Mastering the Herbal Compendium

Herbal Compendium Experience +1

Herbal Compendium Experience +1

Herbal Compendium Experience +1

At last, he reached the final page.

Li Xiao opened the panel.

Host: Li Xiao

Already Recorded: Herbal Compendium (119/120, not yet mastered; reward available upon first mastery)

Limit-Breaking Points: None

Just one last point of experience remained before he could grind through the Herbal Compendium. He was curious what reward it would give him!

The final page was Gastrodia!

Gastrodia, also known as Chi Jian and Ding Feng Cao.

Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature.

It could calm internal wind and stop convulsions, suppress rising liver yang, dispel wind, and clear the channels.

It could treat infantile convulsions, epileptic seizures, numbness in the limbs, rheumatic pain...

The Gastrodia in the compendium was drawn in exquisite detail. Its tuber was long and oval, like a slightly flattened spindle.

Its surface was yellowish-white, marked with vertical wrinkles and several rings formed by dormant buds. A reddish-brown bud remained at its tip, making it look more like a strange rhizome than an ordinary herb with stems and leaves.

"Ding Feng Cao..." Li Xiao murmured.

It mostly grew in shady, damp places beneath forests. It preferred cool, moist climates and was cold-resistant. Its tubers overwintered underground, and those dug up in winter were called "winter Gastrodia," the finest in quality.

[Herbal Compendium Experience points +1]

The number on the panel jumped to 120/120, and Li Xiao closed the compendium.

He now knew every herb recorded in the Herbal Compendium like the back of his hand.

"First mastery of Herbal Compendium achieved. Special skill obtained: Herbal Mastery."

A cold, mechanical voice rang out.

Li Xiao looked closely and saw that a new entry had appeared on the panel.

Host: Li Xiao

Already Recorded: Herbal Compendium

Limit-Breaking Points: None

Special: Herbal Mastery (easier to gather herbs; when concentrating and gazing at an herb, can sense the medicinal essence circulating within it)

His heart jolted when he read the description. This Herbal Mastery seemed to carry a trace of Fortune and Destiny as well. For him right now, it was an incredibly practical skill.

"Looks like some kind of newbie reward." Li Xiao muttered.

Once he had nursed his body back to health, he planned to learn Old Dad's hunting and archery skills.

Then, with Herbal Mastery, he could gather herbs and hunt in the mountains. Their days would only get better and better.

Creak!

Li Xiao opened the door and stepped outside.

The snow on the path outside had begun to melt slowly, while Li Youde was sweeping the snow from the courtyard.

The sun had come out as well, and its rays brought a faint warmth to his body.

Li Xiao was about to go help Li Youde when a figure hurried over from the distance, looking somewhat flustered.

"Yu'er, slow down. The road's slippery—be careful not to fall." Li Youde spotted Li Yu and hurriedly called out.

Only when Li Yu saw Old Dad and Li Xiao did she finally let out a long breath.

Li Xiao walked over to Li Yu, took the things from her hands, and the family went inside.

Li Xiao quickly handed Li Yu a cup of hot water.

"I ran into Chen Hu at the village entrance. I was afraid he'd pester me, so I walked faster."

Li Yu took a sip of water and spoke with lingering fear.

Chen Hu?

Li Xiao remembered him. That man had harassed Eldest Sister several times, yet his former self had kept trying to bring them together. He had merely coveted the influence of Chen Hu's elder brother, Chen Long, and wanted to curry favor with him.

"Little Brother, I truly don't have the slightest interest in that bastard Chen Hu."

Li Yu set down her cup, her tone firm.

"In the past, I only considered your feelings and didn't want to make a big fuss. But Chen Hu has been getting more and more excessive. I..."

She did not continue, merely gripping the corner of her clothes tightly.

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you won't lose it next time.

She was only nineteen. In his previous life, she would have only just started university.

Being pestered by a scoundrel filled her heart with grievance.

Yet she had to force herself not to worry her family. She had no one to rely on, while her younger brother had even been helping from the sidelines.

Hearing this, Li Youde turned to look at Li Xiao, about to say something.

"Eldest Sister, I understand. Don't worry. I was ignorant before, but if Chen Hu dares to pester you again, I'll break his legs."

Li Xiao looked at Li Yu and spoke with the weight of a falling hammer.

Li Yu froze. She had never heard her younger brother say anything like that before.

Whenever Chen Hu was mentioned in the past, Li Xiao would only say impatiently,

"Chen Hu isn't bad. You'll understand once you get to know him better..."

"You won't suffer poverty if you follow him."

How could he have ever protected her like he did today?

Her eyes reddened slightly.

"Oh, right, Dad, I bought some medicinal plaster in town."

"I'll apply it for you later. Rest more, and your body will definitely recover."

"I got paid. Steward Zhang said I worked diligently, so he gave me an extra fifteen copper coins."

As if remembering something, Li Yu hurriedly untied the cloth pouch at her waist.

The crisp clinking of copper coins echoed through the room.

"I also bought some pork offal. I'll cook it for you and Little Brother later to nourish your Qi and Blood."

"You can keep the rest of the money to buy grain."

Li Yu said happily. There were over three hundred copper coins left, enough to buy seventy or eighty jin of millet.

Li Youde fell silent for a while before telling Li Yu about trading their fields to the Village Head's family for millet.

"Dad, it's fine. Having grain to eat is what matters most. If the fields are gone, we can earn them back."

Li Yu quickly comforted him. She knew just how dearly Old Dad treasured those three mu of land.

Li Yu applied the medicinal plaster to Li Youde, then turned and went into the kitchen.

The pork offal she had bought was already cooked, but it had no seasoning.

Li Yu washed the offal again, cut it into small pieces, put them in the pot with water, then fished out half a piece of ginger she had been reluctant to use from beside the stove. She smashed it and tossed it in.

She remembered Mother saying that ginger could remove the gamey smell. Even without other seasonings, it would make the food more fragrant.

"Eldest Sister, I'll tend the fire."

Li Xiao entered the kitchen and added some dry firewood to the stove.

The flames leaped up with a whoosh, warming both their faces with their glow.

"You've only just recovered. Don't get yourself steeped in all this smoke and fire."

Li Yu tried to push him out, but Li Xiao held her hand down.

"It's fine. I've mostly recovered already."

He looked at the pork offal boiling in the pot, then suddenly said, "Sis, tomorrow I'll go up the mountain to gather some herbs and sell them in town. I'll trade them for seasonings, and next time I'll make braised pork for you."

Li Yu laughed at that. "Braised pork? We'll be lucky if we can just cook it through."

Though she said that, her eyes sparkled as if she could already smell the meat.

Before long, a faint meaty fragrance drifted from the pot, mingling with the scent of ginger and driving away the chill in the house.

Li Yu filled two large bowls and brought them to Dad and her younger brother. She kept only half a small bowl for herself, most of it broth.

Li Youde took a bite and smacked his lips.

"It smells better than the stew last time. Yu'er's cooking is getting better and better."

"If Dad likes it, I'll make it for you often."

Li Yu smiled and placed a piece of meat in her father's bowl.

Li Xiao ate with his head lowered, but he was making calculations in his heart.

After the meal, while Li Yu cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, Li Xiao carefully strung together the three hundred-odd copper coins and handed them to his father.

"Dad, keep these."

Li Youde accepted the string of coins. It was heavy in his hand, like he was holding a piece of warm jade.

He sighed. "Yu'er has suffered."

"Dad, what are you saying?" Li Yu said with a smile.

"Dad, now that the snow has stopped, I plan to go up the mountain tomorrow to gather some dry firewood and see whether there are any herbs. If I can find some, it'll help support the family a little."

Li Xiao suddenly said.

If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!

At the request of many readers, VIP members can now enjoy an ad-free feature.

Click to view