Especially for new apprentices going up the mountain to gather herbs for the first time, completing the task was impossible unless their luck exploded through the roof. Otherwise, a whipping was inevitable.
That was how all the older apprentices had gotten through it.
After the lodging was assigned, Master Wang told everyone to rest early. They would begin going up the mountain to gather herbs first thing tomorrow morning.
Eight apprentices shared a room, while senior brothers and sisters shared rooms in pairs. The pharmacy masters each had a room to themselves, their accommodations far better than the apprentices'.
The apprentices' quarters were not much different from the pharmacy itself—large communal sleeping platforms with plenty of space for many people.
This place lay at the foot of the mountain, with a river flowing nearby, less than three hundred meters from their lodgings.
Perhaps the pharmacy had considered everyone's washing needs when choosing the location, which was why the buildings had been specially constructed here.
After washing up, Yang Heng returned to his room. He shut his eyes and lay on the bed for a brief rest, pondering tomorrow's herb-gathering trip up the mountain.
By then, the other apprentices had also finished washing and returned to the room, beginning to discuss things.
The apprentices who, like Yang Heng, would be gathering herbs in the mountains for the first time wore worried expressions. On the way here, they had used every trick in the book to pry open an older apprentice's mouth and obtain some inside information.
Once they learned those details, more than half of the burning enthusiasm they had felt when setting out had cooled.
From what they had learned, the situation did not look promising.
According to that older apprentice, it was extremely difficult for new apprentices going up the mountain for the first time to meet the quota of ten taels of silver. Unless their luck exploded through the roof and they gathered some precious medicinal herbs, such as ginseng, Lingzhi Mushrooms, and the like.
Otherwise, there was a very high chance they would get whipped.
But thankfully, heaven never barred every road.
That older apprentice had given them a shortcut. If they did not gather enough herbs themselves, they could rob other apprentices, or buy herbs from those who had gathered more.
However, the price would be several tenths higher than the market price.
The pharmacy masters knew all about such things, but they would not stop them.
They did not care how the herbs in your hands had been obtained. The only thing they cared about was whether the task had been completed.
If the apprentices completed their tasks satisfactorily, the masters would receive rewards as well. The better the task was completed, the more generous their rewards would be.
"Tomorrow we're heading up the mountain to gather herbs. Brothers, do you have any plans?" one apprentice asked with a face full of worry.
"Plans? What plans could there be?"
"I can only hope heaven blesses me and lets me find a ginseng root, so I can complete the task smoothly and make a killing on the side."
"What the hell are you dreaming about? Ginseng?"
"It'll already be good enough if you can keep your life," another apprentice sneered.
"Brother, what do you mean by that? Don't go around cursing people at every turn. If you have something to say, say it," another apprentice said, having caught the hidden meaning in his words.
"Forget ginseng. Even ordinary medicinal herbs are hard to find."
"This mountain looks huge, but its outer areas were swept clean long ago. It's very difficult to find medicinal herbs there.
Use your brains. How many times has the pharmacy organized herb-gathering trips up the mountain? Twice every year. And the villagers living nearby also go up the mountain from time to time to gather herbs. Do you really think there are still herbs to be found around the mountain's outskirts?
Medicinal herbs aren't cabbages. They need a certain growth cycle; they aren't endless."
"Since there are none around the outside of the mountain, then we can look deeper inside," one apprentice asked in confusion.
If there were none outside the mountain, then they would go into the mountain.
Wasn't that a very simple matter?
"Heh." The clear-headed apprentice looked at the one who had raised the question as though he were an idiot.
He had not expected that someone among them could ask such a foolish question.
He did not want to explain.
At that moment, Yang Heng spoke. "The deeper you go into the mountain, the more rugged the paths become, and the more stamina you consume. But compared to the true dangers, those things are nothing.
Deep in the mountains, danger lurked at every turn. There were venomous snakes, wolves, tigers, brown bears, and more. Some areas were even filled with miasma; one breath of it could leave a person unconscious. Those were the mountain's true dangers."
"The deeper you go into the mountains, the greater the chance of encountering fierce beasts."
Yang Heng did not want to seem unsociable, so he explained.
Clap, clap.
"Exactly. Brother Heng is absolutely right—that's precisely how it is."
The clear-headed apprentice applauded and said approvingly.
Yang Heng was not surprised that this person knew his name.
Forcing Li Kui to kneel and beg for mercy, earning the favor of Master Zhang and Shopkeeper Chen—those matters had long spread throughout the pharmacy. The pharmacy's apprentices, disciples, and even masters all knew Yang Heng.
By now, he could be considered something of a celebrity in the pharmacy.
But Yang Heng had no interest in such things. His own strength was what mattered most.
Apart from work, he spent most of his remaining time training outside. The number of people he knew in the pharmacy was far smaller than the number of people who knew him.
For instance, Yang Heng did not know this clear-headed apprentice and could not call him by name.
This person was perceptive enough to introduce himself on his own.
"Brother Heng, my name is Wang Ming. I know a little about all the big and small news in the pharmacy. If you need any help, Brother Heng, just say the word."
Wang Ming said with a smile.
Yang Heng nodded and returned the smile.
"Alright. If I need anything, I'll come find you."
Yang Heng felt that this person was anything but ordinary. As an ordinary pharmacy apprentice, he knew so much, had a clear mind, and spoke with sound reasoning. He was truly not simple.
However, Yang Heng did not wish to investigate him too deeply. He himself also carried secrets.
After saying that, Yang Heng closed his eyes and pretended to take a nap.
At that point, the discussion ended.
They had learned everything they needed to know. As for what the mountain was truly like, and whether they could complete the task, they could only leave it to fate.
That was what most of the apprentices in the room thought.
Of course, Yang Heng did not think so. He was very optimistic.
Yang Heng was not worried in the slightest about failing to complete the task. The mountain's fierce beasts posed no threat to him. He could go to places rarely visited by people and fraught with danger to gather herbs, easily making up ten taels of silver.
Places like cliffs and sheer precipices were difficult for ordinary people to climb.
But as a martial artist who had also trained a movement technique—and whose movement technique had already entered the beginner level—gathering herbs in places that were extremely dangerous to ordinary people was as easy to him as drinking water and eating.
During the past three days of studying medicinal herbs, Yang Heng had spent only a short time each morning completing the day's work. This was also because the pharmacy had not assigned many tasks.
The pharmacy knew they still had training in the afternoons, so the tasks assigned were few, not even half of the usual amount.
Yang Heng was now a quasi-martial artist, with deep reserves of stamina and tremendous speed. He finished his work in no time at all.
He spent most of his remaining time practicing his movement technique at the training grounds.
The Levitation Technique was a Beginner Martial Art. It was far less difficult to cultivate than the Intermediate Martial Art Vajra Fist, and his cultivation talent had undergone a qualitative breakthrough. Cultivating the Levitation Technique came as naturally as turning his hand over, without the slightest difficulty.
In less than three days, the Levitation Technique had reached the beginner level.
If he had enough time, reaching the proficient level would be no problem either.
The Levitation Technique's method of cultivation was simple. Hang weights from both hands, first run across flat ground, then run through mountain ravines once proficient.
Once your hands no longer swayed, it counted as entering the beginner level.
When one day you could no longer feel the weights hanging from your hands, it meant the Levitation Technique had already reached Major Accomplishment.
As for how to reach perfection, the book did not record it. One could only comprehend it for oneself.
After the Levitation Technique entered the beginner level, Yang Heng discovered that he was somewhat faster than before. His body was light as a swallow, and with one leap he could cover two zhang without effort.
Tomorrow's trip up the mountain to gather herbs filled Yang Heng with anticipation. He hoped to gather some precious medicinal herbs for his own cultivation.
Seeing that it was getting late, Yang Heng lay flat and fell into a deep sleep.
Before you continue