You Grow Herbs, I Harvest Them

After breaking through to the Late Body Phase, Qin Dongcheng spent several more days consolidating and adapting before continuing his cultivation.

By now, he had used up most of his herbs and Blood-Replenishing Pills. It was time to replenish them.

Qin Dongcheng planned to use herbs to alter his appearance, conceal his identity, and head to the Black Market to sell Blood-Replenishing Pills for silver.

A poor scholar and a wealthy martial artist—without enough silver, cultivation progressed far too slowly.

Although he had the Heaven Rewards Diligence System to assist him and could trigger critical hits from time to time, who would not want to cultivate faster?

He had already begun mixing medicinal liquids capable of changing one's appearance according to the properties of various herbs. If he succeeded, he would be able to conceal his identity when visiting the Black Market.

Covering his face could also hide his identity, but it was too easily seen through. For safety's sake, an extra layer of disguise would be more secure.

In any case, he was not short on time. With the Heaven Rewards Diligence System helping him, it was better to keep a low profile whenever possible.

"Brother Qin, are you heading to the fields too?"

One morning after breakfast, Qin Dongcheng ran into Lu Gen on the road to the Herb Field.

Qin Dongcheng smiled and nodded, and the two headed for the Herb Field together.

Their Herb Fields were adjacent, and their Bamboo Houses were only a few hundred meters apart, so they ran into each other from time to time.

"This year's weather is a bit strange. It still hasn't snowed yet, and it will probably affect the growth of quite a few medicinal herbs."

"I heard that once Martial Artists cultivate to an extremely high level, they can influence the weather. I wonder whether that's true."

"It's probably false. Isn't the weather the heavens' responsibility? How could people possibly influence it?"

As they chatted and walked, they were just about to reach the Herb Field when something green flashed through the grass beside Lu Gen.

"Mount Tai Flying Stone!"

At that critical moment, Qin Dongcheng struck abruptly. His fist was like a flying stone, launching later yet arriving first as it slammed viciously into the green blur.

Bang...

Hisss...

It was a Bamboo Green Snake. Half a foot had already stepped into the ranks of Monster Beasts, and it carried deadly venom. If it had bitten Lu Gen, he would have been severely injured even if he did not die.

Looking at the Bamboo Green Snake's corpse on the ground, Lu Gen's face went pale. After standing frozen for a moment, he hurriedly thanked him. "Brother Qin, thank you. If it hadn't been for you, I would have died."

Everyone knew how poisonous a Bamboo Green Snake was, much less one nearing the level of a Monster Beast. Ordinary antidotes would have been useless.

It was no exaggeration to say that Qin Dongcheng had saved his life.

Qin Dongcheng helped the tearfully grateful Lu Gen to his feet and smiled. "You've helped me plenty in the past too. There's no need for this."

"That was only a little help. How could it compare to saving my life?" Lu Gen shook his head repeatedly. "Brother Qin, let me help tend your Herb Field from now on. Otherwise, I won't be able to rest easy."

Qin Dongcheng was about to refuse when a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind. Seeing Lu Gen's anxious expression, he knew this honest man was too simple-hearted. If he refused, Lu Gen would be troubled for a long time.

So he smiled. "How about this? I like harvesting ripe medicinal herbs. From now on, I'll help you harvest the mature herbs, while you help me loosen the soil, weed, plant, and so on. If anything gets damaged during harvesting, I'll compensate you from my own Herb Field."

"No compensation needed. Damage is just damage. If Brother Qin likes harvesting herbs, you can harvest freely from all five mu of my Herb Field," Lu Gen said hastily. He had not expected Qin Dongcheng to have such a hobby.

But on second thought, he seemed to enjoy harvesting mature herbs as well. After all, it was the time of harvest. Who would not like that?

But that was only when harvesting his own herbs. If they belonged to someone else, he would not feel the same way. Qin Dongcheng truly was strange.

After reaching an agreement, the two headed toward the Herb Field once more.

When they arrived, Lu Gen suddenly remembered something. He looked at Qin Dongcheng in disbelief. "Brother Qin, you killed such a huge Bamboo Green Snake with one punch. Could it be that you've already condensed Blood Qi?"

"Yes. Not long ago, I dug up a Wild Ginseng. With its medicinal power, I was fortunate enough to condense Blood Qi." Qin Dongcheng did not deny it. He could not hide this matter forever, so he admitted it with a smile.

Lu Gen was shocked once again. "It has only been a few months, Brother Qin... no, no, you've already condensed Blood Qi. From now on, you're Senior Brother Qin. That's incredible. If you can cultivate to Body Phase Perfection within three years, Senior Brother Qin can become an Official Disciple."

For a moment, he even became restrained and uneasy.

After all, he had been practicing for nearly a year, yet he still could not comprehend the Mount Tai Body Strengthening Fist, much less condense Blood Qi and step into the Body Phase Realm.

Seeing that Lu Gen had even changed the way he addressed him, Qin Dongcheng could not help laughing. After comforting him for a while, he entered the Herb Field and began harvesting the mature medicinal herbs.

You harvested one portion of Cang'erzi. Congratulations, you triggered a threefold critical hit. You obtained three portions of Cang'erzi!

You harvested one piece of Red Ginger. Congratulations, you triggered a fivefold critical hit. You obtained five pieces of Red Ginger!

Whenever he harvested mature medicinal herbs, he would occasionally trigger a critical hit and obtain more herbs.

After harvesting all the mature medicinal herbs from his own three-mu Herb Field, Lu Gen finished his work as well. He came over and invited Qin Dongcheng to harvest the mature herbs in his field, while he helped Qin Dongcheng handle the rest of the work in his Herb Field.

Qin Dongcheng did not stand on ceremony. He immediately went to Lu Gen's Herb Field and began harvesting the mature medicinal herbs.

You harvested one Red Peony plant. Congratulations, you triggered a double critical hit. You obtained two Red Peony plants!

You harvested one Six-Year Ginseng. Congratulations, you triggered a threefold critical hit. You obtained three Six-Year Ginseng plants!

Sure enough, harvesting mature medicinal herbs from someone else's Herb Field could also earn critical-hit rewards. However, Qin Dongcheng felt that the number of critical hits was somewhat lower than in his own Herb Field.

It was probably because the herbs here had not been planted and cultivated by Qin Dongcheng himself, so the critical-hit rate was lower.

For herbs he had personally planted and cultivated, the number of critical hits was much greater. Even so, this still brought Qin Dongcheng considerable gains.

The harvest of several ginseng plants over six years old in particular was enough for him to refine quite a few Blood-Replenishing Pills.

Lu Gen's Herb Field was nearly twice the size of Qin Dongcheng's, so there were more mature herbs to harvest. He gathered enough materials for several batches of Blood-Replenishing Pills, making the harvest quite substantial.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he had finished harvesting the mature herbs with almost no damage at all. Lu Gen was greatly astonished, saying that Qin Dongcheng's skill in gathering herbs had already far surpassed the Handymen tending the surrounding Herb Fields.

During a break, Qin Dongcheng saw that Lu Gen's punches were riddled with errors, so he could not help offering a few pointers. Lu Gen immediately saw the light, resolving many doubts and correcting many mistakes.

This made Lu Gen even more respectful toward Qin Dongcheng. Every day, he set aside more time to come and help, leaving Qin Dongcheng much freer. However, this matter also stirred up another bout of trouble.