42. Bai Li Qingyan, Like a Celestial Maiden

Baili Qingyan spoke in a muffled tone, but in truth, he had been pinching his nose the entire time. Shi Zhenxiang was well aware of this; if not for sharing the same master, Baili Qingyan would never have deigned to speak to him. Baili Qingyan was notorious in the Danxia Sect for his unparalleled obsession with cleanliness.

The reason Baili Qingyan usually ignored Shi Zhenxiang was simple: his name was simply too vulgar.

As for Baili Qingyan’s appearance, “handsome” was far too crude a word—it could only be described as beautiful.

Though he was a man, his features were those of a woman. As a child, this had led to many misunderstandings and unpleasant incidents.

“Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be off. You’d best fend for yourself in here.” With that, Baili Qingyan tossed these words over his shoulder, leaving the tear-stained Shi Zhenxiang behind as he strode out of the dungeon alone.

Under the sunlight, Baili Qingyan’s features were revealed for all to see.

Today, Baili Qingyan was dressed in pure white. His visage was radiant, starlight glimmering in his eyes, his expression cool and aloof, his entire bearing exuding a chill that held others at bay. Such otherworldly beauty, such unparalleled elegance—his ink-black hair cascaded like clouds to his waist, a touch of carelessness lending him even more charm. His manner was noble and ethereal, gentle as jade, pure as a banished immortal come down from the heavens.

A bewitching smile always seemed to linger at the corner of Baili Qingyan’s lips, ensnaring the very souls of the men who saw him. In an instant, even the most frivolous onlookers were left reeling, their hearts utterly captivated.

Eyes as enchanting as a siren’s, a smile that bewitched the soul—when taken to such extremes, when allure was etched into the very marrow, perhaps gender truly ceased to matter. The moment Baili Qingyan appeared on the street, men knelt in awe while women seethed with envy and resentment. Why did such devastating beauty belong to a man? Surely this was heaven’s greatest injustice.

Baili Qingyan himself was curious—what kind of person could defeat a formidable cultivator in the Golden Core stage while still in the Foundation Establishment stage? He was filled with questions about Xie Wuji. Knowing where to find him, Baili Qingyan tidied himself up and made his way to the small wooden cottage.

At that moment, Xie Wuji was in the yard, drenched in sweat and training with great effort. Nearby, a campfire crackled, a pot perched atop it. Within the pot simmered a delicious assortment of ingredients—delicacies Xie Wuji had gathered from the outside world, all stewing together into a rich, spicy hotpot.

Fish balls, crab sticks, beef balls, lettuce, spinach, tofu—all manner of things were bubbling away, the spicy aroma lingering in the air.

Drawn first by the scent, Baili Qingyan soon noticed Xie Wuji, bare-chested and hard at work.

Xie Wuji signaled the end of his training, intending to go wash up, when he suddenly spotted a white-robed figure standing at the gate of the yard.

In that instant, Xie Wuji felt as though lightning had struck him—he was utterly unable to move.

At the sight of that maidenly face, Xie Wuji’s mind nearly exploded. This was a peerless beauty, a celestial maiden descended to earth. Such breathtaking loveliness left him utterly blank.

All the words in the world could not capture his astonishment, nor could they describe her beauty. It was an extraordinary, transcendent beauty, the sort that defied all convention.

Though the world holds many beauties, before her all others became as dust. The beauty of the mundane world could ensnare, but hers could drive one mad.

Xie Wuji was rooted to the spot, and the maiden spoke: “Are you Xie Wuji?”

“Yes, that’s me,” Xie Wuji stammered, hurriedly turning away to put on his shirt.

The maiden asked again, “What delicious thing are you making? It smells wonderful.”

“This—this is a specialty from my hometown. I was just about to eat. Would you care to join me?” Xie Wuji ventured.

The maiden smiled. “All right, I’d like to taste your cooking and see if your skills in the kitchen are as impressive as your martial arts.”

Xie Wuji went inside to fetch another set of bowls and chopsticks, then served the spicy hotpot to his guest. “May I ask your name, Miss?” he inquired.

“Miss?” Baili Qingyan’s brows knitted, but he quickly realized that his attire might easily cause confusion—he hadn’t even tied up his hair today. “You may call me Yan’er of the Baili family,” he replied.

“So it’s Miss Baili,” Xie Wuji said.

Baili Qingyan took a sip of the hotpot, and his eyes lit up. “Delicious.”

“Thank you for the compliment. If only I had a few eggs to crack into it, the flavor would be even better,” Xie Wuji lamented, aware that there seemed to be no eggs in the Danxia Sect, and that acquiring them would mean a trip outside.

Baili Qingyan was slightly moved. “If it’s just eggs you want, I happen to have some.”

With a twist of his ring, ten eggs appeared on the table. “These are from the Fire-Tailed Chicken, a flock of spirit chickens personally raised by the Grand Elder. Their meat is infused with spiritual energy, and so are their eggs. Consider this your reward for sharing your meal with me.”

“Wait right here!” Xie Wuji exclaimed, and before Baili Qingyan could react, he had already boiled all ten eggs in the hotpot, infusing them with the rich, spicy flavor.

Xie Wuji picked one up and handed it to Baili Qingyan. “Try it!”

Baili Qingyan was speechless—each of these eggs was worth over a hundred spirit stones, and now more than a thousand spirit stones’ worth had just been boiled in a single pot?

He shook his head, but took a bite. Xie Wuji had prepared them so the yolks were still molten; as he bit in, the spiritual energy burst in his mouth, mingling with the spicy broth and flooding his senses.

A soft gasp escaped him as he hugged his arms, a mysterious flush spreading across his cheeks. The blend of spiritual energy and exquisite flavor sent him soaring to the ninth heaven. The feeling was so wondrous, so overwhelming, that he pressed a hand to his mouth lest some strange sound escape.

“Are you all right, Miss?” Xie Wuji asked, popping an egg into his own mouth—only to feel the slumbering phoenix spirit within his dantian suddenly awaken!

Xie Wuji was stunned, while Baili Qingyan at last recovered, though she bit her lip, her entranced expression making Xie Wuji’s mouth water.

Such a bewitching woman, lost in such delight, was a feast for the eyes.

Slurp!

Xie Wuji swallowed and asked, “How’s the flavor?”

“These spirit eggs paired with your cooking are simply perfection,” Baili Qingyan replied, thinking that a man who loved cooking couldn’t possibly be a bad person.

Xie Wuji suddenly remembered how the spiritual energy from the egg had been absorbed by the phoenix spirit within him. Whenever the spirit absorbed energy, his own strength was directly enhanced. “These eggs are impressive, but I’ve never heard of Fire-Tailed Chickens before. Where do they come from?”

“Have you heard of the Undying Bird?” Baili Qingyan asked.

“Of course! One of the twelve divine beasts—everyone’s heard of it!” Xie Wuji replied.

“Legend has it that decades ago, the Undying Bird, seized by a whim, flew into a chicken coop. From then on, all the hens there laid enormous eggs, each as big as a fist. When hatched, they produced Fire-Tailed Chickens. After the Immortal Longevity Sect was destroyed, Grand Elder Ding Desheng took all the Fire-Tailed Chickens and raised them himself,” Baili Qingyan explained.

“So these are descendants of the Undying Bird?” Xie Wuji realized.

“Exactly. Their meat is naturally infused with spiritual energy. But Fire-Tailed Chickens exist only here, making them incredibly rare. Ordinary disciples are lucky to even glimpse one of their eggs—obtaining one is a great stroke of fortune,” Baili Qingyan said.

No wonder the phoenix spirit within me reacted, Xie Wuji thought. So it’s a direct bloodline connection. If I can get my hands on more Fire-Tailed Chickens, whether their meat or eggs, my cultivation will soar!