Dragged by the smell

The two girls walked to the back of the mountain and started their day.

"Miss Jia, should we run 10 laps now?"

"Hmm? Not yet. Let's do some warm up first." Song Jia breathed in the fresh air. "Ahhhh.. That smells so good.."

Lu Ping followed her action, a smile on her face appeared.

"Follow what I do.."

"Yes, Miss Jia!" She nodded at her mistress and stood behind her a few feet away.

When Song Jia began, Lu Ping paid attention.

Song Jia stood with her feet together, brought her arms up slowly, breathing in and letting her arms flow down. She repeated this movement a few times. She then lifted her left leg slowly towards the side, her feet apart, breathing in, bringing her hands slowly up then breathing out, hands coming down. It was like water coming up and they flowed with it, and flowed down when the water came down.

Then her fingertips came together like hugging a tree, breathing in. Her hands separated and spread out like awaiting an embrace, breathing out.

She then lifted her left leg and stepped on an angle, her hands were up and pushing in the same direction, imagining a wave rolling in and then going out. Breathing in, breathing out, moving with the water.

Standing back up, fingertips touching like hugging a tree, she lifted her right leg and stepped on an angle, pushing with her hands in the same direction. She stood back up, holding the tree, her left hand moving below her right, like holding the moon. Her hands spread and changed direction, now the right is the one below and the left one above, the movement looked like she was caressing the moon. She repeated this movement a few times while breathing in and out slowly. Hugging the tree again, as she breathed in, her feet came together, as her hands flowed down, breathing out.

Lu Ping was in a daze as she followed the movements. At first she was moving awkwardly, then gradually she found rhythm, feeling relaxed and energized with every move.

"Now, we run.." Song Jia chuckled and started off with a sprint.

"Ah? Wait for me, Miss!" Lu Ping hurriedly followed, not wanting to be left in the dust.

Lu Ping thought that she only had to run around ten times that day until Song Jia had another idea in mind.

"Next..We'll go down on the floor, feet together, toes touching on the ground and back straight. We'll push up and down, counting to ten today.."

Lu Ping tried to imitate the move but she fell on her face a few times before she was able to copy it. "Aggghhh.. Miss, won't our arms grow big like that of a man's?"

"Hahahaha.. What are you so worried about? It's more important to have strength than to look pretty only. Anyway, as long as we balance it out, we won't look too brusque like men… Okay.. now, we lie on the ground, thighs together, feet planted on the floor, knees up! Put hands at the back of the head then bring it closer to your knees."

".... yaaaa..ooooff.. Miss, my abdomen hurts!"

"This will make it firm! Did you know that this will be beneficial when you become a mother in the future? So, your abdomen won't sag after you give birth!"

"Eh? What giving birth are you talking about Miss?!" Lu Ping blushed beet red.

"Hahahaha.. Keep up!" Song Jia did a few more workout routines similar to what she did back in the other world. She only stopped when she noticed Lu Ping becoming pale. "Okay, time to relax..and cultivate!"

"Phew!" Lu Ping wiped away the sweat from her brows.

The two sat in lotus position and meditated, absorbing the spiritual energy around. They did that for many hours until specks of light shot into their foreheads, a sign of their advancement.

But they didn't stop, they kept going until they advanced one level more.

When they finally took a break, she didn't let Lu Ping cook this time.

"But Miss! I should be the one cooking for you!.."

Song Jia wagged a finger to her. "Uh-uh.. Learn this then next time, you'll cook.."

"Miss?" 'You know how to cook?'

'Did Miss ever learn to cook before? How come I didn't know?'

But she wasn't able to ask her question.

At that moment, Song Jia waved her arm and ingredients appeared on the table.

Once the knife and chopping board, Lu Ping was even more nervous. "Miss! Be careful not to cut your hand!"

Song Jia only chuckled in response before she expertly sliced the ingredients. She used the vegetables that Lu Ping brought in from the residence's kitchen. But as for the spices and other condiments, she took it out from the Spirit Artifact. Crystal had helped her to move the contents to different containers. She didn't dare use the plastic containers with labels as it would just look strange in this world. Before she started to light a fire for cooking, she rinsed the uncooked rice and added enough water to the pot. Only then did she start the fire and cook both simultaneously.

Half an hour later, the food was ready. The aroma of the dish enticed their stomach, making Lu Ping drool.

"That smells so good!" Lu Ping exclaimed, clapping her hands in amazement at her mistress's hidden skill.

When Song Jia was about to serve it onto bowls, she sensed movement from outside.

She immediately turned the middle of her ring, activating the Illusion ring and instantly turned into male.

Knock! Knock!

"Who is it?" Song Jia made her voice deeper than normal.

"Brother, I can smell your cooking from all the way to the forest. My companion and I are travelers, we have just arrived when we got robbed. Could you spare us some of your meal? We have already run out of fasting pills and are famished."

Lu Ping and Song Jia exchanged glances.

"This Mister. I would be willing to help you out but I'm afraid I can't welcome you into my quarters that I share with my little sister. Could you wait outside as we bring the food? We will have our meal together with you then." Her voice was even and unhurried.

"Ah! Thank you so much! We appreciate it!! We'll wait by the tree out here, then! Umm.. Do you need help carrying the stuff?"

"Oh! Sure! Hold on! I'll bring out the table and benches then we can carry it together…" She sounded friendly enough.

'Crystal, can you find me a weapon I can use or a talisman just in case these people have bad ideas?'

'Sure! I have so many weapons here.. Which one do you want?'

'A dagger is fine.. And needles.'

'Alright, I'll have it ready for you..'

'Thanks!'

"Ping, help me lift the table and benches closer to the door."

"Okay!" Lu Ping did as she was told but was already on guard. She was cursing at herself for not being strong enough and yet they're already faced in this situation.