"Deacon Jiang, you really need to be careful with these Fire Centipedes."
Seeing Jiang Ye fall silent, Lv Ming assumed the newly arrived senior deacon had been cowed by the words "Fire Centipede." He quickly lowered his voice and continued his earnest warning:
"Fire Centipedes are nocturnal. They hide underground during the day and only come out at night!"
"And unlike ordinary centipedes, which run at the sight of people, these Fire Centipedes are naturally violent. They'll actually bite you!"
"Several Transformation Strength disciples from Heavenly Sun Peak have suffered at their jaws before. They were bitten so badly they were at death's door, and... some were poisoned so severely that they couldn't be saved."
At this, he sighed, his face tinged with helplessness:
"The worst part is that these things have frighteningly sharp senses. They can detect our presence from a long way off."
"As soon as we show up, they zip straight back underground. There's just no dealing with them."
"Even Elder Qin personally tried to clear the Medicine Garden of them once, but in the end, he didn't accomplish much."
He paused, then looked at Jiang Ye with grave concern:
"So, Deacon Jiang, if you happen to find a Fire Centipede munching on the herbs, don't insist on killing it. That's too difficult. As long as you can drive it away in time and protect the herbs, that counts as success."
Jiang Ye nodded thoughtfully on the surface, looking as if he had taken the lesson to heart. "I see..."
In truth, Jiang Ye could barely stop himself from laughing.
Sharp senses?
Concealing his presence was what he, Jiang Ye, did best.
These Fire Centipedes had practically run straight into his blade.
"By the way, young man." Jiang Ye pondered for a moment, then asked, "Since poisonous insects eat the herbs, the Medicine Garden must have requirements for our harvest, right?"
"Heh, Deacon Jiang, you've hit the nail on the head."
Lv Ming's eyes lit up. He chuckled, his expression saying, You know how it is:
"Because of the damage caused by poisonous insects, some loss of herbs is unavoidable."
"So the Medicine Garden requires us caretakers to preserve at least ninety percent of the harvest."
He counted on his fingers as he gave an example. "Take your Heavenly Sunflower Grass garden. It matures every six months, and there are a thousand plants in all."
"After six months, you have to hand over at least nine hundred plants to pass."
Jiang Ye's old eyes suddenly brightened.
The minimum requirement was ninety percent...
That left plenty of room to work with.
If he could protect all one thousand plants, wouldn't that let him openly "pocket" a hundred for himself?
Seeing his expression, Lv Ming smiled knowingly. "Deacon Jiang, you're thinking exactly what I think you are."
But he soon added a caveat, dousing the old man's enthusiasm:
"Still, Fire Centipedes are more attracted to your Heavenly Sunflower Grass than to other herbs. So even preserving ninety percent will take quite a bit of effort."
A faint smile appeared on Jiang Ye's aged face. He nodded unhurriedly.
"This old man... can only do his best."
The two chatted as they walked, and before long they reached the southern side of the Heavenly Sunflower Grass garden.
There was a small wooden cabin here, much like the one by the entrance, but even more secluded.
"Deacon Jiang, since Fire Centipedes only come out at night, that's when we need to keep watch most closely. This cabin is where you can stay at night."
As he spoke, Lv Ming pushed open the cabin door.
The interior was small, but neat and tidy.
A simple plank bed stood against the wall, with a dry grass mat spread over it.
In one corner lay rice, flour, cooking oil, pickles, dried meat, and other provisions. They were clearly supplies the sect provided for the Medicine Garden caretakers.
Though small as a sparrow, it had all its vital organs.
"Very good, very good. This is a nice place."
Jiang Ye looked around and nodded slightly, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes.
As a sect deacon, he could apply for a cave residence on Heavenly Sun Peak at any time.
But that cave residence couldn't compare to this quiet, secluded cabin.
"As long as you're comfortable here, Deacon Jiang."
Lv Ming smiled warmly. "I usually stay in the cabin beside the Red Sun Grass garden. It's not too far from here. If you need anything, feel free to come find me."
"Then I may have to trouble you, young man."
Jiang Ye cupped his hands politely.
The two chatted for a little longer, then Lv Ming took his leave.
His figure soon disappeared at the end of the path through the Medicine Garden.
Jiang Ye stood at the cabin's entrance, gazing at the blood-red fields swaying gently in the breeze. The corners of his aged mouth slowly curled into the faintest of smiles.
Heavenly Sunflower Grass... Fire Centipedes... ninety percent of the harvest...
This place was getting more and more interesting.
He turned back into the cabin and closed the door.
He sat cross-legged on the plank bed, took the Poison Control Scripture from his robes, and began studying its chapter on "Fire Centipedes" in the light filtering through the window.
Night fell, and the moonlight turned cool.
Jiang Ye pushed open the cabin door and strolled into the Medicine Garden.
The moonlight spilled like water over the blood-red Heavenly Sunflower Grass, dyeing the entire field a deep, shadowy red.
It was time to meet these beasts.
He activated his Deer Form True Intent, and his entire body seemed to meld with the world around him. His feet touched the soil of the Medicine Garden as softly as if he were stepping on clouds, making no sound at all.
His gaze was as keen as an eagle's as he surveyed the blood-red field below.
Under the moonlight, the Heavenly Sunflower Grass swayed gently, droplets of dew glimmering on its leaves.
Suddenly, a faint noise reached his ears.
It was the softest rustle of shifting soil, so slight that he would never have noticed it had he not been fully focused.
"Oh?"
Jiang Ye looked in the direction of the sound.
A centipede about half a foot long slowly crawled out of the soil. Its entire body was fiery red, and its hard back plates gleamed with an oily, metallic sheen.
It had to be said, its fiery red coloring blended in well with the Heavenly Sunflower Grass in the garden, making for decent camouflage.
If Jiang Ye hadn't had such sharp eyes, he might not have spotted it at all.
Jiang Ye didn't attack right away. Instead, he continued watching its movements.
Along the edges of each back plate were rows of fine, dark-red barbs, like the glowing embers of a dying fire.
It had countless legs, densely packed along both sides of its body. Each foot ended in a hooked claw, letting it scramble over plants as easily as walking on level ground.
Once it had crawled out of the soil, its pair of ink-black compound eyes gleamed with a cold light in the darkness. It turned them warily from side to side, surveying its surroundings. When it sensed no other presence, it let out an excited hiss and leaned toward a Heavenly Sunflower Grass leaf, ready to bite.
Whoosh!
A faint whistle cut through the air.
Two slender twigs, shaved into little wooden blades, darted out of the darkness like ghosts and clamped securely around the Fire Centipede's body, lifting it into the air!
The one who had struck was none other than Jiang Ye.
Sss!!!
The Fire Centipede let out an ear-piercing hiss as its body twisted and writhed violently.
Its countless legs flailed wildly, its hooked claws grasping at empty air.
Its ink-black compound eyes stared fixedly at Jiang Ye, and within them gleamed a ferocity and fear that seemed almost human.
Its deep-red mandibles opened and closed ceaselessly, their tips shimmering with an eerie light—the sign of its fire poison gathering. It looked ready to bite apart the enemy who had dared to provoke it.
Jiang Ye looked at the Fire Centipede writhing in his hand, still trying to bite him, and a hint of amusement crossed his aged eyes.
Though he had used only two slender twigs,
a Transformation Strength martial artist could wield inner force both soft and hard.
Not even a feather could be added; not even a fly could land.
How could this Fire Centipede possibly escape his grasp?
Holding it up to the moonlight, he inspected it closely.
His gaze fell on its belly.
There was a faint fiery-red mark there, so pale it was almost invisible, like the last trace of a rising sun.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Jiang Ye's eyes.
There were two ways to raise poisonous pets.
One was to raise them in groups, nurturing them regardless of their potential and relying on sheer numbers.
The other was to raise them selectively: pick the best-quality poisonous insect and devote all available resources to it, turning it into a capable fighter.
Jiang Ye preferred to raise his poisonous pets selectively.
So he needed to find a Fire Centipede of excellent quality.
According to the Poison Control Scripture, Fire Centipedes were easy to assess: one only had to look at the fire mark on their bellies. The deeper the mark, the better their potential.
It was said that a top-grade Fire Centipede had a blood-red mark on its belly, so deep it seemed to reach the bone. Once raised as a pet, it could help its master defeat enemies of a higher level, its power boundless.
The mark on this one was so faint it was almost impossible to see...
"Worthless trash."
Jiang Ye loosened his fingers.
Sss!!!
Freed without warning, the Fire Centipede let out a shriek of relief. It couldn't wait to dive back into the soil and escape.
The next instant—
Whoosh!
With a sharp whistle, Jiang Ye turned his wrist. The twig in his hand swept through the air in a graceful arc like a crescent moon falling from the sky, slicing across the Fire Centipede's body.
Plop.
The half-foot-long Fire Centipede was split cleanly in two and fell to the ground.
A trace of humanlike disbelief still lingered in its ink-black compound eyes, as if accusing the human before it of cunning.
Jiang Ye hated wasting things. He always finished every last grain of rice in his bowl.
All the more reason to get the most out of a poisonous insect like a Fire Centipede.
A Fire Centipede of such poor quality was perfect for practicing the Blood Moon Saber.
"Blood Moon Saber proficiency +5!"
The system notification sounded.
"Just as I thought. Killing poisonous insects that pose some threat improves my saber proficiency more than practicing empty-handed."
A satisfied glint flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes.
He hadn't been idle in the guest quarters earlier. Besides studying the Poison Control Scripture, he'd also practiced the Blood Moon Saber relentlessly.
Martial Arts: Five Animal Fist [Perfection] Blood Moon Saber [Beginner, 458/500]
Jiang Ye glanced at the system panel and nodded to himself.
"Almost there. I can raise the Blood Moon Saber to Minor Mastery tonight!"
Jiang Ye took a Blood Replenishing Pill, swallowed it, and began searching for more Fire Centipedes.
About an hour later.
The moon had shifted westward, casting a cold silver sheen over the blood-red fields.
Jiang Ye still moved through the grass like a ghost. The two slender twigs in his hand had already clamped onto countless Fire Centipedes.
"This one won't do either."
He lowered his eyes to inspect his latest catch.
Nearly a foot long, it was already quite large for a Fire Centipede. Its body was as red as charcoal, and the barbs on its back plates were thicker and sharper than those of the others.
But when his gaze fell on its belly, he still shook his head in disappointment.
The fire mark there was still faint—only a little better than the one on that "worthless trash."
He raised his wrist, lifting the twig, ready to kill the beast as before.
Whoosh!
Before the blade could fall, something changed.
The Fire Centipede's body split in two in midair before the twig even touched it.
The cut was smooth as a mirror, as if an invisible blade had cleaved it in half.
The Fire Centipede didn't even have time to hiss before its two halves plopped to the ground. Confusion still lingered in its black compound eyes, as though it had no idea what had happened even in death.
At the sight, Jiang Ye's pupils suddenly contracted.
Cutting something apart from a distance...
This was saber force!
Before you continue