The Herb Garden, A Huge Harvest

After controlling the white tiger to leap and bound, Lu Li felt relieved to see it move as fluidly as an extension of his own body, obeying his every command.

Lu Li's eyes darted around as a sudden thought occurred to him.

This white tiger possessed formidable strength; if it could follow him, wouldn't he be able to walk sideways through the deep mountains without fear?

Moreover, the white tiger must certainly be more familiar with the terrain of the deep mountains than he was.

He looked at the white tiger and saw it lying on the ground with its head drooping.

Clearly, it was unhappy about being controlled just moments ago and having to fall into the hands of a human.

"White tiger, do you have a name?" Lu Li asked, flashing a friendly smile.

The white tiger nodded and replied listlessly, "I do, my name is Hu Niu."

"Hu Niu, how about we make a deal? You stay with me for one year, and after that, I will set you free."

"Furthermore, during this time, as long as you listen to me, I will absolutely not use the gu-insect to control you."

"I won't be coming up the mountain often either, so you are free to move about as you please during those times."

Upon hearing this, Hu Niu's tiger eyes instantly brightened, and the gloom vanished.

"Really?" Hu Niu widened her bright, large eyes.

"Really," Lu Li confirmed.

Hu Niu let out a cheer and hopped about, her tail swishing from side to side.

She appeared innocent and guileless, showing no wariness toward Lu Li's words and believing him outright.

She had long since grown tired of the days spent under control.

For a wild beast, having no agency over one's own life was nothing short of torture.

Only then did Lu Li turn his attention to the man in the black robe.

He saw that the man's eyes were filled with such malice that he seemed to want to pierce Lu Li through with his gaze alone.

The man in the black robe finally understood why Lu Li had torn off his legs.

It turned out that Lu Li never intended to give him a quick death!

Unable to run, with both hands crippled, he could only endure the agony and feel his life slipping away.

"Lu Li, even as a ghost, I won't let you off!"

Lu Li stepped forward and shattered the man's head with a single punch.

Afterward, he rummaged through the man's robes and found a black token.

It had no characters on it and looked the same on both sides.

"What is this?" Lu Li examined it from all angles, unable to make heads or tails of it.

"That is a token for the Black Market," Hu Niu said.

The Black Market!

Lu Li had been wanting to visit the Black Market but lacked a way in; he hadn't expected someone to hand him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy.

"You've been to the Black Market?"

Hu Niu nodded. "I have, but that bad man wouldn't let me go inside; he made me hide far away."

"I don't know if it's actually called the Black Market, but that's what he called it."

Lu Li nodded and tucked the token away.

Once he broke through to the Tendon-Refining Realm, he could have Hu Niu take him there.

With that done, Lu Li mounted Hu Niu and headed toward the cave.

Hu Niu's speed was immense, swift as the wind.

Having a white tiger as a mount—just thinking about it was exhilarating!

Sitting atop her, Lu Li felt incredibly imposing.

Soon, they arrived at the tiger's den.

Inside was a medicinal garden, colorful and radiating a rich fragrance.

There were ten stalks in total.

Lu Li inspected them and compared them to the herbs in the shops, finding that the quality was excellent.

If he sold them all, he probably wouldn't have to worry about food or drink for half his life!

"I planted these myself. Every time the herbs ripen, that bad man comes to pick them, not leaving a single one for me," Hu Niu complained from the side.

Lu Li patted Hu Niu's head to comfort her.

At the same time, he felt that this world was becoming increasingly miraculous.

Some medicinal herbs were actually highly nourishing for demons, capable of enhancing their constitutions and promoting growth.

Because of this, some demons with clear intelligence would transplant herbs to cultivate them themselves.

I used to think these were just stories from books, but now that my strength is sufficient and I have truly come into contact with them, I realize they are all real.

Strength is what matters most; only with strength can one uncover more secrets.

However, Hu Niu's words plunged Lu Li into deep thought.

The man in the black robe must have been gathering herbs to deliver to the rebel army.

It is likely that someone among the rebels knows that medicinal herbs are grown here.

Thinking of this, Lu Li turned his head and said, "Hu Niu, let's find another cave. Otherwise, those bad people will surely come to control you again."

Upon hearing this, Hu Niu's little face drooped.

This cave was a place where she had lived for a long time.

It held memories of her and her parents, and she was reluctant to leave.

However, the situation was dire. Although she looked silly and adorably naive, she understood the urgency of the matter.

Soon, she suppressed the sadness in her heart and nodded.

Lu Li gathered all the medicinal herbs, mounted Hu Niu, and set out to find a new cave.

Finally, after a day, they found a bear den hidden behind a row of large trees.

The cave was obscured by surrounding shrubs and was extremely well-hidden.

If the bear inside hadn't sensed danger and let out a roar as they passed, Lu Li would never have discovered it.

Its concealment was truly remarkable.

Lu Li went straight in, punched the bear to death, and took over the cave.

Afterward, he left everything to Hu Niu, selected a medicinal herb, and began to cultivate.

As the medicinal power entered his body, his blood boiled and his flesh began to squirm.

Lu Li started practicing the Tiger-Subduing Fist, one move at a time.

Unknowingly, time slipped away.

Night had fallen like a curtain.

Lu Li opened his eyes again and looked at the panel.

[Martial Arts: Tiger-Subduing Fist (Flesh-Refining Realm 70/400) One practice per day, 40 years to completion. Beast-Taming Art: (Cannot be upgraded)]

One herb had added 40 points of proficiency.

Lu Li was somewhat dissatisfied; he felt the improvement was a bit too little.

"It seems that as my realm rises, the efficacy of these herbs on my body is weakening. I need stronger and more potent medicine!"

"The martial path is truly a bottomless pit!"

Lu Li slowly withdrew his energy.

If it weren't for the fact that he had been concentrating for two days without rest, his body couldn't take it anymore, and his stomach was protesting, Lu Li would certainly have continued to practice without stopping.

He swept his gaze toward the herb garden; Hu Niu had already tidied it up.

She had even planted the two herbs she had picked herself.

Only then did Lu Li turn his attention to Hu Niu.

He saw that Hu Niu had somehow started a fire, and large chunks of bear meat were skewered on a wooden stick, roasting over the flames.

Lu Li's body tensed, he sprang up, his eyes sharp as lightning, scanning the surroundings, but he found no one.

He looked surprised and asked, "You did this?"

Hu Niu sat on the ground, holding a piece of bear meat with her front paws, startled by Lu Li's sudden movement.

She nodded quickly, then stuck out her tongue to lick the meat scraps from the corner of her mouth.

"I only eat cooked food, not raw meat. That man in the black robe forced me to eat raw meat; it was disgusting."

Lu Li was speechless; it was his first time seeing a tiger that ate cooked food.

He had to admit that Hu Niu's grilling skills were quite good, and the heat was just right.

It was just that without seasoning, there was only the natural flavor of the ingredients, which was a bit bland.

"Next time I come, I'll bring you some good things to make the meat taste better."

Hu Niu's eyes lit up, and she nodded excitedly, letting out a joyful cry.

She suddenly felt that Lu Li, this master of hers, was quite good.

Seeing her so excited, Lu Li gained a better understanding of Hu Niu's personality.

The creature was a total foodie.

After resting for the night, Lu Li took five useful, potent herbs and left the rest for Hu Niu, as she was also on the verge of a breakthrough.

He looked at the herbs he had selected.

He planned to hand the Red Sun Fruit over to the Huang Family to trade for a new identity.