Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Xiao Ran’s expression jolted slightly as warmth welled in his heart.
‘A medicine that can give a mortal 1,000 years of longevity?’
‘Master said she’s bringing me to meet a beauty, but this is, in fact, meant to extend my life?’
Xiao Ran had thought that his master was a big-chested alcoholic without much of a brain, but her concern was actually meticulous. She was really a good master who genuinely cared about her disciple?
However, was it not too much to ask that a medicine be able to lengthen a mortal’s age for 1,000 years?
If there was a medicine like this, who would go through the insufferable cultivation? Would it not be better to take the drug eternally?
“There is such a medicine…” said Yinyue Zhenren softly.
Xiao Ran was dumbfounded. There really was?
It seemed that this was also a good master who cared about her disciple!
Yinyue Zhenren held her palm out. As a green light danced around it, a black rough-looking medicinal pill appeared in the center of her palm.
“This pill is called Thousand Year Pill. It’s a medicinal pill specifically for the physique of the mediocrely-talented in all Five Elements that I refined when I was younger. Theoretically, it can give one 1,000 years of longevity upon consumption, but there’s a certain probability that the person taking it will die within 10 breaths.”
Chills ran down Xiao Ran’s back.
When he looked at Yinyue Zhenren’s tender gaze as she elaborated calmly, there was a strange gleam flashing in her eyes.
‘You’re not looking for a lab rat, are you?’
‘How did you even reach the conclusion that there’s a certain probability one will die?’
The more Xiao Ran thought about it, the scarier it seemed. He quickly said, “One’s life in the world is ephemeral. This disciple personally thinks that living a plain and peaceful life is better. There’s no need for a mortal to force longevity.”
Lingzhou Yue also thought that the Thousand Year Pill was too much, so she asked, “Does Master have a medicinal pill that can extend one’s life for 100 years?”
“I do too.”
Yinyue Zhenren put her palm out again. With another flash of a green light, a coarse greyish brown pill appeared in the center of her palm.
“This pill is called Hundred Year Pill. I refined it when I was younger for averagely-gifted mortals. A hundred years will be added to one’s longevity upon consumption, but there’s a small chance that the person taking it will be crippled for life.”
Crippled for life?!
Xiao Ran felt his legs turn into goo and quickly replied, “Cultivators emphasize the natural way of the Dao and letting nature take its course. This disciple is happy that he was able to join this sect in this lifetime. There’s no need to force longevity.”
Yinyue Zhenren crushed the pill in her palm with a gentle smile and turned to speak to Lingzhou Yue. “You’re lucky that Junior Nephew is so penetrative.”
Lingzhou Yue chuckled. Could he have been a master of construction otherwise?
Then, Xiao Ran asked from the side, “Does Senior Uncle have medicinal pills that only extend one’s life by 10 years?”
Yinyue Zhenren nodded slightly, satisfied with Xiao Ran’s laid-back attitude.
Not fighting for something was considered being lazy, while fighting too much could easily turn into an obsession. Being laid-back and only fighting for something when necessary was the way to be and the way to the Dao.
It was precious and rare for a mortal who had suddenly ascended in status to keep up an attitude like this.
“I do have something.”
“What about the side effects?”
“It’s bitter and it causes too much internal heat.”
Xiao Ran then said seriously, “That’s an amazing pill. Please give this disciple 100 of them.”
Yinyue Zhenren made a soft choking noise, feeling at a loss for words…
Lingzhou Yue’s brows twitched as she slapped Xiao Ran’s shoulder.
“Fool! 100 ten-year pills can’t extend your life by 1,000 years!”
“Huh? They can’t?” Xiao Ran asked on purpose. Of course he knew that was impossible!
He was just quite miffed by Yinyue Zhenren testing his temperament by using the Thousand Year Pill and the Hundred Year Pill, so he had purposely teased her back.
It felt like the God of River asking while holding three axes, “Young woodsman, did you lose this gold ax, this silver ax, or this iron ax?”
‘I lost the entire Axe Gang, happy!?’
Xiao Ran disliked being probed by people who tried to guess and determine who and what he was like. That was why he’d retaliated against Senior Uncle… only to be scolded by his master.
Lingzhou Yue did not give up on her plan to extend Xiao Ran’s mortality.
“Since the available medicinal pills are useless, Master, you can check his physique and refine a specific life-extending pill that’s suitable for him.”
Yinyue Zhenren sighed. “The further you study alchemy, the more you’ll understand that there’s no way to oppose heaven. You’ve learned about medicine from me for decades. How do you not understand this simple truth? Junior Nephew Xiao is a good man. Of course you can keep him, but you need to take in a few more Direct Disciples. Don’t let your swordsmanship go extinct in the Dao-Ending Period.”
Lingzhou Yue felt a headache coming and pouted.
“Can’t a mortal inherit my sword skill? This dude is a fool, but who knows if his swordsmanship will exceed mine one day.”
Seeing that Lingzhou Yue was resolute, Yinyue Zhenren refrained from advising her and said, “In that case, I’ll free up some time to prepare a dissection and a herbal bath for him.”
Lingzhou Yue grinned and thought that her master did still love her.
“Thank you, Master.”
Xiao Ran, however, felt speechless as he stayed frozen.
He knew what a herbal bath was, but what about a dissection?
While chills coursed down his back again, his master patted him and pointed at the medicine with her wine bamboo case, saying, “There’s still more than one hour left before the Elder meeting. Catch some pests, pull some weeds, and plow your Senior Uncle’s herb garden. Consider it a filial act of devotion.”
Xiao Ran’s ears drooped like a rabbit’s.
Key phrase: a filial act of devotion. Was this a new method to reap some DP? By being filial to his Senior Uncle for his master?
By acting devoted on behalf of someone else? He could give it a try!
Xiao Ran concentrated and accessed the system store to look for a farming skill.
“Maximum Level Farming Skill: Includes max level land ploughing, seed selection, seedling culturing, fertilization, irrigation, pest control, weeding, peer grafting, etc. The price is 9 Devotion Points. Do you want to purchase it?”
Investing in a farming skill had already been part of his plan. The Sword-Wielding Mountain was too bare in his opinion. He wanted to plant something useful and serve his master.
There was nothing wrong with him investing in advance for an experiment.
‘Yes!’
“Congratulations, you’ve obtained the Maximum Level Farming Skill! (9 DP depleted, 28 DP remaining)”
There was a buzz in Xiao Ran’s head, and knowledge flooded in as his mind felt clarity that was not unlike the starry sky.
Swiftly, his head was filled with a variety of farming knowledge, seeding techniques, seedling growth, ploughing positions, long-term irrigation, and stem grafting…
His knowledge just grew out of the blue!
When he stepped into the herb garden once more, Xiao Ran’s gaze was different while he browsed through the spiritual plants on the farm, understanding everything at first sight.
Both the little girls were walking through the medicine farm with large strides, their four short legs stabbing the ground, making them look like the bosses of this land.
Chunwa’s head bobbed a little as she told Xiao Ran, “Junior Brother, this is a spiritual farm. It’s different from a normal farm. Are you sure you know how to weed and catch pests? The pests here bite, and the weeds are poisonous!”
Qiuchan looked cooler as she huffed, “Do you know the four farming methods of a spiritual farm?”
…
Above the east cliff of the medicine farm, the cotton clouds glowed as the sunrise hues colored the sky. Lines of purple maple were doused in a thin blanket of mist and morning sun.
Through the dusky clouds, golden rays erupted suddenly, shooting like boiling molten steel as the sun slowly rose from the mountains.
Pieces of clouds in the sky were slowly turning dazzling gold from their initial dark red color, radiating brighter and staining the world in the blink of an eye.
Yinyue Zhenren stood on the edge with her arms behind her back.
As the morning breeze blew, it made her silver strands flutter. There was immense gentleness to the sight, as well as a trace of melancholy.
“I don’t know how many more places in the cultivation world could see a sunrise now and how much longer Zongzhi Mountain will get to see one.”
Lingzhou Yue gulped down her wine.
The mountain wind rumbled, blowing her loose robe into a tempting figure.
“Since the situation can’t be helped, there’s nothing to be worried about. We will die together if we’re dying. Isn’t that magnificent?”
Yinyue Zhenren shook her head.
“The stronger you are, the more responsibilities you carry. I’m afraid it’ll be difficult for you to continue living a carefree life at this point.”
“Cough… Carefree? I’m teaching my disciple seriously too.”
“You’re always on the most offbeat path.”
Lingzhou Yue’s face fell, and she spat out the ever-useful words: “This is also cultivation.”
Yinyue Zhenren was unable to beat this argument and could only remind her, “I won’t help you during the Elder meeting. Think about it carefully.”
“What a coincidence. I won’t help him either.”
Lingzhou Yue turned around to look at Xiao Ran from a distance.
“Don’t treat him as an actual mediocre person. He’s quite gifted in certain aspects.”