Three mornings later, the pharmacy square.
The sky was still gray and dim, not yet fully light. Apprentices emerged from the houses in twos and threes, making their way toward the square.
Today was the day of departure. The mountain where they gathered medicinal herbs was over a hundred li from Qingyang Town. At the apprentices' pace, they would only reach their destination around dusk.
That was why they had assembled earlier than usual today: to arrive sooner. Once there, there would still be matters to arrange.
Before long, everyone had arrived.
The pharmacy masters and their disciples were all present as well. Master Zhang was there too; he would be accompanying them on this trip.
Shopkeeper Chen was nowhere to be seen. The pharmacy organized herb-gathering expeditions twice every year and was already thoroughly familiar with the process, so there was no need for him to personally step in.
As for safety, that was handled by another martial artist of the pharmacy, Master Lei. He managed the pharmacy's guard squad and often escorted medicinal materials to the Medicine King Gang in Qinghe City.
Every time they went up the mountain to gather herbs, he arranged the manpower and handled the security.
After all, the world was in chaos. Bandits and robbers ran rampant, and the herb-gathering grounds were far from Qingyang Town. The pharmacy's influence had never extended that far.
If the medicinal herbs were stolen, that could still be dealt with. But the gathering team included not only apprentices, but also pharmacy masters and their disciples. These people were the pillars of the pharmacy. If something happened to them, the pharmacy would be crippled outright.
If apprentices died, they could simply recruit another batch.
But if the masters died, it would be difficult to find suitable replacements.
Every pharmacy master possessed superb medical skills. Even the youngest had practiced medicine for twenty years. They were the pharmacy's treasures; losing even one would make the pharmacy ache for a long time.
Pharmacy masters were all highly skilled talents, and it took a very long time to cultivate one.
Studying medicine was no easier than practicing martial arts. This profession also depended on talent.
Without enough talent, even twenty years of study would not yield much achievement.
As a Blood Strength martial artist and the head of the pharmacy, Shopkeeper Chen normally showed the pharmacy masters sufficient respect and did not dare to rebuke them casually.
They were the pharmacy's money trees. More than half of the pharmacy's revenue depended on them.
If he offended them and caused the pharmacy's profits to fall, leaving insufficient silver to submit to the Medicine King Gang each quarter, Shopkeeper Chen would also suffer the consequences.
The shortfall would be made up using his quarterly cultivation resources from within the gang.
If that happened, Shopkeeper Chen's cultivation would stagnate. Naturally, he would never allow such a thing to happen.
The position of pharmacy shopkeeper was an extremely profitable one. If he angered those above and was removed from his post, it would be too late for regrets.
Thus, he was extremely tolerant toward the pharmacy masters in daily life, nearly granting every request. Some masters lined their own pockets, but so long as they did not go too far, he turned a blind eye.
Their safety was even more important. Every time they went out, Shopkeeper Chen arranged for a Blood Brave Disciple to accompany them and ensure their protection.
For this herb-gathering trip, eleven martial practitioners were responsible for security.
One Blood Strength martial artist and ten Blood Brave Disciples, all disciples in the stage of accumulating qi and blood.
These people were the guards stationed in Qingyang Town by the Medicine King Gang—the guard squad mentioned earlier. Master Lei was their captain.
Master Wang gave a few more reminders about gathering herbs in the mountains. Seeing that no one had any questions, he said, "Set off!"
The group marched mightily out of the pharmacy.
By then, the sky had fully brightened. The streets bustled with people and swarmed with life.
All manner of snack stalls lined up along one side of the road, orderly and spectacular.
There were steamed bun stalls, hot douhua stalls, sweet soup stalls, and more—every kind of snack imaginable.
"Meat buns! Come buy meat buns!"
"Fragrant meat buns! If they're not tasty, you don't pay!"
"Sweet soup for sale! If it isn't sweet, you don't pay!"
The cries of vendors rose without end, painting a lively scene.
The moment Yang Heng entered the main street, all kinds of aromas rushed into his nose, making his mouth water.
The pharmacy had not given them time to eat breakfast. Each person had only brought several plain steamed buns to eat along the road.
Surrounded by the main group, Yang Heng did not dare act on his own. He could only force back his saliva and keep swallowing.
Yang Heng was not the only one. The other apprentices were making the same motions.
At once, a chorus of slurping sounded through the group.
The pharmacy masters truly could not stand the sight any longer and ordered, "You have a quarter of an hour. Anyone who has not returned within that time will receive fifty slaps!"
Hearing this, everyone was overjoyed. They all left the group and ran toward the snack stalls they fancied.
Yang Heng was no exception. He charged off as well.
Actually, Yang Heng had noticed the sounds of the pharmacy masters swallowing too. He guessed that the masters could not conveniently go buy food on their own for fear of looking bad, which was why they had done this.
Yang Heng looked back, and sure enough, several masters were heading toward the snack stalls they liked.
Yang Heng wolfed down ten large meat buns, drank three bowls of sweet soup, and ate five bowls of hot douhua before he felt even a trace of fullness.
Since practicing martial arts, his appetite had greatly increased. Every meal, he had to eat at least three to five jin of food to sustain his daily consumption.
And from time to time, he gave himself extra meals.
In martial cultivation, nutrition could not fall behind.
Over time, otherwise, the body would be depleted, and cultivation progress would become even slower.
When the quarter of an hour was up, everyone returned to the group.
Seeing that everyone was present, Master Wang nodded. "Continue onward."
After a day of arduous travel, they reached their destination before nightfall.
The place was at the foot of a mountain, where several rows of houses had been built. The houses were old and worn, seemingly constructed long ago.
They had probably been built by the pharmacy during its first herb-gathering trip up the mountain, providing a place for pharmacy masters and apprentices to rest.
This herb-gathering expedition would last half a month. For the first three days, senior brothers and senior sisters would lead them in gathering herbs, teaching them the precautions through practice, the general locations where medicinal herbs grew, and allowing them to familiarize themselves with the process.
For the remaining twelve days, no one would lead them. The apprentices would go up the mountain to gather herbs on their own. They could form teams or act alone.
But most people acted alone, because everyone carried an individual assignment.
Veteran apprentices who were on their second mountain trip or beyond had to gather medicinal herbs worth twenty taels of silver within fifteen days. If they failed to complete the assignment, they would receive two lashes for every tael they fell short.
New apprentices going up the mountain for the first time had easier assignments. They only needed to fulfill a quota of ten taels of silver within fifteen days.
If they failed to complete their assignment, they would likewise receive two lashes for every tael they fell short.
However, veteran apprentices had gathered herbs many times and were experienced. They knew the growth habits of medicinal herbs, giving them a greater advantage than new apprentices.
New apprentices, on the other hand, were gathering herbs for the first time and understood nothing. Their assignments might seem easier than those of the veterans, but in truth they could be even harder.
Failing the assignment would be miserable.
The whips were specially made by the pharmacy and covered in barbs. A single strike could easily tear a chunk of flesh from a person.
These whips were specially used by the pharmacy to punish apprentices who committed offenses.
An ordinary person would lose half their life after five lashes.
The punishment was harsh, but the rewards were plentiful as well.
For every amount exceeding twenty taels, calculated in units of five taels, the first five taels would be split evenly with the pharmacy. For the second five taels, the apprentice would receive sixty percent and the pharmacy forty percent, with the share increasing in this manner.
From the sixth five-tael portion onward, the apprentice kept it all.
The reason those veteran apprentices were all smiling was that gathering herbs in the mountains could earn them a handsome fortune.
A quota of fifteen taels of silver was not very difficult for them. So long as their luck was not too poor, they could generally complete it.
As for the new apprentices... completing the assignment would be very difficult!
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