Mu Feixue blinked her eyes as she just woke up. Another morning of waking up lonely in an empty bed. She understood that her baby was too serious about cultivation but her maiden heart wished that some day they would wake up in the same bed after spending the night together.

  Not doing the deed, just cuddling, exchanging slow kisses and whispering sweet nothings. She could ask for it but she wanted him to propose it. Women like it for their man to make the first move, especially her cute baby.

  But she didn't have to miss him too much, she turned around and like always there he was standing beside her bed waiting for her to actually wake up. She sat up and pursed her lips and recieved a long deep kiss gradually clearing away the remaining drowsiness.

  "Good morning baby."

  "Good morning master."

  With practiced movements he removed the lid on the teapot filling the room with sweet fragrance.

  "So what will it be today?"

  He spoke while filling her glass. "Sunheart flame tea with milky almond biscuits."

  She looked at him with a lazy smile as he arranged it all on the side table. Her baby had recently taken a hobby of cooking. Anything that goes in her mouth will come from baby. She wasn't a gourmet still she liked it. All her servants were mortals so although they can cook good food, it pales in comparison to spiritual cuisine. There was only one problem.

  She nibbled on the biscuit trying her hardest to ignore her baby's intense stare. Normally his gaze is like a gentle spring breeze but whenever she eats, he stares at her face with such intensity taking note of any and every change in her expression.

  Seriously, he doesn't look at me like that in bed.

  After she finished, the usual question came. "How was it?"

  "The tea is quite good. It instantly removes any trace of sleepiness and makes one ready for the day. But-"

  His face like always after hearing her reviews remained expressionless. She didn't know if he made note of anything but she awkwardly continued, "Don't bring this one again. Master likes to take another nap in the morning after waking up."

  Heavens this is embarrassing.

  She wanted to keep her dignity as a Senior Master alchemist but she couldn't compromise on sleep. She had made it big so she can sleep as much she wants!

  "Noted." No rebuke, no teasing remark just cute obedience. This was the first time she had been so open in a relationship. It was so refreshing to not put any facades and just be herself. She never saw any judgement in the eyes of her baby and it made her fall in love even more.

  Also she believed that all this cooking was her baby's way to win her heart. Otherwise why would any man make three meals a day plus evening snacks for another person even if that was his partner. None of her previous lovers showed such dedication even while courting her.

  Oh baby~ How much deeper would you drag master down with you~

  Master has already fallen far too deep.

  ***

  Ling Yun had decided to cultivate the Savouring the Heavens manual for three hours a day. Any more and he would be distracted from his main focus that is alchemy.

  Like alchemy, preparing many of the spiritual cuisines also require flame manipulation. Many of the higher rank recipes specifically instruct using heart of flame art. This gave him another motivation to quickly master the heart of flame art.

  The first instruction given in the manual was that one must prioritize the taste of the food the least. The order follows as first the smell, then the look and finally the taste. In the words of the god of culinary arts, Zhou Yan- the taste is worthless if the food doesn't reach the mouth. A truly godly cuisine compels your soul to eat it no matter the price one has to pay.

  The second instruction was to find others to evaluate your cooking. One can never truly judge himself honestly. And here Ling Yun had very little options, no scratch that- he had only one option.

  The only people other than him and Mu Feixue in this mansion were the mortal servants. Forget giving an honest evaluation, they wouldn't dare to eat food made by a cultivator. They all had tearfully begged for forgiveness fearing they did something wrong after seeing their master's disciple cooking in the kitchen himself. It was a hassle explaining everything to them.

  So that left only his master, Mu Feixue. Use and be used. So Ling Yun had started making meals for her. It was just for practice, he had repeated this many times in his mind. At least she is open in her evaluations.

  His progression of the Heart of Flame art was going well and he had already somewhat understood the second stage. If the first stage was about controlling the temperature, the second stage was about manipulating the flames with his thoughts.

  Since Mu Feixue couldn't fall back to sleep, she joined him in the training hall. In her presence he began the exercises. He streched his hands wide and two balls of fire appeared just above them. The balls started rotating faster and stretched wide till they transformed into circular rings. The two rings flew above his head and then moved down encircling his neck, one above the other.

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  This was the most difficult part. The rings weren't much wider than his head and slight miscalculations could burn his face. He slightly inhaled merging the two rings into one thick ring making sure that it's thickness expands outwards not inwards.

  The temperature started increasing till sweat rapidly started falling from his neck and with an exhale, the ring split into four sections with combined together infront of him forming an orb of fire. With a clap, the fire extinguished bringing the excercise to an end.

  Fortunately alchemy didn't require large quantities of fire or instant bursts which would snap his meridians and break his body. It was a planned process for which he could steadily produce fire not burdening his meridians. Even with his crippled physique he can become an alchemist.

  He looked towards his master for her input and saw her eyes were wide open like she had seen a ghost in broad daylight. So shocked she was that she said his name instead of the endearment.

  "Yun'er you.. you reached this level this fast. Impossible! It's just been two months. Did you use to cultivate flame arts before?"

  "No. This is the first flame art I have ever seen in my life."

  Ling Yun didn't know what was wrong. He hadn't even fully mastered the second stage so why is she so shocked. Mu Feixue remained silent for a minute after his answer before slowly speaking.

  "I mastered the second stage when I was just 15."

  Now I'm getting confused. Is she bragging that she did it earlier than me.

  "But it took me three years to reach it and I was hailed as a genius. So how can you do it this fast?"

  Under her questioning gaze he gave a helpless shrug. "Maybe because I worked hard both day and night."

  She looked at him like he just tried to make an unfunny joke. Even he had to admit this explanation felt hollow and unsatisfactory. But he really didn't know.

  "Maybe it's because you possess Pheonix flames that helped you master it this fast."

  After pondering for a bit she could only come up with this explanation. There are many anomalies in the cultivation world, perhaps this was one of them. Either way she couldn't come up with any other theory.

  "Oh lets not think about it that deeply. The important thing is that my baby is a genius."

  Knowing what was coming, Ling Yun held his breath as his face got smushed between her two soft pillows. He really had gotten used to her. She took some time doting on him, congratulating on his progress.

  "Now since you have progressed this much, you can start practicing refining pills. Just don't stop practicing the second stage in your spare time."

  "But what about the third stage? I haven't completely mastered the Heart of Flame art."

  Mu Feixue replied with a grin. "You don't need to worry about it. Even master hasn't touched the third stage."

  She giggled at his dumbfounded face and then cleared her throat and spoke in a serious tone. "The third and final stage of the Heart of Flame art is a battle skill and that too an impractical one. Mastering it would be a waste of time.

  "Now I am going to demonstrate how to make a fasting pill. Watch closely. It has been a long time since I refined such a low ranking pill."

  She summoned her cauldron and the ingredients and began the preparations. Before he was watching as a spectator enjoying a performance, this time his gaze was of a student of the craft, analysing everything.

  He recognised all of the ingredients before she could name them. This time she went into in-depth explanations and even quizzing him on every step.

  With the lid closed he knew it that the pill was completed from the time interval. After showing him the pill, she asked him to attempt it.

  Ling Yun controlled his excitement as she prepared another set of ingredients for him. He started tempering the ingredients following the recipe step by step. Mu Feixue remained silent the whole time as she watched him put the ingredients inside the cauldron and close the lid.

  He waited for the time to pass and after opening the lid his face immediately turned into a grimace. The bad smell coming from it proved that the refinement had failed, that he failed.

  Damn it. Even after everything why am I still a failure. Do I lack the talent; am I unsuitable to become an alchemist? Then for what did I do everything...

  So lost was he in his frustrations that he didn't sense Mu Feixue coming. She gently embraced him from behind, her long hair brushed against his neck slightly tickling his skin. Her hands moved downwards till they reached his hands which he had tightly clenched into fists unknowingly. Her fingers started stroking the top of his hands as her lips whispered beside his ear in a sweet voice, "Baby you're a genius. You did very well for your first try. The preparations of ingredients, tempering them with your flame everything was perfect. There was just a small mistake in the order of putting in the cauldron for refinement but it will soon fade away with experience.

  "Believe me you are much more talented than me when I was your age, no I can say with absolute certainty that your raw talent surpasses every alchemist I have ever known. I swear on my name that you will become a future grandmaster."

  She slowly turned him around. Her shining amber eyes met the turbulent blue seas. With a small smile, she loosened his fingers one by one then slotted hers in the gap between. With their hands intertwined and his face reflected in her eyes, Ling Yun felt as if she was touching his soul. Even after being physically connected with her in bed, he had never felt as close with her as now. In that moment he lost control of his emotions and had forgotten to put on his usual mask, for the first time he was completely naked infront of her. With her lips pursed, she leaned down.

  Thump. Thump.

  Ling Yun didn't, no he couldn't move away as their lips melded together. She pressed his bottom lip between hers and lightly traced it with the tip of her tongue before releasing. This small contact sent a tingle of warmth trickling down his heart melting away the bitterness of his failure earlier. And her eyes, Ling Yun had never seen that look on her before.

  It wasn't the lust filled eyes of a succubus trying to entrap an innocent young man or the sincere gaze of a master watching her disciple; her amber eyes were shining filled with concern and pure affection like a woman for her love.

  Thump. Thump.

  The air around them had gotten thick with tension as sparks flew between them. His heart started beating erratically as an unknown emotion was birthing inside it. He was lost in her amber eyes and unable to move a single inch as his mind started to get dizzy. Ling Yun blinked and his eyes fell onto her glistening red lips and he-

  "THE NEW DISCIPLE OF SENIOR MASTER MU COME OUT HERE! I KNOW YOU ARE HIDING INSIDE!"

  The strange atmosphere instantly dissipated as they were interrupted by a loud shout coming from outside the mansion. Mu Feixue instantly frowned and cursed in her mind for spoiling the mood while Ling Yun looked like he just woke up from a dream. He got away from her as countless thoughts filled his head.

  Just what I was about to do.

  "COME OUTSIDE AND FACE ME LIKE A TRUE MAN. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITH MY OWN EYES IF YOU DESERVE TO BECOME HER DISCIPLE."

  "Just ignore it." Mu Feixue was looking very angry but fearing the return of the strange mood from before, Ling Yun took this chance to escape.

  "No, let me go out and see who dares to call me out."