The Heart of Flame art is the backbone of Mu Feixue's inheritance. Without mastering it, nothing would begin. It is divided into three stages.

  The first stage is for controlling the temperature of the flame. As she had stated before, different ingredients require different temperatures to be tempered, not too more nor too less. While making higher rank pills, one would even have to control different temperatures of flames simultaneously.

  A cultivator who uses fire arts for battles works on force and quantity but alchemists have to focus on precision.

  After receiving some guidance from Mu Feixue, Ling Yun went back to the training room to practice the Heart of Flame art. He sat on the stone floor and outstretched his right palm. Just with a thought of his mind, his four fingers lit up like wicks of candles.

  The flames looked so weak like they would be blown away from the slightest breeze but Ling Yun was continuously pumping Qi from his dantian to maintain it steady.

  Then he started circulating the Heart of Flame art. He began to take a deep breath slowly. As he started inhaling air, the flames on his fingers grew denser and hotter and their intensity reached its maximum when he couldn't take further air in anymore. Then he started to exhale with the flames slowly dimming and reaching their orginal state.

  Inhale. Exhale.

  Inhale. Exhale.

  The traning room brightened and dimmed with his breath.

  The purpose of this excercise was to syncronize the alchemy flame with your breath. As as you grow more accustomed to it, finally it would be controlled with just your thoughts.

  Normally one would begin with a single finger but Ling Yun wanted to master it as quickly as possible. He had to show results to prove to himself that he made the right decisions.

  Four hours passed and his Qi finally about to run out. But instead of finishing the excercise and resting, Ling Yun immediately took out a Qi recovery pill. His fingers lightly rubbed at the pill lines as he swallowed it and began to absorb it.

  Do you think I'm a poor lone cultivator? I'm the disciple of a Senior Master Alchemist, of course I would squeeze out as many resources as possible from her.

  Lost in these silly thoughts, his dantian quickly filled to the brim. He was just a 5th stage Qi refining cultivator, he had no business tossing such high grade pills in his mouth.

  He again began the excercise this time lighting all eight fingers using both of his hands.

  Inhale. Exhale.

  Inhale. Exhale.

  ***

  Ling Yun quickly found out that his master Mu Feixue was not a good teacher. Or rather she was a lazy person. She would spend most of her time lounging in bed reading tales of romance. She had a large collection of these kinds of scrolls given to her by her friend An Ning. An Ning had used the resources of the Hundred Treasures Pavillion to gather as many possible to keep her happy.

  Mu Feixue was the kind of person who would throw money at her problems instead of exerting her own efforts to solve them. She had provided with all kinds of resources and pills but when it came to in person guidance, she would try to avoid as much as possible.

  Whenever Ling Yun would come to her, she would put down the scroll she was reading. Her lips would curve into a smile but as soon as she realised he had come to ask questions about alchemy, her face would instantly sour.

  Still she would give him proper explanations and help him till his doubts are cleared. Then she would try to subtly shoo him away so she could continue where she left off. She only wanted someone to join her in bed, this disciple stuff was add on.

  It was clear that he would have to be proactive for learning. And Ling Yun had figured out how to deal with her. Coaxing her to give lengthier explanations required lots of kisses and he had become quite experienced on how and when to give them.

  A light peck on her lips to keep her motivated whenever she starts to lose interest during her lectures. A shower on her cheeks to praise her for her explanations and skills during demonstration.

  He had also learned the duel of tongues or atleast the way Mu Feixue liked it. Whenever he would find her giving him the 'eyes', his hands would wrap around the back of her neck and his tongue would knock at her pearly white teeth. As soon as his tongue will enter, her pink tongue lying in waiting would immediately jump him and start dominating. He wouldn't even try to fight back as her's would wrestle his back into his mouth and explore all over as if marking her territory.

  He wasn't a fool to believe that he was controlling her. Mu Feixue was his senior both in age and in these matters; she knew what he was doing. The only reason she played his games because it was fun for her. And she liked the little bits of initiative he takes.

  He would have to admit that Mu Feixue had lowered all her walls around him. She is so open with him, freely showing him a wide range of her expressions while in her presence he always wears a mask. Whether it is love, affection or obsession, he doesn't know but it was true that she had deep feelings for him. Unfortunately her sincerity was met with him pretending to be sincere. It felt like he was the one deceiving her, he once thought with a dark chuckle.

  They had fallen into a familiar rhythm. He would be standing beside her when she wakes up in the morning, starting her day with a deep kiss. Then he would leave to train. Most of his day was spent in the training room. He would only meet her again when he has any doubts or if she summons him for any reason. They would only have lunch together if she desires.

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  The only thing constant was that every night without fail she would call him to her chambers. Although reluctant, he would never try to weasel out any night by giving excuses. This was the unspoken agreement between them, the price that he has to pay.

  Talking with Brahma really helped. Ever since he understood the true nature of this relationship, everything has gotten much easier. Without any malice, he would obediently lay on the bed letting her do whatever she wants with his body. And she would ride him till she was satisfied.

  Throughout the intercourse, he would keep his eyes and face covered with his arm. Mu Feixue would tease him thinking he was shy but the truth was he was afraid that he would show her some strange face. He believed, or he tried to believe that he didn't hate her, that he didn't have any right to hate her but even he doesn't know what kind of expression he would make if he saw her face while doing that with him.

  Ling Yun, a sixteen year old boy, would obviously feel pleasure from her movements but he always tried to keep his mind away from the sensations. The other reason he refuses to open his eyes because he was afraid that he would be lost in that alluring visage. She could have his body but he would never let her a place in his heart.

  There was no wine after the first night. Mu Feixue had told him that it was to help him relax because it was his first time. When he heard that, he only thanked her for her consideration. Of course it made perfect sense, everything she is doing makes perfect sense to them.

  After they would finish doing it, they would lay entangled together in bed with him waiting for her to fall asleep before leaving. This was the worst time for him.

  In these quiet moments, he would be left with a feeling of wrongness in his chest and wetness behind his eyes. This always made him angry; they had a deal and he was just holding his end so what is this silent pain in his chest. He tried his hardest to banish it but no amount of logic or reason would affect it leaving him to try holding back his tears and sobs from escaping.

  And finally after she's asleep, he extracts himself from her limbs and goes into the cultivation chamber for the entire night.

  Mu Feixue had questioned him on his disappearances from bed to which he truthfully replied that he can't sleep. With her eyes filled with concern, she tried to give him a pill to sleep but he declined. His answer that he would have more time for cultivation this way was met with her strange look as if he had grown another head. Reluctantly she agreed and let him to do as he pleased.

  This was his routine as a disciple of Mu Feixue, learning alchemy during the day and cultivating at night with lending his body in between.

  ***

  After finishing with the scroll, Ling Yun went back to the library to put it back. Fully trusting Ling Yun, Mu Feixue had made it so that he could open the cupboard himself using his blood.

  After putting back the scroll, he was about to close the cupboard when a scroll caught his eye. Unlike most of them which had green cover, it was a bright orange.

  Feeling a bit curious, he took it with him. He went back to his room and opened it, reading the introduction title.

  "Savouring the Heavens:- Alchemy of the Culinary Dao."

  It was a book on spiritual culinary arts perhaps added to the nameless inheritance by a predecessor.

  "To the one who is reading it, I am your great predecessor. You can call me Zhou Yan, the god of culinary arts. I once belonged to a great clan but due to political infighting, I was schemed against by my younger brother and step mother. I managed to escape with my life and spent years in wilderness before I met my master. It is my great wish that you who are reading this will cultivate this Savouring the Heavens manual and become my successor."

  Culinary arts? I am already busy learning alchemy, I don't have the time for this. Besides who will be interested in cooking.

  Nevertheless he continued to read further.

  "I know that culinary arts aren't as grand or exciting as alchemy or others but tell me this- Have you ever felt lonely? Like you have arrived at a dead end and are surrounded by people who could care less about you? Are you feeling lost and confused, not sure you are on the right path?"

  Ling Yun's gaze hardened at that.

  "I have felt this way my entire life. After being betrayed by my clan, my master soon abandoned me for my lack of talent. He cursed me saying that it was a waste of time and he would rather teach a donkey than spend another moment with me. All my life, I have been alone roaming the world and have seen many ups and downs in my life.

  "With my hundred years of life I impart this wisdom on you:- I can survive the hardships of today, if I could eat a delicious meal tomorrow. Don't underestimate the power of culinary arts, a good meal can even heal the soul. Forget about wealth and power, to live a good life one only needs his stomach filled and his heart at peace.

  "It is the greatest regret in my life that I couldn't find anyone to pass it on. The disciple I had chosen had already told me that he isn't interested in culinary arts. If you are also not interested, I implore you not to discard it and ensure it passes on safely till it reaches my fated successor. Consider a small request of your predecessor.

  "But if you are even a little bit interested, at least try one recipe. To my successor I leave a more than a hundred thousand recipes of tea and cuisines that I invented during my travels. This is the culmination of my whole life and I can say with absolute pride that it is the greatest treasure in spiritual culinary arts. Cultivate this and I promise you will happily reminisce the taste of all the meals you had in your life on your death bed."

  Even though he knew it was stupid, still he couldn't help but give it a chance. Maybe he wanted to atleast honour Zhou Yan's plea, or perhaps his words struck a chord with his present or it was just a silly whim, he decided to try one recipe.

  He went to the kitchen and after getting the ingredients, he dismissed the servant. The inheritance was truly vast, it even had hundreds of mortal recipes. The one he chose was a simple one, green spring tea with mooncakes.

  Having taught by Granny Sha and worked in the Jasmine Dragon, he knew his way around the kitchen. Very soon the room was filled with the wonderful fragrance of tea.

  With a sip of tea, he took a bite of the mooncake. The combination of tea and the mooncake was perfect. The mooncake was delicious itself and the tea would wash away the excessive sweetness of making it possible to savour each bite to the fullest.

  It had been a long time since I ate something this good.

  So lost he was in the flavour, that the plate was empty before he could even realise. His stomach grumbled, craving for more.

  "Hmmm spiritual culinary arts, you can cultivate it as a hobby if you want."

  Ling Yun raised his eyebrows on that. "I thought you would tell me it's a waste of time. What happened to guiding me to the best path?"

  Brahma ignored that taunt. She knew she had lost all good will after the incident. "It is said that spiritual culinary arts branched from alchemy while some claim that alchemy originated from culinary arts. I believe this Savouring the Heavens inheritance is connected to the alchemy inheritance of Mu Feixue so maybe it could be beneficial for you."

  Ling Yun still remained sceptical. Seeing him looking unconvinced, Brahma continued with a smile. "If you ask me the real reason, it is because if the smile on your face. You look happy for the first time since that night."

  He touched his face and found his lips had shifted showing just the barest hint of a smile. What she said was true. For an instant, the sweet taste had taken his mind off the bitterness in his life.

  'Don't underestimate the power of culinary arts' huh.