Delivering the Medicine

Long Xuan sighed helplessly. In the end, he could only decide to set this matter aside for now. Amassing so many Spirit Stones was no task that could be completed overnight; he would probably have to find another path.

Long Xuan put away the Divine Ice Flame formula, then pushed open the door and walked out. Beyond the door lay a medicinal garden brimming with floral fragrance. However, since it was planted entirely with all manner of flowers, calling it a flower garden would have been more fitting.

Today was the day a portion of the spirit herbs matured. Long Xuan needed to harvest them and deliver them to Old Long's little thatched hut.

As long as he handed over the stipulated amount of spirit herbs in full, Old Long would hardly ever come here.

At this moment, the plump, oversized chicken in the garden was still scratching up dirt everywhere in search of fat worms, clucking all the while.

Among the flowers, hundreds of Spirit Bees busily darted back and forth through the blossoms. Every so often, one would burrow into a flower bud, leaving most of its backside sticking out.

After so many years of development, the two Spirit Bees he had originally bought from a bargain stall had now multiplied into a colony of several hundred. Don't ask how they reproduced; he had not paid much attention either.

Originally, he had wanted to cultivate a queen bee. This world had many methods for evolving Spirit Bees into queen bees.

But now, he discovered that he did not need to bother at all. It seemed that not every species of bee in this world could reproduce only through a queen bee.

Ever since he bought those two Spirit Bees, they had found an abundant source of nectar here, settled down, built a new nest, and stubbornly refused to leave. With plentiful food, they began reproducing in great numbers.

With this Lineage taking up residence, the medicinal garden had become a scene bursting with life. Swarms of bees flitted wildly through the sky while spirit chickens ran about on the ground, creating a warm and cozy sight. Long Xuan's life was no longer dull and monotonous.

Yet even now, although Long Xuan coveted Spirit Bee honey, he still feared the Spirit Bees' aggressiveness and did not dare approach their nest lightly.

Getting pecked a few times while taking eggs was one thing. Getting stung all over by these things would truly be miserable.

These were not ordinary bees from his previous life. Spirit Bees in this world could sting people to death. For now, both sides maintained a relationship of well water not offending river water—they were neighbors who got along fairly well.

Long Xuan was responsible for growing herbs, while they took the opportunity to swipe some nectar from the spirit herbs. Neither side disrupted this balance.

Long Xuan feared that if he stole their honey, these creatures would hold a grudge. Then, coming to the medicinal garden in the future would become troublesome.

After turning it over and over in his mind, he still felt that he had to cultivate a queen bee. Other than cultivating one, there was no good solution.

As long as he formed a blood contract with a queen bee, and the queen controlled the ordinary Spirit Bees, he would be able to sleep with both eyes shut.

For now, though, he had better forget it. There was a limit to the number of Gu insects a Gu cultivator could possess at once; he could not possibly form blood contracts with every ordinary Spirit Bee.

Just then, the growth progress of the patch of spirit herbs Long Xuan had been preparing to harvest all turned to 100%. The flowers bloomed in full, releasing an intoxicating fragrance.

Spirit Bees had keen noses. The moment they caught the scent of the flowers, their eyes lit up. They immediately buzzed over, burrowing into the blossoms to gather nectar and pollen.

Once all the nectar and pollen inside had been collected, their little legs became heavy again. Laden with the fruits of a bountiful harvest, they flew back to the hive.

Only after they finished their work did Long Xuan harvest that patch of spirit herbs. After replanting the seeds, he brought the freshly harvested herbs to Old Long to complete his assignment.

Old Long needed this batch of spirit herbs to research the Hundred Flower Pill Formula. That was right—another year had passed, yet he still had not managed to develop the Hundred Flower Pill.

Long Xuan was getting anxious for him. He himself had succeeded in just two days.

Grade-one spirit herbs matured extremely quickly. With the assistance of Ripening Liquid, a batch could basically be harvested every half year. Long Xuan also got to see Old Long once every half year when delivering the spirit herbs.

This meeting came after only half a year.

Long Xuan entered the thatched house. Seeing that Old Long was not refining pills, he spoke. "Old Long, a batch of spirit herbs has matured. I've already harvested them."

Long Xuan untied the storage bag at his waist, which was filled with spirit herbs, then looked toward the brawny old man reclining in the chair.

Old Long was sitting there reading a book about pill refining. Hearing the voice, he turned his head toward the visitor and said, "Just put them on the table."

After speaking, he carefully examined Long Xuan again and revealed a faint look of surprise.

"You've broken through to the mid Spirit Gathering stage?" Old Long asked doubtfully.

"Old Long truly has sharp eyes. You saw at a glance that this junior had broken through. It took this junior more than ten years of cultivation to reach the mid Spirit Gathering stage; I must have made a fool of myself before you, Senior."

Long Xuan was not at all surprised that Old Long could see through his cultivation level.

Alchemists were famous for possessing powerful soul force and could perceive many things. He had never intended to hide it from Old Long's eyes.

"No, no, no." Old Long shook his head. "I'm not laughing at you. According to my original estimate, you should never have reached the mid Spirit Gathering stage in your lifetime. The fact that you broke through so quickly is what surprises me."

"Uh? Is this junior's aptitude really that poor?" Old Long's words stabbed Long Xuan straight through the heart.

"Not entirely."

Old Long sighed. "You possess the Ten Extremity Physique, a peerless physique seen once in ten thousand years. In the Primordial Era, the Ten Extremity Physique was the number one extraordinary physique under heaven. Its Spirit Sea is vast, and its spiritual power reserves far surpass those of cultivators at the same level. It excels in prolonged battles and can unleash ultimate moves repeatedly without counting the cost."

"The meridians of the Ten Extremity Physique are also incomparably broad, far surpassing ordinary people's. Therefore, with the same spirit technique, the power it unleashes vastly exceeds that of cultivators at the same level."

"In the Primordial Era, those with the Ten Extremity Physique possessed astonishing combat power. At the same level, they were basically unmatched. Thus, you could be called a peerless genius rarely seen beneath heaven."

"But today, the cultivation techniques for the Ten Extremity Physique have long since been lost, while the Ten Extremity Physique cannot cultivate any other technique."

"Because the Spirit Sea of the Ten Extremity Physique is as solid as a boulder. Though its foundation is the strongest under heaven, that also makes breakthroughs more difficult. Its vast Spirit Sea gives it an enormous advantage in battles against those of the same level, but it also requires more spiritual power to fill that expansive Spirit Sea, slowing its cultivation speed."

"Therefore, the Ten Extremity Physique requires a specific cultivation technique to solve these problems. It cannot cultivate other techniques, and it naturally rejects trash cultivation techniques."

"And how quickly can someone who cannot cultivate a technique possibly cultivate?"

"Perhaps the only reason you reached the mid Spirit Gathering stage so quickly was through dietary supplementation. You must have eaten too many spirit chicken eggs." Old Long stroked the beard on his chin and guessed.

Hearing this, Long Xuan suddenly understood. No wonder he could not cultivate any technique other than health-preserving ones. So this was where the problem lay.

But he still did not understand, and could not help asking, "Isn't it merely that the cultivation technique has been lost? Why not create a new one?"

Long Xuan was speaking while standing, unaware of another's pain. He had no understanding whatsoever of just how difficult it was for others to create a cultivation technique.

Old Long blew his beard and glared. "You make it sound easy. What do you think a top-tier cultivation technique is—that you can create one whenever you say so? Even the strongest person in today's Gu World would not dare claim to possess the ability to create a top-tier cultivation technique."

Long Xuan wore a strange expression. He did not know how difficult it was for others to create cultivation techniques, but he truly did have that ability. So he tentatively asked, "Suppose—just suppose—I happened to create a cultivation technique that the Ten Extremity Physique can cultivate. Would that mean I could become the number one genius under heaven?"

Old Long looked at him with an odd gaze, both annoyed and amused. "How young and ignorant. You really dare to dream. 'Happened to'? Happened to, my ass."

"There are indeed capable people gifted in creating cultivation techniques, but they are heaven-sent prodigies seen once in a hundred years. Yet those with the Ten Extremity Physique appear only once in ten thousand years. What are the odds of those two talents appearing in one person? Could someone who possesses both the Ten Extremity Physique and the ability to create cultivation techniques even exist?"

"Even if such a coincidence truly appeared, someone with the Ten Extremity Physique would have no chance to grow up at all. And without growing up, how could he speak of creating a cultivation technique?"

"It's a dead loop. Rest assured, someone with the ability to create cultivation techniques absolutely cannot be you. Give up already!"