Chapter 572: Transporting Medicinal Herbs

“It’s that complicated?” Zhang Xiaohua was somewhat dumbfounded. “They’re just Inner Sect disciples, aren’t they? How come the hierarchy is so clearly divided? It’s far less simple and easy to understand than the cloth-robed disciples and brocade-robed disciples of the Piaomiao Sect.”

Smacking his lips, Zhang Xiaohua said, “From what Senior Brother Bai says, wouldn’t we disciples of Tuodan Hall belong to the very bottom tier of disciples within the Incense-Spreading Sect?”

Bai Huan laughed. “Junior Brother Ren, where did that come from? The Sect Master often teaches us that no matter which hall one belongs to, and no matter what kind of work one does, all are disciples of the Incense-Spreading Sect and all are equal.”

Then he lowered his voice and said: “We’re not even the worst off. The worst are those from Qiankun Hall. They’re the handymen. Whatever needs doing in the sect falls on them, and they can’t pick and choose. They’re the ones who truly suffer and toil.”

Touching his nose, Zhang Xiaohua thought to himself: “That’s true. You people still have the leisure to gamble and fight. At most, you just tend medicinal fields. That’s hardly the hardest work. Sigh, I wonder how the disciples of Piaomiao Hall live.”

He wanted to steer the conversation in that direction and ask about it, but after thinking it over, Bai Huan probably wouldn’t know much anyway, so he said: “It’s getting late. Senior Brother Bai, shouldn’t you get some rest? Tomorrow you’ll still need to weed and water the fields.”

Bai Huan waved his hand. “Those are trivial matters. A disciple of the Herb Division naturally has the awareness expected of a Herb Division disciple. Such things will never be delayed. If Junior Brother Ren is tired, then you should rest early. But how come I never see you practicing your fists or martial arts? Down on the mountainside, we, the Herb Division disciples, specifically set aside a large training ground for several Arhats. Sometimes I go watch them practice. I even saw Senior Brother Qian lift a stone lock that big all by himself. Truly incredible!”

As he spoke, Bai Huan spread his hands wide in an exaggerated gesture.

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said, “I have my own times for practicing martial arts. Senior Brother Bai needn’t worry.”

“Oh~ I understand now.” Bai Huan wore an expression of sudden realization. “I definitely won’t disturb Junior Brother Ren. Don’t worry, don’t worry… hehe, but next time there’s a gambling match, you must tell me in advance.”

Bai Huan still seemed unconvinced.

Zhang Xiaohua nodded. “Don’t worry, Senior Brother Bai. I’ve already said it many times.”

Then, looking at the sky, he said: “It’s still fairly early. I’ll go down the mountain and bring the Sibu Xiang up.”

“I’ll go with you.” Bai Huan immediately offered.

“Don’t!” Zhang Xiaohua hurriedly stopped him. “I’d better go by myself. Two people would be too slow. If I go alone, I’ll be back in just a moment.”

“Oh, I understand. Junior Brother, hurry along then. It’ll be completely dark soon.”

Bai Huan wore an expression of complete understanding.

Zhang Xiaohua smiled at Bai Huan, then rose to his feet. Without even glancing back, he leapt straight down, startling Bai Huan into a panic before leaving him with a face full of envy.

The small courtyard on the mountainside was still as desolate as ever. Only Huanhuan was wandering around outside. Catching Zhang Xiaohua’s scent, it immediately let out a series of whinnies, stretched out its tongue, and licked Zhang Xiaohua’s hand again and again. Zhang Xiaohua patted Huanhuan’s head in consolation before walking through the gate.

The jade boxes, piled up like several small hills, had already been moved into the house under Qiu Weicheng’s direction by the disciples of the Herb Division, filling the entire room to the brim.

After entering the room, Zhang Xiaohua did not light a lamp. Sweeping the area with his Divine Sense, he took out the money pouch and beckoned with his hand, collecting several hundred jade boxes whose Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi was especially abundant into the pouch. With several hundred boxes gone from the hill-like pile, there was no obvious difference in appearance.

Zhang Xiaohua then considered taking more medicinal herbs, but there was no need to mention herbs required for the Incense-Spreading Sect’s secret medicinal pills, such as the Jade Restoration Pill and Spirit-Concentrating Pill—those definitely were not here. At present, he could only refine the Meridian Nourishing Pill and Bone-Consolidating Pill. As for the Bone-Consolidating Pill, he had not yet carefully studied its pill formula and still did not know what medicinal herbs it required.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xiaohua picked up the Prajna Heavy Sword from a corner of the room, flashed out of the house, and then headed toward the summit of Tianmu Peak with Huanhuan.

However, just as Zhang Xiaohua emerged from the bamboo grove, he suddenly noticed a figure secretly crouching behind a boulder at one corner of the grove, staring intently at him. Sweeping over with his Divine Sense, he discovered it was none other than Zou Shuming, one of the Vajras of the Pill Division!

“Eh?” Zhang Xiaohua was greatly puzzled. “Could this fellow be interested in the medicinal herbs in the courtyard?”

“But that doesn’t make sense. If he wanted medicinal herbs, he could have taken them days ago. Why wait until now? Unless…” A cold snort escaped Zhang Xiaohua’s nose.

Sure enough, as Zhang Xiaohua rode Huanhuan up the mountain, Zou Shuming followed from afar, never drawing close.

Only after Zhang Xiaohua reached the summit and casually let Huanhuan roam free did Zou Shuming quietly conceal himself atop a large tree and continue observing from a distance.

“Sigh.” Zhang Xiaohua let out a sigh. “That Wu Dalang and Boss Chen both think alike. They both want to know my every move. But what is there about me worth paying attention to? If I don’t want you to know something, can you possibly find out? You can only know what I want you to know!”

Shaking his head, Zhang Xiaohua no longer paid any attention to the fellow on the distant tree who was still trying his best to conceal his whereabouts. Carrying the Prajna Heavy Sword, he returned to the cave.

After planting the heavy sword at the entrance and setting up the restriction, Zhang Xiaohua escaped into the pill room.

First, he took out several hundred jade boxes from the money pouch and selected the most precious medicinal herbs among them, placing them into the jade boxes he had personally refined and sealing them with restrictions. Only then did Zhang Xiaohua take out the pill formula for the Bone-Consolidating Pill and carefully study it from beginning to end.

The Bone-Consolidating Pill was a commonly used immortal Dao pill for healing injuries to muscles and bones. It had three principal ingredients: Ironbone Grass, Fragrant Soulwood, and Lingwood Fruit. Back when the immortal Dao flourished, these medicinal herbs were commonplace and generally of great age. The most potent Bone-Consolidating Pills could even regenerate broken bones.

“Wow~” Zhang Xiaohua was extremely excited. “Now this is a true immortal method. Regenerating broken bones—isn’t that the stuff of legends?”

Indeed, although Zhang Xiaohua had successfully refined the Meridian Nourishing Pill, its effects were still uncertain, and he himself did not know whether he should try taking one. This Bone-Consolidating Pill, however, was genuinely the kind of immortal pill people spoke of in everyday tales. How could he not be astonished?

Most importantly, Ironbone Grass, Fragrant Soulwood, and Lingwood Fruit were all relatively common medicinal herbs recorded in the Herbal Encyclopedia. Just a few days ago, Zhang Xiaohua had obtained them during the gambling matches, exchanging pills for them from Chen Fengxiao, Si Huinan, and Bai Huan respectively. In truth, it was precisely because these three herbs had once been fairly common that Zhang Xiaohua had been able to acquire them so easily. As for many of the other medicinal herbs, since he had not paid much attention to them, he still did not know what valuable treasures might be among them.

Since the principal ingredients were already complete, there was even less need to worry about the auxiliary ingredients. Zhang Xiaohua carefully thought back and recalled that many of them were already among the jade boxes he had just brought up. Some others should still be in the small courtyard halfway up the mountain. When the time came to refine the Bone-Consolidating Pill, he could simply fetch them then. Well, perhaps there would be no need for that either. In any case, over the next few days, he intended to refine more jade boxes and move all of the medicinal herbs from below into this pill room.

The Bone-Consolidating Pill was considered a low-grade pill, and its refining method was similar to that of the Meridian Nourishing Pill. Zhang Xiaohua reviewed the refining techniques recorded in the pill formula, then put it away.

Afterward, he ignited the Earth Fire beneath the platform and continued refining jade boxes for storing medicinal herbs. This time, there was no need to use his own jade. Weren’t all those empty jade boxes available for use? Saving where one could save was always best.

He continued refining until deep into the night. Without leaving, he simply sat cross-legged within the pill room and cultivated his Carefree Heart Sutra.

For several days thereafter, Zhang Xiaohua would tend the medicinal fields each morning, then hide away in the pill room refining jade boxes. He would contemplate the Heavenly Dao, study formations and restrictions, occasionally show himself in the medicinal fields, and water an inconspicuous corner of the fields with spring water that had been soaked with Yuan Stones.

Well, once night had deepened, Zhang Xiaohua still had to avoid Zou Shuming’s watchful eyes. Every day he would go to the small courtyard halfway up the mountain, hold the Herbal Encyclopedia in his hands, identify the medicinal herbs in the jade boxes one by one, and then transfer them into his own jade boxes, leaving the empty ones behind in the small house.

It had to be said that the Incense-Spreading Sect truly deserved its reputation as a great sect that had inherited the immortal Dao. Likewise, Tuodan Hall truly lived up to its role as the place supplying medicinal herbs for the sect. Among these several thousand jade boxes were all manner of strange and unusual herbs. Many were not even recorded in the texts of Spring Rebirth Valley, yet all were immortal Dao medicinal herbs listed within the Herbal Encyclopedia.

Whenever he encountered a rare medicinal herb, Zhang Xiaohua could not help but secretly admire his own foresight. If he had not suddenly come up with the idea of exchanging pills for medicinal herbs, how could he have gotten these disciples to bring out the herbs they had been keeping hidden? Moreover, Bai Huan and Si Huinan had set an excellent example by trading either rare herbs or herbs of unknown origin for pills. Although they refused to speak openly about it, there was no such thing as a wall that kept out all wind.

The disciples of the Herb Division and Pill Division had long since investigated the matter thoroughly. Therefore, when the disciples used medicinal herbs to repay the pills they owed Zhang Xiaohua, they could not afford to lose face, and thus, all brought out high-quality herbs. Of course, if the herbs were not rare, why would they have kept them in their collections?

As for Chen Fengxiao and Wu Zhouxu, there was even less need to mention them. The herbs they brought out were even rarer. They could not afford such a loss of face. Exchanging ordinary medicinal herbs for pills? Could they really bring themselves to do that?

Refining jade boxes was already a laborious task. Taking medicinal herbs out of the boxes, searching through the Herbal Encyclopedia to find their names and uses, was even more exhausting. Repeating the process across several thousand jade boxes was harder still.

Thus, Zhang Xiaohua spent nearly twenty days busy in this fashion, tired but happy. Only then did he gradually transfer his astonishing “fortune” from the small courtyard on the mountainside to the pill room atop the summit. Left behind in the courtyard was only a pile of empty jade boxes…

Alas, it was not that Zhang Xiaohua did not want to take those jade boxes as well. Unfortunately, the space within his money pouch was limited and simply could not hold them all. Furthermore, he still needed to conceal certain things, so he had no choice but to part with them despite the pain.

On this particular day, Zhang Xiaohua was in the pill room contemplating the Heavenly Dao when his heart suddenly stirred. He slipped into the cave, straightened his clothes, and walked outside.

Then he heard someone calling from beyond the cave entrance: “Little Brother, are you here?”