305: child born

Deep within a serene bamboo forest in the Southern Territory of Central Plains, far from the hustle and bustle of the mortal world, an elegant bamboo building stood hidden.

The spiritual energy here was abundant, and the environment was tranquil; this was where Red Silk was secretly settled.

Inside the bamboo building, Red Silk stood by the window, gazing at the swaying bamboo shadows outside, gently caressing her greatly swollen abdomen, her face showing a hint of maternal tenderness and a faint trace of worry.

As the birth of her child drew nearer, her longing for her husband, Jiang Donghua, grew even stronger.

"Donghua, where are you now? Are you well? Our child is about to be born."

She murmured softly, her eyes filled with anticipation, but also a hint of imperceptible worry.

Just then, urgent and flustered footsteps came from outside the bamboo building.

A personal maid, who had followed her for many years, ran in stumbling, her face pale, her eyes red, her voice choked with sobs and uncontrollable trembling:

"Miss! Miss! Something bad has happened!"

Red Silk's heart tightened, an ominous premonition instantly enveloping her. She forced herself to remain calm, turned, and asked.

"What is it? Why are you so flustered? What happened?"

The maid knelt on the ground with a thud, tears rolling down like broken pearls, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Miss... news came from the Northern Territory, our Hong Family, boo hoo hoo..."

"What happened to the Hong Family?!"

Red Silk's voice suddenly rose, her heart beating uncontrollably. She stepped forward and tightly grasped the maid's shoulders.

"Speak quickly!"

The maid looked up, her tear-filled eyes meeting Red Silk's face, which had instantly lost all color. Her heart felt like it was being twisted, and she choked out:

"The Hong Family is gone! Two or three months ago, the Xuanming Sect suddenly attacked, claiming our Hong Family stole their treasure. In one night, the entire family was wiped out! Boo hoo hoo..."

Boom—!

This news was like a bolt from the blue, striking Red Silk's head fiercely!

She felt her vision go black, the world spun, and her body swayed violently, almost collapsing to the ground!

"No... impossible! You're lying!"

Red Silk's voice was sharp and trembling. She clutched the maid tightly, her fingernails almost digging into the other's flesh.

"Where's Father?! Where's Mother?! What about my uncles?!"

The maid's tears streamed down, and she shook her head in despair.

"They died, all died in battle. The Family Head, Madam, and all the elders fought to their last breath to cover the escape of the clansmen, boo hoo..."

"What about my great-grandfather?!"

Red Silk clutched at this last straw, asking urgently.

"Great-grandfather has been in seclusion outside for years, seeking an opportunity to break through to Dou Zun! He must be fine, right?!"

The maid's sobs paused, and with a hint of uncertain hope, she nodded.

"Yes... yes, Miss. The Grand Elder was indeed not within the clan at the time, so he should have escaped. But... but his whereabouts are unknown now, no one knows where he is..."

The last shred of hope was shattered.

The Hong Family, the home where she grew up, her loving relatives, her familiar clansmen—all gone in a single night!

Only her great-grandfather remained, his life and whereabouts unknown... Immense grief, like a surging tide, instantly engulfed Red Silk!

She could no longer stand, suddenly releasing the maid, staggering back a few steps, and leaning against the cold wall.

"Pfft—"

A mouthful of crimson blood suddenly gushed from her mouth, staining the front of her clothes.

Her face was as pale as paper, her eyes empty, filled with endless sorrow, despair, and hatred!

"Xuanming Sect... Xuanming Sect!!!"

She let out a piercing scream, her voice filled with heartbreaking pain and towering hatred!

However, this extreme emotional fluctuation, like the last straw that broke the camel's back, completely triggered the already critical qi and blood within her body!

"Ah—!"

Red Silk suddenly let out a painful groan, clutching her violently heaving abdomen with both hands!

An unbearable, tearing pain suddenly came from her lower abdomen!

She felt a warm gush uncontrollably flow out, soaking her skirt!

"Miss! Miss, what's wrong with you?!"

Seeing this, the maid was scared out of her wits and quickly went to support her.

Red Silk's forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat. She gasped for air, feeling the regular, increasingly intense pain from her abdomen, her eyes filled with terror and panic.

"The... the child... is... is coming!"

She gritted her teeth, squeezing out these words.

Deep within the Canaan Inner Academy, in a secluded valley, lights were brightly lit, and laughter echoed continuously.

A bonfire burned fiercely, crackling, illuminating several young and vibrant faces.

The air was filled with a mouth-watering aroma of rich meat and the fresh scent of medicinal herbs, blending together to form a unique and enticing fragrance.

Jiang Donghua, with his sleeves rolled up, stood before a temporary simple grill, skillfully turning a large piece of golden-brown, sizzling beast meat.

From time to time, he sprinkled some ground spice powder or brushed on a layer of sauce made from rare medicinal herbs, his movements fluid and graceful, like a master chef.

Next to the grill, a large pot was simmering bone broth, the milky white liquid bubbling, with several spiritually vibrant medicinal herbs floating within.

"Tsk tsk tsk! Brother Jiang, I really didn't expect it! Your craftsmanship is simply amazing!"

Lei Lie sat on a large stone nearby, holding a perfectly roasted, crispy-skinned, tender-inside, fragrant beast leg. He was tearing into it with large bites, his mouth greasy, praising indistinctly.

"Better than Old Mu from Medicine Spirit Pavilion, ahem, better than the chefs in those big restaurants outside!"

Although Liu Qingsi still maintained her cool demeanor, she also held a perfectly grilled skewer of meat, tasting it in small bites, a hint of satisfaction occasionally flashing in her eyes.

Even Qin Xiao, who had just suffered a crushing defeat and was still a little down, now had his appetite piqued by the enticing aroma. He was holding a steaming bowl of milky bone broth, sipping it slowly.

As the hot broth went down, a warm current instantly surged through his limbs, making his body, tired from excessive Dou Qi consumption, feel much more comfortable.

Hearing Lei Lie's praise, Jiang Donghua continued his actions while laughing and scolding.

"Nonsense! I am an Alchemist after all! Control over medicinal properties and heat is a basic skill!"

"Making some simple spirit chef dishes, perfectly combining the effects of ingredients and medicinal herbs, isn't that just a small matter that comes easily?"

He raised an eyebrow proudly, looking at everyone.

"How is it? Delicious, right? This isn't just ordinary roasted meat and stew. I added many good things to it, which are very beneficial for restoring Dou Qi and nourishing the body!"

"Delicious! So delicious!"

Lei Lie was the first to loudly agree, taking another big bite of meat.

Qin Xiao also couldn't help but nod, saying in a muffled voice.

"Indeed, not bad."

The pure energy contained in this meat and soup made him feel his Dou Qi recovering faster.

Liu Qingsi simply hummed softly, a sign of approval.

The ingredients for this lavish dinner were also quite extraordinary.

After the competition ended in the afternoon, Jiang Donghua went deep into the back mountains of the Inner Academy to prepare this celebration feast.

With his current strength as a Four-Star Dou Huang, dealing with those magical beasts was effortless.

He casually slapped to death a powerful magical beast—the Blazing Crimson Bull—whose strength was comparable to a human Eight-star Dou Wang!

This bull not only had tender and firm meat, but the fire-attribute energy contained in its flesh and blood was also extremely pure, making it an excellent material for medicinal cuisine.

At this moment, the most essential parts of this Blazing Crimson Bull were being transformed by Jiang Donghua, combining his superb alchemy and culinary skills, into delicious and highly nourishing dishes, enjoyed by everyone.

Especially the perfect pairing of flesh and medicinal herbs, which not only tasted incredibly delicious but also made one feel warm inside after eating, and the circulation of Dou Qi became much smoother, as if undergoing a gentle medicinal tempering.