Chapter Thirty-Two: Snow-Capped Bamboo Verdure

Qi Xiao smiled and said, “I trust you, Teacher.”

They discussed a few more matters about daily cultivation, and when Qi Xiao saw that time was nearly up, he asked, “Once I return, I’ll begin crafting the cane you requested. Do you have any special requirements?”

Midil replied casually, “As long as it looks elegant, that’s enough.”

Qi Xiao nodded, confirmed that Midil had no further requests, and took his leave.

He planned to grab breakfast on the way, since Midil’s room wasn’t far from the dining hall. Qi Xiao decided to walk instead of teleporting.

On the way, he put on his wristband and began to study it with great enthusiasm—this was his first time personally touching a spatial artifact.

He infused his spiritual energy, and the image of the internal space appeared in his mind: about seven cubic meters, enough room for his needs. With a thought, he transferred the box and map from his hand into the wristband.

He dared not experiment with the box—worried it might affect the auction item—so he took out and replaced his pen several times, enjoying himself thoroughly.

Only when he reached the entrance of the dining hall did he realize his childishness and felt a bit embarrassed. Fortunately, no one had witnessed it.

Sitting at the table, he sipped green tea to mask his awkwardness.

He had loved reading novels since childhood, and almost all of them featured storage artifacts. Now, experiencing one firsthand, he couldn’t help but feel exhilarated and playful.

Before long, a blood servant brought his breakfast: milk from a Lishan Snow Ox and half an egg from a Thunderfeather Hawk, accompanied by other ingredients.

He ate slowly, savoring every bite. He’d heard that his teacher’s chef could rival culinary sorcerers in the efficacy of his meals. Qi Xiao didn’t know if that was true, but the food’s deliciousness was undeniable.

He didn’t return to his room but went straight to the alchemy laboratory, ready to begin crafting the cane.

To ensure its beauty, Qi Xiao didn’t opt for enchanted alchemy. Instead, he chose the most traditional metallurgical method, guaranteeing the elegance of the finished product.

Bamboo, in Qi Xiao’s previous life, had always been favored by scholars and poets, carrying many auspicious meanings: upright and graceful, honest and lofty, refined and elegant, resilient and unyielding. Most believed its joints made it the gentleman among flowers.

Sadly, in the world of sorcerers, it was merely an ordinary plant, with some even considering it a troublesome weed.

That opinion wasn’t entirely wrong, yet Qi Xiao cherished bamboo deeply and planned to use Snowcrest Emerald Bamboo as the main material for this cane.

This bamboo grows only atop high-altitude peaks, perpetually covered in snow, yet its stalks possess a unique emerald-green hue, earning it the name “Snowcrest Emerald Bamboo.”

Within its vibrant green stalks lies a special substance, granting it strong magical conductivity and affinity, making it a favored material for crafting magic wands.

Its leaves and segments are often used in talismans and protective charms.

It’s considered a rare material—not because it grows slowly, but because it only thrives in high altitudes, requiring extreme cold and abundant sunlight. Harvesting it is quite troublesome.

This segment of Snowcrest Emerald Bamboo was more than sufficient for a cane. However, it was Qi Xiao’s first time crafting without a blueprint, and he felt a touch of nervousness.

He quickly cast aside his doubts and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the task.

In addition to the main material, Qi Xiao prepared four auxiliary ingredients:

Stardust Sand: Fine grains collected at meteorite impact sites, imbued with the power of stars, enhancing magical conductivity.

Dragonblood Resin: Extracted from the Dragonblood Tree, renowned for its vitality and restorative properties.

Moonshadow Crystal: Harvested on a full moon night in the land of shadows, capable of storing and amplifying lunar energy.

Windspirit Feather: Plucked from the Windspirit Bird, light and infused with the essence of wind.

He mixed the four materials in precise proportions, added them to the crucible with pure spring water, and slowly brewed them into a magical compound.

He carefully washed the bamboo segment, removing snow but preserving its natural emerald hue. Then, he recited the Fire Refining Spell, using gentle flames to heat it evenly and activate its internal magical properties.

While shaping the bamboo, he gradually incorporated mithril, monitoring its fusion with the stalk. Mithril would enhance structural stability.

Once mithril and bamboo were fully merged, Qi Xiao slowly added the magical compound, guiding the powers of stars, life, moonlight, and wind to blend with the bamboo.

As the cane took shape under his hands, Qi Xiao retained its natural elegance, merely refining the joints to be smoother and more uniform.

It assumed a graceful, flowing curve, the perfect length for Midil’s stature.

The cane’s thickness increased gradually from top to bottom, with extra weight at the base for balance and stability.

The bamboo joints were preserved and artistically treated; each segment was meticulously polished, its surface smooth, displaying natural grain and growth patterns.

The connections between segments were designed as gentle curves, seamlessly flowing without abrupt transitions.

The cane’s tip and grip were adorned with unique elements. The tip featured an ice blossom delicately carved from Heartstone, its petals so lifelike they seemed ready to melt. The grip was inlaid with a translucent jade, within which light and shadow appeared to shift and shimmer as the cane moved.

The main color was the emerald green of Snowcrest Bamboo, but under varying light, it revealed shades from deep to pale, adding depth. The ice blossom tip and jade grip introduced a touch of cold blue and warm yellow, harmonizing beautifully with the green.

Its surface was specially polished, reflecting a gentle sheen in natural light—not too dazzling, nor dull—protecting the cane and increasing its durability.

Qi Xiao attended to every detail: the edges of the bamboo joints, the intersections of grain, the seams of decorative elements, ensuring perfection.

He looked at his creation with satisfaction. Although it was merely a standard cane, its purpose to channel magic—much like a wand—its appearance was the culmination of two lifetimes of experience, enough to astonish any lover of art.

Even those who disliked this style could hardly deny its beauty.

As it lacked destructive power, Qi Xiao tested it on the spot. Magic flowed smoothly through it, superior to most wands.

He hadn’t named it, intending to let his teacher choose. He was confident Midil would love this cane.