In ancient times, there was Electromagnetic Stove Alchemy; today, there was cooking noodles beneath a pill furnace.
Xiao Bai felt that things were becoming more and more absurd!
Master Yuhu smiled faintly, then turned and left the bedroom.
Xiao Bai had no idea what medicine the elder was selling in her gourd, so he could only obediently follow her.
Interestingly, the entrance to the Underground Cave Abode was not in the bedroom, but in the study.
It seemed that books truly held houses of gold, while lying flat in bed would ultimately get one nowhere.
The two arrived at the study.
Elder Yuhu swept her sleeve and opened the spotless Red Bookshelf.
Xiao Bai was met by a pitch-black hole, like a gateway to a two-dimensional world.
The elder lifted her robes and entered the passage, her cool and imposing silhouette exuding an eerie fragrance.
Xiao Bai hurried after her.
The bluestone steps wound downward. The surrounding stone walls were dark and damp, covered in deep-red moss. Water continuously dripped down both sides, absorbing the dissipating medicinal power.
The stone path twisted and turned nine times over. Upon reaching the Underground Cave Abode, azure light suddenly swirled about, and the view opened up at once.
The Underground Cave Abode was a round, drum-shaped Pill Room, its walls engraved with complex and bizarre floral dharma seals.
An Earth Fire Altar stood in the middle.
Upon the altar rested an enormous indigo Profound Iron Pill Furnace.
Circles of black-and-white Yin-Yang Dharma Seals were engraved across the furnace's outer walls.
In Xiao Bai's Remote Sensing vision earlier, these seals had emitted crimson light that spiraled in reverse, projecting fox shadows onto the stone walls.
Master Yuhu bent slightly, lifted her cloak, and sat cross-legged upon the rush mat before the pill furnace.
Slowly closing her eyes, she performed Spirit Control and Breath Adjustment and said:
"This is my private Pill Room and pill furnace. I normally only use it for pill refinement... though cooking noodles is not impossible."
Xiao Bai was somewhat dumbfounded and asked timidly:
"Elder, are you really planning to use the pill furnace to cook noodles for me?"
Yuhu shot Xiao Bai a glance, like ripples in a clear pool stirring the reflected moon.
"Of course."
Xiao Bai was stunned.
He had thought cooking noodles beneath a pill furnace was merely a joke. He had never expected her to actually mean it!
The elder took out a bag of Spirit Wheat Grains from her storage ring and, using force through the air, ground them into flour.
She added water and kneaded it into dough, sliced it into noodles with a sweep of her palm, then placed them into a Yin-Yang Porcelain Bowl.
She poured in Spirit Water until it covered the noodles. Though she added no oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar, she did add various herbs Xiao Bai could not name. They smelled quite fragrant.
Master Yuhu opened the pill furnace and placed the porcelain bowl in its core.
The flames within the furnace roasted her cool cheeks slightly red.
However!
At the instant the furnace opened, Xiao Bai vaguely glimpsed grim spinal bones and skulls at its bottom.
Rather than beast bones, they looked more like human bones.
Xiao Bai's face turned ashen, and his legs went weak with fright!
Suddenly!
A hoarse, fox-like woman's voice sounded by his ear:
"You get scared too?"
Xiao Bai's neck stiffened in terror as he mechanically turned his head.
At some unknown point, the elder had changed into a Bamboo Membrane Gauze Robe of Cyan and White Embroidered with Peaches. The Nine-Petal Peach mark upon her snowy forehead flickered with blood-red light that seized the soul.
The crimson light of the dharma seals on the pill furnace's exterior slowly revolved, illuminating a cascade of white hair. Fox ears and nine tails were projected onto the cave walls.
It was almost exactly the same as what he had seen through Remote Sensing!
Especially that half-transparent Bamboo Membrane Gauze Robe, wrapped around the elder's plump and graceful figure...
After Xiao Bai's gaze was baptized by those sacred snowy slopes, it slid toward the abyss of sin.
Suddenly, he was no longer afraid.
His mind was filled entirely with concerns over the children's nutrition.
This is my wife. How could she harm me?
Besides, his Modifier was still working...
"There is nothing to fear."
Xiao Bai's gaze was calm as he said with complete enlightenment.
The fox woman smiled sweetly. Her hair was white as snow, a red mark dotted between her brows; purity and seduction appeared upon the same face.
She took a sip of Peach Petal Tea, her clear and alluring eyes staring directly at Xiao Bai as she asked with a smile:
"What are you looking at?"
Worthy of being a Charm Demon!
Last time, Xiao Bai's sight and hearing had been sealed, and he had still barely managed to handle such a scene.
This time, with his eyes and ears fully indulged, he truly could not withstand it.
So he simply said:
"I saw a fox's shadow on the wall."
Clearly, the demoness was still testing him invisibly.
Seeing it but saying nothing... that would only prove he had a guilty conscience.
The fox tails swayed like erupting flames, yet the Fox Demon's face held an inscrutable smile and remained utterly calm.
"It is fine. You will forget tomorrow."
What, could she erase memories too?
Fine, then.
Xiao Bai felt this was a good thing. If his memory could be erased, then he would not need to be silenced forever.
Since he had been told he would forget by tomorrow, he could not be bothered to press the matter. Staring at the pill furnace, he asked:
"Are the noodles not ready yet?"
Yuhu nodded.
"They need another two hours."
Two hours...
Are you sure you are cooking noodles?
Xiao Bai was speechless.
Since he was idle anyway, he suddenly wanted to use this time to have the elder teach him some Medicine Techniques.
"The Cultivation World is far more dangerous than the mortal realm. This disciple suddenly wishes to learn an art for self-defense."
Other than Charm Arts and Medicine Techniques, Yuhu did not possess any cultivation arts in which she was particularly skilled.
But she had no intention of teaching Xiao Bai either of those.
Her Medicine Techniques concerned her plans and could not be passed on.
As for Charm Arts, Xiao Bai was already too powerful. If he learned them, even she would not be able to bear it.
Thus, she said:
"Set aside some time each day. As a core disciple of Hundred Herbs Peak, go to Solitary Egret Peak to study mental cultivation, or Misty Sea Peak to learn cultivation arts, or Sword Wielding Peak to practice the sword."
The disciples of the Snow Flame Sect cultivated rather freely. Core disciples of the Inner Sect could cross peaks and study across disciplines.
It was like university electives.
But Xiao Bai had no such intention.
With his talent, learning cultivation arts from others would be a complete waste of time. Taking his wife as his teacher was the proper path.
Of course, taking his wife as his teacher was not the same as taking his teacher as his wife, so it would not summon the River Crab Divine Beast.
The nature of the matter was different.
Still, since the elder had suggested it, Xiao Bai could not immediately refuse, lest he seem unstudious.
"Alright."
Seeing Xiao Bai so obedient, Yuhu suddenly felt somewhat softhearted and smiled.
"You are now this venerable one's Dao companion. Cultivating as a core disciple, are you not afraid of lowering your status? Are you not afraid that disciples from other peaks will mock you for your low cultivation?"
"My skin is thick. I do not care much about such things."
Xiao Bai answered awkwardly.
Then he swiftly changed the subject, revealing the dagger at the end of the map.
"However, since I will be cultivating as a core disciple of Hundred Herbs Peak, besides the cultivation arts of each peak, this disciple would also like to learn some life-saving medical arts from Elder."
Yuhu shook her head, a wistful expression on her face.
"Medical arts can save people, but they cannot save humanity."
Are you the Lu Xun of the Cultivation World?
Xiao Bai had nothing to say.
Yuhu added:
"Besides, my Medicine Techniques are not orthodox. They are truly a crooked and heretical path. Learning them will only harm you. If you truly wish to learn, you may study medicine with the Onmyoji of the Pill Pavilion."
"I will listen to Elder."
Xiao Bai nodded in agreement.
In truth, he very much wanted to learn medical arts.
After all, he could learn any skill belonging to the Female Lead and reach its peak directly. As long as he learned the Life Extension Pill, he could refine an Elixir of Immortality in minutes.
Unfortunately, his wife was, after all, a villainous demoness. She seemed to be holding something back regarding her Medicine Techniques.
This matter could not be rushed. He had to make long-term plans.
Seeing Xiao Bai so well-behaved, Master Yuhu inexplicably felt affection rise in her heart again, so she said:
"Since you and I are Dao companions, there is no distinction of rank, seniority, or age between us. There is no need to be so restrained. Just call me Yuhu."
Xiao Bai nodded, sat cross-legged beside Yuhu, and obediently said:
"Alright, Elder."
For the next two hours, the two sat idly upon the same rush mat without speaking another word.
Xiao Bai thought that if they used this time for Dual Rest, the elder's affliction would be purged a little further, and he himself would rise another rank. What was not to like?
Unfortunately, this demoness was far too restrained!
As the administrator of the Modifier and the very embodiment of masculine charm, Xiao Bai could not very well bring it up himself.
Time passed second by second.
The crimson light on the furnace walls revolved without cease, causing the fox shadows on the walls to sway and twist, over and over in an endless cycle...
At last, the noodles were ready.
Yuhu opened the furnace mouth and retrieved the porcelain bowl through the air.
Her fair, delicate hand held the scalding rim of the bowl. Her thinly veiled body leaned close to Xiao Bai, and her cool, indifferent face suddenly became gentle as water, flushed like the rosy clouds.
"Try the noodles this elder made."
She deliberately drew out the words "this elder," reproaching Xiao Bai for continuing to call her Elder.
Yet it sounded extraordinarily provocative, making Xiao Bai mishear the word order for a moment and sending his thoughts wandering.
Until he lowered his head and saw a plateful of black, mushy, worm-like strips wriggling before him...
These were noodles?
Fine, let them be called noodles for now.
But was this smell something a human could endure?
Xiao Bai resisted the urge to cover his nose and asked with a face full of scientific rigor:
"The noodles in my memory ought to be white. Elder... do you think someone might have poisoned the noodles?"
Master Yuhu's expression did not change, nor did her heart skip a beat.
"Medicine and poison come from the same family. I added delicious noodles to poison. You will know once you taste it."
Xiao Bai: I...
Noodles mixed into poison. As expected of you!
Seeing Xiao Bai fail to take a bite for so long, Yuhu could not understand why.
Upon thinking carefully, it made sense. When humans ate, they sought color, fragrance, and flavor in full, and did not care about efficacy.
"This poison is called Heart-Returning Powder. After eating this bowl of noodles, you can play dead to save your life at a critical moment. So long as you have not been ground to dust and scattered to the ashes, you can more or less be saved."
Heart-Returning Powder?
Though Xiao Bai had never heard of such miraculous medicine, he could be certain of one thing: this was a bowl of life-saving noodles.
On careful thought, if the elder wished to harm him, would she even need to poison him?
If she wanted to control him, she had plenty of methods. She could have acted last night.
It was clear that though the demoness was bad, she still loved him!
Even setting aside the Modifier's effect on charm, he was himself a precious medicine for dispelling poison and draining fire. Its efficacy was so strong that anyone who used it knew.
He understood all the reasoning.
But when he lowered his head to examine this bowl of noodles that seemed to have come from the abyss, Xiao Bai looked left and right, yet still could not bring himself to eat. Timidly, he asked:
"Do these noodles... have any side effects?"
Yuhu's delicate brows furrowed slightly, as though she had heard an unfamiliar term.
"Side effects?"
Xiao Bai hurriedly explained:
"I mean, although they can save one's life, are there any other harmful effects on the body?"
Master Yuhu hurriedly said:
"There are no side effects, but its main effect is a deadly poison to cultivation. Still, you have the Heavenly Waste Constitution of Balanced Five Elements. You couldn't cultivate normally anyway."
Xiao Bai: Thanks a lot!
Come to think of it, his Modifier was a Causal Law Weapon. As long as it was a spiritual-energy resource gifted by the Female Lead, he could absorb it completely and turn it into part of his cultivation. Even poison would be absorbed the same way. What was there to fear?
Besides, the Modifier had not flagged the Female Lead for any criminal act. She probably did not truly intend to harm him.
"Fine. Cultivation is for staying alive in the first place. Why take the long way around? I have to eat the Elder's noodles."
The hand holding the bowl trembled slightly.
Eating these noodles was truly a beautiful demise!
Xiao Bai consoled himself. Holding his breath, with momentum like a rainbow, he lifted the porcelain bowl and drained the black noodles in one gulp.
In an instant—
The aura of darkness went straight to his stomach!
It instantly spread through his entire body.
Then it gathered in his dantian.
Mm...
Xiao Bai's expression turned complicated.
Until that mechanical voice sounded in his mind—
Ding—Congratulations, Host, for absorbing the poisoned noodles gifted by the Female Lead. The medicinal effect has been retained, spiritual energy extracted. Progress toward upgrading to the Fetal Breath Third Layer has increased to 69%!
Not bad. One bowl of noodles had given him 69%!
These noodles were exceedingly precious.
Xiao Bai rejoiced inwardly, while his expression remained as calm as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze.
At the same time...
The clear, plain face beside him froze.
The shadow of a fox tail swaying against the wall hung motionless, as though it had witnessed something unbelievable.
Master Yuhu was dumbfounded.
The Heart-Returning Powder had been broken down and absorbed...
What was strange was that its medicinal effect remained.
The spiritual energy had actually been completely absorbed by the dantian, leaving only an empty shell of medicinal effect clinging to the dantian outer wall.
In her hundred years of cultivation, whether among the Demon Race or while infiltrating Snow Flame Mountain, Yuhu had never seen anything so absurd!
Could this be the talent of one with Balanced Five Elements?
No.
Though those with Balanced Five Elements could not practice Qi Refining, she had seen many examples of them reaching the high levels of the Fetal Breath Realm.
From those cases, the dantians of people with Balanced Five Elements lacked any prominent spiritual medium, making spiritual energy difficult to absorb. Therefore, they possessed a certain immunity to all kinds of poison.
But it was absolutely impossible for them to dismember poison, then sort and absorb it by category!
This had surpassed her worldview.
But...
Interesting.
Her shock quickly turned into excitement.
The fox shadow on the wall suddenly stretched out all nine tails like a peacock spreading its feathers.
The thin gauze stirred without wind. Her delicate skin was snowy, white tinged with red like a peach blush.
Her slender arms slowly rose, pale hands overlapping on Xiao Bai's shoulders.
Her warm jade-like chin rested upon the back of the hand lying on Xiao Bai's shoulder.
Her moist, thin red lips whispered by Xiao Bai's ear.
"This is the first time I've seen Balanced Five Elements like this. Are you really human?"
Xiao Bai's ears grew hot. The Elder's voice was soft and husky, like listening to snow being trodden beneath one's feet—wondrous beyond words.
Curiosity was the first step toward sinking in.
He felt that the Elder was about to completely let herself go!
If Madam was letting herself go, he could not chicken out either. Wouldn't Dual Rest right here and now, completing life's grand harmony, be wonderful?
"I suppose I'm human. Or perhaps a Monkey Demon."
Xiao Bai joked.
In terms of evolution, there was no essential difference between humans and Monkey Demons. Besides, he was skilled with the staff and possessed the bearing of a stone monkey.
But the humans of the True Origin Continent did not seem to have evolved from apes.
Yuhu knew that well.
She could tell at a glance that Xiao Bai was not a Monkey Demon.
But even as a joke, why did it have to be a Monkey Demon?
She felt it was time to conduct a closer observation of Xiao Bai.
With that thought, Yuhu softly asked:
"Earlier, you said you wanted to learn a skill to keep yourself alive. I happen to know an unusual sword technique. Would you be willing to learn it?"
A sword technique?
Xiao Bai immediately perked up at the mention of swords.
At sword's peak, one stood proud above the world!
Learning swordsmanship in the Cultivation World was like learning to drive in his previous life.
What cultivator did not want to ride a sword through the air, just as what young man did not want to drive a car?
Still, Xiao Bai doubted whether a Fox Demon—or a Pill Elder—really knew any profound sword technique.
So he cautiously asked:
"Can it really save my life?"
Yuhu straightened up, her gaze cold and clear. Her proud snow mountains propped up an overbearing slope.
"My sword technique can kill across ranks. If it can kill people, it can save lives."
Killing Across Ranks had always been an essential skill for protagonists.
As a transmigrator, Xiao Bai would not yield the honor to anyone else.
"This disciple wishes to learn!"
Master Yuhu nodded slightly, then drew a Sleeve Sword from her cuff.
It was a silver short sword glowing with blue light, its color so similar to bamboo sheath and skin that Xiao Bai had failed to notice it.
"I am not skilled in battle. The only sword technique I am proficient in is a Dissection Sword Technique called the Butcher's Sword. Its strength lies in the precision of its edge: discerning the spiritual veins of all things and taking an unorthodox path with the sword, allowing one to kill an enemy with the least spiritual energy."
Yuhu said so.
Xiao Bai had never heard of the Butcher's Sword Technique. He had only heard of Butcher Ding Carving an Ox.
That was a blade technique for painlessly dismembering an ox.
Blades and swords were connected, too.
Xiao Bai asked curiously:
"I never thought Butcher Ding Carving an Ox could become a sword technique. But to learn this sword technique, wouldn't I need to practice killing cattle? I've never heard of Snow Flame Mountain having any cattle."
The seductive gleam vanished from her cold face.
The silver sword in her hand reflected a chilling glint.
"There are no cattle, but Monkey Demons will do."
Before you continue