Ye Yanqing found the spirit bird very familiar. Not recognizing it right away, she simply continued eating.
It had to be said, the little Junior Sister’s culinary skills were truly impressive.
Watching Si Nansheng’s deft movements, both Li Tianhen and Ye Yanqing were momentarily stunned; anyone could tell from that posture that she cooked often.
"Junior Sister, do you usually cook for yourself?" Ye Yanqing asked softly, looking at Si Nansheng.
"In the past, I was often sent out on experiential trials. My cultivation was low, and I frequently went hungry, so I learned to cook for myself."
Si Nansheng smiled at them, her hands never stopping their work.
"How old are you anyway? They actually let you go out on trials alone—weren't they afraid something would happen to you? And besides making you go out on trials, don't tell me they didn't even give you Inaction Pills?"
Ye Yanqing frowned in puzzlement, causing Si Nansheng to pause her movements.
"They did give them, but the other senior brothers of the Shengtian Sect asked for them."
Si Nansheng smiled as she offered this explanation to Ye Yanqing and Li Tianhen.
Back at the Shengtian Sect, whenever cultivation resources were distributed to the direct disciples, the portion belonging to Si Nansheng would always be carved up by her senior brothers. What little they left behind was either utterly useless or things they simply didn't want.
In the past, Si Nansheng would not resist and could only let them take the items away, yet they never once remembered any kindness from her.
"What? Aren't these people going way too far? To actually snatch resources from a child—Master, they are bullying Junior Sister like this, our Four Gods Sect cannot just let this go!"
Ye Yanqing looked at Li Tianhen with unconcealed grievance. Li Tianhen gracefully popped a piece of spirit chicken meat into his mouth before looking over at Si Nansheng.
Though he also wanted to help his youngest disciple exact revenge, he knew very well that his little apprentice had her own plans.
"What do you plan to do?" Li Tianhen asked calmly.
"Master, Eldest Senior Brother, can I handle this matter myself? If I need help, I will look for Eldest Senior Brother."
Si Nansheng looked at Li Tianhen and Ye Yanqing with a beaming smile. Li Tianhen glanced at Ye Yanqing and went back to eating.
The meaning behind that look was unmistakable: Understood? Listen to your Junior Sister.
"Alright, if you need Eldest Senior Brother's help, you must say so," Ye Yanqing said earnestly to Si Nansheng.
"From now on, you are a disciple of the Four Gods Sect; do whatever you want. If you're worried you can't beat them, find your senior brother. If your senior brother can't beat them, you still have your master. Although our numbers are small, the disciples of the Four Gods Sect are the most united."
Li Tianhen gently patted Si Nansheng on the head.
"Master, could you wipe the grease off your hands first? You've smeared it all over Junior Sister's head!"
Ye Yanqing promptly pulled Li Tianhen's hand away and cast a Cleansing Spell on Si Nansheng.
Li Tianhen looked at his own hand, then back at his eldest apprentice. Had the lad grown a pair of guts?
Now that he had a little Junior Sister, he completely disregarded his master?
"Master, is this entire mountain range the territory of our Four Gods Sect?"
"It is. But usually, everyone is busy and no one really bothers with it."
"Then can I plant some things here in the future?" Si Nansheng's eyes lit up.
"Naturally. Your Fifth Senior Brother has a lot of Spirit Plant seeds; when he gets back, just ask him for whatever you want."
"Oh, wonderful, wonderful!"
She truly had many things she wanted to plant—especially the spirit sunflowers, an absolute must-have for cracking melon seeds while watching the gossip! Must plant a lot of those!
Once the spirit bird was fully roasted, Si Nansheng offered the first portions to her master and Eldest Senior Brother.
Seeing Si Nansheng gazing at them with big, watery, pleading eyes, Li Tianhen and Ye Yanqing suddenly felt they could no longer stomach the fragrant roasted spirit bird.
"We can't eat much, you eat it yourself," Li Tianhen said helplessly.
Si Nansheng immediately dropped all politeness. With the force of a whirlwind sweeping away fallen leaves, she devoured the entire spirit bird.
That speed and appetite left both Li Tianhen and Ye Yanqing stunned.
"Master! I think something might be wrong."
"What is it?" Li Tianhen asked, looking at the childish face with a puzzled expression.
"I feel like I'm about to advance," Si Nansheng said, sensing a sudden surge of warmth flowing into her Dantian.
"Hmm?"
Li Tianhen and Ye Yanqing also sensed the fluctuation of Spiritual Energy in the surrounding area.
"Master, what on earth did you give Junior Sister to eat?" Ye Yanqing asked, staring in horror at Li Tianhen.
Li Tianhen blinked. "It seemed to be that Spirit Sparrow we hunted earlier. It was just taking up space in my Storage Ring anyway, so I took it out and gave it to her to eat."
"Sp... Spirit Sparrow?!"
No wonder it had looked so familiar to him.
It was actually a Spirit Sparrow!
"Master, could you be any more unreliable? Junior Sister is only at Qi Refining Realm Layer 6, and you actually fed her a Spirit Beast with Spiritual Energy this potent? Are you trying to make sure she dies as slowly as possible?!"
Looking at his thoroughly unreliable master, Ye Yanqing felt a pain in his lungs from sheer anger.
A Spirit Sparrow with Spiritual Energy that intense had been devoured completely by Si Nansheng—could her body possibly handle that kind of Spiritual Energy?
A vortex of Spiritual Energy had already formed around Si Nansheng, causing both Ye Yanqing and Li Tianhen to wear expressions of astonishment.
This situation didn't look right at all!
"This doesn't look like an ordinary advancement; it looks like she's breaking through her realm!" Li Tianhen stroked his chin.
"But isn't Junior Sister only at Qi Refining Layer 6? How can she break through her realm?"
"I don't know." Li Tianhen shrugged innocently as he looked at Si Nansheng.
Even Li Tianhen himself had no idea whether this was due to Si Nansheng's innate talent or that Spirit Sparrow of his.
"Master!" Ye Yanqing roared, glaring at Li Tianhen, who continued to put on an expression of utter innocence.
What should they do now?
Could they just stand around and watch?
Their Four Gods Sect had finally managed to get a little Junior Sister—she wouldn't end up in trouble, would she?
"Don't panic. Let's observe the situation first. With your master here, what are you afraid of?" Li Tianhen patted Ye Yanqing's shoulder, retrieved a recliner, and lay down on it.
Watching Li Tianhen's series of actions, Ye Yanqing felt the veins on his forehead about to pop.
Could this master of his perhaps be discarded for a new one?
"Don't look at me like that. Your Junior Sister's aura is stable, there won't be any accidents." Li Tianhen leisurely swung his legs. Ye Yanqing sighed and turned his head away to avoid looking at him.
Out of sight, out of mind!
"Rushing all the way back, I'm finally here. I'm so exhausted." While Li Tianhen and the others were still at the back mountain, two youths with similar appearances arrived at the Four Gods Sect.
One wore a blank expression and cyan robes; the other wore an expression of intense excitement and scarlet robes.
"Something's not right," the cyan-robed youth frowned slightly.
"What on earth is going on? Is this a Spiritual Energy riot? There doesn't seem to be anyone around—did Master and Eldest Senior Brother and the others all go out?"
Sensing the commotion in the back mountain, the red-robed youth was startled enough to almost jump out of his skin.
With Spiritual Energy this chaotic, why was there no one in the sect?
Could something have happened?
Surely not!
Even if Eldest Senior Brother's cultivation wasn't up to par, wasn't Master still around?
"They should be in the back mountain." The cyan-robed youth scanned his surroundings before fixing his gaze on the center of the Spiritual Energy disturbance not far away.
The two exchanged glances and headed toward the back mountain.
"Master! Eldest Senior Brother!" As soon as they reached the back mountain, the two spotted Li Tianhen and Ye Yanqing.
Li Tianhen lazily raised a hand to greet them.
"Mo Lie, Mo Yu, you're back? Right in time to witness Junior Sister breaking through her realm." Ye Yanqing looked at them warmly.
"Junior Sister?" The two looked toward the child at the center of the Spiritual Energy.
That little peanut was their Junior Sister?
They had hurried back precisely to meet their little Junior Sister.
Wait, that's not right!