Phoniex Requiem
Chapter 31: A Piece for You

Chapter 31: A Piece for You

Although Yun Ruoyan's vitality had almost half recovered, her body was still physically weak, and her legs would turn into mush after just a few steps.

After a brief discussion, the group decided to take a break for a day before continuing the search for a way out.

Not far from there, the carcass of the sharp-toothed tiger lay in silence. Last night, after Yun Ruoyan fainted, the others were so worried that none of them thought of dismembering the tiger carcass and taking its treasure.

Supported by brother Lin, Yun Ruoyan headed for the carcass once more.

After an entire night, he had already begun to experience rigor mortis, and only the cold aura emanated from his two huge fangs revealed the majesty of his past.

“As a mid-level magical beast, a sharp-fanged tiger is basically a walking treasure.” Zhuo Yifeng reached out and carefully touched a dog, her bright eyes sparkling. "If we make an arrow with his teeth, I'm sure it'll be sharp and piercing."

"Brother, if you have a sharp enough arrow, the sharp-toothed tiger from yesterday will definitely not be a problem for you," said Zhuo Lin'er, who was clinging to his brother's wrist, quickly.

If Yun Ruoyu's group had heard this, they might have laughed at her comment as a joke, but Yun Ruoyan must have witnessed Zhuo Yifeng's transcendent skill in archery.

Yesterday, when faced with a tiger, Zhuo Yifeng's quick and accurate shot would turn things in their favor if his arrow was sharp enough to pierce through the thick skin of the tiger.

Even if he was unable to fire a death attack, seriously injuring the tiger would not be a problem.

“Yes, Brother Zhuo is amazing!” Lin Qingchen sighed, thinking about her culinary skills.

“It's a shame that you need a rank five forgemaster to be able to make weapons with these materials,” continued Zhuo Yifeng, somewhat regretfully.

There were four cultivation-type professions in the Chenyuan continent: blademaster, forgemaster, summoner, and pillmaster.

Among the four, the sword master did not require any special innate talent other than the ability to cultivate at all, to transform the spiritual energy from heaven into a form that could be used by the human body.

Of the other three professions, the forgemaster was the most common, followed by the summoner, and the rarest and most valuable was the pillmaster. Among nobles, as soon as a child showed talent in pill making, that child would be given all the resources necessary to develop that pent-up talent further.

Those without special talent could only remain sword masters, and it would be extremely difficult to break through to the seventh rank. Only after that did the cultivators have the qualifications to specialize in one of the other three professions.

Each cultivation type profession was further divided into nine ranks. The first three were basic and relatively accessible, but it would become increasingly difficult as one rose through the ranks. Some summoners and pillmasters, regardless of their best efforts, would never be able to rise to the fourth rank before their deaths.

As for the forgemasters, their progress was a little simpler, so the blademaster and forgemaster were relatively numerous on the Chenyuan continent.

With regards to forging weapons and tools, high-grade materials would require a higher-ranked forging expert. Just like pill making, both professions required heavy use of fire, and cultivation was required to eliminate the impurities in a cultivator's spirit flame. The purer the spiritual flame, the sharper and mystical the weapons produced. On the other hand, if the cultivation of the forgemaster was not up to standard, even the highest quality materials would be useless.

If a forgemaster is talented and lucky enough to reach the peak of the ninth rank, with access to high quality materials, then such a forgemaster can very well create a legendary or mythical artifact.

For example, this was how Yun Ruoyan's Feilai Sword was made.

And although the fifth rank forgetful was not very high in the overall hierarchy of the Chenyuan continent, Zhuo Yifeng was a beastkin youth who had no status at all.

So all he could do was look sadly at the two sharp fangs he could not use, either, thinking that he could at least sell it for a good price if he could get out of the imperial territory alive.

"I know a forgemaster." At this moment, Yun Ruoyan spoke up and interrupted Zhuo Yifeng's thinking.

“She is fifth rank, so it shouldn't be a problem for her to forge this canine tooth into an arrow. Anyway, I'll take care of it.”

Yun Ruoyan hated being indebted to others. Zhuo Yifeng had helped him twice, and he would naturally repay this debt with gratitude. He just didn't expect the opportunity to come so quickly.

"really? Thank you!" Zhuo Yifeng's bright eyes shone even brighter.

“Sister, even though you are the only daughter born as the wife of the Yun family, you are more or less ignored, right? How do you know a rank five forgemaster?" Lin Qingchen asked curiously.

Yun Ruoyan smiled. “You both saw it. It was he who went with me to your place to ask Grandpa for pills, Pei Yingxiong.”

"Ah, the old man that Grandpa ridiculed and who ended up changing a high-end furnace for the pill?" Lin Qingxue interrupted. “He doesn't seem like a generous guy, so is he really going to help?”

"If it was Grandfather who asked, it shouldn't be a problem," murmured Lin Qingchen. "But Grandpa wasn't the type to ask for help ..."

Lin Zainan and Pei Yingxiong were both ranked fifth, but even if Pei Yingxiong doubled a hundredfold, Lin Zainan would still be an even more valuable asset. Naturally, he would feel it under his position to ask for Pei Yingxiong's help.

In the afternoon, with their combined strength, they pulled out the tiger's canine teeth and its precious golden-yellow monster core, as big as a baby's fist. Lin Qingxue hugged him tightly without wanting to let go.

“Haha, I think the core of the fire dog is quite cute, but it looks like the sharp-fingered tiger is even sweeter.”

Lin Qingchen finally managed to snatch the core from Lin Qingxue and handed it to Yun Ruoyan. “Ruoyan, since you were the one who killed the tiger, this core should be yours.”

Although the two Lin sisters were on good terms with Yun Ruoyan, they were still two separate families. Since most of their battle spoils would be handed over to their families, Yun Ruoyan would definitely be able to increase her position within Yun if she presented this core to her father.

Lin Qingxue did not think too much about such affairs, but she quickly agreed after hearing her sister's words. “That's right, Sister Ruoyan, this should be yours.”

But Yun Ruoyan refused to accept it.

“If it wasn't for you protecting me yesterday, I'd have been eaten by that tiger a long time ago. This core belongs to everyone, including Zhuo Yifeng.” Yun Ruoyan glanced at him.

Zhuo Yifeng had accepted Yun Ruoyan's promise that she would make fang teeth into arrows from him. Given the high-grade materials and the fact that it required a rank five forgemaster expert to process, the arrows produced would at least be middle-class, and he was already very happy to receive that much. He did not expect that Yun Ruoyan wanted to give up some of the core as well.

"I'm fine receiving just these two canines."

“You obviously owe me a part. Like I said, we won't take advantage of you." Yun Ruoyan was very stubborn about this, she did not want Zhuo Yifeng and her sister to travel with them from the very beginning.

First, she knew nothing about how good her skills were, and her weak little sister seemed like she was going to be a burden. Secondly, he knew nothing about his character or personality, and was worried that they would not be able to fight effectively.

But after these past two days, Yun Ruoyan began to accept him as part of their team, and since they were all teammates, she would definitely not treat him in such a miserly manner.

After all, the reason he ended up in such a miserable state in his previous life was because he did not know how to interact with others. In the end, he lived and died alone, with no one to care for his remains.

Yun Ruoyan took the point and stuffed it directly into Lin Qingchen's storage bag. For convenience, everyone agreed to put their spoils of war into his bag and divide them at the very end.

Zhuo Yifeng did not refuse anymore. His face looked expressionless, but his heart was in turmoil. As an animal skin, this was the first time he had received the same treatment as a human.

The density of spiritual energy here in the imperial region was much greater than outside. After finishing their affairs, everyone sat down and started cultivating.

Of course, as soon as Yun Ruoyan sat down, her soul entered into her bracelet. The energy density in his pocket dimension was still incomparable to any other location he had visited.

After another day of rest, along with the medicinal drink made by Lin Qingchen, the next morning, Yun Ruoyan had just recovered.

This was the third day since the opening of the imperial territory, and there was one week left before the examination ended. If they were unable to leave this place that week, then they would have to wait another three years before undergoing the Kongming Academy's recruitment selection once again.

Three years was not much for the Lin brothers, but Yun Ruoyan was eager to leave the Yun family, and the only way forward for her was to enter Kongming Academy.

Despite being anxious enough to leave, he said nothing to avoid the negative impact on others. The only sign of his anxiety was how fast he was walking.

“Sister Zhuo, isn't it tiring for you to carry your canines and your sister? Do you want help?” Lin Qingxue spoke to Zhuo Yifeng once again. Throughout this morning, he had been chatting with Zhuo Yifeng, and although he might not say a word at ten words sometimes, it did not seem to dampen his spirits at all.

Lin Qingchen turned to look at her sister, her eyebrows slightly raised, but Yun Ruoyao smiled and shook her head at her.

In his past life, he thought that Lin Qingxue was just a simple-minded fool, a fool who had always been lucky, but now he looked innocent and excited, far from his cunning sister.

"I just want my brother to carry me, not you!" Zhuo Lin'er, on the other hand, did not particularly appreciate Lin Qingxue's excitement.

"It's okay, I'm used to it," Zhuo Yifeng politely declined.

He carried one dog on each of his shoulders, each as tall as half a human, as well as his sister on his back. Even so, he did not pant as he walked, and even Yun Ruoyan marveled at how powerful his beastkin physique was.

"Come, Zhuo Lin'er!" Lin Qingxue turned her head towards Zhuo Lin'er, whose head was deliberately directed away from Lin Qingxue. “Have you not been ten years? You are not a child anymore, so why do you insist on being carried by your brother?”

"What does this have to do with you?!" Zhuo Lin'er shouted furiously. He usually did not like to talk unless there was an emergency, but Lin Qingxue seemed to have the ability to disturb him at all times.

"Lin'er, I'm telling you, even though we're girls, we can't always rely on the others—"

"Brother, I feel a horde of beasts." Zhuo Lin'er suddenly leaned forward and muttered in Zhuo Yifeng's ears.

“Everything, be careful! There are hordes of wild beasts nearby.” Zhuo Yifeng stopped walking and scanned his surroundings.