บท 32: Personal chef? No!

Returning to his own dwelling, the first thing Ace did was find somewhere isolated from the sect, he had to attempt something.

Concentrating both the flame and ice intent into his right arm, he allowed it to flow freely into his sword, energy gathering at the top of his sword as he slashed towards a nearby tree.

*Swoosh*

The slash was slow compared to his usual swings, but he achieved his goal. He fully released the sword intent externally even though it was both slower and weaker. All he had to do now was get accustomed to this feeling and make it natural.

"Ace, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Charlotte walked towards Ace who was cultivating some distance away from the sect, only to see that sword wave which had frozen the tree before causing an explosion.

Ace turned around, only to see Charlotte staring at the uneven hole in the tree he had caused.

Wait what? I caused that? Ace stared at the damage he had caused to the tree as well as another thought struck himself, did Charlotte say that it was already the middle of the night?

Raising his head, Ace realised another thing, he had wasted another day of cultivation because he was so engrossed in learning to control his sword intent externally.

"I was training, shall we return?" Ace asked, but he had already grabbed hold of Charlotte's hand and pulled her along with him.

The next day, Ace woke up with Charlotte laying in his embrace as he got of the bed silently and began to cultivate, only to realise that his cultivation speed was much faster than yesterday.

Whenever he absorbs spirit energy in an attempt to awaken the foundation tower, it was partially cold and hot and if he wasn't wrong, then this has to be related to him being able to release his intents externally.

Could it be that I can absorb the spirit energy of the flame and ice intent as well? Ace got into cultivating for a few more moments to prove his theory, only to be shocked at the unexpected success.

Until the end of the month, none of the disciples took a break from cultivation or their respective professions. A competitive aura eluded the sect, but it was because only with competition comes the motivation. But never, will Ace tolerate competition being one to stand above others of the same sect.

Everyday, countless disciples had their robes drenched in sweat, out of 24 hours a day, almost 16 hours would spend on cultivation a day, the remaining 8 hours accounted for the short breaks and rest.

Unless one steps into the transcendent realm beyond the Great Martial Master realm, there was no way one could go without food, water and most importantly rest.

As for Cidd, he might not be at the middle stage of the Great Martial Master realm yet, but he was content with his current progress because he managed to awaken the heavenly note soul, something that's even more profound than the sword intent.

The soul he awakened, was one that diverged from the usual path that most took, the only way he can go further on the path of the heavenly note soul that corresponds with his heart and cultivation, was to have a deeper comprehension of everything him regardless of how minor the detail might be.

*Creak*

Did Charlotte leave to settle some matters? Ace wondered when he realised that no one was within the dwelling, but when he heard sounds coming from the bathroom, he immediately returned to his own room before any wild thoughts got to him.

As for Ace himself, he managed to awaken the fifth layer, one has to know that it has only been three months since he stepped into the foundation realm. If things go well, he should be able to awaken the sixth layer of the foundation tower and part of the seventh layer by the annual sect competition.

As for his sword intent, he was able to release it externally without much difficulty, he knew he needed to progress further, but he just had a feeling that his sword intent wasn't complete, there was further comprehension lacking.

Maybe, it might also be related to him being able to comprehend the second layer of the Scarlet Frenzy sword skill.

"Ace? You should have told me that you would be ending your cultivation today and I could have whipped up something for you." Charlotte sat down beside Ace as she entered the room, her hair of snow flowing down gracefully, resting on her shoulder.

She was wearing a simple white robe with a few lotuses imprinted onto them, the design was simple but whenever it was Charlotte wearing these robes, Ace couldn't help but be amazed by Charlotte's beauty.

"You know how to cook?" Ace asked, surprised by her sudden words.

"Give me a moment, I'll show you just how good I am. From now on, you may treat me as your personal chef."

Before Ace could say anything, Charlotte had already bolted out of the room and entered the kitchen which has never been used. Putting on an apron, she cracked some eggs swiftly without wasting an ounce of its substance before frying them.

By the time she was done, it was a minor feast that awaited Ace. A plate of fried eggs coupled with a bowl of rice, some veggies and steamed meat boiled in a soup.

"Let's hope that its taste is able to match up to its beautiful exterior." Ace said as he used the chopstick to give the meat a try, his eyes widening in shock.

"How is it?" Charlotte asked confidently with a smile, her chin rested on her arm which was on the table.

"It's delicious! It seemed that you weren't lying when you said that you can be my personal chef, but I wouldn't want you to take on such a position, alright?'

"Mhm…" Charlotte didn't know why, but everytime Ace praised her or showed concern for her, she couldn't help it but blush in joy.

"Why don't you scoop another bowl of rice and join me?" Ace asked as he took another bite of the steamed meat.

"Mhm, it's fine, I only cooked your serving." Charlotte shook her head and rejected him and stood up from her seat, only to be pulled by Ace as she sat down on his legs.

"Who said that you can't join me because of that? Open your mouth…" Ace teased as he brought the steamed meat he had eaten half way towards Charlotte's mouth as she bit onto it.

After a meal that actually took half an hour, Ace was resting on the sofa which Charlotte had purchased not long ago with her beside him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Sect master, the representative here to grade our sect has arrived. I've invited him to the main hall and all the disciples and other elders have been gathered at the empty court built outside the main hall used for cultivation and sparring purposes. (Was built in the half a month with Arith and Clarissa forking out spirit stones from their own pocket by hiring external workers)

"Thank you for informing me Cidd, I'll be there in five minutes. In the meantime, make sure everyone is ready to perform their best, we gotta get a good rating if we want to be recognised from the start at least."

"I'll see to it right away."

Ending the conversation through the communication system, Ace then took Charlotte's hand and said, "We should get going to the main hall."

"Mhm." Charlotte replied as they left, on the way out, Charlotte told Ace, "I have something to tell you, but promise me you won't overreact?"

Ace paused for a moment before saying, "What is it? You found another guy while I was away?"

'Stop joking around, I'm serious about this." Charlotte replied as she pouted her cheeks with a confident grin that couldn't be hidden.

"You awakened the sixth layer of the foundation tower?"

"Yes and no." Charlotte played around with her words before explaining, "I've awakened the seventh layer of the foundation tower while grasping the ability to release my sword intent externally."

"What the hell!"

Back in the main hall, the representative didn't take a seat, instead, he requested to see how the disciples were doing right now at their cultivation area which Cidd led him to immediately while dropping Ace an message to notify him.

What this representative doesn't know is that, he'll be left speechless only to return with someone else, not for the sake of revenge, but because he can't find a way to grade this sect despite his twenty years of experience.