Chapter 8: Herbs, Beasts, and a Growing Mystery
Morning sunlight spilled over the slopes of Stormwind Peak as Lin Xuan adjusted the simple pack slung over his shoulder.
Today's goal wasn't hunting beasts—it was hunting herbs.
The Empyrean Pill Scripture listed several entry-level recipes perfect for increasing qi absorption speed. Most required common herbs, but a few called for rarer plants that could push the pill's effectiveness far beyond normal.
With his luck and the Evervault Forge's storage, Lin Xuan planned to collect more than just the basics.
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Into the Wilds
Leaving the sect grounds, he slipped into the deeper reaches of the forest, choosing paths most disciples avoided. The air here was thicker, the qi more potent—and so were the dangers.
Still, every beast he encountered fell quickly to his Thunderpierce Void Fang or Sky-Breaking Tyrant Fist, their cores and useful parts vanishing into the Evervault for later.
Hours passed. He gathered several mid-grade herbs and was about to turn toward a rocky stream when a strange scent drifted to him—sweet, intoxicating, and threaded with qi so dense it made his meridians hum.
"This…" He frowned, recognizing it from the pill scripture.
Moonfire Ginseng—a rare, high-tier alchemy herb that absorbed both lunar yin and solar yang energy. Its root could supercharge cultivation pills, and its value in the sect's markets was enough to tempt even inner disciples into killing for it.
Which meant it was never unguarded.
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Guardian of the Ginseng
The scent led him into a small clearing bathed in sunlight… and there it was: a thick-rooted ginseng plant glowing faintly with silver and gold light.
But between him and it, crouched low and watching, was its guardian.
A Silverclaw Lynx—a mid-tier Qi Condensation beast with razor claws capable of slicing through spirit-forged steel. Its silver fur bristled as it bared its fangs, protecting its prize.
Lin Xuan's lips curled into a faint smile. "Guess I'll have to earn it."
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The lynx leapt first—blurring into a streak of light.
Lin Xuan's Void Phantom Steps carried him aside, his spear whistling in a downward arc.
The lynx twisted mid-air, claws flashing. Sparks flew as metal met beast.
> [Thunderpierce Void Fang – Second Form: Void Lunge!]
The spear shot forward, lightning crackling along its length, forcing the lynx to retreat with a growl. It circled warily, eyes narrowed.
The battle became a dance—phantom steps and sudden lunges, bursts of lightning and slashes of silver.
Finally, Lin Xuan feinted left, then brought his spear around in a sweeping arc—catching the lynx in its blind spot.
The beast collapsed, twitching.
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Harvest
He stored the lynx's body in the Evervault before approaching the ginseng.
Carefully, he used a spirit-forged dagger to dig around the root, preserving every tendril. The moment the plant was free, it pulsed once before going still—its power now his to refine.
"This alone could push my first pill batch to the next tier."
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Back at the Sect — A Different Perspective
Elsewhere in the Cloudsky Sword Sect, a young man in pale-green robes knelt in front of an elder in deep crimson.
"So," the elder said, stroking his long beard, "you were in the outer hunting grounds gathering herbs for me… and a panther attacked?"
"Yes, Elder," the young man said. "We were finished if not for someone stepping in. His spear pierced the beast's heart in a single blow."
The elder's brows lifted. "And this disciple—what was his cultivation?"
"I couldn't sense clearly, but… his strength and movement were at least on par with a core disciple. Yet his robes were plain, and he didn't give a name."
The elder frowned. "Strange. I know every core disciple, and most of the inner ones. No one matches your description."
"Then…"
"Then we have someone hiding their strength," the elder murmured, eyes narrowing. "And I want to know who—and why they're in the outer ranks."
He stood abruptly. "I'll begin searching the core and inner sect first. If I find nothing… then things will get interesting."
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Return and Resolve
By the time Lin Xuan returned to his courtyard, night was falling.
The Moonfire Ginseng, lesser herbs, and beast cores were safely tucked in the Evervault.
He didn't know that his actions had already set a curious elder on his trail.
Instead, he sat before the spirit-gathering array, the ginseng's scent still lingering in his senses.
The pill scripture's words echoed in his mind.
If he could master the flame control techniques and refine the right pills, the bottleneck of his massive qi consumption could finally be broken.
He looked at the ginseng again and smiled faintly.
"It's time to light the furnace."