HAGLTP Chapter 34

After Jiang Qin and Shen Yunhe left, Chunxin Valley returned to its usual tranquility and harmony.

Shen Yunhe was considerate enough to send the owed silver notes back within a few days, along with a letter tied to a willow branch to express his longing.

Unfortunately, no one wanted to read it; the willow branch was directly stuffed into the stove by Mo Xue, and the letter was used to start the fire, arranged neatly.

At this moment, Xiao Lu was counting the supplies in the valley with Mo Xue.

If he stayed cooped up in the valley, he might never have a chance to encounter the demonic sect until his dying day.

Going out was imperative.

Soft clothes and scattered silver coins were of course necessary, and some medicinal herbs had to be taken along. As for the medical books that the original owner cherished, they could be left behind; the books were heavy and difficult to store, so it was enough to have Ivan scan them.

Standing on a chair, Xiao Lu discovered a small hidden compartment at the very top of the medicine cabinet. Upon opening it, he found a round bead the color of jade, smooth and glistening, exuding a faint medicinal fragrance, the origin of which was unknown.

However, being hidden in such a secret compartment indicated that this item was very important to the owner of this place.

The medicine hut was originally built by Bo Lu’s master, and this bead was naturally one of his relics.

Xiao Lu inhaled the refreshing scent that made one feel at ease; even just a simple whiff could soothe the mind. The more miraculous aspect of this item was that if worn on the body, it could silently nourish the wearer’s meridians, allowing them to progress faster in martial arts.

He knew all this because, in the original plot, this was one of the protagonist Shen Yunhe’s adventures.

After Bo Lu had repeatedly tested poisons, treated wounds, and suffered injuries, he finally passed away. The deeply affectionate Shen Yunhe discovered this bead while sorting through his belongings.

At that time, he didn’t think the bead was anything special; he merely thought it would be a memento to keep by his side.

Little did he know, this medicinal bead had another miraculous effect, allowing him to feel a slight increase in his true energy with every breath he took. If he focused on his cultivation, his progress would be even faster.

In the end, Shen Yunhe became a legendary hero, and this bead played a significant role in that.

And this relic from Bo Lu, which Shen Yunhe carried with him every day, naturally caused Jiang Qin’s dissatisfaction, leading to many quarrels and reconciliations between the two, igniting quite a few cringeworthy plotlines.

Ultimately, as the plot was nearing its conclusion and the protagonist’s skills had reached great heights, this medicinal bead finally shattered, as if it had sensed the situation.

The book did not detail the origin of this bead, treating it merely as a fortuitous gift for the protagonist.

But Xiao Lu inherited the original owner’s memories, and he understood that this was not something his master could have created, nor was it something that could be made by the abilities of the Liuli Medicine King Valley.

Such a mysterious item, capable of enhancing one’s cultivation, if it were to circulate in the martial world, would surely attract the greed of many factions.

Who exactly created such a thing?

And why did it end up in the hands of Bo Lu and his disciple?

Xiao Lu felt that there might be some secret hidden behind this. He carefully took the medicinal bead out of the box, found a silk pouch in the room to store it, and wore it close to his body.

Such a good thing could not be left to Shen Yunhe, that ingrate.

Just as he was about to venture out into the martial world, it was only natural that the stronger his abilities, the better.

Although the original owner was a pharmacist and had received some inheritance from his master and learned martial arts, in the martial world, he was at most a second or third-rate expert. Such martial prowess was not enough to covet the Holy Order of the Pao.

Suddenly, a crisp bell rang out with the wind, scattering into the medicine hut.

This was a device set up outside the main door; it would ring automatically whenever a guest arrived, alerting those inside.

Xiao Lu gently adjusted his clothes, hiding the trace of the medicinal bead, and then turned his gaze toward the door, unsure of who had come.

Before he could see the person, a cheerful male voice rang out: “Bo Shidi, your senior brother has come to see you.”

The voice carried a hint of laughter, sounding quite warm and cheerful.

Then, a light footstep followed, and a man dressed in yellow entered. He walked in with familiarity, placing the food box he was carrying on the table, surveying the slightly messy room due to the packing: “Shidi, what are you doing? Cleaning up?”

After speaking, he waved at Xiao Lu: “Come, senior brother has brought you something good. I specially brought it from the valley, and it’s still warm, hurry up.”

Xiao Lu looked at this person, searching his memory for a corresponding figure, and found it—Nian Ying.

Nian Ying was the eldest disciple of his third master, two years older than him.

Due to some past events, his third master could not come to Chunxin Valley in person, so he often sent his disciples to look after him.

Nian Ying appeared to be a warm and generous person, and since he was of a similar age to Bo Lu, he was the one who came most often, making him the disciple of the Liuli Medicine King Valley that Bo Lu had seen the most.

“Senior Brother Nian.” Xiao Lu nodded at him.

At this moment, Nian Ying had already opened the food box and taken out a piece of pastry to eat: “Hmm, not bad, not bad. This was specially made for you by the kitchen staff, hurry up, it’ll be bad if it cools down.”

“Ah, it’s only because you’re my good junior brother that I treat you so well. You say, if it weren’t for me, who else in the world would take care of you like this?”

Nian Ying teased with a smile.

Xiao Lu, however, showed no joy on his face.

Because this senior brother Nian was a fake enthusiast.

The reason he liked to take care of this solitary junior brother living outside was not because he had any friendship with Bo Lu or because he was kind-hearted.

Bo Lu’s third master, who was also his master, after hearing the news of his senior brother’s death, worried about this solitary nephew living outside, so he often sent many good things to Bo Lu:

Medicinal pills that were hard for the inner disciples to receive, medicinal herbs personally cultivated by the third master, new clothes from years past, and even some silver notes.

At first, all these things would be sent to Bo Lu.

Later, first a few silver notes went missing.

Then the medicinal pills disappeared.

In the last year or two, even the medicinal herbs and new clothes became hard to see. Only some worthless food remained, often half of which would be deducted by this senior brother Nian. The things that could truly reach the original owner’s hands could only be considered as light gifts with heavy feelings.

And the original owner had a gentle disposition, was not good at arguing with others, and never mentioned his grievances. One could see from the outcome of being completely drained by Shen Yunhe and the others.

He was not unaware of Nian Ying’s actions, but due to his master’s reasons, he was already excluded by the Liuli Medicine King Valley. The third master’s private care for him had already made some people in the valley unhappy. Therefore, even if he was wronged, he was unwilling to reveal the truth, letting the third master know that his disciple’s actions would sadden him.

Seeing him silent, Nian Ying naturally became bolder, and the things he sent became fewer and fewer.

Sometimes he would even eat all the food clean, then casually buy something from a roadside stall to fill the gap, while constantly emphasizing how much effort he had put in and how much he cared for this junior brother, establishing a persona of being warm-hearted and generous.

For example, the snacks he brought this time were most likely not from the Liuli Medicine King Valley’s kitchen but were bought from a random stall, and it was unlikely they cost more than ten coins.

And Xiao Lu, who had seen the script, knew that Nian Ying’s actions went beyond this.

As a junior, after receiving gifts from his elders, Bo Lu naturally had to return the favor, and what he could offer was mostly the medicinal herbs he cultivated or the pills he refined.

Nian Ying would smile and accept Bo Lu’s offerings, patting his chest and assuring him that he would definitely take them back. Then he would pocket all the return gifts and report back to his master, saying that the junior brother had accepted the gifts but had shown no gratitude.

Because Chunxin Valley was remote, and Nian Ying always came alone, Bo Lu did not speak up, and the third master, who could not visit in person, naturally knew nothing of the truth.

Thus, Nian Ying, as a middleman, profited from both sides, leaving both the original owner and the third master feeling uneasy. If the two hot-tempered individuals were to continue like this, they would probably end up estranged in a few years.

One could only wonder how many pigs the original owner had killed in his past life to have so many leeches wanting to suck his blood in this life.

“Junior brother, junior brother, why aren’t you coming over? Are you dissatisfied with the freshness of the pastries I brought?”

“Ah, I told you, staying in this valley alone with just one disciple is not good. Not interacting with outsiders will make you sick. Look at you, thinking too much already, aren’t you?” Nian Ying took on the demeanor of an elder and began to lecture.

Xiao Lu listened to his typical green tea rhetoric, which was a reverse accusation, but he did not respond.

He merely glanced at Nian Ying’s empty hands, feigning a puzzled expression: “Strange, my third master sent me a message not long ago, saying he brought me a lot of medicinal herbs, including a century-old ginseng. Why haven’t I seen it? Could it be hidden in the food box?”

Nian Ying’s eating motion paused, his heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Xiao Lu suspiciously: “Your master sent you a message? When was this?”

Xiao Lu smiled slightly: “After all, he is a close master, it’s normal to have some correspondence, why make such a fuss about it?”

“Third master doesn’t only have you as a disciple.”

This statement sounded ordinary, but Nian Ying felt his heart leap again.

He knew that his master would write to Bo Lu, and these messages were often mixed in with the things sent, but he disliked his master caring for Bo Lu like this, so he secretly hid the letters and burned them, never sending one.

Logically, his master wouldn’t use other channels to send letters to Bo Lu again, but why could Bo Lu accurately mention the things he brought this time? Did his master become suspicious?

Seeing his uncertain gaze, Xiao Lu suddenly realized: “Third master said to let you bring it, but senior brother didn’t bring it. Could it be—”

Before he could finish, Nian Ying immediately became agitated: “Junior brother, haven’t I taken good care of you all these years?”

“Who comes to see you during the holidays? Only I would treat you like this in the entire Liuli Medicine King Valley. What have I done wrong to you? Are you going to make things difficult for me over a few medicinal herbs?”

Oh, here comes the classic “the villain strikes first” tactic.

But Nian Ying didn’t mention that every time he came to see Bo Lu, it was because he was thinking about the things his master had given away, not out of any sense of brotherhood.

Xiao Lu lightly parted his lips, finishing the sentence he hadn’t completed earlier: “—Is it that senior brother forgot? After all, there were so many things, it’s normal to forget.”

His pitch-black eyes, like lacquer, stared directly into Nian Ying’s eyes, which were filled with anger to cover up his guilt, as if seeing through all his petty thoughts:

“We are all brothers, it’s just a few medicinal herbs, why is senior brother so agitated? This kind of behavior could hurt our harmony. Do you see Chunxin Valley as lacking in medicinal herbs?”

“This…” Nian Ying was momentarily at a loss for words.

He regretted accusing too early out of guilt, which now put him in a passive position.

The medicinal herbs here were indeed good; each one was carefully cultivated by the other party. The valley had fertile soil and a mild climate, making it suitable for the growth of certain herbs. Every time he took herbs from Bo Lu, he could sell them for a good amount of silver.

Xiao Lu watched his changing expressions, treating it as a performance by a clown on stage.

All those years of petty theft, while not a big deal, were still enough to sow discord between the master and disciple, and it wasn’t a great evil.

But every little thing, every single disgusting act, was what made such people the most detestable.

Xiao Lu’s tone remained calm: “Senior brother has said so much, are you not tired?”

He raised his voice: “Mo Xue, brew a pot of calming tea to help senior brother Nian cool down.”

Moments later, Mo Xue entered the room holding a white porcelain tea cup, presenting a bowl of green tea to Nian Ying.

Nian Ying looked at the rippling tea and felt a bit more comfortable.

Thinking that this junior brother still didn’t dare to act against him, he realized he was now admitting his mistake. Just right, he had eaten quite a bit of snacks and was a bit thirsty, so he picked up the tea cup and drank it all in one go.

But in the next moment, he spat it out violently.

What is this? It’s too bitter! It’s like it was brewed with special huanglian and lotus heart, ten bowls of water boiled down to one cup of tea, so bitter!

Nian Ying was filled with anger and was about to curse.

But Xiao Lu spoke first, full of tea energy: “It’s just a small misunderstanding, why is senior brother so hot-tempered? You even disdain to drink the tea that junior brother specially had the disciple brew for you. Is this a sign that you don’t want to deal with me?”

“Third master said that a physician must first cultivate their temperament; it seems senior brother still has a long way to go.”

Isn’t this just the villain striking first, putting a hat on the victim, and positioning himself on the moral high ground to avoid being accused? He could use this tactic too.

Nian Ying’s mouth was so bitter he was about to lose feeling, but inside he was greatly shocked.

This junior brother, who usually seemed as malleable as clay, what happened today? Did he suddenly become clever and learn to turn the tables?

Facing Xiao Lu’s half-smiling gaze, Nian Ying finally understood that this junior brother inviting him for tea had no good intentions.

“Alright, alright!” Nian Ying angrily said, “Junior brother, you’ve become more and more promising these past few years. Not only do you have friends in the martial world, but now you even look down on your fellow disciples. I think you should skip the upcoming valley assessment and just get expelled, wandering the martial world with that Shen young hero instead!”

After saying this, Nian Ying angrily slammed the door and didn’t even bother with his favorite part of asking for return gifts.

“Take care, no need to see you off.”

Xiao Lu couldn’t be bothered to deal with this gossiping little man.

Nian Ying had mixed with the streets in his youth, learning many bad habits, leading to a poor temperament, always thinking about how to take shortcuts. This had always troubled the third master, who tried to teach his disciple to cultivate his character.

Unfortunately, Nian Ying never changed this style.

In the original plot, Nian Ying didn’t stir up any major trouble in the end, and even many fellow disciples were better than him, making him not a worthy opponent.

Xiao Lu took a sip of the freshly delivered tea, which was fragrant and warm, with a lingering sweetness.

He turned to look at Mo Xue, who was standing quietly beside him: “What did you give him to drink?”

“Huanglian, lotus heart, mountain bitter seeds, and herba corydalis, boiled fiercely from the moment he entered, one pot of water boiled down to one cup of tea.” Mo Xue still had that gentle and jade-like demeanor, but the words he spoke carried a hint of mischief.

Xiao Lu nodded: “A child can be taught, deeply understanding the essence of my master’s teachings.”

Herba corydalis, that was a miraculous medicine cultivated by the original owner in recent years, known for clearing heat, benefiting the intestines, and promoting bowel movements, combined with so many heat-clearing and fire-draining herbs.

Hopefully, senior brother Nian can hold on until he walks back to the Liuli Medicine King Valley, and not collapse halfway.

At this moment, Xiao Lu recalled what Nian Ying had mentioned earlier about the valley assessment.

On the surface, he was still considered a disciple of the Liuli Medicine King Valley, but years ago, his master Ji Wuan had been exposed for misusing medicinal formulas during a major competition, leading to disgrace.

Although the sect leader believed in his master’s character, he was unable to provide evidence.

In the end, even though the sect leader fully vouched for his master, he was not expelled from the sect but fell from being a highly regarded direct disciple to a marginalized outer disciple, unable to reside within the Liuli Medicine King Valley, and had to live alone in the nearby Chunxin Valley.

Ji Wuan lived like this for over a decade, and until his death, he could not clear his name.

Bo Lu was his disciple during his solitary years, and due to his master’s connections, he had hardly visited the Liuli Medicine King Valley, but the assessments held every three years were unavoidable. Fortunately, he had outstanding talent in the field of medicine, and although he had never attended classes in the valley, he managed to pass through without any major issues.

However, the upcoming internal assessment would not be simple.

In the original plot, Bo Lu faced a situation identical to his master’s during this assessment, being accused of stealing a fellow disciple’s medicinal formula in front of everyone.

This time, with the elder sect leader already deceased, and without a strong backing to vouch for him, Bo Lu was nearly stripped of his martial arts and hands, and imprisoned in a dungeon.

In the end, thanks to the third master’s desperate maneuvering, he barely escaped.

But from then on, Bo Lu was completely expelled from the Liuli Medicine King Valley, never allowed to step foot inside again, and could no longer meet the only one who cared for him, the third master.

He wandered the martial world alone, feeling desolate and helpless, relying on Shen Yunhe to provide him with a semblance of warmth, gradually leading to his eventual downfall.

Perhaps he was just tired and weary, no longer longing for this world.

The plot did not detail this incident, only briefly mentioning it, but it was clear that it involved the complex internal strife of the sect.

Xiao Lu did not want to get involved and planned to leave directly. But he suddenly remembered that the final part of the internal assessment included a grand competition, and the winner of that competition could choose one item from the secret vault.

The secret vault contained the essence accumulated by the Liuli Medicine King Valley over the years: medical books, medicinal texts, tools, weapons, rare armors, and even some lost techniques.

In simple terms, it was an opportunity to take advantage of the resources.

What is the most important thing when wandering the martial world?

Of course, it’s to be shameless! Since he was going to leave anyway, why not take advantage of still holding the title of disciple to seize this opportunity?

“Disciple, let’s go to the Liuli Medicine King Valley.”

Mo Xue looked at the figure in red before him, his eyes shimmering like a beauty in a painting, absorbing the moonlight, seemingly brewing some new wicked idea.

Whatever the master wanted to do, as his disciple, he naturally had to follow.

“Understood.” The last syllable of this phrase was slightly elongated, carrying a hint of barely perceptible indulgence.

【Author’s Note】

Thank you to the little angels who cast their votes or watered the nutrient solution for me between 2021-12-17 17:59:27 and 2021-12-18 18:44:55~

Thanks to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Floating, Peach 20 bottles; A Happy Alpaca 3 bottles; Dawn Flame 2 bottles; Wine Madness 1 bottle;

Thank you all for your support, I will continue to work hard!