Free Web NovelChapter 348: Chapter 348: Daoqing, Situ Yue
"Let’s hurry. Senior Brother must be worried sick since he hasn’t seen me in so long!"
Xie Qinglan thought smugly. ’After all, Senior Brother has been so thoughtful toward me all these years.’
Song Wanning didn’t object, leading Xie Qinglan at a swift pace toward the multicolored glow.
Meanwhile, the demon beasts in Cannibal Valley had also noticed the commotion. Forgetting their fear, they all stampeded in that direction. Everyone wanted to get their hands on the treasure...
When Song Wanning arrived, the gates of the palace before her were already wide open. Outside, trampled and torn vegetation showed the tracks of demon beasts. It was clear that many had already entered.
"Qing Lan, if we get separated inside, be careful. The demon beasts in Cannibal Valley are very powerful."
Xie Qinglan was young and still only a Divinity Transformation cultivator. An encounter with those demon beasts would be more than she could handle.
"Okay, Wan Ning, you be careful too!"
With a heavy heart, Xie Qinglan nodded and carefully stepped into the palace.
Just as expected, the moment she stepped inside, the surrounding scenery changed completely.
Looking around, Xie Qinglan was nowhere to be seen.
Her expression grim, Song Wanning cautiously surveyed the room.
The overwhelming scent of medicinal herbs filled the room, assaulting her nostrils.
A short distance away, a bolt of white silk cloth floated in midair. Beside it, a writing brush shimmering with a cyan light hovered gracefully.
Stepping closer, she saw three words written on the silk: Hundred Medicines Record.
Song Wanning understood immediately. This palace was another Inheritance Hall.
Recalling that Xiao Heyun was a master of the four arts, the corners of her lips curled into a slight smile, but the light in her eyes grew more dangerous. She was clearly thinking of some unpleasant memories.
’Back then, Mu Zixu was so stubborn. Even though I was more qualified, he refused to leave the inheritance to me.’
’He even went so far as to suppress me and hunt me down.’
’If I run into that kind of situation again today...’
Heh.
Suppressing the cold glint in her eyes, Song Wanning strode up to the bolt of silk.
She closed her eyes. ’Since I’m here, I might as well prove myself.’
The scent of herbs flooded her senses. Now, she had to identify each of the Medicinal Herbs by smell and write down their names one by one.
This was a fundamental exercise for learning Alchemy, but it was also one of the most difficult.
’There are countless Spiritual Medicines in the world. Who could possibly claim to recognize them all, let alone identify them by scent alone?’
And with the scents of so many Spiritual Medicines intertwined, telling them apart was even more challenging.
Song Wanning cast all other thoughts from her mind. In a trance, she was transported back to when she first began to learn Alchemy.
Back then, her master had encouraged her to try Alchemy. It was partly to temper her disposition, and partly to slow her skyrocketing cultivation, as he feared her mental state wouldn’t keep pace.
To everyone’s surprise, she had an extraordinary talent for it and learned with incredible speed. Several Alchemy Grandmasters had even joked with her master about wanting to steal her as their own disciple.
Back then, she had been just the same, holed up in the apothecary day after day, holding herself to the highest possible standards.
’If I’m going to do something, I’m going to push myself to my absolute limit.’
’And if it’s not for me, then I’ll quit early. No sense in wasting time.’
...
Elsewhere, Xiao Heyun also had his eyes closed, smelling the medicinal aromas. He appeared calm, but inwardly, he was frantically communicating with his system.
’System, System! Hurry and lend me some points! I have to get this inheritance!’
’I spend most of my time getting to know and wooing women. How could I possibly have time to study the four arts of cultivation?’
’It’s all thanks to my system cheat.’
Now that he was at a critical juncture, he needed the system’s help more than ever.
"Host, you already owe more than three hundred points."
The system was exasperated. ’He hasn’t even paid back the points he took as an advance a few days ago!’
"What’s there to be afraid of? The moment I sleep with Xie Qinglan, I’ll get over ten thousand points. You think I can’t pay you back this tiny amount?"
Xiao Heyun found it ridiculous. The system was so stingy.
The system paused for a moment before relenting, temporarily lending the points to Xiao Heyun.
Xiao Heyun immediately used the points to purchase the system’s ’Hundred-Herb Identification’ function. Just as expected, the medicinal scents that had been a muddled mess moments before suddenly became crystal clear.
He opened his eyes, a look of absolute confidence on his face. He then lifted the brush and began to rapidly write the names of the herbs one by one onto the silk.
His speed increased as he wrote, the smug satisfaction in his eyes deepening with every stroke.
’No matter where I go, I’m always the best. All these treasures belong to me, and no one is taking them away!’
...
「Immortal Realm, Wuji Sect.」
Daoqing was sitting under the Bodhi Tree, drinking tea while observing the palace that had suddenly opened in the Lower World.
This palace was originally his personal, portable apothecary. During a venture out into the world for experience, however, he had accidentally flown into a spatial storm and nearly perished.
In his panicked escape, he had jettisoned many of his treasures, including this very apothecary.
When he was finally rescued, the apothecary and several other treasures were gone, lost to some unknown world.
He never imagined that it would suddenly show signs of activity, let alone that someone would have entered it.
The so-called "trials" these people were facing were, in fact, modeled after his own process of learning Alchemy. It just so happened to serve as a convenient test.
Daoqing’s expression was serene. With seven disciples already under his tutelage, he had no plans to accept another.
’But if I find someone particularly compatible, or someone with exceptional talent, I might consider it...’
’Choosing an Inheritor from the Lower World wouldn’t be a bad idea.’
He slowly savored the tea in his cup. It was a respectful gift from his youngest disciple, Situ Yue. The flavor was mellow and lingering, with a strong, bitter note that gave way to a deep, lasting fragrance. It had recently become one of his favorites.
Speak of the devil.
Bouncing happily, Situ Yue approached Daoqing, her senior brothers in tow. Following behind them was another woman—his eldest disciple, Lan Yue.
Lan Yue was scowling, a clear sign that they had been arguing again.
Daoqing’s expression faltered for a moment.
’Ever since I accepted my youngest disciple, my eldest has seemed... different.’
The two had never gotten along, so seeing them arrive together was rather unexpected.
He never interfered in his disciples’ conflicts, though. He cared for them both equally.
"Master, what are you doing here?"
Situ Yue skipped to her master’s side, plopped down unceremoniously on a nearby stool, and began to wheedle, tugging on Daoqing’s arm.
A doting look filled Daoqing’s eyes as he patted her head. "The apothecary I lost long ago has suddenly shown signs of life. I was free, so I decided to take a look."
"Oh, there are people inside!"
Situ Yue stared at the image in the Water Mirror, her eyes blinking.
Her gaze fell upon Xiao Heyun, and she was momentarily dazzled by his exceptional good looks.
’He’s stunning!!!’
As someone who was a sucker for a pretty face, Situ Yue’s eyes lit up.
"That man is incredible! Look how fast he’s going. Unlike me... I still haven’t learned how to identify Medicinal Herbs..."
