"Thanks!" Ji'an grinned, picking up a rib and taking a massive bite, entirely at ease. "It means I can start processing higher-tier beast meat. I got an Abyssal Dragon Bone from the Black Market. I'm going to make a broth that will blow your mind."
Wangchen watched her eat.
He didn't speak for a long moment. The silence in the room wasn't cold; rather, it felt... ambiguous.
He slowly reached into the wide sleeve of his damp inner robe.
"I also have something for you," Wangchen said quietly.
Ji'an paused mid-chew, looking up like a curious chipmunk. "Eh? What is it? A present? For my breakthrough?"
Wangchen pulled his hand from his sleeve. Resting on his pale palm was a beautiful, intricately woven bracelet.
It was crafted from incredibly thin, durable threads of silver and deep, midnight-blue spirit-silk, and in the center of the weave rested a single, flawless, translucent bead of pure ice-jade.
