Departure

At first light, morning mist filled the mountains. Zhu Zhuqing rose and went to the Medicine Garden, where she began tending the herbs.

With continued care, her injuries healed and color returned to her cheeks. She no longer carried herself like a fugitive braced for danger at every turn. Her expression grew calmer and gentler, and a faint medicinal fragrance clung to her.

After months of study, Zhu Zhuqing had fully recovered and strengthened the foundation of her Soul Power. She had also learned the basics of identifying and gathering herbs, along with rudimentary medicine-making. She could now judge a plant's age, medicinal strength, and growing habits.

At the same time, Jiang Baiyu's monstrous talent had left her stunned: a thousand-year first soul ring, a ten-thousand-year third ring, and that overwhelming domain.

Whenever Jiang Baiyu cultivated, Zhu Zhuqing stayed nearby. Watching emerald light flow through his palm and the plants throughout the garden flourish, she felt more and more at ease.

During that time, she challenged him to sparring matches now and then. In the end, she could not even force him to use a single soul skill. His Medicine Flame defeated her in an instant.

Still, she had gained a great deal. In that short time, her use of soul skills had grown smoother, and her Soul Power had risen another level.

She had also learned that consuming Whale Rubber strengthened the body.

As she continued taking it, her physique steadily improved.

Of course, its aphrodisiac effect had caused a rather embarrassing incident the first time.

At the memory, Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks reddened.

An inexperienced girl, unaware of its effects, had swallowed it outright and turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

That was the part she found hardest to bear.

Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Zhuqing! How could you try to seduce your senior brother?

Yes, he's handsome and gentle, but he has a girlfriend.

Worse, it didn't work, and you even tried to force yourself on him.

Unsurprisingly, he had knocked her unconscious and put her in a tub of Medicinal Bath he had prepared in advance.

At the thought, her fair face flushed crimson.

"Little Zhuqing, you're up and tending the herbs again?" Su Wu called.

"Yes, Master." Zhu Zhuqing turned around.

"You've recovered well, and your Soul Power has improved too. Once Baiyu wakes up, it's time we went to Heaven Dou City. We can't stay in the village forever. You ought to see the talented people out there," Su Wu said.

"Yes," Zhu Zhuqing replied.

Knowing her senior brother's playful nature, she suspected he might end up haunting those talented people's dreams instead.

A faint smile touched her lips at the thought.

But isn't his girlfriend in Heaven Dou? For some reason, Zhu Zhuqing felt unhappy.

She looked around the courtyard she had come to know so well. Perhaps she simply hated to leave it.

That was what she told herself.

Before long, Jiang Baiyu arrived at the Medicine Garden. "So, are we leaving?"

He had written to Qian Renxue about reaching Soul Elder a month ago. Naturally, she also knew he now had a junior sister.

With his Soul Power advancing, Jiang Baiyu no longer needed to live in seclusion. Heaven Dou City was rich in resources for soul masters and offered the three of them a chance to broaden their horizons, meet talented peers, and grow through experience. It would also help Zhu Zhuqing leave her Star Luo Empire pursuers far behind.

Besides, Qian Renxue had been waiting for him. It was time to begin work on their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

And so they decided to leave their mountain home and set out for Heaven Dou City.

Looking at the courtyard full of growing herbs, Jiang Baiyu was reluctant to go. After all, it had been his home ever since he came to this world.

What was more, every herb and medicinal plant in the courtyard had been carefully nurtured by him and his grandfather over the years. Many were choice specimens transplanted from Star Dou Forest. Leaving them behind would be a waste, but taking them along would be difficult.

Su Wu suggested, "We've lived here for years, and the villagers below have looked after us well. They're good, honest neighbors who often brought us grain and vegetables. Now that we're leaving, why not give the usable herbs to the elderly and the frail? We can repay their kindness with medicine."

Jiang Baiyu agreed wholeheartedly. The village elders had cared for him often when he was young. Zhu Zhuqing nodded in agreement too.

The three set to work at once.

Su Wu sorted the herbs, selecting those suited to maintaining health, dispelling chill, strengthening the body, and calming the mind. Jiang Baiyu carefully harvested, wrapped, and divided them without damaging their medicinal properties. Though less practiced, Zhu Zhuqing quietly helped arrange the packets, working with calm efficiency.

Before long, dozens of neat, clean packets stood in rows.

The three went down the mountain and delivered the medicine from house to house.

Su Wu's revelation of his strength after Jiang Baiyu awakened his martial soul had put some distance between him and the villagers. Their affection for Jiang Baiyu, however, had not changed in the slightest.

They were delighted to see him carrying so many medicinal herbs, but saddened to hear he was leaving. Some insisted on giving him things in return, and their generosity was hard to refuse. Others greeted the newcomer, Zhu Zhuqing, with beaming smiles.

The three finally managed to take their leave and returned to the courtyard. Only the green foundations of the plants remained. Not a single extra medicinal herb had been left behind. The place was clean and bare, and its emptiness was hard to look at without regret.

Jiang Baiyu went to the Blue Silver Emperor, who seemed dispirited now that the herbs were gone. He gently stroked its stem and enveloped the entire plant in the warm spiritual energy of his medicine path. Its countless vines curled inward obediently, its leaves drew close, and its vast root system slowly contracted. With some soil wrapped around its roots, Jiang Baiyu lifted it gently and placed it inside the Shennong Cauldron.

The immense vitality inside jolted the Blue Silver Emperor out of the languor brought on by leaving the earth. It instantly perked up.

Outside the village, Jiang Baiyu looked at Jiangshui Creek flowing past it.

An idea came to him.

"Grandpa, junior sister, wait a moment."

Jiang Baiyu walked to the creek's shallows and closed his eyes in concentration. The phantom of the Shennong Cauldron appeared, and a gentle yet vast aura of emerald Life Origin spread outward.

The age-old vitality of the ten-thousand-year Azure Origin Ancient Cypress, the boundless life of the Heart of Hundred Herbs, the nourishing essence of the thousand-year Medicineheart Wood, and the pure spiritual energy of the Auspicious Beast spirit deer all flowed from his palm into the babbling creek. Faint green light spread along the entire watercourse. The water grew visibly clearer and gentler. Thoroughly refined by the source of his Shennong Medicine Dao, the once-ordinary mountain stream slowly gathered a lasting, gentle trace of Life Essence.

It was only the faintest trace of Life Essence. Even so, from that day forward, the entire creek would change—

Villagers who drank from it year after year would grow stronger and shake off minor ailments.

The plants, fish, and shrimp would flourish and grow more vibrant as well.

It was no rare treasure that would draw covetous eyes or bring trouble to the village. It was the quietest, most substantial gift Jiang Baiyu could leave this honest mountain community.

Su Wu stood on the bank, his eyes filled with a pleased smile.

To bless his home with his path and nourish the world with life—Baiyu's Shennong Medicine Dao had long since grown beyond saving and cultivating himself. It had truly begun to take on the breadth of a path that could help others and enrich the world.

Jiang Baiyu withdrew his martial soul and returned to the other two, his expression serene. "All done."

Everything was ready.

Su Wu stood with his hands behind his back and looked toward Heaven Dou. "Let's go." Side by side, the three stepped away from the herb-filled courtyard that had been their home for years.

Their mountain home slowly receded behind them as a breeze brushed their shoulders.

For Jiang Baiyu and his Shennong Medicine Dao, a vast new era had begun.

From this day on, the fish would leap over the dragon gate, and the name of Shennong would resound across the continent.