Chapter Sixteen: Seeking Medicine

When they returned to Tianmen Peak, there were only three days left before the Cauldron Room would open for pill refining. This time, the three of them came back empty-handed, feeling rather dejected. Missing out on double contribution points weighed heavily on Lin Feng's conscience.

“Senior Sister, Pine, you two should each take one of the Skywolf claws,” Lin Feng said at the foot of the mountain.

“That won’t do. The two of you don’t have enough contribution points. You each take one,” Helian Ruxue replied with a stern face.

“Um... Senior Sister... Little Lin...” Du Songsong’s face was flushed, struggling to say anything. He indeed lacked enough contribution points—a fair margin short. If he gave up the Skywolf claw, he’d have to wait another three years...

“Senior Sister, my contribution points have long been enough. Don’t forget, last time I exchanged the Dragon Whisker and Immortal Fruit for a total of four hundred and eighty points,” Lin Feng said. The journey to Fallen Immortal Valley had been his idea, and his friends had spent seven or eight days in vain. He could not bring himself to take the Skywolf claw.

“I don’t believe you,” Helian Ruxue said with a charming smile, thinking Lin Feng was trying to deceive her.

Lin Feng shook his head with a bitter smile and took out his jade slip. On it, a line of numbers appeared: 2203.

Both companions gasped in disbelief.

“See, I wasn’t lying?” Lin Feng grinned at them.

A sly spark flashed in Helian Ruxue’s eyes. She spoke calmly, “Junior Lin, no matter how many contribution points you have, they are rightfully yours. But the Skywolf claw was discovered by all three of us. By rights, it should be shared equally. Let’s go to Mr. Fei and have him appraise it before we make a decision.”

“Good idea!” Lin Feng agreed after a brief pause.

At the entrance to the Treasure Exchange, it was so quiet one could throw a net and catch birds. Most outer sect disciples were searching for spiritual herbs in the mountains, delivering them to the Cauldron Room at the back of Tianmen Peak for double contribution points. Thus, during the past half month, few had visited the Treasure Exchange.

“Mr. Fei, good morning!” Stepping into the old-fashioned trading room, Du Songsong’s excitement was palpable.

“Hmm! Not morning anymore—look, the sun’s already high. I haven’t had a single customer all day, and now three at once. Ha!” Mr. Fei laughed, rising to greet them.

Inside the counter was a stranger—a young man in azure robes, with delicate features, his long hair tied in a neat ponytail. He smiled and nodded to the three.

Lin Feng glanced at him, hesitated, exchanged a look with Helian Ruxue, then took a deep breath and addressed Mr. Fei. “Mr. Fei, we have something here. Could you appraise its value in contribution points?”

“Oh?” Mr. Fei’s eyes brightened. Among these three, aside from the messy-haired Du Songsong, the other two often brought surprises. All three together—could they have an extraordinary treasure?

The azure-robed youth also looked interested, smiling slightly at them.

Du Songsong took off his bundle, carefully placing a Skywolf claw on the counter.

“Ah!” Mr. Fei exclaimed, looking at the youth beside him. Both men’s eyes sparkled with joy and surprise.

“You didn’t hunt the Skywolf, did you?” Mr. Fei picked up the claw, examining it closely, his amazement growing.

Lin Feng laughed, “No, the Skywolf was already dead when we found it in the wild. How many contribution points could we exchange for it?”

Mr. Fei and the youth both sighed in relief. If these three had actually slain a Skywolf, their strength would be terrifying.

“Hmm... Judging by its pelt, this is from a Royal Howling Moon Skywolf—a mid-grade spiritual material, worth eight hundred points,” Mr. Fei declared.

“Junior Du, how many contribution points do you have now?” Helian Ruxue asked.

“Seven... seven ninety-six.” Du Songsong’s face was awkward as he took out his jade slip.

“Oh, so few.” Helian Ruxue frowned, then looked at Lin Feng.

Mr. Fei handed the Skywolf claw to the stranger, smiling, “How do you plan to divide this Skywolf claw?”

Lin Feng glanced at the two behind the counter, weighed his options, and said, “Mr. Fei, we’ll go outside to discuss.”

“All right! The claw stays here with me. Is that agreeable?” Mr. Fei smiled warmly.

“Heh, you’re joking, sir,” Helian Ruxue said with a sweet smile.

The three left the Treasure Exchange and sat at the stone table outside. Lin Feng spoke first. “Pine, Senior Sister, we have two claws. I’d like to keep one as a memento for Wuzhu. The contribution points from the other, you two can split. How does that sound?”

Helian Ruxue laughed lightly. “That’s a good suggestion. I’ll add one thing—my share goes to Junior Du as well.”

“Ah, this... this can’t be...” Du Songsong was stunned, hurriedly refusing.

“Pine, since Senior Sister insists, you should take the claw for yourself,” Lin Feng laughed, patting Du Songsong’s shoulder.

The three returned to the Treasure Exchange.

“How did you decide?” Mr. Fei asked.

“Mr. Fei, all eight hundred points go to him,” Lin Feng said, tugging Du Songsong along, whose face was now crimson with embarrassment.

“Oh?” Mr. Fei and the youth exchanged a surprised glance and nodded.

Du Songsong’s jade slip changed, the numbers jumping to a blue 1596.

The three were delighted, bidding farewell as they left.

“Xiaotian, did you notice anything?” Mr. Fei asked the youth once the trio disappeared.

“Strange... I can’t see through any of them except the fool. Odd,” Fang Xiaotian shook his head, sighing.

Mr. Fei chuckled. “Next year’s sect selection will be a spectacle. I’m growing more interested in them by the day.”

“There aren’t many who make you take a second look,” Fang Xiaotian replied, waving his hand to reveal a jade disc. Mr. Fei’s smile faded...

Walking along the Tianmen Peak mountain path, the three chatted and laughed, but the usually lively gate now seemed desolate.

“Is anyone there? Help! Someone help!” A heart-wrenching cry came from the foot of the mountain.

“Let’s go!” Lin Feng ran downhill.

At the base of Tianmen Peak, a young man cradled a woman in his arms. Both were soaked in blood, the pungent scent detectable from afar.

“What happened?” Lin Feng and Helian Ruxue reached them first, frowning at their appearance.

The man was wounded but not gravely, while the woman was barely breathing, her eyes closed—she likely would not survive.

“I am Zhuang Bufan, a disciple of Qiongshan Sword Sect. My junior sister, Nalan Yan, was gravely injured by a demonic cultivator. I beg the Hundred Flowers Sect—for the sake of our shared path—save her! I will repay this debt, even at the cost of my life!” The man’s expression was tragic, his eyes bloodshot. Judging by his ragged state, he’d endured much hardship in the wild; carrying her here was a feat in itself.

“Senior Sister, you take them to the back mountain. I’ll go ahead to the Cauldron Room to exchange for a healing pill!” Lin Feng said hurriedly, then dashed to the back mountain.

With injuries so severe, ordinary medicine would not suffice. Only the Azure Jade Dew Pill might work.

But the Azure Jade Dew Pill was a rare treasure even in Hundred Flowers Sect. It was said that as long as someone had a breath left, it could save them.

Lin Feng had never seen this miracle pill, only heard it was occasionally available in the Cauldron Room.

Saving a life came first. He sped to the back mountain, weaving through small groups of people, pushed open the thick sandalwood door of the Cauldron Room, and was greeted by a rich medicinal fragrance.

“Excuse me, do you have any Azure Jade Dew Pills?”

Behind the counter, an unsympathetic elder snorted. “None!”

“None? Then what medicine do you have for saving the gravely wounded?” Lin Feng was taken aback.

“Good medicine? I have hundreds of kinds! If you don’t name it, how am I to know what you want?” The man’s attitude was abominable, not raising his head as he slowly flipped through a yellowed ancient book.

Suppressing his frustration, Lin Feng forced a smile. “Someone has suffered sword wounds and is at death’s door. What medicine would you recommend?”

“There—Golden Jade Pill. Five contribution points each.” The elder summoned a jade bottle, placing it on the counter.

“Yes, I’ll take three.” Lin Feng thought for a moment and took out his jade slip.

The elder said nothing more, swiped the slip, then produced three golden pills, wrapped them in mulberry paper, and handed them to Lin Feng.

“Thank you, sir!” Lin Feng snatched the package and left.

The old man snorted and buried himself in his medicinal book.

Outside the Cauldron Room, Zhuang Bufan and his companion’s arrival sparked whispers.

“Who are these two? Why are they here in our Hundred Flowers Sect?”

“With those injuries, I bet she won’t live through the night.”

...

“Junior Lin! How did it go?” Helian Ruxue asked anxiously. She had checked earlier—the woman’s internal organs were all shattered by inner force, surviving only by sheer determination. Anyone else would have died long ago.

These two siblings truly shared a deep bond.

“Senior Sister, these are Golden Jade Pills.” Lin Feng produced the pills, and the surrounding disciples widened their eyes, eager for a spectacle.

Helian Ruxue’s face changed. “No! Golden Jade Pills are too aggressive. If she takes them, she’ll die for sure. Only the Azure Jade Dew Pill can save her.”

Lin Feng was shocked. “But the shopkeeper said there were none!”

Helian Ruxue’s body stiffened. “Impossible! I’ll go ask!”

Zhuang Bufan’s face fell, and this strong man was moved to tears.

“Master Lu! I want an Azure Jade Dew Pill!” Helian Ruxue strode in, slapping her jade slip onto the counter.

“Oh? What do you need it for?” The old man glanced at her, closed his book, and stood up.

“To save a life! There’s a dying patient at the door!” Helian Ruxue’s face was grim.

The shopkeeper shrugged. “Azure Jade Dew Pill is a mid-grade medicine, only available to inner sect disciples. Not to mention other sects—even you outer sect disciples have no right to exchange for it.”

“What!” Enraged, Lin Feng burst in, slamming his Three-Section Spear onto the counter. “You let people die! Are you even human?”

“Insolence! Who do you think you are? How dare you disrespect me!” Lu was furious. He raised his hand, white light flashed, and Lin Feng was sent flying.

“Bang!” Outside, the disciples watched as Lin Feng crashed into an ancient willow, then collapsed, coughing up blood. Cries of alarm erupted.

Helian Ruxue spoke coldly. “Shopkeeper Lu! You let someone die and then injure our sect disciple. What is your justification?”

Lu Yuan snorted. “I, Lu Yuan, abide by the rules. Even if the sect master were here, he couldn’t fault me.”

“You…!” Helian Ruxue trembled with rage, unable to argue.

“Such adherence to rules!” Suddenly, a man stepped out, hands clasped behind his back, surveying the crowd with calm confidence.

Lu Yuan’s face changed dramatically. He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak.

“Shopkeeper Lu, do you remember me?” It was Fang Xiaotian, recently seen in the Treasure Exchange with Mr. Fei.

“Of course, of course, how could I forget?” Lu Yuan’s expression shifted rapidly, his smile utterly false.

“Good. I’m not here to settle old scores today, but you just injured a sect member and twisted the rules. This must be addressed!” Fang Xiaotian’s tone turned icy. Before anyone could react, two muffled thuds sounded, and Lu Yuan clutched his chest, collapsing into his chair, a trickle of blood at his lips.

Fang Xiaotian ignored him, stepped up to Zhuang Bufan, and handed him a small green bottle. Without waiting for thanks, he moved to Lin Feng’s side and said coldly, “If you lack strength, don’t act tough. Otherwise, you’ll lose your life and blame others for being ruthless—such a death isn’t worth it.”

Lin Feng lay on the ground, looked up, snorted, and turned away.

“Take care. Once, I too acted rashly...” The voice lingered, but the youth vanished.

“Thank you, elder! Thank you, elder!” Zhuang Bufan gave the pill to the woman in his arms, kneeling and crying out his gratitude.

Du Songsong helped Lin Feng up as Helian Ruxue hurried over. The three helped Zhuang Bufan to his feet.

“Brother Zhuang, three miles away is Apricot Blossom Village. You and your companion should rest there for a while,” advised Helian Ruxue.

“Thank you all. One day, I, Zhuang Bufan, will repay this great kindness.”

“There’s no need for thanks. We weren’t much help and feel guilty,” Helian Ruxue said, glancing at Lin Feng and sighing.

They all walked out of the mountain together. At the base, Lin Feng returned alone to his quarters to rest, while Du Songsong and Helian Ruxue escorted the visitors to Apricot Blossom Village.

Pushing open the familiar wooden door, Lin Feng lay on his bed, unable to calm his thoughts.

“Strength... Without strength, even a mere shopkeeper can bully people, indifferent to life and death. Mortals are like this, cultivators too. Where in this world is justice...”

“Senior Sister Helian has reached the late stage of Qi refinement. Pine is about to break through to the middle stage. And I’m still holding them back. No! Even if I can’t refine Qi, I must train hard. At least, if my dantian can’t be restored, I’ll have my external skills and spear technique to rely on…”

He took a deep breath and opened the booklet Ye Kun had given him: ‘Phantom Cloud Sword Technique.’