Chapter 83
"Master Ma, Happy Fort has been dealt with, but what should we do with the rescued girls?"
It was night at the Grand Bazaar, inside Mago's residence. Xiao Tian was reporting.
"What are their wishes?" Mago asked.
"Most of these girls were sold to the fort by their parents or husbands. They don't want to return to their previous homes and hope Master Ma can provide them a way out."
Mago pondered for a moment and said, "Keep a few to help at the Grand Bazaar. Send the rest to the cloth shop. Old Li mentioned he was short on hands. Sending him so many people should stop him from bothering me again."
"Yes."
Xiao Tian agreed with the idea. The cloth shop was all women, so arranging for the girls there was perfect.
"There's one more thing, Master Ma. Besides a lot of money, we found these two items at Happy Fort."
Xiao Tian took out two books from his chest and presented them.
Mago was surprised when he looked at them. "Secret manuals?"
He flipped through them and discovered they were martial arts books for the Qi and Blood Realm.
One was called Heart-Snatching Hand, and the other was Poison Wolf Fist.
"The ninth leader of the Black Wolf Gang, the Heart-Snatcher Wolf, must have relied on these two martial arts," Mago said.
"Yes, these manuals were found in Heart-Snatcher Wolf's bedroom, placed conspicuously. The pages were worn, indicating frequent study," Xiao Tian explained.
"What's the use of diligence? He was no match for Brother Lu, who didn't even get a scratch," Mago said disdainfully.
Mago had observed earlier that Lu Qing had slaughtered almost everyone in Happy Fort without getting hurt, only his clothes stained with blood.
It was clear that Heart-Snatcher Wolf posed no threat to Lu Qing.
"Indeed, the girls present at the time said that Heart-Snatcher Wolf was defeated by Young Master Lu in one move," Xiao Tian said.
"My little brother is truly extraordinary. I thought his cultivation talent was amazing, but his martial skills are equally impressive," Mago sighed.
He was genuinely shocked by Lu Qing's displayed strength.
Both were Qi and Blood Realm fighters, and Heart-Snatcher Wolf had been honing his skills for years. Yet, he was no match for Lu Qing.
The disparity in strength was so vast that Mago couldn't comprehend how Lu Qing had achieved it.
While martial arts progression could be attributed to talent, combat experience required more than just innate ability.
From the battle marks in the fort, it was evident that Lu Qing had crushed Heart-Snatcher Wolf effortlessly.
How did he do it?
Mago couldn't figure it out.
"Young Master Lu's killing intent is terrifying," Xiao Tian said, recalling the carnage at Happy Fort.
He couldn't believe that the usually gentle and polite Lu Qing could be so ruthless, beheading people with ease.
Now, Xiao Tian held a deep sense of awe and fear towards Lu Qing.
Mago also felt uneasy thinking about the massacre at Happy Fort.
As a Tendons and Bones Realm fighter, he had seen his share of battles and taken lives.
But even his years of killing couldn't compare to Lu Qing's slaughter in one night.
He shook his head to dispel the gruesome images.
"Alright, keep these manuals here. They're Brother Lu's spoils. When the money from Happy Fort is counted, I'll deliver it to him personally," Mago said.
"Master Ma, how should we handle the Black Wolf Gang next?" Xiao Tian asked, worried. "They'll surely investigate after losing Happy Fort."
Xiao Tian was concerned. The Black Wolf Gang was powerful, stronger than the Ma family.
If a conflict arose, they might not withstand the pressure.
"There's nothing for us to handle," Mago said. "The Wei family's head steward values Brother Lu highly and won't let anything happen to him. I'll write a letter tonight. You will deliver it to the Wei mansion. They will handle the rest."
Xiao Tian's eyes brightened, realizing Master Ma had already planned ahead.
That night, Xiao Tian rode swiftly to the Wei mansion, arriving at dawn and handing the letter to the gatekeeper.
When the Wei family's head steward received the letter, he opened it and read, showing a surprised expression.
He took the letter to a serene courtyard where a middle-aged man with a black beard was practicing Tai Chi.
"Master, there's a matter requiring your decision," the steward said respectfully.
"Oh? What requires your decision?" the middle-aged man asked while practicing.
"It's about Dr. Chen's disciple."
The black-bearded man paused his practice and stopped.
"What is it?"
"This letter from Mago of the Ma family just arrived," the steward said.
"Mago? That branch member almost expelled from the Ma family?" the man asked.
"Yes, it's the same Mago. Young Master Zian was staying with him when he was injured, and thanks to Mago's warning, he was treated in time by Dr. Chen," the steward explained.
The black-bearded man nodded and opened the letter.
As he read, his brows furrowed.
"Is this true?"
After reading, he looked up.
"The letter came without verification, but Mago wouldn't dare lie about such a matter," the steward replied.
"The Black Wolf Gang's actions are outrageous," the black-bearded man frowned.
"Shall I send someone to deal with the Black Wolf Gang?" the steward asked tentatively.
The Wei family's power made erasing the Black Wolf Gang easy.
Moreover, the master disliked such misconduct.
The black-bearded man considered the letter again.
"The letter mentions Dr. Chen's disciple, right?"
"Yes, Young Master Lu stayed up all night making medicine to save our young master," the steward confirmed.
"What a ruthless youth!" the black-bearded man praised. "Killing nearly a hundred villains in one night. Such ferocity is rare even in all of Cang County."
The steward remained silent, also amazed by Lu Qing's other side.
He saw Lu Qing daily at the Halfway House but never realized he was so decisive in killing.
Initially, he doubted Mago's letter, thinking it was a mistake.
More surprising was Lu Qing's martial progress.
When leaving the Halfway House, Lu Qing had just entered the Qi and Blood Realm.
How could he now defeat Heart-Snatcher Wolf, a seasoned Qi and Blood Realm fighter?
"I remember you suggested the mistress send gifts to this young man, right?" the man asked.
"Yes, seeing his talent, I recommended befriending him," the steward explained.
"Your judgment was right. He is indeed a rare talent."
The black-bearded man praised again.
"But even geniuses need pressure to grow. The Black Wolf Gang will serve as his whetstone."
"I understand."
The steward grasped the master's intent.
"Go and arrange it."
The steward left, summoning the guards and writing a letter for Xiao Tian to deliver.
As Xiao Tian rushed back, a group of silver-armored guards rode out from the Wei mansion's side gate.
"Are those Wei family's Silver-armored Guards?"
"What's happening for Wei mansion to deploy them?"
"The last time they moved was when the young master was injured. Has something happened again?"
"Nonsense! The young master is still recovering. How could he go out?"
"Then why are they moving?"
The Wei mansion's actions always attracted the city's attention.
Seeing the Silver-armored Guards, all spies were on alert.
The Silver-armored Guards were an elite force of at least Tendons and Bones Realm fighters.
Such strength was formidable even in other factions, but they served as guards in the Wei mansion.
This highlighted the Wei family's superior status, untouchable by any faction.
Even the County Magistrate needed permission to meet the Wei family head.
Seeing the guards move shocked the factions.
"Look, they're heading west!"
Seeing their direction, the factions were even more shocked.
The west side was a chaotic area with mixed inhabitants and complex forces.
Why were the guards heading there?
Especially the west side factions felt uneasy, unsure if they were the target.
The Silver-armored Guards rode west, stopping before a building.
"Spring Moon Pavilion?"
Seeing their destination, everyone was stunned.
Spring Moon Pavilion was the city's most famous brothel.
But why were the guards there? To escort someone?
Then a loud voice shouted from the lead guard:
"Black Wolf, get out here!"
Black Wolf?!
Hearing this, everyone was shocked again.
They didn't expect the guards to target the Black Wolf, the leader of the Black Wolf Gang.
Now everyone watched eagerly, especially the west side factions, gloating.
They didn't know how Black Wolf offended the Wei mansion but were glad to see it.
Inside Spring Moon Pavilion, a tall, burly man with long limbs, a hairy chest, and a scarred face looked shocked.
"The Silver-armored Guards are here for me?"
"Brother!" Several men burst in. "What's happening? Why do the Wei mansion's guards want to see you?"
They were other leaders of the Black Wolf Gang.
"I don't know!" Black Wolf said, panicking.
He tried to recall recent events but couldn't think of anything that offended the Wei mansion.
"Why are the guards so aggressive, calling you out?" the second leader asked.
"I wish I knew! I haven't left the west side recently, let alone provoke the Wei mansion!" Black Wolf said, scared and confused.
The other leaders were silent, agreeing that Black Wolf couldn't dare offend the Wei mansion.
"What now? Should we go out?" someone asked.
"Do we have a choice?" Black Wolf said bitterly.
They realized they had no choice, seeing the guards outside.
"Maybe it's not as bad as we think. The guards didn't storm in, so there's room for negotiation," the second leader said.
"True," the others agreed.
If they had deeply offended the Wei mansion, the guards would have stormed in.
"Alright, I'll go out!"
Trusting the second leader's judgment, Black Wolf gritted his teeth and decided.
Chapter 84
Outside Spring Moon Building, the spies from various forces waited for a while but didn't see the Black Wolf Gang emerge, showing astonished expressions.
Could it be that the Black Wolf Gang dared to defy the Wei family's orders?
Even the leading Silver Moon Guard was somewhat surprised.
Just as he was considering whether to storm in and arrest the people directly, a few figures suddenly appeared at the building's entrance.
The man at the forefront, wearing a humble smile, jogged over to the Silver Moon Guards.
Nodding and bowing, he said, "I did not know the esteemed Silver Moon Guards were gracing us with their presence. Please forgive us for not welcoming you sooner!"
Behind him, the other leaders of the Black Wolf Gang also accompanied with smiles, their postures extremely low.
However, the Silver Moon Guards remained unmoved.
The leader, holding a long spear, shouted directly, "Black Wolf, do you know your crime!"
Black Wolf's heart skipped a beat.
The other leaders of the Black Wolf Gang also had a change of expression.
"Sir, I am innocent! I truly don't know what crime I've committed. Even if you gave me a hundred thousand guts, I wouldn't dare offend your noble house!" Black Wolf looked extremely aggrieved.
Bang!
As soon as Black Wolf finished speaking, the leading Silver Moon Guard reversed his long spear, the butt of the spear thrusting toward Black Wolf's chest with lightning speed.
This sudden move was extremely swift and the technique was profound. With Black Wolf's strength, he didn't even have time to react before he was struck in the chest.
The powerful force exploded, causing him to spurt a mouthful of blood and fly backward, crashing into the wall of Spring Moon Building, leaving a hole.
"Big brother!"
The other leaders of the Black Wolf Gang shouted in alarm.
However, it was not over yet. Just as their shouts escaped, several spear shadows flashed, and the remaining leaders were also sent flying, spitting blood, landing beside Black Wolf.
This sudden turn of events shocked all the onlookers.
No one expected the Silver Moon Guards to suddenly make a move.
Even more unexpected was that the renowned Black Wolf couldn't even withstand a single move before being seriously injured and spitting blood.
"Sir, why is this?"
Black Wolf, slumped against the wall, looked at the Silver Moon Guard in fear.
Tendons and Bones Realm perfection!
With just one move, he could tell that the Silver Moon Guard's martial arts level was far above his, reaching the perfection of the Tendons and Bones Realm.
Otherwise, with his already perfected Tendons and Bones, how could he not withstand even a single move?
Only someone at the perfection of the Tendons and Bones Realm, with perfect control over their strength, could make him unable to catch the trajectory of that spear.
Just a guard with such power at the perfection of the Tendons and Bones Realm.
At this moment, Black Wolf's awe towards the Wei family reached its peak.
"Black Wolf, don't think that what your Black Wolf Gang has done can really deceive everyone."
At this time, the leading Silver Moon Guard spoke indifferently.
"Your Black Wolf Gang set up a stronghold in the mountains outside the city, kidnapping women and forcing them into prostitution, harming the region. Did you think no one would find out?"
"Is it because of the Happy Fort?" Black Wolf's eyes widened in disbelief.
He never thought that the disaster would be brought upon him by the insignificant Happy Fort outside the city.
When did the mighty Wei family start paying attention to such trivial matters?
"Sir, it's not like that..."
Black Wolf hurriedly tried to explain, but the Silver Moon Guard didn't give him a chance.
"Our master greatly disapproves of the Happy Fort. It is already destroyed, but your Black Wolf Gang must be punished. This spear strike is just a warning. If you do not restrain yourself, then there is no need for the Black Wolf Gang to exist."
It even alarmed that person in the Wei family!
This time, Black Wolf was truly terrified.
However, before he could explain further, the Silver Moon Guards had already turned their horses and were leisurely heading back the way they came, completely ignoring the injured Black Wolf Gang leaders on the ground.
The Silver Moon Guards came suddenly and left quickly.
But the shock they left was enormous.
Just one Silver Moon Guard, with a few casual spear strikes, rendered all the leaders of the Black Wolf Gang severely injured.
The unfathomable depth of the Wei family's power once again filled all the forces in the county with awe.
In recent years, the Wei family had focused their efforts on the prefecture, keeping a low profile in Cang County.
This had made many forces restless recently.
But the Silver Moon Guard's actions made everyone clearly realize.
In Cang County, the Wei family still called the shots.
Looking at the seriously injured Black Wolf Gang leaders in front of Spring Moon Building, the crowd felt a mix of pity and schadenfreude.
Offending the Wei family, even the head of the Wei family expressed displeasure.
The days ahead for the Black Wolf Gang in this county town seemed bleak.
The other forces in the western part of the city looked at Black Wolf and his people with malicious intent.
Some even thought about taking advantage of their injuries to finish them off.
But that thought was quickly dismissed.
Even the Silver Moon Guards didn't kill Black Wolf and his people. Killing them now would be a blatant slap in the Wei family's face.
After witnessing the Wei family's dominance, only a fool would want to provoke them further.
However, while they couldn't kill them, the power dynamics in the western part of the city could still change.
The Black Wolf Gang had been domineering in the west for too long; it was time for them to relinquish some benefits.
The forces in the western part of the city were calculating.
Other forces, however, were concerned about something else.
"Find out immediately what the Silver Moon Guard meant by the Happy Fort!"
Many forces issued this command simultaneously.
In the county magistrate's office, a handsome middle-aged man with phoenix eyes also gave a similar order.
After his subordinates left, he looked in a certain direction in the city, his eyes flashing with an inexplicable light.
As the county magistrate, he should have been the highest authority in the county town.
But because of the Wei family, his presence in the county was greatly diminished.
Of course, this was also intentional on his part.
After all, the Wei family was not someone he could afford to offend.
Even though he was from a noble family, it didn't matter.
Because the Wei family was special.
Other noble families did not have a Precelestial ancestor still alive.
"I want to see what it is that made you, usually silent, suddenly so high-profile."
The man with phoenix eyes looked ahead and murmured.
Unaware of the events in the town, Xiao Tian received the Wei family's reply and immediately left the city, heading back to the Grand Bazaar.
Thus, he missed such a dramatic scene.
Due to his horse not getting enough rest, Xiao Tian did not rush on his way back.
By the afternoon, he returned to the Grand Bazaar and handed the letter to Mago.
Mago took the letter, opened it, and his face lit up with joy.
"Prepare, we're going to Jiuli Village!"
Chapter 85
As Lu Qing saw Mago off, he gazed at the two martial arts manuals in his hand and fell into deep thought.
Not long ago, Mago had come to visit, bringing part of his spoils from Happy Fort and two pieces of news.
One piece of news was that he had cleaned up all the bodies in Happy Fort and made proper arrangements for those unfortunate girls. Lu Qing wasn't surprised by this. Earlier in the day, he had gone out again and found that Happy Fort had been reduced to ruins. Not only had Mago dealt with the bodies, but he had also burned down the entire fort.
The other piece of news was somewhat unexpected: the Wei family had stepped in to help cover up the incident. This meant that, for the time being, he didn't need to worry about the Black Wolf Gang coming to the village to cause trouble.
"The Wei family... I owe them a favor this time," Lu Qing thought to himself.
He could guess why the Wei family would help him. It was likely because they saw his potential in martial arts and wanted to invest in him early. Understanding this was one thing, but Lu Qing still noted the favor in his heart. After all, in this world, there were many who would add flowers to a brocade but few who would send charcoal in snowy weather. This time, the Wei family had sent charcoal.
However, Lu Qing didn't have the ability to repay this favor for now and could only keep it in mind.
"Ah Qing, are you home?"
As Lu Qing was deep in thought, a call came from outside the house. Recognizing Grandpa Zhang's voice, he put away the two manuals and stepped outside.
"Grandpa Zhang, what's the matter?"
"Nothing much, I just saw you had visitors earlier and came to check," Grandpa Zhang said.
"Yes, they just left," Lu Qing replied.
He had originally wanted Mago and his companions to stay for dinner, but Mago seemed to have other matters to attend to and regretfully declined.
"Ah Qing, the people who came earlier looked familiar. Was one of them Master Ma from the Grand Bazaar?" Grandpa Zhang asked.
Grandpa Zhang occasionally visited the Grand Bazaar and had some impression of its overseers.
"Yes, it was Master Ma. We have some connections, and he brought some things for me," Lu Qing confirmed.
"It really was Master Ma!" Grandpa Zhang was surprised. "Ah Qing, you're becoming more impressive, able to associate with such important figures."
To a rural old man like Grandpa Zhang, Mago was one of the most prominent figures in the area, being someone who managed a large bazaar. He was astonished that Lu Qing knew such a person.
"It's just that Master Ma thinks highly of me," Lu Qing said modestly.
"But you must have abilities of your own, otherwise, even if someone tried to force a connection, Master Ma might not even look their way," Grandpa Zhang disagreed with Lu Qing's modesty.
Although Grandpa Zhang didn't have much experience, he knew that someone like Master Ma, who appeared friendly to everyone, actually had very high standards. Rural folks like them wouldn't catch his eye. Otherwise, with the bustling bazaar, he wouldn't be so courteous to anyone, let alone visit personally.
"Let's not talk about this. Grandpa Zhang, I was just about to cook. Would you like to stay for dinner?"
Lu Qing smiled, changing the subject.
"No, I've got my share at home. Actually, I came to talk about these banknotes and this IOU," Grandpa Zhang said, taking out a few banknotes and an IOU from his pocket.
Lu Qing recognized them as the ones Han Lao Wu had offered in exchange for his life. After killing Han Lao Wu and the others, he had been too busy seeking information from Mago to pay attention to these small matters.
"These banknotes were given to you by that Black Wolf Gang villain. Now they are returned to their rightful owner," Grandpa Zhang said, handing over the banknotes and the IOU.
Lu Qing took the IOU but left the banknotes.
"Grandpa Zhang, I don't need these banknotes. Please distribute them to the villagers," he said.
"You don't want them?" Grandpa Zhang was stunned. The three banknotes totaled three hundred taels of silver. It was hard to believe that Lu Qing would refuse such a sum.
"Grandpa Zhang, after this incident, I realized there were many hidden truths about my parents' deaths. If it weren't for the villagers' help back then, Xiao Yan and I would have been captured by the Black Wolf Gang long ago. And yesterday, if it weren't for everyone's efforts to protect Xiao Yan, she wouldn't have waited for me to return and would have been taken away."
"The villagers have been very kind to us siblings, and I can't repay this kindness. These silver taels are a small token of my gratitude," Lu Qing said sincerely.
He had seen how the villagers protected Xiao Yan with their lives. Although Xiao Li was there and Han Lao Wu couldn't have harmed Xiao Yan, the villagers' bravery touched him deeply. Having encountered despicable people like Zhao Lao San and the other scoundrels, he valued the villagers' purity even more.
A few hundred taels of silver was nothing to him now. It was better to use it to improve the villagers' lives as a token of appreciation for their care.
"Ah Qing, your words put us to shame," Grandpa Zhang sighed. "If it weren't for your grandfather, most of the villagers wouldn't have survived until now. Your grandfather's kindness to Jiuli Village was a matter of life and death."
"If we let you and Xiao Yan be bullied by those villains, how could we face your grandfather in the afterlife?"
"So, you should keep these banknotes. We just did what we had to do."
Seeing Grandpa Zhang's serious expression, Lu Qing finally took one banknote.
"Alright, I'll take this one hundred taels. The rest is my token of appreciation."
Seeing that Grandpa Zhang still wanted to say something, Lu Qing added, "Grandpa Zhang, with my abilities now, do you really think I won't earn more silver in the future?"
Grandpa Zhang thought of how easily Lu Qing had defeated the Black Wolf Gang, his apprenticeship under the old doctor, and his connection with Master Ma. He realized that Lu Qing was no longer the helpless boy he once was. He was now capable of handling things on his own, and his future accomplishments were beyond their imagination.
Finally, Grandpa Zhang nodded.
"Alright, I'll thank you on behalf of everyone," he said.
Chapter 86
"Grandpa Zhang, how do you plan to divide these two hundred taels of silver?" Lu Qing asked.
"Of course, it will be divided equally. Every household in the village will get the same amount," Grandpa Zhang said matter-of-factly.
Lu Qing nodded.
As the saying goes, "Fear not scarcity, but inequality." When it comes to money, the most feared thing is favoritism. Equal distribution is the best way.
"However, it's not easy to exchange these silver notes for silver," Grandpa Zhang said with some difficulty.
Lu Qing thought for a moment and understood the old man's concern.
To exchange these silver notes for silver, they would need to go to a silver bank.
But silver banks only exist in the county seat.
And asking the villagers to take the silver notes to the city to exchange for silver, not to mention they wouldn't dare, even Lu Qing wouldn't feel at ease.
The county seat is so far away. Carrying such a large sum of silver, if they were targeted by ill-intentioned people, it would be uncertain if they could return safely.
"It was my oversight. Grandpa Zhang, give me the silver notes," Lu Qing said. "I'll go find Master Ma tomorrow to exchange the notes for silver."
"That would be best." Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhang immediately handed the two silver notes to Lu Qing.
"I'll bring the silver to you tomorrow."
After Grandpa Zhang left, Lu Qing returned to his room and opened a small box, revealing a dazzling array of silver ingots.
This box of silver was one of the gifts brought by Mago not long ago.
Last night, Mago and his men ransacked Happy Fort.
It was unknown how long Happy Fort had been accumulating without sending money to the headquarters, but Mago and his men had gained a lot.
After counting, Mago brought what he believed to be Lu Qing's share.
Lu Qing couldn't refuse, so he accepted it.
Lu Qing began to take out silver ingots from the box.
Mago had carefully packed the box, which was mostly filled with silver ingots.
The large ones were ten taels each, and the small ones were five taels.
Lu Qing took out forty five-tael silver ingots, almost emptying the box of small ingots.
Early the next morning, Lu Qing carried the silver to Grandpa Zhang's house.
"Grandpa Zhang." Standing outside Zhang's house, Lu Qing called.
"Ah Qing is here, come in quickly!"
Grandpa Zhang hadn't slept well last night and stayed home all morning, afraid that he would miss Lu Qing if he came looking for him.
It wasn't that he was greedy for the silver; it was because this silver was meant to be distributed to the villagers, a matter of great importance, so he didn't dare to be careless.
Lu Qing carried the silver inside with Grandpa Zhang.
"Ah Qing, why are you here?"
Coincidentally, Grandpa Zhang's whole family, including his two sons and daughters-in-law, were all home.
Seeing Lu Qing come in, they all stood up, very surprised.
Especially Grandpa Zhang's two sons, who looked at Lu Qing with a hint of restraint.
They had been present yesterday when Han Lao Wu and his men arrived, witnessing firsthand how Lu Qing killed those evildoers.
So now, both of them felt a certain reverence towards Lu Qing.
"I've come to deliver the silver," Lu Qing said with a smile.
"Deliver the silver?"
Grandpa Zhang's sons and daughters-in-law were confused.
Lu Qing poured the silver ingots from the cloth bag onto the table, and the white silver light dazzled everyone in the room.
In the stunned gazes of Grandpa Zhang's family, Lu Qing said, "Grandpa Zhang, I've exchanged the silver notes for silver. Here are forty ingots, each weighing five taels. You can distribute them to everyone."
"Good, good. I'll gather everyone to divide the silver right away."
Grandpa Zhang was also momentarily stunned by the pile of silver, but he quickly recovered, having lived many years and having better self-control than his sons and daughters-in-law.
"Father, what do you mean by dividing the silver?"
At this point, Grandpa Zhang's eldest son finally reacted.
"Ah Qing decided to distribute the silver notes obtained from those evildoers yesterday to the villagers. These silver ingots are what he exchanged at the Grand Bazaar," Grandpa Zhang explained.
"So much silver, and you're giving it all away?"
Grandpa Zhang's sons and daughters-in-law were astonished.
"Don't talk nonsense. You two, go and call everyone to the ancestral hall. Don't mention dividing the silver yet, just say I have something important to discuss," Grandpa Zhang glared at them.
"Okay, I'll go right now."
The two sons hurried out.
"Grandpa Zhang, I won't participate in the silver distribution. You handle it," Lu Qing said as he stood up to leave.
"How can that be? The silver is yours. What will it look like if you're not present?" Grandpa Zhang quickly said.
"It's just some silver. Don't worry, Grandpa Zhang. Just distribute it normally. I have important matters to attend to with my master, so I can't stay," Lu Qing said.
Lu Qing wanted the villagers to be happy with the distribution. If he showed up, he would inevitably face a lot of gratitude and formalities.
So, it was better not to appear at all.
Seeing Lu Qing so determined, Grandpa Zhang could only say, "Alright then. If you have urgent matters with the old doctor, go ahead."
Watching Lu Qing leave, Grandpa Zhang sighed.
He could somewhat guess that Lu Qing didn't want to go to the ancestral hall because he was shy and didn't want to face the villagers' gratitude.
Not knowing how to persuade him, Grandpa Zhang could only let him be.
Grandpa Zhang was highly respected in the village.
Upon hearing that he had something important to discuss, it wasn't long before villagers began gathering at the ancestral hall, even those busy in the fields.
"Old Zhang, what's going on? Why the urgency to gather everyone?"
At the ancestral hall, seeing that Grandpa Zhang had called all the heads of the village households, the villagers were surprised, thinking something serious had happened again.
Some elderly villagers called out immediately.
The others, still anxious from yesterday's events, began to worry.
"Don't be nervous. This time, I've gathered you all to announce good news," Grandpa Zhang said, signaling everyone to stay calm.
Behind him on the desk was a bulging cloth bag, its contents unknown.
Next to it were a small scale and scissors, their purpose unclear.
"What good news?"
Hearing it was good news, everyone relaxed and quickly asked.
"Yesterday, Ah Qing obtained some silver notes from the evildoers he killed. He has decided to distribute most of it to everyone," Grandpa Zhang said as he carefully poured out the silver ingots from the bag.
"Here is the silver that Ah Qing exchanged. A total of two hundred taels. Our village, excluding Ah Qing's family, has thirty-seven households. Divided equally, each household will receive about five taels of silver."
Everyone in the ancestral hall was first stunned by the sight of the white silver ingots.
Then, hearing Grandpa Zhang's words, they couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
Not far away, on the hillside heading to the Halfway House, Lu Qing heard the commotion and smiled.
Chapter 87
"Xiao Li, is this the place where you found the ginseng?"
Lu Qing surveyed the surroundings and asked Xiao Li, who was perched on his shoulder.
At this moment, he was deep within the mountains, several tens of miles away from Jiuli Village.
Dense forests surrounded him, with towering trees exuding a primordial atmosphere.
The contrast between the inside and outside of this mountain was like two different worlds.
Since learning that the Black Wolf Gang had been suppressed by the Wei family and wouldn't be able to trouble him for a while, Lu Qing had felt much more relaxed.
He began to consider how to utilize this opportunity to quickly enhance his strength.
Once his strength increased, he wouldn't have to fear the small Black Wolf Gang anymore.
Currently, the easiest way for him to improve was through the power of blood qi.
After comprehending the mysteries of complete blood qi, the Qi and Blood Realm presented no bottleneck for Lu Qing.
As long as he had sufficient pills, he could increase his blood qi power without restraint.
However, due to previous training, he had almost exhausted the bottle of Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills his master had refined.
So, after some thought, Lu Qing decided to enter the mountains with Xiao Li to gather the wild ginseng it had discovered before.
This was why Lu Qing now found himself in the deep mountains.
"Howl~"
Xiao Li let out a cry, nodded, and pointed in a direction with its paw.
Lu Qing immediately activated his ability and began to search the vicinity.
Ignoring the common herbs, Lu Qing's only target now was ginseng.
After a search, he soon made a discovery.
[Ginseng: A precious herb, edible, non-toxic.]
[This ginseng has grown for fifty years.]
Seeing the ginseng emitting a white light in his vision, Lu Qing felt a bit disappointed.
This ginseng hadn't reached a hundred years, and the light it emitted was merely white, making it far less precious than the two ginseng roots Xiao Li had given him.
Leaving the newly discovered ginseng untouched, Lu Qing continued his search.
A fifty-year-old wild ginseng would still be considered valuable in an external pharmacy.
But now, Lu Qing didn't think much of it.
So, he planned to search some more.
Before long, he made another discovery.
[Ginseng: A precious herb, edible, non-toxic.]
[This ginseng has grown for five years, with average medicinal properties.]
To his surprise, this newly found ginseng was even worse than the last, having only grown for five years.
It was nothing more than a baby ginseng.
"Really? Such bad luck?"
Seeing the information from his ability, Lu Qing was somewhat stunned.
"I don't believe it!"
Lu Qing resumed his search.
He could have asked Xiao Li directly, but he didn't.
He had fallen into a mindset of not giving up.
Even Xiao Li, a small beast that didn't understand herbs, could find two hundred-year-old ginseng roots. How could he, who had thoroughly studied the Compendium of Materia Medica and possessed abilities, not find a hundred-year-old ginseng?
Continuing his search, Lu Qing found a few more ginseng roots, but none of them were over a hundred years old. The oldest was only eighty years.
Seeing that the eighty-year-old ginseng still emitted a white light, Lu Qing didn't pick it either.
"Could it be that the only hundred-year-old ginseng here was the two Xiao Li dug up?"
After finding another thirty-year-old ginseng, Lu Qing began to doubt.
"It shouldn't be, otherwise Xiao Li wouldn't have brought me here."
Lu Qing resumed his search, and finally, half an hour later, he had a breakthrough.
However, upon seeing this newly found ginseng, he was stunned.
[Ginseng: A precious herb, non-toxic, edible.]
[This ginseng has grown for over two hundred years.]
[Legend has it that ginseng with enough age possesses various miraculous effects, and some can even develop spiritual intelligence.]
"Two hundred years!"
Seeing the ginseng emitting a red-tinted white light on the ground, Lu Qing's eyes widened.
He hadn't expected to find nothing but young ginseng roots before, and now suddenly, he had found such an old one!
A two-hundred-year-old ginseng was even stronger than the two roots Xiao Li had found.
Even the ginseng the Wei family recently brought to his master to nourish Young Master Wei's body didn't reach this age.
This was truly a rare treasure!
Finally, he had struck it lucky.
Looking at the ginseng on the ground, Lu Qing suppressed his excitement, immediately putting down his medicine pouch and taking out a bundle of red strings and a small hoe, preparing to dig it up.
Lu Qing first tied the red strings around the ginseng.
This was a rule among herbalists; when encountering such rare herbs, they must first tie them with red strings to prevent them from suddenly burrowing away during harvesting.
In his previous life, Lu Qing would never have believed such a thing.
But now, he had experienced even the strange occurrence of transmigrating.
This world had magical creatures like Xiao Li and the Blue-armored Fish, and his abilities also mentioned the possibility of ginseng developing spiritual intelligence.
If he still didn't believe, he'd be a fool.
So even though he knew this ginseng might not yet have developed spiritual intelligence, Lu Qing still followed the herbalists' rules and tied the red strings first.
After tying the red strings, Lu Qing began to carefully dig.
First, he cleared the surrounding weeds, then slowly dug along the ginseng's growth lines with the small hoe.
Throughout the process, Lu Qing didn't dare to be careless.
A ginseng root of this age, even a single strand of its roots, was highly valuable and potent.
He wasn't like Xiao Li, who didn't appreciate such things.
If he accidentally damaged this rare herb, he'd be heartbroken.
Fortunately, as a martial artist whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm, Lu Qing had excellent control over his body.
With his careful efforts, he finally dug out the over two-hundred-year-old ginseng intact.
Seeing the complete and undamaged ginseng in his hand, Lu Qing couldn't help but smile.
Ginseng of this age, when refined into Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, would be much more potent than those made from hundred-year-old ginseng.
With this ginseng, his journey to reaching the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm could be significantly shortened.
Xiao Li, seeing Lu Qing's silly smile, was puzzled.
Wasn't it just a root? Why was he smiling like an idiot?
After admiring the ginseng he had personally harvested for a while, Lu Qing wrapped it in a piece of turf, tied it with red strings, and placed it in his medicine pouch.
After finishing all this, he straightened up, looking at the forest before him, his eyes filled with excitement.
Since this place could produce a two-hundred-year-old ginseng, was it possible that there were even older ones hidden here?
Chapter 88
Ginseng: A precious herb, non-toxic, edible.
This ginseng has grown for a long time, exceeding a hundred years.
According to legend, ginseng possesses various miraculous effects, and ginseng that has grown for a long enough time seems to have the ability to gain intelligence.
Looking at the ginseng before him, with information floating in his mind, Lu Qing smiled.
Ever since he dug up that over-two-hundred-year-old ginseng, his luck seemed to have turned around.
He had found three more ginseng plants, all over a hundred years old.
Carefully extracting this hundred-year-old ginseng and placing it in his medicine pouch, Lu Qing was in a very good mood.
There were already four ginseng plants in the medicine pouch, plus the one Xiao Li had brought home earlier.
Five ginseng plants, one two-hundred-year-old, and four hundred-year-old ones, if all refined into Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, would be more than enough to support his cultivation to the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm.
"This is truly a treasure mountain!"
Lu Qing looked around and sighed from the bottom of his heart.
He hadn't searched a large area, yet he had found so many hundred-year-old ginseng plants.
Combined with the other medicinal herbs he had seen while searching for ginseng, it was evident how abundant the medicinal resources of this mountain forest were.
Calling it a treasure mountain was not an exaggeration.
However, while the medicinal herbs here were abundant, entering the forest was not easy.
In such a primeval forest, it was filled with insects and snakes, hidden beasts, and a slight carelessness could result in death.
Lu Qing managed because he was a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, carrying a medicine pouch prepared by his master to repel snakes and insects.
Additionally, Xiao Li, being a spirit beast, seemed to have some deterrent ability against other creatures in the mountain, making it seem easy.
For an ordinary herb gatherer, trying to venture this deep into the forest was as hard as climbing to the sky.
So even if people knew this place was full of treasures and medicinal herbs, they could only hesitate and withdraw.
Of course, this was a good thing for Lu Qing.
Only he could freely come and go here, meaning he could come and find any medicinal herbs he needed at any time.
Having gathered enough ginseng for his cultivation, Lu Qing temporarily stopped searching for more.
This time entering the mountain, besides digging up ginseng, he also wanted to practice the knowledge from the Compendium of Materia Medica.
He wanted to observe the growth environments of other medicinal herbs in the mountains.
Thus, Lu Qing wandered around the mountain with Xiao Li.
With Xiao Li and the medicine pouch, those poisonous insects and snakes didn't dare come near him.
After wandering for a while, he couldn't help but marvel again at the abundance of medicinal herbs in this mountain.
In just a short while, he had seen dozens of different herbs.
All of them were growing very well and had strong medicinal properties.
Lu Qing also picked some rare and precious herbs that were not commonly seen outside.
His master often treated villagers from nearby villages for free, so the consumption of herbs was quite large.
Ordinary herbs could be found on the hills near the village.
So Lu Qing specifically picked herbs that were not available outside or were rare.
After a while, Lu Qing discovered another surprise.
Tian Qi: A precious herb, non-toxic, medicinal.
It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, and relieving pain, making it an excellent medicine for treating both external and internal injuries.
Looking at the thick white light on the herb in front of him, Lu Qing was very excited.
He didn't expect to find Tian Qi here.
This was another very rare medicinal herb.
The famous top-grade Golden Sore Medicine, known as a holy healing medicine in the martial world, primarily uses high-quality Tian Qi.
Previously, to treat Young Master Wei's blood loss condition, his master specifically asked the Wei family for Tian Qi.
This showed the power of this herb.
Lu Qing immediately started digging it up.
Although the white light emitted by this Tian Qi indicated it was not the best quality, it was still very precious.
Taking it back could make a large bottle of Golden Sore Medicine, a lifesaving medicine in critical moments, not to be missed.
While digging up Tian Qi, Lu Qing also felt a bit puzzled.
According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, ginseng and Tian Qi never grow in the same place.
Their growing environments are completely different.
Ginseng likes shade and coolness, can withstand low temperatures, and dislikes direct sunlight. The climate in the deep mountains here suits it.
But Tian Qi is different. It likes humidity, can't tolerate high temperatures or extreme cold, and grows best in places with warm winters and cool summers.
Logically, it shouldn't be found here.
Lu Qing knew from his memories that the area around Jiuli Village snows in winter.
What caused Tian Qi to defy its growing habits and appear in this forest?
After digging up the Tian Qi and putting it in his medicine pouch, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.
Now that he thought about it, something indeed seemed off.
The abundance of medicinal herbs in this forest was astonishing.
So many hundred-year-old ginseng plants appeared at once, other herbs were growing exceptionally well, and now even Tian Qi, which shouldn't be here, was thriving.
Earlier, Lu Qing thought it was just the good environment and the rarity of human activity that led to the abundance of herbs.
But now, seeing ginseng and Tian Qi growing in the same area, he realized something was amiss.
His first thought was whether there was something mysterious about this mountain.
Thinking about it, Lu Qing looked at the Black Beast beside him, "Xiao Li, you've been moving around this mountain for a while, have you noticed anything unusual nearby?"
Unusual places?
Xiao Li tilted its head, puzzled, clearly not understanding his question.
Seeing this, Lu Qing pondered for a moment and continued, "Is there any place nearby that feels different from other places, like more dangerous or particularly comfortable?"
This time, Xiao Li seemed to understand a bit.
It tilted its head, thought for a moment, then bit Lu Qing's clothes and pointed in a certain direction.
Is there really such a place?
Lu Qing was startled.
Looking at Xiao Li's actions, he asked, "You mean I should follow you?"
The Black Beast nodded.
"Is it dangerous?"
If it was dangerous, he wasn't planning to go.
Risking his life for a bit of curiosity wasn't worth it.
The Black Beast shook its head.
After thinking for a moment, Lu Qing decided to trust Xiao Li's instincts.
"Alright, let's go. Just walk slowly, or I won't be able to keep up."
So, the Black Beast bounced ahead, and Lu Qing followed behind, activating his Blood Qi.
Although they were in the mountains, their speed was not slow.
Soon, Lu Qing followed Xiao Li to a valley.
"Is it just ahead?"
Seeing Xiao Li stop, Lu Qing asked.
The Black Beast nodded, gesturing with its paws to indicate this was the special place it mentioned.
Lu Qing observed for a moment and felt there didn't seem to be any danger.
On the contrary, upon reaching this place, he felt relaxed, with a sense of tranquility, even his mind seemed clearer.
Feeling invigorated, he knew he had come to the right place.
Even without considering anything else, just the atmosphere that cleared his mind and relaxed his body indicated the uniqueness of this place.
Seeing Lu Qing standing still, Xiao Li, puzzled, pulled his clothes and led the way into the valley.
Lu Qing quickly followed.
Entering the valley, Lu Qing was stunned.
Inside the valley, birds were singing, flowers were blooming, streams were flowing, and the scene was full of life.
Inside and outside the valley were like two different worlds.
Xiao Li seemed very familiar with the valley. As soon as it entered, it led Lu Qing deeper inside.
At the end of the valley, there was a waterfall cascading down into a pool, with water splashing everywhere.
"Ow~"
The Black Beast stood on a large rock in front of the waterfall, pointing at the waterfall and calling to Lu Qing.
"You mean there's something inside?"
Lu Qing looked at the waterfall in surprise.
The waterfall wasn't large, and the water curtain wasn't thick. Soon, he noticed something peculiar.
There seemed to be a cave entrance behind the water curtain.
"Ow~" The Black Beast called again.
"You're saying I should go in?" Lu Qing asked.
The Black Beast nodded.
Lu Qing hesitated.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Xiao Li, but exploring an unknown cave without any information was risky.
Not to mention, this valley seemed peculiar, who knew what was inside the cave.
If there were any strange beasts, entering would be courting death.
"Xiao Li, how about we go in together?"
After thinking for a while, Lu Qing said.
The Black Beast, a Red Spirit Beast, was much stronger than him. With it by his side, Lu Qing felt much safer.
The Black Beast immediately shook its head, looking at the water curtain with disdain.
Lu Qing remembered that this creature hated water. Except for drinking water, it wouldn't touch water.
Last time, when it played with Xiao Yan at home, it got covered in dust, and Lu Qing wanted to give it a bath. It nearly tore the house apart.
In the end, he had to wipe it down with a damp cloth.
Even so, the little creature threw a tantrum and ignored Lu Qing for quite a while.
"No problem, I'll carry you in, and I won't let you get wet at all." Lu Qing smiled. "Besides, you want to know what's inside, right
?"
The Black Beast hesitated.
Seeing this, Lu Qing laughed.
He knew that this creature hated water so much that it hadn't been inside.
Moreover, judging by its behavior, something inside was attracting it.
If even such a water-hating creature was attracted, what was inside must be extraordinary.
After all, Xiao Li didn't even care about a hundred-year-old ginseng.
"Don't worry, I'll wrap you in my clothes, and you won't get wet at all," Lu Qing assured.
Seeing Lu Qing's insistence and the temptation of what was inside, the Black Beast reluctantly nodded.
Seeing the little creature finally agree, Lu Qing immediately took off his backpack and placed it on a large rock.
Then, he took off his outer coat and made a nest out of it.
The Black Beast immediately crawled inside.
It didn't mind the smell of Lu Qing on the clothes.
After all, it slept in the same room as Xiao Yan and Lu Qing at home.
Even its nest was made from Lu Qing's old clothes, so it was used to it.
Seeing the Black Beast inside the clothes, Lu Qing strapped on his battle knife.
Yes, he had brought the battle knife this time.
Besides poisonous insects and snakes, there might be wild beasts in the mountains. How could he not bring a handy weapon?
Securing the knife and the medicine hoe at his waist, Lu Qing picked up the Black Beast and stepped back a few steps, activating his Blood Qi and leaping towards the waterfall.
At the moment his body touched the water curtain, Lu Qing curled up, protecting Xiao Li in his arms, and rolled into the cave entrance behind the water curtain.
Once inside, Lu Qing immediately drew his medicine hoe, ready for any attack.
Luckily, his precautions were unnecessary; nothing came at him from the cave.
Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
He had seen too many "opening door" traps in movies and didn't want to experience one.
Feeling Lu Qing stop, the Black Beast poked its head out from his clothes.
"See, I told you you wouldn't get wet."
Lu Qing checked and found that apart from his coat getting a bit wet, the Black Beast was completely dry.
He, on the other hand, looked like a soaked rat.
But Lu Qing didn't mind. If he wanted, he could dry his clothes by activating his Blood Qi.
However, with the cave's situation still unclear, he didn't want to waste his energy on such a trivial matter.
"Ow~"
The Black Beast was delighted to be dry.
"Let's go inside."
Lu Qing looked around the cave. Seeing nothing unusual and feeling no danger, he decided to go further.
After all, having come this far, he had to see what was inside.
He took out a fire stick, lit it, and continued walking with the Black Beast.
But soon, he realized it was unnecessary.
After a few steps and a turn, the cave gradually brightened.
The stone walls, resembling stalactites, sparkled with a mesmerizing glow.
Looking at the fire stick in his hand, Lu Qing smiled and put it out, continuing with the Black Beast.
Interestingly, although the cave entrance was behind a waterfall, the inside was dry.
This pleased the Black Beast, which came out of Lu Qing's arms and stood on his shoulder.
The cave was deep but not dark. The further they went, the brighter the glowing stone walls became.
Lu Qing used his ability to check and found that these stones were a unique, harmless luminous mineral, so he continued.
As he ventured deeper, the clarity of mind he felt since entering the valley intensified.
He even felt a strange attraction from the cave's depths.
After many twists and turns, Lu Qing and the Black Beast reached a spacious area.
When Lu Qing saw the scene before him, he was stunned.
Chapter 89
"What is this?"
Lu Qing gazed ahead, utterly shocked.
Before him and Xiao Li, a spacious and grand cave chamber suddenly appeared.
The walls and floor of the chamber had a jade-like texture, with complex and ancient mysterious runes carved into them, giving off an air of deep mystery.
In the center of the chamber stood a massive stone platform.
A crystal-clear stalactite hung from above, its pointed tip aimed directly at the center of the stone platform.
Lu Qing was astounded by the almost entirely jade-like cave chamber before him.
He never imagined that such a peculiar place existed within the belly of the mountain.
Unexpectedly, there was no danger. The end of the cave revealed this unimaginable jadeized chamber.
Even Xiao Li was a bit dumbfounded.
It hadn't anticipated that the place it had been longing for would turn out to be such a sparkling spot.
Standing outside the jadeized chamber, Lu Qing did not immediately step in.
Upon reaching this place, the clarity in his mind grew stronger, and his caution intensified.
This chamber was too unusual to be naturally formed.
Since it was man-made, there could very well be some protective measures.
Although he didn't sense any danger now, he didn't want to rush in recklessly.
To his surprise, Xiao Li suddenly leapt from his shoulder, dashing towards the chamber.
"Wait, Xiao Li!"
Lu Qing shouted in alarm.
To his further astonishment, as Xiao Li was about to enter the chamber, a faint light screen appeared, intending to block Xiao Li.
Just when Lu Qing thought Xiao Li would be hurt, a black flash suddenly struck, and the light screen was effortlessly torn apart, vanishing like a punctured bubble.
"Hmm?"
Seeing Xiao Li safely land inside the chamber, Lu Qing's mouth opened in disbelief.
He had assumed that the defenses of this miraculous jadeized chamber would be formidable, yet they were so easily broken by Xiao Li.
"Yowl?"
Xiao Li stood inside the chamber, looking back at Lu Qing in confusion.
It didn't understand why he had shouted.
"...It's fine now."
Seeing Xiao Li inside for a while with no other incidents, Lu Qing realized he had been overly cautious.
As a spirit beast, Xiao Li's sense of danger far surpassed his own. Since it felt no danger, it should be safe.
Lu Qing tentatively stepped into the chamber. Whether the light screen could regenerate or not, he passed through smoothly without any hindrance.
Upon fully entering the chamber, the clarity in his mind increased significantly, as if a layer of dust had been wiped away, making him feel at ease.
His thoughts flowed much faster, and Lu Qing's eyes sparkled with wonder.
Even if there were no other treasures, the clarity nurtured by this chamber was a significant gain.
He had a feeling that cultivating here would greatly benefit him.
Putting aside thoughts of cultivation for later, Lu Qing's curiosity about the chamber's contents took precedence.
Xiao Li, already eager, tugged him towards the central stone platform.
Following Xiao Li's lead, Lu Qing approached the platform.
The platform was half a person's height and, like the surrounding walls and floor, almost entirely jadeized.
Intricate patterns adorned the platform.
At the center, there was a round depression filled with a liquid resembling white jade.
Seeing the liquid, Lu Qing looked up at the hanging stalactite above, guessing that the liquid must have dripped from it.
He focused on the liquid on the platform.
After a while, a faint golden glow emanated from the white jade-like liquid.
[Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid: Rare treasure liquid, non-toxic, consumable.]
[This spiritual liquid is a rare treasure, capable of reviving the dead, healing bones and flesh, prolonging life. Consumed by humans or beasts, it can improve aptitude, enhance potential, and defy fate.]
[Legend has it that those with magical power can inscribe formations according to the terrain, refining the earth's essence to form this treasure liquid.]
[Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid can be consumed directly or used in pill concoction, with endless wondrous uses.]
"Golden light?!"
Lu Qing was stunned upon seeing the golden glow from the liquid.
This was his first time seeing an item emitting such golden light.
Even Xiao Li, as a magical spirit beast, only emitted a red glow in his eyes.
Reading the information from his ability left him completely stunned.
Reviving the dead, healing bones and flesh!
Prolonging life!
Improving aptitude, enhancing potential, defying fate!
Each term alone would make an item a coveted treasure.
Yet now, they were all used to describe the white jade-like liquid on the platform.
This clearly indicated how precious the Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid was!
Lu Qing's gaze towards the liquid grew fervent.
Such a liquid was a true rare treasure, dwarfing the likes of ginseng and Tian Qi in comparison.
After a long while, Lu Qing's excitement subsided somewhat.
He stopped Xiao Li from trying to scoop the liquid.
Such a treasure couldn't be used carelessly. Wasting even a drop would be a huge loss, enough to cause heartache.
Taking deep breaths to calm himself, Lu Qing shifted his thoughts away from the Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid for now.
He noted an important piece of information from the ability's analysis.
Someone with magical power!
This chamber was created by someone with magical power.
What kind of person could possess such power?
Was it the mysterious Grandmaster that his master mentioned, or someone of even higher status?
Lu Qing's heart was filled with excitement.
Regardless, this indicated that the upper limits of cultivation in this world were far beyond his imagination.
For him, this was very promising news.
After contemplating for a while, Lu Qing began to inspect the chamber.
Since this place was deliberately arranged by someone with magical power, it might contain more than just this chamber.
Indeed, after some searching, Lu Qing discovered a secret mechanism on one side of the chamber.
[Secret Door: A deliberately constructed stone door, leading to another hidden space.]
[This secret door has no mechanisms; simply push it open with force.]
Seeing no mechanisms, Lu Qing immediately stood before the door, mustering his blood qi to push it open.
The secret door, made of jade-like stone, was quite heavy.
Fortunately, Lu Qing managed to push it open with some effort.
As he gradually exerted force, the secret door slowly opened.
Chapter 90
As the stone door slowly opened, Lu Qing gradually took in the scene inside.
What he saw startled him.
Behind the stone door was a small stone chamber. Right in front of the door, on a stone bed, sat a figure in a cross-legged position.
The sudden sight of someone behind the door gave Lu Qing quite a fright.
But he quickly realized that the figure had no breath, and its face had become skeletal, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.
At the same time, he couldn't help but mock himself inwardly.
After all his precautions against an ambush, he hadn't escaped this shock.
Knowing that the person on the opposite side had been dead for an unknown period, Lu Qing felt reassured enough to enter.
He did not disturb the skeleton but first circled around the stone chamber.
The space behind the door wasn't very large, divided into three stone chambers, each the size of an ordinary room.
Besides the chamber with the skeleton, one of the other two chambers appeared to be a meditation room, and the other seemed to be an alchemy room.
Unfortunately, both the meditation room and the alchemy room were empty, with nothing of value left.
There were some jade bottles in the alchemy room, but Lu Qing found them all empty, yielding nothing.
After inspecting the stone chambers, Lu Qing turned his attention to the skeleton.
At first glance, he noticed the skeleton's bones were somewhat translucent, almost like jade.
His heart trembled, realizing that this skeleton must have belonged to a very powerful practitioner in life.
The second realm of martial cultivation, the Tendons and Bones Realm, specifically focused on tempering the bones and tendons.
But even in the heritage Lu Qing had received, there was no mention of bones being tempered to a jade-like state upon reaching perfection.
Thus, this skeleton must have belonged to someone far beyond the Tendons and Bones Realm, perhaps even a Postnatal Realm martial artist.
Could this person be the mysterious individual who created this jade-like cave?
A thought flashed through Lu Qing's mind.
He began to focus on the skeleton.
Soon, a dense red light emerged from the skeleton.
[Precelestial Realm Skeleton: This skeleton belonged to a Precelestial Realm practitioner.]
[Soul dispersed, bones remain. The bones of a Precelestial Realm practitioner are tempered by Precelestial Qi, remaining intact for thousands of years.]
[The owner of this skeleton seemed to have perished after a failed breakthrough attempt, exhausting their essence, energy, and spirit.]
Seeing the information floating above the skeleton, Lu Qing realized this person wasn't the mysterious individual who had created the cave.
Instead, this was an unknown Precelestial Realm practitioner.
Considering the golden items left behind by the cave's creator, it was clear that if these bones belonged to them, they would have emitted golden light, not red.
Still, it was puzzling why this Precelestial Realm practitioner ended up here and failed their breakthrough attempt.
Regrettably, there were no books or other sources of information here to provide more context.
Lu Qing was a bit disappointed.
After a sigh, he quickly adjusted his mood.
This expedition had already yielded substantial rewards.
Not only had he found numerous Hundred-year-old Ginsengs, but he had also obtained the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, a treasure that could drive anyone mad with desire.
To want more would be too greedy.
After calming his mind, Lu Qing's gaze fell on the skeleton again.
He considered whether to bury the skeleton.
Logically, leaving the skeleton here was best.
After all, the stone chamber was extremely clean, and the skeleton would remain undisturbed for centuries.
However, since Lu Qing intended to visit this cave often in the future, he felt uneasy about facing a skeleton every time.
So, after some thought, he decided to give the skeleton a proper burial.
Having made his decision, Lu Qing solemnly bowed three times to the skeleton and apologized before preparing to move it out.
However, as soon as he moved the skeleton, he heard a soft clatter as something fell from it.
He initially thought he had accidentally dislodged a bone and was about to apologize when he saw that what had fallen wasn't a bone.
It appeared to be a long, rectangular jade stone.
Curious, Lu Qing picked it up.
It was indeed a beautiful piece of jade, with several peculiar patterns on it.
Looking at the patterns, Lu Qing felt a sense of familiarity.
After thinking for a moment, he realized that these patterns were similar to those carved on the walls of the outer cave.
Lu Qing's heart trembled.
Could this jade be related to the mysterious individual who created the cave?
He immediately activated his ability and focused on the jade stone.
After a while, a dense red light emerged from the jade.
[Inheritance Jade Slip: A jade slip that can record and transmit information.]
[It is said that those who have cultivated their divine sense can engrave information onto certain special jade slips, leaving behind legacies to ensure their secrecy.]
[Without divine sense and the corresponding activation method, it is extremely difficult to access the information on the jade slip.]
[Do you want to download the information?]
"Red light?"
Seeing the supernatural light emanating from the jade in his hand, Lu Qing was momentarily stunned.
He knew that this item likely had little to do with the mysterious individual who created the cave.
Nevertheless, he was thrilled.
According to the information provided by his ability, this might be exactly what he was looking for.
He immediately chose to download the information.
As per his usual practice, he kept his eyes fixed on the jade slip.
[Downloading... Current progress: 1%, 2%, 3%... 97%, 98%, 99%, 100%]
[Download complete. Do you want to learn the information?]
[Found a technique. Do you want to simulate the technique?]
The information download from the jade slip took much longer than Lu Qing had expected.
It took a full quarter of an hour to complete.
After the download finished, he saw two more choices appear.
One asked if he wanted to learn the information.
The other asked if he wanted to simulate the technique.
This indicated that the jade slip contained not just ordinary information, but also a legacy technique!
Lu Qing was overjoyed.
Even if this jade slip wasn't left by the mysterious individual who created the cave, it was still extremely precious.
Otherwise, the unknown Precelestial Realm practitioner wouldn't have kept it so close even in death.
Thus, the legacy technique within must be invaluable.
He immediately made his choices.
He chose to simulate the technique while learning the other information.
As soon as he made his choices, Lu Qing felt a flood of information pour into his mind.
Familiar with the process, he closed his eyes and silently absorbed the information.
A long time later, when he opened his eyes again, they were filled with joy.
Chapter 91
"This Jade Slip is indeed miraculous. Such a small piece can store so much information!"
Lu Qing's eyes were filled with amazement.
He had already received most of the inheritance information from the Jade Slip.
And this information brought him great surprise.
It differed slightly from his previous guesses.
This Jade Slip was not left by the mysterious entity who opened the Jade Transformation Cave, but was created by the deceased Precelestial Realm master in front of him.
However, when he made this inheritance Jade Slip, he added a bit of his comprehension about the mysterious runes he had realized in the outer cave, which made the patterns of the two somewhat similar.
From the Jade Slip, Lu Qing also learned a lot of information he wanted to know.
First, about the Precelestial master in front of him.
According to the information left by this Precelestial master in the Jade Slip, his name was Li Weitian. He was once a renowned martial artist who shook the world with his strength.
Even among the Precelestial Realm, he was considered one of the top existences.
With his formidable cultivation, he had once suppressed a group of Precelestial masters from surrounding countries, astonishing everyone.
Unfortunately, even Precelestial masters have a day when their lifespan runs out.
If they cannot break through to a higher realm, Precelestial masters can only live for three hundred years at most.
In his later years, Li Weitian searched everywhere for a breakthrough opportunity. Finally, as his lifespan was nearing its end, he found this mysterious place.
When he first discovered the Jade Transformation Cave, Li Weitian was extremely delighted.
Because in the runes left by the mysterious entity who opened the cave, he glimpsed a chance to break through to a higher realm.
At that time, with little lifespan left, he immediately closed himself in the cave, hoping to break through.
Unfortunately, due to his dwindling lifespan and weakened spirit, coupled with the heavy consumption and injuries he suffered while breaking the cave's defenses, he failed to break through despite the aid of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. His energy and spirit were nearly exhausted, unable to reach that higher realm.
Before his death, he recorded all this information in the Jade Slip, as a final account of his illustrious life.
At the end of the information, Lu Qing saw a passage left by Li Weitian.
"Alas, in my youth, I loved to compete with others. I desired to win in everything. After achieving success in cultivation, I battled across the land, challenging famous masters, defeating countless enemies, and gaining endless glory.
Throughout my life, my reputation overshadowed my peers, making many martial arts geniuses pale in comparison, relegating them to mere foils.
In my later years, I finally realized that in the pursuit of fame, I wasted too much time. My lifespan was almost exhausted.
Even though I found an opportunity, I couldn't break through due to the limits of my lifespan, unable to reach that supreme mysterious realm.
Regret, remorse, and sorrow.
I hope future generations take my experience as a lesson. In cultivation, focus on the path of practice itself. Do not get lost in the pursuit of fame and fortune, wasting precious time. Remember this well."
After reading Li Weitian's final words, Lu Qing fell silent.
He could feel Li Weitian's unwillingness and regret from his words.
Clearly, he had touched that long-desired higher realm, but due to his limited lifespan, he ultimately could not break through.
He couldn't imagine how regretful Li Weitian must have felt at that time.
But from his words, it was clear that he deeply regretted wasting so much time in his prime on competing for fame and fortune.
"Cultivation should be focused on practice itself. It's a pity that Senior Li Weitian realized this too late," Lu Qing sighed.
However, on the other hand, Li Weitian's unmatched strength, which suppressed his contemporaries, might not have been unrelated to his competitive nature.
If he hadn't fought with opponents for so long, he might not have fully unleashed his potential and reached the peak of the Precelestial Realm.
So, whether his competitive nature ultimately made him or ruined him is really hard to say.
"Li Weitian, if I get a chance in the future, I'll see if I can find more about your life."
In the Jade Slip, Li Weitian only briefly introduced himself, without detailing his specific deeds.
Given Lu Qing's limited knowledge of this world, he hadn't heard of this master before.
Judging by the remains, it's unknown how many years he had been dead.
Most things in this world can't withstand the changes of time.
After such a long time, it's uncertain how many stories about him still circulate.
After a while of reflection, Lu Qing turned his attention to other information.
In the information left by Li Weitian, he also mentioned some origins of the cave.
According to Li Weitian, this cave had existed for a very long time.
He found it based on some fragmented records in an ancient book he had obtained by chance.
Originally, there were some defensive formations here, but due to the long passage of time, when he arrived, the formations had weakened and he broke through them one by one.
Even so, breaking the formations consumed a lot of his energy, which was one reason for his eventual failure to break through.
Seeing this, Lu Qing finally understood.
No wonder he and Xiao Li encountered no danger on their way in. He had been puzzled as to why such a miraculous place had no defenses.
It turned out that this Precelestial master had cleared the obstacles for them.
Li Weitian mentioned in the Jade Slip that when he first entered the cave, he was astonished by the scene inside.
Firstly, there was the spirit liquid condensing on the stone platform, a rare treasure he had only seen recorded in ancient books, called Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.
This spirit liquid could bring the dead back to life, extend lifespan, and improve cultivation aptitude, a treasure countless martial artists dreamed of.
He didn't expect to find it in such an inconspicuous mountain belly.
Unfortunately, such a treasure was of immense benefit to ordinary people and Postnatal Realm martial artists, even to ordinary Precelestial masters.
But for Li Weitian, who had reached the limit of the Precelestial Realm and was nearing his life's end, it was of little use.
Because the lifespan limit of a Precelestial master was set by the laws of nature, even such a rare treasure as the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid could not break these laws.
So, even if Li Weitian consumed all the spirit liquid on the stone platform, it could only heal the injuries he sustained breaking into the cave, without providing more benefits.
But aside from the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, what excited Li Weitian more were the mysterious runes left by the entity who opened the Jade Transformation Cave, used to condense the spirit liquid.
From those runes, Li Weitian glimpsed a hint of the mysterious power belonging to the realm above the Precelestial.
At that moment, with his lifespan nearing its end, he drank the nearly thousand-year-old spirit liquid in the stone platform in one gulp.
Then he closed himself off, hoping to break through with the insight he had just gained and the power of the spirit liquid.
Unexpectedly, he still failed in the end.
His energy and spirit were exhausted, and he couldn't reach that mysterious realm above the Precelestial.
Chapter 92
After reading about Li Weitian's experiences, Lu Qing fell silent once more.
He withdrew his previous thoughts, realizing that this man's luck was extraordinarily poor.
If his lifespan had been a bit longer, or if he had arrived here earlier, he would have had enough time to comprehend the runes. If that had been the case, perhaps he could have gained more insights and broken through to a level beyond the Precelestial.
Unfortunately, there are no "ifs" in this world. Fate is cruel in such a way that Li Weitian found this jade cavern just as his life was nearing its end. He could only make a desperate attempt, which ultimately failed.
Experiencing such despair, seeing hope, and then falling into despair again, Li Weitian did not go mad in the end. He calmly recorded his last words, advising future seekers to learn from his mistakes. This kind of composure truly befits a martial arts master at the peak of the Precelestial realm. Even in the face of imminent death, he remained unflustered.
[...97%, 98%, 99%, 100%]
[Simulation of the technique completed, would you like to learn it?]
Just as Lu Qing was lost in thought, a prompt appeared in his vision. Perhaps due to the profound nature of the techniques left by Li Weitian, this simulation took much longer than usual.
Lu Qing looked at the prompt in his vision and silently chose "Yes."
In the next moment, countless pieces of information and insights about the technique flooded his mind. Lu Qing closed his eyes, and after a long time, he finally woke up from his epiphany.
"So, it's just a Precelestial technique?"
Understanding dawned in Lu Qing's eyes as he muttered to himself.
Indeed, all the techniques left by Li Weitian in the jade slip were of the Precelestial level, his lifelong proud achievements. There were no techniques of lower, Postnatal levels. Li Weitian was proud. In his view, anyone qualified to read his jade slip should at least have tempered their soul force and stepped into the Precelestial realm. Such martial artists would have no use for mere Postnatal techniques. He disdained to inscribe such low-level techniques in his inheritance jade slip.
Li Weitian never anticipated that someone like Lu Qing, an anomaly from future generations, could read the information in the inheritance jade slip without having soul force.
"The key to breaking through from the Postnatal to the Precelestial lies in tempering one's soul force, sensing the world's energy with the soul, breaking through barriers, and drawing the energy into the body?"
After receiving the technique information, Lu Qing immediately understood the crucial point of breaking through from the Postnatal to the Precelestial. However, understanding it was of no use.
The saying goes, "A strong body nurtures a strong soul." Only a sufficiently strong body can nurture a powerful soul. To temper one's soul force, the physical body must reach an extremely robust state, only then is there a chance.
According to martial arts cultivation, one must achieve perfection in the Postnatal realm, with Blood Qi, tendons and bones, and internal organs all reaching their limits. Then, through secret techniques, one must repeatedly temper the spirit, only then is it possible to break through the limits and comprehend soul force.
Lu Qing was currently only at the minor accomplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm, far from the perfection of the Postnatal realm. Thus, even though he obtained Li Weitian's Precelestial techniques, he was not yet qualified to practice them.
He still needed to progress step by step, reaching the perfection of the Postnatal realm before he could practice these Precelestial techniques.
Nevertheless, Lu Qing's gains were still immense. At least, with these Precelestial techniques, he would no longer lack techniques for his future cultivation. The Health Nourishing Boxing taught by his master was already sufficient to cultivate to the Internal Organs realm. Now that he also had Precelestial techniques, he just needed to focus on his cultivation. With the aid of his special ability, achieving the Precelestial realm would no longer be an extravagant hope.
With a very good mood, Lu Qing took Li Weitian's remains outside the valley and gave them a proper burial before returning to the cavern.
After returning to the cavern, he still did not touch the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. Instead, he stood before the cavern wall, observing the mysterious patterns carved on the jade wall.
In the inheritance jade slip, Li Weitian highly praised these mysterious patterns, referring to them as runes, and had gained some insights beyond the Precelestial realm from them. According to Li Weitian's last words, if his life limit had come a bit later, giving him enough time to comprehend these runes, he would have surely broken through the limits and reached a realm beyond the Precelestial.
This naturally piqued Lu Qing's curiosity about these mysterious patterns. He wanted to see if his special ability could glean anything from them.
Activating his special ability, Lu Qing focused intently on the mysterious patterns.
He watched for a long time.
After a quarter of an hour, just as Lu Qing thought that even his special ability couldn't penetrate the secrets of these mysterious patterns, a dense golden light emerged from them.
[Array Runes: Mysterious runes inscribed by those with magical power, containing magic, capable of guiding and gathering the earth's energy.]
[The Way of Runes: Created by great beings who observed the textures of all things in the world, inherently possessing the mysterious power to communicate with everything.]
[The Way of Runes: Ever-changing, different combinations of runes can produce various incredible effects.]
[Inheritance found, would you like to simulate and download it?]
Lu Qing was stunned.
Then, a surge of ecstasy welled up in his heart.
The introductory lines about runes were manageable; after all, Li Weitian's information had prepared him somewhat for the mysterious power of these patterns. However, the last line greatly exceeded his expectations.
He hadn't anticipated that these mysterious patterns would contain an inheritance, not just techniques.
Lu Qing noted the term "inheritance" used by his ability. Anything worthy of being called an inheritance must be very complete.
Without hesitation, he chose to simulate and download it.
Then, he stared intently at the mysterious patterns before him with unprecedented seriousness.
[Simulation download starting, current progress: 1%, 2%...]
The progress bar in his vision moved very slowly, but Lu Qing was in no hurry. The slower the simulation download, the more precious the inheritance contained within the runes.
When the progress bar in his vision reached 10%, it stopped moving.
Lu Qing was taken aback for a moment, then thought for a while. He switched to another part of the cavern wall and continued to observe the runes.
Sure enough, shortly after, the progress bar in his vision started moving again.
In this manner, every time the progress bar stopped, Lu Qing would switch to a different part of the cavern wall to observe other runes.
When he had scanned all the visible runes in the cavern, he finally saw the progress bar in his vision reach its end.
[...97%, 98%, 99%, 100%]
[Simulation download completed, would you like to learn it?]
Looking at the prompt in his vision, Lu Qing, filled with excitement, chose to learn it.
Chapter 93
As Lu Qing continued his studies, a flood of insights surged into his mind once more.
This time, the insights came with unprecedented force.
Lu Qing was caught off guard and quickly calmed his mind to fully receive the information.
"Entering the Divine Rune Sect, one must take heaven and earth as their teachers, observe the patterns of all things in the world, draw spiritual runes, and communicate with everything..."
Unlike any previous experience, this time, a grand voice resonated in Lu Qing's mind, making him feel as if he were listening to the sound of the Dao, and his spirit couldn't help but become immersed.
Nearby, Xiao Li saw Lu Qing close his eyes and stand still again. After a glance, it ignored him.
The two-legged beast often did this, and it had long been accustomed to it.
Xiao Li continued to drool over the stone platform.
It could sense that the items on the stone platform would be greatly beneficial to it.
Unfortunately, the two-legged beast wouldn't allow it to touch them yet, so it could only watch and drool.
Lu Qing's reception of the insights lasted a long time.
So long that Xiao Li looked up several times to see if he had fallen asleep.
Finally, Lu Qing opened his eyes, his face filled with disbelief.
"Learning from all things in heaven and earth, the Way of Runes is indeed a separate system from martial arts practice?"
Lu Qing was utterly shocked.
The heritage within these mysterious patterns was far more magical than he had imagined.
It was an entirely different system of practice from martial arts cultivation.
Martial arts training starts with tempering blood and qi, tendons and bones, and internal organs, striving for the ultimate physical strength. Finally, one tempers the soul, breaks through the acupoints, integrates the inner and outer selves, and achieves Precelestial status.
In contrast, the Way of Runes does not emphasize physical strength initially.
It emphasizes comprehending the principles of heaven and earth, understanding the runes within all things. Once the principles are understood, control over power follows naturally, without deliberate pursuit.
Therefore, the Way of Runes demands extremely high comprehension.
Without sufficient comprehension, one might study for a lifetime without achieving anything, unable even to enter the door.
"I thought that martial arts training was tough enough, with only one in ten practitioners grasping the secret of connecting blood and qi to step into the Qi and Blood Realm, which is already a low probability."
"But the Way of Runes is a thousand times more difficult. Only one in ten thousand has the aptitude for it. It is truly the most challenging path."
Lu Qing marveled.
The entry difficulty of the Way of Runes was unimaginably high, making martial arts training seem simple in comparison.
At least in martial arts, even if one doesn't reach the Qi and Blood Realm, they can still have decent physical fitness and martial skills, making them stronger than ordinary people.
But in the Way of Runes, if one cannot comprehend the principles, they are no different from ordinary people.
Lu Qing even suspected that the heritage of the Way of Runes had vanished because its entry difficulty was too high, and even a master like Li Weitian in the Precelestial realm had never heard of it, leaving only this jade cavern as a chance for the destined.
Unfortunately, the heritage he obtained did not mention this point.
It only stated that the heritage was left by a mysterious sect named the Divine Rune Sect, without more information.
The Divine Rune Sect's doctrine was to learn from heaven and earth, to understand one's unique runes from all things, emphasizing natural freedom. The sect's practices were very spontaneous.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have disappeared, leaving behind this jade cavern as an opportunity for the fated.
"However, this means that the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid must be used sparingly."
The heritage from the Divine Rune Sect included a secret technique that allowed disciples to temper their soul force without their physical body reaching the Postnatal perfection, but this technique required the assistance of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.
From the jade slip left by Li Weitian, Lu Qing understood the importance of soul force.
Soul force could be considered the key and bridge to breaking through from the Postnatal to the Precelestial realm. Without comprehending soul force, no matter how good one's aptitude, strong their skills, or deep their accumulation, one couldn't open that door or cross the chasm between Postnatal and Precelestial.
Now that he knew the heritage of the Divine Rune Sect included a technique to comprehend soul force in advance, how could Lu Qing not take it seriously?
He immediately walked to the stone platform and examined the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid in the pit.
"Fortunately, there are at least thirty or forty drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid here. According to the heritage, using the secret technique requires at most ten drops to temper soul force. If ten drops are used up without success, more will be useless. This is more than enough."
Seeing the quantity of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.
The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid had been emptied by Li Weitian before, and it took twenty years for one drop to condense. Didn't this mean that Li Weitian was a figure from seven or eight hundred years ago?
Seven or eight hundred years...
In this world, anything over a hundred years could be considered a significant change.
Li Weitian was from such a distant past that it was questionable whether anyone still remembered him.
Xiao Li saw Lu Qing staring at the items on the stone platform and became excited.
It jumped onto the stone platform and tugged at Lu Qing's clothes.
Lu Qing looked at the Black Beast and saw it pointing at the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid in the stone platform, its face full of longing.
"You want to eat this?" Lu Qing asked.
Seeing Xiao Li nod, Lu Qing pondered.
Finding this treasure trove was largely thanks to Xiao Li.
Without its guidance, he would never have discovered the miraculous cave behind the waterfall.
Since it wanted the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, he should give it.
The insights from the abilities also indicated that this liquid greatly benefited both humans and beasts.
Lu Qing was not stingy with Xiao Li.
He nodded, "Alright, but try a few drops first. If it's not enough, you can have more."
Although the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was miraculous, consuming more wasn't always better.
According to the heritage, its effectiveness in improving aptitude had limits.
Its effect was strongest on beings below the Precelestial realm, and it weakened significantly for those above.
For ordinary Postnatal beings, one drop could enhance their aptitude to its limit.
For special beings, at most five drops could be consumed; any more would be useless.
Xiao Li was a spirit beast, considered a special being. Lu Qing planned to give it five drops.
Hearing Lu Qing's words, Xiao Li's eyes lit up, and it nodded eagerly.
"Wait here."
The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid needed to be stored in jade containers to maintain its spirituality.
Fortunately, there were jade bottles in the alchemy room behind the secret door. Lu Qing fetched one, cleaned it, and filled it with all the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.
Then he said, "Open your mouth."
Xiao Li had been watching eagerly. Hearing this, it was overjoyed, obediently tilting its head and opening its mouth.
Lu Qing poured five drops of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid from the jade bottle into Xiao Li's mouth.
The Black Beast smacked its lips, seemingly enjoying the taste, and happily rolled on the stone platform.
However, its joy was short-lived. After a while, it felt its eyelids grow heavy and soon fell asleep on the stone platform.
Lu Qing was not surprised. The heritage mentioned that spirit beasts would generally fall asleep after consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, slowly enhancing their aptitude and purifying their bloodline.
He picked up Xiao Li and placed it on a nest made of his outer clothes, then sat cross-legged beside it, quietly waiting for it to wake up.