Chapter 141: Winter Curse [PART 1]

Xiang Yu froze in his tracks as he emerged from the spirit vein, coming face to face with Xiuying who had been playing around the spirit vein’s entrance. He maintained his outward composure despite the unexpected encounter, quickly assessing that her cultivation was merely at the Foundation Establishment realm—not an immediate threat to the current him.

Seizing the opportunity to test his newly upgraded abilities, he activated his fifth-grade appraisal skill:

[Name: Wang Xiuying]

[Realm: Body: 10th Layer; Spirit: Early Foundation Establishment]

[Species: Human]

[Status: Cursed]

[Info: The only daughter of the Golden Edge Sect’s Sect Master]

Xiang Yu noted with mild disappointment that his appraisal function seemed less precise than he’d hoped. It displayed “Early Foundation Establishment” rather than specifying the exact cultivation layer like his system interface did. Furthermore, it categorized her as human, which contradicted what his system had revealed earlier—that she was half-beast with a Qilin bloodline.

Despite these shortcomings, he recognized the function still offered valuable supplementary information, such as her identity as the daughter of a powerful sect leader. This detail immediately triggered his survival instincts—a warning flag to maintain his distance from someone with such connections.

His assessment was interrupted when the young woman suddenly leaned toward him, her face uncomfortably close as she sniffed him.

“You smell strange,” she declared without a hint of self-consciousness, continuing to sniff the air around him.

Xiang Yu stepped back instinctively, creating space between them. Who approaches a stranger and comments on their scent? Though he hadn’t properly bathed in a while, the spirit spring purified him daily. How could he possibly smell ’strange’?

“What are you doing here?” he asked, deliberately changing the subject.

“Catching butterflies,” she replied with a radiant smile, advancing toward him once more. “What about you? How did you appear suddenly from nowhere? Can you teach me?”

Xiang Yu sidestepped her approach again, maintaining a safe distance. “Catching butterflies?” he echoed, studying her more carefully. He thought to himself that she didn’t look that young. “Did you catch any?” he inquired, redirecting the conversation again.

Her expression dimmed slightly. “No, if I catch them, they’ll die,” she answered, her voice carrying a hint of resignation.

This revelation sparked Xiang Yu’s curiosity, especially considering her “Cursed” status displayed in his appraisal. In a normal scenario, this would be the perfect moment to inquire further and uncover her tragic backstory. But Xiang Yu had no intention of triggering another “heroine scenario” ; he already had his hands full with Li Yao.

“Why did you come here?” he pressed, ignoring the opening for deeper conversation.

She tilted her head, studying him with interest. “You’re strange,” she observed, her vocabulary suddenly more sophisticated than her earlier childlike manner. “It’s the first time someone has acted so indifferent to me saying such a thing.”

“It’s not that strange,” Xiang Yu replied with nonchalance. “Why don’t you keep playing? I’ll take my leave.” He turned away, determined to avoid further association with yet another potential protagonist.

“Wait, don’t leave yet!” she called, hurrying after him. “You still haven’t told me how to suddenly appear like you did!”

Rather than answering, Xiang Yu activated his movement technique, vanishing instantly from her sight.

Left alone, Wang Xiuying halted where Xiang Yu had stood just moments before. She touched her chin thoughtfully, her eyes scanning the empty space. “Where did he go? He was here just now…”

…

The two women continued their heated exchange, their voices growing sharper with each retort. Elder Guo sat beside them, shoulders hunched, resembling a battlefield casualty more than a respected cultivation elder. He had attempted several times to interject, only to be silenced with synchronized commands to “shut up.” When he’d tried to quietly slip away, both women had fixed him with glares that rooted him to his seat.

His face brightened suddenly at the sight of an approaching figure. He could finally escape from this verbal tempest that assaulted his ears. “Ah, Xiang—” he began eagerly, only to wince as Elder Huang’s fingers delivered a swift pinch to his arm.

Elder Huang cleared her throat and rose to her feet. “Greetings, Grand Elder,” she announced with formal reverence, her earlier combative demeanor instantly replaced by respectful decorum.

Understanding dawned on Elder Guo’s face as he realized his near-blunder. Addressing the Grand Elder by his personal name in front of outsiders would have been inappropriate. He quickly straightened his posture and added his own greeting. “Ahem, greetings, Grand Elder.”

Xiang Yu paused momentarily, surprised by the sudden formality from his master and martial aunt. Noticing the unfamiliar visitor, however, he quickly understood the necessity of maintaining appearances. With the refined grace befitting his position, he gestured casually for them to remain seated, acknowledging their deference with the air of someone accustomed to such treatment.

Meiling rose from her seat as well, executing a formal salute with cupped fists. “Greetings, Senior,” she offered respectfully, though her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the young man before her.

The Grand Elder appeared remarkably young—barely twenty years old by her estimation. Still, she decided to remain cautious as she couldn’t detect the slightest trace of cultivation energy from him.

Xiang Yu acknowledged her greeting with a nod, perfectly embodying the role of a high-ranking elder despite his youth. Without further ceremony, he proceeded directly to the kitchen and began preparing food as if nothing unusual had occurred.

Meiling’s eyebrows rose in obvious surprise. She turned to Elder Huang, unable to conceal her bewilderment. “Your Grand Elder prepares food himself?” The question carried undisguised skepticism.

“Hmph! What do you know?” Elder Huang retorted, her voice swelling with unmistakable pride. “The Grand Elder is an expert cook. He sometimes makes spirit food to help increase our strength. His culinary skills are unmatched in the eastern regions.”

“Is that so?” Meiling responded, her tone still carrying a note of disbelief.

“Of course,” Elder Huang affirmed with absolute conviction.

Meiling’s attention remained fixed on the kitchen, where she observed Xiang Yu manifesting a dark flame above his palm. Her composed facade cracked instantly, eyes widening in shock.

“That-that is…” she stammered, her reaction resembling someone who had witnessed a ghost materialize before her eyes.

Elder Huang smirked at the woman’s visible distress. “Why are you so surprised?” she asked mockingly. “Well, it’s understandable that you’re mesmerized by the Grand Elder’s cooking skill,” she added with smug satisfaction.

“Right…” Meiling responded, gradually regaining her composure.

Elder Huang observed her curiously, wondering why this simple demonstration had provoked such an extreme response. Was she really that impressed?

Meanwhile, Meiling’s thoughts raced frantically behind her carefully controlled expression. “I definitely saw it correctly,” she confirmed inwardly. “Although this one is completely dark, it’s unmistakably the same type of flame. I must return to the sect and report this to the master immediately.”

The internal deliberation was interrupted as Xiang Yu emerged from the kitchen, effortlessly balancing five exquisitely prepared dishes in his hands. The moment he entered, an intoxicating aroma saturated with spiritual qi enveloped them, drawing everyone’s attention.

Meiling felt her senses overwhelmed by the intense fragrance alone—the food’s qi density exceeded anything she had previously encountered. Elder Huang simply smiled with knowing appreciation; no matter how many times she experienced it, the Grand Elder’s cooking never failed to astonish her.

After Xiang Yu finished arranging the dishes on the table, he prepared to take his seat. Without warning, the temperature around him plummeted dramatically. The air itself seemed to solidify, imprisoning him in place.

“I finally found you,” whispered a soft female voice directly behind him.

Before he could react, Xiang Yu felt a presence against his back, slender arms encircling him from behind in an intimate embrace. In the next moment, a wave of paralyzing cold engulfed him completely. Everything—the air, his clothes, even his skin—crystallized instantly as ice spread outward from the point of contact.

In mere seconds, Xiang Yu stood frozen within a massive block of ice.

…

Author’s Corner:

Is it “He sometime makes spirit food” or “He sometimes makes spirit food”

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