Chapter 18: Xu Ziyu
"I can't seem to find the Phoenix Essence Herb," Ziyu muttered, her frustration mounting.
She had been scouring the forest of death for hours, but all she encountered were ferocious spirit beasts, and not a trace of the rare herb she sought.
"I'm getting tired... Should I give up and go home?"
Ziyu clutched her talisman tightly, torn between the desire to retreat and the burning determination not to return empty-handed.
"I've already ventured this deep. There's no way I'm leaving without that herb," she resolved.
Just as she said it, something caught her eye. A building, standing amidst the dense foliage of the forest. "Who would build a house here?" Ziyu wondered, incredulous.
With curiosity piqued, Ziyu didn't bother with the main gate. Instead, she leapt over the wall with the grace of a nimble cat, eager to investigate.
As she stepped inside, she was hit by a wave of thick heavenly qi, something she had only ever dreamt of.
"An expert must have lived here," she thought, her heart racing. "Should I risk asking for the expert help?"
Ziyu ventured further into the backyard, and her amazement grew. Treasures were scattered everywhere.
A majestic tree, radiating a soothing aura, caught her attention. It was a Soul-Calming tree, a treasure coveted by the imperial family, known to aid in enlightenment.
The stone table and chairs nearby were no ordinary furniture. They were crafted from Heavenly Jade, a material known for its indestructible nature. Even the flowers in the garden seemed to glow with otherworldly energy, each one a precious heavenly herb.
As Ziyu continued her exploration, she suddenly heard a voice from inside the mansion.
Augustus emerged from the house, and he was taken aback by the woman before her.
She was the epitome of elegance and grace, despite the dirt on her dress from a recent battle. Her flowing gown in shades of red, adorned with intricate embroidery and delicate patterns, exuded a timeless charm, reminiscent of ancient Chinese attire.
"Are you the owner of this place?" Ziyu inquired, her curiosity getting the better of her. She couldn't help but be drawn to the man standing before her.
Her long, lustrous hair was a striking shade of pink, cascading down her back in waves, adding a touch of whimsy to her regal appearance.
Her eyes were a stunning shade of jeweled purple, shining brightly with a mesmerizing allure. The woman moved with effortless poise, her every step exuding confidence and grace. Her presence was captivating, drawing attention to her dignified aura and refined demeanor.
"Yes, I am the owner of this place," Augustus observed her appearance with an intense gaze, as he had never seen someone as breathtakingly beautiful as her before.
Her attire was rich with cultural symbolism, and she carried herself with the grace of a noblewoman from the Imperial Court. Her pink hair and jeweled eyes were a unique and captivating contrast against the vibrant red of her gown, creating a mesmerizing visual spectacle.
As Augustus looked at her, he was struck by her timeless beauty and the air of mystery that surrounded her.
She seemed like a figure from a dream or a legend, an otherworldly being that had stepped into his world. He couldn't help but be entranced by her presence, drawn to her charm and unparalleled elegance.
[Warning: Unexpected guest]
"She could be a noblewoman from this dimension; I must not offend her," Augustus thought to himself, remembering the time he had offended a noblewoman in the Martial Arts Dimension, which had resulted in him being unable to return.
As a result, he had painstakingly searched for different martial arts dimensions, a journey that had cost him a fortune.
Meanwhile, from Xu Ziyu's point of view, 'He's exuding heavenly qi which only immortal or above possesses.' As she looked at him, she felt as though she was being peered into by an unknown abyss.
'This man is terrifying. I mustn't offend him,' she thought to herself.
"My name is Xu Ziyu. I apologize for entering without permission," Ziyu bowed down at a ninety-degree angle to show her respect, her heart pounding with trepidation. She was especially apprehensive after unintentionally questioning the man in front of her with haughtiness just moments ago.
'I should act with utmost politeness. After all, the name Ye Ziyu means nothing to this man,' she mused.
"It's okay. Would you like some tea?" Augustus offered graciously, pleased to see that Ziyu was responding politely, unlike the previous noblewoman he had encountered.
"Yes, please," Ziyu accepted, unable to decline the man's offer, though she longed to escape at any moment, if given the chance.
Augustus ventured into the backyard, plucking flowers that were blooming with care. Having grown accustomed to the realm he now called home, he had discovered that everything held meaning and purpose here.
When boredom struck, Augustus surveyed the available gadgets in the kitchen - a kettle, water thermos, dispenser, fridge, and more.
However, he realized that these features were locked. The stove had no gas, the fridge was empty, and he would have to boil his own water and find his own ingredients to fill the thermos, kettle, and dispenser.
As he was trying to find water to boil, he saw that in the pond there's fish swimming. Augustus had also discovered that almost everything around him could be used as ingredients for something.
Right now, he's using the flowers planted around the mansion, for example, could be picked and processed into tea.
He noticed a teapot in the kitchen thus he decided to make tea with the flowers.
It's the same when he searched the storage room, Augustus came across a fishing rod that reminded him the small pond in the backyard.
To his surprise, the pond seemed to be teeming with an unlimited number of fish.
Sometimes, when he was bored, Augustus would grill the fish himself for a meal, enjoying the simplicity of catching his own food.
Meanwhile, Ziyu, a noblewoman who had been observing Augustus, was intrigued by his actions. "That man is casually plucking heavenly herbs, the one he's picking right now has similar properties to the herb I was looking for, having Pure Fire Essence that's able aid her cultivation." she noted to herself, her curiosity piqued.
"Don't tell me he's going to make it into tea?!" she wondered, intrigued by the thought.
Augustus turned to Ziyu with a warm smile, seeking her opinion. "Do you like hot tea?" he asked. "This one has lingering hot sensation but refreshing, good for your stomach and liver." Augustus couldn't help but worry that his tea may not be suitable for a noblewoman like her.
Ziyu, not wanting to miss the opportunity, replied, "Yes, I'm fine with it. Do you need help with making the tea?"
Augustus shook his head. "No need, you're the guest. I'll be ready in a few minutes." Augustus finished gathering the flowers in his hands and tried his best to prepare the tea.
Having studied the art of making tea on the internet, Augustus knew that the modern world had perfected the technique, including the optimal temperatures for bringing out the flavors of different types of leaves and flowers. He gently rinsed the flowers under clean water to remove dirt, using water he had boiled himself.
With his EyePhone feature, Augustus flawlessly controlled the water temperature, ensuring it was exactly one hundred degrees Celsius.
He set up a timer using the EyePhone to let the flower petals steep in the hot water for exactly five minutes, patiently waiting.
After the steeping process was complete, Augustus strained the petals from the tea and poured it into teacups. He reached into a cabinet and grabbed a container of sugar that he had made from sugarcane grown in his living room area. It had originally been used for decorations, but since he could grow more, he didn't mind using it for consumption.
Proudly, Augustus presented the tea to Ziyu, who had been watching him with excitement. "Feel free to add sugars if you need. Please take a sip and let me know what your thought is," he invited her, eager to see her reaction.
"His masterful tea-making skills left me feeling embarrassed for having offered to help earlier. Every aspect of his tea is perfect. I've learned so much just by watching," Ziyu thought to herself, carefully cradling the teacup in her hands only to realize it was made of Cold Moonstone.
Her hands trembled slightly as she grabbed it as to her surprise, she didn't feel the usual freezing effect of the stone. Instead, she felt a gentle warmth from the hot tea.
"This must be the result of the fire and craftsmanship that went into making this tea set," Ziyu deduced, her curiosity piqued.
Noticing Ziyu's trembling hand, Augustus assumed she must be weak from her journey in the forest. "Are you hungry? Shall I prepare some food for you?" he offered graciously.
Ziyu, who was just about to take a sip of her tea, almost dropped the teacup at Augustus' kind offer. "I'm fine. I'll leave once I've finished enjoying the tea," she replied politely.
'I see. She has stayed at this lowly place for a while now. There's not much I can provide either. There's no way a noblewoman would be interested in grilled fish, I suppose,'
Seeing the disappointment on Augustus' face, Ziyu felt flustered. "Actually, I am quite hungry, if Elder doesn't mind," she blurted out, using the respectful term as Ziyu didn't know what to call Augustus.
'Elder? Do I look that old?' Augustus felt a twinge of hurt at being called an Elder by Ziyu.
"What should I do? He looks disappointed in me for retracting my statement. Should I use my talisman and escape right now? But I haven't even tasted this treasure yet," Ziyu thought to herself, feeling conflicted.
'Now that I think about it, I haven't even told her my name, even though she shared hers.'
"My name is Yin Bai, please call me by my name, I'll go make some food for you." Augustus said as he went to grab a fishing rod and prepared to grill some fish.
Yin bai is the name he used during his time in the Martial Arts Dimension, where he disguised himself as an ordinary person to avoid standing out as an outsider.
"Why did he share his name with me? Is he trying to imply that I won't be able to leave this place?," Ziyu wondered, feeling a sense of fear she had never experienced before.
"I won't venture out again if I manage to escape. Let me savor this tea while I still can," she thought to herself, finally getting the chance to take a small sip.
As the tea touched her lips, she felt Pure Fire Essence seeping into her dantian.
"This is exactly what I needed! I'm breaking through! Should I cultivate here?" Ziyu contemplated for a moment before making a resolute decision.
Since she didn't care about her life anymore; she didn't mind living here as a slave, as this place was filled with everything a cultivator could desire, and she had only scratched the surface of its secrets.
Meanwhile, Augustus had just finished reeling in five plump fish from the small pond, his skills as a skilled angler on full display.
"Is Miss Ziyu in the midst of her cultivation?" Augustus mused to himself as he saw Ziyu sitting under the tree, sitting cross-legged. "Careful not to disturb her, I should prepare some food for her."
With expertise from Internet Guidance, Augustus kindled a fire using branches from nearby trees, being careful not to harm nearby tree as in this dimension, the system seems to have less control, things can't regenerate like on the training ground also days and night are passing through naturally.
"Perfect, the fire is ready," Augustus murmured, satisfied with his handiwork.
As he deftly grilled the fish over the open flame, Ziyu was on the cusp of a breakthrough in her cultivation. However, a distracting aroma wafted through the air, teasing her senses.
"Is that Elder Bai's cooking?" Ziyu wondered, her hunger piqued.
Unable to resist the tantalizing scent any longer, Ziyu made a decision. She would delay her breakthrough and indulge in the delicious food first.
"Oh, you've finished your cultivation?" Augustus greeted Ziyu with a warm smile, as he continued to tend to the fish on the fire.
"Here you go, I apologize for only having this for now," Augustus said, handing her a freshly-grilled fish on a stick.
Ziyu's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she accepted the offering and took a bite. "Mmm, this is amazing!"
"It seems hunger enhances the flavors," Augustus chuckled as he watched Ziyu devour the fish with gusto. "If you want more, just let me know. I'll catch and grill more for you."
"Please!" Ziyu eagerly pleaded, savoring the exquisite taste of the fish. "Why does it taste so incredibly good? The flavors are rich, and there's no hint of fishiness. I can even sense heavenly Qi in it."
After finishing one fish, Ziyu eagerly reached for another. But as she ate, she felt a sensation in her stomach.
Fart
"I've broken through!" Ziyu was dumbfounded, realizing she had achieved a breakthrough while indulging in the delicious food. "But why did it have to happen like this?"
Ziyu blushed with embarrassment, her cheeks turning as red as a ripe tomato. Augustus pretended not to notice, continuing to grill the fish.
'I want to die right now. T_T', Ziyu nibbled on the next fish slowly, mindful of her earlier mishap, but still unable to resist the delectable flavors.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Indespair
Indespair I finally got a contract. Cheers to me! This is a huge motivation for me, as it's proof of my hard work being approved.
I'll be releasing probably 2 chapters a day. I'll do my best to keep up with that.
It won't go premium until around one hundred chapters in. Even if this book reaches one hundred chapters, but there aren't enough readers, I won't go premium yet.
P.S.
Xu Ziyu is the future heroine in this dimension.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone