The young woman wrapped her dough in a bundle of damp cloth.

She waited patiently for the yeast to work it's magic, causing the batter to rise until it had doubled in size, then unwrapped it and divided the dough into cup sized balls.

There wasn't much for Chou to entertain himself with lately, being unable to roam around or eat anyone without first asking permission. He found, however, that he rather enjoyed helping his master with cooking, as well as taking it upon himself to convey to her the complaints of the plants in the garden when they were thirsty or ill. The carnivorous plant jumped onto the tray with the dough and began rolling his own little dough balls, using his miniature leaves.

Li Meirong grew excited at the prospect of finding another companion such as Chou. The corners of her lips curved upwards as she watched her pet's silly antics. Maybe she could acquire another sentient friend for him to hang out with? Or a formidable beast that would make others shudder with fear upon seeing it.

In a way, it would be like expanding her family. She might not have been able to have regular animals such as cats and dogs, but that didn't mean she couldn't keep pets. Li Meirong continued to daydream as she went about her chores.

Chou glanced up at his master grinning stupidly while preparing human food. What could possibly make her so happy about cooking? His master sure was strange…

Li Meirong left Chou to watch over the house as she assembled the unbaked bread into a small bag. She went to deliver the package to the central kitchen court. The main chefs who were in charge of the heavy course meals greeted her amicably. She was in good relations with most of the outer sect disciples, especially those who dealt with meal preparation.

The main kitchen was filled with attending servants. Large bamboo steamers were lined up on the centre counter, stone slabs extended from the walls as separate working stations. Each chef was busy with their own designated tasks while others were either peeling, chopping or stewing vegetables. It was rare to find any meat in the kitchens. Cultivators generally preferred vegetarian dishes since they were lighter and less of a burden on their inner energy.

The place was filled with a pleasant mixture of aromas from the fresh ingredients. The herbs and spices Li Meirong regularly contributed gave the dishes an extra boost.

A short plump woman with rosy cheeks and child-like round eyes, wearing a white apron, came to greet Li Meirong. As she caught sight of the raven-haired girl carrying her bundle, the chubby woman's expression turned into a warm, affectionate smile. She patted her hands on the smock, the leftover flour stuck to her palms coming off in light puffs.

"Good to see you in such a cheerful mood!" The woman said, a playfully scolding tone to her voice, "You arrived late with the dough, but we can still make it in time before we shut the stoves off for the day. Hurry up and follow me!"

The young looking chef seemed no more than fourteen or fifteen years of age, yet still, she spoke with the authority of a mature and experienced woman. Her hair was tied up into two separate buns on each side of her head with tiny golden bells jingling as she moved to and fro. Her name was Bao Li and she was the head chef of the Bestiary Coalition, Li Meirong's boss.

"Yes, Miss Li." Li Meirong nodded her head in greeting.

At the sound of Li Meirong's voice, several chefs in the court raised their heads instinctively from their work and watched the beauty as she passed by. Her gentle countenance and soft feminine features were pleasing to the eyes and made it difficult to look away.

"Stop ogling the girl and get back to work!" Bao Li's command was sharp. The youths got embarrassed from being caught and quickly focused back on their vegetable trays.

The head chef led the now self-conscious girl towards an enclosed stone chamber. There, a narrow row of stoves billowed smoke and radiated sweat-inducing heat, unoccupied and ready for use.

Li Meirong found a working station and wasted no more time getting the unbaked bread ready for the oven. Bao Li lingered to keep her junior company, leaning against the stone wall with her arms folded.

"Well, aren't you going to tell me what made you so happy? It's rare to see you look this cheerful." Bao Li was not only an expert at cooking and managing the kitchen, she was also highly observant.

"It's nothing important, really." Li Meirong answered meekly.

Li Meirong was assigned with handling the feeding of the spirit beasts, while Bao Li was the one responsible for the dishes provided for the division's disciples. Bao Li was under the impression that she probably encountered Li Meirong more than anybody else in the division. The girl tended to isolate herself, avoiding attending many group gatherings and festivities. And after all, caring for the beasts didn't call for much socializing.

Bao Li's first impression of the lass was not of an innocent, naïve girl. No. She definitely had a calculating mind. The head chef noticed the lonesome girl measured each of her words and actions very carefully. She put effort into her plain and subservient demeanour, but if one looked closely, one could tell it was just an act.

Honestly, Bao Li considered Li Meirong an intangible anomaly. She was also aware of Li Meirong's reputation, as most of the resident disciples in the division were. Being a furnace could have made the girl's life very easy in the sect. There were not many like her to go around, and with the majority of the disciples being men, she could have simply found herself a powerful cultivator to latch onto and live a carefree and comfortable life.

Instead, the lass unexpectedly asked for a patch of land on a deserted corner of the island, away from prying eyes. She built a shoddy roof over her head and took over the practice of menial chores.

Bao Li was well aware the girl had no clue about her own charm or peculiarity. Li Meirong seemed almost oblivious to her surroundings at times. Sometimes, she came up with the strangest ideas, like that thing she tried to describe the other day called a plumb system or toolet or whatever it was. The head chef thought the whole thing was too complicated to function, but who knows? It sounded better than a chamber pot.

With Bao Li's knowledge and friendly ties with Li Meirong, she didn't hesitate to probe further.

"Just tell me and I'll forgive your late arrival." Bao Li said with a grin, her cheeks puffed up cutely as she bargained.

Li Meirong gave her boss the side-eye before relenting to her pestering. She knew that if she didn't answer, her boss wouldn't let her off.

"I found a way to join the upcoming quest at the Thousand Beasts forest. Soon, I may come back to the division with my very own spirit beast!" When Li Meirong finally shared her secret, she couldn't contain her excitement.

Bao Li's eyebrows furrowed, her face instantly turned sour. She was this close to bonking Li Meirong's head silly, wishing to knock some sense into her.

"Crazy child, without a decent amount of cultivation, there is no way you'd be able to pair up with a spirit beast. The higher the rank of the spirit, the higher your cultivation must be to match it. Not to mention, it's one thing to pass through the Thousand Beasts forest in a hurry to reach the sect, but it's another thing altogether to wander around until you make a pact with one of those mangy monsters. So many disciples have died in their attempts! You're mad to even consider this!"

Li Meirong grew solemn as she considered her friend's words, waiting for the bread to finish baking. 'If this really is the case, how did I even manage to make a pact with Chou without any spiritual energy practice?'

The only conclusion she could come to was that the previous owner of this body must have some basic level of cultivation! But it didn't add up that she was just a simple maid in the royal harem... Perhaps she cultivated in secrecy? That could explain the aura everybody kept mentioning to her.

The good news was, this meant she definitely did have enough spiritual foundation to form a pact with a spirit beast. Now, if only she could have an opportunity to find one.

Should she succeed in contracting a really powerful beast, she may even be promoted as an inner sect disciple!

"Please don't worry for my sake! I'm joining two other disciples, and we will protect each other in the forest. My associates are known for their martial arts skills. They're the married couple, Senior Wei and Senior Ying Yue. Besides, I never told you this, but I practised a little bit of cultivation myself in the past." She came up with a white lie, hoping it would keep Bao Li from poking further into the subject.

Bao Li's frown deepened. Clearly, she wasn't buying her story. 'But if the girl is this determined, what can I possibly do?'

"I am acquainted with your comrades myself. They do have a reputation in combat, despite being outer sect disciples like the rest of us. But I have to say, something doesn't feel quite right about them. I would be wary if I were you."

"It will be fine! I promise I'll see you soon!" Li Meirong smiled, her glee now unquenchable as she fished her freshly baked bread out of the oven and packed it up for transport back home.

The ladies made their goodbyes, and Bao Li watched the stubborn girl go back to her solitude for a minute, before shaking her head and returning to her duties in the kitchen.

The following days passed by uneventful. Before Li Meirong knew it, the appointed time for the spirit beast's quest had arrived.