Pro-Wandao 002
On the eastern flank of the mountain stream, nestled in a secluded valley where dense woodland converged, the morning mist began its silent ascent. Dew-laden leaves exhaled a crisp fragrance, while the brook threaded its way through seams of stone, whispering in clear, liquid murmurs. Distant mountains stood like smudged ink on a scroll, shrouded in gossamer clouds, and the air carried the faint perfume of moss and wild blossoms.
Perched atop a mossy boulder, Wan Xiaochuan stood gazing into the distance. The terrain here was a harmonious cascade of cliffs and forests, where crag met canopy and the stream meandered like a silver thread, skirting roots and rocks. Amidst the undergrowth and glades, spiritual birds and rare beasts stirred—an ideal locale for the hunt of spirit-fed game.
He was clad in a lightweight indigo cuirass, the hilt of his Wind-and-Thunder Sword sheathed across his left shoulder, its blade in quiet slumber. In his right hand, he held a thread spun from spiritual energy—an insect lure woven with precision. He remained silent, but his spirit locust, Qing Li, had already slipped into the forest to scout.
"South, two Miles," he murmured. "A red-hoofed mountain antelope. The spirit energy it exudes is potent—its belly likely harbors undigested spirit crystal grass. Worth the effort."
"Leave it to me and Sister Jiang to flush it out," Lin Qixian replied in a warm tone, raising his Crimson Ember Coffer with a deft twist. Within, flickers of scarlet flame stirred, as though they too had caught the scent of prey.
Jiang Lingshan unsheathed her Frostfeather Spiritblade, its edge catching the morning dew, exhaling a quiet, crystalline chill. Her figure leapt into the undergrowth with graceful stealth, her passing marked only by frost gathering silently on leaves.
Renee, meanwhile, held both Wind-and-Thunder Twinblades, stepping soundlessly across streamstones. Her gait was weightless—like wind threading through the canopy—as she circled in from the flank.
Within the hushed woodland, the red-hoofed antelope grazed on spirit crystal grass. Suddenly, a shimmer of cold swept the air. Its instincts twitched—it bounded to flee, but too late.
Jiang Lingshan's sword struck first—Feathered Snow Ascending, a flurry of frostlight that scattered the creature's senses. In that instant, Renee's Twin Thunderstrike flared beside its ear, a subtle burst of lightning that startled it into chaotic retreat.
From above, Wan Xiaochuan descended in a fluid arc, his palms brimming with true energy. With a silent invocation of the Thousand-Insect Veil Technique, the Qing Li swarm sliced through the air like a storm of razors, forming a net of wind and thunder to choke off its escape.
"Entwine the meridians—cut its flow!" he called low.
The Wind-and-Thunder Sword flashed from its scabbard—Thunderwing Slash cleaved downward, a blade of lightning carving through the antelope's knees. It buckled with a strained bleat and collapsed.
By the brook, a temporary camp had been raised—triangular tents and spiritual cloth arranged into a formation. Spring water had been drawn into a kettle by the spiritfire furnace. Lin Qixian, already deep in his craft, dissected the spirit beast, extracting its inner core and the still-glowing spirit crystal grass, refining its tendons with meticulous hands.
Into the fire, he scattered wild descent flower pepper and three refined Crimson Core Fruit Seeds. Bone was roasted and broth simmered.
At once, aroma thickened in the air—essence-rich flesh crackled in hot oil, its fragrance mingling with the moist breeze of the stream, diffusing like incense through the woodland. Jiang Lingshan rolled up her sleeves, slicing the grass into silken threads and folding them into the soup with care. Renee roasted skewers of mountain pepper spiritbird legs over low flame—the skin seared to a crisp while the interior remained tender and yielding.
Wan Xiaochuan sat near the fire, Wind-and-Thunder Sword resting across his knees. Watching the flames dance, he accepted a steaming bowl, took a sip, and his brows lifted slightly.
"This broth… has force. The herb's effect is subtle, but it draws out the inner fire of the antelope—my dantian stirs with warmth."
Jiang Lingshan nodded gently. "That Crimson Core Seed must've been one of his earlier alchemical relics. Taken as broth, it warms the channels and unknots minor spirit nodes. Brother Lin is most thoughtful."
Lin Qixian chuckled. "After years of coarse grains and foraged weeds, how could we waste the rare chance for top-grade meat? Try the charcoal-baked leg bones—rich in tendon, crackling to the bite. Excellent for marrow and vitality."
The four of them shared a smile, seated upon slate rocks by the wild stream. The taste of spirit beast mingled with flickering heat—each bite infused with essence.
Renee, halfway through her second skewer, suddenly furrowed her brow, then broke into a grin. "That's odd—why does this flavor carry the tang of Awakening Elixir?"
Lin Qixian cleared his throat. "Ah… some pill dregs from last night's refining spilled into the salt jar. I meant to toss it, but—well, you roasted it far too well."
"No wonder I feel a slight ringing in my ears…" she laughed, and even the Wind-and-Thunder Sword at her back gave a faint tremble, as if to applaud this fleeting hour of peace.
Wan Xiaochuan murmured, "Such moments… are rare. The wind carries no scent of blood. The fire bears no echo of slaughter."
Jiang Lingshan gazed at him; her features soft. "To sit by a stream, hearing wind and insects… may bring a clarity no cultivation ever could."
Silence fell. Only the bubbling of broth, the snap of kindling, and the far-off cry of beast and bird remained—a different kind of meditation.
Night descended. From the mountains, a gentle wind crept, carrying hints of dew and pine resin. The four of them gathered near the fire once more. The Wind-and-Thunder Sword and Frostfeather Spiritblade lay at rest, quiet as hibernating beasts.
The night sky pooled overhead like ink, stars spilling downward in silent radiance. Firelight traced the edges of their smiles in soft gold.
Wan Xiaochuan stared into the constellation-strewn sky. "We've traveled so far, fought through so much. And tonight… this meal reminded me what it means to be human."
Lin Qixian handed him a cup of hot spirit-broth. "Remember this taste. It'll help carry you through the bitter roads ahead."
Jiang Lingshan, seated opposite the fire, whispered, "If the day ever comes when we can no longer sit like this… remember tonight's wind, tonight's spiritfire, tonight's flavor."
Renee gave a light laugh. "You're all too solemn. I still plan to roast an entire Wind Crane tomorrow."
The fire swayed with the breeze, their shadows stretching long across stone and stream. From deep within the forest came the howl of a night beast—brief, then still.
Within the hush of chilled winds, their flame and laughter seemed, for an instant, to warm even the wilderness.
Half dream, half-truth—a taste both real and still.