Mutual aid

While the ingredients for low-end elixirs can be purchased from pharmacies, high-end ingredients are undoubtedly only available to certain large pharmaceutical merchants or powerful rulers who control the resources of their territories.

Zhang Xuezhou never expected that the agricultural cultivators had taken a different approach and had already begun large-scale planting.

Although these medicinal herbs grown on a large agricultural scale are not growing well, they can undoubtedly be used as materials for mid-range elixirs.

Zhang Xuezhou never expected that the reward for the tiger demon attack would not be spoils of war, but rather that it would introduce him to the cultivators of the Agricultural Sect.

He really enjoyed associating with monks from this sect.

"Are you really a cultivator from the Yin-Yang School Nine Heavens Sect?"

After discussing the matter until nearly dawn, Zhang Xuezhou finally revealed his true identity when advising Xu Yuan.

This surprised Xu Yuan, but then filled him with delight.

In Zhang Xuezhou's understanding, he had a strong demand for many medicinal herbs.

However, in Xu Yuan's view, agricultural medicinal materials also need to find customers.

The Agricultural School had a poor impression of the imperial court, and the court did not cooperate with the Agricultural School. Meanwhile, the powerful local lords controlled vast territories and mostly collected medicinal herbs from deep mountains and forests.

If cultivators of the Agricultural Sect can collect any high-end goods, they can exchange them through certain channels.

However, the medicinal herbs artificially cultivated by the agricultural sect monks are rarely sought after.

In the past, various schools of thought among the Hundred Schools of Thought, such as the Daoist school, the Yin-Yang School school, the medical school, the Medicine King school, the Suspended Gourd school, and the Huang-Lao School, were skilled in alchemy. These schools also established a good cooperative and exchange relationship with the agricultural school.

Although the Agricultural Sect cannot obtain top-grade high-end pills, it is not lacking in low- to mid-grade pills.

However, with the suppression following Emperor Qin Huang's unification of China, and continuing into the Han Dynasty, the many connections between agriculture and ancestry were intermittent.

If the cooperating sects are not doing well, the agricultural sects will inevitably be doing even worse.

Xu Yuan's resentment stemmed partly from this.

Without the help of the imperial court and the power of the feudal lords, and lacking unity and cooperation among sects, the cultivation of the agricultural sect cultivators is indeed very difficult.

In recent years, the Yin-Yang School has become quite popular.

However, the Yin-Yang School was arguably one of the most tragic schools of thought among the Hundred Schools of Thought, with only two orthodox leaders and some disciples from unorthodox schools who had learned some of the Yin-Yang School's abilities remaining.

Apart from Zou Bugui, the other cultivators from the Yin-Yang School -Yang School's Nine Heavens Sect who were skilled in alchemy had not been seen for a long time.

"Try my concoction of Grain Avoidance powder!"

Zhang Xuezhou touched the pouch in his sleeve and then took out a three-day Grain Avoidance powder.

"I've heard that the alchemists of the Nine Heavens Sect are all..."

"They're all dead, aren't they? That's all nonsense. How could I, Dongfang Shuo, die so easily? I'm alive and well, and I'm even searching for agricultural cultivators to collaborate with on alchemy!"

"You can really refine pills?"

"Absolutely!"

After tasting the three-day Grain Avoidance powder, Xu Yuan didn't feel any special effects.

After all, this wasn't a medicine that could benefit cultivation; it only had the effect of suppressing hunger. If Xu Yuan wasn't hungry, the Grain Avoidance Powder wouldn't be effective.

He chewed a few times, then mixed it with some water and ate it.

Regardless of whether the Grain Avoidance pills were real or not, that's how his breakfast ended.

"Let's not talk about anything else, just if we carried ten or eight doses of Grain Avoidance powder, we could go as far as we wanted and collect wild herbs for as long as we wanted," Zhang Xuezhou boasted. "When we're out in the wild, exposed to wind and rain, if we can't find anything to eat, this medicine can be a huge help to us in critical moments!"

"That's not all," Xu Yuan said enthusiastically. "When we're fighting in the martial world, we have to run away, but when we're out of energy, we can't just rest and eat. This dose of Grain Avoidance Powder is a lifesaver!"

"You're right!"

Zhang Xuezhou reconsidered.

He initially thought that chasing someone wouldn't take too long, but when he thought about Cheng Bushi had chased the Golden Toad Dharma King for several days, he realized that the Grain Avoidance Powder was indeed a treasure.

After all, he and Jin Wanliang were so hungry in the cave that they were practically eating mud. If they had had a single dose of the Grain Avoidance, they wouldn't have ended up in that state.

"No wonder the Grain Avoidance Powder is so expensive," Zhang Xuezhou sighed.

"In the eyes of those who need it, a single dose of Grain Avoidance Powder can't be bought for less than ten or eight gold coins," Xu Yuan said happily. "Only cultivators from your Yin Yang Nine Heavens Sect can eat Grain Avoidance Powder as food!"

Xu Yuan's words made Zhang Xuezhou give an awkward smile.

He did indeed take the Grain Avoidance powder as his meal.

A dose of Grain Avoidance powder taken orally is a rare and precious medicine that some people have been seeking but could not obtain.

But it's only with these low-grade pills that Zhang Xuezhou now has the barely enough money to squander them.

Thanks to Master Zhao's wealth, he collected many low-grade medicinal herbs and, through continuous brewing at night, acquired 180 doses of three-day Grain Avoidance powder and six doses of five-day Grain Avoidance powder.

In the next year or two, Zhang Xuezhou will not lack Grain Avoidance powder.

He even received a thank-you gift from Zhang Shu.

Compared to continuing to refine the Grain Avoidance Powder, Zhang Xuezhou felt that refining the Spirit-Forging Pill was the most important thing at the moment.

Although he currently has no shortage of Spirit-Forging Pill to consume, he must thoroughly study the medicinal properties of the many ingredients that make up the Spirit-Forging Pill so that this elixir can be reproduced in reality.

If it weren't for having to follow Dong Zhongshu, Zhang Xuezhou would have loved to run off to Nongzong's medicinal herb garden and take a look around.

But Zhang Xuezhou doesn't give up on the relationship he's in now.

He inquired about Xu Yuan's itinerary and revealed his desire to refine elixirs together with the cultivators of the Agricultural Sect and share them.

"Then I'll come find you in a while. If I don't, you can come to Chang'an City to find me," Zhang Xuezhou said after thinking for a moment. "If you can't find me in Chang'an City, just find a scholar named Dong Zhongshu. He's a distant relative of mine and will definitely be able to help you find me!"

"OK!"

Xu Yuanxing readily agreed.

After a night of conversation, he not only gained a confidant, but also a fellow monk who would cooperate with the school of thought.

If their schedules hadn't diverged, Xu Yuan would have preferred to continue traveling with Zhang Xuezhou and the others.

The two high-fived to agree to the two-year promise, which brought a rosy glow to Xu Yuan's face, completely dispelling his previous depression and gloom.

He lingered among the Grain Avoidance powder, Origin-Nurturing Pill, and Spirit-Forging Pill pills promised by Zhang Xuezhou, feeling that the more he imagined it, the brighter his future seemed.

What Zhang Xuezhou witnessed also contained a sense of conviction: that the cultivators of the Agricultural Sect could change the world and ensure that the people of this vast territory could eat their fill.

This is an extremely ambitious and grand goal, and Xu Yuan feels that once he has the ability, he can Struggle his life to it.

Even though his individual efforts are insignificant, Zhang Xuezhou also mentioned that many people Struggle for this cause, and eventually, a single spark will surely start a prairie fire.

"Being young is great!"

Seeing Xu Yuan, whose mind had been completely swayed by these words, Zhang Xuezhou could only sigh that young people's minds were not settled and that they were very easy to change their minds.

His conversation with Xu Yuan that night not only saved a patient who might develop mental illness in the future, but also provided him with what he needed in the future.

Xu Yuan's power was insignificant, of course. If possible, Zhang Xuezhou hoped that Xu Yuan could introduce more cultivators from the Agricultural Sect to him.

This allowed him to build cooperative relationships with each other.

He refines pills, and the cultivators of the Agricultural Sect provide the medicinal materials; this combination, eliminating the middleman, couldn't be better.