Chapter 120 - 120: Zhou Shengwu
Han Xing wasn’t a medical student, so he naturally didn’t know what Shangguan Xuelan was talking about. However, when he heard how excited she was, he followed her gaze and saw a lush patch of strange herbs in front of him.
These herbs had a white flower on top and a green fruit in the middle. They were only three to four inches tall. The most surprising thing was that these herbs were emitting a medicinal fragrance, and no snakes or insects approached it.
Seeing Shangguan Xuelan about to rush forward again, he hurriedly pulled her back. He said, “Alright, don’t be too agitated. Wait for me to go take a look first. Wait for me at the same place.”
Shangguan Xuelan didn’t want to care so much, but when she thought of the little snake earlier, she felt a chill run down her spine. Han Xing walked forward and looked at it carefully. He picked up a branch and probed the nearby grass. After making sure that there was no danger, he waved at Shangguan Xuelan and said, “Come here!”
Shangguan Xuelan, who could not wait any longer, rushed over. She squatted on the ground and looked at the mystic meridian herbs carefully. She said, “These have been growing for at least five years. Don’t tell me these villagers don’t pick them or did someone grow this?”
“I’ve never seen a mystic meridian herb of this quality in the Shangguan family!” The more Shangguan Xuelan looked at it, the more surprised she became. She wished she could pack up all the mystic meridian herbs in this area and take them away. She only hated herself for only having two hands.
“What use does this mystic meridian herb have? Look at how excited you are.” Shangguan Xuelan took a deep breath as soon as Han Xing finished asking her. She patted Han Xing’s shoulder seriously, and her expression was filled with regret.
“It’s all my fault. I didn’t properly teach you the general knowledge of pharmacology. This mystic meridian herb can be sold for a sky-high price of 3 million outside. The high-quality ones are even more expensive, but these herbs are all priceless.”
“Because the greatest effect of the mystic meridian herb is not to prolong life, but to cleanse the toxins in the human body’s meridians and internal organs. In other words, as long as anyone consumes the mystic meridian herb, they would essentially be reborn.”
Han Xing was excited by the unique effects. He had never heard of such a magical herb. He knew that the Second World would merge with the real world. He thought about how the skills in the game could be used in the real world. However, he had almost overlooked a fact.
If items in the real world could be converted in the Second World, wouldn’t their value double? He took a deep breath and suppressed the throbbing in his heart. Now was not the time to think about the game.
“These herbs are so precious. They don’t seem to have been naturally grown.” Han Xing’s words had completely dampened Shangguan Xuelan’s spirits. She could only touch the little flowers on the mystic meridian herbs reluctantly.
Just as she was thinking about whether she should get some seeds to plant, she heard an extremely disapproving voice.
“None of you are allowed to move. The two of you quickly move aside!”
Zhou Shengwu was holding a walking stick. The moment he saw the two of them, his face turned ashen with anger. He rushed over and saw that the mystic meridian herb in front of him was completely intact. Then, he let out a sigh of relief.
Shangguan Xuelan saw his expression and said angrily, “Hey, old man, did you plant these herbs? We have no interest in stealing your things!”
“Hmph!” Zhou Shengwu snorted coldly, “If the two of you had any designs on the mystic meridian herb, you would be dead by now.”
Shangguan Xuelan didn’t seem to believe him at all. Han Xing frowned slightly as if he had sensed a strange danger.
“What danger can there be here…” Shangguan Xuelan’s words got stuck in her throat halfway through her sentence. A gentle breeze blew past, and the white flowers on the mystic meridian herbs in front of them gradually closed and squirmed under the two’s surprised gazes.
Soon, these white flowers turned into fat worms. The stamens were all transformed from their countless thin and dense insect legs, and the petals stretched out and became their fat bodies.
When Shangguan Xuelan saw this strange scene, she recalled how she had just touched the flowers. She was so disgusted that she almost vomited. Her face turned pale. Han Xing stood in front of Shangguan Xuelan silently, afraid that something would happen.
“Did you see that? The two of you still dare to run into the mountains. You’re really not afraid of death!” Seeing Shangguan Xuelan’s expression, Zhou Shengwu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“What’s so funny?!” Shangguan Xuelan was furious. Why didn’t she remember that the flowers on the mystic meridian herb could turn into insects?
Zhou Shengwu seemed to have seen through her doubts and explained directly, “Cordyceps Sinensis, you should know that the same principle applies to this mystic meridian herb. These insects and herbs are fused into one, and the fruits that bear in the middle are also the eggs of these insects. There are indeed benefits to eating it. As for being reborn, it depends on whether the person who consumes this can live long.”
“Mr. Zhou is indeed knowledgeable.” Han Xing complimented Zhou Shengwu, but he didn’t expect Zhou Shengwu to just nod casually and look at the two people in front of him.
“The two of you have good characters. If the disciples of the other medical aristocratic families saw these mystic meridian herbs, they would probably be unable to walk.”
Shangguan Xuelan stuck out her tongue and retorted, “If 1 had known that it was planted by you, I wouldn’t have even looked at it.”
“You are a child of the Shangguan family. You have no manners at all. When 1 have time to go back, 1 will definitely find trouble with Shangguan Bo.”
Shangguan Bo was the name of the Shangguan family’s old master. Shangguan Xuelan did not expect that the other party would recognize her immediately. Just as she was surprised, she heard Zhou Shengwu say, “1 was the one who treated you when you were eleven years old. Now, you don’t even call me grandfather.”
Hearing Zhou Shengwu’s words, Shangguan Xuelan instantly remembered. However, she still stubbornly said, “Is there such a thing? Why don’t 1 remember? Do you want me to call you Grandpa? Alright, then help my friend.”
“You little girl, you are quite good at arranging things for me, this old man.” He glanced at Han Xing and smelled the realgar on the two of them.
“Hurry up and follow me down the mountain. Fortunately, the two of you have only walked so far. If you continue to walk up the mountain, you might not even leave your bones intact.”
Zhou Shengwu didn’t want to get involved in this matter at first. He thought that the two of them would leave Stone Village immediately after they rejected him. Who knew that a villager would tell him that the two outsiders had gone straight to the mountain? He almost blacked out from this piece of news.
He didn’t know if he should praise the two of them for their recklessness or their courage. Even residents here didn’t dare to walk around this mountain casually after scattering some realgar on their bodies.
After Zhou Shengwu reprimanded them, the two of them finally knew how dangerous this trip was. Shangguan Xuelan was even more afraid.
“Oh right, 1 heard from the brat that someone was poisoned by a witchcraft poison. Have you found out the specific type of witchcraft poison?”
Han Xing nodded and replied, “The person who was poisoned is my younger sister. It’s the Soul Devouring Witchcraft.”
“What?!” Zhou Shengwu was shocked!