Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
When the ‘public hearing’ for Yan Liqiang was about to end, Liu Guiyuan quickly said to Yan Liqiang, “Dizang Valley occupies a wide territory and has strict defenses. There are many forbidden lands within this expanse too. If you have some time today, you can follow me to Dizang Valley and take a look first. I will bring you there so you can familiarize with the area for now. After that, we can discuss the time and particulars for us to perfect the ‘Book of Herbs’ together. You can come to Dizang Valley to work three days after the ceremony of acknowledging master has ended…”
“Elder Liu has his mind on the ‘Book of Herbs’ so he doesn’t want to delay it for another moment. Liqiang, just go with Elder Liu to Dizang Valley today and have a look. When you come back, go to Juying Courtyard right away and someone will assist you in the arrangements for the corresponding procedures!” Luqiu Mingyue interrupted.
“Understood. Your disciple will follow Elder Liu and drop by Dizang Valley!” Yan Liqiang replied obediently.
“Good!” Luqiu Mingyue nodded and glanced at the other elders in the great hall, “Let us end here for today. Thank you all for your hard work!”
“Let us cordially see Sect Lord off!” All the elders stood up and bowed to Luqiu Mingyue. With a nod as acknowledgement, Luqiu Mingyue did not speak any further and immediately left through the back of the great hall.
“Let’s go!” Liu Guiyuan looked at Yan Liqiang and quickly headed toward the outer area of the hall. Yan Liqiang hastened to keep pace with Liu Guiyuan from behind.
“Please wait for a moment, Elder Liu…” Yan Liqiang only felt the flash of a blue shadow before him when Elder Wu, who was clad in blue robes, suddenly stopped in front of Liu Guiyuan.
“What’s the matter, Elder Wu?”
“It’s nothing. I just want Elder Liu to hold on for a minute and allow me to exchange a few words with Yan Liqiang!” Elder Wu smiled and turned her gaze toward Yan Liqiang, her eyes shining with extraordinary splendor as she continued, “I like the painting you drew for Elder Lin just now. If you have time to spare in the next few days, drop by Tianyi Peak and draw me a painting too. That shouldn’t be too hard, right?!”
“Eh, since Elder Wu has given the command, Yan Liqiang will certainly render his service to you…”
Yan Liqiang observed Elder Wu’s expression and instantly knew what was going on in her mind. No matter how high her status within the Divine Sword Sect was or how strong her martial cultivation became, a woman would always be a woman. When a woman saw how much a person could permanently preserve one’s exquisite image and figure to such perfection with a refreshing and stunning method, almost none of the women could resist this kind of temptation, especially those who had already lost their youthfulness. Regardless of how well they took care of themselves, how bizarre their cultivation techniques were, and how many heavenly treasures they could use to slow the signs of aging to retain their youthfulness, they would still grow old one day. Because of that, the preservation of their unsurpassed beauty seemed more valuable right before they truly became old. At least when they became an old person in the future, they could still recall and see their original beauty back in their youthful days.
“Don’t forget, if you have time, drop by Tianman Peak as well…” A beautiful elder with the surname Lu also smiled and greeted Yan Liqiang when she passed by him.
……
The Danyao Valley that the Divine Sword Sect mentioned was located in Dizang Valley among the 72 valleys. From the looks of the area, all of Dizang Valley seemed to occupy the largest mountain valley in the mountain gates of the Divine Sword Sect. The valley had numerous spiritual fields, spiritual caves, as well as an establishment of more than a hundred medicinal gardens. All the herbs grown inside the mountain valley were an assortment of medicinal drugs. Moreover, when these medicinal drugs were ready for cultivation and consumption, they could be harvested and handled right away before being delivered to the respective pharmacies in Dizang Valley, allowing the apothecaries to refine a variety of spiritual medicines.
In some sense, Dizang Valley was considered an integrated pharmaceutical factory of the sect. For a large sect like Divine Sword Sect, a diverse collection of medicinal pills was one of the sect’s most important resources.
Liu Guiyuan was the keeper of the Divine Sword Sect’s Dizang Valley. The valley had more than three thousand medicinal staff, medicinal farmers, apothecaries, various levels of managers, supervisors, and servants, all of whom had to heed his orders.
After an hour or so, Liu Guiyuan and Yan Liqiang finally reached Dizang Valley after descending from Tiankui Peak.
During the journey, the two of them acted as if they had just met each other for the first time and pretended not to know one another. Their conversations were all concerning Dizang Valley and the ‘Book of Herbs’. Liu Guiyuan would speak while Yan Liqiang listened. Occasionally, Liu Guiyuan would shoot Yan Liqiang two questions, in which Yan Liqiang would respond with honest answers without trying to overstep the boundary.
The entrance to Dizang Valley was extremely difficult to access as it was just a line of stone steps that stretched hundreds of meters upward. There were swordsmen guarding the two sides of the entrance as well. Liu Guiyuan brought Yan Liqiang straight inside. As soon as they passed through the entrance, the area suddenly became bright. Most places in Dizang Valley were already covered in snow. On the other hand, some areas were clouded by rising mists, yet they were colored by a vibrant green. Additionally, other places had caves of different sizes. Some of these caves were located at the bottom of the valley, while some were on the precipice of the valley, which was exceedingly odd. There were valleys inside a valley and caves within a cave. This caused Yan Liqiang, who entered Dizang Valley for the first time, to feel overwhelmed by the new surroundings.
“The area clouded by rising mists is the valley’s hot spring. Underneath the hot spring is a ground fire. The weather there is like spring all year round, which means you can grow a bunch of peculiar vegetations like Fire Potato and Bailian Grass!” Liu Guiyuan explained as he continued to lead Yan Liqiang toward a nearby cave halfway up the hill. While he was at it, he introduced Yan Liqiang to more herbs, “There are up to six types of Spiritual Dendrobium that grow inside that cave. Let me take you there and have a look so you will know the importance of perfecting the ‘Book of Herbs’…”
Of course, there was no one inside the cave. There was a large hole akin to a window on the ceiling of the cave, which allowed snow to accumulate inside the cave. On the four corners of the stone wall were strands of dark purple and light blue Dendrobium hanging on the sides. A faintly discernible yet dense spiritual Qi lingered in the air, and it felt quite peculiar…
When they arrived at the cave, Liu Guiyuan suddenly halted in his footsteps and turned around to face Yan Liqiang. He revealed a smile on his face while he deeply gazed at Yan Liqiang…
“Yan Liqiang respectfully greets Master!” At that moment, Yan Liqiang greeted Liu Guiyuan like master and disciple. He felt inexplicably excited in his heart.
“It’s great that you have come back alive. It seems that I have not chosen the wrong person. I didn’t expect that you would be able to break out from a myriad of external disciples that quickly in just less than a year when you first entered the sect, and without the slightest help from me to boot. On top of that, you have been accepted as a disciple to the Sect Lord too. It’s really unexpected, but it’s quite commendable! To think that I have chosen you as the Sect Guardian of the Divine Sword Sect — I have really made the right choice!”
“I had so many things I wanted to tell Master at first, but now that we’re together, I have no idea where to start!” Yan Liqiang let out a mirthless laugh.
“That’s all right. Just start from the recent ones!”
Yan Liqiang pondered for a while and nodded his head, “Alright. Then I want to ask you this: Why would you agree to let me acknowledge Sect Lord as my master?”
