Chapter 4
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Chapter 4: Sword-shaped Herb
This shouldn’t be happening.
When she had harvested it earlier, she wasn’t injured, nor did she feel this burning sensation.
Ming He gazed at the seemingly ordinary spirit herb lying on the ground, as if everything that had just occurred was merely a hallucination.
Yet, the pain in her hand was a stark reminder that it was real; this spirit herb was anything but ordinary.
Otherwise, why would there be guardian beasts? Why would people scour the mountains and fields for it?
And that Senior Sister Liu mentioned by the boy in gray—if her guess was correct, it must be Liu Rui, ranked third among the outer sect disciples.
She didn’t know the boy in gray, but Senior Brother Wang, known as Wang Feilong among those people, ranked seventh among the outer sect disciples.
So, this spirit herb that Liu Rui desired must be of significant importance.
Ming He pondered silently, but having never seen such a spirit herb before, idle speculation was futile.
Should she consume it directly? Ming He felt a surge of eagerness, but recalling the original owner’s demise from obsession, she dismissed the thought.
Since standing still wouldn’t solve the problem, she decided to head to the library to seek answers.
As the repository of knowledge in the Liu Yun Sect, the library housed not only cultivation techniques and martial skills but also a plethora of other books, such as the Record of Beasts, Identification of Spiritual Herbs, and Essentials of Cultivation.
Access to detailed illustrated books like the Record of Beasts required contribution points, but the latter two were basic knowledge available for free.
Ming He set her sights on these free resources.
She glanced at the spirit herb on the ground and retrieved the box she had earlier discarded in the corner, previously used for storing herbal ointment. Carefully enduring the pain, she swiftly placed the spirit herb inside.
Her right hand, unsurprisingly, darkened once more, but Ming He didn’t waste time tending to it; it was merely a superficial wound.
She tucked the box and herbal ointment into her pocket, lifted her sword, and opened the courtyard gate, heading toward the library.
As the starting point of the Dragon Hero’s journey, the Liu Yun Sect, though insignificant in the grand scheme of things, covered a vast area with magnificent palaces.
It took Ming He a full fifteen minutes to traverse what seemed like a short distance from the outer sect disciples’ courtyard to the library.
The blue figure darted swiftly across the open space like a nimble spirit, heading straight for the first floor of the library, which was accessible to outer sect disciples.
Ming He bypassed the eastern area for cultivation techniques and the western area for martial skills, opting instead for the south side of the first floor, where books on the cultivation world’s knowledge and intriguing tidbits were stored.
Basic cultivation knowledge, anecdotes from the cultivation world, brief descriptions of the ten forbidden places, Liu Yun secrets… a myriad of books stood on the shelves, dazzling Ming He’s eyes.
Some of these books contained valuable content, but that was only a small fraction; most were nonsensical fabrications by busybodies, difficult to discern the truth from and not worth referencing.
Ming He’s gaze swept past the dusty tomes, and she pulled out a book titled "Introduction to Spiritual Herbs" from the corner. Although this book only briefly covered the basic shapes and names of spirit herbs, it was solid information.
The original owner, who had mingled on the lower rungs of the Liu Yun Sect, had some knowledge of this.
Leaning lazily against the shelf, Ming He flipped through the pages, quickly scanning for descriptions that matched the spirit herb in her arms.
Half an arm long, dark green with serrated edges, faintly glowing, growing in a damp environment facing the sun, with beasts wandering nearby…
Ming He read these lines, silently recalling the spirit herb’s appearance and growth environment, and quietly equated the two.
As her gaze moved down, three bold characters caught her eye—the name of the spirit herb: Sword-shaped Herb!
Sword-shaped Herb? Ming He pondered the name, speculating that its effect must be related to swordsmanship cultivation.
Now that she had confirmed the herb’s name, finding additional information became straightforward.
Ming He placed the hefty tome, "Introduction to Spiritual Herbs," back on the shelf and retrieved another titled "Detailed Explanation of Spiritual Herbs." She quickly located the entry for "Sword-shaped Herb" by scanning the table of contents.
"Sword-shaped Herb, native to the Eastern Region, typically measures half the length of an adult male’s arm. It comes in dark green, deep purple, and pure white, with green being the least potent. This herb is exclusively beneficial for sword cultivators, offering three primary uses: enhancing sword comprehension when placed nearby, refining sword energy when consumed in doses, and a third, ominous use…"
Ming He absorbed the extensive details, pondering the implications. The idea of enhancing sword comprehension intrigued her, though a footnote clarified that only second-level Sword-shaped Herbs possessed such efficacy. The herb she possessed was dark green, limiting her to consumption.
The book advised consuming it in portions but omitted specifics on dosage and cultivation levels, leaving Ming He to experiment cautiously. Aware of the risks, including the potential for obsession, she hesitated, recalling Su Ming He’s tragic fate.
Leaning against the bookshelf, the girl in blue wrestled with indecision. Ultimately, she decided to explore other cultivation methods first, setting the herb aside for the moment.
She ventured to the martial skills section. The original owner had practiced the Liu Yun Sect’s foundational technique, "Liu Yun Gong (Lower Volume)," with higher volumes reserved for inner sect and core disciples. Ming He, committed to advancing as an outer sect disciple, wasn’t overly concerned with immediate upgrades to her cultivation methods.
In martial skills, she possessed the "Liu Yun Sword Art," complementing her "Liu Yun Gong," which reassured her about her swordsmanship. She realized that mastering even the most basic sword techniques could render her formidable.
After some thought, she selected "Rotating Cloud Steps" and "Breaking Cloud Fingers," and approached the steward to have them copied, carrying a stack of free books from the southern section.
The movement technique would enhance her speed and agility in swordplay, while the finger techniques served as a contingency. She understood the sword’s paramount importance to a sword cultivator but recognized the need for versatility, especially if disarmed.
Her encounter with the Scar-faced Man in the Liu Yun Mountains had taught her the value of preparedness. She resolved not to leave her fate to chance again.
Determined not to be illiterate in this new life, Ming He embraced the educational materials, unwilling to rely on others for knowledge like the Dragon Hero.
After paying three contribution points for a jade slip rich with information, she headed to the training tower, a ten-story structure where spiritual energy intensified with each ascending level.
Envious of the mist-like spiritual energy at the top, she opted for a month-long stay in a lower-level training room, placing ten spirit stones on the counter.
The front desk disciple handed her a door plate with a look of disbelief. Ming He entered her training room, inhaled the dense spiritual energy, and shut the door firmly behind her.
Training commenced.
"Has the disciple been located?" The speaker, a boy in gray, scanned the crowd impatiently. Ming He would recognize him as the one who had attempted to steal her storage pouch, Wang Feihu, brother to Wang Feilong, a prominent outer sect disciple.
Despite his modest cultivation at the fourth level of Qi Refinement, Wang Feihu commanded respect due to his brother’s influence and inner sect connections.
"Senior Brother Wang, I’ve found her," a subordinate reported eagerly. "The disciple is Su Ming He, at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, hailing from a remote town with no significant background and mediocre talent. However, she has an elder brother in the inner sect, aged twenty-three, at the Spirit Guiding fifth level."
"Twenty-three and already at the Spirit Guiding fifth level?" Wang Feihu hesitated. Inner sect members typically possessed considerable talent, and Su Ming He’s brother’s youth suggested a promising future.
"Senior Brother Wang, rest assured. Su Ming He’s relationship with her brother is strained, and as a concubine’s daughter, it’s unlikely he would intervene on her behalf," the subordinate added, sensing Wang Feihu’s apprehension.
"Excellent," Wang Feihu’s mood lifted. "Li Si, I’ll be returning to the clan shortly and expect to be gone for about a month. Ensure Su Ming He is no longer an issue upon my return."
The boy in gray’s expression darkened. "Handle this well, and I’ll recommend you to my brother. Advancing in swordsmanship under his guidance would be straightforward."
Although Senior Sister Liu doubted Su Ming He’s capability to obtain the spirit herb, given her inability to defeat the guardian beast, Wang Feihu was determined to exact revenge for her defiance.
"Understood," Li Si responded with a gleam of anticipation in his eyes.
Wang Feilong, at nineteen and the ninth level of Qi Refinement, was on the cusp of the Spirit Guiding stage, with notable talent in swordsmanship, having achieved Half-step Sword Intent.
Li Si envisioned rapid advancement under Wang Feilong’s tutelage, perhaps even surpassing him to enter the inner sect.
