Chapter 88

88. Chapter 88 Strange Valley

[Ginseng: A precious medicinal herb, non-toxic and edible.]

[This ginseng is very old, over a hundred years old.]

[Legend has it that ginseng possesses a variety of miraculous properties. Ginseng that is old enough seems to possess psychic abilities and can give rise to spiritual intelligence.]

Looking at the ginseng with information before him, Lu Qing smiled.

Ever since digging up that ginseng that was over two hundred years old, his luck seemed to have suddenly improved.

He had found three more ginseng plants, all over a hundred years old.

Slowly digging out the hundred-year-old ginseng and placing it in the medicine basket, Lu Qing felt extremely happy.

The basket already contained four ginseng plants, plus the one Xiao Li had brought earlier.

Five ginseng plants—one two hundred years old and four hundred-year-old—if refined into blood-tonifying and Qi-boosting pills, they would more than suffice for his cultivation to the Perfect Qi and Blood Realm.

“What a treasure trove!”

Lu Qing exclaimed heartily as he looked around.

He hadn’t searched far and wide, yet he had found so many hundred-year-old ginseng plants.

Add to that the other medicinal herbs he had seen earlier while searching for ginseng.

It’s easy to imagine the richness of this forest’s medicinal resources.

Calling it a treasure trove is no exaggeration.

However, despite the abundance of herbs, access is incredibly difficult.

Primitive forests like these are teeming with insects and snakes, and harbor ferocious beasts. A single bite could be fatal.

Lu Qing, a Qi and Blood Realm warrior, possessed a medicine sachet prepared by his master to repel snakes and insects.

Furthermore, Xiao Li, as a spirit beast, seemed to possess a certain intimidating power over other creatures in the mountains, making this easy.

For an ordinary herbalist, venturing so deep into the forest would be incredibly difficult.

Therefore, even if ordinary people knew of the treasures and medicinal herbs teeming here, they would be deterred.

Of course, this was a boon for Lu Qing.

He was the only one who could enter and exit freely, meaning he could always come in and search for any medicinal herbs he needed.

After collecting enough ginseng for his cultivation, Lu Qing temporarily stopped searching for ginseng.

Besides digging for ginseng, Lu Qing also wanted to put the knowledge from the “Hundred Herbal Classic” into practice. He wanted

to see how other medicinal herbs thrived in the mountains.

So, Lu Qing took Xiao Li with him on a casual stroll through the mountains.

With Xiao Li and the medicine bag around, poisonous insects and snakes didn’t dare approach him.

After wandering for a while, he couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer abundance of medicinal herbs in these mountains.

In just a short stroll, he’d seen no fewer than dozens of different herbs,

all growing beautifully and possessing potent medicinal properties.

Lu Qing also selected some rare and uncommon herbs and gathered them.

His master often provided free medical treatment and prescriptions to the villagers in the nearby villages, and their consumption of herbs was considerable.

Common herbs could be found in the hills surrounding the village,

so Lu Qing specifically selected those that were unavailable elsewhere or rare.

After digging for a while, Lu Qing discovered another surprise.

[Panax notoginseng: A rare and non-toxic medicinal herb. It

has the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, stopping bleeding and relieving pain, making it an excellent remedy for both external and internal injuries.

Lu Qing was delighted by the rich white light emanating from the herb before him.

He hadn’t expected to find Panax notoginseng here.

This was an equally rare herb.

The renowned “Top Grade Golden Wound Medicine,” known as a healing elixir, was primarily made from top-grade Panax notoginseng.

His master had previously requested Panax notoginseng from the Wei Mansion to treat the young master’s blood loss.

One could imagine the power of this herb.

Lu Qing immediately began digging.

The Panax notoginseng before him, emitting a supernatural light, though only white, was still incredibly rare.

After digging it up, it would be enough to prepare a large bottle of Golden Wound Medicine. That was a life-saving remedy at a critical moment, and he couldn’t let it go.

As he dug for Panax notoginseng, a trace of doubt arose within Lu Qing.

According to the “Bai Cao Jing,” ginseng and Panax notoginseng never grow in the same place.

Because the growing environments of these two medicinal herbs are fundamentally different.

Ginseng prefers shade, tolerates low temperatures, and dislikes direct sunlight, so the climate of these deep mountains is indeed suitable for it.

But Panax notoginseng is different. It prefers humidity and cannot tolerate high temperatures or low temperatures. Its most suitable growing environment is warm in winter and cool in summer.

Logically, it shouldn’t appear here.

Lu Qing knew from his memory that it snowed in the winter in Jiuli Village.

What could have allowed Panax notoginseng to defy its natural growth patterns and appear in this forest?

After digging up the Panax notoginseng and placing it in the medicine basket, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.

Thinking about it now, something was indeed amiss.

The abundance of medicinal herbs in this forest was astonishing.

For so many century-old ginseng to appear all at once, other herbs were also growing exceptionally well, and now even Panax notoginseng, which shouldn’t have been here, was growing so well.

Previously, Lu Qing had assumed that this abundance of herbs was due to the favorable environment and the remoteness of the area.

But now, seeing ginseng and Panax notoginseng growing in the same area, he finally realized something was amiss.

His first reaction was, could there be some hidden secret hidden in this mountain?

After a moment’s thought, Lu Qing looked at the small black beast beside him. “Xiao Li, you’ve been out in this mountain for so long. Have you noticed anything special around here?”

Special?

Xiao Li, puzzled, tilted his head and looked at Lu Qing, his eyes filled with confusion, clearly not understanding what he meant.

Seeing this, Lu Qing pondered for a moment before continuing, “Is there any place nearby that you find different from other places? Perhaps more dangerous, or perhaps particularly comfortable?”

Now, Xiao Li understood a little.

It tilted its head, pondered, then stepped forward, nibbled the corner of Lu Qing’s shirt, and gestured in a certain direction.

Could there really be such a place?

Lu Qing was shocked.

He observed Xiao Li’s movements and asked, “You mean, should I follow you there?”

The small black beast nodded.

“Is that place dangerous?”

If it was, he wasn’t going there.

Risking himself for a little curiosity wouldn’t be worth it.

The black little beast shook its head.

Lu Qing thought about it and decided to trust Xiao Li’s intuition.

“Okay, let’s go. You walk slowly, otherwise I can’t keep up.”

So, Xiao Li jumped in front to lead the way, and Lu Qing secretly gathered his blood and followed behind.

Although they were in the mountains, the speed of the man and the beast was not slow.

Soon, Lu Qing followed Xiao Li to a valley.

“Just in front?”

Lu Qing asked when he saw Xiao Li stop.

Xiao Li nodded and gestured with his claws, indicating that this was the special place he said.

Lu Qing observed it and felt that there seemed to be no danger.

On the contrary, upon arriving here, he felt a sense of relaxation and refreshment, even his mind seemed to clear up.

His spirits lifted, knowing he had truly arrived at the right place.

Beyond anything else, the clear-minded, relaxed atmosphere alone spoke volumes about the extraordinary nature of this place.

Xiao Li, puzzled by Lu Qing’s stillness, tugged at his shirt and headed into the valley. Seeing

this, Lu Qing hurriedly followed.

Entering the valley, Lu Qing was stunned.

The valley was filled with birdsong, flowers, and the gurgling water, a vibrant scene.

The inside and outside of the valley seemed like two completely different worlds.

Xiao Li seemed quite familiar with the valley. Once inside, he led Lu Qing straight inside.

At the end of the valley, they saw a waterfall hanging in the middle, a deep blue lake below. The water cascaded into the water, creating countless splashes.

“Ah!”

Xiao Li called out to Lu Qing, pointing from a large rock in front of the waterfall.

“You said there’s something in there?”

Lu Qing looked at the waterfall in surprise.

The waterfall wasn’t huge, and the curtain of water wasn’t thick, but he soon discovered the clue.

Behind the curtain, there seemed to be a cave entrance.

“Ah~” Xiao Li cried again.

“You said let me in?” Lu Qing asked.

Xiao Li nodded.

Lu Qing fell into deep thought.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Xiao Li, but exploring a cave without knowing anything about it was a bit risky.

Not to mention that this valley looked quite strange at first glance, and who knew what was inside.

What if there were some strange beasts inside? He would be dead if he went in.

“Xiao Li, how about we go in together?”

Lu Qing said after a moment’s thought.

Xiao Li was a red-light spirit beast, far more powerful than him. With it by his side, Lu Qing’s sense of security would skyrocket.

Xiao Li immediately shook his head, looking at the curtain of water before him with disdain on his face.

Lu Qing then remembered that this creature naturally disliked water. On a normal day, it would never touch water except for drinking.

The last time it and Xiaoyan were playing around at home, it rolled around in the dust. Lu Qing wanted to give it a bath, but it nearly tore the house apart.

In the end, he just wiped it down with a damp cloth.

Even then, the little creature got mad and ignored Lu Qing for a long time.

“It’s okay. I’ll carry you in. You won’t get wet at all,” Lu Qing said with a smile. “And you want to know what’s in there, right?”

Xiaoli looked hesitant

at that. Lu Qing smiled.

He knew that this creature, with its aversion to water, had never been inside.

And judging by its expression, it was clear that something inside was attracting it.

Anything that could captivate even the water-averse Xiaoli must be something extraordinary.

After all, Xiaoli wouldn’t even bother with something like a century-old ginseng.

“Don’t worry, I’ll wrap you up with my clothes so your fur won’t get wet,” Lu Qing said.

Seeing Lu Qing’s assurance, and the cave’s contents truly captivating, Xiao Li struggled for a moment before finally nodding reluctantly.

Seeing the little creature finally agree, Lu Qing immediately untied the medicine basket from his back and placed it on a nearby rock. He

then took off his outer garments and coiled them into a nest.

Seeing this, Xiao Li immediately crawled in.

He didn’t mind the scent of Lu Qing lingering on his clothes.

After all, back home, he’d slept in the same room with Xiao Yan and Lu Qing.

Even his nest was made from Lu Qing’s old clothes, so he’d grown accustomed to it.

Seeing Xiao Li crawl into his clothes, Lu Qing shouldered his sword.

That’s right, he’d brought his sword with him this time into the mountains.

After all, the mountains weren’t just filled with poisonous insects and snakes, but also with the possibility of wolves and other ferocious beasts. How could he not bring a weapon? After

strapping the sword and slinging the medicine hoe around his waist, Lu Qing lifted Xiao Li up and, after taking a few steps back, his energy surged. With a swift sprint, he leaped towards the waterfall.

The moment his body touched the water curtain, Lu Qing bent his waist, curled up into a ball, and protected Xiao Li in his arms. He rolled over and landed steadily at the cave entrance behind the water curtain.

When he entered the cave entrance, Lu Qing immediately pulled out the medicine hoe at his waist to prevent anything from flying out.

But fortunately, it was all just his imagination, and nothing flew out of the cave.

Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

There was no other way. In his previous life, he had seen many movies and TV shows where people opened doors to kill things.

He didn’t want to experience that himself.

Feeling that Lu Qing had stopped, Xiao Li poked his head out of his arms.

“See, I said I wouldn’t get you wet.”

Lu Qing checked and found that except for a little water on his coat, Xiao Li was not wet at all.

Instead, he looked a bit like a drowned chicken.

But Lu Qing didn’t care about these things. As long as he wanted to, he could stimulate the blood and qi in his body and dry his clothes in no time.

However, the situation in the cave was still unclear, and he didn’t want to waste his energy on such a trivial matter.

“Ah~”

Xiao Li was very happy to find that he was indeed not wet.

“Let’s go in.”

Lu Qing looked inside the cave, seeing nothing to see, and sensing no danger, he decided to go in.

Since they were already here, how could they not go in and take a look?

He took out a tinder, lit it, and then slowly walked inside, carrying Xiao Li.

But Lu Qing soon realized his efforts were unnecessary.

After a few steps and a turn, he found that the cave was gradually becoming brighter.

The stalactite-like walls on either side of the cave were dotted with a mesmerizing glow.

Lu Qing chuckled at the tinder in his hand, then extinguished it, put it away, and continued walking with Xiao Li in his arms.

Miraculously, the cave’s entrance was behind the waterfall, yet the interior was devoid of any moisture; instead, it was completely dry.

This pleased Xiao Li, who emerged from Lu Qing’s arms and perched on his shoulder once more.

The cave was quite deep, but not dark. The further in, the brighter the glow from the stone walls grew.

Lu Qing even used his supernatural powers to investigate and discovered that this was a unique luminous mineral that was harmless to the human body. Only then did he feel at ease to continue forward.

As he continued to go deeper into the cave, Lu Qing also felt that the clarity of mind he had been experiencing since entering the valley was becoming stronger and stronger.

Even without Xiao Li’s reminder, he also vaguely realized that there was something deep in the cave that had an inexplicable attraction to him.

Finally, after walking a long way through many twists and turns, the man and the beast felt that the space in front of them suddenly became spacious.

When Lu Qing saw the scene in front of him clearly, he was shocked.

(End of this chapter)