Chapter 26: What He Said Was True
Chapter 26: What He Said Was True
Jiang Tian and Xue Ruyan had set up their camp beside a clear, flowing river.
The water was pure, reflecting the sky like a mirror. Jiang Tian filled a large pot with river water and carried it back to his makeshift stone stove.
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At that moment, he finally understood what it meant to control heat.
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Originally, he had to keep his hands on the bottom of the pot at all times, using his blood energy to ignite flames.
Now, there was no need for that.
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He simply condensed his blood energy into a fireball, placed it under the pot, and let it burn on its own.
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If the flames dimmed, all he had to do was pour more energy into the fire.
It was that simple.
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"This is way too convenient!"
Jiang Tian was extremely satisfied with his awakened talents.
This ability was tailor-made for his dream.
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"What's wrong with you?"
Just as Jiang Tian finished boiling the water, he turned around—
Only to find Xue Ruyan standing frozen, staring at him in a daze.
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He trotted over, dragged the dead Flame Bird from the ground, and waved a hand in front of her face.
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"Xue, why are you spacing out? Weren't you fighting just now?"
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Xue Ruyan blinked, snapping out of her trance.
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"How did you know it was going to spit fire?"
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Jiang Tian was already washing the Flame Bird's corpse in the river, letting the flowing water cleanse the blood.
At the same time, he began plucking its feathers with his bare hands.
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His movements were quick, efficient.
His grip was strong, and with just one pull, a large bald spot appeared on the Flame Bird's once-feathery body.
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As he worked, Jiang Tian casually explained:
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"I noticed its fire sac glowing."
"It also made a weird gurgling sound."
"According to the information I read, that means it's about to spit fire."
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He gestured toward the now-exposed fire sac inside the bird's throat.
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"Besides, it was knocked to the ground, but it didn't try to escape."
"Normally, a Flame Bird would flutter its wings and try to flee."
"But this one stayed still, head down—like it was planning something."
"That's when I knew it was up to no good."
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Jiang Tian spoke calmly, as if it were common sense.
But to Xue Ruyan, his words hit her like a thunderclap.
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She replayed the fight in her mind.
And suddenly, she realized—
He was right.
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She had been so focused on the battle that she missed these subtle details.
Jiang Tian, on the other hand, had seen through everything instantly.
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"If he hadn't warned me in time…"
A chill ran down her spine.
If Jiang Tian hadn't shouted for her to dodge, she might have been severely burned.
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"Jiang, thank you!"
She bowed slightly, seriously grateful.
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Jiang Tian waved her off casually:
"It's fine. Just be careful next time."
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Then, he grabbed his Black Dragon kitchen knife and—
THWACK!
The Flame Bird's head rolled cleanly off its body.
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Xue Ruyan watched in silence as Jiang Tian effortlessly butchered the Flame Bird.
His movements were swift, precise, and efficient.
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He gutted it, removed all the internal organs, and discarded the inedible parts like the claws.
The way he handled the knife, it was as if he had been doing this his whole life.
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After cleaning the bird meat, he walked over to a nearby tree.
A massive redwood tree—so thick it would take several people to hug it.
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SWISH!
In a blur, Jiang Tian swung his knife.
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Then—
BANG!
He kicked the tree with one foot.
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For a moment, the tree didn't move.
Then—
CRACK!
The entire trunk EXPLODED like a cannonball, sending wooden debris flying in all directions.
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Xue Ruyan's eyes widened in horror.
She had fought that Flame Bird for so long.
Its feathers were tough, resistant to her spear strikes.
But in Jiang Tian's hands, it was as soft as tofu.
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The redwood tree was one of the toughest woods in the Flame Bird's world.
Yet Jiang Tian sliced through it like butter.
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"This guy… is a monster."
Xue Ruyan gulped, her palms slightly sweaty.
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She suddenly remembered—
"I will help you get a good ranking."
"My strength is actually not bad."
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She had thought he was joking.
Now… she wasn't so sure.
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Meanwhile, Jiang Tian had set up his new chopping board—
A massive slab of redwood from the tree he had just obliterated.
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He placed the white, cleaned bird meat on the surface.
Then, with unwavering focus, he ignited his hands.
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Blood energy blazed into deep red flames as he slow-roasted the bird skin.
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SIZZLE!
Golden fat melted, dripping onto the wood.
The rich aroma of roasted meat filled the air.
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From where she stood, Xue Ruyan's stomach rumbled audibly.
Her mouth watered, and all the thoughts in her mind vanished.
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Jiang Tian turned, grinning.
"It'll take some time. Be patient, Xue."
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"Also… I'll need you to taste it afterward."
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For some reason, all of Xue Ruyan's suspicions melted away.
The questions, the doubts, the uncertainty…
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None of it mattered anymore.
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Instead, she smiled softly:
"I look forward to it, Jiang."
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She sat down, waiting in quiet anticipation.
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The Flame Bird's meat was already sizzling beautifully, filling the air with a heavenly aroma.
At this moment—
Xue Ruyan was no longer sure if she was taking an awakening assessment…
Or if she was on a leisurely camping trip.