Bai Feng hefted the sack that she had filled with various ingredients for food from the storehouse over her shoulder with surprising ease. She had known she'd become stronger since her physical awakening, but to be carrying a full sack that in the past would have strained her at least a bit. Now, being able to carry it with casual ease was something she found she liked quite a bit. She idly wondered how much easier it'd be now to wield the shield and axe she'd been practicing with the day before, she was certainly looking forward to seeing the difference there.

Exiting through the ornate wooden doors of the storehouse which were emblazoned with the symbol of the sect she found herself pausing. Standing right outside of the storehouse was a girl with a small bird on her dress giving Bai Feng a small bow as she came out, one that she recognized from her spiritual cultivation lessons and as one of the disciples who had passed Elder Ning's trial. "Greetings Bai Feng." came her firm and polite voice, one which held none of the condescension she was getting used to hearing from other disciples in their off-handed comments about her that they thought she couldn't hear, or maybe they did think she'd hear but just didn't care.

Feeling both a bit confused and a little wary of the girl Bai Feng nonetheless gave a small bow of her own in turn. Chances were the girl wanted something from her if she was approaching her suddenly like this and actually being respectful, though that was no reason to be hostile even if she didn't know what she could want from her. She certainly hadn't been putting herself out there, had she?. Well, if anything it could be an opportunity, though it was certainly strange and a bit discomforting that she apparently knew her name despite never talking with her before. Still, she made sure to give her a friendly smile. "Hey."

The bird girl took a step closer to Bai Feng and she took that opportunity to take a better look at her. She was tall and athletic, someone she'd have expected to see in the physical cultivation lessons, though apparently, she thought differently unless she had somehow been completely missing her. She had short blonde hair and focused grey eyes. She kept her hands folded down in front of her and looked quite a bit older than most of the other disciples here, her face mostly neutral. "Before I say anything else, I wish to congratulate you on your swift physical awakening into the first stage of the copper body. An impressive feat considering you have only just begun."

Bai Feng blinked in surprise, she hadn't been expecting that. Could everybody here tell at a glance that she had physically awakened? She mentally noted that down as another thing to ask Yi An about later whenever she returned. "Thank ya, er, no offense but what's your name? It seems ya know mine already, but I don't actually know yours."

The bird girl blushed ever so slightly though otherwise didn't react as she responded. "Ah, my apologies, it seems I may have been a bit too hasty. My name is Li Zhelan."

Bai Feng nodded before extending her free hand out towards Li Zhalan. "Well, it's good to meet ya than Li Zhelan. So, what do ya want?" In the past whenever she had been approached for something she had always found it best to just be direct about it so she saw no reason why she shouldn't be.

Li Zhelan stared at her for a moment before she shook her hand, if a bit stiffly before folding her hands back together in front of her. "Well, you certainly have no qualms about getting right to it. I wish to discuss something with you, though I do see you were in the midst of getting some supplies back to your abode. Would you be amenable to me accompanying you back as we converse?"

Bai Feng simply shrugged as she motioned for her to follow while she began to walk back to her and Yi An's house. "I don't mind the company at all. Can't promise I'll agree to anythin', but ya certainly got my ears. Though, I'm not even sure how I even got your interest in the first place."

Li Zhelan fell into step beside her while her face became thoughtful before she answered. "Well, do you know how long cultivation usually takes for those just beginning to get a grasp of it?"

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Bai Feng shook her head. "Not really, a week or two if I had to guess?" Frankly, she was still trying to figure out a great deal of things about cultivation. The whole process behind had so many quirks to it she was sure she'd managed to already forget a few of them. And there was still so much she had to learn about it.

Li Zhelan gave her a look as she shook her head. "It would usually take around a month for most to achieve the same results you have. And you achieved that in just around a week. To simply awaken spiritually in a week would be impressive to most despite how some would claim how it was simply a fluke. To both spiritually and physically awaken is something more, though many would turn and say it was only possible because of Yi An's apparent favor with you when she took you as her roommate."

Bai Feng was certainly happy to get some confirmation that her progress which had felt a bit slow to her was in fact quite quick. But why was she talking about her relationship with Yi An like that? She was still a bit suspicious of the other girl and where she was going with this, giving her a questioning look. "En' what do ya consider it?"

Li Zhelan gave a small hum before she answered. "I could say that I do not believe at all like they do, though that would be a lie. I still have my doubts, doubts which can only be dispelled by time." She paused for a moment, but before I could say anything in response to that she continued on. "But that does not mean I believe you to be worthless or fully dependent on her as many would claim, such rapid growth must come from somewhere after all. So saying all that, I wish to spar with you so that I may have a better measure of you."

Bai Feng was more than a bit annoyed by even the suggestion that she was worthless here or that she was somehow only managing what she did because of her friend. She wouldn't deny that without her she probably would've struggled quite a bit more and what she was teaching her about literacy was something she probably wouldn't have been able to learn nearly as quickly by herself, not to mention what other advice and help the girl had given her. But her success had come because she had been putting her utmost into trying to understand and practice cultivation dammit. Though she certainly hadn't expected the sparring request that came right after.

Bai Feng huffed a bit, though she bit down on most of her annoyance. "While Yi An had been a great help 'en a good friend, what I've managed didn't happen because of her. En' what do ya mean get a better measure of me through sparrin'?"

Li Zhelan's voice stayed politely neutral in her response. "A good friend you say? I shall keep that in mind. And I simply find it easier to understand another I fight and I wish to understand you better."

It was clear to Bai Feng something was off in Li Zhelan's answer but she didn't particularly feel like trying to figure out whatever it was. Both because despite how she had annoyed her, Li Zhelan had still been far friendlier than the other disciples, and that she did actually want to spar with her. It would be a good opportunity to get better at fighting with weapons at the very least. Though she did have a few worries about sparring with the older girl. Memories flashed through her mind of how Zou Yawen had so simply nearly killed her and how little she had been able to do about it before she managed to clamp down on it. She force away a shudder and forced herself to calm down, she wouldn't let this opportunity slip past just because of that.

"Well, I'm not against sparrin' with ya, honestly I could use it myself. When do ya want to do it? I'd prefer not to miss either of the elder's lessons to do this though, warnin' ya now."

Li Zhelan gave her a nod. "I certainly would not think of taking your time away from them and I myself attend Elder Ning's lessons. I would wish to spar with you soon afterward in the training fields if that would not inconvenience you."

Bai Feng usually practiced a bit of what Elder Ning had taught before continuing her work with her arm meridian after spiritual cultivation, though she supposed she'd be fine doing it after the spar. "That should be jus' fine."

Li Zhelan for the first time gave her a very slight smile. "Then it is settled. I shall look forward to it. Farewell until then Bai Feng." She began taking off then, though not before giving Bai Feng a small bow.

Bai Feng returned it. "See ya than Li Zhelan."

Afterward, she made the journey back to her home in the sect in relative peace with the food. Yi An still wasn't anywhere which was beginning to worry her. Only a little bit though considering just how far ahead the girl was compared to her. She would almost certainly be fine. After stowing away the food and resting for a bit she attended the spiritual lessons which passed quickly. Before she knew it, she was at the training fields where she could already see Li Zhelan patiently waiting there, having somehow gotten there far before her after their spiritual lessons.

Bai Feng took a deep breath before waving to the other girl. It was time to figure out just what she could do against an actual opponent untrained as she was.