Chapter 15: Entering the Mountains in Search of Medicine

An early morning roar: asking for votes~~~~

Also, last night I went somewhere to register an account and posted a thread, but people questioned if I was the real author. Well, I have to say, people nowadays are very vigilant. It’s likely that a little girl won’t be abducted with just a lollipop anymore, which makes Xiaomo very gratified.

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Cultivation finished, Yangx Kai spent over an hour completing today’s work before rushing to the Contribution Hall.

Although he had decided to enter the mountain to seek herbs, Yangx Kai didn’t understand pharmacology. He had only heard the names of the Three-Leaf Soul Flower and the Desolate Dried Wood Grass but had never actually seen them. If he really encountered them, he probably wouldn’t even recognize them. Therefore, this preparatory work had to be done thoroughly to avoid the embarrassment of making a wasted trip. Yangx Kai went to the Contribution Hall specifically to memorize the appearance of these two herbs first.

He originally wanted Shopkeeper Mengg to do him a favor and teach him how to identify the herbs, but unexpectedly, the man simply tossed a small booklet over to him.

Yangx Kai took it and found that the booklet was entirely dedicated to introducing herbs. It not only detailed their medicinal effects and properties but also their growing environments. Every page featured illustrations, making the guide quite comprehensive. The only slightly regrettable detail was that the herbs introduced in this booklet were solely of the Mortal Level varieties; there was absolutely nothing above that.

Just as a person’s Cultivation was divided into Levels and Realms, the world’s herbs, weapons, and Elixirs were also divided into Levels. From lowest to highest, they were the Mortal Level, Earth Level, Celestial Level, Profound Level, Spirit Level, and Saint Level. Each Level was further divided into the Upper, Middle, and Lower Three Grades.

For example, the Three-Leaf Soul Flower and Desolate Dried Wood Grass that Yangx Kai currently needed were Mortal-Level Lower Grade herbs. Their medicinal effects were minimal, so their value was correspondingly low.

Leaving the Contribution Hall, Yangx Kai went to the miscellaneous affairs office to ask for a leave of absence. After all, he was still a sweeping Servant of the Lingxiao Pavilion. By heading to Black Wind Mountain this time, he certainly wouldn’t be able to return the same day, so it was naturally required to notify them.

The Steward of the miscellaneous affairs office didn’t make things difficult for him and readily granted him three days off, after which Yangx Kai finally set out.

The foot of Black Wind Mountain was only twenty miles away from the Lingxiao Pavilion—neither too far nor too close. In the past, Yangx Kai frequently went in and out of the area to hunt, so he was quite familiar with the terrain. However, entering the mountain to gather herbs was entirely uncharted territory for him. Yangx Kai’s preparations were fairly thorough; he packed some clear water, made a few rice balls, and grabbed a shovel and a cloth sack before hitting the road.

After a hurried hour, Yangx Kai arrived at the foot of Black Wind Mountain. Looking ahead, the pitch-black mountain forest resembled a prehistoric Fierce Beast stretching between heaven and earth, extending Yaoyao into the distance with no end in sight. The woods were verdant and the jagged rocks formed a uniquely beautiful landscape. Even the gentle breeze blowing against his face made Yangx Kai feel exceptionally refreshed.

Black Wind Mountain was teeming with Fierce Beasts and birds of prey, many of which even accomplished martial artists could not defeat. Therefore, people who ventured into Black Wind Mountain generally didn’t dare to go too deep unless they possessed significant strength. The outer thirty miles were still considered a safe zone, but anything past that was fraught with peril, becoming increasingly dangerous the further in one went.

Yangx Kai only wanted to find some low-value herbs, so naturally, he wouldn’t venture too deep, leaving his personal safety largely unthreatened.

During the hour of travel, Yangx Kai hadn’t been idle either. He had been trying hard to recall the herbs he had stumbled upon during his previous hunting trips into Black Wind Mountain. At the time, he didn’t recognize them, so he naturally hadn’t harvested them. Now that he had come prepared, he couldn’t let them slip by again.

This recollection actually brought quite a few locations to Yangx Kai’s mind. There was even one specific spot where a type of herb he currently needed grew.

Brimming with energy, Yangx Kai immediately entered Black Wind Mountain, following a familiar path.

Half an hour later, a stalk of Sharp-Toothed Grass hidden within the brambles was successfully bagged. With this solid start, the scattered memories in Yangx Kai’s mind became increasingly clear. It was almost like following a set guide; he gathered as he walked, and by evening, Yangx Kai had already picked four different types of herbs.

After all, this was the periphery of Black Wind Mountain, an area with constant foot traffic. It was difficult for herbs to survive here, as they would generally be plucked as soon as they matured. Therefore, even though Yangx Kai only managed to harvest four stalks, he was perfectly satisfied.

None of these four herbs were what he needed, and their Grade wasn’t high either—just the absolute lowest Mortal-Level Lower Grade. However, bringing them back could still be exchanged for a few Contribution Points.

The Sun was about to set. Yangx Kai hurried his steps and finally managed to reach the last location in his memory that held herbs before the Sun completely dipped below the horizon.

It was a very strange place. The surrounding vegetation was lush and green, yet the area right in front of him was completely barren. For a radius of about thirty feet, it was practically a dead zone; not only were there no trees, but even common weeds failed to sprout.

Right in the center of this dead zone, however, were three small stalks of grass arranged in a triangular formation, fluttering in the wind. The grass was a withered, sickly yellow. At first glance, one might assume they were dying, but in reality, this herb was naturally that color.

Seeing that the herbs were still there, Yangx Kai couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. He quickly ran over with a beaming smile and started digging furiously with his shovel. Before long, all three herbs were safely gathered into his hands.

Still feeling slightly uneasy, he took out the booklet given by Shopkeeper Mengg to compare them. Only then did Yangx Kai feel completely reassured. They were undoubtedly Desolate Dried Wood Grass. The physical plants in his hands were identical to the illustrations in the booklet, and even the growing environment matched the description perfectly.

Wherever Desolate Dried Wood Grass grew, normal grass withered and trees died, making it incredibly convenient to locate. Basically, if a spot in the mountain forest inexplicably became a dead zone like the one before him, it was absolutely due to the presence of Desolate Dried Wood Grass.

Carefully storing the three stalks of Desolate Dried Wood Grass into his cloth sack, Yangx Kai finally took out his clear water and rice balls, eating and drinking right on the spot.

His main purpose for entering the mountain this time was to find the Three-Leaf Soul Flower and the Desolate Dried Wood Grass. So far, he had only found one kind, and the quantity was far too small. He still needed to keep up the effort.

However, the sky was currently turning dark, making it naturally inconvenient to move around. Consequently, Yangx Kai decided to rest here for the night and resume his search tomorrow when the Sun rose.

During his previous hunting trips, he had always returned on the same day. Yangx Kai had truly never spent the night in the mountains. But even if he had never done it himself, he was no stranger to the concept. Yangx Kai naturally knew exactly what precautions to take when camping out in the wild.

Finding a large tree nearby, Yangx Kai climbed up, settled into a suitable and comfortable nook in the branches, and closed his eyes to rest.

Unable to fall asleep for a while, Yangx Kai summoned the Wordless Black Book again. Casually flipping to the third page, with a mere thought, that Incense Burner emerged from within.

This was another mystery Yangx Kai had discovered entirely by accident: items drawn out of the Black Book could also be stored back inside. After all, the Black Book was made from a Soul Suppressing Stone, a material inherently capable of opening up space and storing objects. Understanding how the Incense Burner could be placed inside wasn’t too difficult.

The only thing that baffled Yangx Kai was that, aside from the Incense Burner, absolutely no other items could be accepted by the Black Book. This left him rather confused. Could this Wordless Black Book, crafted from a Soul Suppressing Stone, actually possess the ability to selectively store items?

After toying with the Black Book for a while, Yangx Kai finally felt the exhaustion catch up to him. Having trekked across so many mountain trails today, he soon drifted off into a deep sleep.

The night passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, Yangx Kai practiced the Body Tempering Chapter for half an hour as usual. The results were highly rewarding. Not only did he manage to execute a few more strikes than he had in the previous two days, but the Qi Sensing within his body also became increasingly dense. Yangx Kai had a distinct premonition—a feeling that he was on the verge of breaking through a barrier. The Qi Sensing in his Meridians seemed to have reached its absolute limit, and he was just one final push away from reaching the next level.