Harvest

This cultivation bazaar outside Linyuan Prefecture is hidden deep within layers of clouds.

At the entrance to the bazaar, two guards clad in cyan Taoist robes have gazes sharp as lightning.

When Qin Wan produces that token—neither gold nor jade—the two men's expressions turn slightly solemn. Their gazes sweep over Xia Dong, a mortal without a shred of cultivation, yet they show not a hint of contempt, instead stepping aside politely to let them pass.

The Qixia Immortal Sect has held sway over Linyuan Prefecture for ages. Although the Great You Dynasty Court is powerful today and martial arts are being promoted, causing the sect to show signs of retreat, its foundation remains unfathomably deep.

The rules within this bazaar remain as strict as iron law; no matter how turbulent the undercurrents are in the outside world, not a trace of disorder is seen here.

Stepping into the bazaar, the scene suddenly opens up.

Pavilions are scattered along both sides of the street, with cultivators weaving through the crowd, some whispering in trade, others closing their eyes to meditate.

As Xia Dong walks among them, he gradually develops a sensation like needles pricking his back.

He has never practiced immortal methods of breath concealment. That pure, concentrated blood energy, refined to the extreme by his mastery of the Crane Stance, appears as a sturdy physique to mortals, but to the sensitive perception of cultivators, it is as conspicuous as a scorching furnace in the dead of night.

Thanks to the soul-refining secret arts in the Profound Yin Scripture, Xia Dong's spirit is far sharper than that of an ordinary martial artist. He can clearly capture how, amidst the seemingly casual exchanges of glances around him, there are hidden threads of undisguised greed and covetousness.

Xia Dong lowers his eyes calmly, his pace not faltering in the slightest, though his hands hidden in his sleeves tighten slightly. This sense of crisis, clinging like bone-deep rot, makes his desire to increase his strength all the more urgent.

Fortunately, those gazes also fall upon Qin Wan, and, struck by wariness, they quietly withdraw their prying eyes.

Qin Wan is not only wearing the inner-sect attire of the Qixia Immortal Sect, but her hairpins and waist ornaments also shimmer with the unique aura of a magical artifact from the lineage of Lone Moon.

In this Linyuan Prefecture, few cultivators dare to provoke Lone Moon.

Xia Dong understands clearly: this is likely the deeper meaning behind Lone Moon bestowing the token and having Qin Wan accompany him. Bestowing favor without words, yet providing protection through her shadow—the ways of the immortals are truly airtight.

The two wander the bazaar for a long while. Xia Dong stops before a dilapidated stall and uses one of his spirit stones to exchange for a jade slip containing common knowledge of the cultivation world: Cultivation Miscellany.

Before leaving, through Qin Wan's gentle and soft-spoken negotiation, the stall owner impatiently tosses in a mundane ancient book as a bonus—the Evergreen Medical Classic.

In the eyes of cultivators, mortal medicine is practically waste paper. Once a cultivator draws qi into their body, they are naturally immune to all illnesses; if they truly have mortal relatives who fall ill, a single talisman-water or a Rejuvenation Spell can solve the problem.

However, such methods, which consume spiritual power and resources, are things cultivators would never willingly waste on outsiders.

The path to immortality is a struggle where every inch is contested, and cultivators value their own resources immensely.

Having obtained a volume of miscellany, a medical classic, and the Dragon-Capturing Technique previously gifted by Qin Wan, the harvest is already quite significant for Xia Dong.

However, what makes his heart leap with terror occurs during the rest of their stroll.

Under the guise of purchasing medicinal herbs, he makes indirect inquiries about pills that enhance spiritual cultivation. The answer he receives makes his hair stand on end—throughout the entire bazaar, and perhaps even within the Qixia Immortal Sect itself, such pills are virtually extinct.

The mysteries of the soul are profound and abstruse.

Even in the ancient era, secret medicines capable of enhancing the soul without side effects were of immense value.

A fine layer of cold sweat breaks out on Xia Dong's back, turning bone-chilling when caught by the mountain wind.

The Bronze Ancient Bell in his mind can actually refine a Yin ghost, along with the spiritual energy of spirit stones, into a Yin Evil Pill with absolutely no side effects.

If such a method were exposed, let alone the Qixia Immortal Sect, even the Great You Dynasty Court would likely extract his soul and refine his spirit without hesitation, just to uncover the secret within.

Originally, he had been calculating where to find wandering ghosts to refine pills and trade for resources. At this moment, he ruthlessly extinguishes that thought.

An innocent man is innocent, but his treasure makes him a target.

Without absolute strength, the secret of the Yin Evil Pill must rot in his stomach.

At the bazaar exit, the mountain path is desolate.

"Brother Xia, I must return to the sect to report to my master, so I shall bid you farewell here," Qin Wan says, stopping and speaking softly.

"Take care on your journey, Wan'er," Xia Dong says, cupping his hands and watching that elegant back disappear at the end of the cloud-shrouded mountain steps.

Withdrawing his gaze, Xia Dong stands alone in the mountain wind, while in his mind, a clear path of dormancy gradually takes shape.

No matter how strong martial arts are, one's lifespan does not exceed a hundred years; it is difficult to seek longevity.

If he wishes to truly step onto the path of eternal life, he must find another way.

The Evergreen Medical Classic feels slightly heavy in his sleeve.

"Open a medical clinic."

This is his next idea.

A skilled doctor capable of treating the deep-seated internal injuries of martial artists would undoubtedly be a scarce figure whom all factions in Linyuan Prefecture would treat as an honored guest.

He will not only treat mortals but also set his sights on the immortals.

If one day he can use the deductions of the Bronze Ancient Bell to create a medical path that heals the meridians and soul damage of cultivators, he will be able to associate with them legitimately, and even take the opportunity to spy on and crack the fundamental secrets of cultivation techniques.

Entering the game through medicine and protecting himself with martial arts—he hopes to achieve his wish of seeking the path to longevity.

In Pingyang County, the moonlight is like water.

The shadow of the jujube tree in the courtyard falls upon the small blue-brick yard, appearing exceptionally tranquil.

Xia Dong lights a bean-sized green lamp in the room and spreads the Evergreen Medical Classic brought back from the bazaar and the Dragon-Capturing Technique that Qin Wan found for him side-by-side on the rough wooden desk.

Upon returning, he did not rush to practice, but instead opened the yellowed medical scroll first.

The opening lines were sparse, discussing only the properties of herbs and the principles of generation and restriction within the internal organs. As Xia Dong read carefully, he discovered that this mundane medical text shared a similar essence with the traditional medicine he knew from his past life, yet in the finer details, it contained many profound mysteries regarding the flow of a martial artist's vital energy and the lethal points of the human meridians.

Looking at the detailed meridian diagrams in the book, a ripple of emotion stirred in Xia Dong's heart.

The medical arts of his past life had also developed through the constant investigation of things and the extension of knowledge. In those vast historical records, there were even legendary physicians who performed world-shaking feats like "splitting skulls and scraping bones to remove poison," which were nearly on par with the modern medical theories of later generations. It was a pity that when the Divine Land later fell and foreign invaders took control of the Central Plains, the backbone of Chinese civilization was forcibly broken.

Once a tradition suffers a fracture, the medical arts of later generations gradually lose the courage to explore the mysteries of the human body, slowly sinking into a quagmire of mystification and charlatanism.

"If a seeker of the Dao loses the backbone to pursue the truth, all that remains is a shell filled with ghosts and gods." Xia Dong whispered to himself, his fingertips brushing over the rough paper pages.

He gathered his focus, no longer dwelling on the rise and fall of his past life, and turned his full attention to the two booklets before him.

In his left hand was the Evergreen Medical Classic, and in his right was the Dragon-Capturing Technique.

One emphasized conforming to the natural order and harmonizing the five internal organs; the other aimed to seize the "great dragon" of the spine and lock down the vital energy of the entire body.

Studying diligently under the dim lamp until late into the night, Xia Dong suddenly felt a stir in his heart.

He closed his eyes, and the pure vital energy cultivated through the Crane Stance flowed slowly along the "gates of life" recorded in the Evergreen Medical Classic, before being forcefully locked onto his spine according to the methods of the Dragon-Capturing Technique.

One release and one contraction; one life and one death.

Xia Dong snapped his eyes open, a flash of realization crossing his dark pupils.

Medicine and martial arts share the same origin.

The techniques for killing can be born from the knowledge of saving lives, and the medical arts used to save lives can likewise be used to master the physical body.

The path of dual cultivation in medicine and martial arts might just open up a new world for him in his quest for the Dao and longevity.