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"Since the senior comes from Heaven Mountain, I might as well address you by that association and call you Tianlao. What do you think of this, senior?" Jiang Tang made a polite bow.
"A name means little to me. You can call me as you like, young friend," the white-clothed elder said, waving his hand with indifference.
Jiang Tang cracked a smile.
It had been a long time since he had encountered such a kind and amiable elder.
"Young man, there is a scent of medicine on you. Could you be a disciple of the Medicine Sect?" Tianlao suddenly spoke up.
"I am not a disciple of the Medicine Sect. I am a disciple of the Immortal Sect. However, I have not yet entered the Outer Sect and am preparing to take the assessment," Jiang Tang sheepishly conveyed his status as a servant disciple.
In truth, he was somewhat vain.
After three years of muddling through without making a name for himself and still being just a servant disciple, it was indeed a bit embarrassing for someone who had traversed worlds.
"Your skill in medicine is passable, but your ability to cure is lacking some innate talent. Young friend, come here." Tianlao beckoned Jiang Tang after a moment's contemplation.
Jiang Tang, puzzled, complied.
"Stretch out your hand."
Jiang Tang extended his hand.
Tianlao reached out with his finger and slowly wrote a character in Jiang Tang's palm that the latter could not understand.
When he stopped, the character emitted a golden light, which then merged into Jiang Tang's body.
In an instant, countless profound insights about the art of medicine sprang up in Jiang Tang's mind.
Jiang Tang's head buzzed.
It felt a bit numb.
It ached a bit.
And there was another feeling... indescribable.
This feeling was like those small-time thugs in kung fu movies, who suddenly had their governor and conception vessels unblocked and turned into matchless martial artists.
Of course, Jiang Tang wasn't referring to martial arts secrets, but the path of medicine.
Indeed, after Tianlao wrote that line of characters in his palm, Jiang Tang, just like those protagonists, instantly went from a nobody to a peak existence.
It wasn't that he was boasting; the medical knowledge flooding his brain was so profound that even a small part of it could easily overwhelm any disciple of the Medicine Sect, including those from the Holy Medical Valley.
Because this medical skill came directly from the inheritance of The Upper Realm. It included legacies left by previous generations of the Medicine Sect and the Holy Medical Valley who had ascended to become immortals.
After the decline of spiritual energy in the previous generation, the transmission of knowledge was interrupted.
Although much has been restored today, there have still been omissions.
Yet, Jiang Tang could feel that this inheritance was not only complete but also included detailed annotations from those great beings, like a beginner's guide, carefully guiding you to become an unparalleled master of life and death by medicine.
Higher than the mortal understanding, the profundity within these medical principles dwarfed the medical practices of the Mortal Realm, as if a novice encountering a grand master.
In response to this, Jiang Tang felt his own knowledge was too shallow to express his astonishment in words.
If he had to use one word to describe it, that would be awesome.
Too damned awesome.
Utterly incredible.
After absorbing this medical knowledge, Jiang Tang's view of Tianlao had completely changed.
"Senior, are you really just wandering the Four Seas?" Haven't ascended or gone to other places?
Tianlao was startled, then stroked his long beard and suddenly smiled.
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"The Four Seas are vast indeed, with shores that touch the heavens. The Nine States Continent is the only land within the Mortal Realm. Its territories are expansive, but always there are taller mountains beyond. Young friend, have you ever heard of 'The Free and Unfettered Journey'?" Tianlao asked, smiling.
"In the northern darkness there is a fish, known as Kun, so huge I do not know its tens of thousands of miles in size," Jiang Tang nodded and recited the familiar lines.
"Hmm. Do you know, then, where Kunpeng aspires to go?"
"Could it be—"
"The Upper Realm. The place they reach at the edge of the sky is marked by a towering column of water that pierces the heavens. If they can soar upward for ninety thousand miles, the place they arrive at will be the Immortal Realm," Tianlao explained, laughing again as he slowly rose to his feet and walked into the distance.
"Young friend, I have bestowed upon you these skills because I saw a connection between us. If you use them to kill indiscriminately, I will have to take all of them back. If that happens, may we meet again by fate," he said as his figure blended into the darkness.
Was he implying that he would take the Immeasurable Ancient Jade with him?
Jiang Tang bowed in the direction Tianlao had left: "Tianlao, I will certainly not disappoint your expectations."
He scattered a ring of poison powder around him to induce fainting, then entered the Spirit Field Space.
Eryao had already gathered the mature crops and was plowing the field with Niu.
After plowing two acres, Eryao helped Niu remove the plow and turned to see Jiang Tang excitedly pouncing on him, pawing at his arm with a soft, sticky voice, "Daddy, when can we expand this place? Eryao feels so cramped."
Jiang Tang noticed that time flowed swiftly within the space, and Eryao's form had become much more robust than before, gaining weight, no longer light and airy, but somewhat heavy.
Its eyes were no longer muddled but clear—it seemed that Eryao's consciousness had cultivated to the state of enlightenment.
"In a few more days, once your old father consolidates his cultivation, he will break through the Six Heavens and expand the Spirit Field here," Jiang Tang patted Eryao's head, "Go eat something with Niu. Your old father needs to return to the Sect."
Eryao nodded obediently.
Before leaving, Jiang Tang found a courier station in the nearby town and entrust them with a batch of Spirit Grass and Spiritual Medicine for the Holy Pavilion.
The Holy Pavilion's business was booming. In less than half a day, that Spirit Grass and Spiritual Medicine would be snatched up. If Jiang Tang did not limit the quantity each day, the visitors would likely be even more continuous and unending.
Even so, it still kept several people very busy.
Of course, there were those who envied this business and wanted to cause trouble.
But upon seeing the Immortal Sect emblem next to the doorframe, they would stop in their tracks.
After purchasing a batch of seeds at the foot of the mountain, Jiang Tang hurried back up.
He was almost late and had to pay the fine.
Fortunately, all was well.
Upon returning to the courtyard, Jiang Tang saw Yao Xuan standing there, looking around anxiously.
"Yao Senior Brother, what are you standing there for? Please, come in and have a seat," Jiang Tang raised an eyebrow slightly as he approached Yao Xuan with a bow.
Upon seeing Jiang Tang, Yao Xuan jumped, then calmed down and touched the back of his head, laughing somewhat embarrassedly, "Ah, Jiang, I've brought you a batch of top-quality Spiritual Plant Seeds as a token of gratitude. Please accept them."
As he spoke, he handed Jiang Tang a Qiankun Bag.
Jiang Tang tried to decline, but Yao Xuan simply pressed the Qiankun Bag into his hands and bowed to him, "Thank you, Jiang, for saving my life with your pills."
Then he quickly left as if Jiang Tang was some kind of terrible disaster.
Jiang Tang: "..." He wasn't that scary.
Helplessly looking down, Jiang Tang opened the Qiankun Bag to examine the seeds.
He was fine until he saw them, then Jiang Tang was utterly dumbfounded.
The batch of seeds on the top was fairly ordinary, but the batch below was the extremely rare Hunyuan Lingzhi Grass Seeds that he had read about in ancient texts!