Chapter 328: Chapter 301: Kill the Chicken to Warn the Monkey

Taichu City, Inner City.

In a spacious courtyard, Una sat cross-legged on a stone stool, a low iron grill set up before her.

Skewers of sliced beast meat, previously marinated in spices and salt, were sizzling over the charcoal fire.

Grease dripped onto the red-hot coals, sending up wisps of fragrant white smoke that scattered on the wind, filling the courtyard.

The Dogman girl stared at the skewers of meat, still pink in the middle, and couldn’t help but swallow.

Ever since she started practicing the Eight Desolates Prison-Suppression Scripture, her appetite had been growing by the day.

Ordinary food couldn’t fill her up. Only Spirit Beast meat, rich in vital energy and blood, could slightly alleviate the bone-deep hunger that gnawed at her.

Una blinked hard, forcing herself to look away, afraid that if she stared any longer, she’d start drooling uncontrollably.

She turned her head to the other side of the stone stool.

Romance was lounging on a woven rattan chair, her long legs casually crossed. She leaned back lazily with her eyes half-closed, as relaxed as a cat that had soaked up its fill of sun.

The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, dappling her face and dancing like tiny flecks of light in her silver-white hair.

Seeing her master’s carefree appearance, Una felt a strange sense of security and peace settle over her.

Her experiences recently felt like a fantastical, dream-like adventure.

After arriving in the Taichu Spirit Realm, her people had been settled in a residential area in the outer region. Their lives were stable and secure, and they no longer had to live in constant fear of being attacked by other factions.

A while ago, she had made a special trip to see where her people lived.

It was an entire stretch of woodland modified with Arrays, specifically for settling new Vassal Races. Each family was allocated its own small, independent courtyard.

Although not as exquisite or spacious as the courtyards the Elves lived in, it was countless times better than the caves they had been cooped up in on the Frost Ridge Plateau for over a decade.

Her younger brother smiled much more now than before.

As for Una herself, her status as Romance’s apprentice granted her the right to live in the inner city.

During her time in Taichu City, everything she saw and heard constantly shattered her understanding of the world.

She had seen the Flying Radiance Tower parked at the Berth Square; its sky-blotting size made her mistake it for a palace at first glance.

She had also seen the majestic Eternal Tree, its crown spreading out like a dome and its aerial roots hanging down like curtains. Standing beneath it and looking up, she could barely see the sky.

There were also all kinds of strange Spirit Beasts, a vast array of Spirit Plants, and the Yellow Turban Warriors marching in formation on the streets... Every day, she witnessed new and unimaginable things.

This made her realize more profoundly than ever that the Silver Moon Clan was far stronger and more unfathomable than the outside world’s rumors suggested.

"Una."

Romance’s voice, lazy with a hint of amusement, suddenly sounded by her ear, startling Una from her thoughts.

"The meat is about to burn."

The Dogman girl snapped back to reality. Looking down, she saw that the edges of the meat on the skewers were indeed starting to curl and blacken.

She hurriedly reached out to turn the skewers, fumbling so much that she nearly dropped the entire skewer into the coals.

Romance burst out laughing at the sight.

Her laughter was exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard, startling a Songbird perched on the eaves.

Una pressed her lips together in exasperation. ’My master is great at everything, but she has no sense of composure or grace. She always laughs her head off whenever she sees me make a fool of myself.’

Once she had laughed her fill, Romance finally got up, walked over to the grill, and squatted down. She took the skewers and began to turn them skillfully.

Her grilling skills were far more practiced than Una’s.

Her fingers expertly controlled the steady rotation of the skewers, occasionally pinching some spices to sprinkle evenly over the meat. Her movements were smooth and efficient.

Before long, the skin of the meat was roasted to a light crisp, and the grease formed a thin, glistening film on the surface, releasing a rich, charred aroma.

"Here." Romance handed one of the skewers to Una, then grabbed another for herself and took a huge bite without waiting for it to cool.

Una took the skewer and carefully took a bite.

The skin was slightly charred by the fire. The moment she bit through it, scalding juices and fat exploded on her tongue, a savory blend of spice and salt that warmed her all the way from her throat to the bottom of her stomach.

The Dogman girl couldn’t help but narrow her eyes as her ears drooped comfortably, like two leaves softened by the sun.

The hunger that had been coiling inside her for so long was slowly being suppressed by the tender, plump chunks of beast meat, as comforting as being wrapped in a thick fleece blanket on a winter day.

"Master, you’re really good at this," Una couldn’t help but praise.

"Of course. I used to grill with Anton all the time."

A nostalgic look appeared on Romance’s face.

Back when the Clan was still hunkered down in the Silver Moon Forest, she and Anton had grilled meat together quite often.

But as the Clan grew stronger and larger, the time she and Anton spent together grew shorter and shorter.

Thinking about it made her a little nostalgic for the old days.

Reining in her thoughts, Romance changed the subject, casually asking, "What were you thinking about so intently just now?"

Una swallowed the meat in her mouth and answered truthfully, "I was wondering when I’ll be able to advance to the First Transition of Force."

Romance smiled. "How long have you been cultivating? And you’re already thinking about the first transition? Give it another two years, maybe."

Hearing this, Una’s face fell, and her ears drooped. "It’s still going to take that long?"

’I was hoping to get stronger quickly so I could contribute to the Clan.’

"That’s already fast." Romance picked up another skewer. "The cultivation environment is so much better than before, and resources are plentiful. If this were years ago, you wouldn’t even be able to get started for three or four years. And that’s only because you have Dual Spirit Roots; your aptitude is better than most disciples. Otherwise, it would take even longer."

Una hesitated. "But I heard that Senior Brother Laine only took less than two years to refine his first wisp of Spiritual Qi..."

"That’s because he has a Haoyang True Body." Romance took another bite of meat and said indistinctly, "A Spirit Body that’s one in ten thousand. He’s the only one among the nearly thousand disciples in Taichu City. Aren’t you just asking for misery by comparing yourself to him?"

This was the first time Una had heard of a ’Spirit Body.’ She couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Master, what’s a Spirit Body? Is it very powerful?"

Romance explained patiently, "A Spirit Body, to put it simply, is a special constitution formed on the basis of a Spirit Root, whether through bloodline, fortuitous encounter, or mutation."

"People with Spirit Bodies absorb Spiritual Qi faster and make lightning-fast progress when practicing certain types of Cultivation Techniques. Some Spirit Bodies can even enhance the power of specific elemental Techniques."

"You could say that people with Spirit Bodies are all natural-born geniuses of the Dao."

Una’s eyes lit up as she listened, but she couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

’It would be great if I had a Spirit Body, too.’

Romance glanced at her, seemingly seeing through her thoughts, and patted her on the head. "Your aptitude isn’t bad. Just focus on building a solid foundation. There’s no need to try and bite off more than you can chew."

Una nodded obediently, then suddenly realized something and yelped, "Ah! Master, your hands are all greasy!"

"Hahaha..."

The master and apprentice laughed and joked for a while before continuing to eat by the grill.

A moment later, Romance’s expression suddenly shifted, and she turned her head toward the courtyard gate.

A Paper Crane flew in from outside. Its paper wings flapped gently as it circled once in the air before landing steadily in her outstretched palm.

The Paper Crane automatically unfolded, transforming into a flat sheet of paper.

Romance glanced down at it, stuffed the rest of the grilled meat into her mouth, casually brushed the charcoal dust from the corner of her robe, and stood up.

"Eleanor needs me for something. You keep eating. When you’re done, go cultivate. No slacking."

Una nodded quickly.

Romance strode out of the courtyard, her figure quickly disappearing into the shadows of the trees beyond the gate.

「...」

Arriving at the Celestial Essence Hall, Romance found Eleanor was the only one inside.

Seeing Romance arrive, Eleanor wasted no time and got straight to the point.

"We just received a message from the Nine Nether City Domain. The thirteen city-states of the Red Blood Fertile Soil have formed an alliance and sent troops to attack the Nine Nether City Domain. Several of our mining areas have been hit."

"Currently, only the Second Elder is holding the fort in the Nine Nether City Domain, along with Elena and Darian, two Golden Peak experts. We’re still a bit short on High-Tier combat power. I’m planning to send you and Cedric as reinforcements. Cedric has already departed."

"No problem."

Hearing there was a fight to be had, Romance’s eyes instantly lit up, and she agreed without a second thought.

Eleanor glanced at her and reminded, "I’m sending you over this time, but not to start an all-out war with the Red Blood Fertile Soil. Our focus is still on defense for now."

Romance was instantly disappointed. "Is it because of the Shadow Soldiers?"

"That’s right." Eleanor nodded. "Until the Shadow Soldier Legion is established, it’s not wise to engage in a large-scale war with the Red Blood Fertile Soil. We need to avoid excessive casualties."

"Besides, the Clan’s energy has been focused on receiving the Half-Elves lately. We’ve diverted a large number of personnel to hunt down Slave Hunting Teams outside. Fighting a war on two fronts right now is too risky. It’s better to be cautious."

Romance naturally understood the priorities. She nodded at Eleanor’s words but soon frowned again.

"Those Slave Hunting Teams are that bold? They know those Half-Elves are coming to seek refuge with us, yet they still dare to ambush them on the road?"

Eleanor lowered her gaze, her tone flat. "The Silver Moon Clan has indeed gained some fame, but that reputation is mostly tied to the Clan Leader alone. The Clan’s own deterrent power isn’t yet enough to make the factions behind those Slave Hunting Teams afraid to make a move."

"Among these factions, there are likely even first-rate powers. They might be wary of us, but only to a limited extent."

Romance was eager. "How about I lead an army to wipe out those Slave Hunting Teams?"

Eleanor rejected the idea without hesitation. "You’re a Legendary Combat Power. Using you against mere Slave Hunting Teams would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. You are needed more to hold down the fort at the Nine Nether City Domain."

She paused, then added calmly, "Once we’ve dealt with the Red Blood Fertile Soil and freed up our hands, it won’t be too late to deal with the powers behind those Slave Hunting Teams. At that point, we just need to crush a few of the ones who stick their necks out to make an example of them. The rest will naturally fall in line."

"Fine."

Romance knew Eleanor had a point, so she didn’t press the issue and changed the subject.

"By the way, where’s Anton? I haven’t seen him in a while."

"The Clan Leader is cultivating over at the Tide Sound Plain. By my calculations, he should be back soon."

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