Chapter Twenty-Five: The Compendium of a Hundred Herbs

When Liu Lanzhi saw his blank expression, which didn’t seem at all feigned, and his slightly dull look, she couldn’t help but glance at Che Wuyou again before smiling teasingly. “I knew it,” she said. “You look so dazed and clumsy—how could you be some kind of genius? Yet Master insisted on making such a fuss about it.”

Then she put away her playful smile, her face turning serious. “Master said that from now on, I’m to teach you the Miao Clan’s supreme treasure, the ‘Herbal Canon.’ You must cherish this opportunity and work hard.” She noticed that Che Wuyou didn’t seem particularly excited, as if he had no idea how rare and precious the ‘Herbal Canon’ truly was.

Liu Lanzhi glared at him with a hint of displeasure and explained with solemn reverence, as if recalling an ancient history, “Ten thousand years ago, a great upheaval shook the Miao Clan, and all its masters were lost in that calamity. In that time of turmoil and uncertainty, the clan leader, grandson of the Medicine King—known as the Herb Scholar—used his extraordinary will and wisdom to forge a new path, creating the world’s greatest cultivation treatise, the ‘Herbal Canon,’ and thus saved our clan from destruction. Though the ‘Herbal Canon’ isn’t widely known or recognized by the world yet, its importance and value are truly beyond measure.”

Hearing her mention events from ten thousand years ago, along with figures like the Medicine King and the Herb Scholar, Che Wuyou couldn’t help but ask in bewilderment, “The Miao Clan from ten thousand years ago—is it really the same lineage as the present-day Miao Manor? And who are the Medicine King and the Herb Scholar? Are they the ancestors of Miao Manor?” He found it hard to believe a family could endure so many millennia. Seeing Liu Lanzhi’s devout and longing expression, as if the clan’s glory had shone even brighter in the distant past, he was genuinely awed.

Liu Lanzhi, seeing that he didn’t even know about such legendary figures as the Medicine King and the Herb Scholar, couldn’t help but look at him with a mixture of disdain and exasperation. “Ten thousand years ago, there arose in the cultivation world a man of unparalleled renown—his name echoed throughout the southern continent. Yet for all his profound cultivation, he was gentle and kind, saving countless lives with his unmatched alchemical skills. People called him the Medicine King out of reverence.”

“The Medicine King is the founding ancestor of our Miao Manor, the greatest and most remarkable figure in our history. It was he who led us to countless pinnacles, who elevated the Miao Clan to the ranks of the ten ancient immortal families, who brought us to the very summit of the southern continent.” As Liu Lanzhi spoke, her face shone with excitement, completely immersed in the ancient glory of her clan.

Che Wuyou was stirred as well—such legendary figures truly existed! He couldn’t help but yearn for that world, and after a long while, he sighed, “So the Miao Clan is an ancient house, and the Medicine King, your ancestor, was such a legendary and formidable man.” He thought, if the Medicine King was so extraordinary, his grandson must have been remarkable as well. The Herbal Scholar’s creation, the ‘Herbal Canon,’ must surely be an unparalleled work. The thought that he might study such a text filled him with wild joy; how fortunate he was to have such an opportunity! Little did Che Wuyou know that his own family, the Che Clan, was also an ancient house, and his ancestor, Che Daijun, was equally illustrious.

Liu Lanzhi, seeing his reaction, smiled with pride. “Now you see. The heritage of an ancient family is beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Even if they fall into decline, so long as the bloodline endures, one day they may rise again. The strength of the great houses is beyond question—take the Ye family of Yezhou, for instance. They too are one of the ten ancient immortal clans. Though they have waned, none dare look down on them—not even the Clear Pool Sword Sect.”

“Master says that a hundred years ago, the Ye family produced a peerless figure. Armed with nothing but his sword, for the sake of a woman he didn’t even know, he challenged the thirty-six strongholds of the southern frontier’s greatest evil alliance. After that, the world was shaken! Those thirty-six strongholds were so powerful even the four great sword sects took them seriously—yet he swept them all away, alone with his sword. Sadly, after that legendary battle, he vanished without a trace, and no news of him was ever heard again.”

As she spoke, her face revealed longing, admiration, and a touch of melancholy. After a long pause, she continued, “They say he couldn’t save the woman in the end, and the blow to his spirit left him despondent. Still, though the nameless woman perished, was she not blessed? To have such a peerless man stake his life for her—what more could one ask, even in death?”

Seeing Liu Lanzhi’s look of yearning, Che Wuyou, though he didn’t quite understand why the woman’s death could be considered happiness, nonetheless felt a surge of ambition. If only he could be like that extraordinary man of the Ye family—then he could protect Lanzhi, let no one harm her.

Just as Che Wuyou was lost in dreams of sweeping across the world, Liu Lanzhi’s stern voice interrupted him: “Hey, blockhead, remember well—what I told you today must not be shared, not a single word. And the ‘Herbal Canon’—without Master’s permission, you mustn’t speak of it to anyone, not even our fellow disciples. Do you understand?”

Seeing her never-before-seen seriousness, Che Wuyou quickly nodded and promised to keep everything secret, that he would tell no one of what had transpired today.

Liu Lanzhi watched him closely, still not entirely reassured, and made him swear an oath before finally continuing. “Now I’ll tell you about the ‘Herbal Canon.’ It’s divided into two main sections: the Pill Chapter and the Cultivation Chapter. The Cultivation Chapter contains a powerful training method, so the ‘Herbal Canon’ is also known as the ‘Herbal Art.’”

“In the mornings, we’ll practice the Herbal Art; at midday, swordsmanship; in the afternoons, the Pill Chapter. Master has already said, though your training schedule is tight, you mustn’t neglect any tasks assigned by your brothers. If you fail to complete them, you’ll still receive every punishment you’re due—understand?”

Seeing Che Wuyou nod repeatedly, Liu Lanzhi went on: “Now, I’ll teach you by heart a breathing and energy-gathering formula. You must commit it to memory and contemplate it often. Though it’s only a thousand characters, it’s the foundation of the Herbal Art—profound and vast. Listen carefully.”

Liu Lanzhi saw Che Wuyou listening intently, brow furrowed, and felt a surge of pride. For the first time, she savored the pleasure of being a teacher and threw herself into the task with gusto. She recited the cultivation formula with a flourish and then explained its meaning in detail.

As she taught, Liu Lanzhi realized her own understanding of the Herbal Art was deepening, and some points that once puzzled her now seemed clearer—a feeling of elation welled up inside her. After finishing her explanation, she sat upright, waiting patiently for Che Wuyou to ask questions so she could answer them one by one.

Che Wuyou listened to her recitation with utmost seriousness, but the text was so abstruse and obscure that after a few lines his head began to spin—it was as if he were lost in a fog. By the time Liu Lanzhi finished, he could scarcely recall what she had said. He couldn’t help but despair—in such a tangled, tongue-twisting formula, how could he hope to memorize it, let alone grasp its meaning? When she explained the general idea, he only vaguely remembered the last two lines; the rest was already a blur.

Liu Lanzhi waited patiently for a while but received no questions. She glanced at him in surprise—could he truly be a genius and have understood everything? She studied his thoughtful face and tested him: “You have no questions?”

Che Wuyou shook his head in confusion, then, embarrassed, nodded. “I—I haven’t memorized the text yet. Could you recite it again?”

Liu Lanzhi breathed a small sigh of relief. Master had praised him to the skies, saying he was one in a million, but here he was—utterly ordinary, unable even to memorize a single passage. Still, she said nothing, and recited the text again with careful intonation. Though she had long since mastered it, each reading brought her new insights and a sense of ease.

When she finished, she looked at Che Wuyou, but before she could ask, he shook his head again, indicating he still hadn’t memorized it. Liu Lanzhi grew a little impatient but continued to recite it a few more times. Yet even after several iterations, Che Wuyou still shook his head, and she began to feel genuinely annoyed.

Was he not listening, or was his aptitude truly so poor? How could he fail to remember after so many repetitions? She wanted to give up, but this was a task entrusted by Master—how could she betray that trust? So she forced herself to continue, patiently reciting for him again and again.

In the end, Liu Lanzhi was driven nearly to stamping her feet in frustration and almost lost her temper. She herself had needed only a glance to remember it for life, yet after all these repetitions, Che Wuyou could only recall a few lines. Could memorizing a mere thousand words really be so difficult? Now, her determination was tinged with a hint of stubbornness—she wanted to see just how poor his aptitude could be, to see how many times it would take before he finally remembered.

At last, after reciting and explaining it over a hundred times, she watched with eager expectation as Che Wuyou finally managed to recite the entire passage haltingly, word by word. For once, Liu Lanzhi felt a rare sense of accomplishment—he had finally learned it, though teaching him had been exhausting beyond belief.