It sounded like their luck was wasn’t good.
This younger generation of the Shen Clan was also part of the direct line of descent. He was called Shen Yuanxu. He was Shen Yuanbai’s cousin, and possessed the aptitudes of an exceptional genius. Although he wasn’t as outrageous as Shen Yuanbai, who made people wonder if he was just an exceptional genius or an actual prodigy, he was hardworking and diligent. Presently, at the age of twenty-eight or twenty-nine, he was already a high Atomic Realm.
Shen Yuanxu’s personal pharmacist, He Meng, had earth-level potential, and his spiritual path realm was at the Core Psyche Realm. Growing up together, he was patient and experienced. He also had a good understanding of wondrous medicine. As a result, among the descendants of this generation of the Shen Clan who could enter the leyline, while the two of them weren’t obligatory choices, they were still among the top candidates, and not many had any objections about it.
Previously, the pair cooperated well on the stone tree. Compared to the stone dragons and corals, where not a single stone ovum was obtained, they quickly found a handful in this location. Even if only one was good and the others were all dead ova, it was worth it. Thus, they worked even harder, and He Meng focused even more psychic power.
Unfortunately, because He Meng was young and was caught up in the momentary excitement, he didn’t withdraw his psychic power in time after encountering an Earth Worm, and was pounced on head-first by that creature!
Although, Shen Yuanxu immediately went to block it, they were separated by a distance of ten to twenty feet. Shen Yuanxu’s movements were fast, but the Earth Worm was faster. The instant it pounced on the psychic power, that tail stinger was already sweeping out like a whip — It instantaneously pierced into the space between He Meng’s brows!
At that very moment, Shen Yuanxu promptly reached out a hand, grabbed the Earth Worm’s body, and exerted all of his strength to throw it off. But despite doing this, because the tail stinger had already impaled the Tianfu Acupoint, the psychic power inside had been absorbed till there was practically nothing left. Even that psychic core was just about ready to shatter!
In the end, He Meng was a calm and cool-headed person. When he discovered that his own psychic core was beginning to sting, he immediately erupted with a blast of surging psychic power. No matter what the Earth Worm absorbed, the protected psychic core wasn’t devoured. But after Shen Yuanxu caught that Earth Worm, He Meng wasn’t able to hold on any longer. Out of self-preservation, he sank into unconsciousness.
There was nothing Shen Yuanxu could do. He could only carry He Meng, and leave the stone tree. Then, he came to this side to settle down. Later on, he saw Gu Zuo descend the stone tree, and went through this question-and-answer session just now.
Gu Zuo listened, and felt that it was a great pity.
In fact, if the distance between the pharmacist and Earth Worm had been far, there wouldn’t have been any need to worry about the creature’s mandibles biting into his psychic power. The amount it devoured would’ve been limited to what had been released, leaving him with only some damage. What was truly horrible was that the Earth Worm pounced on He Meng — In other words, the distance was very close. As its mandibles bit into his psychic power, its tail stinger directly stabbed into the space between his eyebrows!
The Earth Worm’s devouring speed would’ve increased a hundred fold. In a single breath, it would’ve been capable of collapsing a pharmacist’s Tianfu Acupoint till “brain death”.
Back then, Shen Yuanxu’s luck hadn’t run out. His arrival was just in the nick of time. This was because, after an Earth Worm’s stinger pierced a pharmacist’s Tianfu Acupoint, its whole body would become insubstantial due to psychic power. At that time, how could a martial artist use their physical body to grab onto the worm? Fortunately, Shen Yuanxu reacted swiftly. The moment the Earth Worm stabbed its tail stinger into He Meng’s Tianfu Acupoint, he grabbed the creature and pulled it out. If he hadn’t done this, there wouldn’t have been only cracks appearing on He Meng’s psychic core. Instead, his psychic core would’ve been directly consumed, and He Meng would’ve perished.
Gu Zuo sighed: “Then, what will you do now?”
Shen Yuanxu shook his head: “I can only wait. Brother He is currently in the middle of operating his inner cultivation method to replenish the psychic power inside his Tianfu Acupoint. For the time being, he can preserve his psychic core and prevent the cracks from expanding. It’s just that…”
Gu Zuo understood his meaning.
It was just that He Meng’s slow recovery of his psychic power couldn’t compare to the speed of the widening cracks. As such, this was a futile effort. At this rate, He Meng’s “death” was only a matter of time.
Although Gu Zuo had witnessed many deaths since coming to this world, this didn’t mean that he liked to watch the constant passing of life. Most of all, this was an acquaintance.
But even Gu Zuo couldn’t do anything about it because, in this world, there wasn’t anyone capable of refining medicine that could heal psychic cores… As for the issue of psychic power, one could only rely on psychic power to resolve it.
— Eh? That was wrong!
Gu Zuo suddenly thought of something.
Just at this time, several figures quickly flashed over.
Shen Yuanbai, Lan Wenxi, and their pharmacists had come here, too.
Upon seeing He Meng lying on the ground, Shen Yuanbai spoke in a cold voice: “What’s going on?”
Shen Yuanxu had a pained look on his face as he told the others what he had just said to Gu Zuo. Soon after, he spoke with regret and loss: “It’s all my fault. If I had been closer to him, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened.”
Shen Yuanbai’s brows furrowed slightly.
As martial artists, they had to be very careful about selecting their personal pharmacists. As a result, they often had many candidates who needed to go through a long trial-run to be chosen — It was better to let the candidate pharmacists mutually restrict one another than to fully trust a single pharmacist among them.
Shen Yuanxu was able to grow up with He Meng, and they had become friends who went through life and death together. This matter was very hard for him. Right now, He Meng was on the verge of losing his life because Shen Yuanxu couldn’t come to the rescue in time. Shen Yuanxu’s heart was naturally filled with guilt and shame.
When confronted with his older cousin’s displeasure, he couldn’t help lowering his head.
Lan Wenxi faintly shook his head: “Now isn’t the time to feel guilty. Brother Shen Yuanxu, the top priority is for you to bring Brother He out of this place, and to let Brother He cultivate properly. Don’t focus on how this land only limits a martial artist’s internal qi. There are unseen influences on pharmacists as well — When a pharmacist’s Tianfu Acupoint is stable, it’s naturally easy to deal with. But once the Tianfu Acupoint is jolted and the primordial spirit is about to shatter, the longer one remains here, the faster it’ll collapse.”
Shen Yuanxu loosened a sigh: “Yes, I know. Many thanks for the reminder, Brother Lan.”
Shen Yuanbai also said: “As it should be. Leave quickly! You can’t stay here for much longer!”
Shen Yuanxu bade farewell to the others, and gripped the Gate Opening Pearl.
Although this object required a pharmacist to open to it when coming inside, it was fortunate that a martial artist could also use it when leaving. Otherwise, Shen Yuanxu would’ve had to die alongside He Meng in this place.
The Gate Opening Pearl instantly shined with a stunning, red light. In the time it took to blink, Shen Yuanxu and He Meng both disappeared from their original locations.
All of a sudden, the journeying group of eight had decreased by two. This caused the couple of pharmacists who had been happily looking for stone ova to feel a mist of shadow creeping over their hearts.
Gu Zuo was a little worried, while the other two shivered.
If they were also pounced on by Earth Worms… Right away, everyone increased their vigilance, and didn’t dare to be the least bit complacent.
Shen Yuanbai spoke: “Keep moving forward.”
Originally, Gu Zuo had already jumped down from Tianheng’s back. At this moment, he pressed closer to Tianheng, and reached out a hand to grab the other’s wrist.
Tianheng tilted his head, and gave a faint smile to Gu Zuo.
Gu Zuo’s heart suddenly became much more smooth and steady. He thought it over, and talked to Shen Yuanbai about the words he didn’t have enough time to share with Shen Yuanxu: “Brother Shen, I’ve heard that, among the various kinds of wondrous medicine, there are several that can mend the Tianfu Acupoint and restore the psychic core…”
Just a moment ago, Gu Zuo recalled this point.
Perhaps it was because wondrous medicines were born from leylines, and were different from other medicinal ingredients. After being buried underground and nurtured for countless years, they underwent many strange and magical changes, which gave rise to even more fantastical effects.
Pharmacists really had no way to refine medicines that could boost one’s psychic power. When they took medicinal pills, they could only use ones that purely supplemented their qi. However, among the wondrous medicines, there really were a few that shared a relationship with psychic power.
Shen Yuanbai’s footsteps came to a halt: “Pharmacist Gu knows which types?”
Gu Zuo nodded his head: “Flowing-Tassel Hearts, Immaculate Bamboo, Hundred-Dew Vines…”
As he thought back on what he read in Canon of Wondrous Medicines, he recited each and every wondrous medicine written inside that was related to the restoration of psychic power. Overall, while there were dozens of types that were related to psychic power in and of itself, there were only seven or eight that could correctly treat He Meng’s situation.
When Shen Yuanbai and Lan Wenxi finished listening, they looked at Gu Zuo with gazes that flickered with a trace of complex emotions.
This person’s knowledge was truly extraordinary.
As expected, the luck of a pharmacist with heaven-level potential was exceptionally good.
Actually, every large organization had specialized introductions in the field of wondrous medicine. However, based on the timing that Gu Zuo joined Ten Ultimates Sect, he shouldn’t have learned about this so quickly.
Thus, the only possibility was that he had a fortuitous encounter.
Shen Yuanbai and Lan Wenxi viewed Gu Zuo in this way, so it was only natural that they regarded him with special respect.
Shen Yuanbai said: “Within Heavenly Martial Sect, there are some introductions to wondrous medicine. Merely, I hadn’t read through all of them back then, so I don’t know these names.” He sighed, “There should be a few of these types of wondrous medicine kept in the sect, but these wondrous medicines are extremely precious. A pharmacist who isn’t valued with great importance wouldn’t be able to get them. Based on He Meng’s aptitude, he can’t acquire them. If we want to treat him, we can only take advantage of the present opportunity and keep looking. At that time, if we can find one or two, we can save him.”
Gu Zuo also felt that there was no other alternative.
He exchanged glances with Tianheng, and reached a consensus. Then, he said: “The matter of Brother He is enough to make anyone wring their wrists in worry. As a fellow pharmacist, this Gu can sympathize. Since it’s like this, once this trip ends, and if there are any of those wondrous medicines inside this Gu’s stone ova, it’ll be yielded to Brother He.”
A hint of a happy expression flashed in Shen Yuanbai’s eyes. Shortly thereafter, he said: “Many thanks for this kindness, Pharmacist Gu. This Shen will certainly exchange it for a wondrous medicine of equal or higher value. As for whether we can really save him… That’ll be up to Brother He’s fate.”
Lan Wenxi smiled and said: “If I find these wondrous medicines, I also won’t forget about my senior sect brother. At that time, senior sect brother must give me the best, or I won’t trade.”
Shen Yuanbai swept a glance over him, and coldly harrumphed.
Lan Wenxi didn’t take it seriously, and only raised an eyebrow.
At this moment, Tianheng also spoke: “Since we’ve come to a decision, let’s start looking right away.”
Gu Zuo agreed at once: “We need to be more meticulous this time.”
Hence, after everyone came to that decision, they moved out, and divided into the same pairs as before.
They searched the entire way, and didn’t leave any nearby places unexplored. Every time they encountered a giant stone tree, they went to climb it and carefully looked around. The vigilance in each person’s heart was much higher than when they first came in.
This leyline would remain open for only seven days.
Within these seven days, if the Gate Opening Pearls weren’t stimulated to bring themselves out, then they would have no choice but to stay in the leyline and wait for their own deaths — After all, this leyline only opened once every ten thousand years. Even if it was a Lesser Emperor Realm martial artist, the person’s lifespan would only be 9,900 years. It didn’t break through ten thousand at all.
The group of people searched with rapt attention in this way until the sixth day silently arrived.
There was still one and a half days before the leyline was sealed again.
Gu Zuo wiped away his sweat.
They had been traveling for a long while. This time around, they came across extremely small numbers of martial artists, but everyone’s main goal was to harvest stone ova. As a result, after glancing at the other party, they hurriedly left. Basically no conflicts occurred — Wasting so much available time on fighting definitely wasn’t worth it! As for those who wanted to rob others, some did exist. However, did the person they wanted to rob find any stone ova? How many stone ova did they find? If there were such delays, perhaps in the end, not only wouldn’t they be able to snatch any stone ova, they would instead be stolen from. That would be the height of stupidity.
Therefore, when the group noticed some people far away, they didn’t pay too much attention.
The martial artists probably put some thought into taking precautions, but more energy was focused on searching for stone ova.
Yet, this incident wasn’t as simple as they thought.
The astonishing thing was that those people were unexpectedly fighting each other!
Not only were the martial artists locked in close combat, even the pharmacists were releasing substantiated psychic powers!
T/N: Thanks for the corrections, Charysa.
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