Zhang Xiaohua had just been about to release his divine sense when a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. The surroundings of the Incense Spreading Sect restricted the use of divine sense; it must be the effect of the sect’s formation array. Presumably, the Incense Spreading Sect itself also had experts who practiced Qi Refining. As for himself, he was merely at the peak of the sixth layer of Qi Refining. Counting on his fingers, he had only just barely stepped through the threshold of the middle stage of Qi Refining. He could only pass himself off as an expert before those masters of the martial path. If he truly encountered experts of the Immortal Dao, would he not be toyed with in the palm of their hands?

A person, whether walking the Immortal Dao or the martial path, had to keep a low profile—live in a low profile, do things in a low profile—only then could one achieve success in a high profile. Well, even after succeeding, one still had to keep a low profile. It was enough to secretly rejoice by oneself. Why share the joy of success with others for no reason? Did others want to share it with you?

“Having my divine sense suppressed can also be considered a good thing!” Zhang Xiaohua thought. “Originally, after the first layer of Guiding the Spirit was cultivated, it had never changed again. Some time ago I was comprehending the mnemonic formulas, experiencing the Heavenly Dao, and also refining medicinal pills, so the time used to cultivate divine sense was less. Although Guiding the Spirit was still being cultivated little by little, there were no signs of progress. That day, because of the book Refining Artifacts Under Heaven, that strand of divine sense in my Pill Heart was stirred. I still don’t know how it can be successfully cultivated. With just that simple strand of divine sense, it almost equals all of my own divine sense combined. If I could cultivate Guiding the Spirit to a certain layer and transform the quality of my divine sense to be like that strand, then I would truly be formidable. With my divine sense suppressed now, it actually becomes an opportunity to cultivate Guiding the Spirit again from the beginning. Perhaps there may be an entirely new change.”

Wow—this fellow was truly open-minded. He actually regarded the restriction that suppressed divine sense as a method for tempering his own divine sense cultivation.

However, Zhang Xiaohua’s way of thinking was indeed quite reasonable. As the ancients said well: the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold; the sharpness of a treasured sword comes from grinding. Only in adversity can one find opportunities that cannot be found in favorable circumstances.

“Having divine sense that reaches more than ten zhang is still better than having none at all.” Thinking this, Zhang Xiaohua walked out of the tent.

In front of him was a round, emerald-green lake about the size of Dianchi. The golden sunlight had not yet shone upon the surface of the lake. Only a gentle breeze passed over it, raising ripples upon the water.

Around the lake were also tall mountains on all four sides, lush and verdant, almost exactly the same as the surroundings of Dianchi yesterday. “This…” Zhang Xiaohua was speechless. If his divine sense had not been constantly suppressed, he would naturally have believed that this was Dianchi itself. No wonder yesterday, Steward Yang had said that all the medicine boys who came to Spring Rebirth Valley would ask the same question!

At this early hour, perhaps because the previous night’s work had gone on too late, the lakeside was completely quiet, with no one moving about. Zhang Xiaohua looked around. Behind the tents was a patch of woodland, so he walked over. He casually found an open space and began practicing the Big Dipper Fist. This fist technique was not something he feared others seeing. There was no need to hide the fact that he knew martial arts. If he did not practice his fist techniques, that would be what was abnormal.

He practiced the Big Dipper Fist for eleven repetitions to his heart’s content. The flowing force circulated ten times, tempering the bones throughout his entire body, yet the eleventh circulation did not arrive. This was also normal. Zhang Xiaohua had only advanced in the Big Dipper Fist a few months ago; how could he advance again so quickly?

After finishing the fist practice, Zhang Xiaohua saw that it was still early and did not hurry back to the tent. Listening to the crisp birdsong in the forest, his mood became greatly uplifted, and he walked deeper into the woods. The forest was lush with grass and trees. Walking within it, breathing in the faint scent of soil, one could cast countless troubles behind. Without realizing it, Zhang Xiaohua had already walked quite far.

While walking, Zhang Xiaohua casually glanced to the side, and immediately his steps halted. Under a tree nearby grew a brown plant, more than half a chi tall. The leaves that stretched out resembled a duck’s feet. Among the many duck-foot-shaped leaves, a straight stem extended slightly upward, and at the top of the stem was an oval fruit of a somewhat pale green color.

Although this plant was more than half a chi tall, the surrounding weeds were over a chi high, concealing it extremely well. If Zhang Xiaohua had not happened to walk right beside it, he would never have noticed it.

Staring at that pale green fruit, Zhang Xiaohua felt both joy and confusion. In the scrolls of Spring Rebirth Valley, this plant was called “Duckfoot Grass”, while in the jade slips it was called “Dragon Scale Fruit.” The names were different, and the medicinal parts used were also different. The duck-foot-shaped leaves were a main ingredient for refining the Clear Poison Pill, possessing exceptional effects in detoxifying and clearing internal heat. The Dragon Scale Fruit, however, was a main ingredient of the Immortal Dao’s Azure Rain Pill, specifically used to calm the mind and regulate true qi. This medicinal herb had long since been lost in the martial world. Even Spring Rebirth Valley only had records of it and did not possess the actual herb.

That such a precious medicinal herb was actually growing just like this beneath a tree—how could Zhang Xiaohua not be astonished? However, seeing that the fruit was still oval and had not yet grown round, and its color was still pale green rather than having turned deep, its age was still shallow. If it were used for refining medicine or pills, the medicinal potency would still be insufficient.

Zhang Xiaohua walked up to it and was just about to squat down to examine it carefully when suddenly his brows furrowed slightly. His body paused for a moment, and then he continued to squat down.

Zhang Xiaohua looked at it for a while. A trace of mockery appeared at the corner of his mouth. He stretched out his hand, pretending he was about to pick it. At that moment, a warm voice came from behind him. “This senior brother, please wait a moment.”

Zhang Xiaohua put on a surprised expression and quickly stood up, turning his head to look. Not far from where he stood, a disciple in blue robes was holding a long sword and standing there.

When that disciple saw Zhang Xiaohua turn around and caught sight of his face, he was also momentarily stunned. He cupped his hands and said: “This senior brother seems somewhat unfamiliar. May I ask which peak you belong to?”

“Which peak?” This time it was Zhang Xiaohua’s turn to be stunned. He quickly returned the greeting and said, “My name is Ren Xiaoyao. I only arrived at the Incense Spreading Sect last night…”

Upon hearing this, the man smiled and said, “Oh, I see. It seems junior brother is a refining apprentice recruited by the Artifact Refining Hall. I am a mountain-patrolling disciple of the Wuming Hall. Junior brother has come rather far from the encampment; it would be best to return quickly.”

After speaking, his eyes casually glanced at that clump of Duckfoot Grass.

Zhang Xiaohua found it strange that the other party had immediately concluded he was an apprentice of the Artifact Refining Hall, but he smiled and said: “Many thanks for senior brother’s reminder. I woke up early and wandered around casually, and somehow came here. I will head back now, I will head back now.”

Then he pointed at that “Duckfoot Grass” and said: “I’ll just pick this strange grass and leave.”

After speaking, he was about to squat down again.

Seeing this, the disciple grew anxious and hurriedly stopped him. “This junior brother, please hold on. This Lotus Leaf Grass is something I discovered early this morning. It is only because its age is still insufficient that I have not picked it yet. I ask my junior brother to stop.”

“Lotus Leaf Grass” was a plant somewhat similar to “Duckfoot Grass”, except that Lotus Leaf Grass was very common and held nothing precious about it. Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes were full of mockery. That blue-robed disciple had clearly been heading in another direction just now and had not known there was any Duckfoot Grass or Dragon Scale Fruit here. He had only come over after hearing Zhang Xiaohua’s movements. Yet now he actually claimed that he himself was the owner of this Duckfoot Grass, even calling a deer a horse, all for fear that Zhang Xiaohua might learn of the herb’s preciousness. It was truly somewhat laughable.

“Well then…” Zhang Xiaohua stood up and cupped his hands. “So it turns out it already has an owner. Please forgive me, senior brother. Fortunately, I had not yet picked it and did not cause any great mistake.”

He then pointed to the surrounding weeds and said: “Senior brother should perhaps put up some sort of marker. Otherwise, one day someone else might pick it rashly.”

Hearing this, the man said coldly, “Junior brother had best not meddle in other people’s affairs. This route happens to be one I must pass each day while patrolling the mountain. You have only just arrived. If not for the fact that Jinghai Lake was opened last night, where would there be any human traces here today? You should leave. If you delay any longer, be careful that I take you to the Enforcement Hall.”

Zhang Xiaohua looked thoroughly frightened. He repeatedly cupped his hands and turned around, walking back the way he had come.

Within his divine sense, there was a slight trace of anger on that disciple’s face. Once Zhang Xiaohua’s figure disappeared, his eyes filled with delight. He then cautiously looked around. From his robes, he actually took out a small shovel and skillfully dug the Duckfoot Grass out of the ground, holding the soil and roots together in his arms. He did not even continue patrolling the mountain. Instead, he used Qinggong and ran back.

Zhang Xiaohua, walking ahead, could not help but be startled. That method of transplanting medicinal herbs was so practiced that it rivaled the disciples of Spring Rebirth Valley. Yet that Qinggong of his truly did not live up to the title of a mountain-patrolling disciple. The disciples of the Wuming Hall should not be this poor, should they?

“Moreover, this fellow did not even say his own name. He must have long intended to deceive me. Besides, he immediately declared that I was a boy from the Artifact Refining Hall, not even giving me the chance to explain. He must usually be the sort who is stubborn and self-opinionated. Heh, heh, the Incense Spreading Sect is only this much. Before this, I had somewhat overestimated them. The ancients said it well: ‘When the forest is large, all kinds of birds can be found.’ That is indeed correct.”

“Forget it, forget it. In any case, the Dragon Scale Fruit is still too young and cannot be used. Besides, I have already arrived at the Incense Spreading Sect and will be working at the Pill Expansion Hall. Could it be that precious medicinal herbs will be rare to see? Let that fellow enjoy his pride.”

Zhang Xiaohua consoled himself as he walked back. His divine sense was suppressed, and he could no longer detect the man’s movements. Along the way, he also carefully searched, hoping to discover something more. Unfortunately, it was like drawing water with a bamboo basket—nothing remained.

Coming out of the forest, the campsite had already become lively. Everyone was packing up their things. Even Qiang Shi, who had been sleeping soundly just a moment ago, was now running about actively. When he saw Zhang Xiaohua appear, Qiang Shi immediately stepped forward with a smiling face and said in a low voice: “Little uncle-in-law, where did you go? Just now, Steward Yang came looking for you. You weren’t here, and he was already a bit displeased.”

Zhang Xiaohua was startled. He swept out his divine sense. Fortunately, Steward Yang was within a range of a little over ten zhang. Zhang Xiaohua immediately found him among the crowd. He was pointing and gesturing, carrying quite the air of a leader.

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said to Qiang Shi: “You go ahead and pack up. Please go check on my Sibu Xiang and see whether the bundles on its back are still there. I’ll go see what matter Steward Yang has.”

Qiang Shi laughed. “What is there to pack up? When coming to the Incense Spreading Sect, nothing is allowed to be brought. Only little uncle-in-law can carry a few small bundles. Just now I even saw the Sibu Xiang, it’s right over there. Little uncle-in-law doesn’t need to worry—no one would dare be a thief.”

“No one?” Zhang Xiaohua secretly laughed in his heart. No one stealing in secret—someone would simply snatch it openly!