What Medicine Is This?

"That was Hidden Strength!" Ji Wenyue replied, her gaze toward Xia Daoming brimming with astonishment and surprise.

"Hidden Strength?" Xia Daoming looked puzzled.

"Could it be that Brother Xia does not know that once a Martial Master reaches the Fifth Rank, their strength can shift from manifest to hidden, becoming Hidden Strength?" Ji Wenyue looked at Xia Daoming with even greater amazement.

How could Ji Wenyue have known that the fellow before her had only been a Second-Rank Martial Master a little over a month ago, while even his master had merely been a Fourth-Rank Martial Master? How could he have known so much?

"I don't know much about it. Tell me," Xia Daoming humbly admitted and asked.

"The force we strike out with now is manifest. It is essentially the same as the brute force ordinary people use, both acting upon an object's surface. The only difference is that it is more concentrated and more powerful. This is called Manifest Strength.

But the force wielded by a Fifth-Rank Martial Master not only acts upon the object's surface, it can also silently penetrate the body, attacking from within and without. Its destructive power is multiplied, and this is called Hidden Strength.

Therefore, although the increase in strength between the Fifth and Fourth Ranks appears no different from before, the difference in their actual combat power cannot be spoken of in the same breath.

Between the Fourth and Third Ranks, it is roughly one against three. But between the Fifth and Fourth Ranks, it suddenly becomes one against seven. Thus, Martial Masters from the Subordinate Fifth Rank onward are also called Great Martial Masters."

As she spoke, Ji Wenyue recalled how Xia Daoming had just beaten a Fifth-Rank Martial Master to death with brute force alone, and she could not help turning to look at him.

Even if Liao Min was already old, he had still been a Fifth-Rank Martial Master, yet he had been beaten to death alive by a Fourth-Rank Martial Master.

It was simply too unbelievable!

"By the way, are there many Great Martial Masters in Li City?" Xia Daoming asked.

"Very few. Strength is inherently formless, and once it shifts from manifest to hidden, it becomes even harder to cultivate. One must rely on comprehending a secret diagram of divine intent. Such diagrams are unlike ordinary cultivation methods that can be publicly taught; they generally come with rather harsh requirements.

Hidden Strength is difficult to cultivate, and the methods for it are hard to obtain. Therefore, the vast majority of Martial Masters remain stuck before the threshold of the Fifth Rank for their entire lives," Ji Wenyue replied.

"What about Martial Dao Grandmasters?"

"In all of Li City, only one person has reached the Grandmaster realm. It is said that his strength can manifest into form and be released outward," Ji Wenyue replied, reverence and yearning surfacing in her eyes once more.

"Strength Manifestation released outward!" Xia Daoming's heart jolted at those words.

"That's right. Strength Manifestation released outward is called Transforming Strength, and it can kill from afar. There are even rumors that a Grandmaster's Strength Manifestation can withstand Immortal Arts!" Ji Wenyue said.

"What? Strength Manifestation released outward can withstand Immortal Arts!" Xia Daoming was greatly invigorated upon hearing this.

What he feared most was the divide between Immortal and Mortal.

That martial artists would have not the slightest chance to resist when facing immortal cultivators.

Now, though, things did not seem quite so dire.

As long as martial artists cultivated the Martial Dao to the realm of Strength Manifestation, they too would have a chance to rival immortal cultivators.

As for what level of immortal cultivator a Martial Dao Grandmaster could rival, that was not something Xia Daoming could know at present.

In any case, having a chance to rival immortal cultivators was far better than having none.

"Though you are young, you really do know quite a lot," Xia Daoming said with feeling.

"Of course!" Ji Wenyue puffed out her chest, drawing several more looks from Xia Daoming.

When Ji Wenyue met Xia Daoming's worldly gaze, her heart gave a shudder. She immediately lowered her head and said nothing more.

At last, the setting sun completely sank beyond the edge of the earth.

Twilight haze shrouded the wilderness, and heaven and earth grew dim and murky.

Within the range of their sight, there was still not the slightest sign of human habitation.

"We'll stay here tonight!"

Xia Daoming dismounted before an earthen mound.

Seeing this, Ji Wenyue hesitated before getting down as well. Two or three zhang away from Xia Daoming, she sat with her back against the mound and her knees drawn to her chest, watching him with bright eyes that held both wariness and a trace of timidity.

The truth was that Xia Daoming had not spared her many appraising looks along the way.

Now, with a lone man and woman spending the night in the wilderness, Ji Wenyue truly dared not imagine that Xia Daoming would behave like a gentleman and keep his hands to himself.

"I knew bringing along a spoiled young lady would be nothing but dead weight, aside from being something pleasant to look at and a way to pass the time!" Xia Daoming shook his head when he saw Ji Wenyue sit far away with her knees hugged close the moment she dismounted.

Still shaking his head inwardly, Xia Daoming took firewood and a tent from the horse's back.

There was little vegetation in the wilderness, making it difficult to gather firewood on short notice.

Xia Daoming had deliberately kept an eye out for it and collected this firewood along the way for later use.

The tent was a simple one-person tent, prepared by Xia Daoming for his long journey and nights spent in the wild.

After setting the tent up against the earthen mound and arranging the firewood before it to light a fire, Xia Daoming first took out medicine to repel snakes and insects from his saddlebags and scattered it in a circle around the campsite. He then tossed out some caltrops and strung up several silk threads.

Only after finishing all this did Xia Daoming sit down by the campfire in peace.

He first filled a small pot with water and placed it over the fire. Then he skewered some smoked Crimson Flame Rabbit meat on an iron fork and held it over the flames to roast.

The Crimson Flame Rabbit was an extremely rare wild rabbit from the northern lands of Mang Province. It was as large as a fox, as agile and fierce as a leopard, and exceedingly difficult to hunt.

However, its meat was excellent for nourishing blood and vital energy, making it highly favored by Martial Masters.

Naturally, it was also very expensive. A single Crimson Flame Rabbit cost around fifty taels, something Xia Daoming would never have dared dream of in the past.

Now that he was not short on money, and only wished to strengthen his meridians to the complete Ninth Level of the Fourth-Rank Martial Master realm as quickly as possible, he was willing to spend lavishly.

Three days earlier, when passing through an oasis market town, he had seen a merchant selling two Crimson Flame Rabbits and immediately bought them both, turning them into smoked meat for the journey.

By now, he had eaten one and had one remaining.

Soon, the fragrance of roasting rabbit meat drifted through the night wind.

Smelling it, Ji Wenyue kept glancing at the meat on the rack and swallowing hard, but she still did not dare approach Xia Daoming.

Once the rabbit meat was nearly done, Xia Daoming took out a flatbread and placed it over the fire to warm.

At that moment, the water came to a boil.

As if by magic, Xia Daoming pulled a teapot from his saddlebags, put some Snow Silk Grass tea inside, and brewed a pot with the boiling water.

Snow Silk Grass grew on the steep cliffs of high mountains in the northern lands. Fine as hair and white as snow, it was not only crisp and sweet in flavor, but could also clear the mind and awaken the spirit, making it quite beneficial for martial artists meditating in cultivation.

Naturally, its price was not cheap either.

After the flatbread had warmed through, Xia Daoming sliced off some rabbit meat with his knife, placed it in the bread, and rolled it into a meat wrap. Just as he was about to bring it to his mouth, he caught sight of Ji Wenyue curled up in the corner by the earthen mound with her knees hugged close. After hesitating briefly, he stood and walked toward her.

When Ji Wenyue saw Xia Daoming coming toward her, she instinctively edged backward.

"This is for you." Xia Daoming's expression was calm.

"Thank you." Ji Wenyue hesitated before accepting the meat wrap.

Before Ji Wenyue had even finished speaking, Xia Daoming had already turned and left.

Watching Xia Daoming's retreating figure, Ji Wenyue's eyes held less wariness and more curiosity and gratitude.

Even now, she still could not understand what kind of man this unkempt savior of hers really was.

If she called him a good man, then his decisive ruthlessness in killing, along with those worldly looks he gave her, made him seem anything but.

But if she called him a bad man, then aside from looking at her with complete abandon along the way, he truly had not done anything handsy.

And now he had even deliberately brought her food.

Whether because she was hungry or because the meat wrap was truly delicious, Ji Wenyue initially maintained her image and ate in small, careful bites. But soon she forgot all about the dignity of a young lady and wolfed it down, finishing the meat wrap in just a few bites.

Licking the fine salty crumbs from her fingers, Ji Wenyue looked toward Xia Daoming with lingering hunger.

When Ji Wenyue looked over, she met Xia Daoming's gaze.

"Come here!" Xia Daoming beckoned to her.

Warm and fed, lust begins to stir. Just as expected...

Ji Wenyue's heart gave a violent shudder.

But he had saved her life during the day, and now she had eaten the food he handed her. Besides, he was far stronger than she was. Even if she suspected Xia Daoming harbored improper intentions, Ji Wenyue could only rise and walk over.

"Brother Xia, once I return to the Ji Family, I will surely repay your lifesaving grace generously. I know you have drifted alone through this wilderness for many days, and you must surely want a woman to warm your bed.

"But I am only seventeen and have yet to be wed. Could you spare me? Don't worry. Once we return to Li City, I will have my family arrange for the most beautiful woman in Li City to serve you. She will definitely take care of you to your complete satisfaction," Ji Wenyue said cautiously after stopping two steps away from Xia Daoming.

Xia Daoming stared straight at Ji Wenyue, while ten thousand grass-mud horses stampeded through his heart.

Do I really look like some beast in human clothing?

Seeing Xia Daoming stare blankly at her, Ji Wenyue grew so nervous that her ample chest trembled without pause. In the firelight, paired with her lovely face, she truly made it easy to tempt a man into crime.

"I-I am the legitimate daughter of the Ji Family head. Even if Brother Xia truly wants me, it is not impossible, but it must at least be with my parents' consent and a matchmaker's word. We cannot hastily couple in this wild wasteland," Ji Wenyue said at last, gritting her teeth.

"Do I look like the kind of man who is worse than a beast?" Xia Daoming asked irritably.

"Of course not, of course not. Brother Xia is my lifesaving benefactor, naturally a very, very good man," Ji Wenyue hurriedly said.

"Then what did you mean by all that just now?" Xia Daoming asked.

"Well, um... Brother Xia kept looking at me all the way here, didn't you?"

"Nonsense. This wilderness stretches as far as the eye can see. I've been wandering through it for days and could barely even spot a blade of green grass. There is no scenery at all, and I was about to be bored sick.

"At a time like this, even if a sow suddenly popped out, I would admire it properly. You are fairly pretty and have a decent figure, so if I don't look at you a bit to ease my boredom, should I stupidly admire this endless wilderness instead?" Xia Daoming snapped.

"Ah! Ah! Mm!" Ji Wenyue was dumbfounded.

"Don't make that kind of sound. Out here in the wilderness, do you really think I am some saint who can sit beside a beauty without being tempted?"

"Ah! Oh!" Only then did Ji Wenyue realize what she was doing and cover her mouth, her pretty face flushing scarlet.

"This is killing me!" Seeing this, a surge of desire rose in Xia Daoming, but he ultimately suppressed it helplessly and casually tossed a medicine box toward her.

Ji Wenyue hurriedly caught it.

"Isn't the Ji Family a major medicinal materials merchant? Aren't you the Ji Family's genius in medicine refinement? Help me take a look. What medicine is this?" Xia Daoming said.

Xia Daoming had taken this medicine box from Liao Min's body. Judging by how carefully Liao Min had kept it close to his person, it should have been rather precious.

But medicine could not be taken carelessly.

What if it was some kind of virility medicine?

PS: If everyone has time, please move your fingers, leave more comments and likes, and give this new book a little more buzz. Thank you! There will be another update at noon.