The Herb Garden! Poisonous Insects? Poisonous Pets!

"Elder Gongsun, then I shall take Old Mister Jiang to Heavenly Sun Peak now!"

After exchanging a few polite words with Gongsun Hong, Wen Yueyao led Jiang Ye directly out of the Affairs Hall and headed toward Heavenly Sun Peak.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

As soon as the two stepped onto Heavenly Sun Peak, they felt a wave of gentle, scorching heat wash over them; the temperature on this peak was noticeably higher than on the others.

Jiang Ye looked up and saw cauldrons of various sizes scattered across the hillside in an orderly fashion.

Those cauldrons, whether cast from bronze or fired from red clay, were all burning with raging flames. The firelight danced and flickered under the afternoon sun, bathing the entire hillside in a deep, ruddy glow.

Many young disciples sat cross-legged beside the cauldrons, eyes closed in meditation. Beads of sweat trickled down their faces, yet they remained completely unaware.

"Miss Wen, why are there so many cauldrons placed on Heavenly Sun Peak, and why are they all burning with such large fires?"

A trace of confusion flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes.

Wen Yueyao followed his gaze, smiled slightly, and explained in a crisp voice, "Old Mister, our Heavenly Sun Peak specializes in the fire-attribute true qi. Those cauldrons are there to help the disciples cultivate and nourish their true qi."

"So they absorb the fire energy from those cauldrons to nourish their true qi..."

A look of realization dawned on Jiang Ye's face.

It seemed that stepping into the Core Formation Realm was even more profound than he had imagined.

The two talked as they walked, and before long, they arrived at the entrance of a herb garden.

A simple wooden hut stood at the entrance, and beside it was a waist-high stone tablet engraved with the words "Heavenly Sun Peak Herb Garden."

"Is Elder Qin in?"

Wen Yueyao spoke softly toward the wooden hut.

No sooner had she finished speaking than the door of the hut creaked open, and a figure stumbled out.

It was a middle-aged man wearing the robes of an Azure Sky Sect elder. His face was excessively flushed, and a scorching aura emanated faintly from his body.

His footsteps were unsteady, and before he had even stood firm, a thick scent of alcohol drifted over, causing one to frown instinctively.

He squinted his eyes to see who had arrived, then let out a hearty laugh: "Yo! So the True Disciple Wen has returned!"

He strode forward and patted Wen Yueyao on the shoulder, his face full of smiles. "I heard you took down that beast Black Old Five in Anxi County this time! Good! Well done! You're much better than that brat Zheng Feng. He fought White Old Three for ages, only to let him escape. How embarrassing!"

Wen Yueyao frowned slightly and subconsciously leaned back to avoid the pungent smell of alcohol, though she found it difficult to lash out. She only said softly:

"Elder Qin is too kind. Actually, being able to eliminate Black Old Five was largely thanks to the help of this Old Mister Jiang."

She stepped aside to reveal Jiang Ye behind her and continued, "I came this time to ask Elder Qin for a favor. Old Mister Jiang is now a deacon of our Azure Sky Sect, and I was hoping you could arrange for him to guard a herb garden here on Heavenly Sun Peak."

Upon hearing this, Qin Lie's gaze fell on Jiang Ye, and he laughed, "A small matter. It just so happens that the herb garden containing the Heavenly Sunflower Grass is currently short of a guard."

With that, he shouted toward the inside of the herb garden: "Lv Ming! Get out here!"

Before long, a figure darted out from the garden with agile, nimble movements, landing without making a sound.

It was a slightly chubby youth with a round face, about seventeen or eighteen years old. His eyes darted around, revealing a hint of cleverness.

He glanced at Wen Yueyao, then at Jiang Ye beside her. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, but he quickly composed himself and bowed respectfully with cupped hands:

"Greetings, Elder Qin and Senior Sister Wen!"

Qin Lie waved his hand and pointed at Jiang Ye. "Lv Ming, this is Deacon Jiang, who has just joined the sect. He will be your colleague from now on. He is responsible for guarding the Heavenly Sunflower Grass garden. Take him to learn the way and introduce him to the situation in the garden."

"Yes!"

Lv Ming nodded heavily, a warm smile spreading across his face as he cupped his hands. "Deacon Jiang, this junior is Lv Ming; you can just call me Little Lv. Come, I'll take you to look around the herb garden right now!"

"Very well, I shall trouble you, little brother."

Jiang Ye returned the gesture politely.

Wen Yueyao had intended to go along, but she saw a disciple hurrying up the mountain path. The disciple whispered a few words to her. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she turned to Jiang Ye with an apologetic expression:

"Old Mister, the Peak Master has summoned me, so I must go first. Please familiarize yourself with the situation with Lv Ming, and I will come to see you later."

"Go ahead, Miss. Important matters come first." Jiang Ye waved his hand, signaling her not to worry.

Wen Yueyao offered an apologetic smile, then turned and followed the disciple away in a hurry.

"Deacon Jiang, let's talk as we walk."

Lv Ming was a chatterbox; once he started, he couldn't stop.

He led Jiang Ye along the hillside toward the north, pointing at the scenery along the way and introducing it in a continuous stream:

"Our Heavenly Sun Peak has unique terrain, so there aren't many places suitable for planting herbs. There are only four herb gardens in total."

He raised his hand to point at the field to the east, which was as red as fire, with leaves curled like flames: "That field is planted with Red Sun Grass, the most common fire-attribute herb. The 'Pure Yang Pill' that the disciples use for daily cultivation is refined from it."

He then pointed to the vines clinging to the stone wall to the west, where fist-sized, crimson fruits hung: "Those are Flame Heart Fruits. They are very precious and only ripen once every three years."

He then pointed to the area to the south, where the terrain was slightly lower and heat vapor could be seen rising: "That side is planted with Earth Fire Ginseng. It's even rarer, growing in the crevices of rocks. You must be careful when digging it up; if you damage the roots, it won't be worth much."

Hearing this, Jiang Ye's expression remained unchanged, but his heart suddenly grew warm.

This Earth Fire Ginseng and Heavenly Sunflower Grass are both primary ingredients required for refining the secret medicine in the Diamond Body Refining Technique.

To think that this herb garden contains two of them.

It seems I must find a way to fleece this sect for all it is worth.

How does that saying go? If the cook doesn't pilfer, the harvest won't be bountiful.

Beyond the herb garden, he also learned a great deal of information from this little fatty.

It turns out that this vast Azure Sky Sect has a True Disciple Ranking, and among the thousands of inner sect disciples, only ten can make the list.

Wen Yueyao is the only Transformation Strength disciple on this True Disciple Ranking; all the other true disciples possess Core Formation Realm strength.

And the reason she can make the list is purely due to her talent.

Jiang Ye had always assumed Wen Yueyao and Liu Yiyi were of similar age, but that is not the case.

Setting aside that overly mature physique, Wen Yueyao is actually a few years younger than Liu Yiyi...

Hiss... what did this little girl grow up eating...

Jiang Ye exclaimed in his heart.

"We have arrived, Deacon Jiang. This is the Heavenly Sunflower Grass garden you will be responsible for guarding from now on."

Lv Ming led Jiang Ye to the northernmost part of the herb garden, a place separated by a significant distance from the other three gardens, where stalks of blood-red herbs were planted.

"Little brother, this old man is new here and will need your guidance. Are there any particular things I should be aware of while guarding this garden?"

As Jiang Ye spoke, he quietly took a few banknotes from his robes and handed them to Lv Ming.

"Hey! Deacon Jiang, what are you doing!"

Upon seeing the banknotes, Lv Ming was slightly stunned, then waved his hands repeatedly, shaking his head like a rattle. "Since you were introduced by Senior Sister Wen, I will certainly tell you everything I know. Please, take these back."

Jiang Ye chuckled and stuffed the banknotes into his hand, his aged voice filled with a touch of sincerity: "Although this old man is advanced in years, I am still a newcomer to the sect and will inevitably need your care in the future. A gift from an elder should not be refused; do not decline."

Unable to refuse further, Lv Ming could only respectfully accept the banknotes, the smile on his face becoming significantly more eager.

He tucked the banknotes into his robes, cleared his throat, and lowered his voice: "Since Deacon Jiang is so polite, I will speak from the heart."

He leaned in closer, his expression turning solemn: "The herbs we grow here on Heavenly Sun Peak are all Yang-aligned and quite potent, especially this Heavenly Sunflower Grass—it is most prone to attracting one thing."

"Oh? What thing?"

Jiang Ye narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Fire Centipede." Lv Ming enunciated each word, his voice tinged with apprehension. "These venomous creatures love to burrow into the Heavenly Sunflower Grass to feed on the Yang energy in the leaves. Their venom is extraordinary; it is a rare fire poison. One bite feels like being burned by fire, enough to make a person faint from the pain. Every year, these creatures ruin several of our medicinal plants."

"Fire Centipede..."

A strange glint flashed through Jiang Ye's aged eyes.

For the past few days in the guest quarters, he had been studying the Poison Control Scripture.

All venomous creatures in the world can generally be categorized into the Five Poisons.

These are the five major types: scorpions, venomous snakes, centipedes, geckos, and toads.

And this Fire Centipede is a standout among the centipede-type venomous creatures.

Its fire poison is a formidable weapon that ordinary venomous creatures cannot compare to.

He had originally been wondering where to find a suitable venomous insect to cultivate once he settled in.

To think that there are ready-made ones right here in this herb garden.

This truly is the right place to be.