Feng Jiu was waking up. Something warm and soft was just by her side. She slowly stretched her limbs and opened her eyes.

She was snuggled up to an immortal that had rescued her earlier. Her back was tightly pressed to his thigh. The man then looked at her as if expecting something, his eyebrows slightly lifted.

Ah, so this was the time to play up her charm. She really couldn't get kicked out of Tai Chen Palace or her Master would make her climb the stairs for the next one hundred years.

Up and down, over and over... Truly terrifying. But it was not the right time to ponder, she needed to focus all her abilities to get out of this pickle.

The little Fox Princess made her eyes appear big and innocent and gazed into this man's orbs while mentally sending playful and happy thoughts. She added a cheeky tail wiggle to appear even cuter. Such a move would always soften her mother.

"You are adorable and you are trying to use it to your advantage," the white-haired man said, not breaking eye contact. His facial expression remained stonelike and unimpressed.

Failure!

Feng Jiu then decided to pull out her next trick. She put her front paws on his leg and nudged his hand, asking to be petted.

"You truly know no shame, do you?" The nice man was now smiling and scratching behind her ears. This moment was truly blissful. Taste of victory was sweet.

However, nothing was made to last and Little Nine's perfect win was interrupted by a loud noise. She first thought that it was thunder and got startled.

The immortal in purple robes laughed out loud.

"Shall we get us something to eat then? I am getting hungry myself. "

Truly, he was the kindest person Bai Feng Jiu has ever met.

(*^_^*)

Soon Jiu's good mood turned sour. That perfect, kind stranger was now planning to kill her. It was all a trap!

That man was cooking a fish, however, it seemed like he had no recipe in mind and was just randomly adding weird ingredients in no particular order. The odds of that fish turning out bitter was the same as the sun's rising every morning - guaranteed.

"No, stop! Don't do it, please! You will murder that fish twice,'' the little fox couldn't hold it any longer.

"Oh, so you can talk. I had thought so. Your energy feels too strong to be just a simple fox spirit."

Well, now Feng Jiu was busted. It would be ten months of going up and down the temple stairs for her. Master would show no mercy when Jiu interrupted her holiday.

But there was no use of crying over spilt milk and her stomach was still making threatening noises. Also as the saying goes 'The best defence is a good offence.'

"Pff, of course, I can talk. You better focus on not murdering that fish twice. I am really hungry. Bin that awful sauce! I will teach you how it's done properly!"

Jiu then started by explaining the best knife techniques for this type of fish. The next thing young immortal knew, she was bossing around the white-haired man and explaining all the steps in the recipe and the properties of all the ingredients that go in.

For one thing that the Fox Princess knew well, it was food. Cooking and eating was her best entertainment. She always got to taste a lot of delicacies at all the weddings she went to. Part of Jiu's policy was to make friends with the cooks and interrogate them for recipes at the end of the banquet.

Strangely enough, the man was listening attentively, following all the steps and asking insightful questions. Soon the sweet and sour fish was done and served.

(*^_^*)

This day had brought Dong Hua Dijun a lot of firsts. He did not remember any other day in the last 100,000 that was so colourful and surprising.

While eating the unexpectedly delicious sweet and sour fish he cooked, he decided to address his shameless dinner guest, who had eaten everything in her plate with the speed of a hurricane and now was lazily stretched on a pillow nearby.

"What brings you to Thai Chen Palace?" Dijun decided to get straight to the point.

"Thank you for this dinner and your kindness earlier," the Fox Child started.

"I am actually visiting with Star-Lord Si Ming. My Master bullied him into taking care of me for a short time, while Master is on holiday in the human realm."

Dong Hua nodded. That made a lot of sense. Si Ming was quite easy to convince if one took the right approach.

"And where did you learn such kitchen skills so young?" This was the question that had truly interested him. His own cooking skills were sadly lacking.

"I picked up the basics from my Honorable Mother who is excellent in the kitchen. And then I attend a lot of events with my Master. But I am too young and none of the other guests ever pay any attention to me. So I spend time with the kitchen staff. I can watch them and ask questions."

Dong Hua was surprised by the amount of sense this little Fox Child made. Truly, the people who cooked for big events must have a lot of experience and knowledge.

"I have an idea!" the little Fox interrupted his thoughts. "As you saved me earlier, I now owe you a debt."

"I don't really need anything from you." This was his default answer to excitable females.

"But what about cooking lessons?"

Dijun was unconvinced. His non-existent facial expression was back.

"I must spend another ten months here. And I have nothing fun to do here. This place is so dull! Instead, I could hang out with you and teach you some basic cooking. I am sure Si Ming will not mind," the young immortal was pleading with him.

"It seems that teaching me cooking will serve your interests more than mine. How is that repaying a debt?" Dong Hua countered.

"I haven't heard that those two things must be mutually exclusive," such cheek, form one so small. Were all young foxes so forward?

"Please, it will be fun. I promise." Those big begging eyes were now fully deployed in his direction again.

"Besides, I can tell that you are a very strong and skilled immortal. Wouldn't one more area of competence just add to your character?"

Upon hearing this, the former ruler of Nine Heavens now understood that little Fox Child did know his name and was making this offer with a pure heart. He then decided to play a little.

"Before I make a decision, can I know the name of my potential Master?"

"Well, you see, I am under orders not to reveal myself. My family and my Master tell me that I am too immature to represent our clan in Nine Heavens. So for me not to lose all chances of getting married in the future, I must come and stay here in secret. I also was told not to talk and my Master locked me in my spirit form. "

"I see." And he really did. In all his long years of life, the former emperor has never encountered such mischief in one person before. "But you chose to talk to me?"

"Food is more important that such little matters." The Fox Child's tone was very flippant. The priorities of this little glutton became even more clear to Dijun.

"But I must address you somehow." This Fox Child was not entirely dumb, just naughty, evading Dijun's questions so well.

"The character on my seal stands for Nine, so call me Jiu." The little Fox pointed to the jade on a piece of leather around her neck and smiled a cute, foxy smile.

"Nice to meet you, Jiu. I will accept your offer and learn cooking from you." Dong Hua said kindly. "But are you not curious to know the name of your saviour and future pupil?"

The little Fox became visibly embarrassed. She must have been very young indeed.

"I am sorry, what is your name, High God?"

"I am Dong Hua Dijun, the master of Tai Chen Palace."

The terrified look on Fox Child's face was oh so very satisfying to the old emperor.