Chapter 53: The Great Dao is Fifty, Heaven Derives Forty-Nine
On the sixth day at Sancha Medicine Farm, as soon as it was light, Hua Changxi finished her cultivation on time. Just as she was preparing water to wash up, the courtyard gate was knocked.
Unlike the forceful knocking of the previous few days, this knock was very polite.
Hua Changxi put down her washing supplies, walked over, and opened the courtyard gate. Seeing the thin young man standing outside, she was a little surprised, “Why is it you?”
A Niu was a bit shy and didn’t dare to look directly at Hua Changxi. He lowered his head and said, “Steward Mao sent me back to continue feeding the livestock.”
Hua Changxi: “Did you always do the job of feeding the livestock?”
A Niu nodded and quickly glanced at Hua Changxi, “The day you arrived, Steward Mao had others feed the livestock.”
Hua Changxi understood that Mao Yong wanted to use the other male laborers to disgust her, force her to make a move, and then ask a Grandmaster to come and teach her a lesson.
Hua Changxi stepped aside, letting the young man into the courtyard, “What’s your name?”
A Niu seemed a little afraid of Hua Changxi and trotted into the courtyard, then kept his distance from her, “My name is A Niu.”
Seeing this, Hua Changxi lowered her eyes. Two people had died yesterday. Although she didn’t personally kill them, the wild boar had indeed gone mad because she attacked it with Spiritual Energy.
People died.
This was also something she hadn’t expected, but she didn’t regret provoking the wild boar.
When those male laborers came to harass her, of course, she had to fight back. As for the consequences, it depended on everyone’s luck.
In this medicine farm, she was like a piece of meat. If she didn’t fight back strongly, if she was timid and afraid of everything, she would face endless trouble.
As expected, after yesterday’s incident, Mao Yong changed the person feeding the livestock. If the male laborers in the farm wanted to get close to her again, they would probably have to think twice.
When she went to eat, as soon as Hua Changxi entered the courtyard, everyone looked at her and then, as if by agreement, moved away from her. The previous teasing voices also disappeared.
Hua Changxi was very satisfied with this.
Since there were no more people bothering her in the livestock yard, Hua Changxi took her breakfast and went back to eat. She didn’t forget to bring a portion for A Niu.
Back in the livestock yard, A Niu had already finished feeding the cows and horses and was feeding the hunting dogs.
“A Niu, I brought you breakfast. Come and eat after you’re done.”
There was a stone platform by the well. Hua Changxi placed the breakfast directly on the stone platform and ate while watching A Niu work.
Seeing that Hua Changxi had brought him breakfast, A Niu’s expression was a little surprised. However, he was not used to interacting with outsiders, so he deliberately slowed down his pace of feeding the hunting dogs.
However, looking at the hunting dogs that were cooperating obediently, not barking or making a fuss, A Niu felt very strange.
When he used to feed the livestock, both the cows and horses were very restless, and the hunting dogs were particularly fierce. But today, the livestock were unusually easy to feed.
A Niu quickly glanced at Hua Changxi. Could it be that not only the people in the farm were afraid of Young Woman Hua, but even the livestock were afraid of her?
Hua Changxi watched A Niu dawdling and not coming over to eat. After thinking for a moment, she picked up the bowl containing three large steamed buns, walked to A Niu’s side, and placed it at his feet.
After returning to the stone platform, Hua Changxi asked, “A Niu, are you also a laborer at the medicine farm?”
A Niu looked at the steamed buns at his feet and swallowed. He was only helping out at the medicine farm, not a laborer here. He usually couldn’t eat such good food.
“No, I’m a shepherd boy from the neighboring Dong Chi Village.”
Hua Changxi: “Does your village also grow medicinal herbs?”
A Niu shook his head, “We don’t grow them. Medicinal herbs are precious, and we can’t afford to grow them.”
Hua Changxi asked again, “I see women planting medicinal herbs in the medicine fields. Where are those women from?”
A Niu: “They are from the surrounding villages. Every year when it’s time to plant and harvest medicinal herbs, the laborers at the medicine farm get too busy, so they ask people from the surrounding villages to help.”
Hua Changxi looked at him, “You’re from the neighboring village, so you must be very familiar with the area around the medicine farm?”
Hearing this, A Niu finally looked at Hua Changxi and asked doubtfully, “Familiar with what?”
Hua Changxi smiled, “Familiar with the surrounding geography. For example, yesterday, I didn’t know there were wild boars in the mountains. It startled me quite a bit. It was my first time seeing a wild boar.”
“A Niu, can you tell me about the situation in the nearby mountains? I don’t want to encounter a wild boar again.”
A Niu looked at her, “Young Woman Hua, you’d best stay within the medicine farm and don’t wander around. The mountains around here are a bit strange.”
Hua Changxi’s spirits immediately lifted, “How are they strange?”
A Niu looked at the steamed buns and didn’t speak.
Hua Changxi: “What, are these things not to be told to outsiders?”
A Niu shook his head, “No, I’m afraid you won’t believe me if I tell you.”
Hua Changxi smiled, “How do you know I won’t believe you if you don’t tell me? Anyway, I’m idle, so let’s just treat it as telling a story.”
Seeing her genuine curiosity, A Niu finally spoke, “There are many wild beasts in the mountains around us. In the past two years, villagers have been eaten frequently. To hunt these beasts, many traps have been dug around the outer edges of the mountains.”
If it weren’t for those traps, people wouldn’t have died at the medicine farm yesterday.
Hua Changxi had heard her father talk about wild beasts eating people. She thought it was a rare occurrence, but she didn’t expect it to happen so often here at Sancha Medicine Farm.
Was this an isolated incident, or was it like this everywhere in Great Jin?
“Besides wild beasts eating people, are there any other strange occurrences?”
A Niu: “. I’ve noticed that the valleys around us have become larger, the mountains are higher than before, and the flowers, plants, and trees in the mountains are more vigorous than before.”
Hearing this, Hua Changxi’s eyes flickered incessantly, “Is that so? Is this something you feel alone, or do others feel the same?”
A Niu: “My uncles and I, who often go hunting in the mountains, all feel the same way.”
Hua Changxi: “Then have you reported this to the yamen?”
A Niu: “Yes, a few uncles went to the yamen, but the officials there told us not to spread rumors, or they would arrest us.”
Hua Changxi couldn’t confirm this matter and could only keep it in mind. She then asked, “I heard at the Medical Affairs Department that new medicines are often discovered here at Sancha Medicine Farm. Do you know about this?”
A Niu nodded, his expression somewhat happy, “I know. I even found one. Because of that, Steward Mao rewarded me with fifty catties of coarse grains.”
Seeing him like this, Hua Changxi fell silent again. The Medical Affairs Department was very generous to those who discovered new medicinal herbs, but in the end, it was only worth fifty catties of coarse grains.
“What medicinal herb did you discover? And where did you find it?”
A Niu shook his head, “Elder You instructed that this cannot be said.”
Hua Changxi: “Who is Elder You?”
A Niu: “He is the Grandmaster stationed at Sancha Medicine Farm.”
Seeing A Niu’s fearful expression, Hua Changxi didn’t press further about the Grandmaster, “Are there any other strange occurrences?”
A Niu hesitated, “A hunter from Nan Chi Village said that he encountered a weasel in the mountains that could speak human language.”
Hua Changxi’s expression trembled, and her voice rose a few decibels, “Is that true?”
A Niu shook his head, “I don’t know. That hunter later went mad and froze to death last winter.”
Animals that speak human language.
This news greatly shocked Hua Changxi. Before she could ask A Niu further, the sound of a gong signaling the start of work rang out from outside the courtyard.
Soon, Mao Wei and a group of people entered the livestock yard to fetch the hunting dogs, cows, and horses.
Hua Changxi had no choice but to leave the livestock yard and go to the drying ground to collect farm tools.
“Hua Changxi, starting today, you will work in the Medicine Valley.”
The death of two male laborers yesterday had made Mao Yong suddenly realize. The one-armed man, Guo Yu, was a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist. Hua Changxi wasn’t afraid of him, which indicated her Martial Arts cultivation was above Seventh Rank.
He actually went to challenge a Martial Artist of Seventh Rank or above. He must be tired of living.
The laborers injured these past few days were the best examples. Although he couldn’t find any trace of Hua Changxi making a move, he knew it was her.
He had a little authority in the medicine farm, but if he truly angered Hua Changxi, his authority wouldn’t protect him and his younger brother.
The mistake had already been made. Now, all he could do was send Hua Changxi far away and minimize contact with her.
Sending Hua Changxi to work in the Medicine Valley had a ready excuse.
The medicinal herbs planted in the Medicine Valley were more precious than those in the medicine fields. Hua Changxi not only planted medicinal herbs quickly but also worked very meticulously, making her perfectly suited for planting medicinal herbs in the Medicine Valley.
Most importantly, Elder You was there in the Medicine Valley. With him presiding, Hua Changxi could only stay obediently in the Medicine Valley and wouldn’t dare to run around.
After the medicinal herb planting was finished, he would quickly send away this group of people who came to help and never deal with Hua Changxi again.
Hua Changxi was very willing to go work in the Medicine Valley. She had been racking her brain on how to get to the Medicine Valley, and now it was solved without her having to find a way herself.
Mao Yong called a subordinate and had him take Hua Changxi and over a dozen other diligent laborers to Sancha Medicine Valley.
Sancha Medicine Valley was named because it was located at the junction of three mountain ranges shaped like a ‘Y’. It had a flat terrain and fertile soil. This was originally farmland cultivated by nearby villagers, but after the Medical Affairs Department took a liking to it, it was converted into the Medicine Valley.
Hua Changxi walked at the back of the group, carefully observing everything around her.
The further she walked towards the Medicine Valley, the more she could clearly feel the Spiritual Energy in the air becoming denser.
“Chirp~”
Suddenly, a piercing bird cry sounded. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a dark shadow rapidly diving down from the sky, heading towards them.
Hua Changxi focused her gaze, and her eyes immediately showed shock.
It was a sparrow, a giant sparrow with a wingspan of two meters.
Everyone looked horrified and scattered.
The leader of the group shouted while running, “Elder You, help!”
Hua Changxi, who had just picked up a stone from the ground and was about to make a move, immediately stopped when she heard the shout.
Just as the giant sparrow was about five or six meters from the ground, a tree branch as thick as an arm flew out, striking the sparrow’s chest.
With a “boom,” the sparrow fell from mid-air to the ground. The tree branch pierced its body, pinning it to the ground.
The sparrow didn’t die immediately but struggled for a while before becoming still.
Seeing this scene, everyone was terrified.
Hua Changxi looked in the direction the tree branch had come from. Soon, the one-armed man she had seen before appeared.
“Alright, it’s fine now.”
The one-armed man reassured everyone, then walked towards the sparrow. With some effort, he pulled out the tree branch, then slung the sparrow over his shoulder and prepared to leave. As he turned, he saw Hua Changxi and was slightly stunned.
However, the one-armed man said nothing and walked away with the sparrow on his shoulder.
The leader quickly called for everyone to follow. He jogged alongside Guo Yu, “Master Guo, are there more fierce beasts in the Medicine Valley now?”
It was clear that attacks from beasts like the sparrow were not the first time the people at the medicine farm had encountered.
Guo Yu’s expression was indifferent, “Don’t worry, with Elder You here, you won’t be in danger.”
The leader was still worried, “But this can’t go on forever.”
There were more and more fierce beasts, and Elder You was only one person, he couldn’t possibly look after everyone.
Guo Yu paused, “If the fierce beasts continue to increase, Elder You will report it to the Heavenly Department, and then the Heavenly Department will send Martial Artists. You just focus on planting medicinal herbs; you don’t need to worry about security.”
Hearing that the Heavenly Department would send Martial Artists, the leader’s expression improved considerably.
Hua Changxi, walking at the back, listened intently to their conversation.
Fierce beasts?
Were they animals like the giant sparrow?
How did the sparrow become so large?
Was it because of the Spiritual Energy in the Medicine Valley?
And the Heavenly Department…
The one-armed man’s calm tone clearly indicated that this was no longer an isolated incident but a common occurrence, with a mature response plan already in place.
As Hua Changxi pondered these things, they arrived at Sancha Medicine Valley.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a basin in the middle, the geographical environment was extremely favorable, covering a vast area that was impossible to see at a glance.
The leader handed Hua Changxi and her group over to a steward. The steward carefully inquired about their situation and then assigned them to different teams.
One-fifth of the people working in the Medicine Valley were women, so Hua Changxi didn’t stand out, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.
Seeing that the medicinal herbs planted in the Medicine Valley were all those needed by high-rank Martial Artists, Hua Changxi was not surprised. She deliberately observed the speed of others and adjusted her own herb planting speed to be similar to theirs.
Here, what she needed to do was blend in with the crowd. Only by blending in would she be inconspicuous, avoid the attention of Grandmasters, find an opportunity to investigate the situation in the Medicine Valley, and search for Spirit Grass.
While Hua Changxi was diligently working, the one-armed man Guo Yu had been watching her. After observing for most of the day and seeing nothing special about her, he went to the halfway point of West Mountain to meet Elder You, who was sitting on a cliff meditating.
“Master, Hua Changxi’s Martial Arts cultivation is above mine.”
Elder You closed his eyes and shook his head, “She is not a Martial Artist. She has no Internal Energy.”
Guo Yu’s expression changed, “How is that possible? If she’s not a Martial Artist, how can she not be affected by my pressure?”
Elder You opened his eyes, his gaze flickering, “This world is becoming increasingly unclear to me. The higher-ups are hiding many things. I suspect that above Martial Artists, there are even higher levels of combat power.”
He said this while looking at the shocked Guo Yu.
“Keep a close eye on that little girl. Perhaps we can glimpse what secrets the higher-ups are hiding through her.”
Guo Yu asked suspiciously, “Master, Mao Yong investigated Hua Changxi. She’s just a young woman from an ordinary family. How could such a person be involved with matters of the higher-ups?”
Elder You smiled faintly, “The Great Dao has fifty principles, and Heaven’s principles are forty-nine. Those in power hide everything to protect their own interests, but Heaven is still fair; it will leave a glimmer of hope for those below.”
“Just like Grandmaster Martial Artists, although more are cultivated by noble families, there are also many Grandmasters from humble backgrounds.”
“No matter how much those above try to conceal, those below have their own opportunities.”
