Chapter 55: Fire Spirit Stone
To avoid running into Elder You and the one-armed man on the stone cliff, Hua Changxi shifted her position slightly while climbing the cliff face. This caused her to take a long detour through the mountains before returning to Medicine Valley.
As soon as she reached the medicine field she was responsible for, Hua Changxi immediately unleashed her Spiritual Power and used the Soil Turning Technique to prepare the field. Then, she began planting medicine seedlings at a rapid pace.
Half an hour later, she had planted four mu of medicine fields with seedlings.
After that, she didn’t continue planting.
Judging by the speed of the other laborers, planting this many seedlings was considered normal.
After planting the seedlings, Hua Changxi picked up her water buckets to fetch fertilizer.
When she returned with two buckets of foul-smelling farm manure, she saw the one-armed man on the field ridge.
“Master Guo.”
As Hua Changxi approached, she proactively greeted the one-armed man.
The one-armed man sized up Hua Changxi, paying particular attention to her shoes. Seeing nothing unusual and that the medicine fields were all planted, he grunted and left without another word.
Watching the one-armed man’s receding back, Hua Changxi let out a sigh of relief.
Anyone who had been in the mountains knew that one would pick up things, such as mountain soil or traces of special scents. Fortunately, she had cleaned her clothes and shoes with the Pure Body Technique as soon as she returned.
After fertilizing and finishing the work in the medicine field, Hua Changxi didn’t immediately return to her accommodation. Instead, she went to a secluded spot and summoned the Shen Nong Cauldron.
“The Shen Nong Cauldron isn’t that big, so how can it hold so much?”
Hua Changxi tapped and prodded the Shen Nong Cauldron. As she accidentally leaned her head against it, the scene inside the Shen Nong Cauldron suddenly appeared in her mind.
The interior of the Shen Nong Cauldron was vast. She couldn’t say exactly how big it was, but she “saw” the Spirit Grass and jujubes she had collected appearing as small as grains of rice within the Shen Nong Cauldron.
Hua Changxi was somewhat speechless. Could she control such a large Shen Nong Cauldron?
Thinking this, she conjured a ball of Flame and threw it directly under the Shen Nong Cauldron.
During this time, Hua Changxi continuously output Spiritual Energy, making the Flame larger.
After expending a hundred points of Spiritual Energy, the surface of the Shen Nong Cauldron showed no temperature change.
After expending two hundred points of Spiritual Energy, it was still the same.
After expending five hundred points of Spiritual Energy, she found that the surface of the Shen Nong Cauldron remained completely cool under the scorching Flame. Hua Changxi then withdrew her Spiritual Power.
She knew then that she couldn’t use this Shen Nong Cauldron.
At least, not yet.
“It can only be used as a portable Magic Treasure.”
Hua Changxi thought about taking out a jujube, and immediately a jujube appeared in her hand: “Fortunately, it’s quite convenient to store and retrieve things.”
After putting away the Shen Nong Cauldron, Hua Changxi bit into a jujube with a “crunch.”
As expected of something that made her salivate just by looking at it, this jujube was incredibly delicious.
This was no ordinary jujube; it was a Fire Jujube, a Spiritual Fruit containing rich Fire Spiritual Energy.
If Hua Changxi had been unsure of her Spiritual Root attribute before, after entering the Qi Sea Realm and seeing the spotless red Qi Sea opened in her Dantian, she had guessed her attribute.
She was likely a Single Fire Spiritual Root.
Indeed, after eating the Fire Jujube, she felt no discomfort. Her stomach immediately warmed up, and then a warm current spread throughout her limbs and bones.
This sensation was not unfamiliar to Hua Changxi; it was the same when she had consumed and refined the Spirit Origin Pill.
Feeling her Spiritual Power increase, Hua Changxi immediately checked her stats and found that eating one Fire Jujube could increase her Spiritual Power by ten points.
She had picked at least a thousand Fire Jujubes, meaning that after eating them, she could increase her Spiritual Power by ten thousand points.
Since she was in Medicine Valley and being watched by the one-armed man, she hadn’t had the chance to refine pills. It was perfect timing to eat Fire Jujubes to increase her Spiritual Power.
Thinking about the unexplored areas at the cliff bottom, Hua Changxi felt an itch of impatience. She wanted to go down again, perhaps to find more good things.
Even if she didn’t find anything, collecting more Spiritual Plants to refine pills could upgrade her rank as an Alchemist.
Fortunately, Elder You was going to deliver medicine the day after tomorrow, and she should be able to find another opportunity to go to the cliff bottom then.
On the fourteenth day of the third month, Hua Changxi, like other laborers, diligently planted medicine seedlings. However, in places where no one could see, she would occasionally take out Fire Jujubes to eat.
On the fifteenth day of the third month, Hua Changxi woke up early and closely monitored the movements on West Mountain.
While the laborers were eating breakfast, Elder You, who had never appeared in front of others, descended West Mountain with the one-armed man.
As soon as the two appeared, all the laborers put down their bowls and chopsticks and respectfully stood up: “Elder You.”
Elder You surveyed the crowd, his gaze sweeping over Hua Changxi without lingering, as if it were a casual glance. “I am taking Guo Yu to the Medical Affairs Department today. You must take good care of Medicine Valley.”
With a Grandmaster’s decree, no one dared to object and could only respectfully watch the two depart.
After leaving Medicine Valley, Guo Yu looked at Elder You in confusion: “Master, you usually go alone to deliver medicine. Why did you bring me this time?”
Elder You’s expression was calm: “If we don’t leave, how will that little girl make her move?”
Guo Yu’s face immediately showed understanding: “Master, I understand your meaning. I will pretend to go with you to the Medical Affairs Department, and then I will sneak back. If Hua Changxi has any schemes, I can catch her red-handed.”
Elder You looked at Guo Yu with a headache.
This disciple had been wandering the martial arts world before, acting straightforwardly. He didn’t understand that many things in this world couldn’t be achieved through Fighting and Killing alone.
“You want to catch that girl. Have you considered the consequences?”
“The consequence is that you can’t defeat her, but you discover her secret, and you die; even if you can defeat her and capture her, then what? Are you sure she will tell you her secret?”
Guo Yu frowned: “Then we do nothing?”
Elder You: “Aren’t we leaving Medicine Valley now?”
Guo Yu was still a bit confused: “Master, if we leave, we won’t know if Hua Changxi makes any moves, will we?”
Elder You smiled and didn’t explain this time. He used his Lightness Skill and sped towards the Medical Affairs Department.
Seeing Elder You act this way, Guo Yu immediately understood that he had a plan and didn’t ask further, quickly following him.
Back in Medicine Valley, Hua Changxi was overjoyed to see Elder You and Guo Yu leave. Even though she was suspicious of their departure, it couldn’t stop her determination to explore the cliff bottom again.
Hua Changxi didn’t immediately go up West Mountain. Instead, she finished planting the medicine fields she was responsible for. Once she confirmed that Elder You and the one-armed man were gone, she secretly went to the stone cliff while everyone was having lunch.
Jumping off the cliff for the second time, Hua Changxi was much calmer. With the experience from last time, she landed steadily this time.
There were dozens of types of Spiritual Plants at the cliff bottom. Hua Changxi picked some of each, spacing them out as she collected them. Afterward, she used the Soil Turning Technique to fill in the ground and erase any traces of her presence.
The most eye-catching thing at the cliff bottom was a lush Green Fruit tree. The tree was densely covered with Green Fruits, but they were all small, only about the size of a thumb.
Although the Green Fruits were small, their fragrance was intoxicating.
Green Fruit is a Wood-attribute Spiritual Fruit. Because it is rich in life force, it is an excellent Spiritual Fruit for healing and repair. The older it is, the higher its grade.
A first-tier Green Fruit is the size of a fist. The Green Fruits on the tree were clearly not yet mature. Recalling the fruits Elder You and the one-armed man picked yesterday, Hua Changxi guessed that the fruits they delivered to the Medical Affairs Department were likely Green Fruits.
The fruits were not ripe, so picking them was useless. Hua Changxi felt a bit regretful.
The second type of Spiritual Fruit at the cliff bottom was the Fire Jujube. Unlike the fragrant Green Fruit tree, approaching the Fire Jujube tree gave one a feeling of being enveloped in heat.
Hua Changxi, possessing a Fire Spiritual Root, felt as if she were soaking in a hot spring under the Fire Jujube tree. However, for anyone else, it would be very uncomfortable.
This was probably why Elder You didn’t pick the Fire Jujubes despite there being so many.
The Fire Jujube tree was also lush and verdant, with bright red Fire Jujubes hanging from the branches, looking particularly pleasing.
“Huh?”
Hua Changxi discovered that the Fire Jujube tree actually bore second-tier Fire Jujubes, and there were quite a few of them.
She hadn’t examined the Fire Jujubes she had knocked down with her Spiritual Power earlier and hadn’t noticed this.
Hua Changxi climbed the Fire Jujube tree and picked all the second-tier Fire Jujubes, obtaining a total of five hundred.
Afterward, she looked around the cliff bottom again and found that Fire-attribute Spiritual Grass was more abundant. Furthermore, only Fire-attribute Spiritual Grass and Spiritual Fruits could advance to the second tier.
“Medicine Valley has the most concentrated Fire Spiritual Energy.”
“Where does this Fire Spiritual Energy come from?”
Although Elder You and the one-armed man were not present, Hua Changxi couldn’t stay at the cliff bottom for too long, lest other laborers discover her absence. Finding nothing else at the cliff bottom, she quickly flew up the stone cliff and returned to Medicine Valley.
Elder You and the one-armed man returned the next morning. Upon returning to Medicine Valley, Elder You said nothing and went directly to West Mountain. The one-armed man, however, called the Steward of Medicine Valley and questioned him before also returning to West Mountain.
“Master, the Steward said that Hua Changxi left for a period of time yesterday at noon.”
Elder You grunted and leaped directly off the stone cliff. Half an hour later, he returned to the stone cliff.
Seeing the joy on Elder You’s face, Guo Yu couldn’t help but ask: “Master, did you discover something?”
Elder You nodded: “That girl went to the cliff bottom.”
The items at the cliff bottom were related to Imperial Court secrets. Even a single blade of grass or a single fruit, he knew them by heart. Even though Hua Changxi had erased her traces, the missing herbs and fruits could not be replenished.
Guo Yu’s expression changed: “What should we do now? Should we go find Hua Changxi?”
Elder You shook his head: “We don’t need to do anything.”
Guo Yu was confused: “Why?” He paused and tentatively asked, “Master, do you already know Hua Changxi’s secret?”
Elder You shook his head again: “Your Master does not know.”
Guo Yu was even more perplexed: “Since you don’t know, why not summon her and ask her directly?”
Elder You looked at him: “If we summon that little girl, will she tell us?”
Guo Yu: “The items at the cliff bottom belong to the Imperial Court. She stole from the Imperial Court, and with such a significant leverage in our hands, would she dare not obey us?”
Elder You chuckled: “The items at the cliff bottom do not belong to the Imperial Court. Don’t forget, Three Forked Medicine Valley was first discovered by the surrounding common folk.”
Hearing this, Guo Yu fell silent.
In his years of wandering the martial arts world, he had seen the Imperial Court forcibly requisitioning and occupying the ancestral lands of common people many times. Entire communities that had lived in one place for generations were forced to migrate simply because some forests yielded new medicines that caught the eye of the authorities.
The things in the mountains and forests were originally ownerless.
If ownership was determined by who came first, then the Imperial Court could be considered robbers.
Elder You continued: “Our goal is to uncover the secret on that girl. Threatening her as soon as we meet will not work.”
Guo Yu’s brows furrowed: “Then what should we do?”
Elder You: “The best and fastest way to achieve this is through exchange. That girl has a secret we want to know, so we must offer something of equivalent value in exchange.”
Guo Yu thought for a moment: “Allow Hua Changxi free access to the cliff bottom?”
Elder You shook his head: “She can enter and exit the cliff bottom even without our permission, it’s just slightly more troublesome. This bargaining chip is not enough.”
“The work in the medicine fields will at least last until the end of March or early April. During this time, I need to think carefully about what conditions I can offer to impress that girl.”
Guo Yu could see that his Master cared deeply about Hua Changxi’s secret, to the point where he had to be extremely cautious in his interactions with her, for fear of displeasing her.
Elder You indeed cared a great deal. Hua Changxi was the only person he could access who might know the secret of the cliff bottom.
Despite being a Grandmaster, he had not pledged allegiance to anyone because he did not want to be controlled by Nobles. While he was free, he also lacked support, resulting in extremely limited information.
In recent years, as he had killed more Fierce Beasts and as more young, high-level Martial Artists emerged, he increasingly felt that something was amiss.
This World seemed to be undergoing some kind of great change!
The source of these great changes all pointed to the newly appearing Precious Medicines and exotic fruits.
There must be a great secret hidden within!
He had a strong premonition that if he didn’t investigate this secret thoroughly, he would be left behind, far surpassed by those young, high-level Martial Artists.
Hua Changxi noticed that the one-armed man was no longer watching her, which made her somewhat puzzled.
She wouldn’t be going down to the cliff bottom again anytime soon, so she couldn’t be bothered to figure out why the one-armed man was doing this. She diligently performed her duties as a laborer, eating Fire Jujubes during the day and cultivating at night.
Looking at the rapidly increasing data, Hua Changxi was in a very good mood: 『 Realm: Qi Sea Realm 20000/100000』
When her Realm Points broke through 20,000, Hua Changxi found that the red Qi Sea in her Dantian had more than doubled in size.
Looking at this, she understood that the outward manifestation of advancement in the Qi Sea Realm was the expansion of the Qi Sea.
In the blink of an eye, time had reached the last day of March.
All the medicine fields in Medicine Valley had been planted with seedlings, and it was time for Hua Changxi and the others to return to Sancha Medicine Farm.
Before leaving, Elder You appeared.
“Hua Changxi, come here. Elder You is looking for you.”
Seeing Elder You waiting for her at the entrance of Medicine Valley, Hua Changxi frowned, her heart filled with caution, but she smiled on the surface: “Elder You, what do you need me for?”
Elder You smiled at Hua Changxi, his expression very amiable: “I know you went to the cliff bottom.” Seeing Hua Changxi about to deny it, he raised his hand to stop her.
“I’m not here to pursue this matter. I want to take you somewhere.”
Hua Changxi naturally refused, about to reject him outright, but at that moment, Elder You produced a red crystal about the size of a fist.
Looking at the red crystal and feeling the dense Fire Spiritual Energy within, Hua Changxi’s expression changed.
Fire Spirit Stone!
She should have guessed. Where else would Spiritual Energy come from? It must have emanated from a Spirit Mine.
With such concentrated Fire Spiritual Energy in Medicine Valley, there must be a Fire Spirit Mine underground.
Elder You saw the change in Hua Changxi’s expression and felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, she was a young girl whose facade wasn’t yet perfected, further confirming his guess.
“Little girl, do you want to know where I found this stone?”
Hua Changxi looked at Elder You, her mind racing.
Elder You knew she had been to the cliff bottom but remained silent, and now he came to her with a Fire Spirit Stone. This meant he needed something from her.
The only thing about her that could interest a Grandmaster was cultivation.
Seeing that Hua Changxi remained silent, Elder You turned and walked towards South Mountain. After a few steps, seeing that Hua Changxi wasn’t following, he stopped and waited for her.
Hua Changxi looked at him and then followed.
