Chapter 26

"The source of the things." While Jiang Yu and the Little Black Turtle were sending a voice transmission, she still saluted the messenger who had come to deliver the message, her expression unchanged.

"Uncle Tang, I'll tidy up my appearance and be there shortly." She was currently an apprentice on duty in the Spirit Herb Garden, weeding the rooted spirit herbs.

Her hands were covered in mud and grass juice, and she was wearing an old Daoist robe specifically for this work.

"It would be best to change into a new set of Daoist robes and boots, and use the quiet room in the Spirit Herb Garden to tidy up."

"It's quite far from the Grand Exalted Peak; I'll take you to ride the minor teleportation array on Medicine Peak to reach Longing Peak, then fly by sword to the Grand Void Hall." Uncle Tang's mentioned Grand Exalted Peak is the main peak where the Grand Void Hall is located.

There is usually no direct teleportation array there, but the Longing Peak where the Law Enforcement Hall is located has a well-connected teleportation array that can be used for transfers.

The two stewards from the Spirit Herb Garden who were accompanying her immediately said, "There is a quiet room, there is a quiet room."

Not long after, a refreshed Jiang Yu followed Uncle Tang away; she wanted to leave Jiang Tu behind, but the Little Black Turtle was unwilling.

Thus she sealed the Spirit Beast Pouch for the first time, firmly refusing to let Jiang Tu show himself or send a voice transmission.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan, who had rushed over to deliver a few important words, just missed them; upon learning that people from the Grand Void Hall had taken Jiang Yu away, he abandoned the idea of sending a voice transmission and only quickly sent a message to inform his uncle.

True Person Lin replied, "I was too cautious; I should have let you send a message talisman to her, rather than going myself to give instructions."

"It's fine; I believe Jiang Yu can handle it."

He had been watching Jiang Yu, intending to take her as a disciple after she entered the inner gate.

After confirming that she indeed had Dragon Saliva Grass, he had originally wanted to warn her, but unexpectedly, people from the Grand One Sect and the Ten Thousand Swords Sect arrived so quickly.

Ironically, after Jiang Yu's training in the Azure Mountain Secret Realm, she had never since ventured far from the sect.

The secret realm couldn't possibly have this herb; the origin of the Dragon Saliva Grass is somewhat unclear to her, but the little girl must absolutely not say she picked it in the secret realm, or she would be punished for hoarding.

As for myself, I happen to not be in the ten-year duty rotation, and I haven't formally taken on a disciple, so I cannot act on her behalf.

After thinking, he decided to send a voice transmission to Senior Sister Hu, who is on duty today at the Grand Void Hall, asking her to look after Jiang Yu a bit.

On this side, Jiang Yu didn't know that True Person Lin was seeking external help for her.

With a nervous heart, she jumped down from Uncle Tang's flying sword, stepped over the ninety-nine steps, and arrived outside the Grand Void Hall to wait respectfully.

Soon word came from inside for her to enter; she entered the hall and properly saluted the two Golden Core Elders, then, catching sight of the guest seats with the corner of her eye, she saw Senior Sister Wan standing there.

Wan Xiyue wanted to shout out excitedly, but was sent a voice transmission by her senior brother, True Person Du Heng, telling her not to move.

Only then did they see Jiang Yu being summoned by True Person Hu to the front, who went straight to the point: "I summoned you because of the Dragon Saliva Grass."

The Grand One Sect's Yuan Hu Zhenjun specially sent two disciples to come and express their thanks to you.

The Ten Thousand Swords Sect's Yun Jin Zhenren, also acting on orders, came forward to seek to purchase Dragon Saliva Grass from you.

"Do you still have this herb?"

"If you still have this spirit medicine, little friend, I would like to buy one or two stalks from you; my sect is willing to pay double the bounty price."

"If you have used it up, please still let us know; my sect will also offer generous thanks in return." Fairy Yun Jin did not wait for Jiang Yu to speak, but immediately stated her position.

Upon hearing this, Wan Xiyue felt angry inside, thinking, "What do they think Jiang Yu is?"

Sigh, she now both resents herself for that letter and is glad she wrote it, because only then could her master and senior brothers detoxify.

Du Heng, seated beside her, also thought these words were too utilitarian, but the person was the one he had brought.

As he was about to rise to supplement Yun Jin's words with a couple of sentences, True Person Hu, seated in the main seat, laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist, you are overpraising."

True Person De Zhang also said, "Fellow Daoist Yun, please wait a moment."

He then turned to Jiang Yu and said, "It's fine; speak freely without reservation."

"Reporting to Elder, this medicine was obtained by chance; after sending it to Fellow Sect Senior Sister Wan, there are still two stalks left, and the disciple leaves it to the sect to handle fully." Jiang Yu patted her storage pouch, opened a jade box, and offered it.

Two stalks of bluish-green spiritual grass with a hint of red lay side by side in the box, instantly attracting several gazes that fixed upon them.

True Person Yun Jin stood up in a fluster, then immediately sat down again, embarrassed; only two pills could be produced from the two stalks, not enough to go around—what should we do?

True Person Dezhang and True Person Hu exchanged a glance; this disciple handled the situation very well.

Then True Person Hu took over: "Fine, the sect will settle it; please bring your friend to the tea room for a chat."

"Later, please have her dine in the small dining hall."

"Yes." The Elder didn't ask about the source; Jiang Yu was eager to leave quickly, as she had something to say to Senior Sister Wan.

"Thank you, both True Persons." Wan Xiyue also stepped forward from behind her senior brother and bowed with clasped hands.

"Please wait, Junior Friend Jiang." True Person Yun Jin rose again and stepped to block between her and Wan Xiyue.

True Person Duheng also rose quickly and said: "Please wait, Junior Friend Jiang; my master and we fellow disciples have specially prepared a token of gratitude."

If it weren't for True Person Hu being too blunt and True Person Yun Dao being too eager, they ought to have given thanks first.

True Person Duheng excels at alchemy but is inept with words; they can only express their gratitude through concrete action.

Swish swish swish

One hundred and ten bottles of superior-grade Qi Gathering Pellets and Spirit-Concentrating Pellets were flicked from their storage ring onto the tea table; Jiang Yu even saw one bottle labeled Foundation Establishment Pellet.

Next came a set of high-grade formation disks and five top-tier defensive magic implements, followed by three Nascent Soul-stage sword-qi talismans.

She couldn't help but glance at Senior Sister Wan; this must be worth several hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones, right? Those Nascent Soul sword-qi talismans are so expensive!

Senior Sister Wan's eyes flashed three words: "You don't understand."

"I know that Junior Friend Jiang and Junior Sister Yue are as close as sisters."

"But this is just a small token of our goodwill; please do not decline, Junior Friend Jiang." True Person Duheng spoke to Jiang Yu very amiably, also bowing with clasped hands.

Jiang Yu flinched and immediately dodged, "I... Elder?"

She couldn't help but cast a pleading glance at the two Elders.

True Person Dezhang raised a hand and handed her an empty storage ring: "The seniors' gratitude is great, but there's no harm in accepting it."

Jiang Yu wouldn't stand on ceremony with that lot; after thanking the Elders and True Person Duheng, she immediately stored everything in her storage ring.

Meanwhile, True Person Yun Jin, seeing her put those away, immediately produced eight long boxes and opened them on the tea table.

"To be frank, two stalks aren't enough; I heard Junior Friend Jiang likes swords, so these top-tier magic swords could be exchanged for information about a spiritual herb."

This time she learned her lesson, she lumped Jiang Yu and the two Tai Xu Sect Golden Core cultivators into her question.

Hu Zhenren thought for a moment, then nodded at Jiang Yu.

The disciple said, "A few months ago, I disguised myself and went to Er Mountain to verify a sword technique, but a fourth‑rank Thunder Bird chased me and I fell off a cliff, where I was rescued."

That place was scattered with some cultivators' remains.

I thought at the time that at least they could rest in peace, so after the Thunder Bird left, I gathered the remains, cremated them and buried them.

While looking for a way out I picked up two or three storage bags; inside were several jade boxes, all filled with spirit herbs.

This is the story Jiang Yu has been weaving all along: "The disciple is learning alchemy, so he kept the spirit herbs for personal use."

These are the remaining spirit herbs." She truly did disguise herself and go to the nearby Er Mountain, to hunt demonic beasts in real combat, and also fell off a cliff and collected bones.

But that place had been visited by many people long ago, and nothing was ever found, so she took Duo Ye Lin's spirit herbs and presented them to the elder for inspection.

As for whether they believe it, she can't intervene; after all she didn't take Yun Jin Zhenren's sword, and even if the other side is disappointed, she can't give more dragon‑breath herb.

Shaoqing, Jiang Yu and Wan Xiyue were granted permission to leave.

Upon entering the tea house, she immediately took Sister Wan's pulse to assess her condition.

Wan Xiyue shook her head and transmitted, "Sorry, Jiang Yu, I am not poisoned."