Chapter 656: Searching Again

Chapter 656: Chapter 656: Searching Again

The next morning,

Li Xu woke up and checked his intelligence report.

[Today’s Intelligence: The Tooth Regeneration Formula that Lin Xiaoyu is taking has only had an average effect because the gromwell root and Davallia fern are not of the highest quality... You can ask Gao Yuan. He knows of a secret location where natural, wild, top-grade Davallia fern and gromwell root grow.]

"Just as I thought."

Li Xu slapped his thigh, overjoyed.

’The problem really was the ingredients!’

Ordinary wild herbs couldn’t satisfy this formula’s appetite.

It needed "top-grade" ingredients that had absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the very essence of the sun and moon.

He immediately gave Gao Yuan a call.

"Elder Gao, good morning!"

"Doctor Li, what’s up so early?"

Gao Yuan asked.

"Elder Gao, I wanted to ask if you know where I can find... top-grade gromwell root and Davallia fern? The absolute best of the best."

Li Xu got straight to the point.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.

"The absolute best of the best?"

Gao Yuan mused, "Doctor Li, your tastes are getting more and more discerning. The good stuff on the market isn’t enough to catch your eye anymore?"

"It’s an emergency. I have a special formula that absolutely requires top-grade ingredients."

Li Xu explained.

Gao Yuan thought for a moment, then said slowly, "There actually is one place."

"It was many years ago. About ten-odd years back, I went to Yandang Mountain in Zhejiang to harvest Dendrobium. As you know, the Dendrobium from Yandang Mountain is the best in the world. It grows on sheer cliffs and is extremely rare."

"Once, in order to harvest a mutated, red-stemmed, soft-footed Dendrobium, I risked climbing a perilous cliff. And right there, in a shady crevice on that precipice, I unexpectedly discovered a clump of gromwell root and a few Davallia ferns."

A hint of excitement from the memory crept into Gao Yuan’s voice. "The gromwell root was so purple it was almost black—you could tell it was top-grade at a glance. And the Davallia fern! Its rhizomes were as thick as ginger roots, clinging so tightly to the rock it looked like it was about to crush it. That’s a true ’bone-mender’ for you!"

"I harvested some back then, and its medicinal effects were truly astonishing. But the stuff is incredibly difficult to gather and grows extremely slowly, so I couldn’t bear to uproot it all. I left some there to keep growing."

"After all these years, if no one else has discovered it, the plants there have probably become spiritual."

Li Xu’s eyes lit up as he listened. "Elder Gao, do you still remember the location?"

"I remember it, yes, but the path isn’t easy to travel."

Gao Yuan said, "As it happens, I’ve also been wanting to go back and see how that Dendrobium I left behind is doing. You could call it my old stomping grounds."

"That’s great," Li Xu decided instantly. "Elder Gao, I’ll go with you. Let’s make a trip to Yandang Mountain ourselves."

"Alright. Let’s get ready. We’ll set off in two days."

After hanging up, Li Xu was thrilled.

’Yandang Mountain, sheer cliffs, top-grade medicinal herbs.’

’If I can bring back those top-grade herbs, the Tooth Regeneration Formula is guaranteed to work.’

And that wasn’t even mentioning the top-grade Dendrobium.

Dendrobium is one of the nine legendary immortal herbs of ancient folklore, and it’s even connected to the legend of Qin Shi Huang’s search for immortality.

According to legend, in his later years, Qin Shi Huang yearned for immortality and ordered the alchemist Xu Fu to find the "Herb of Immortality."

One day, Xu Fu told the emperor that he had dreamed of a place where an "Herb of Immortality" grew on a mountain cliff. Consuming it would grant a long life and eternal youth.

When Qin Shi Huang heard that Xu Fu’s "Herb of Immortality" could preserve one’s youth, extend one’s life, and that even a gravely ill person could become as nimble as a swallow just by smelling it, he was overjoyed and immediately ordered Xu Fu to make preparations and bring this immortal herb back.

Thus, after some preparation, Xu Fu set out to sea in search of the mythical island of Yingzhou, taking 3,000 young boys and girls with him on more than ten great ships.

However, he never returned from his voyage. Later, some speculated that the "Herb of Immortality" Xu Fu spoke of was very likely Dendrobium.

Although this is just a legend, it adds a touch of mystery to Dendrobium.

But it is undeniable that Dendrobium is an exceptionally precious medicinal herb.

The ancient medical text, the *Daozang*, records:

"The Nine Great Immortal Herbs of China: Dendrobium, Tianshan snow lotus, three-tael ginseng, 120-year-old fo-ti root, sixty-year-old Poria Cocos, cistanche, deep-mountain lingzhi mushroom, deep-sea pearl, and cordyceps."

Furthermore, it is known as the "first among the immortal herbs," a testament to its preciousness.

People discovered the medicinal value of Dendrobium a very long time ago.

Notably, the *Shennong’s Materia Medica* from the Qin and Han dynasties listed it as a "superior herb for nourishing yin," pointing out its efficacy in nourishing yin and the stomach, promoting fluid production to quench thirst, and tonifying deficiencies in the five viscera.

Dendrobium is a peculiar herbaceous plant with extremely high nutritional value.

In ancient times, people discovered that drinking the juice of fresh Dendrobium could reduce high fevers and alleviate toothaches. It had no side effects, a pleasant taste, and none of the bitterness typical of Chinese medicine, which earned it the name "Life-Saving Immortal Herb."

Folk records state that long-term consumption of Dendrobium can prolong life and is the secret of the long-lived.

Dendrobium is a slightly cooling medicinal herb that can nourish yin and the kidneys, as well as supplement qi and blood to regulate the body.

Fresh Dendrobium can be washed and eaten directly. Its rich colloids and mucilage provide excellent nourishing effects.

Medical books from every dynasty have records of Dendrobium, and numerous physicians have held it in high regard. *In the Chinese Medicine Dictionary*, it is also described in detail, stating it can "specifically nourish the qi and fluid of the lungs and stomach, and when qi and fluid are abundant, the kidney-water is nourished and generated."

It strengthens the body’s organs from their very source, providing more nutrients to the body.

For those with a weak constitution or a depleted body, who often experience dizziness, weakness, soreness in the lower back and legs, and a sallow, listless complexion, using Dendrobium to supplement qi and blood can be quite effective.

Additionally, Dendrobium contains antibiotic-like substances that can inhibit the activity of Helicobacter pylori, the main cause of gastrointestinal diseases, and has a good palliative effect on stomach ailments caused by inflammation.

The *Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica* describes this effect in detail: "Clears the stomach and eliminates deficiency-heat."

Furthermore, in ancient folk medicine, Dendrobium was used early on to treat conditions like fevers and night sweats, which are manifestations of deficiency-heat.

Modern research has also found that Dendrobium is rich in polysaccharides, which can boost the body’s immunity and strengthen it.

For middle-aged and elderly people, whose bodily functions are declining and whose secretions of various bodily fluids are diminishing, Dendrobium is undoubtedly a precious health supplement.

As for Dendrobium’s anti-aging and beautifying effects,

there is a folk legend about Empress Wu Zetian relying on it to prolong her life.

The story goes that Wu Zetian took a beauty tonic made from Dendrobium and other medicinal herbs, which kept her radiant and vibrant every day. Even in her old age, she remained beautiful, her face unaged.

Li Xu was full of anticipation for the upcoming trip.

If he could harvest top-grade Dendrobium, he would have a better solution for treating many illnesses in the future.