Free Web NovelQingfeng shrank his neck and muttered under his breath.
"I was just thirsty..."
"Thirsty?" Mingyue's voice shot up an octave. "That was Elder Sun from Pill Cauldron Peak's gift to me - 'Cloud Mist Immortal Tea'! There was only two ounces total! I didn't even dare open the lid more than once, afraid to let the spiritual energy dissipate!"
She was so angry that her chest heaved violently.
"He brewed the whole thing while I was meditating! Two ounces of tea leaves, all dumped into that tiny pot! He didn't even leave me a single leaf!"
Su Ming understood now.
His gaze fell on the empty jade jar.
"Cloud Mist Immortal Tea."
He had seen that name in the "Hundred Spiritual Plants Compendium." It was an extremely rare spiritual tea. It grew on the most treacherous cliffs of Pill Cauldron Peak, constantly nourished by clouds and mist.
This tea had excellent calming effects for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Not only could it stabilize the soul, but it could also suppress inner demons when breaking through bottlenecks. Even a pinch was worth several mid-grade spirit stones.
Although Mingyue was of higher seniority, she was still just a child at heart. Elder Sun giving her those two ounces of tea leaves was probably like giving her a treasure she'd hoard away.
And Qingfeng had wasted it all in one go.
No wonder the young girl was furious enough to want to sever ties.
Su Ming looked at Qingfeng. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"Senior Brother Qingfeng." Su Ming's tone was helpless. "That was spiritual tea. If you were thirsty, you could have just drunk water."
Qingfeng puffed out his chest, completely unapologetic.
"How could water smell as good as this! I just lifted the lid for a sniff, and the aroma was incredible. I thought I'd brew a little to taste. But then my hand slipped, and the whole thing went in."
"Your hand slipped?" Mingyue let out a cold laugh.
She pointed at the teapot.
"The spout was clogged with leaves! Does that look like a slip to you?"
Qingfeng knew he was in the wrong, and his voice dropped again.
"I just... didn't know how to handle it, okay? Besides, tea leaves are meant to be brewed and drunk. Why keep them hidden away forever? What if they went bad - what a waste that'd be."
"You dare talk back!"
Mingyue was fully enraged now. She looked around, grabbed a purple bamboo broom from the corner, and raised it as if to strike.
Qingfeng was terrified and immediately hid behind Su Ming, clutching his Daoist robe tightly.
"Su Ming, save me! This girl's gone crazy!"
Stuck in the middle, Su Ming let out a silent sigh.
He looked at Qingfeng's blackened eye, then at Mingyue's flushed, furious face and red-rimmed eyes.
He reached out and gently pressed down on the broom in Mingyue's hand.
"Senior Sister Mingyue, please calm down."
Su Ming's voice was gentle and steady. The spiritual energy of the Like Water Art flowed through his body, carrying a natural soothing power.
"The tea is gone. Beating him won't bring it back."
Mingyue pouted in grievance.
"But I was saving it for when I try to break through to Golden Core..."
Su Ming didn't argue further.
He released the broom, and his right hand lightly tapped the storage pouch at his waist.
A flash of light appeared.
In his palm appeared a coarse clay jar, half the size of a palm, sealed with beeswax.
The jar looked extremely unremarkable. Its surface was even a bit rough.
Su Ming placed the jar steadily on the stone table.
"Senior Sister Mingyue."
Su Ming looked at Mingyue, his tone serious.
"This is the 'Hundred Flowers Nectar' Senior Brother Qin Yi gave me today when I went to Beast Peak. It's brewed by those mutated spiritual bees from the back mountain of Beast Peak, gathering nectar from over a hundred types of high-grade spiritual flowers."
Mingyue's gaze was drawn to the clay jar, and the broom in her hand drooped slightly.
Su Ming continued.
"This stuff tastes even better than Cloud Mist Immortal Tea when brewed. Plus, the wood-attribute spiritual energy it contains is gentler, and its effect on calming the spirit and stabilizing the Dao foundation is excellent. Give it a try."
Su Ming paused, then added.
"If you like it, I'll go to Beast Peak to get more for you when it runs out."
Mingyue's eyes lit up.
She put down the broom and walked hesitantly to the stone table.
The young girl reached out with both hands and carefully picked up the coarse clay jar. She gently peeled off the layer of beeswax on top.
The moment the lid was opened.
An incredibly rich, yet not at all cloying floral fragrance instantly filled the air.
The aroma seemed almost alive. Just one sniff, and Mingyue felt that the fatigue from days of cultivation had completely vanished. It felt as if a gentle breeze had swept through her Consciousness Sea, cool and refreshing.
The anger on Mingyue's young face dissipated by half in an instant.
She took a deep breath.
"So fragrant! It really does smell better than the tea!"
Qingfeng, still hiding behind Su Ming, caught the scent. His nose twitched wildly.
He poked his head out, eyes fixed on the clay jar.
"So much spiritual energy... Su Ming, let me have a taste too..."
At the sound of his voice, Mingyue's face instantly turned cold.
She hugged the jar tightly to her chest and shot Qingfeng a fierce glare.
"In your dreams!"
She snorted coldly, then turned and walked toward the courtyard.
"This is from Su Ming! You're not getting a single drop!"
...
The night wind in Purple Bamboo Sea grew chillier.
Mingyue cast a Water Purification Charm on the stone table in the courtyard, wiping it spotless.
The white porcelain tea set was rearranged neatly. The empty jade tea jar was put back into her storage pouch.
Mingyue held a small silver spoon.
She extremely carefully scooped out a drop of Hundred Flowers Nectar the size of a soybean from the coarse clay jar.
The nectar had a deep amber color. Under the moonlight, a faint shimmer flowed within it.
Mingyue placed that drop of nectar into the white porcelain teapot.
Instead of using spiritual energy to summon true fire, she took out a low-grade Gentle Flame Talisman and stuck it to the bottom of the pot. The water inside was mountain spring water from behind Guiding Peak.
The water temperature slowly rose.
The amber nectar dissolved in the warm water. A fragrance even richer, softer, and more layered than before began to spread through the small courtyard, carried by the rising steam.
The aroma wasn't aggressive, but it seeped into everything.
Su Ming sat on the stone stool.
He took a deep breath. The liquid spiritual energy within him, still a bit restless from his recent Foundation Establishment, became smoother and calmer under the soothing influence of this floral fragrance.
"This is good stuff."
Lin Yu remarked from within the Consciousness Sea.
"Nectar of this quality would cost at least a few dozen mid-grade spirit stones per jar in the outside market. Your Second Senior Brother really is generous with his gifts. And you're using it to cheer up a little girl?"
Su Ming replied in his mind.
"A thousand gold pieces can't buy what the heart desires. Back when I had nothing, Senior Sister Mingyue's medicinal congee was priceless to me too. Giving her this nectar is putting it to good use."
Lin Yu fell silent, seemingly in agreement.
The water came to a boil.
Mingyue lifted the teapot and gently poured three cups with graceful movements. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
The pale golden nectar water swirled in the white porcelain cups.
She pushed the first cup to Su Ming.
"Su Ming, give it a taste."
The young girl's face had long lost its earlier anger. Her eyes curved like crescent moons.
Su Ming raised the cup and took a gentle sip.
It was warm and smooth as it entered his mouth. There was no cloying sweetness or astringency. The spiritual energy slid down his throat into his abdomen, turning into warm currents that slowly spread through his limbs and bones.
"Delicious," Su Ming praised sincerely.
Mingyue smiled happily.
She picked up her own cup and drank it in small sips, like a hamster guarding its food.
Qingfeng sat across from Su Ming.
He held his cup with both hands and downed half of it in one gulp. He smacked his lips, a look of pure enjoyment on his face.
"It really is delicious! Way better than that Cloud Mist Immortal Tea!"
Mingyue immediately shot him a glare like a flying knife.
"How dare you bring that up!"
Qingfeng shrank his neck and quickly shut up. But he couldn't stay still. After a moment, he started rambling again.
While sipping the nectar water, he nudged Su Ming with his elbow.
"Su Ming, you don't know how stingy this girl has been lately."
