HAGLTP Chapter 37

The Grand Elder swiftly detained Yan Ying, allowing the farce of the grand competition to come to a quick end.

The final segment of the grand competition had finally arrived.

Xiao Lu undoubtedly became the champion of this event, earning the opportunity to freely select one item from the secret vault. This was the first time since the establishment of the Liuli Medicine King Valley that an outer sect disciple had received such an honor.

Surrounding guests continuously praised him as a future pillar of society, while the once unattainable inner sect disciples appeared dim in comparison to Xiao Lu, and the stern elders all revealed kind smiles towards him.

On the high platform, the man in red gracefully accepted the secret vault access token handed over by Elder Mu, exuding confidence and composure, showing no signs of the awkwardness of being an outsider, nor any hint of arrogance.

That dazzling red became an unforgettable sight in the hearts of the disciples, a memory that would linger for many years to come.

Some outer sect disciples, witnessing this, felt envious yet couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness.

“Why is it all outer sect disciples? They can be so glorious.”

“Must be a good master. I heard his master was a direct disciple of the inner sect back in the day, a figure of great renown.”

“Even…” At this point, the person lowered their voice slightly, “the current Grand Elder was not as prominent as that one back then.”

“What a pity, such a talented individual, yet he chose to steal his fellow disciples’ formulas, ultimately leading to his disgrace.”

“What was he thinking?”

“Who knows? Maybe even geniuses have troubles that we ordinary people can’t understand.”

In the crowd, a young boy suddenly spoke up: “I’m telling you, next time I want to participate in the grand competition too.”

“You? The one who dozes off in every major class.”

“I swear, from today on, I won’t sleep again. I will train hard in winter and summer until one day I can stand up there and shine like him.”

“Dream on.” The surrounding disciples laughed.

·

Regardless of how others evaluated him, Xiao Lu’s purpose for this trip had been achieved.

The secret vault was built into a mountain wall, with an entrance sealed by a heavy stone door weighing ten thousand pounds, equipped with a mechanism crafted specifically for the Liuli Medicine King Valley.

After placing the oddly shaped access token into the entrance’s slot, the stone door emitted a heavy rumble, slowly opening to the sides.

During this process, fine stone dust continuously fell, a result of the previously inserted access token being crushed.

Each access token could only be used once; once used, it would be destroyed, and a different style would be needed to open it again. This effectively prevented the risk of access tokens being replicated and infiltrating the secret vault.

“Enter, you have one hour.” The one-eyed elder guarding the door said.

He appeared emaciated and solemn, yet no one dared to underestimate him. In his youth, he was a renowned figure in the martial world known as the Fierce Wind Blade. In his reckless youth, he had once challenged twelve bandit strongholds, and no one in the martial world dared to underestimate his combat prowess.

It was only after being saved by the valley master Feng Yazheng that he decided to retreat from the martial world and come to the Medicine King Valley to live as a leisurely old man guarding the secret vault.

Xiao Lu entered the secret vault.

Due to the presence of items unsuitable for light, the interior appeared dim. However, before entering, the guarding elder had already given him a lantern made from luminous stones, which, although not a fire source, was sufficient to illuminate the surroundings.

There were many items inside the secret vault.

The first thing that caught his eye was a dazzling array of treasures that could almost blind a person.

Statues of goddesses carved from emerald, a qilin made of gold, and sandalwood statues that exuded a fragrant aroma even from a distance… Each item would be highly coveted outside the valley, but at this moment, they were merely placed at the entrance.

This was because disciples who could enter the secret vault knew that treasures were the least noteworthy items within. They were placed at the entrance to test whether the disciples possessed the steadfast heart of a healer, capable of remaining unmoved by external possessions.

Further in, there were neatly arranged weapons.

Swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and even some peculiar hidden weapons and long whips were among them. Each appeared to be extraordinary, with some even belonging to top martial artists who had once sought medical help from the valley master.

Among them, a slender, bright red willow leaf knife caught Xiao Lu’s attention. Its shape resembled the light blade he often used in his previous world, giving him a sense of familiarity.

However, Xiao Lu did not rush to make a decision; after all, he had an hour.

He held the lantern and continued forward.

Passing by divine weapons and secret elixirs, he soon came upon a massive bookshelf. It was stacked with neatly arranged scrolls and bamboo slips, interspersed with some stone tablets.

This was the collection of martial arts techniques and medical-related texts within the secret vault.

Ordinary disciples could only choose one to take away, but Xiao Lu was different; he had the scanning system Ivan with him. At this moment, he had no intention of being polite with the Liuli Medicine King Valley, directly releasing Ivan to scan and take all these books, leaving not a single one behind.

He was well aware of the principle that thieves should not leave empty-handed.

Ahead lay some rare medicinal materials, and just as Xiao Lu was about to step forward to take a look, he suddenly caught a whiff of a refreshing medicinal fragrance.

This scent felt somewhat familiar.

Xiao Lu reached into his pocket and took out the medicinal pearl he had hidden there; indeed, the fragrance was emanating from it.

But at this moment, he had not activated his energy, so why was the medicinal fragrance being triggered?

Before he could ponder this further, the medicinal pearl underwent another transformation.

A faint green light emanated from the pearl, and with it, a totem-like pattern quietly appeared on its surface. It resembled a snowflake, the entire pattern circular, with intricate ice flower designs inside, looking like some special symbol.

Isn’t this a martial arts world? Why is there such an unscientific phenomenon?

The unscientific spectacle did not end there.

As the medicinal pearl glowed, a corresponding green light quietly appeared at a certain spot high on the bookshelf. In the dim secret vault, it stood out, flickering like a breath, as if a beckoning hand was calling him to come and take a look.

From the looks of it, a certain item above must have some connection to the medicinal pearl in his hand.

Xiao Lu wasted no time, gathering his energy and leaping gracefully into the air, lightly landing on the highest shelf after using the shelves for support.

The source of the light was a box made of a stone resembling jade.

Xiao Lu picked up the box and saw the words “Hundred Mistakes Manual” inscribed on it.

Upon opening it, he discovered it was a hand-drawn medicinal manual. It depicted various medicinal materials he had never heard of, each appearing lifelike, with detailed annotations on their properties, corresponding formulas, and usage methods.

It seemed to be a rather reliable pharmacopoeia, but after flipping through several pages, Xiao Lu felt something was off.

All these medicinal materials were completely unfamiliar to him, and some of their properties and uses were quite bizarre. What does it mean to dispel the poison of the Fire Flame Mysterious Flood Dragon? What is the Luo River Soul Separation Spell?

Whether it was these medicines or their uses, they all exuded an air of fancifulness, almost like something concocted from a storyteller’s tale.

No wonder this book was called the “Hundred Mistakes Manual.” It seemed that those who later encountered this text found its content unreliable, hence the straightforward name.

Yet, this seemingly nonsensical pharmacopoeia was oddly resonating with the peculiar medicinal pearl in his hand.

Xiao Lu flipped to the last page of the manual. That page, which had originally been blank, revealed a pattern identical to that on the pearl after being illuminated by the pearl’s clear light.

“Ivan,” Xiao Lu asked in his mind, “the information provided about this world was that it was a martial arts world, right?”

“Yes, Master.”

Xiao Lu continued flipping through the “Hundred Mistakes Manual”: “But how do these things not seem like they belong to a martial arts world?”

“Perhaps, this is a downgraded immortal cultivation world.”

“Downgraded?” This was the first time Xiao Lu had heard such a term.

Ivan provided a piece of information:

When the rules of a world gradually become complete, it will upgrade from a low-level world that can only cycle through a single storyline to a complete world with its own timeline, continuously developing forward.

However, if the rules of a higher world are disrupted, its power system will collapse, causing the world to downgrade. A sci-fi world may turn into an ordinary modern world, and an immortal cultivation world may lose its spiritual energy, downgrading to a martial arts world, with time cycling again.

“So, you’re saying…” Xiao Lu looked at the medicinal pearl and the “Hundred Mistakes Manual” in his hand, “they might be remnants from an immortal cultivation world.”

“Yes, Master, clever.” Ivan praised with a hint of servility.

“Thank you, but don’t flatter me too much.” Xiao Lu remained unfazed.

After all, any person with normal intelligence could arrive at such a conclusion; it had nothing to do with his cleverness.

“Oh, okay…” Ivan’s voice sounded a bit deflated, seemingly worried about his return policy.

Xiao Lu’s attention returned to the “Hundred Mistakes Manual.”

This item was quite intriguing.

There were still many treasures in the secret vault, but he no longer wished to look further. What kind of treasure could possibly compare to clues that transcended the power of this world?

Outside the secret vault’s grand door, countless people were eagerly awaiting.

What did the champion of each grand competition take out from the secret vault? It was a topic of great interest among the disciples.

After all, anything randomly found in the secret vault was a peerless treasure they would never have the chance to encounter in their lifetime.

With still some time left in the hour, Xiao Lu had already exited the secret vault, lantern in hand.

The guarding elder glanced at the stone box in his hand, his expression somewhat peculiar. He spoke with a slightly stiff tone, primarily advising: “You might want to choose another one; there’s still some time left.”

Xiao Lu shook his head, thanking the elder for his kindness: “No need, I think this pharmacopoeia is quite good. The medicinal materials within are all unfamiliar to me, enough to broaden my horizons.”

As the gaze of the Third Master fell upon the box in Xiao Lu’s hand, like everyone else, he saw the three large characters “Hundred Mistakes Manual” and couldn’t help but facepalm. “Nephew, such things are not meant to broaden your horizons.”

You could find someone selling storybooks by the roadside, and they would have more bizarre medicinal materials than those in this book.

What about the snow lotus that could increase one’s internal strength by a hundred years? Or the divine herb that rendered one immune to all poisons? And those various herbs that could cause confusion with just a touch—aren’t they all more stimulating than this book?

As an elder of the sect, he was currently among the crowd and couldn’t openly intervene, only using his eyes to signal, hoping his nephew would understand his meaning.

Unfortunately, Xiao Lu was destined “not to understand.”

After today, a tale of the Medicine King Valley would spread like wildfire.

It was said that the first champion of the grand competition, who only appeared once every three years, had brought out a pharmacopoeia resembling a storybook this year. Perhaps this was the lack of experience of an outer sect disciple?

As the news spread, it morphed into a tale of a bookworm who had been lurking outside the Liuli Medicine King Valley for many years, ultimately making a comeback to become the grand competition champion, clutching the storybook.

Clearly, the second version was more eye-catching, leading to discussions in the martial world about what kind of storybook could be so captivating.

Some said it was an immortal cultivation tale, others claimed it was a tale of lovesick men and women, while some firmly believed it must be a spicy romance novel, with everyone refusing to back down.

Originally, the grand competition should have ended here. Although there had been some twists and turns this year, it ultimately concluded on a satisfying note.

Suddenly, an elder wearing a silk cap approached Xiao Lu from the crowd.

Xiao Lu recognized him; this was the Grand Elder He Lun, who had stood up to demand severe punishment for Yan Ying when he had framed him.

He Lun had an imposing appearance, and every move he made carried the demeanor of a family elder. This Grand Elder, originally from a prestigious family, had joined the sect out of admiration for the medical skills of the Medicine King Valley and had been there for thirty years.

He approached Xiao Lu: “I observe that you have considerable talent in medicine, and I am currently considering taking on a closed-door disciple. Would you be willing?”

This statement undoubtedly caused an uproar in the crowd.

That was the Grand Elder!

In recent years, the valley master had grown older, and most matters within the Medicine King Valley were decided by the elders. The Grand Elder, backed by a powerful family and possessing formidable strength, held significant influence among the elders.

Once one became his disciple, not only would they have no worries about resources in the future, but they would also instantly become a core figure among the direct disciples, even among the inner sect disciples, they would be among the top tier.

It would not be an exaggeration to say they were the next generation’s elder in the making.

“This is simply a step to the heavens.”

Everyone marveled, except for the Third Master Gu Qingzhou, who quietly tightened his fingers hidden in his sleeves.

For some reason, he felt a sense of unease.

“Who would have thought that this Xiao Lu, just a day ago, was merely a nominal disciple living outside the valley. Yet, in just one day, he could become the most sought-after closed-door disciple of the Grand Elder.”

“Truly, different fates for the same kind of people.”

“When will we, who come from the outer sect, have such good fortune?”

“If you want such good fortune, go win first place in the grand competition; maybe it will be your turn.”

Facing the envious gazes of the crowd, Xiao Lu appeared quite calm.

“I’m afraid I will disappoint the Grand Elder. After this grand competition, I realized my understanding of medicine is still not profound enough, so I plan to travel outside, to see the world and witness various difficult ailments.”

He raised his hand and bowed to the Grand Elder: “Therefore, I wish to leave the Liuli Medicine King Valley.”

The crowd, which had been envious, was now astonished, unable to close their mouths.

No way? You even rejected the position of the Grand Elder’s disciple just to become a wandering barefoot doctor?

You must know that the Liuli Medicine King Valley is a holy place in the hearts of all who study medicine; who wouldn’t want to get in? This person could have taken a step to the heavens but so easily let it go.

Is he crazy?!

They couldn’t understand, not at all.

The Grand Elder furrowed his brows: “Are you serious? If you simply do not wish to be my disciple, you need not leave the Medicine King Valley.”

“I no longer wish to be that ignorant disciple confined to the Chunxin Valley, spending every day gazing at the sky from a well.” Xiao Lu’s response was somewhat self-deprecating, yet his attitude was exceptionally resolute.

Countless curious and astonished gazes fell upon Xiao Lu’s face, seemingly trying to glean his true thoughts from his expression at that moment.

Unfortunately, all they could see was calmness and determination.

Seeing this scene, the Third Master felt a stir in his heart.

He never expected that this usually gentle and uncontentious nephew could make such a decisive choice.

With the conversation reaching this point, the valley master Feng Yazheng finally spoke: “Your intentions are commendable, but traveling the world will bring countless hardships; are you prepared for that?”

Xiao Lu nodded: “The path I choose, no matter how difficult, I will walk it.”

Feng Yazheng nodded, looking at the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder gazed at Xiao Lu for several breaths, seemingly contemplating something.

Then he gently sighed: “It seems there is no fate for us as master and disciple; I will not force it. The journey ahead will surely be arduous, so I hope you take care.”

“From now on, the pharmacist Xiao Lu will no longer be a disciple of my Liuli Medicine King Valley.” Feng Yazheng declared loudly.

He glanced at the book filled with imaginative ideas in Xiao Lu’s hand: “You may take this ‘Hundred Mistakes Manual’ with you; it is what you deserve.”

“Thank you, Valley Master.”

Xiao Lu had thought he would need to debate back and forth with these stubborn elders several times, and might even need the Third Master to help him in the end.

He never expected the process of leaving the Medicine King Valley would go so smoothly.

To the other elders in the valley, he had not utilized any resources from the Liuli Medicine King Valley. The item he brought out in the grand competition was merely a worthless trinket, so there was no benefit in making things difficult for him.

It was just right; the Medicine King Valley was filled with talent, and the competition among the younger generation was fierce. With one less genius, their disciples would have one more opportunity.

·

On the night after the grand competition, in a dark dungeon.

This place held disciples of the valley who had committed grave mistakes over the years. Most had their cultivation and hands crippled. They could only spend the rest of their lives confined in this small space, babbling incoherently about their remaining days.

“Hehehe… hehehe… ghost thorn… cold spring…”

“I, the number one in the world…”

“Isle… ice wheel… turning~~”

“Kill… just kill… it would be an honor for you too…”

Yan Ying was locked in a cell, huddled in a corner, hugging his knees.

From time to time, mad ramblings echoed in his ears, and he felt a chilling aura permeating the surroundings, as if it sought to invade every crevice of his bones.

He didn’t know how long had passed when a steady sound of footsteps approached.

The footsteps grew closer, eventually stopping in front of Yan Ying’s cell.

Yan Ying raised his head, his originally dull gaze suddenly sparkling with life: “Help me! Help me!”

“I have kept my mouth shut; I haven’t revealed a single piece of your information.”

“Let me out, quickly let me out! I don’t want to be locked up in this hellhole for the rest of my life with my hands and meridians crippled!!!”

The figure in the black cloak let out a light laugh.

·

Today, the sun shone brightly.

A carriage set off from Chunxin Valley, heading towards the broader world outside.

Along the way, a gentle breeze blew, carrying the fragrance of a hundred flowers, intoxicating the travelers.

Xiao Lu leaned against the layers of soft cushions in the carriage, still feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

After all, this was ancient times; carriages had hard wheels, unlike modern society with soft, pressure-relieving tires, making the journey on the uneven road quite bumpy.

No wonder there is a saying about the fatigue of travel.

Outside the carriage, Mo Xue was focused on driving the carriage.

Today, the young man wore light clothing, a hat tilted at an angle, exuding a bit of the style of a young hero from the martial world.

Suddenly, the curtain behind the carriage was lifted.

Mo Xue felt a warm sensation on his shoulder as a delicate white hand holding a round and lovely peach was offered to him, the sweet aroma of the peach wafting through the air.

Just as he was about to thank her, he heard a voice from behind the curtain: “Master wants to eat a peach, but unfortunately, I’m too lazy to peel it. Come, let me test your skills in handling medicinal materials.”

Mo Xue: “…”

The young man wiped his hands clean and took the juicy peach. Then, with swift movements, he peeled off the fragile, soft skin, revealing the delicate flesh inside, leaving not a single scratch on the surface.

Xiao Lu reached out to take it, satisfied, and praised: “As expected of my carefully trained disciple, the future is promising.”

“It is thanks to Master’s good teaching.” Mo Xue replied softly.

But inwardly, he silently added: How long will this shameless condition of yours continue?