Although Han Li was unaware of the conversation between Elder Ye and the old man surnamed Wu after he left, he felt extremely frustrated.
Ever since the incident with Doctor Mo, this was the first time he had encountered a situation where he clearly knew he was stepping into a trap but had no choice but to proceed. It left Han Li deeply annoyed, yet it also reinforced his belief that the world of cultivation was a place where the strong preyed on the weak.
“If I need anything in the future, I’ll just go to him to take it!” At this thought, Han Li smirked coldly. He would make sure Elder Ye learned that his possessions were not so easily swallowed.
He stood on the ground and gazed into the distance. By now, Steward Yu had already returned to the Hundred Mechanics Hall. Just ahead lay the Hundred Herbs Garden, a small basin nestled between two hills. The owner of the garden had set up minor restrictions to prevent outsiders from intruding.
After walking a short distance, Han Li touched the nearby restrictions and was blocked by a wall of white light.
Unfazed, he raised a jade tablet and shone it forward. Instantly, a green ray shot out from the tablet and flew into the restrictions. Han Li waited patiently.
“Come in!” A dry voice sounded from within, as if speaking right beside Han Li’s ear. The restrictions before him then melted away like snow and ice.
Seeing this, Han Li did not dare delay and hurried inside.
Following the path ahead, Han Li stopped in front of a courtyard adorned with a plaque reading “Hundred Herbs Garden.” The courtyard was spacious, covering several acres. Before he even stepped inside, a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out, invigorating him.
“Why are you standing there dumbly? Come in quickly—I have matters to attend to outside!” Han Li was taken aback but immediately complied and entered.
Once inside, he finally got a clear view of the garden’s layout.
Several thatched huts, built from dry grass and bamboo, stood at the center of the garden. Surrounding them were neatly arranged square plots of land divided by trenches. Each plot was lush with familiar and unfamiliar medicinal herbs, along with some peculiarly shaped plants, filling the entire garden with vibrant spiritual energy. Even as a cultivator, Han Li felt immensely refreshed after taking a deep breath.
“Come into the house!” The owner of the voice, growing impatient with his dawdling, spoke again.
Han Li smiled faintly and walked into the thatched hut without concern.
Inside stood a withered, short old man who looked displeased at Han Li’s arrival. The man appeared to be in his fifties, with two yellowish mustaches and small, murky eyes that darted around restlessly. At first glance, he resembled a human-shaped rat spirit.
“Are you the garden caretaker disciple sent by the Hundred Mechanics Hall? You’re too young, and your cultivation is too weak! Is that Ye fellow brushing me off? Why are the people he sends getting worse each time?” The thin old man’s expression darkened upon seeing Han Li, and he flew into a rage.
“Disciple Han Li pays respects to Uncle Ma!” Having already learned of the old man’s eccentric temper from the records, Han Li was not surprised and stepped forward to bow.
“Hmph! Do you know how severe the punishment will be if you fail your task? It’s not too late for you to go back now and tell my Junior Brother Ye to send someone else!” The old man rolled his eyes and spoke irritably.
“Is the task to maintain the garden’s scale, ensure no herbs wither, and submit a fixed quantity of herbs each month? If so, this junior is quite confident!” Han Li replied calmly.
Hearing this, the old man was taken aback. It seemed this was the first time a garden caretaker disciple had spoken with such confidence. He couldn’t help but give Han Li another look, though the doubt in his eyes remained undiminished.
“Follow me!” the old man suddenly said coldly before walking out of the hut. Han Li followed without hesitation.
“How many of these herbs can you recognize?” The old man pointed at the garden full of plants and glanced sideways at Han Li.
“About one-tenth,” Han Li replied lightly after a quick scan.
The old man was momentarily stunned but then sneered, “If you can really recognize one-tenth of these herbs, I’ll entrust the garden to you without another word!”
With this assurance, Han Li smiled slightly and stepped away from the old man.
“Midnight Blossom, Yellow Sphere Grass, White Crane Lingzhi, Moon-Gazing Grass…” Han Li strolled through the garden, casually calling out the names of the herbs he recognized.
The old man initially wore a mocking expression, but as Han Li continued, surprise crept onto his face. Han Li had named many obscure herbs, some of which the old man himself had struggled to identify. This left him astonished.
“Enough!” the old man interrupted before Han Li could finish naming even half of the herbs he knew.
“Very good. It seems you weren’t entirely boasting. I’ll temporarily entrust this garden to you. Here is the restriction token—catch it carefully!” The old man looked satisfied and deftly pulled out a dark green wooden token from his robes, tossing it to Han Li.
“Inside the hut, you’ll find my notes on cultivating herbs over the years. Study them carefully. After all, you’re still unfamiliar with most of the herbs here—don’t let them wither!” The old man stroked his mustache and admonished.
“Thank you for the reminder, Uncle. This disciple will remember it,” Han Li said respectfully.
“Ahem! I hope your skills are as reliable as your words. That way, I can truly free myself from this garden and focus on my cultivation. This garden is my private herb plot, so if you prove capable, I won’t treat you poorly. But let me be clear: if you can’t handle it, leave early and make way for someone else. Understood?” The old man blended kindness with sternness.
Instead of taking offense at the blunt words, Han Li felt a growing respect for the old man. He found him far more admirable than Elder Ye—at least he wasn’t a hypocrite. Han Li promptly nodded in agreement.
After reiterating a few more points about managing the garden, the old man returned to the hut, hastily gathered his belongings, and left without looking back, flying away into the sky.
Once Uncle Ma was out of sight, Han Li casually chose one of the huts, tidied it up, and made it his living quarters.
Having been busy all day without rest, even a cultivator like Han Li felt somewhat weary. He climbed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
To him, even if something monumental were happening outside, it could wait until he was fully rested. By then, the sky had already darkened.
Thus, Han Li’s first day as a new disciple of the Yellow Maple Valley passed not without its twists and turns. When he awoke the next day, refreshed and energized, his path of cultivation truly began.
In the days that followed, Han Li spent his days studying the old man’s notes and experiences, while at night, he secretly buried the mysterious small vial in a corner of the herb garden. He covered it with the high-priced fragment of a magic tool to conceal its astonishing ability to absorb spiritual energy.
As a result, aside from having slightly denser spiritual energy than other areas, that corner showed no other remarkable signs, putting Han Li’s worried mind at ease.
A few days later, Elder Ye sought out Han Li with the so-called exchange items for the Foundation Establishment Pill. He handed over spirit stones and magic tools amounting to less than a fifth of what was originally promised. As for the pills that should have been included, Elder Ye seemed to have completely forgotten, and Han Li pretended not to know either.
Nevertheless, Han Li suddenly found himself wealthy overnight. He obtained two mid-grade spirit stones, several dozen low-grade spirit stones, three finely crafted magic tools, and some talismans.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage