Herbal Bath

After a while, Qin Sang recovered, gasping for breath. He opened his eyes, which were filled with shock.

The sharp pain in his meridians gradually subsided, but the terrifying scene he had just experienced still left him with lingering fear.

Just then, Qin Sang suddenly heard the chirping of birds outside. He turned his head and saw that the sky outside was already faintly lit; it was dawn.

Qin Sang couldn't help but be secretly surprised. His mind had been entirely focused on cultivation. He had only circulated the energy a few times and felt like it had only been an hour at most, yet an entire night had passed.

He heard people moving and talking softly outside. Qin Sang dared not continue and lay down fully clothed, falling into a deep sleep.

After several days of trying, Qin Sang gradually figured out the patterns of the Netherworld Scripture. He could now only circulate that surge of energy within his body for a maximum of nine cycles. Any more than that would be interrupted by intense pain.

If he forced himself to continue, his meridians felt like they were being torn apart, the pain piercing to the bone.

As a result, Qin Sang could only hope to break through to the second level of the cultivation method. However, a month passed, and that surge of energy had only grown slightly stronger. He had no idea how long it would take to break through.

What was even more disheartening to Qin Sang was that the surge of energy seemed to have no effect on his martial arts. When he threw a full-power punch, the force was about the same as before; he couldn't even break a wooden stake.

However, over the past month, Qin Sang noticed that his body had undergone changes. These changes were subtle, and he hadn't realized them at first.

Two days ago, he had set a trap that caught a wild bird. He had intended to roast it for food, but he accidentally fumbled while untying the knot, and the bird broke free.

As the bird took flight, Qin Sang instinctively picked up a stone and threw it. It hit the bird perfectly, striking it directly.

Qin Sang was startled by his own accuracy and stood there stunned.

He could see the bird's flight path with perfect clarity, as if its speed had slowed down. In an instant, he could judge which direction it would fly next, something that would have been absolutely impossible before.

Because of this incident, Qin Sang couldn't help but recall various subtle details about himself.

His digestion had improved, and his appetite had increased, but that wasn't the main point.

It wasn't just his eyes; his hearing had also become much sharper than before. He could clearly hear very faint sounds from a distance.

Practicing martial arts also required physical conditioning. He and Mingyue trained with stone hammers and wooden stakes. No matter how careful they were, injuries were inevitable. Vulnerable areas like joints and the lumbar spine, once injured, were difficult to heal and would occasionally flare up to remind him.

During this period, Qin Sang's old injuries seemed to have disappeared without a trace; they hadn't bothered him in a long time.

Furthermore, some of the more complex moves in the Tiger Subduing Long Fist were now easy for him to perform. His body's flexibility was gradually improving, and his fist techniques had advanced significantly.

Thinking about all these things, Qin Sang realized that the Netherworld Scripture had brought him so many benefits.

If this improvement continued, his physical fitness would undoubtedly surpass that of ordinary people.

"With such miraculous effects, even if the cultivation speed of the Netherworld Scripture is slow, I will persevere."

Qin Sang thought this to himself as he led the donkey, humming a tune.

The donkey was carrying a bag of coarse grain. Since the old Daoist master had taken in several displaced families at the temple, he had been distributing food to them from time to time. The temple's grain supplies were being depleted rapidly, and grain prices outside were soaring. Qin Sang felt that his few dozen taels of silver would be spent sooner or later.

As he led the donkey into the temple, Qin Sang exclaimed, "Mingyue, what are you doing moving that old jar out here?"

"Senior brother, hurry and help me!"

Mingyue shouted, panting, as if he had seen a savior. "Master told me to move this jar from the woodshed to the Green Goat Hall, saying it would be useful tonight."

Since it was Daoist Master Jixin's instruction, Qin Sang quickly tied up the donkey and went to help Mingyue.

This earthenware jar was very large, big enough for a person to sit in. Although Mingyue had trained with Qin Sang and eaten meat, making him stronger than before, he still found it strenuous to move.

He heard that during the Green Goat Temple's heyday, this jar was used to store incense oil. Now that the Green Goat Temple was a dilapidated place and didn't have that much oil to store, it had been left in the woodshed, filled with pine needles used for kindling.

Mingyue had cleared out the pine needles and scrubbed the jar clean. Qin Sang wondered what the old Daoist master intended to use it for.

When Qin Sang asked Mingyue, Mingyue was also clueless. He only said that their master had gone up the mountain to gather herbs and had given this instruction before leaving.

With great effort, the two of them moved the large jar into the Green Goat Hall. Following Daoist Master Jixin's instructions, they used two stones to create a base and placed the jar on top.

Qin Sang wondered if the old Daoist master intended to use this jar to boil medicinal herbs.

It was fortunate that he had used bamboo pipes to channel water down, otherwise carrying water would have exhausted Mingyue.

By evening, Daoist Master Jixin returned from gathering herbs. The herbs only filled half a basket. He told Mingyue to close the front and back doors of the Green Goat Hall and began to busy himself.

Qin Sang squatted to the side, sorting the herbs. He found that most of them were herbs he had never seen before, and they were all rare and valuable medicinal herbs.

Daoist Master Jixin usually treated minor ailments like bruises, sprains, colds, and damp-heat conditions. The herbs he used were a fixed set of about a dozen. Qin Sang had accompanied the old Daoist master up the mountain several times to gather those herbs, but this time, the old Daoist master had gathered new ones.

After sorting the herbs, Daoist Master Jixin sat behind a long table and wrote a prescription. He asked Mingyue to dispense the medicine. Qin Sang leaned over to look; it was a new prescription with a very complex combination of herbs. With his limited knowledge of medicine, he couldn't understand it at all.

"Daoist Master, what is this prescription for?"

Seeing Qin Sang's puzzled expression, Daoist Master Jixin explained, "Although I am not skilled in martial arts, I understand the principle that literary pursuits require wealth and martial arts require strength. You and Mingyue practice martial arts all day, consuming a great deal. Even with the wild game you eat, it's difficult to replenish the vital energy you lose, which can lead to future troubles. This prescription is an ancient formula my master obtained when he was an imperial physician. It has the effect of strengthening the foundation and replenishing vital energy, which is very suitable for those who practice martial arts. However, this formula is for medicinal baths, not for internal consumption. Follow the prescription to gather the herbs, fill the large jar with water, and boil it until only seventy percent of the medicinal liquid remains. Once the water temperature drops, soak in it for half an hour, once in the morning and once in the evening. Add water repeatedly, and you can use it for seven days before changing to new herbs."

Hearing that there was such a good thing, Qin Sang naturally did not refuse. He memorized the prescription and couldn't help but sigh, "Daoist Master, how many more good things are you hiding?"

Daoist Master Jixin closed his eyes to rest.

Qin Sang and Mingyue busied themselves, quickly prepared the herbs, filled the jar with water, and boiled the medicine according to the old Daoist's instructions. As the water temperature cooled slightly, they eagerly jumped in.

"Ah!"

This was the first time in his life he had taken a hot bath. Burying himself from the neck down in the scalding medicinal soup, Qin Sang felt a sense of comfort throughout his body. All his fatigue vanished instantly, and he couldn't help but let out a groan.

Mingyue was not as tolerant of the heat as Qin Sang. He tentatively dipped himself in, but seeing Qin Sang's blissful expression, he endured the heat and jumped in as well.

Mingyue was younger and not as tall. Even with both of them in the jar, it didn't feel crowded.

The early spring air was still cold, and soaking in the hot medicinal soup was pure bliss. Qin Sang rested the back of his head against the rim of the jar, feeling as though he could fall asleep.