Bonfire Fun (Part 1)

The three newly born wisps of warm incense in her body, combined with the borrowed wisp of golden incense from before, converged into four gentle streams of power, flowing like a small creek through Lu Qiancha’s dantian.

Lu Qiancha had intended to enlighten another small tree.

However, a strong sense of emptiness suddenly surged up from the depths of her meridians.

Enlightening three spirit woods in succession had nearly exhausted the spiritual energy in her dantian.

“Tsk.”

Resigned, Lu Qiancha had no choice but to stop for now.
She tossed a Spirit-Recovering Pill into her mouth, and the rich medicinal energy dissolved, like a sweet spring replenishing arid land.

Afterward, Lu Qiancha temporarily set aside the thought of further enlightenment.

It was time to fulfill her promise.

Lu Qiancha opened her eyes, formed a seal with her fingertips, and her spiritual sense connected with the Peach Blossom Spring, selecting one of the small peach tree spirits.

Guided by her spiritual sense, space rippled like water.

“Pop!”

A faint light flashed.

The miniature tree spirit, its leaves a vibrant, dripping green, instantly appeared in the empty space between Lu Qiancha and Venerable Xiao Shi, curiously twisting its trunk.

Lu Qiancha’s expression was solemn as she condensed a point of divine thought at her fingertip.

“Sever!”

She lightly tapped the main trunk of the tree spirit.

An invisible thread of incense, connecting her to the origin of this new life, snapped at the command.

The impulse to worship Lu Qiancha that had surrounded the tree spirit instantly dissipated.
The spirit’s small branches drooped listlessly, as if it had lost its direction.

Then.

Lu Qiancha closed her eyes and focused, drawing out the four wisps of incense from her dantian that symbolized her debt, extracting them with the precision of a stream returning to the sea, holding nothing back.

“Om!”

They transformed into four warm streams of light, flowing out from her body.
Three of them carried the faint fragrance of vanilla as they drifted toward the shrine in front of Venerable Xiao Shi.

The flames on the incense candles instantly leaped a few times.

The shortened candle bodies, as if injected with new vitality, actually grew back a small fraction, and their light appeared much more stable.

“Hehehe—”

Venerable Xiao Shi gazed at the vibrant, lively little tree spirit before him, his eyes crinkling with laughter, so delighted that his beard trembled.

Compared to a stone crab, born of the tides and living for two or three years at most, and a peach tree spirit that could provide incense for at least twenty to thirty years and might even become a spirit wood…

This deal was an absolute windfall.

He waved his hands repeatedly, his tone unprecedentedly magnanimous.
“This old one will remember the Mountain God’s generous gift! These three wisps of new incense are the creation of Your Excellency’s divine art of enlightenment.
How could I possibly take them? Please, take them back!”

“Since the Venerable God insists, this junior god will accept.”

Lu Qiancha did not refuse, smoothly taking back the three wisps of new incense she was entitled to and returning them to her dantian.

“The hour is late.
It is inconvenient for this junior god to stay long.
I shall take my leave.”

Lu Qiancha cupped her hands in a farewell salute.

“If the Mountain God is not in a hurry…” Venerable Xiao Shi gestured to the vermilion stone table beside the shrine, upon which jade cups and fine nectar appeared as if by magic.
“The sea breeze on this deserted island is crisp and cool.
Why not have a light drink before you go? It would be a small token for Your Excellency’s journey…”

“There is no need.” Lu Qiancha shook her head decisively, her gaze drifting to the deepening dusk outside the forest.
“I truly have important matters to attend to.
Farewell!”

With that, Lu Qiancha turned to leave.

Venerable Xiao Shi nodded with a smile.
“In that case, Mountain God, take care.” His figure flickered, dissolving like ink and smoke to merge back into the clay statue.

Then his figure flashed and returned to the Earth God statue.

Her movement technique twisting, Lu Qiancha silently slipped back into the camp.

Inside the encampment, a bonfire was already crackling, its warm, orange-red flames leaping to dispel the chill of the sea breeze.

In the firelight, Xuan Ya and Gan Tang sat together on a stone, their postures relaxed.

Xuan Ya was using a sharpened twig to patiently turn several sea fish sizzling on an iron grill, their skins turning a scorched yellow.
The firelight softened the cold lines of her face.

Gan Tang, on the other hand, was holding a large conch, carefully prying out the tender meat inside with a small knife, occasionally murmuring something to her master, her face beaming with a relaxed smile.

A warm halo enveloped the master and disciple, a picture of harmony.

However, on the other side of the bonfire, Xun Xue leaned alone against a slightly cool reef.

A pile of cleaned seashells and fresh shrimp lay before her, yet she seemed to have no intention of cooking.
She merely propped her elbow on her knee, the firelight dancing in her deep blue eyes but failing to illuminate the loneliness within.
The contrast with the warmth between the master and disciple opposite her made her seem exceptionally desolate.

The moment Lu Qiancha stepped into the circle of firelight, Xuan Ya looked up as if sensing her presence.

Her gaze swept over her, and Xuan Ya’s voice, as cool as ever, carried its usual indifference.
“Has your complexion recovered?”

“Reporting to Master, I am fine now.”

Lu Qiancha bowed slightly, her voice steady and unruffled.
Although she still felt chilly and a bit uncomfortable, she could now maintain a calm expression.

“Mm.” Xuan Ya nodded her chin.
“Sit. And have something to eat.”

“This disciple obeys.” Lu Qiancha sat down as told, her position coincidentally between Gan Tang and the reef.

Almost the instant she sat down.

Xun Xue, like a butterfly drawn to the scent of a flower, instantly lifted her previously lowered eyelids.

She very naturally picked up the skewers of grilled fish and shifted her body toward Lu Qiancha.
Her soft, warm body angled slightly, her shoulder already brushing against Lu Qiancha’s arm, as if by chance.

“Ahem!” Lu Qiancha let out a light cough as if electrocuted.

Her body tensed like a drawn bowstring, and she subtly shuffled half a step toward Gan Tang, creating a bit of distance from that dangerous contact.

Two gazes bored into her back like daggers.

Xuan Ya’s cool eyes swept over faintly…

Gan Tang also paused her work on the conch meat, her pink eyes looking with some curiosity at Lu Qiancha’s sudden shift in position…

Lu Qiancha felt her scalp tingle.

She sent a message using the Wind Whisper Spell.

Lu Qiancha’s voice carried a hint of desperate urgency and helplessness, kept as low as possible.
“My master is watching! Don’t lean over anymore! It will be misunderstood!”

Xun Xue tilted her head slightly, the tips of her wolf ears twitching in the firelight.
Her deep blue eyes swirled with an innocent yet mischievous light as she sent a thought back.
“Misunderstood? Misunderstood as what?~”

Xun Xue’s tone was light and cheerful as she continued, “You’re my daughter, after all!”

She paused, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
“As the saying goes, a daughter is her mother’s little lover.
So what if there’s a misunderstanding?~”

“?!”

The moment those words registered, Lu Qiancha’s pupils contracted violently, and she almost lost control of her expression.
Wait, what… what kind of twisted logic was that?!

As she thought this, Lu Qiancha’s gaze drifted involuntarily to Xuan Ya at her side.
She saw her master’s lips seem to tighten, just ever so slightly?

A rare, sharp glint of confusion flashed through those cool eyes.

‘It’s over.
I’ve definitely been misunderstood!’

Lu Qiancha sighed in despair, completely giving up her resistance.

Moving away again would be tantamount to hanging a sign that said, “nothing to see here,” which would only make things worse.

Resigned, she let go of the tension and sat up straight, thinking with the recklessness of one who has nothing left to lose: ‘When Master asks later, I’ll just say that Senior Xun Xue is rather… um… hospitable…’