After leaving Li Fire City, Xiao Yan headed south. His strength at the Origin Emperor Realm made the journey much easier. Origin Qi surged beneath his feet as he transformed into a streak of azure light, speeding over mountains and rivers several times faster than before.
The farther south he traveled, the milder and more humid the climate became, and the vegetation grew increasingly lush. Unlike the desolate Northern Region, the Southern Region had a more abundant supply of Origin Qi in the world, carrying a hint of fresh greenery. It was clearly a blessed land for cultivators.
The towns he passed along the way were more prosperous than those in the Northern Region. Pedestrians streamed through the streets like shuttles on a loom, and cultivators with powerful presences were a common sight. Now and then, he even saw cultivators riding strange spirit pets. It was a scene brimming with life.
That day, Xiao Yan arrived at a large city on the border of the Southern Region-Green Wind City.
Green Wind City took its name from the breeze that blew through it year-round, carrying the fresh fragrance of plants. Many rare flowers and trees grew within its walls, and the buildings lining its streets were often decorated with plant motifs, lending the city a distinctly Southern Region charm.
No sooner had Xiao Yan entered the city than a clamor caught his attention. A crowd had gathered around a raised platform in the central square, where an elderly man in green robes was delivering a long, impassioned speech.
"...In another twenty-seven days, the Southern Region's Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering will be held, as it is once every hundred years! This year's gathering is jointly hosted by our Green Wind City's Hundred Herbs Hall and the ten great factions of the Southern Region, and it will take place in the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley! Any cultivator aged sixteen or older may register, regardless of background!"
The old man's booming voice carried across the square. "The rewards for this gathering are generous. Besides the Nine Revolutions Soul Return Pill for the champion, the runner-up and third-place finisher can also obtain treasures such as Spirit Concentrating Pills and Qi Gathering Pills! There's even a chance to receive guidance from the Pill King of the Pill Region!"
An uproar immediately swept through the crowd, with discussions rising and falling all around.
"There really is a Nine Revolutions Soul Return Pill!"
"I have to take part! Even if I can't win, it would be worth it just to see the Pill King in person!"
"I hear the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering isn't just a competition in pill refining. It also tests your ability to identify medicinal ingredients and fight in actual combat. It won't be easy!"
Standing on the outskirts of the crowd, Xiao Yan heard every word the old man said. It seemed the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering was even grander than he had imagined. With even the ten great factions of the Southern Region taking part, it was no wonder they could offer a reward on the level of the Nine Revolutions Soul Return Pill.
He had already dabbled in the art of pill refining and had been a grandmaster alchemist back on the Dou Qi Continent. Since coming to the Great Thousand World, he had not deliberately studied it, but his understanding of Origin Qi and medicinal ingredients had grown deeper. If he could place in the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering, he would not only earn a reward but also make a name for himself, making it easier to gather information in the future.
It looks like I should go to the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley ahead of time and have a look, Xiao Yan thought.
Just then, a commotion arose outside the square. People stepped aside, clearing a path.
A group of cultivators in long white robes slowly approached, escorting an ornate sedan chair. A golden medicinal herb was embroidered on their robes-the emblem of Green Wind City's Hundred Herbs Hall. The cultivators before and behind the chair all had presences at the Origin King Realm or above. At their head was a handsome middle-aged man with an arrogant gaze and the presence of an Initial Origin Emperor.
"It's the young hall master of Hundred Herbs Hall, Liu Chengfeng!"
"I hear he's not only a superb pill refiner but also very powerful. He's a leading figure among Green Wind City's younger generation!"
"I hear he's entering the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering this time, and he's aiming straight for the championship!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion. Quite a few young female cultivators looked at Liu Chengfeng with admiration in their eyes.
Liu Chengfeng seemed long accustomed to such adulation. Head high and chest out, he swept his gaze over the square. When he saw the green-robed old man on the platform, he gave a slight nod, then his gaze fell on Xiao Yan at the edge of the crowd.
Though Xiao Yan had concealed his presence exceptionally well, he could not completely hide his Origin Emperor Realm cultivation from someone like Liu Chengfeng. Liu Chengfeng raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that an unfamiliar Origin Emperor expert was in Green Wind City.
But the arrogance in his eyes did not diminish. He gave Xiao Yan a cool glance, then looked away and led his group straight across the square toward Hundred Herbs Hall in the city center.
As the sedan chair passed Xiao Yan, the wind lifted a corner of its curtain, revealing a hazy figure inside. He could just make out a breathtaking profile, with a cool, aloof bearing like a secluded orchid in an empty valley.
Xiao Yan's gaze met that of the woman in the sedan chair by chance. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes before the curtain fell, blocking their view of each other.
Such powerful spiritual strength... Xiao Yan was inwardly stirred. In that fleeting glimpse, he had sensed that the woman's spiritual strength was exceptionally powerful, far surpassing cultivators of the same level. She was clearly someone with extraordinary talent in the art of pill refining.
Liu Chengfeng seemed to notice Xiao Yan's gaze. He turned and gave him a cold look, a hint of warning in it, then quickened his pace and left.
Xiao Yan paid it no mind. He turned away from the square and found an inn to stay at.
Over the next few days, Xiao Yan gathered information in Green Wind City about the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering and the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley.
The Ten Thousand Medicines Valley lay a thousand li south of Green Wind City. It was a renowned holy land for medicinal herbs in the Southern Region, where countless rare ingredients grew. There were even rumors that it contained spirit medicines encountered only once in a thousand years. Hundred Herbs Hall had become the foremost faction in Green Wind City precisely because it controlled part of the valley.
The gathering itself was to be held in an open area at the center of the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley, where the ten great factions of the Southern Region had jointly set up protective formations to ensure safety.
That day, Xiao Yan was in his room at the inn, sorting through the information from the wisp of remnant soul he had forced out of the Blood Shadow Cult leader's token. He was trying to find clues about the "Lord of Darkness" when he heard an argument downstairs.
"You can't do this! I found this Soul-Congealing Grass first!" a clear female voice shouted, angry and aggrieved.
"What do you mean, you found it first? You're on Hundred Herbs Hall's turf. If you found it here, it's ours!" an arrogant voice retorted.
Xiao Yan frowned slightly, rose, and walked to the window to look down.
Below the inn, a girl in a coarse-cloth dress was surrounded by two cultivators from Hundred Herbs Hall. She clutched a pale purple herb tightly in her hand. It was Soul-Congealing Grass. Though not a supreme medicinal ingredient, it was highly beneficial for cultivating spiritual strength.
The girl was around fifteen or sixteen, with delicate features and a stubborn look in her eyes. Her presence was only at the Origin Master Realm; she was clearly a novice who had just entered the world of cultivation.
The two Hundred Herbs Hall cultivators, meanwhile, were at the Initial Origin King level. Their faces showed disdain and greed, and one of them reached out to snatch the Soul-Congealing Grass from the girl's hand.
"Stop!"
A cold shout rang out, and Xiao Yan appeared like a ghost before the girl, blocking the cultivator's hand.
"Who are you? How dare you meddle in Hundred Herbs Hall's business?" The two cultivators' expressions changed as they glared at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan could not be bothered wasting words on them. He released a faint trace of his Origin Emperor Realm presence.
"An... an Origin Emperor!" The two cultivators' faces turned deathly pale. Their legs went weak, and they nearly fell to their knees, their eyes filled with terror. They had never imagined that this utterly ordinary-looking young man would be an Origin Emperor expert!
"Scram," Xiao Yan said coldly.
The two cultivators fled as if granted a pardon, scrambling and stumbling away without daring to leave so much as a threat behind.
"Th-thank you, Senior!" Only then did the girl recover her senses. She hurriedly bowed to Xiao Yan, gratitude and a hint of timidity on her face.
Xiao Yan waved a hand and looked at the Soul-Congealing Grass she held. "Is that Soul-Congealing Grass important to you?"
The girl nodded, a trace of sadness flashing in her eyes. "My little brother is ill. He needs Soul-Congealing Grass as an ingredient in his medicine..."
Xiao Yan was inwardly stirred. He took a bottle of pills from his Storage Ring and handed it to her. "These Heart-Clearing Pills are more effective than Soul-Congealing Grass. Take them and treat your brother's illness."
Though the Heart-Clearing Pill was not a high-grade pill, it was remarkably effective at treating illnesses caused by damage to spiritual strength, and was worth far more than Soul-Congealing Grass.
The girl looked in surprise at the pill bottle Xiao Yan offered, then at the gentle look in his eyes. After a moment's hesitation, she accepted it and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Senior! I, Su Xiaoxiao, will never forget your kindness! May I ask your honored name, Senior? I will repay you someday!"
"It was a mere lift of the hand. Don't take it to heart." Xiao Yan smiled and turned to go back to his room.
"Senior!" Su Xiaoxiao suddenly called out. "I know you might be going to the Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering. I... I lived on the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley for several years, so I know the terrain very well. Maybe I can be of help!"
Xiao Yan stopped and looked back at Su Xiaoxiao. Her eyes were full of sincerity and anticipation.
The terrain of the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley was complex. Spirit medicines grew in many places, but it also concealed many dangers. Having someone familiar with the terrain lead the way would indeed save him considerable trouble.
"Aren't you afraid it will delay your brother's treatment?" Xiao Yan asked.
"I've already asked a neighbor to help look after him, and the Heart-Clearing Pills are very effective. They should keep him going until I return," Su Xiaoxiao said.
Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, then nodded. "All right. Get your things ready. We'll leave for the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley first thing tomorrow morning."
"Really? That's wonderful! Thank you, Senior!" A delighted smile spread across Su Xiaoxiao's face, and she bowed to Xiao Yan again and again.
Looking at her innocent smile, Xiao Yan felt some of the gloom the Lord of Darkness had cast over his heart dissipate.
Perhaps the Great Thousand World held more than schemes and battles.
Early the next morning, Xiao Yan and Su Xiaoxiao left Green Wind City and set out for the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley.
Though Su Xiaoxiao's cultivation was not high, she was extremely familiar with the Southern Region's local customs and the distribution of medicinal ingredients. Along the way, she told Xiao Yan many interesting stories about the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley and things to watch out for, so the journey did not feel dull.
Xiao Yan occasionally gave her a few pointers on cultivation. Although Su Xiaoxiao's comprehension was not top-notch, she made up for it with diligence and an eagerness to learn, and she progressed quite quickly.
The two traveled south, drawing ever closer to the Ten Thousand Medicines Valley. The fresh scent of plants in the air grew stronger, and they could faintly smell the fragrance of medicinal herbs.
The Ten Thousand Medicines Gathering, too, was quietly drawing near. A grand event bringing together talents from across the Southern Region was about to raise its curtain. Xiao Yan did not know what opportunities and challenges this gathering would bring him, or whom he was destined to meet there.
The road ahead was long, and the scenery was beautiful. His steps remained firm.