Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica

Su Wu brought Jiang Baiyu back to the courtyard, his expression grave. "Boy, I can tell you everything now—who I am, who my enemies are, even where you came from. And you needn't worry that I'm trying to exploit your talent. I've lived an honorable life. If you decide to leave after hearing about my enemies, I won't hold it against you."

He watched Jiang Baiyu's face. "Well? Do you want to hear it?"

Jiang Baiyu took a deep breath. Su Wu had just taught him how to summon and withdraw his Martial Soul. He exhaled slowly, his expression turning serious. "Grandpa, I know I'm probably not your biological grandson. And did you offend Spirit Hall? It's fine. Give me ten years—ten at most—and Spirit Hall will become our Medicine King Hall."

He looked Su Wu straight in the eye. "Besides, are you kidding me, old man? You raised me for six years and taught me so much. What kind of person would I be if I left? It's only Spirit Hall. Honestly, the potential of my Martial Soul is enormous. It might even heal your legs. Give me twenty years, and I might take you to see the Divine Realm. How's that?"

The little fellow's earnest expression moved Su Wu, though it also left him puzzled. "When did I ever say my enemy was Spirit Hall?"

Jiang Baiyu had been considering how to take over Spirit Hall peacefully with as few casualties as possible. Su Wu's words stopped him short. "Not Spirit Hall? Then which faction? The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Don't tell me it's Sea God Island." He looked at Su Wu in confusion. "Grandpa, who is your enemy?"

Su Wu's eyes widened. "The Clear Sky Sect. Why did you think I'd offended Spirit Hall?"

After calming down, he told Jiang Baiyu what had happened between him, Tang Hao, and Tang Xiao.

Jiang Baiyu breathed a huge sigh of relief when he heard it wasn't Spirit Hall. But after listening to the old man's story, he cursed, "Those bastards from the Clear Sky Sect! Don't worry, Grandpa. Tang Hao and Tang Xiao won't get away with it."

"Boy, I know you've been clever since you were little, but the Clear Sky Sect is the foremost sect, with deep foundations. Even after the heavy losses it suffered six years ago because of that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, it's not something a young Soul Master like you can stand against!" Seeing Jiang Baiyu's unconcerned expression, Su Wu warned him.

"I know, Grandpa. Don't worry. I'm not going after the Clear Sky Sect right now. But..." Jiang Baiyu gave a wicked little smile as a thought struck him. "I have some news Spirit Hall would be delighted to hear."

"What is it?" Su Wu asked, curious about the little fellow's expression.

"What do you think would happen if I knew where Tang Hao was and told Spirit Hall?" Jiang Baiyu asked outright.

"You know?" Su Wu froze.

"Of course. He's in Holy Soul Village." Jiang Baiyu shrugged. He couldn't deal with Tang Xiao for now, but Tang Hao, who did nothing but drink, was another matter.

"What!" Su Wu had never imagined his enemy was so close. He immediately said, "Stay here. I'll find that boy Jiang Zheng and tell him. We absolutely cannot let Tang Hao learn I'm here." Su Wu knew that even though he hadn't leaked the news about the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, if a madman like Tang Hao discovered he was here, not only he but all of Jiangshui Village could be wiped out.

"Don't forget to tell Spirit Hall where Tang Hao is. Have them send several Titled Douluo!" Seeing old Su use his Soul Power, Jiang Baiyu understood how serious this was. Tang Hao was the sort to prey on the weak. If he learned about Su Wu, he would certainly come to kill them.

Although the life energy from his Shennong Cauldron had eased Su Wu's old injuries, they had not healed.

I'll see if I can cure him when he gets back, Jiang Baiyu thought. And doesn't the Tang family have a Hundred Thousand Year Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone? That would be just the thing to restore the old man's health. Behind a waterfall, was it? I'll have to look carefully. But first, what exactly did that charming ancestor of mine give me?

Jiang Baiyu turned his awareness inward. Floating in the sea of consciousness the Flame Emperor had casually opened for him was a large book. Across its cover, several golden characters gleamed: Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica.

Jiang Baiyu's eyes burned with excitement. This was a supreme cultivation art compiled by the Flame Emperor after he had tasted countless herbs! In the Primordial World, it would undoubtedly be a supreme acquired treasure of merit.

Suppressing his excitement, Jiang Baiyu began to study Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica closely. He felt as though he had discovered an immeasurable treasure. Compared with this book, all the medical knowledge he had accumulated across both his lives was like an ant gazing up at the sky.

Indeed, Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica was not merely a cultivation art perfectly suited to his Martial Soul. It was also a vast compendium of medicinal knowledge gathered from the Flame Emperor's time onward.

Jiang Baiyu was captivated by the mysterious pharmacopeia in an instant. Meanwhile, a faint golden-green light gathered around him and slowly entered his body with each breath.

He did not know how long he had studied before he opened his eyes. Shaking his head, which felt swollen from reading so long, he noticed the sky outside had grown dark. "Is the old man not coming back?"

Just then, Su Wu pushed open the door. The life energy filling the room stunned him. It enveloped his legs, which had been aching since he used his Soul Power that day, and gradually eased the pain.

"Grandpa, is it done?" Jiang Baiyu asked.

"Yes. Jiang Zheng and I rushed back to Notting City and informed a cardinal of Spirit Hall. Titled Douluo will arrive in three days at most. I also took a look at the blacksmith shop you mentioned. Fortunately, it's on the very edge of the village. That should spare the innocent villagers." Su Wu was relieved. As a healer, he could not bear the thought of villagers dying because of Tang Hao.

"By the way, Little Yu, sorry to trouble you, but your Martial Soul seems to have a domain of its own. It helps my old injuries. It might even heal me." Su Wu looked a little embarrassed.

"Really?" Jiang Baiyu's eyes lit up. He had thought Su Wu would have to wait until he obtained that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, but the sooner he healed, the better.

As for the Martial Soul domain, Jiang Baiyu had discovered during his afternoon of experimentation that it was one of his Martial Soul's innate traits. There was another, too. He summoned the Shennong Cauldron, and a five-colored flame sprang to life in his hand. Pill Flame! It came with his Martial Soul.

"Is that... Twin Martial Souls?" Su Wu exclaimed.

After Jiang Baiyu explained, Su Wu's excitement settled. He understood that the flame was only an auxiliary aspect of the Shennong Cauldron Martial Soul. "That's good too. You won't need to find a flame when refining medicine."

"Well, Grandpa, what I meant was that this flame contains even stronger life energy. With the help of medicine, I can roast you a little and purge the murderous energy from your body faster." Jiang Baiyu looked embarrassed. Setting his own grandfather on fire sounded strange however he put it.

Su Wu's expression turned peculiar. The flame before him radiated waves of heat and was genuinely intimidating. Still, he trusted the boy.

"All right. You've learned everything I know anyway. Let this be your first chance to put your skills to work as a healer in your own right," Su Wu said.

"Oh, and boy, now that you're a Soul Master, I'll teach you a method for gathering Soul Power. It's called the Herb-Gathering Art."

The old man led Jiang Baiyu over to sit beside him and began to explain.

Jiang Baiyu listened intently. Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica helped him gather life-aspected Soul Power, but he did lack an efficient way to absorb Soul Power.

The more he heard, the more fascinated he became. The Herb-Gathering Art treated the Soul Power of heaven and earth as medicinal herbs. He was the herb gatherer, harvesting that power, drawing it in with his breath, and channeling it through his meridians.

Seeing Jiang Baiyu utterly absorbed, Su Wu grew proud. "The Herb-Gathering Art is my family's legacy. Legend has it that one of our ancestors even became a Medicine God. But the family has declined, and now I'm the only one left." The old man sounded forlorn. Then he patted Jiang Baiyu's head. "All right, get some rest. I'm still waiting for you to heal my legs."