Lin Xia came back to his senses. Seeing the little fellow's expectant expression, he couldn't help but laugh.
He composed himself and began to "divide the spoils."
"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten about your share."
With a thought, his spiritual power precisely sorted through the contents of the storage soul tool.
First, he separated all the ores that contained pure and gentle stellar energy into a large pile of their own, these were the core resources for his own cultivation and future forging projects.
Then he gathered all the ores with special energy properties, such as the extremely cold Star Marrow Frost Iron, the blazing Earthcore Flame Crystal Cores, the flexible Deep Sea Mother Silver, ores containing rare elements, and even those with more impurities but massive volume and moved them all into Larvitar's "exclusive snack zone."
"Here. These are yours."
Lin Xia directly transferred the mountain-like pile of "snacks" from the soul tool and stacked them in front of Larvitar.
"Take it easy. Don't eat so much that you make yourself sick."
"Larvitar!"
Larvitar cried out happily and immediately pounced on the pile, hugging a piece of Star Marrow Frost Iron that was larger than itself.
Crunch!
It took a huge bite.
Cold energy and starlight overflowed at the same time. Larvitar narrowed its eyes in enjoyment as the luster of its armor shifted and flowed, seemingly converting the vast and mixed energies with astonishing efficiency.
Its growth itself was an incredibly miraculous form of "forging."
Watching Larvitar feast to its heart's content, Lin Xia felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.
But he had not forgotten the small figure living alone in the cold Western Courtyard.
He stood up and walked to an inconspicuous cabinet in the corner of the room. From inside, he took out an oil-paper package.
Earlier that day, he had deliberately made a detour to a famous pastry shop in Star Luo City and bought several exquisite treats: soft osmanthus cakes, crispy almond pastries, and two custard buns shaped like little rabbits.
The warmth of the pastries seeped through the wrapping, carrying a sweet fragrance.
Holding the package, Lin Xia paused for a moment before pushing open the door and heading out.
Night had already fallen.
The Zhu residence was quiet, with only the occasional footsteps of patrolling guards breaking the silence.
Familiar with the route, he passed through the winding corridors and headed toward the Western Courtyard.
Zhu Zhuqing's room was located in the most secluded corner, with a faint light glowing through the window.
Reaching the door, Lin Xia did not knock. Instead, he gently pushed it open a crack.
The furnishings inside were extremely simple, almost bleak.
Zhu Zhuqing's small figure sat cross-legged on a hard meditation cushion, facing the open window.
The cool moonlight bathed her body, outlining a slender yet upright silhouette.
Her eyes were closed, and her long eyelashes cast small shadows across her cheeks. Her little face was tense as she focused completely on meditating and cultivating her soul power.
The thin traces of soul power in the air were being painstakingly drawn toward her, thread by thread, gradually entering her small body.
The concentration in her expression, the stubborn determination that lingered between her brows, and the burden she carried despite her young age caused Lin Xia's heart to tighten slightly.
She had no excellent cultivation environment.
No renowned teacher to guide her.
She might not even be receiving proper nutrition.
Yet she had never given up.
Like a blade of grass growing stubbornly from a crack in stone, she seized every glimmer of light she could find.
Lin Xia's gaze lingered on her for a moment, but he made no sound to disturb her.
He quietly walked to the room's only small table and placed the still-warm oil-paper package upon it, producing a faint rustling sound.
The noise seemed to reach Zhu Zhuqing, who was immersed in her cultivation.
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly before she slowly opened her eyes.
Those deep black eyes, like twin cold stars in the night, instantly locked onto the source of the sound.
When she saw Lin Xia and the package on the table, the vigilance in her eyes briefly turned into surprise before returning to her usual calm demeanor.
Yet beneath that calmness, something seemed to stir ever so slightly.
She said nothing.
She simply looked quietly at Lin Xia.
Lin Xia looked back at her and likewise remained silent.
He pointed at the pastries on the table, then pointed at her, and gave a slight nod.
The meaning was perfectly clear:
They're for you. Eat them while they're still warm.
After doing all that, he did not linger for even a moment. He turned around and left, gently closing the door behind him.
Outside, Larvitar poked its head in through the doorway and let out a soft "Larvitar" toward Zhu Zhuqing as a greeting before hurriedly following after Lin Xia.
The room fell silent once more.
Cold moonlight continued to spill across the floor.
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze shifted from the closed door to the oil-paper package on the table, from which warmth and a sweet fragrance still emanated.
She remained seated in her meditation posture for a long time without moving.
Only the slight rise and fall of her chest and the nearly imperceptible ripple hidden deep within her dark eyes revealed that her emotions were far from calm.
In the end, she did not get up.
Instead, she closed her eyes once again and resumed drawing in the thin traces of Soul Power from the surrounding air, as though the package of pastries had never appeared.
Yet the sweet aroma lingering in the room stubbornly reminded her of its existence.
Lin Xia returned to his own room, shut the door, and reestablished the barriers.
He paid little attention to Zhu Zhuqing's reaction.
The most he could do was offer her a small measure of warmth and the freedom to choose.
To break free from that cruel fate, she ultimately had to become stronger herself.
What he could provide were opportunities and support.
"Alright, little guy. You've eaten and drunk your fill, time to get to work!"
Lin Xia looked toward Larvitar, which had already devoured nearly a third of the mountain-like pile of "snacks."
Its belly had become even rounder, yet it remained full of energy. The dragon and phoenix patterns on its armor shone brilliantly, clearly demonstrating its astonishing digestive ability.
"Larvitar!"
Larvitar leaped energetically to Lin Xia's side.
Lin Xia sat down cross-legged and first took out the genuine Tear of the Star Core.
The dark-blue gemstone, roughly the size of a pigeon egg, floated above his palm.
Within it, a magnificent galaxy revolved slowly. Vast and pure stellar origin energy spread outward like an endless tide, instantly filling the entire room and sweeping away the mixed residual auras left behind by the various ores.
Lin Xia took a deep breath and greedily absorbed the power.
At the same time, he circulated his Soul Power.
A faint humming echoed from his bones.
His flesh and blood seemed to be infused with limitless vitality, while his spiritual power became increasingly condensed and sharp beneath the bathing starlight.
Although he had not gained a new soul skill, this kind of refinement at the level of origin power was strengthening his foundation at a visible rate, making it deeper and more solid than ever before.
Next, he took out several carefully selected pieces of raw Stellar Adamantine.
One hand held the Tear of the Star Core, drawing upon stellar energy.
The other slowly covered the ore.
A faint glow of Phoenix Divine Flame emerged from his palm.
It was no longer the explosive fire capable of burning all things to ashes.
Instead, it carried a sacred radiance capable of refining all creation.
Buzz—!
White flames interwoven with pale-gold divine patterns gently enveloped the ore.
Under the precise control of the Phoenix Divine Flame, the incomparably hard Stellar Adamantine softened and melted like butter exposed to heat.
The impurities hidden within were silently incinerated by the divine flame, leaving behind only the purest metallic essence, transformed into droplets of liquid metal sparkling with countless starlike points of light.
At the same time, the stellar energy drawn forth by the Tear of the Star Core flowed like a clear spring, continuously pouring into the molten metal.
It merged perfectly with the metal's essence, strengthening and refining it from within.
Lin Xia's eyes were incomparably focused.
His spiritual power was concentrated to its utmost limit.
He was attempting a form of forging that had never existed before. Using the Phoenix Divine Flame as the furnace.
Using stellar energy as the hammer.
Directly refining, fusing, and purifying ore within the palm of his hand.
This method was far more efficient and far purer than any forge, anvil, or hammer could ever hope to be.
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