Chapter 135 - 131: Guarding the Herb Garden
Chapter 135: Chapter 131: Guarding the Herb Garden
The day after the outpost’s Array was completed, Li Yuan received his transfer orders.
"You’re being transferred to guard the frontline spirit herb garden." Captain Wang handed him the document. "Now that the Array is complete, the outpost’s defense no longer relies solely on the guard’s combat strength. The higher-ups feel it’s a waste to keep someone like you, who can both fight and make Talismans, stationed here. You’re needed more at the front."
Li Yuan took the document and glanced over it.
The frontline spirit herb garden. It was located about forty miles southwest of the outpost, on the very edge of the border region between the two families.
Captain Wang then pulled a cloth pouch and a scroll of animal hide from his sleeve, placing them on the table.
"This is your bonus for guarding the outpost during this period. The Spirit Stones and Contribution Points are inside. Also, that deficit you ran up with the Talisman Hall—this bonus covers most of it. There’s just a small remaining balance."
Li Yuan opened the pouch and took stock. There was a good number of Spirit Stones, and the statement for his Contribution Points was inside as well.
Captain Wang then gestured to the scroll of hide.
"This is something extra from the Talisman Hall—a method for making talisman paper from herbs. There’s plenty of Spirit Grass at the frontline garden. You can harvest the low-grade ones to make your own paper and save us the trouble of shipping materials from the rear."
Li Yuan put the hide scroll into his storage pouch.
"When do I leave?"
"Today."
Li Yuan didn’t waste any time. He packed up his belongings in the stone house, filled his storage pouch to the brim, and left the garrison.
He followed the dirt road out of the outpost’s West Gate, heading southwest.
There were few Cultivators on the road. He occasionally passed a group or two returning from their rotation at a frontline stronghold; they walked quickly, their faces grim. The farther southwest he traveled, the denser the roadside brush grew, and the terrain began to rise and fall.
After walking for the better part of the day, a patch of green appeared in a mountain hollow ahead.
It was nothing like the dusty, gray, stony mountains of the mine or the He family’s lands. The vegetation in this hollow was exceptionally lush. The low hills flanking the entrance were blanketed in thick meadows, and a few ancient trees, so thick you couldn’t wrap your arms around them, stood by the road, their foliage dense and sprawling.
The concentration of Spiritual Qi in the air surged.
It was a notch higher than in the outpost, and even a few degrees denser than in the depths of the mines.
Li Yuan took a deep breath. Spiritual Qi seeped into his meridians, its density noticeably greater than any place he had ever cultivated.
As he followed the path further into the hollow, the spirit herb garden came into full view.
A gentle slope, carved out of the hollow’s natural terrain, was divided by stone railings into dozens of herb plots of varying sizes. The plots were filled with Spirit Grasses and Spirit Medicines of all kinds. Some stood taller than a man’s waist, while others hugged the ground. Their colors were a mosaic of deep green, light cyan, dark purple, and pale gold, arranged in alternating patches.
A pale cyan curtain of light enveloped the outer perimeter of the slope. It was the barrier of a Protective Array, similar to the one he had seen at the He family’s garden, but this one was several times larger.
At the foot of the slope stood a few stone houses and wooden sheds built against the cliff face. They were more rudimentary than the guard’s garrison but a significant improvement over the squat huts at the mine.
As Li Yuan reached the foot of the slope, a man emerged from the nearest stone house.
He was in his early forties, with a medium build and a dark, weathered face. His palms were broad and thick, with dirt caked under his fingernails. He wore a worn, gray-brown short robe, and a steward’s token from the Wang family hung at his waist.
’Qi Refining Sixth Level.’
"You’re the Talisman Maker from the Talisman Hall?"
"Li Yuan."
"My surname is Wang. Just call me Steward Wang." He wiped his hands on his trousers and jutted his chin toward the surrounding hollow. "Come on, I’ll show you around."
The two walked up the slope, following the stone railings.
"There’s a Spirit Vein under this garden," Steward Wang said as they walked, not slowing his pace. "It’s not large, but the quality is good. The Spiritual Qi from the vein seeps upward, raising the concentration for the entire hollow. The Spirit Grass grown here is about ten to twenty percent better quality than what you’d find elsewhere."
He glanced over the dozens of plots on the slope.
"This place used to be managed by dedicated Spirit Farmers. About ten of them, making their living just by growing herbs. But then our families went to war, and a pure Spirit Farmer couldn’t survive here. Demon Beasts attack every other day, and people from the Li family come to cause trouble. For a Spirit Farmer who can’t fight, staying here was a death sentence."
He patted the Magical Artifact at his waist.
"So everyone who’s left is a part-time Spirit Farmer now. We tend the herbs and watch the fields by day, but when trouble comes, we can pick up our weapons and fight. Including you, that makes seven of us."
"Seven people to guard an area this large?"
"It’s enough." Steward Wang pointed toward the top of the slope. "The Array provides cover, and we have scouts on the perimeter. If a large force actually shows up, we’re not meant to fight them head-on. We just need to hold out until reinforcements arrive."
He turned to look at Li Yuan.
"Your job is simple: make Talismans. Produce Combat Talismans and distribute them to the others. Just Combat Talismans will do; make whatever kind you can. The rest of your time is your own."
As they reached the top of the slope, they saw a man squatting in the doorway of a stone house built against the cliff face.
He was in his thirties, with a sallow complexion and fingers stained with medicinal powder. He was stirring something next to a small pill furnace.
’A Pill Refiner.’
Steward Wang nodded to the man but didn’t offer an introduction, simply continuing on his way.
"One more thing." He stopped and turned to face Li Yuan. "After you’ve guarded this place for a while, you can pick one medicinal herb from the garden to take with you. Choose it yourself when it’s time for you to leave."
Li Yuan nodded.
Steward Wang grunted in acknowledgment and led Li Yuan further in, following the small paths between the plots.
As they ventured deeper into the garden, Steward Wang’s pace slowed.
He stopped before a plot of dark purple Spirit Grass, bent over, and reached out, his fingers gently brushing against the stalk of one of the plants.
"When you inspect the herbs, be gentle. Feel your way up from the base of the stalk."
His fingers slid slowly up the stalk. "A healthy Spirit Grass stalk is firm and resilient to the touch. If it feels soft or coarse, something’s wrong—it’s either lacking Spiritual Qi or has caught a disease."
He then gently pinched a leaf.
"Same goes for the leaves. Thick and full is good. Thin and dry is not."
Steward Wang straightened up, jutted his chin toward the next few plots, and led Li Yuan onward.
"These plots are all common Spirit Grass, mostly Tier One Low Grade," he said, pointing casually. "If you need to make talisman paper, you can harvest from these. They’ll be more than enough."
He continued walking, soon arriving at a separately enclosed area.
The stone railing here was a head taller than elsewhere, and a few simple Spirit Patterns were carved into its inner surface, glowing faintly. The Spirit Grass within was clearly different from the rest—the plants were larger, their colors deeper, and you could faintly make out intricate patterns on their leaves.
"These are rare Spirit Medicines." Steward Wang’s tone grew serious. "Do not harvest them."
He walked to the edge of the enclosure, reached out to a waist-high, dark golden Spirit Grass, and ran his fingers along its stalk.
"Two herbs can look almost identical. The difference might be something as small as the direction of the veins on the leaves or the shape of the root."
He pulled over a nearby Spirit Grass of a similar color and held it next to the one in his hand.
"These two have nearly identical leaves, and their color is similar. But look at the roots."
He held up the roots of both Spirit Grasses for Li Yuan to see.
One plant’s roots were long, thin, and spread out. The other’s were thick, short, and clustered together.
"The thin-rooted one is Jade Spirit Grass, Tier One Middle Grade. You can buy it in the markets. The thick-rooted one is Jade Marrow Grass, Tier One Top Grade. You can’t find it on the market, even if you have the money. Their effects are worlds apart."
Steward Wang returned the Spirit Grass to its place.
"There are about a dozen rare Spirit Medicines inside this enclosure. Most are Tier One Top Grade, and a couple are said to be approaching Tier Two quality. Don’t touch them. If you damage them, you won’t be able to afford the compensation."
He finished, then glanced at Li Yuan again.
"Of course, you can touch them when you’re doing an inspection. The herbs’ growth needs to be checked every few days. I’ll teach you how to do it later."
Steward Wang bent down to inspect the leaves of the Jade Marrow Grass one more time. After confirming there were no issues, he straightened up and walked deeper into the enclosure.
Li Yuan followed him.
Steward Wang stopped in front of a Spirit Medicine near a corner of the enclosure and bent down to inspect it.
Li Yuan’s gaze swept over several nearby herbs.
His fingers brushed against the nearest one.
The stalk was cool to the touch and firm. ’A Tier One Top Grade Spirit Grass,’ he thought, ’its Spiritual Power fluctuations are contained.’
A panel popped up.
[Equippable Item Detected]
[Item Trait Grade: Green]
[Note: Item does not belong to you. Cannot be equipped. Cannot view details.]
’Green.’
Li Yuan’s fingers lingered on the stalk for an extra moment.
Steward Wang was still bent over, inspecting the adjacent plant, and didn’t notice.
Li Yuan withdrew his hand, his expression unchanged, and continued to follow Steward Wang.