Ginseng: A precious medicinal herb, non-toxic and edible.
This ginseng is very old, over a hundred years old.
【Legend has it that ginseng possesses various miraculous effects, and ginseng that is old enough is said to have psychic abilities and be able to develop sentience.】
Looking at the ginseng that displayed information in front of him, Lu Qing smiled.
Ever since he dug up that ginseng that was over two hundred years old, his luck seemed to have suddenly improved.
They then found three more ginseng plants, all of which were over a hundred years old.
Lu Qing was in a very good mood as he slowly dug out the century-old ginseng and put it into the medicine basket.
There are already four ginseng plants in the medicine basket, plus the one that Xiao Li brought from home before.
Five ginseng roots, one two hundred years old and four one hundred years old, if all were refined into Blood-Nourishing and Qi-Boosting Pills, would be more than enough to supply him when he reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm.
"This is truly a treasure trove!"
Lu Qing looked around and sighed sincerely.
He didn't search a very wide area, yet he found so many century-old ginseng roots.
In addition, there were other medicinal herbs he had seen while searching for ginseng.
It is easy to imagine how abundant the medicinal resources in this mountain forest are.
Calling it a treasure mountain is not an exaggeration at all.
However, although the medicinal herbs here are plentiful, it is not easy to get in.
In such primeval forests, insects and snakes abound, and wild beasts lurk in the shadows. If one is not careful, being bitten could mean losing one's life deep in the mountains.
Lu Qing did so because he was a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist and had a medicine pouch prepared by his master that could repel snakes and insects.
In addition, Xiao Li, being a spirit beast, seemed to possess some kind of ability to intimidate other creatures in the mountains, which made things seem easy for him.
For an ordinary herb gatherer, venturing so deep into the mountains would be an impossible task.
So even if most people know that this place is full of treasures and medicinal herbs, they can only look on with envy and give up.
Of course, this is a good thing for Lu Qing.
Only he can freely enter and leave this place, which means that he can come in and find any medicinal herbs he needs at any time in the future.
After gathering enough ginseng for his cultivation, Lu Qing temporarily stopped searching for ginseng.
Besides digging for ginseng, his purpose in going into the mountains this time was also to put the knowledge from the "Compendium of Materia Medica" into practice.
Let's take a look at the other medicinal herbs and see what kind of growing environment they have in the mountains.
And so, Lu Qing took Xiao Li and strolled around the mountains at his leisure.
With Xiao Li and the medicine bag around, those poisonous insects and snakes wouldn't dare approach him.
After wandering around for a while, he couldn't help but marvel again at how abundant the medicinal herbs were in these mountains.
In just a short while, he saw no fewer than dozens of medicinal herbs.
Moreover, they all grow very well and are highly effective medicinally.
Lu Qing also picked out some rare and precious medicinal herbs that were not commonly found elsewhere, and dug some of them up.
My master often provides free medical treatment and prescriptions to villagers in nearby villages, so the consumption of medicinal herbs is quite large.
Common herbs can be found on the hills near the village.
Therefore, Lu Qing specifically chose to collect herbs that were not found elsewhere or were very rare.
After digging for a while, Lu Qing discovered another surprise.
【Panax notoginseng: A precious medicinal herb, non-toxic, and usable for medicinal purposes.】
【It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, stopping bleeding, and relieving pain; it is an excellent medicine for treating both external and internal injuries.】
Looking at the rich white light emanating from the medicinal herbs before him, Lu Qing was overjoyed.
He never expected to find Tian Qi here.
This is also a very rare medicinal herb.
The renowned Golden Wound Medicine, known in the martial arts world as a holy medicine for healing, primarily uses top-quality Tianqi (Panax notoginseng) as its main ingredient.
Previously, in order to treat the young master Wei's hemorrhage, Master had specifically requested Tianqi from the Wei family.
It's easy to imagine how potent this herb is.
Lu Qing immediately began digging.
The light emanating from this Panax notoginseng plant, though only white, is still quite rare.
After digging it up, we can make a whole bottle of wound medicine, which is a life-saving medicine in critical moments, so we can't let it go to waste.
As Lu Qing dug up the Panax notoginseng, a hint of doubt arose in his mind.
According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica", ginseng and Panax notoginseng never grow in the same place.
Because these two medicinal herbs grow in completely different environments.
Ginseng prefers shade, tolerates low temperatures, and dislikes direct sunlight; the climate in these deep mountains is indeed suitable for it.
But Tianqi is different. It likes moisture and is not tolerant of high temperatures or low temperatures. The most suitable growing environment is a place with warm winters and cool summers.
Logically, it shouldn't be here.
Because Lu Qing knew from his memories that it snowed in Jiuli Village in winter.
What could possibly cause Tianqi to defy the natural growth cycle and appear in this mountain forest?
After digging up the Panax notoginseng and putting it into the medicine basket, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.
Looking back now, something does seem a bit off.
The medicinal herbs in this mountain forest are surprisingly abundant.
The fact that so many century-old ginsengs have suddenly appeared is remarkable. Other medicinal herbs are also growing exceptionally well. Even Panax notoginseng, which shouldn't be here, is growing so well.
Lu Qing had previously thought that the abundance of medicinal herbs was due to the good environment and remoteness of the area.
But now, seeing ginseng and Panax notoginseng growing in the same area, he finally realized that something was wrong.
His first thought was, could there be some mystery hidden in these mountains?
After thinking for a moment, Lu Qing looked at the little black beast beside him: "Xiao Li, you've been active in these mountains for so long, have you noticed anything special about this area?"
What's special about it?
Xiao Li was confused and tilted her head to look at Lu Qing, her eyes filled with doubt, clearly not understanding what he meant.
Seeing this, Lu Qing pondered for a moment and continued, "Is there any place nearby that feels different from other places, such as a place that is more dangerous or a place that feels particularly comfortable?"
Now, Xiao Li understood a little.
It tilted its head and thought for a moment, then stepped forward and nibbled on Lu Qing's clothes, gesturing in a certain direction.
Does such a place really exist?
Lu Qing was startled.
He glanced at Xiao Li's actions and asked, "You mean, you want me to come with you?"
The little black beast nodded.
Is that place dangerous?
He wasn't planning to go if it was dangerous.
It's not worth risking your life for a little curiosity.
The little black beast shook its head.
Lu Qing thought for a moment and decided to trust Xiao Li's intuition.
"Okay, let's go. Walk slowly, or I won't be able to keep up."
So, Xiao Li skipped and hopped ahead to lead the way, while Lu Qing secretly circulated his inner energy and followed behind.
Although they were in the mountains, the speed of the man and the beast was not slow.
Soon, Lu Qing followed Xiao Li to a valley.
"It's just ahead?"
Seeing Xiao Li stop, Lu Qing asked.
Xiao Li nodded and gestured with his paw, indicating that this was the special feature he was referring to.
Lu Qing observed for a moment and felt that there was indeed no danger.
On the contrary, after arriving here, he felt relaxed and refreshed, and even his mind seemed to become much clearer.
He perked up, knowing he had come to the right place.
Putting everything else aside, the very aura that clears the mind and makes one feel relaxed is enough to demonstrate the extraordinary nature of this place.
Seeing that Lu Qing was standing still, Xiao Li was a little puzzled. She tugged at his sleeve and then went into the valley first.
Seeing this, Lu Qing quickly followed.
Upon entering the valley, Lu Qing was immediately stunned.
The valley was filled with birdsong, fragrant flowers, and babbling brooks, a scene teeming with life.
The inside and outside of the valley are almost two different worlds.
Xiao Li seemed quite familiar with the valley; as soon as they entered, she led Lu Qing directly deeper inside.
Upon reaching the end of the valley, a waterfall cascaded down its slopes, below which lay a clear, emerald pool. Water cascaded into the pool, splashing up countless droplets.
"Aww~"
Xiao Li stood on a large rock in front of the waterfall, pointed at the waterfall, and called out to Lu Qing.
You said there's something inside?
Lu Qing looked at the waterfall in surprise.
The waterfall wasn't large, and the curtain of water wasn't thick, but he quickly discovered the secret.
Behind the water curtain, there really does seem to be a hole.
"Aww~" Xiao Li cried out again.
"You mean you want me to go in?" Lu Qing asked.
Xiao Li nodded.
Lu Qing fell into deep thought.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Xiao Li, but rather that exploring a cave without knowing anything about it was too risky.
Not to mention that this valley looks quite strange, and who knows what's inside the cave.
What if there are some strange beasts inside? If he goes in, wouldn't he just be throwing his life away?
"Xiao Li, shall we go in together?"
After thinking for a while, Lu Qing said.
Xiao Li is a red-light spirit beast, far stronger than him. With it by his side, Lu Qing's sense of security would skyrocket.
Xiao Li immediately shook her head, looking at the water curtain in front of her with a face full of disgust.
Lu Qing then remembered that this guy was naturally averse to water, and normally, apart from drinking water, it would never touch water.
Last time, it played around at home with Xiaoyan and got covered in dust. Lu Qing wanted to give it a bath, but it almost destroyed the whole house.
In the end, I just wiped it down hastily with a damp cloth and that was it.
Even so, the little thing threw a tantrum and ignored Lu Qing for a long time.
"It's alright, I'll carry you in, I definitely won't get you wet at all," Lu Qing said with a smile. "Besides, you also want to know what's inside, right?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Li immediately showed a hesitant expression.
Upon seeing this, Lu Qing immediately smiled.
He knew that since this guy hated water so much, he must have never been inside.
And judging from its appearance, there's clearly something inside attracting it.
The thing inside must be extraordinary to make even someone as averse to water as Xiao Li so fond of it.
You should know that Xiao Li wouldn't even give a damn about something like a century-old ginseng.
"Don't worry, I'll wrap you in my clothes, so your fur won't get wet," Lu Qing said.
Seeing Lu Qing's assurance, and finding the things in the cave very attractive, Xiao Li struggled for a while before finally nodding reluctantly.
Seeing that the little guy had finally agreed, Lu Qing immediately took off the medicine basket from his back and placed it on a large rock to the side.
Then take off the outer garment and coil it into a nest shape.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Li immediately crawled inside.
It didn't mind that its clothes were covered in Lu Qing's scent.
Anyway, when it was at home, it slept in the same room as Xiaoyan and Lu Qing.
Even its nest was made from Lu Qing's old clothes; it had long been used to it.
After seeing Xiao Li crawl into his clothes, Lu Qing slung his battle sword over his shoulder.
That's right, he brought his battle sword with him this time when he went into the mountains.
After all, besides poisonous insects and snakes, there might also be jackals and wild beasts roaming the mountains, so how could one not bring a handy weapon?
After securing his battle sword and tucking the medicine hoe to his waist, Lu Qing picked up Xiao Li, took a few steps back, unleashed his inner energy, and charged towards the waterfall.
The moment his body touched the water curtain, Lu Qing bent over, curled up into a ball, and held Xiao Li in his arms. With a roll, he landed steadily at the entrance behind the water curtain.
Upon entering the cave, Lu Qing immediately drew the medicine hoe from his waist as a precaution, lest something leap out from inside.
Fortunately, he was just overthinking it; nothing flew out of the cave.
Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
There's no way around it; I've seen this "door-opening kill" thing in many movies and TV shows from my past life.
He [N O V E L I G H T] didn't want to go through that himself.
Sensing that Lu Qing had stopped, Xiao Li poked her head out from his arms.
"See? I told you I wouldn't get you wet."
Lu Qing checked and found that apart from her outer clothes getting a little wet, Xiao Li hadn't gotten wet at all.
On the contrary, he now looks a bit like a drowned rat.
However, Lu Qing didn't care about these things. As long as he wanted, he could dry the clothes in no time by circulating his internal energy.
However, the situation inside the cave was still unclear, and he did not want to waste his vital energy on such a trivial matter.
"Aww~"
Xiao Li was very happy to find that she had not gotten wet.
"Let's go in."
Lu Qing looked into the cave and found nothing there. Since he didn't sense any danger, he decided to go in.
Since we're already here, how can we not go in and take a look?
He took out a tinderbox, lit it, and then slowly carried Xiao Li inside.
However, Lu Qing soon realized that he had gone to unnecessary lengths.
After walking a few steps and turning a corner, he discovered that the cave was gradually becoming brighter.
On both sides of the cave, the stalactite-like stone walls shimmered with a mesmerizing light.
Looking at the tinderbox in his hand, Lu Qing chuckled, then extinguished it, put it away, and continued walking forward with Xiao Li in his arms.
Strangely enough, the cave entrance is behind the waterfall, but the cave is completely dry, without any moisture.
This pleased Xiao Li greatly. It crawled out of Lu Qing's arms and stood on his shoulder again.
The cave was quite deep, but not dark. The further you went in, the brighter the fluorescent light emitted from the stone walls on both sides became.
Lu Qing even used his special ability to investigate and found that it was a unique luminescent mineral that was harmless to the human body, so he continued forward with peace of mind.
As Lu Qing ventured deeper into the cave, he felt the clarity of mind he had been experiencing since entering the valley growing stronger.
Even without Xiao Li's reminder, he vaguely sensed that something deep inside the cave held a strange attraction for him.
Finally, after winding their way for quite a long time, the man and the beast sensed that the space ahead suddenly became spacious.
When Lu Qing saw what was happening before him, he was stunned.
