled spices evenly over the heated jerky, then took several handfuls of fresh wild vegetables gathered from the forest out of his pack and wrapped the steaming chunks of meat in broad leaves.

The fresh fragrance of the vegetables mingled with the rich scent of the dried meat, creating a unique flavor.

No bowls, no plates, no chopsticks. They simply held it in their hands and bit into it. It was simple and rough, yet had a charm of its own.

Lin Yu came over to help as well. His technique was more practiced than Yao Chen's, and with a raised hand, purer fire-attribute Dou Qi appeared.

The jerky turned freely above the flames in his palm. Every side was cooked to perfection, crisp and fragrant on the outside while retaining plenty of juices within.

The two worked together seamlessly, and before long, they had grilled a pile of food.

Hu Jiujiu's nose twitched twice.

Her golden eyes instantly shifted away from the waterfall and locked onto the grilled meat giving off its enticing aroma.

Her entire body—no, her entire fox-self—sprang away from the waterfall almost as if by reflex. Without caring that she was soaked through, she bounded over in just a few strides.

Water droplets trickled down her silver-white hair, flowing along the contours of her fox face and wetting the rocks beneath her feet.

Her clothes were soaked through as well, clinging to her body, but she paid no attention to that. She simply gazed at Lin Yu pitifully.

Though she had a fox's face, her drooling expression was unbelievably vivid—her eyes were wide and round, her pupils slightly dilated, the tip of her nose constantly twitching as she sniffed the scent of meat in the air, the whiskers around her mouth trembling lightly, while her tongue unconsciously licked her lips.

She possessed a fox's characteristic cunning and spirit, yet also had the adorable foolishness of a small animal. She was rather cute.

Seeing the fox face plainly declaring, "Hurry up and feed me," Lin Yu could not help but laugh.

A flame rose in his palm. He took a piece of jerky and carefully grilled it again, controlling the heat.

The flame gently licked the dried meat, drawing the oil back to the surface as the rich aroma of meat intensified once more.

"Here." Lin Yu handed over the perfectly grilled jerky.

Hu Jiujiu accepted it, holding it in both hands as she brought it to her mouth and took a bite.

In an instant, her eyes narrowed into two slits.

"Mmm—" A long, satisfied sound rose from deep in her throat. Her fox ears flattened back, and her tail wagged happily.

After chewing a few times and swallowing, she beamed and remarked, "Mm, this is the best thing about knowing fire-attribute Dou Qi. Every one of you is an expert cook."

The way she said it made it sound as though the greatest use of fire-attribute Dou Qi was cooking, while fighting and refining medicine were merely incidental functions.

When Yao Chen heard that, he nearly failed to hold onto the grilled meat in his hand.

He looked down at the crimson flame still dancing in his palm, then at the jerky in his hand, grilled to perfection in color, aroma, and taste. A complicated, bitter smile appeared on his face.

Flames for cooking? These were for refining medicine!

But Yao Chen had to admit that these flames really were absurdly convenient to use.

Their temperature could be adjusted at will, the heat controlled with precision down to the finest detail, warming everything evenly without burning or scorching it. The grilled meat came out crisp outside and tender within, just right.

To be honest, even he never got tired of this kind of grilled meat.

But—

Yao Chen's thoughts suddenly drifted far away.

He had left the Medicine Clan. He had left his mother.

When he left, his mother's blood and qi had surged in turmoil, leaving her face as pale as paper.

She had stood by the doorway, one hand bracing the doorframe and the other clutching her chest, a trace of blood still at the corner of her lips.

She watched Yao Chen's departing back. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.

Would that petty villain Yao Wangui take his anger out on Mother because he had failed to capture him?

Would the clan elders, considering that Mother also carried the Medicine Clan's bloodline, treat her properly and save her?

Or would they vent their resentment toward her because of his defection?

Yao Chen's face gradually darkened.

The jerky in his hand was still steaming, its fragrance filling his nose, yet he suddenly had no appetite at all.

He lowered his hand, and the crimson glow gradually dimmed before turning into wisps of green smoke that dispersed into the air.

The river still roared, the waterfall's rainbow remained, and Hu Jiujiu and Lin Yu's voices continued as before. Yet everything seemed to be separated by some invisible veil, becoming less real.

"Missing home?"

A voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

Yao Chen abruptly looked up and met Hu Jiujiu's eyes.

She had already finished the jerky in her hand and was contentedly rubbing her belly, tilting her head as she studied Yao Chen.

The mischief and slyness in those beautiful eyes were gone. In their place was a rare seriousness and empathy.

"Ah," Hu Jiujiu sighed, her tail drooping as well. "I kind of miss my mother too..."