" The Heart-Corroding Grass is potent and bitter; it numbs upon touch and corrodes the heart when ingested. However, it can be diluted with three drops of morning dew and supplemented with the Azure Mist Flower..."
Qian Yu carefully placed the small, bluish-green grass in her hand into the grass basket, and then diligently made notes in her book.
After doing all this, he sat on the ground, let out a long sigh, and smiled.
"The 365th one." He murmured to himself, glancing around at the eight baskets filled with various herbs, his eyes filled with emotion.
His book already records 365 kinds of herbs.
Although it wasn't a lot, it felt like a very long time to Qian Yu.
Eight hundred years ago, he was a good-for-nothing in the Wind Forest Tribe, despised by everyone and unable to even cultivate martial arts.
Eight hundred years later, he not only entered the Dharma Aspect Realm, but also traveled to every mountain and river surrounding the human territory, recording the characteristics of all the plants and trees he could find.
Qian Yu touched the vine whip in his arms— the Grass Identification Whip —and a feeling of gratitude welled up in his heart for that mysterious senior.
"If it weren't for your help, senior, I would have died long ago," he murmured.
For eight hundred years, he never returned to his tribe, devoting himself entirely to the search for medicinal herbs.
Even when passing through other human tribes and encountering other humans, they did not greet each other.
Over time, the surrounding people all knew of this person, who was searching for herbs in the mountains.
A thousand years have passed, yet it feels like yesterday.
He was once bitten by a venomous snake, but survived thanks to the antidote he had recorded.
He once fell off a cliff, but luckily managed to escape death by hanging onto a vine.
He also huddled in a cave during a blizzard, maintaining his body temperature by chewing on spicy red sun grass.
He had not yet attained any cultivation level at that time.
Every time he faced a desperate situation, he gritted his teeth and persevered.
What sustained him was the expectations of that predecessor, and even more so, his belief in eradicating the plague for humankind.
After eight hundred years, he has now grown into a powerful being at the Dharma Aspect Realm.
"With that herb, we can finally cure the plague." Qian Yu's eyes gleamed as she looked at the specific herbs in the basket. " Heart-Corroding Grass, Azure Mist Flower, Morning Dew, Crimson Sun Root... As long as we mix them in the right proportions, we can definitely cure the plague!"
He quickly gathered eight grass baskets, tied them together with tough mountain vines, and carried them on his back.
"Only two hundred years remain until the millennium ends. We must reach the ancestral land as soon as possible and inform the Human Emperor of this news."
With his cultivation at the Dharma Aspect Realm, Qian Yu moved like the wind through the mountains and forests, speeding towards the Human Ancestral Land.
The Human Ancestral Land, the council hall.
The atmosphere was incredibly heavy.
Emperor Xuan sat in the main seat, his brows furrowed.
Empress Yue Yao sat beside him, her beautiful face also filled with worry.
Below sat the Three Ancestors of the Sui Ren Shi, You Chao Shi, and Zi Yi Shi, as well as the leaders of various tribes.
"How is the collection of herbs going in various places?" Di Xuan's voice was hoarse, clearly indicating that he hadn't had a proper rest for many days.
A tribal chief rose and reported, " Your Human Emperor, we have tested thirty-seven newly discovered herbs. Eight of them have some effect in alleviating the plague, but none of them can cure it completely."
Another leader added, "Some herbs are extremely potent; if it weren't for the fact that we old folks still possess considerable cultivation, I'm afraid..."
Di Xuan sighed heavily, tapping his fingers on the armrest. "There are only a little over a hundred years left until the thousand-year deadline given by the Father God. If we cannot find a way to eradicate the plague soon, I fear our human race..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood the outcome.
If humanity wants to become strong, it cannot always rely on the Father God; it also needs to rely on itself.
Yue Yao gently held Di Xuan's hand and softly comforted him, " Human Emperor, don't lose heart. Since the Mother God created our race, how many hardships have we endured? Haven't we all overcome them? As long as we don't give up, we will always find hope."
"But I have disappointed Father God." Di Xuan closed his eyes in anguish. "After this meeting, I will personally go to Father God to apologize. Even if I am stripped of my throne as Human Emperor, as long as humanity can be spared from the plague, I will have no regrets."
" The Human Emperor!" everyone exclaimed in unison.
Sui Ren Shi stood up excitedly. "How can this be your fault? For eight hundred years, you have devoted yourself to finding a cure for the disease, and everyone has seen it! If anyone is to blame, it is that damned plague!"
"Yes, Your Human Emperor, let's keep searching, we'll definitely find it!" You Chao Shi also said.
Just as everyone was discussing this, a guard rushed into the council hall. "Reporting to the Human Emperor, a young man named Qian Yu is requesting an audience. He says... he says he has a cure for the plague!"
"What?" Di Xuan stood up abruptly. "Let him in immediately!"
The hall fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on the entrance.
A short while later, a disheveled, ragged young man carrying eight huge straw baskets walked in.
He looked filthy, but he walked with firm steps.
When Qian Yu first met them, he put down his grass basket and stood there awkwardly, unsure of how to begin.
Seeing this, Suirenshi realized that the person did not recognize them, and kindly introduced them, "Child, this is our Emperor Xuan, and next to him is Empress Yueyao. The three of us are the ancestors of the human race, and these are the leaders of various tribes."
"Don't you have statues of us in your tribe?"
Qian Yu shook his head and quickly knelt down to pay his respects. " Qian Yu pays respects to the Human Emperor and Empress, to the three Progenitor, and to all the leaders."
"I... I've only heard of it, but I've never seen it."
He grew up in a tribe and had only heard stories of the ancestors from his fellow tribesmen; he had never seen any statues in the tribe.
Di Xuan quickly stepped forward to help him up. "No need for formalities. You said you have a way to cure the plague, is that true?"
Qian Yu nodded and took out a thick stack of animal hide scrolls from his robes. "For eight hundred years, I have traveled to all the mountains and rivers surrounding the human race, recording the properties of three hundred and sixty-five kinds of herbs. After repeated experiments, I have finally found a prescription to cure the plague."
He opened a basket and took out several specific herbs. "This is Heart-Corroding Grass, this is Azure Mist Flower, this is Crimson Sun Root... Mix them in the right proportions, and you can neutralize the plague's poison."
"How can you prove that this prescription is effective?" a tribal chief questioned.
Qian Yu rolled up her sleeves, revealing faint bluish-black spots on her arms. "I contracted the plague when I was young, but the symptoms were mild. During the drug trial, I personally took this formula, Present Self have basically disappeared."
Upon closer inspection, everyone saw that the spots had indeed become extremely blurry and were almost invisible without careful observation.
Di Xuan's voice trembled with excitement. "You... you just said that someone guided you to find herbs?"
"Yes," Qian Yu replied respectfully, "Eight hundred years ago, a senior gave me the Grass Identification Whip, which allows me to identify the properties of herbs."
"He also bestowed upon me a powerful stomach, capable of digesting all kinds of herbs without being poisoned. Otherwise, I would have died long ago during the drug trials."
"And he said he was human!"
He looked around, his eyes filled with anticipation. " Human Emperor, are all my human ancestors here? I want to thank them in person for their great kindness."
Di Xuan and the Three Ancestors looked at each other, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
"Most of the most powerful figures of our human race are here," Di Xuan said. "Could you describe what that senior looked like?"
Qian Yu tried hard to recall, "He was wearing a simple blue robe and looked very ordinary, but he had an extraordinary air about him. He... he gave me the Grass Identification Whip and said he hoped I could persevere and complete my mission."
Suddenly, Sui Ren Shi realized something and gasped, "The man in the blue robe... could it be the Father God?"
" Father God?" Qian Yu was stunned.
Suddenly, a voice sounded from outside the door.
"Oh! You're all here?"