Longevity: Starting with an infant's innate growth potential

Chapter 50 Searching for Herbs in the Mountains (Seeking further reading, monthly votes, and recommendations)
After tidying up, Zhou Ling left the room.

Mother had already prepared breakfast, while Father sat quietly in a rattan chair in the courtyard corridor.

Sipping his tea and gazing at the sky, he looked somewhat forlorn.

These past few days, as instructed by Doctor Lin, he has been forbidden from drinking alcohol and from using his internal energy.

Fortunately, with the help of the Qi-Nourishing Pill, his internal meridians have recovered somewhat, and his condition has improved a lot.

But he, who has never been idle, is finding it rather uncomfortable to stay at home like this.

He could only look at the flowers and plants in the corner of the wall when he had nothing to do, or help his mother put the brewed spirit wine into the wine jar.

"Ling'er, are you going to stay at the Taoist academy for a few days?"

After serving Zhou Ling a bowl of spiritual porridge, Li Ru asked.

"Mother, it may take six or seven days, or even longer."

Zhou Ling ate the spirit porridge and steamed buns while mumbling something incoherently.

"Yes, I told you to go live at the academy a long time ago. Next year is the assessment year, a crucial time, so we can't be careless!"

"As for the matter of the Condensing Essence Grass, Mother plans to consult Doctor Lin and ask him to think of a solution! You don't need to worry."

Li Ru instructed.

"Mother, don't worry, I've already found out where the Qi Condensation Grass is!"

Zhou Lingdao.

"Where did you get this information?" Li Ru asked, puzzled.

"Master Wang told me!" Zhou Ling said matter-of-factly.

Hearing that it was Wang Yu, Li Ru had no doubts and asked, "How many spirit stones do you need? Mother has ninety spirit stones saved up. Can you tell me how many we need?"

"Mother, you don't need to worry about this. I'll handle it."

Zhou Ling took a steamed bun and walked outside.

"Father, I'm going out now!"

"If we don't have enough spirit stones, I'll borrow some from your Uncle Chu and the others!" Zhou Shan said after coughing.

"Need not!"

"This child is in such a hurry, he didn't even explain what's wrong to us!"

Behind me, I heard my mother's murmured voice.

After leaving his house, Zhou Ling went straight to Chu Xing's home.

Chu Xing and the other four rogue cultivators had all made preparations to find the medicine master, and they were somewhat surprised to see Zhou Ling.

Zhou Ling greeted everyone and then they set off towards Black Cloud Mountain.

Black Cloud Mountain is located west of Lingxia City, and it is said to stretch for tens of thousands of miles, vast and boundless.

Lingxia City is merely a small town on the western edge of Heixia Mountain.

In Lingxia City, the search for pharmacists generally divides Black Cloud Mountain into outer mountain, inner mountain, and forbidden mountain based on distance.

The area within one or two hundred miles of Heixia Mountain is generally referred to as the outer mountain.

The spiritual energy in this area is relatively thin, and most of the spiritual herbs present are ordinary spiritual herbs or low-grade first-order spiritual herbs.

The majority of them are early-stage Tier 1 monsters, with a small number being mid-stage Tier 1 monsters.

Further in, a thousand miles away, lies the edge of the inner mountains.

This place is rich in spiritual energy, mainly producing first-grade spiritual herbs. If you're lucky, you can find several high-grade first-grade spiritual herbs in a day.

However, the risks are also enormous, as most of the monsters in the area are mid-to-late stage first-tier monsters.

Going further in, you enter a restricted area, also known as a no-go zone.

Even for Foundation Establishment cultivators, entering would be extremely dangerous.

Therefore, cultivators who practice Qi cultivation are absolutely prohibited from entering the forbidden mountain area.

Most of the medicine-hunting teams in the vicinity of his home operate in the outer mountains.

They rarely venture into the inner mountains.

In other words, one will only take the risk of entering if there is a specific goal in mind.

However, the Nine Leaf Valley that Zhou Ling is heading to this time is located in the Inner Mountain area.

According to the map Chu Xing provided, it was roughly a hundred li south of their usual camp.

This is a dangerous area.

In the past, Zhou Ling would never have gone to such a dangerous place.

I wouldn't even think about it.

He still has that much self-awareness. But now, he still has to take the risk of finding the Condensing Essence Grass.

When the group arrived at the camp, several medicine-hunting teams had already set up camp there.

Chu Xing also asked Zhou Ling to find a place to set up camp first.

Zhou Ling learned from the other medicine seekers and quickly and easily set up the camp.

Afterwards, Chu Xing began to arrange the areas where everyone could search for medicinal herbs.

Because there are just too many herbalists going into the mountains every day in search of medicinal herbs.

The experience of the team leader in searching for medicine is crucial.

He needed to know something about where there were medicinal herbs and where there were demonic beasts.

Otherwise, they might be attacked by monsters at any time, and if they didn't find the medicine, their lives would be in danger.

"As for Ling-ge'er, you'll come with me!"

After arranging the search routes for the others, Chu Xing gave instructions to Zhou Ling.

Seeing Chu Xing's resolute expression, Zhou Ling didn't say anything more.

On the first day in the mountains, we should familiarize ourselves with the environment and ensure safety before proceeding.

Their route was heading south.

The area is densely forested with rugged mountain paths, and startling roars can be heard from time to time in the jungle.

The roar was sharp and strange, echoing through the wilderness and sending chills down one's spine.

It was as if some kind of monster was declaring its territory.

In the wilderness and jungle, one can often see white bones, some belonging to monsters and others to humans.

Chu Xing walked ahead, looking cautious.

Zhou Ling followed behind him.

As they continued on their journey, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Zhou Ling.

"Fire Cloud Grass!"

He soon spotted a thirty-year-old Fire Cloud Grass in the grass a few feet away.

[Fire Cloud Grass discovered, treasure hunt in the mountains +1]

After confirming that there was no danger around, Zhou Ling went over and picked the Fire Cloud Grass from the weeds.

"Brother Ling, you have a good eye!"

Chu Xing couldn't help but praise.

[Purple Treasure Grass Found, Treasure Hunt in the Mountains +1]

[Found Ink Essence Grass, Treasure Hunt in the Mountains +1]

······.

By noon, the two had traveled about thirty miles, and Zhou Ling's medicine basket was already half full of spiritual herbs.

But Chu Xing was empty-handed.

Seeing Zhou Ling's expertise and experience, which surpassed even his own, Chu Xing could only shake his head, realizing he had been overthinking things.

Black Cloud Mountain didn't seem to pose any danger to Zhou Ling; on the contrary, it was like a treasure trove.

The amount of money he made this morning was several times that of a typical pharmacist.

Of course, there were two warning signs along the way, but Zhou Ling managed to avoid the dangers perfectly.

After a simple lunch of dry rations, the two continued on their way.

[Fireweed discovered, treasure hunt in the mountains +1]

Not long after, Zhou Ling found another mid-grade first-tier Fire Cloud Grass.

And so, by evening, Zhou Ling had found a whole basket of spiritual herbs, including a mid-grade first-tier Fire Cloud Grass.

This harvest already exceeds his father's monthly earnings.

Moreover, Zhou Ling had traveled approximately fifty miles south today and was quite familiar with the conditions along the way.

Chu Xing was also greatly surprised by Zhou Ling's performance today.

Although he didn't gain much, he was still very happy, and Zhou Ling's performance put him completely at ease.

It has been decided that Zhou Ling will act on her own tomorrow.

Back at the camp, it was getting dark, and Zhou Ling entered his own tent.

After eating some dry rations, he took out the Fire Cloud Grass he had obtained that day, circulated the Spirit Flame Technique, and began to refine and absorb its medicinal power.

(End of this chapter)