Chapter 297: Golden Saint Wu

The Hundred Beasts Mountain teems with spiritual herbs and spiritual beasts, most of which are planted and raised by the Dragon-Tiger Temple; this area is heavily guarded with both overt sentries and covert watchers, and no one is permitted to pick or hunt there.

However, the wild spiritual herbs in the mist-choked lands fall outside this restriction.

Li Yuan wandered through the mist-choked lands, following the information in the Listening Sound Book to search for wild spiritual herbs while avoiding other fellow disciples who were also hunting for herbs.

"Thirty-two stalks."

By evening, Li Yuan returned with a full load, carrying stalk after stalk of spiritual herbs out of the Hundred Beasts Mountain, leaving the Hundred Beasts Mountain disciples secretly watching and recording utterly stunned and shocked.

"Junior Brother Li, this..."

Seeing the herb basket in Li Yuan's hands completely stuffed, Zhang Ada was also taken aback.

"Just a bit of better luck."

Li Yuan hefted the herb basket; inside, several stalks of spiritual herbs, as if they were living creatures, still wriggled their roots even after being pulled up.

"Your, your luck is simply too good."

Zhang Ada's expression was incredibly complicated.

The mist-choked lands of the Hundred Beasts Mountain were deliberately left by the sect for disciples to pick herbs and gain experience, yet in all these years he had never seen anyone pick so many spiritual herbs in a single outing.

"Record it."

Though shocked in his heart, Zhang Ada did not delay the matter, instructing a disciple beside him, whose face had also changed, to record the spiritual herbs Li Yuan had picked.

Every single stalk of spiritual herb picked from the Hundred Beasts Mountain must be recorded; this is the sect's rule.

? ￠〇

"This is a silver note for three thousand and two hundred taels."

Li Yuan took out the silver note and handed it to Zhang Ada.

When disciples pick spiritual herbs from the Hundred Beasts Mountain, rules require them to hand over a portion, which can be substituted with gold or silver.

"Junior Brother, these spiritual herbs should be enough to brew three batches of spiritual pills, right?"

Zhang Ada took the silver note: "Would you like your senior brother to find a pill master for you?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother, but I plan to go find Abbess Dingxin."

After the spiritual herbs were registered, Li Yuan bid farewell to Zhang Ada, quickly left the Hundred Beasts Mountain, looked back at the mist-choked mountain range behind him, and felt a bit uneasy in his heart.

'That master of the Bronze Tower knows the Hundred Beasts Mountain so well; could he perhaps be some senior figure within the Dragon-Tiger Temple?'

Turning these thoughts over in his mind, Li Yuan climbed over several mountains and arrived at the bamboo grove where Abbess Dingxin resided; this area belonged to the Hundred Herbs Division and was not far from his dwelling.

The bamboo grove was quiet and serene, with only a few female disciples tending to the flowers and plants; Li Yuan, with his sharp eyes, immediately saw that various red ropes were tied around those spiritual herbs, a measure to prevent the herbs from running away.

What distinguishes spiritual herbs from ordinary herbs is that spiritual herbs truly do run away; somewhat like the ginseng babies rumored in a past life, they must be tied up or they will slip away.

"Junior Uncle Li!"

Upon seeing Li Yuan, those female disciples all bowed in greeting, then quickly went to report his arrival.

Within a short while, Abbess Dingxin, her body reeking of medicinal fumes, walked out from the bamboo grove; seeing the herb basket in Li Yuan's hands, she frowned slightly:

"Where did you get so many spiritual herbs? They still have dirt on them? Just picked?"

"Picked from the Hundred Beasts Mountain; they have all been registered."

Li Yuan naturally handed the herb basket over.

The Dragon-Tiger Temple strictly controls spiritual pills; generally, one cannot find anyone to refine spiritual herbs of unknown origin. The reason he had to go through Xin Xin Wenhua last time was precisely this.

With the endorsement of a True Transmission Disciple, plus his status as a sect disciple of the Grandmaster, he obtained those batches of Jin Shendan; otherwise, Abbess Dingxin would not have accepted this transaction.

"Your luck is this good?"

Abbess Dingxin took the herb basket very cautiously, examining and confirming each stalk one by one; the incident last time had left a shadow in her heart.

"Mm, the quality of these spiritual herbs is not bad."

Soon, Abbess Dingxin had finished counting and offered two choices: "Do you choose to receive spiritual pills, or shall I exchange them for other spiritual herbs to brew a few batches of 'Qi-Increasing Pills'?"

"Spiritual pills."

Li Yuan did not hesitate for a moment.

The spiritual herbs he picked were quite mixed; to refine them into pills, he would need to find someone to exchange them, which would be all sorts of trouble.

"Very well."

Abbess Dingxin had no objection and invited Li Yuan into the bamboo grove.

Inside the bamboo grove, the scent of medicine was thick; before a stone table in the grove, Li Yuan held a cup of tea and waited a while before Abbess Dingxin arrived with several porcelain bottles, letting him choose.

"Jin Shendan, Jade Body Pill, Body-Nourishing Pill, Qi-Increasing Pill."

Li Yuan hesitated slightly, then chose the Qi-Increasing Pill; he needed to temper the Black Whale Qi Meridians, and this was the most suitable.

Taking the porcelain bottle, he gave it a slight heft, and his mood instantly improved; this old nun was a kind person, as there were thirteen pills inside the bottle. For normal spiritual herbs, three stalks yield one pill, so she was clearly taking care of him.

"Done."

The transaction was complete, and a few smiles appeared on Abbess Dingxin's face; these spiritual herbs were of sufficient age and very useful to her.

Seeing she was in a good mood, Li Yuan took the Qi-Explosion Pill from his pocket: "Abbess, this is a pill I bought earlier from a roadside stall; could you take a look?"

"Oh?"

There are spiritual pills at roadside stalls?

Abbess Dingxin glanced at him, paid it no mind, reached out to take it, sniffed it, first frowned, then relaxed:

"A very old Qi-Explosion Pill, older than I am; could this be a family heirloom?"

"Uh."

"It can be eaten; as for the medicinal power, it still has about seventy or eighty percent... Mm, given your physique, at most you'll just run to the outhouse a few times."

"It can be eaten!"

Abbess Dingxin gave her conclusion.

Li Yuan's heart settled, and only then did he express his thanks and take his leave.

The medicinal power of the spirit pill is far too potent; he dares not let the little rat test it.

……

"Thirteen Qi-Enhancing Pills plus one Qi-Explosion Pill should be enough for me to smelt the Black Whale Qi Meridians; perhaps I can even 'transform Qi into True Qi' on the side?"

On the mountain path, Li Yuan felt quite joyful; he had not eaten a spirit pill for over a month.

Although his Wu Gong progress is fast, the possibility of it being even faster naturally brings him pleasure.

"First become the Black Whale, then gather the Hundred Forms! On the side, transform Qi into True Qi and break through the Organ Refining; by then, Old Han won't be my match... hmm, perhaps I could arm-wrestle him right now?"

Slightly narrowing his eyes, Li Yuan's heart was filled with anticipation.

With the New Year approaching, and perhaps related to the Martial Arts Tournament of All Dao in two years, the Longhu Temple has become lively; many disciples who had traveled abroad have returned one after another.

Li Yuan even saw many outsiders from other sects; these were either branches of the Longhu Temple, such as the Huolong Temple, or, closely allied powers, such as the Huang Long Manor.

The Longhu Temple has dominated the Mount Hengshan region for over two thousand years; its hidden power is far greater than what appears on the surface.

"Counting the time, the Martial Arts Tournament of All Dao will be held at this time next year?"

Li Yuan pondered in his heart; regarding this Martial Arts Tournament of All Dao, he was also somewhat attentive, mainly because the rewards within the sect were extremely substantial.

Spirit pills, spirit rice, Wu Gong, weapons, and various things rarely seen in ordinary times—during the Martial Arts Tournament of All Dao, even just making the cut grants them; it was hard for him not to pay attention.

"Those who stand out in the Martial Arts Tournament of All Dao have the chance to be promoted to True Disciple and obtain the three top-tier spirit pills: the Long Dan, the Hu Dan, and the Longhu Longhu Dadan."

Hearing the occasional murmurs, Li Yuan felt some restlessness in his heart.

Over these years, he had inquired about the Longhu Longhu Dadan no less, and he actually managed to find out: for figures like Old Longtou, obtaining a pill of this caliber takes fifteen years.

The difficulty of obtaining it is hair-raising.

"If all else fails, I will have to seek another holy medicine for healing."

Li Yuan sighed in his heart.

Given the condition of Old Leitou and Old Old Jingtou before, they might not last a few years; he felt a sense of urgency.

"Junior Uncle!"

"Junior Uncle Li."

When disciples saw Li Yuan, they would also pay their respects.

Li Yuan nodded in response.

At the front of the mountain path stood the Dragon Stele; Li Yuan glanced at it. Having not yet ascended the Longhu Tower, he was currently ranked thirty-first.

"With my current Wu Gong, what rank could I reach?"

Li Yuan felt somewhat curious in his heart, yet he did not stop; clutching the pills, he hurried back. He had no mind to contend for the rank for now; at this moment, he only wanted to focus on practicing Wu Gong,

Comprehending the Black Whale Diagram and gathering the Hundred Forms.

"Junior Uncle Li."

Before Li Yuan returned to his courtyard, someone was already outside; he recognized them as a disciple of Monk Douyue, named Wei Qi, not yet twenty years old, and already at the Great Perfection stage of Yi Bai Xing.

"Grandmaster summons you."

"Old Longtou?"

Li Yuan was stunned; looking toward the small temple across the way, he then discovered many outsiders from other sects outside the small temple.

"What is this?"

Wei Qi replied, "Junior Uncle, these are people from the Huang Long Manor; the one who came is Grandmaster's friend, Jin Jin Shengwu, Old Master Jin."

Sixth on the Hero List, Jin Jin Shengwu!

Li Yuan's heart trembled; this was a major figure.

"Junior Uncle?"

Wei Qi urged.

"Wait a moment."

Li Yuan returned to his room, changed into a brand-new Daoist robe, and only then went out, walking toward the small courtyard opposite.

'The Huang Long Manor has quite a few experts as well.'

Li Yuan caught sight of a vast array of weapon glows; the disciples and followers brought by Jin Jin Shengwu were naturally the top-tier figures of the Huang Long Manor.

Among them, one was particularly conspicuous.

It was not that he was exceptionally handsome, but rather that Jin Guang shimmered on his body.

【Five Thunder Transformation Palm (Seventh Tier)】

【... Forged from Thunder Spirit Stones and the elite of ten-thousand-year cold iron, subjected to the forging of the earth's core fire and the baptism of wind and thunder, infused with the divine craftsman's blood and spirit; its spiritual nature is sufficient, fierce and yang...】

【Condition to Wield: Perfection in the Ultimate Zhang Fa, Thunder Form】

【Effect of Wielding: Seventh Tier (Pale Gold): Form of the Five Thunders

Sixth Tier (Yellow): Fearless of fire and water, invulnerable to blades and swords, Perfection in the Ten-Thousand Thunder Astonishing Heaven Palm】

A divine weapon-level glove?!

Amidst the vast array of weapon glows, Li Yuan spotted this single streak of Jin Guang at a glance, and behind it, the surprise and confusion on the handsome, tall young man's face.

"Junior Uncle, that person is named Shi Shi Yu Shu; he is the closed-door disciple of Old Master Jin Jin Shengwu; it is said his talent is very good, and his luck is also very good..."

Wei Qi explained via telepathy.

'His luck is indeed good.'

Li Yuan nodded in his heart; a divine weapon choosing its master, compared to Nie Xianshan, this person was naturally very lucky.

Seeing the two arrive, the group from the Huang Long Manor all turned to look; some whispered quietly, speaking of Li Yuan's identity; a sea of gazes turned toward him, not lacking in suspicion and doubt.

When someone greeted him, Li Yuan nodded in response.

Before he even entered the small temple, he heard a hearty, full-of-energy laugh; afterward, Li Yuan saw that sixth-ranked Hero, Jin Jin Shengwu.

At first glance, he was merely an unyielding old man, wearing bright golden clothes, his messy hair tied behind him, his beard and hair disheveled, unkempt.

Only then did he see the 【Heavenly Pile Thunder Armor (Tier 8)】.

Li Yuan shifted his gaze, yet his heart gave a sudden leap.

'This old man is too sharp; that's why I didn't spot the Heavenly Pile Thunder Armor at first glance?'