“Su Yi, you’re horrible!”?Nan Ying froze for a moment, then gnashed her teeth, flung the drumstick into the dirt, and charged out of the courtyard.?She ran off in a panic.
When Su Yi turned back around, he saw the moldy, shriveled drumstick and recalled how infatuated he’d once been with that woman.
He was speechless. But then, who dared say they hadn’t encountered this sort of debased woman in their youth?
Su Yi shook his head, then returned to his room and began taking inventory of his gains.
Eighteen ten-thousand-tael notes lay sprawled across his desk, as well as three spiritual medicines, a secret tome containing a peak yellow-grade martial art, three stalks of Bluejade Spirit Bamboo, and a Spirit Bamboo Shoot.
It was fair to say that this time, his harvest was enormous.
Unfortunately, although this was an ample supply of silver, it wasn’t of much interest to Su Yi anymore.
To the best of his knowledge, you actually could buy certain spiritual medicines with silver in the prefectural capital.
But they were ordinary spiritual medicines, and they were absurdly expensive.
For instance, the lowest class of spiritual medicines, tier-one medicines, went for as much as thirty thousand taels of silver!
Second-tier medicines went for around eighty thousand a piece.
But then, even in the markets of the Cloudriver Prefectural Capital, tier-two spiritual medicines were precious, and whenever they appeared, people snapped them up despite the high prices.
That said, Fu Shan told him that buying spiritual medicines was much easier if you used spirit stones to purchase them.
.
This was because, to martial artists, both spirit stones and spiritual medicines were cultivation resources, and both were indispensable.
The three medicines before Su Yi were all the lowest-tier, just tier one.
But the Spirit Bamboo Shoot looked exceptional. It qualified as a tier-two spiritual medicine.
When I get to the Cloudriver Prefectural Capital, I’ll exchange my silver for spirit stones,?Su Yi thought to himself.
In the prefectural capital, you could trade ten thousand taels of silver for a single tier-one spirit stone.
A hundred tier-one spirit stones could be exchanged for a single tier-two spirit stone.
At the end of the day, even after proceeding to the prefectural capital, he’d still have to earn money.?Only then could he obtain a never-ending stream of cultivation resources.
Su Yi quickly put the silver notes, medicines, and?tome?away. He then exited his room and sat on the stone bench beneath the locust tree, using Mortal Edge to carve a stalk of bamboo.
Shavings scattered across the yard, and before long, Su Yi held a brand new bamboo sheath.
It was three feet long, roughly the same thickness as an infant’s arm, and blue-green, as lustrous and translucent as jade.
Su Yi sheathed Mortal Edge. It fit perfectly; only the hilt remained visible.
But Su Yi thought the hilt was a bit of an eyesore too.
He thought for a moment, then removed the hilt’s two jutting edges. The sword no longer had a cross-guard, which meant even the hilt could disappear into the bamboo sheath.
Finally, he used a bunch of bamboo strands to form a flexible but durable strap and attach it firmly to the top of the sheath. This allowed him to hang his weapon around his waist.
Su Yi raised the finished bamboo sheath and examined it.
Beneath the light of the sun, it was green and vibrant, with all the translucency of high-quality jade. It was comfortable to hold and felt cool and soft to the touch.
It seemed more apt to call it a bamboo staff than a sheath.
Su Yi gently shook his wrist, and…
Clang!
Mortal’s Edge popped out with a low hum.
“Not bad. I can use it as a walking stick in my day-to-day life. In battle, all I have to do is draw my blade. It’s a far better look than constantly having a sheathed sword hanging from my waist….”
Su Yi was pleased.
Although Mortal Edge only had the barest hint of spirituality, if it spent time within this Spiritjade Bamboo sheath, the bamboo would nourish and transform both the edge and the metal.
This was the real reason Su Yi crafted this sheath.
Next, he chopped up each of the remaining bamboo stalks, cutting them into seven-inch slices. By the time he finished, he had thirty-six in total.
These were spiritual materials, so he could inscribe certain basic talismans upon them, then use them to set up formations, kill enemies, expel ghosts, and perform divinations…
Last of all, Su Yi made himself a bamboo hairpin.
Of course, he scraped off all of the bamboo’s outer layer, so the hairpin was a bright, simple, elegant white.?If he wore a?green?hairpin on his head, that hint of color might be enough to cause unfortunate misunderstandings.
Su Yi approached the mirror and examined himself.
The person looking back at him stood with his hands behind his back, his long hair pinned up with a lustrous white bamboo hairpin. A bamboo staff hung at his side. He looked neat and refreshing.
Having obtained the experiences and mental state of his past life, he’d become calmer and more indifferent. He had a casual ease, an extraordinary bearing, and a transcendent air.
“I’m just seventeen, the prime of my youth. I’m showing no signs of age, which is why I at least have a little bit of my past life’s style.” Su Yi nodded approvingly.
Suddenly, Qing Wan’s timid voice emerged from the Soul-Nurturing Gourd as she voiced her approval too. “Mystic Master’s appearance reminds me of the poem that goes, ‘Bai Shilang’s beauty is unparalleled. Throughout the world, there’s not another like him.’”
It seemed she’d grown far braver than before; today, she even dared speak up of her own volition.
“It’s just a good-looking set of skin. Only girls like you care that much.” Su Yi shook his head. He clearly didn’t think anything of it.
“I might be taking you to Mother Ghost Ridge soon,” he said. “So make sure you’re prepared.”
After giving his orders, he walked up to his desk and started crafting the bamboo pieces into talismans.
…..
Nightfall.
Hu Quan led a medicine-picker named Guo Bing to the Apricot Cottage.
Guo Bing was aged, with sparse hair. His tall frame was?bony?and withered.
He wore a conical hat, and beneath it was a terrifying face. Half of it was red, swollen, and bulging, while the other half ranged from blue and purple all the way to black. Worse, his features were hideously distorted, like a ghost. He looked terrifying!
“Sir, Ol’?Man Guo is the most experienced medicine picker in the city. Years ago, he used to roam Mother Ghost Ridge.” When he saw Su Yi, Hu Quan introduced the elderly medicine-picker. “Ol’ Guo is the most familiar with Mother Ghost Ridge. He knows the place like the back of his hand.”
“Steward Hu, you’re exaggerating. I haven’t stepped foot in Mother Ghost Ridge ever since a ghost injured me. It’s been ten years since my last visit.” Guo Bing’s voice was raspy and feeble. It seemed he was in poor health.
Su Yi looked Guo Bing up and down. Suddenly, he asked, “Was the apparition you encountered a ‘Deathbringer’?”
“A Deathbringer?” Guo Bing was dazed. He was just an ordinary person, and he knew nothing about ghosts at all.
Su Yi explained, “A Deathbringer is one of the lowest classes of vicious ghosts. They’re born of tainted gravesites.
“They’re low-class, but if their aura touches you, their Jadefire Yin Poison will invade your body. Mild poisoning results in symptoms like yours, a permanent ‘Yin-Yang Grimace.’ Furthermore, the poison will corrode your life force day and night. The pain is excruciating.
“More serious poisoning, and within three days, the victim is left with nothing but dried-up bones.”
When he heard Su Yi’s full explanation, Hu Quan was stunned. This was his first time hearing something so eerie and inauspicious.
Guo Bing froze, stunned. Then, he instantly got worked up, his face filling with hope and his voice trembling. “Sir, does that mean you have a way to treat injuries of this level?”
Su Yi nodded, then said lightly, “Yes, but the poison has afflicted you for over a decade, and the Jadefire Yin Poison has already infiltrated your internal organs. Getting rid of it completely won’t be easy.”
Guo Bing collapsed to his knees with a thud, then kowtowed. “Sir, I beg you, save me! These past ten years, I’ve suffered so much, I almost can’t bear to go on! The pain is more than I can express in words; if not for my wife and son, I would have killed myself a long time ago!
“If you can help me, I’ll happily lead you to Mother Ghost Ridge myself!”
Su Yi glanced at Hu Quan. “In a bit, I’ll write up a medicinal recipe. Go fetch and boil the ingredients.”
Then, to Guo Bing, he said, “Take the medicine for half a year, and it will remove every last trace of yin poison in your body.”
Hu Quan hurriedly agreed. As for Guo Bing, he was so overwrought that he kowtowed repeatedly, weeping and dribbling snot.
“Enough. Old Man Guo, Even Doctor Wu praises our family’s son-in-law’s?medicinal attainments. He’s agreed to save you, so this medicine is certain to clear up your disease.” Hu Quan helped Guo Bing to his feet. “If you really want to thank him, tell him everything you know about Mother Ghost Ridge. Leave nothing out.”
Guo Bing nodded repeatedly. “Sir, do you plan to visit Mother Ghost Ridge?”
“That’s right,” said Su Yi calmly.
Guo Bing took a deep breath, then clenched his teeth. “Mother Ghost Ridge has a complex terrain, and it’s filled with unpredictable dangers. Words alone are insufficient to describe it. I’m willing to lead the way personally!”
Hu Quan was frantic. “Sir, you can’t go to Mother Ghost Ridge lightly. You…”
Su Yi cut him off. “I’ve already decided. Don’t bother trying to dissuade me.”
Then, he turned to Guo Bing. “Come to the Apricot Clinic early tomorrow morning, then guide me to Mother Ghost Ridge. You can rest assured; I’ll be sure to bring you back safe and sound.”
Guo Bing agreed without a second thought.
When he saw this, Hu Quan could only sigh, but he made no further attempts to dissuade them.
Now that this was settled, in the interest of prudence, Su Yi took some time that night to prepare several items useful for?exorcizing?ghosts. That way, he could fully relax.
Morning the next day.
Si Yi held a bamboo walking stick. The Soul-Nurturing Gourd was strapped to his waist, and his hair was pinned up with an angled bamboo pin as he leisurely strolled out of the residence.
When he reached the clinic’s front doors, he saw Guo Bing waiting for him in his conical hat.
But just as the two of them were about to set off, they heard a voice call out from down the street.
“Guo Bing, so this is where you were! I finally found you!”
Su Yi turned to look and saw a group hurrying towards them from afar.
Wen Jueyuan led the pack.
When he saw Su Yi standing next to Guo Bing, his pupils constricted, and his expression went somewhat rigid.
But Guo Bing didn’t notice the change. He clasped his fist and said, “Young Master, what was it you needed me for?”
He picked medicine for the Wen Family, and Wen Jueyuan was the family head’s son. He couldn’t be disrespectful.
Wen Jueyuan said solemnly, “A distinguished guest has come all the way from the prefectural capital with plans to visit Mother Ghost Ridge. To the best of my knowledge, throughout all of Guangling City, only you have the skills necessary to act as her guide.”
Guo Bing froze. He instinctively glanced at Su Yi. ．
“Guo Bing, what’s that look supposed to mean?” Wen Jueyuan scrunched up his brow. “Relax. Once this matter is settled, you’ll receive your fair share of the benefits!”
Guo Bing hurriedly explained, “Young Master, you’ve misunderstood. It’s just that yesterday, I already agreed to escort Young Lord Su to Mother Ghost Ridge.”
“What did you say?” This time, it was?Wen?Jueyuan’s turn to be stunned.
When he next looked at Su Yi, he said stiffly, “What do you want to go to Mother Ghost Ridge for?”
Although his attitude was cold, after witnessing the Dragon’s Gate Banquet, he dared not treat Su Yi with the same imperious attitude he had before.
Su Yi played with his bamboo staff and said coldly, “That’s my business. It has nothing to do with you.”
A hint of rage appeared on Wen Jueyuan’s forehead, but he swiftly forced it back down.
He stared right into Su Yi’s eyes, pausing for emphasis between each word. “Su Yi, I admit that after recovering your cultivation, you’re extraordinary. Even City Lord Fu Shan attaches great importance to you.
“But don’t forget; you’re still the Wen?Family’s?live-in son-in-law!”
He placed extra emphasis on the words “live-in son-in-law”.