“Valley Master Tang, this is… quite tricky!” Steward Liu sipped his tea and said.
He did not expect that Divine Herbalist Valley would expand so quickly. Medicine farmers from all over East End Nation came over to seek refuge there, and there were several thousand certified medicine farmers now.
If the medicine farmers were just like before, it would not be a big deal. However, medicine farmers now were very good at making money. Anyone would be tempted by their wealth.
Moreover, many major pill-making and medicine-making factions were already dissatisfied by the loss of their medicine farmers.
Now, many factions had their greedy eyes on Divine Herbalist Valley. It was only a matter of time that they made a move.
Tang Hao frowned, and his expression was solemn.
It was indeed a tricky matter.
Divine Herbalist Valley was made up entirely of medicine farmers who did not have a high cultivation base. There was not a single Golden Core cultivator among the several thousand certified medicine farmers.
Goldenglow Mountain, the Everforge Sect, and the other sects were only considered small to medium-sized. They could not do much against the major sects.
“Why don’t you go under a major sect, Valley Master Tang?” Steward Liu said after some deliberation.
“In your opinion, who should we go under?” Tang Hao asked.
Steward Liu pondered for a moment and said, “We’ll go under the biggest faction, of course. The three biggest factions of East End Nation are the Greenspark Sect, the Skyward Sect, and the Lui family.”
“The Lui family and the Skyward Sect are quite arrogant, but Greenspark Mountain is more easy-going.”
Tang Hao considered his options.
If he took the initiative to join those sects, he would have to pay a great price. More importantly, Divine Herbalist Valley would lose its freedom.
However, if he did not take the initiative to join them, it would be even more troublesome. The major factions would split Divine Herbalist Valley among themselves, including their manpower and the scriptures.
For a moment, Tang Hao was in a dilemma.
“Allow me some time to consider it!” After thinking for a moment, Tang Hao said.
“Alright!”
Steward Liu stood up and took his leave.
Tang Hao sat there and pondered for a long time.
In the evening, the bell at the foot of the mountain rang. Tang Hao went down the mountain to take a look. It was Wang Er and the others.
“What’s wrong?”
Wang Er said, “Elder Xu from the Pillclasp Sect came over just now. He said that one of his beloved plants was sick and asked us to take a look. We couldn’t figure out anything.”
“Elder Xu?”
Tang Hao thought for a while before remembering who he was.
Elder Xu was one of the few certified pill makers of the Pillclasp Sect. He had received a level two certification from the Pill Ministry.
Pill makers would usually grow some rare medicinal herbs on their own, and Elder Xu was no exception. It was said that he grew many rare medicinal herbs.
Tang Hao’s eyes lit up. That was an opportunity!
“Alright, I’ll go take a look!”
As he spoke, he took the lead and rushed toward the Pillclasp Sect.
“Valley Master Tang!”
Upon seeing Tang Hao, Elder Xu cupped his fists politely.
Although Tang Hao was only a medicine farmer, he had master-level skills. Even a pill maker would have to respect him.
“Elder Xu, I heard that there’s a problem with your solarion grass?” Tang Hao returned the greeting and said with a smile.
Elder Xu sighed and said, “That’s right! It was originally fine, but it suddenly withered. I’ve asked many people to take a look, and I also went to the Pill Ministry. No one knew what to do.
“Sigh! If this goes on, I’ll have to throw it away. You have no idea how much effort I’ve spent on it.”
He seemed haggard as he said that.
He had raised the solarion grass for more than ten years, and he has spent many spiritual items on it. It was just about to mature, but it suddenly withered at that critical point.
“Elder Xu, I can take a look at it if you don’t mind!” Tang Hao said with a smile.
“Well…”
Elder Xu hesitated.
He had gone to all the places with herbology experts. Even those from the Pill Ministry said that the solarion grass could not be saved.
Looking for help in Divine Herbalist Valley was his last resort.
Now, he was already in despair.
Valley Master Tang might be a master-level medicine farmer, but those from the Pill Ministry were equally skilled. The Pill Ministry had enough resources to nurture several master-level medicine farmers.
Tang Hao did not look like he was any better than them.
“It won’t hurt to take a look, Elder Xu!” Tang Hao said.
Elder Xu nodded and said, “That’s true. Follow me!”
After entering the valley, he led Tang Hao to a medicinal garden. There were many medicinal herbs planted in the garden, and all except one were thriving.
Tang Hao walked forward, crouched down, and examined it carefully.
His brows gradually furrowed.
The situation was quite tricky. The stalk of solarion grass was indeed hopeless.
He looked around and came to a sudden realization.
Solarion grass was a herb that required positive qi, especially when it was near maturity. In the wild, one would not find other herbs that required positive qi around a stalk of solarion grass.
That ensured that the solarion grass received enough positive qi.
He could tell that a few other herbs in the garden were also absorbing positive qi.
If Elder Xu had realized that problem long ago. He could have transplanted the solarion grass or watered it with fertilizer filled with positive qi. There would not have been a problem.
Without enough positive qi, it was no surprise that the solarion grass began to wither.
Looking at the soil, Elder Xu must have dug up the solarion grass a few days ago and brought it everywhere. If it was moved around like that, the situation was even more hopeless.
Seeing Tang Hao’s expression, Elder Xu sighed in despair.
Tang Hao slowly stood up and said, “The plant’s core is rotten. It’s hopeless.”
When Elder Xu heard that, he shook his head and sighed.
“But…” Tang Hao’s tone changed all of a sudden. “I know a secret technique. There might be hope!”
Elder Xu was stunned. When he came to his senses, he was ecstatic. “Secret technique? What secret technique? How confident are you?” He said impatiently.
Tang Hao smiled and said, “There is hope, but it’ll be quite troublesome. I’ll have to take the solarion grass with me, and you’ll know the results by tomorrow morning.”
“Alright! Please take it!” Elder Xu said excitedly.
The stalk of solarion grass was too important to him. He would give it a try even if hope was remote.
Tang Hao carefully dug out the solarion grass and let Wang Er and the others take it.
“Thank you so much, Master Tang!”
Before Tang Hao left, Elder Xu said gratefully.
“Don’t thank me yet. You can thank me after I save it!” Tang Hao waved his hand and took Wang Er and the others back to the Ninth Mountain.
After planting the herb, Tang Hao sent Wang Er and the others away.
He stood in front of the solarion grass. A light flashed in his eyes, and a ripple spread under his feet.
As the ripple spread, the medicinal seedlings around him suddenly withered.
Then, he pointed a finger at the solarion grass.
Rich vitality surged from his finger into the herb. In an instant, the originally black branches and leaves began to bloom with vitality again.
In a short while, the herb that was originally on the verge of death was already full of vitality.
