"This is surprisingly smooth. Could it be that the god of luck has possessed me?"
In the backyard of Wanyaozhai, Yan Qingshan stared at the emerald green crystal core on the table, still tinged with a hint of blood. He felt like he was dreaming. Today had gone too smoothly.
After obtaining the Blood Lotus Essence, Yan Qingshan's mind had naturally provided a better healing plan. Other things were easy enough, but he needed a first-level magic core that matched his physical attributes—the wood element—to provide energy.
Magic cores are the crystallized energy of Warcraft beasts, unique to the Douqi Continent. They are extremely valuable but difficult to obtain. First, Warcraft beasts are powerful, and fighters of the same level are generally no match for first-level Warcraft beasts.
Second, obtaining magic cores from lower-level Warcraft beasts depends on luck. Magic cores from first- and second-level Warcraft beasts are the most difficult to obtain. Sometimes, a mercenary group might strangle more than ten first-level Warcraft beasts and still come away empty-handed. Such incidents are not uncommon on the continent.
The first-level wood-attributed magic core in Yan Qingshan's hand belonged to a first-level magical beast called the Green Wood Wolf, which, even at maturity, was a first-level magical beast.
Qingshan Town, also known as the Magic Beast Town, was known for its ease in obtaining magic cores. Yan Qingshan had originally planned to go out and buy one. However, this first-level magic core in his hand wasn't something he'd bought; it was a trophy.
That day in the Magic Beast Mountains, he had been attacked and bitten in the neck by a Green Wood Wolf. According to the mercenaries who brought him back, he had stabbed the unfortunate wolf unconsciously, nearly killing it.
Because the beast still clung to his neck even after its death, they brought it back to Wanyaozhai with him. According to mercenary rules, the Green Wood Wolf was considered his trophy.
Perhaps he was possessed by some lucky charm, but the Green Wood Wolf happened to possess a magic core that perfectly matched his needs, saving him a lot of trouble.
"…"
"Ebony root, withered bone grass, sky star vine, red flame pepper… and this level of magic core powder!"
Yan Qingshan pulverized each herb according to a specific technique. Aided by the dawn, his movements were steady, his method textbook-level.
The steaming bath in the room transformed into a medicinal broth. With his dagger whirring, he shattered the magic cores into a fine powder, which then slowly poured down the edge of the tub, mixing with the murky broth.
"Warcraft senses are more acute than those of ordinary humans. That Green Wood Wolf was targeting this piece of Blood Lotus Essence in my hand!"
Yan Qingshan pulled out the Blood Lotus Essence he had carefully preserved. Thinking back on it, he still felt a sense of fear. It truly was a life-or-death moment!
The Green Wood Wolf's mad dash into the midst of a multitude of fighters to attack a mere medical apprentice was unusual in itself, but if it was for this piece of Blood Lotus Essence, it made sense.
He was fortunate, however, to have survived the ordeal and even found the carcass of a Green Wood Wolf. Though his wounds were indeed more severe, the Blood Lotus Essence and the first-rank magic core offered a greater reward.
Yan Qingshan carefully unwrapped the bandaged wound. The bloody hole left by two rows of hideous teeth marks was terrifying. At the deepest point, one could even see the pale white collarbone covered in blood.
The best treatment plan would have been to heal the wound, but even if it healed, his left shoulder would inevitably be scarred, requiring a long period of recuperation and follow-up treatment. This was entirely a matter of material availability.
But now… Yan Qingshan extracted the Blood Lotus Essence and carefully cut a small portion of the epidermis. A crystalline, blood-like liquid oozed faintly, like sweat from a pore.
Yan Qingshan held the Blood Lotus Essence a short distance above his left shoulder, exerting a slight pressure. A drop of the fragrant, blood-colored liquid landed precisely on the most daunting wound on his shoulder.
Instantly... a flash of blood appeared on his shoulder. Numbness, itching, and throbbing pain washed over his nerves. His right hand, holding the Blood Lotus Essence, nearly destroyed the precious medicinal material in its palm. He
quickly placed the Blood Lotus Essence, which had not lost much of its energy essence, into the wooden box he had prepared. Yan Qingshan then dove headfirst into the tub.
A drop of the Blood Lotus Essence entered his wound and rapidly dissipated. Energy flowed through the wound and into Yan Qingshan's various meridians, eventually forming layers of blood membranes that interwoven and seeped out. The area with the two rows of wolf-fang wounds was the site of the heaviest burst of blood.
Yan Qingshan clutched the edge of the tub with both hands, his face pale and sweaty. His body trembled violently, and trickles of blood began to seep from the skin around the wound. In the blink of an eye, the wound was coated in a layer of crimson blood, a terrifying sight.
Soon after filling the bloody hole in Yan Qingshan's left shoulder, the blood began to rapidly coagulate on the surface of his skin, eventually forming a blood-red stratum corneum.
His wound was sealed within, and the blood scab spread outward along the wound, the drug taking effect.
"Ugh..."
Yan Qingshan silently endured the pain of the rapidly healing wound. His hands, tugged at the tub, exposed their varicose veins. He gritted his teeth to prevent the linen cloth in his mouth from injuring his tongue, forcing himself to stay awake. After sitting upright, he turned his five hearts upward and circulated energy throughout his body, preventing any excess drug effect from dissipating and harming himself.
...
"Shuguang, show me my specific data!"
Yan Qingshan woke up again, feeling the fighting spirit surging through his body. With a thought, a stream of information quickly appeared in his mind.
Host: Yan Qingshan
Cultivation: Sixth Stage Dou Qi
Strength: 0.7
Status: Healthy
Agility: 0.6
Mental Strength: 7.3
(Data collection target: The average of one-star Dou practitioners in Qingshan Town. The median data of one-star Dou practitioners is 1.0 for each indicator)
"Sixth Stage of Dou Qi? Unfortunately, it's only one step away from the advanced seventh stage. That step makes a world of difference. Only after reaching the seventh stage of Dou Qi can one enter the advanced stage of Dou Qi."
Yan Qingshan shook his head with some dissatisfaction. Cultivating the ninth stage of Dou Qi is a crucial foundational stage in the Dou Qi Continent.
His original body's cultivation level wasn't high, nor was his talent strong. With the help of the high-level medicinal herb Blood Lotus Essence, breaking through to the sixth stage of Dou Qi would have been something to celebrate. However, being stuck at the threshold of advanced Dou Qi was a bit of a disappointment.
"Never mind, I better not be greedy."
Yan Qingshan stretched his arms and legs. The feeling of being healthy was truly wonderful. After being bedridden for so long, unable to move, even a few steps made him feel much more relaxed.
"Reincarnated, still in a dangerous fantasy world. Escape is useless if I want to stay safe!"
Yan Qingshan stretched his muscles and began to think about the future. Since he had been reborn, he had to make the best of it.
"On the Dou Qi Continent, the strong are respected. If I want to avoid drifting with the tide, I need cultivation techniques, resources, and money—all of these are essential..."
Yan Qingshan grabbed a blue shirt from the hanger and draped it over himself as he left the room. A gentle breeze brought a slight chill, but he felt nothing. His brow furrowed in thought.
"Money and resources can be managed, but cultivation techniques, especially advanced ones, are what determine my ultimate limit. Normal avenues are hopeless for me. Only..."
Yan Qingshan mentally planned a plan. Every word from the novel he once read resonated in his mind. Thanks to Shuguang's presence, his memory was incredibly sharp, and he had forgotten almost everything he had brought back from his past life.
Theoretically, for an ordinary person, acquiring advanced cultivation techniques would be practically impossible. However, nothing is absolute. The Dou Qi Continent is vast, home to countless races. Due to its vastness, it also harbors many unknown and unknown hermits.
Before their deaths, these hermits might have hidden their skills somewhere, awaiting the rightful possessor. A common saying spread across the Douqi Continent: If one day you fall off a cliff and land in a cave, don't panic. Take two steps forward, and perhaps you will become a powerful warrior.
This saying is certainly true; the continent's history is filled with stories of those who rose to power through fortuitous encounters.
At that moment, braving the gentle breeze, Yan Qingshan gazed upon the winding mountains in the distance: the Monster Mountains, an adventurer's paradise and a burial ground...
"
Wanyaozhai is about to enter the Monster Mountains to collect herbs. Seventeen spots are still available. You must be a two-star Douzhe or above. Everyone, hurry up!"
In the center of Qingshan Town, at the entrance to Wanyaozhai, a long queue of mercenaries formed, jostling each other, each craning their necks in anticipation of being chosen. There were only seventeen spots available, yet at least twenty of them had gathered.
This was Wanyaozhai's monthly herb-collecting event, and it always attracted a large number of mercenaries.
Wanyaozhai is the largest pharmacy in Qingshan Town. It can't rely solely on recycling the scattered herbs brought back by mercenaries. Furthermore, the mercenaries' methods of collecting herbs are quite rough, resulting in the loss of many herbs' medicinal properties and difficulty in preservation, leading to the waste of valuable materials.
"Brother Qingshan, are you really okay?"
Yan Qingshan sat in the carriage in front of Wanyaozhai. Beside him was the worried-looking Little Medical Immortal. They were the leaders of this Wanyaozhai herb-collecting expedition.
Wanyaozhai's apprentice physicians naturally couldn't just learn without practicing. If they weren't skilled enough to treat patients, they couldn't just take on the job. It was common for them to be responsible for herb-collecting.
Every Wanyaozhai herb-collecting expedition was accompanied by a physician or apprentice physician to ensure that the herbs collected met the regulations and that their medicinal properties weren't lost due to improper collection.
The Warcraft Mountains are fraught with danger, and even a large-scale herb-collecting team is bound to suffer casualties. This is the opportunity for the physician apprentices to practice... ahem... oh no, save lives. This is how experience and expertise are accumulated.
Yan Qingshan, who was almost fourteen, had already led the herb-collecting team many times, but unfortunately he was seriously injured in a car accident last time. This was the first time
for the little medical fairy, who was only twelve years old. Boss Yao of Wanyaozhai was greedy and demanding. Few of his formal doctors were willing to lead the herb-collecting team. Once the medical apprentices had mastered the basic skills, the job was basically thrown to them.
Originally, due to Yan Qingshan's injury, Boss Yao was planning to let the young but most skilled little medical fairy take charge of the herb-collecting work.
But Yan Qingshan, who was still recovering from his injuries, volunteered to help. He had recovered long ago, but he had to pretend to be seriously injured and unable to move around in Wanyaozhai all the time,
so how could he stay there? Boss Yao thought about it and agreed, considering that the little medical fairy had little experience and needed someone to lead her. However, this time, Boss Yao recruited more mercenaries and even reminded them to protect the carriage well.