Treasure from the Deep Mountains, Tiger-Skin Old Medicine

Liang Qisheng reviewed the data in his mind, and new information appeared before his eyes.

"Name: Liang Qisheng

Realm: Skin Tempering Peak.

Lifespan: 65 and a half years.

Technique: Black Tiger Fist 26%(+)

Merit: 0!"

He had practiced the Black Tiger Fist stance for three years, laying a solid foundation.

The old man said he was already advanced in age, his bones and tendons set, and that in this life he could only strengthen his body—any greater progress was unlikely.

Without merit points, Liang Qisheng had trained in boxing for a full half-month, yet his realm had only increased by 1%.

Clearly, his martial arts aptitude was merely average.

The old man had sharp eyes, knowing that with Liang Qisheng's talent, it would take at least twenty years to master the Black Tiger Fist to perfection.

As for reaching great completion, there was probably no hope.

"It seems everything hinges on merit first!"

"...Kill man-ghouls, gain merit, punish evil and promote good, act on Heaven's behalf."

In the blink of an eye, another half-month passed. One morning, Liang Qisheng entered the mountains before dawn.

Gathering herbs was neither leisurely nor safe.

The mountains held venomous snakes and fierce beasts, traps and ravines, as well as herb gatherers driven by greed who would kill on a whim.

Liang Qisheng himself was very cautious and unwilling to travel with others.

On one hand, he feared exposing his secrets.

On the other, he prioritized his safety.

This time, he explored a relatively unfamiliar path.

After days of scouring, the herbs on both sides of the more familiar trails had been mostly picked clean.

Deep mountains held many treasures, untouched by human feet—the more dangerous the place, the older the herbs.

Experienced old herb gatherers, sharpened by time, would seek out and open new paths.

Liang Qisheng swung his machete, cutting through vines and weeds to forge a route.

He kept his eyes and ears open, for in the deep, ancient forests, the greatest need was to be wary of snakes and insects hidden in the grass.

Along the way, progress was difficult, and Liang Qisheng dared not be careless, maintaining a cautious posture from start to finish.

"This truly is an untouched virgin land."

Though the going was tough, he discovered many herbs of considerable age along the way.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, his basket was more than half full.

Just as Liang Qisheng was about to head back first and continue exploring tomorrow—

Suddenly, a flash of red caught his eye, standing out brilliantly among the green grass.

"Three-Leaf Red Flower!"

"...At least a thirty-year-old ginseng?"

"For it to grow here so peacefully for so long is no small feat."

"Indeed, the deeper you go into these ancient forests, the more dangerous it is, but the greater the rewards—unlike the mountain paths from a few days ago, where the roadside weeds had nearly been stripped bare by herb gatherers."

Liang Qisheng's eyes lit up slightly, his mind settled.

A thirty-year-old ginseng of this quality was a rare sight.

It could replenish yang energy, strengthen bones and tendons, and even if one were hanging by a thread, it could keep half a breath of yang alive.

In Shiwu County, whether at a major pharmacy or a large pawnshop, none would refuse it—at least sixty taels of silver was guaranteed.

Not just for country folk, but even in Shiwu County, this counted as a sudden windfall, a quick path to wealth.

A well-off family of five in the county spent about five taels a month on food and clothing.

The value of this Red Flower Old Ginseng was enough to support a comfortable household for a year.

More importantly, this Red Flower Old Ginseng was an excellent material for refining the Qi-Strengthening Pill for martial artists.

Even among pharmacy stocks, this herb was considered quite valuable, a hot commodity in short supply.

For an old herb gatherer with twenty years in the trade, this Red Flower Old Ginseng was already an exceptionally rich haul.

Herb gathering was grueling work, fraught with danger, relying on Heaven's favor.

Sometimes, to pick spiritual herbs, one had no choice but to search desolate mountains and wild ridges.

The steeper the cliffs and the more precipitous the slopes, the easier it was for medicinal herbs to accumulate—but that also meant greater threats from tigers, leopards, wolves, and jackals.

These were the lifelong lessons of the old herb gatherer, earnest teachings that Liang Qisheng had committed to heart.

Sometimes, when luck was bad, there would be no income at all, and injuries were just part of the daily routine.

Liang Qisheng walked forward slowly, his mind steady, his face growing even calmer instead.

He showed no excitement at the appearance of the Red Flower Old Ginseng, and his steps became more cautious as he advanced inch by inch.

Rustle, rustle!

A scraping sound arose, and from the grass beside the Red Flower Old Ginseng, a python as thick as a human thigh slithered out.

Its front was thick, tapering toward the tail, with a rough, grid-like pattern of small mottled scales that scraped against the ground with a rustling noise.

Its head was as large as a sand mortar.

A triangular head, it flicked a tongue as thick as a little finger, raised its head, and fixed its scarlet eyes on him.

"A deep mountain yields treasures, tiger-striped old medicine—within three feet of an aged herb, a fierce beast is sure to lurk, borrowing it to inhale the essence of mountain and forest plants, drawing on the spiritual energy of sun, moon, rivers, and streams."

"This old saying truly doesn't deceive me—today, I've witnessed it firsthand..."

Liang Qisheng halted his steps, sensing immense danger.

Ordinary people train their muscles and bones through martial practice, relying on a single breath of will.

It's akin to re-forging the degenerate sixth sense back to the level of a wild beast.

Returning to simplicity, reviving primal instinct.

Thus, when a martial artist practices fist techniques to the very marrow, their perception of danger truly becomes beast-like.

Whether danger exists or not, the hands, eyes, and even the hairs on the skin can sense it.

He knew that these aged herbs weren't just needed by humans—beasts could consume them too.

They could transform flesh and blood, granting immense power and other abilities.

So generally, relatively precious herbs were guarded by venomous snakes and fierce beasts!

This was also why Liang Qisheng hadn't rushed to pick it.

Though the old herb gatherer had passed away, the legacy he left behind was extremely valuable, and Liang Qisheng remembered it all clearly.

"This isn't an ordinary python."

"...A triangular head—this thing is too venomous. One bite and I'd be in trouble?!"

Liang Qisheng was somewhat surprised, yet it was within his expectations.

This Red Flower Old Ginseng was impressive; an ordinary immature beast wouldn't be able to guard it.

This was still only the middle section of the deep mountain's outer perimeter, yet ambushes lurked everywhere, fraught with danger.

But if one ventured deeper, it wouldn't even stand out among the great mountains.

Roar!

Liang Qisheng's stance shifted into the starting posture of the Black Tiger Fist, and as his body moved, a tiger's roar echoed from within.

His gaze turned icy, as if a fierce tiger had possessed him, and a formidable presence rose up, bearing down on this highly venomous serpent.

Whoosh!

The venomous python coiled its body into a serpentine formation, flicking its tongue.

It raised its head high, seemingly startled by the sudden tiger's might.

At that moment, Liang Qisheng struck without warning.

The chopping knife in his hand swept horizontally, a flash of cold light.

The venomous python hissed, evading the blade's arc, and spat venom from its mouth.

Liang Qisheng darted three steps sideways, shifting laterally at an impossible bodily angle, just barely dodging the venom's assault.

The venom splashed ahead onto the grass and moss.

A sizzling hiss rose as smoke curled up.

The lush green grass instantly turned withered, scorched black, and lost all life in the blink of an eye.