by Mars Gravity
“Mn…” Yun Che nodded, “Then you better remember well… Two or three Forty Year Old Purple Heart Misty Flower Wood; a piece of Bloody Sunflower Essence; a block of Scarlet Spirit Jade that’s at least nine out of ten in purity; two strains of the One Hundred Eighty Year Old Ice-cold Snow Ginseng; three strains of Twelve Year Old Burning Net Orchid……”
In one breath, Yun Che consecutively named sixteen kinds of medicinal ingredients in succession, and named one of every kind. Xiao Baicao stared blankly for awhile. When Yun Che finished speaking, he was already thoroughly stupefied in place. He didn’t know whether to nod, or not to nod. Even though all these medicinal ingredients could be considered precious, the accumulation from his branch sect’s many years of saving could easily take them all out. But the problem was that these medicinal ingredients Yun Che wanted, were all prescribed down to a specific age.
Seeing Xiao Baicao look stupefied while standing there, Yun Che’s eyes slanted as he asked: “What? These are all not any rare or strange things. To a sect that exceeded a thousand years, they ought to be easily obtained.”
“We have them, of course we have them.” Xiao Baicao promptly said: “But, about their age……”
“Oh! I nearly forgot to remind you about this”. Yun Che’s expression became solemn and said seriously: “These medicinal herbs that I requested just a moment ago, there must not be any deviation in their age…… Well, if they really cannot be found, deviating a year or two should also be barely acceptable. But the effects shall be many times weaker. A difference in the age of medicinal herbs might not seem like that much of a difference, but even if it’s a disparity of a month, there will be a substantial difference in its accumulated essence of nature. High quality refined medicine are extremely harsh on the age requirement of the medicinal ingredient. For those extremely hard to refine usual medicine, the age requirements of their medicinal ingredients are even stricter down to the month. So go quickly.”
Yun Che’s invented crazy nonsense immediately scared Xiao Baicao into a blank stare. He secretly told himself that this Eccentric God Hand’s thinking was just too different; his requirements toward medicine were actually so harsh that he himself, was practically just a quack if they were to be compared. He humbly bowed with a face full of shame: “Senior’s instructions, this junior will bear that in mind….. It’s just that, it’s just that even if this junior knows very little about the methods of gathering and refining medicine, and is so familiar with what I have heard about the medicinal herbs in the sect that I could repeat them in detail, this age requirement for the medicine…….
Not to mention him, even the Xiao Tiannan beside him had been shocked into a daze…… All the necessary medicinal herbs’ age had to be precise; who the fuck could even discern that! A thousand years, hundred years, and a decade could still be considered discernible. But between a dozen years and a few decades, aren’t they all the same? Let alone talk about the precision to the year.
Yun Che’s eyes were wide open as he replied with knitted eyebrows: “Didn’t you claim to be the chief elder of the sect’s Medicine Hall? How could you possibly not know the most basic of medicinal knowledge?”
Xiao Baicao lowered his head and bitterly smiled: “Senior, in this continent, your medical expertise is actually immense. This junior simply cannot compare with it. If there’s a huge difference in maturity, this junior can barely distinguish them. But to be so precise to the very year, or even a few months, this junior is simply incapable of accomplishing this.”
Yun Che thought for a while and then stood up: “Sigh, fine. I should just personally gather them….” After speaking, he paused, and then waved his hands once again: “Oh, forget about it. The place where a sect stores their medicinal ingredients will certainly be the sect’s number one place of importance and it’s possible that only a few of the sect’s own members are qualified to enter, so it would be even more impossible for outsiders to enter. Even I, understand this customary rule….”
Originally, Xiao Tiannan was instinctively conflicted toward the genius doctor’s proposition to personally visit the Sect’s treasury. It was because the sect’s treasury was one of the biggest secretive areas of the sect; even inside the branch sect, there were only five who had the qualifications to enter. There were two keys to the treasury altogether; one was with Xiao Baicao, and the other, with Xiao Tiannan. But listening to Yun Che speak in this way, his conflict instead, vanished without a trace. He thought in his heart that this person was the Eccentric God Hand! What kind of realm was he at! In his eyes, the treasures in his treasury would probably be no different from trash. Furthermore, his reason for going to the treasury was also to save Xiao Luocheng… Moreover, he was worthy to be called a master; to even be this respectful toward this little sect of his. As expected of an master’s demeanor; it was truly admirable.
Immediately afterwards, he hurriedly said: “No, no! Senior is too serious. Although the Sect’s treasury is an important place, it merely is protected against vile characters. Senior is a talented master; how could it it be possible that you would covet things from our little branch sect. Moreover, my son Luocheng had just acknowledged Senior as his godgrandfather so now you are also my sect’s family. Since we’re all family, and this is also for my son Luocheng, what harm is there in entering my treasury?”
“Yes, yes.” Xiao Baicao also spoke immediately afterwards: “This junior is incompetent. If Senior doesn’t personally go, I reckon that these medicinal ingredients still won’t be completely gathered by tomorrow. It would make Senior wait in vain and worsen Young Sect Master’s injury.”
The treasury was an important place that only those with the rank of an Elder may enter, and entering also required the consent of Xiao Tiannan first. Xiao Baicao followed. Nevertheless, it was still the first time the two asked an outsider to enter the treasury, yet they did not feel the slightest bit uncomfortable or thought that it was inappropriate…. After all, he, was the Eccentric God Hand; to enter your treasury was even giving you face.
Yun Che pretended to think for a while and then nodded: “That’s fine too. However, even though I am somewhat grateful of your trust in me, there is a saying that you must firmly remember: Always be on guard with others! I’ve only arrived at your sect for a single day, yet you are letting me enter your treasury alone. Even if it’s for my grandson’s injuries, it’s still too hasty and reckless! How about this; Baicao, you follow me during the entire process of retrieving medicine… Also, even though I’ve lived for a few hundred years, I’ve never really cultivated my profound strength. Until now, I’m only at the Nascent Profound Realm. Furthermore, I’m not carrying any spatial rings on my body either; Xiao Sect can find out by just by probing with profound energy. I’m saying this to let you rest assured, and give myself a peace of mind.”
Nascent Profound Realm, no spatial rings…. Meant that it was impossible to take anything even if he wanted to steal from the treasury. Even if one took something, it would be impossible to not get noticed with such an insignificant profound strength, and it was more so impossible to escape. After these words were spoken, the insides of both Xiao Tiannan and Xiao Baicao’s hearts were moved, and their admiration toward this genius doctor’s uptight integrity rose to the extreme. While moved, Xiao Tiannan said: “Even though this is the first time we’ve met, this junior’s admiration and gratefulness toward Senior exceeds that of anyone I’ve ever met in my entire life. This junior would rather doubt myself, than to ever doubt Senior….”
“Say no more! Baicao, you must follow me the entire way and mustn’t be more than three steps away from me. Although I was often erratic throughout my entire life, I am still a clean and honest person who does not allow a single spot of taint. My grandson’s injury can’t be delayed anymore, let us go right away.”
“Yes yes!” Xiao Baicao answered as he took Yun Che straight toward the Branch Sect’s treasury.
After Xiao Baicao and the genius doctor left, Xiao Tiannan sa
t on the edge of Xiao Luocheng’s bed. Looking at Xiao Luocheng’s miserable state right now, he unexpectedly didn’t have the slightest hint of worry, but instead, had a face brimming with joy: “Luocheng! This time, you’ll have to greatly ‘thank’ that Yun Che! Do you know what kind of person this genius doctor is? It’s even enough to scare you if I say it out! He can be considered as the number one genius doctor of this Profound Sky Continent! Even though he doesn’t belong to any sects or clans, he had saved countless masters and experts; the people who wanted to get on his good side, altogether, isn’t weaker than any sect in the Blue Wind Empire! He is now your godgrandfather; he’ll naturally support you from now on. By that time, even if you are in the Main Sect, they too, will treat you like a treasure! If you can build a good relationship with this Eccentric God Hand, it would be like having one more…. no! More than just one more life!”
Xiao Luocheng also had an expression full of excitement on his face, and even the pain on his body felt refreshing while hurting him. He clutched his right fist and spoke as he clenched his teeth: “No need for father to worry; since I look like his grandson, I have ways to firmly grasp this Huangfu He. As for that Yun Che… Heh! I indeed will thank him greatly! What father said was right, I should take revenge with my own hands. At that time, I’ll cripple his hands and feet, and shatter all of his bones! I’ll destroy all of his meridians and profound veins! I’ll make his life more miserable than death!!”
Xiao Luocheng grew up in the lavish admiration of others and never before, had he suffered this kind of humiliation and transgression. Although he brought his current condition onto himself, it wouldn’t stop his hatred toward Yun Che from seeping deep down into his marrow… This was one of the reasons why Yun Che deliberately visited here to finish him off, after he had failed to kill him with the heavy blow from before.
To let a snake live after beating it was sinful, and to release a tiger back to the mountain will bring misfortune onto one’s own family. This was the creed he firmly engraved into his heart after experiencing countless situations of life and death.
The Branch Sect’s treasury was located below the medicinal hall. Not only was it covert, it also had an entire seven lines of defense. The treasury’s main gate was a stone gate of over three meters tall. Xiao Baicao pushed a oddly patterned round plate into a slot next to the stone gate and slowly turned it. Instantly, the stone door slowly started to rose upwards accompanied by a deafening rumble. This sound was enough to clearly transmit to the surface, which notified people nearby that someone had entered the treasury.
There were three of these kinds of stone gates and each one of them were approximately a foot thick. The sound of each door opening was even more louder than the previous one. If someone uninvited came, just opening the gate would be enough to alarm almost half of the sect.
With the three doors open, a wide tunnel appeared in front of them. Xiao Baicao said while bowing: “Senior Huangfu, please.”
Yun Che was also no longer modest and walked ahead with big strides. At the same time, he still didn’t forget to remind him: “You mustn’t be three steps away from me. Hmph, I wouldn’t want anyone to chatter false rumors about me.”
Xiao Baicao agreed with his mouth but he made a wry smile in his heart… Think about it, who was this Senior? Would he even bother stealing things from this little place? Even if he really wanted to, without profound strength and spatial rings, he fundamentally couldn’t take away much anyway.
As they walked into Xiao Sect’s treasury, rows and rows of shelves made of black wood appeared in their vision. Xiao Baicao went up and introduced: “These black wood shelves are all used to store medicinal ingredients. The medicinal ingredients that Senior needs can all be found here. Furthermore, the elixirs, rare treasures, profound cores, along with different kinds of purple crystals, uncommon metals, precious jade, weapons, armors, and even the Sect’s Arts that our sect had gathered through all these years…. It can be said that our sect’s thousand years of accumulation, are all secretly stored away here.”
As he spoke, Xiao Baicao’s face gloated with a strong sense of pride.
Yun Che stroked his beard, and said indifferently: “With the size of your sect, to have such a stockpile, it’s quite good.”
Mmm, that’s indeed quite good…. This daddy here has the medicinal refining skills and treasure that’s unrivaled between heaven and earth, yet was bothered by the matter of medicinal materials to the point of weeping without tears…. Tsk tsk, the stockpile of a thousand year old sect; I certainly didn’t come here in vain.
Chapter 93: Tiger Soul
The treasury was very large and had at least a few thousand square meters of space. Yun Che walked straight toward the medicinal herb storage area; he stood right next to a huge row of black wood drawer shelves, with a sniff of his nose, he spoke right away: “The fourth drawer from the top in front, positioned to the right of the drawer are two pieces of Thirty Six Year Old Blood Sunflower Essence; take out one piece.”
Xiao Baicao became dumbstruck on the spot. The labels of these black wood drawers that stored medicinal materials were all hidden on the signboard that was positioned at the very top. If one didn’t pull the signboard down with their hands, it was impossible to read what was written on there. There were over one thousand different types of medicinal ingredients here, and even Xiao Baicao who most frequented here, only knew the approximate position of most medicinal ingredients. If he didn’t pull the signboard down, it would be difficult for him to accurately locate them. Yet this genius doctor from at least two steps away, who faced the forest of tightly closed black wood drawers, was actually able to yell out the medicinal ingredient stored within.
Xiao Baicao went forward and opened the drawer. Sure enough, the Blood Sunflower Essence was in there. Even though he knew this “Eccentric God Hand”’s medical skills pierced the heavens, he was still severely shocked and was more so convinced to the extreme. He quietly exclaimed, that a genius doctor, truly was a genius doctor, and he’ll never reach this realm in his entire life.
Yun Che walked through almost half of the medicinal ingredient’s storage area, and collected around seventy or eighty percent of the required materials while not opening a single drawer during that process. Yet, the required medicinal material’s position and age he spoke of were right on point; Xiao Baicao’s admiration and astonishment inside his heart grew deeper with every portion of medicinal ingredient he was told to fetch. He was the dignified Head Elder of New Moon City’s largest sect’s medicinal hall, yet when scuttling behind Yun Che with his back hunched and carefully following his orders to fetch medicine, he himself didn’t feel that it was inappropriate in the slightest; rather, he felt that it was a kind of honor.
“The medicinal materials are just about right, where are the Spirit Jades stored?” Yun Che said after he finished selecting the medicinal materials.
While carrying the black wood box that was filled with medicinal ingredients, Xiao Baicao walked in front of Yun Che and said respectfully: “Spirit Jades are usually stored together with precious artifacts, in the innermost area of the treasury.”
After he finished speaking, Xiao Baicao brought Yun Che to the deepest part of the treasury. The deeper they went, the thicker the spiritual aura’s concentration. What stored the precious jades was no longer black wood, but was instead cold jade, which was more than several dozen times rarer and more valuable than black wood. At least one hundred cold jade shelves were displayed in front of Yun Che; and just these hundred cold jade shelves, were already invaluable.
“There’s actually the smell of Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, and the purity is identical to the one in the hall earlier. I assume it to be the same piece.”
“Yes, it is exactly the same piece. Our Sect is only a small sect. To have an small piece of Purple Veined Heaven Crystal is already extremely difficult.” Xiao Baicao nodded, and at the same time, the admiration inside his heart was even more so, incapable of increasin
g any further. Medicinal ingredients had smells that could be identified, but the spiritual aura of precious crystals and spirit jades were not concrete like the medicinal material’s smell. With a sniff of his nose, not only was this genius doctor able to recognize the Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, he also was able to even identify its purity… The longer Xiao Baicao was in contact with this genius doctor, the more inferior he felt. He deeply sensed that this genius doctor was simply a huge mountain whose summit was unforeseeable. In front of him, he couldn’t even be considered a lump of mud.
“This piece of Purple Veined Heaven Crystal was originally meant to be used as offering to the Main Sect at the end of this year, but it had to be taken out for Young Sect Master Xiao’s incident. It’s fortunate that Senior lent a hand; Senior not only saved our sect’s Young Sect Master, but also saved this kind of heavenly treasure. We really don’t know how to repay the favor Senior granted us.” Xiao Baicao spoke very emotionally.
“Oh? You have to offer such valuable treasures to the Main Sect every year?” Yun Che asked. He knew that the Branch Sect had to contribute offerings to the Main Sect. However, this kind of heavenly treasure like the Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, was extremely difficult to acquire, even for the four major sects. If they had to contribute things of this level every single year, it would be just too harsh.
“That’s actually not the case. The Main Sect established that contributions of over one hundred thousand purple profound coins was enough. The Main Sect will grant us pellets of the best quality that were refined in the Main Sect every year. The more we contribute, the more the Main Sect would give back; sometimes, there were even high grade profound skills and precious artifacts.