A couple of weeks passed by after Zhao Wuji headed back to Shrek Academy with the pills for whom I could only imagine was Ma Xiaotao. And in that time, with my first spirit ring skill, I could actually use my furnace for alchemy now!
"Hmm... Honestly, you make Food Spirit Master's look like fools who have been playing in the mud their entire lives!" Xiao Wu spoke with utter joy as she squirmed happily in her seat.
As I had used my Dragon Tripod Furnace, Martial Soul along with my Solar Yang Fire Stream skill to cook for her so I could save money.
And what did I cook for Xiao Wu, the hidden Soft-Boned Rabbit? Obviously, I cooked some cinnamon-glazed carrots that if Xiao Wu was actually any older. I would fear for my virginity with how utterly joyful she was.
"I would love to be a true Soul Master Chef, one who could use my cooking to actually enhance my own and other people's cultivation. But heh, we are poor, and getting spirit beast meat and herbs over a thousand years old in cultivation isn't easy." I said helplessly.
Xiao Wu hummed and then she said thoughtfully. "What about vegetarian dishes? I have a bit of a talent in finding some herbs as you know... Maybe I can just find a bunch of couple thousand year old Blue Silver Grass or something to make a salad!?"
And as she said that.
I saw Tang Wutong, who was approaching the stop. And then her eye's became cold and scary as she looked at the back of the head of Xiao Wu who froze at feeling the killing intent aimed at her.
'Tang Wutong has been rather weird since I came back with my spirit ring... More weird than when she first found out about my skill in alchemy.' I mused as I cleared my throat and said with a wry smile.
"Blue Silver Grass isn't for eating Xiao Wu. Or at least human's can't digest it that well without alot of prep work. Tang Wutong, did Grandmaster send for me for more lessons?" I asked with Xiao Wu whirling around with her long braid, just barely missing my face.
"You! Why are you getting near Tian Long all the time! Does he owe you some money or something.... No you owe him money for that elixer he gave you remember!" Xiao Wu snapped at Tang Wutong.
Which wasn't exactly wrong. The whale gel's elixer used a number of secondary materials to enhance and make it's effects more gentle, and they weren't cheap.
Tang Wutong at hearing Xiao Wu's words, gave a tight smile before she said calmly and coolly. "Tian Long is my junior brother. Are you saying that I shoudn't merely speak with my junior brother during free times?"
I cleared my throa,t getting both girls attention as I knew both would end up in a catfight with Tang Wutong winning almost all the fights verbally and physically.
But Xiao Wu even if she got beaten, had the willpower of a clingy husky who didn't want to be left out of our conversations so she just huffed as I patted her head.
"Anyway, 'Senior Sister' was your cultivation progressive today?" I asked calmly.
Tang Wutong nodded as she checked her nails for any dirt as she said idly. "Yes, it was. Just this morning, I reached level fifteen in fact."
Xiao Wu huffed as she herself was just on the edge of level fifteen her self. Like for sure within the next few day,s she would reach the next level as well.
Still I gave a nod and didn't gloat about my own case as I myself was already level 16 due to the still rich soul energy that came from having a two-thousand-year spirit ring for my first one.
Then Tang Wutong spoke casually. "Although the rabbit is right. I do have a favor to ask you Tian Long. I was hoping you would be able to supply me with some poison in liquid and powder form."
I blinked before I casually shrugged and said thoughtfully. "Yeah, sure, that's no problem. Give me seventy gold coins and I can make a collection of poisons."
Tang Wutong's face pinched before she said helplessly. "I don't have that money. You know I am an orphan, can you please just help me for our shared lineage?"
There was a pause before Xiao Wu snapped at Tang Wutong. "Peh! Who just farted out of their mouth! We are all orphans at this table Tang Wutong! Tian Long doesn't have any money after making us three pills as well, remember!"
Which was also true. Seeing as Xiao Wu was MY bunny girl at this point, and she was sticking to me like glue.
I had to give her some sweetness at time. And that sweetness was some Gentle Flowing Soul Pill's which would gently increase our ability to absorb soul energy in general.
Tang Wutong's expression tightened before she exhaled and said softly. "I understand... I was rude in my haste."
She took another breath before she continued. "Then, what if I-" She paused clearly in thought before she added. "Then what if I brought you the herbs and such to make the poisons along with the formula for the poisons I want?"
I just nodded even as I twitched as Xiao Wu huffed and looked away muttering. "Poisons, and more poisons. No wonder you don't have any friends."
But Tang Wutong just ignored Xiao Wu's words as she refocused on me and said thoughtfully. "By the way Tian Long, I hardly see you training in martial arts. Why is that?"
I shrugged and said honestly. "I planned on picking up a sword at some point when I got closer to ten years old."
Because I was an alchemist and I would naturally have a stronger body due to my body strengthening/cultivation special physique I would have in the Flame Emperor's Body.
So having a sword would enhance my great natural strength. Well that and I didn't WANT to run up and be punching all my enemies and the much more physically powerful Spirit Beasts in the head.
Well that and also my Martial Soul's weren't exactly close combat inclined either.
"A sword user huh." Tang Wutong wondered with a weird expression crossing her face for some reason.
But either way with my dinner is finished. I gave Xiao Wu a slight poke and said. "Let's get going Xiao Wu. Tang Wutong, I will see you tomorrow morning for training with Grandmaster."
And before Tang Wutong could respond. Xiao Wu was already dragging me away and out of the large enclosed campus of Nuoding Academy with the young girl giggling happily about us leaving that witch behind.
"You know... When we both leave this academy, she is going to follow wherever Grandmaster takes us?" I said a wryly as Xiao Wu and Tang Wutong got along like fire and water, honestly.
"Psh! That witch will fall behind as well when her talent shows it's lack of depth. Just like how shallow her personality is." Xiao Wu spat out with an adorable 'hmph' leaving her at the thought.
Still I could only shake my head and I said. "Well, either way, let's go back into the surrounding woods to see if we can find any herbs and such. Grandmaster won't let me use his name to sell elixers as he doesn't have any backing, apparently."
I took a breath and with a sigh said helplessly. "So I need to just find the herbs I need for my alchemy for now. As I have already spent the extra money Zhao Wuji left for us."
As it turned out.
Alchemy was in fact... Stupidly fucking expensive, it turned out. And when your teacher/master was a vagabond who threw away his noble clan name, he avoided his past.
And his best friends were also miser's and also completely broke as well didn't help things either.
'If only I was reincarnated in the backyard of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Imagine if I got a sponsor or just became friends with Ning Rongrong, the heiress of that clan. I would save literally years of effort with a simple wave of her hands!' I thought with some actual frustration.
As honestly... What was my sponsor thinking, throwing me into Nuoding Academy?
But I closed off those thoughts as my path had already been set at this point.
I just needed to continue said path to become as strong as I could... Most particularly in raising my Flame Emperor Body to the next stages.
Then Xiao Wu bounced ahead of me with a giggle escaping her as leaned towards me and looked up into my eyes. "You are going to bring me with you right?"
To which I just chuckled and patted her head before I said softly. "Of course, Xiao Wu... Where will I go that won't have my adorable rabbit with me?"
Xiao Wu shook off my head with a painfully adorable huff as she complained. "Ugh! Quit patting my head Tian Long. How are you going to compensate me if I remain short with how much you push my head down, huh?"
Even as she complained, I just thoughtfully hummed as I picked up some young Moon Thistle from under the roots of a tree that was clearly shaded at all times.
Then, with a chuckle, I said quietly. "Well... For better or worse, this slow life isn't bad at all."
As I was a cultivator anyway. It wasn't like I 'could' or even should reach godhood before I hit my teens. I couldn't help but imagine how my life would be if I became a god before Yu Xiaogang pulled us towards Shrek Academy.
'Eh... It would be boring as hell even if I could do it, which I can't.' I mused with a wry smile before Xiao Wu called me over after she found another herb.
And as I carefully packed away the herb, I gave a light chuckle as Xiao Wu giggled and said leadingly. "Soooo if I get you a bunch of herbs, you should totally make more of those sugar-glazed carrots, right? That is a totally fair deal, right?"
"Alright, alright, anything for the bunny overlord," I said, shaking my head fondly as Xiao Wu did a little dance of joy.
Then I looked up into the sky and mused quietly. "It's not bad to enjoy things as they are."