Chapter 197: Underground Secret Path

Click!

A soft sound.

That heavy stone door actually slid open by itself, without a sound.

"All right, Xue'er! You managed to open it!" Zhang Jun couldn't help cheering.

Lin Xue smiled: "The Shennong Medical Classic says this kind of lock relies on the mutual promotion and inhibition of medicinal herbs; the order and the herbs must be exactly right."

The two entered the stone door, one after the other.

Inside, it suddenly lit up!

Wow, behind the stone door is actually a huge natural cave.

On the cave ceiling hung dense stalactites; unknown what stone they were, they glowed on their own, dim and soft, lighting up the whole cave without being glaring.

At the cave floor lay a vast medicinal field.

Unlike the twisted, worthless poisonous herbs in Wan Yao Gu's forbidden zone, these medicinal herbs are vigorous, lush green, and thriving.

Many of the herbs look strange, but the thick, inseparable medicinal fragrance tells you they are absolute treasures—spiritual medicines you'd never see outside even after eight lifetimes.

"Good heavens… this place is practically an immortal's abode!" Zhang Jun widened his eyes and looked around eagerly.

This underground medicinal field is worth countless times more than all the herbs above ground in Wan Yao Gu combined!

Lin Xue's eyes also shone, her voice trembling: "The spiritual energy here is abundant! These herbs must be hundreds or even thousands of years old! Look at that one, shaped like a lying dragon, reddish—could it be the 'Dragon Blood Ginseng' mentioned in the book?"

These old medicinal essences have their potency almost overflowing; the whole cave is filled with the pure medicinal aura they emit.

As soon as Zhang Jun stepped inside, the Hongmeng Creation Technique within his body began to circulate on its own.

All his meridians and apertures opened wide, desperately sucking in the thick medicinal potency from the air.

Warm currents surged through his body, making him feel extremely comfortable; his spirit instantly changed.

In the middle of that lush green medicinal garden stood an inconspicuous stone table.

About half a person tall, the stone looked ordinary, yet atop it lay a yellowed beast‑skin scroll, with several warm‑lustrous jade slips beside it.

The beast‑skin scroll and jade slips were covered with a faint glow, exuding an indescribable sense of antiquity and mystery.

"A fragment of the Hundred Herbs Classic!" Lin Xue's heart pounded; the scroll's appearance matched exactly the fragment she held.

She steadied her mind and lifted her foot to walk toward the stone table.

Who knew, just as her toe was about to touch the ground in the middle of the medicinal field, a surge of energy burst from the stone table—soft‑looking but incredibly strong—forming an invisible wall before her that flicked her away.

"Ugh!" Lin Xue was pulled back by that force, stumbling two steps back, almost sitting down.

"Xue'er!" Zhang Jun reacted quickly, grabbing her arm, "What's wrong?"

Lin Xue shook her head, her face full of puzzlement: "This force is strange—it doesn't hurt, it seems… to be stopping me from passing."

She stared closely at the stone table; it seemed as if something invisible enveloped the area around it.

At that moment, light and shadow flickered on the invisible wall, slowly revealing a line of ancient characters, each character exuding a profound force:

"To inherit my way, first clarify your original heart. Three questions for the healer: What is a healer?"

As soon as those ancient characters appeared, a voice echoed in the cavern—vast and distant, source indeterminate, yet each beat struck deep in one's heart.

"What is a healer?"

The voice was plain yet carried immense dignity, making Zhang Jun's head buzz and feel a little dazed.

As a rough martial practitioner, he didn't grasp these subtleties, but he could still feel the weight of the question.

Lin Xue's body paused slightly; those three words, like a morning bell, sent ripples across her heart‑lake.

She closed her eyes, brows slightly furrowed, and her whole being grew calm.

The cave was silent save for the faint drip of water from the stalactites.

Zhang Jun looked at Lin Xue, staying quiet so as not to disturb her, merely focusing his spirit and watching the surroundings.

After a long while, Lin Xue slowly opened her eyes, her pupils clear and bright.

She drew a breath and, facing the invisible barrier, spoke clearly: "A healer cherishes the benevolent heart of heaven and earth, walks the path of saving the world. With all one's learning, dispel disease and relieve suffering, rescue the dying and aid the wounded. Seeking neither fame nor profit, indifferent to noble or humble, wishing only for all beings' well‑being—this is the foundation of our healing art."

Each word carried an indescribable force, reverberating in the cave.

As soon as she finished, the ancient characters on the barrier flickered, and the four words "What is a healer?" faded away.

Then new characters appeared.

"Should one also save evil people?"

As soon as this question arose, Zhang Jun's brows knotted into a frown.

He recalled the bastards he'd met along the way, and anger surged in his chest.

If it were him, he'd smack them dead regardless of life or death—job done!

Lin Xue also fell silent; this question hit even harder and was harder to answer.

Zhang Jun looked at Lin Xue, knowing she was kind‑hearted, but he couldn't help muttering: "Xue'er, if it were me, those beasts who've done utter evil deserve death as retribution!"

Lin Xue glanced at him, then turned back to the invisible barrier, her voice steady yet carrying an unquestionable force: "In a healer's eyes, there are only patients, no good or evil. If an evil person is at death's door, they must be saved—this is a healer's duty."

"But," she shifted her tone, "saving his life does not mean letting him continue his wickedness. Once he recovers, if he still shows no remorse and keeps harming others, even as healers we must distinguish right from wrong. I may not be able to kill him myself, but I will certainly not turn a blind eye; I will expose his misdeeds publicly or hand him over to those who can restrain him, so he gets no further chance to harm."

Zhang Jun listened, first stunned, then broke into a grin.

Xue'er's words upheld the healer's code while still allowing swift gratitude and grudges—perfect!

The characters on the barrier shifted again, and the second question vanished.

Immediately after, the third question appeared.

This time there were no characters; light and shadow on the invisible wall shifted, gradually coalescing into two figures.

On the left was an old man with a white beard, his face kind and benevolent, exuding an aura that inspired trust.

On the right was a seven‑ or eight‑year‑old child, pink and cute, clever and full of vigor.

Both figures were insubstantial, as if a gust of wind could scatter them.

The old, hoarse voice sounded again, still as cold as ice: "Medicinal stones are scarce; only enough to save one person—how to decide?"

As soon as the question was raised, the air in the cave seemed to freeze.