Chapter 4: The Embryo of Alchemy, a Trip to the Market
Under the remote stone wall shrouded in cold air, Ye Li slowly opened her eyes.
After a night of practice, her initially opened meridians became much more stable, and the weak spiritual energy in her body became a little stronger, like a newborn stream. Although thin, it was able to flow slowly on its own, constantly nourishing her wounded body.
The pain in the broken bones of his chest eased slightly under the gentle infiltration of spiritual energy, and the healing process seemed to have accelerated. However, it was still far from complete recovery. More importantly, his body's foundation was too weak. Simply opening up a small section of the meridians and expelling the impurities was a drop in the bucket.
The "Emperor's Scripture of the Underworld" is a supreme technique, placing extremely high demands on the physical body. If one fails to quickly improve physical fitness, widen the meridians, and purify the Qi Sea, subsequent cultivation will be ineffective, and one may even encounter another bottleneck that is difficult to break through.
She needs resources! Lots of resources!
Pills, spiritual herbs, minerals containing pure energy... None of them can be easily obtained by her who is now penniless and targeted by Night Wolf.
Her eyes swept over the soon-to-mature Dew-Condensing Grass and the mysterious cold spring. The Dew-Condensing Grass still needed to wait, but the cold spring... her near-self-harming use yesterday had already made her realize that it was too cold. Currently, it could only serve as an auxiliary stimulus, unable to directly provide the vast energy she needed.
We must find another way.
Ye Li stood up and stretched her still stiff and cold limbs. Waves of hunger washed over her. The original owner was already malnourished, and after a serious injury and a night of training, her body was nearly stretched to its limits. She needed food, but even more so, medicinal herbs to help strengthen her body.
Memories flooded back, opening up Li Zun's vast knowledge base. She quickly sifted through low-level prescriptions suitable for her current situation. She knew countless high-level recipes, but even a skilled cook couldn't cook without the right ingredients. What she needed now was a method that could combine the most common and inexpensive herbs for optimal results.
Soon, several simple yet incredibly effective medicinal formulas formed in her mind. These formulas seemed crude to her, but if they were used in the lower realm, especially for a small family like the Ye family, they would be considered astounding.
"Purple Cloud Flower... Three-Leaf Vine... Bone-Rotting Grass... Red Flame Fruit Peel..." she muttered to herself. These were all low-level herbs found just outside the back mountain, rarely sought after, even considered weeds and poisons. But in her formula, combined in a special ratio and sequence, they could unleash unexpected body-hardening effects, rivaling or even surpassing those of some of the more expensive first-grade body-hardening pills on the market.
She did it right away. She carefully covered up the traces around the dew-condensing grass, ensuring it wouldn't be easily discovered. Then, dragging her still weak body, she once again slipped into the dense forest outside the back mountain.
With her powerful spiritual perception and a profound understanding of the properties of herbs, she quickly found the herbs she needed, tucked under thorns, beside rotten wood, and between rock crevices. The process wasn't always smooth. She nearly slipped while trying to pick a purple cloud flower growing on a cliff, and while collecting bone-rot grass, she nearly startled a venomous snake coiled beneath it.
It was already daybreak when she returned to her hiding place on the rock wall with a small bundle of what looked like "weeds." Her clothes were wet with dew and sweat, and had a few scratches on them, making her look even more disheveled, but her eyes were surprisingly bright.
Without a medicine cauldron or tools, she found a relatively flat stone to use as a chopping block, selected suitable stones for grinding, carefully built a small fire with dry branches she had gathered, and used a clean, slightly worn stone bowl (which the previous owner had hidden there) as a container.
The entire process was fraught with primitiveness and painstaking effort. Yet, her movements were fluid, her expression focused, and each step was executed with unparalleled precision. Her control over the heat, timing, and the amount of herbs was astonishing. Any alchemist would be astonished to see someone using such rudimentary tools to process herbs.
Different herbs were crushed, pressed, or roasted, then added, in a specific order and proportion, to a stone bowl filled with a small amount of cold spring water. Soon, a strange medicinal aroma filled the air, not a refreshing fragrance, but a mixture of pungent and bitter notes. The liquid in the stone bowl gradually became turbid, taking on a dark brown color.
When the last bit of red flame fruit peel was put in, the medicinal liquid rolled violently, and the color suddenly became a little clearer, showing a dark red color, with faintly tiny energy spots flashing in it.
Success!
Ye Li carefully removed the slightly scalding stone bowl from the fire. Although it was only the most basic liquid medicine, not even a true first-grade elixir, the medicinal power it contained was just right for her current body.
Without any hesitation, she waited for the temperature of the medicine to drop slightly before drinking it all in one gulp.
"boom!"
As the medicinal liquid entered his stomach, it felt like a ball of fire suddenly exploded! Violent energy instantly rushed through his limbs and bones! This was completely different from the gentle absorption of spiritual energy. It felt more like a domineering method, forcibly flushing out impurities in the body, tearing through fragile meridians, and at the same time bringing a burning feeling of rebirth!
The pain was no less than the pain of drawing the Qi into the body yesterday!
Ye Li groaned, her face flushing crimson as veins bulged once more. She immediately sat cross-legged, concentrating on the "Emperor's Scripture of the Underworld," channeling the violent medicinal power and combining it with the faint trace of spiritual energy to more efficiently temper her body and impact the clogged meridians.
Sweat poured out of her pores like streams, murky in color and carrying a stronger, more fishy odor. Her body trembled violently, her teeth chattered, but her eyes became brighter and brighter.
She could clearly feel her muscles tightening, impurities in her bones being squeezed out bit by bit, and her meridians widening with difficulty under the dual impact of the medicinal power and spiritual energy...
This process lasted for nearly an hour.
When the effects of the drug finally wore off, Ye Li nearly collapsed again. She was soaking wet, as if she'd been pulled out of the water, and a small puddle of muddy sweat formed on the ground beneath her. But an unprecedented sense of relief and strength welled up from deep within her body!
Although still frail, this body was noticeably stronger than before! The healing speed of the broken bones in his chest had also increased again. More importantly, several more small meridians had been initially opened up, significantly increasing the speed of his spiritual energy absorption!
"It's working well." She whispered to herself. Although her voice was still hoarse, it was less weak.
Looking at the little bit of medicine residue left at the bottom of the stone bowl and some remaining herbs around her, an idea arose in her mind.
These herbs can be used to make two or three more potions. Keep one for yourself as a backup, or perhaps... take one out to the market to trade for something urgently needed—like food, a few clean clothes, or, if you can get a little money, perhaps buy other cheaper supplements to make a more effective potion.
After all, relying on picking weeds all the time is not a long-term solution.
After resting for a moment and regaining some strength, she carefully hid the remaining herbs, then carefully washed her body and her tattered clothes with cold spring water, barely drying them before putting them on. She poured the last of the prepared liquid medicine into a small, clean leather bag (also a relic of the original owner) and put it in her arms.
Taking a deep breath, she walked out of this secluded place that gave her new life and headed towards Yejia Market.
…
The Ye Family Market, located on the edge of the family's residence, was a bustling place for the Ye Family, its vassals, and the surrounding smaller families and independent cultivators to trade. Shops lined the streets, and street vendors were densely packed, with the sounds of hawking and bargaining unceasing in the air.
Stepping into this place again, Ye Li's state of mind was completely different. No longer the anxious and humble girl who allowed herself to be bullied, she was now the Li Zun with a clear goal and calm observation.
Her appearance immediately attracted some people's attention.
Her washed-out, torn clothes, her pale and frail face, the faint smell of medicine and a hint of blood that had not yet completely dissipated made her stand out from the crowd, attracting many looks of contempt, curiosity, or gloating.
"Tsk, isn't that the famous loser from the side branch?"
"I heard that Master Night Wolf's men were beaten up yesterday? Is that true?"
"Looking at her, it doesn't look like that... I guess it's just a rumor."
"Stay away from her, it's bad luck!"
Whispers reached her ears, but Ye Li seemed oblivious. Her eyes quickly scanned the stalls and shops, assessing the price and quality of the medicinal herbs.
She first used the few shiny copper coins she had on her to buy two cheap coarse flour cakes from an old farmer's stall, swallowing them whole to temporarily relieve her hunger. Then, she began to look for a suitable target to sell the bottle of medicine.
She knew very well that if she went to a regular pharmacy with this kind of medicine, dressed like this and with this unknown source, not only would she not be able to sell it at a good price, but she would likely be questioned or even harassed. The best targets were those independent cultivators who were in urgent need of improving their strength but weren't very wealthy, or the owners of small street vendors.
She stopped in a relatively quiet corner, before a stall selling various low-grade ores and sundries. The stall owner was a middle-aged man with a sallow complexion and a worried look. His cultivation level was hovering around the middle stage of the Spiritual Awakening Realm, clearly stuck at a bottleneck for some time.
Ye Li squatted down and casually glanced at the gray ores, a few tattered martial arts manuals (mostly fakes), and some rusty weapon fragments picked up from some ruins on the stall.
Her gaze finally fell on an inconspicuous, dusty, metal fragment in the corner of the stall. The fragment, barely half the size of a palm, had irregular edges and resembled a piece of armor or a weapon. It emitted no energy, looking like scrap metal.
But at the moment their eyes met, the fragment of the Samsara Mirror deep in her soul trembled again extremely slightly, almost imperceptibly!
Something is strange!
Ye Li's heart stirred, but her expression remained impassive. She pointed at the fragment, then at a few equally inconspicuous, dull-colored pebbles nearby (which appeared to be some low-quality refining material), and asked in a hoarse voice, "How much are these?"
The stall owner's eyes lit up when he saw the customer coming, but when he saw Ye Li's clothes and the things she pointed at, he immediately lost his temper and waved his hand unhappily: "It's just a pile of junk. If you really want it, give him five copper coins and take it all." He didn't care about these things at all, he just took them to make up the number and try his luck.
Ye Li did not agree immediately, but took out the small leather bag from her arms and unplugged it.
Suddenly, a spicy smell with a strange medicinal fragrance spread out. Although it was not strong, it made the originally careless stall owner sniff suddenly and his eyes widened instantly!
He was a low-level cultivator, so he could naturally sense the pure energy fluctuations contained in the liquid in the skin bag! This was definitely something good! It was far more attractive than those first-grade body-hardening pills he had seen!
"This...this is..." The stall owner's voice trembled a little.
"I mixed this medicine myself. It has a better body-hardening effect than ordinary first-grade pills." Ye Li's voice was calm as he handed the leather bag over. "Try to smell it."
The stall owner carefully took it, sniffed it carefully, and poured a little into his palm to examine it. The more he examined it, the more excited his face became. Although he didn't understand the profound principles of pharmacology, he had been around the market for many years and had a good eye. This medicine liquid was pure in color and full of energy. It was definitely an ordinary product!
"Little girl, how... do you want to change it?" The stall owner's attitude suddenly became extremely enthusiastic, even with a hint of flattery.
"These of yours," Ye Li pointed to the pile of "junk," then pointed to a few other low-grade ores on the stall that looked worth a bit but were useless to her, "plus those hematite, and..." She paused, her eyes sweeping over an old water bag hanging from the stall owner's waist, "Exchange this leather bag with me."
The stall owner was stunned. He looked at the pile of what he considered garbage, then at the few pieces of hematite that could be sold for a little money, and then at his worthless water bag. He almost thought he had misheard! This was simply trading a pile of scrap metal for gold!
"Change! Change! Of course!" He was afraid that Ye Li would go back on her word, so he quickly wrapped up everything Ye Li pointed at in a piece of rag and stuffed it into her hands along with the water bag. Then he snatched the small leather bag containing the medicine, held it tightly in his hand, and his face was full of joy.
The transaction was completed, Ye Li picked up the things, turned around and left without any reluctance.
The stall owner looked at her back, then at the medicine in his hand. Besides being excited, a hint of doubt and greed flashed in his eyes: "This girl... is a bit weird. Where did this good thing come from? Is she lucky?" But he was quickly attracted by the medicine and couldn't wait to try its effect.
Ye Li had just walked a short distance when a sarcastic voice sounded beside her.
"Oh, who did I think it was? Isn't this the famous "Trash Miss" from our Ye family? What's going on? She's picking up trash in the market?"
Ye Li paused and looked sideways. She saw two arrogant young men in brocaded robes blocking the road, glaring at her with sarcasm. They were Ye Lang's lackeys, Ye Ming and Ye Liang, the collateral branch's henchmen who curry favor with the main branch. They had clearly been ordered to search for her in the market town.
Ye Li's eyes were slightly cold, she ignored him and continued walking forward.
"Stop!" Ye Ming stepped forward, blocking her path, his eyes glancing disdainfully at the rag bag in her arms. "What are you holding? Something stolen? Open it and let me see!"
They had received a death order from Yelang to find Ye Li and teach her a lesson. Now that they had come across her, they naturally wouldn't let her go.
The surrounding crowd was immediately attracted and gathered around to watch the fun.
"Get out of here." Ye Li raised his head, looked at them calmly, and said only two words.
That gaze was cold and dead, making Ye Ming and Ye Liang feel a chill in their hearts for no reason, and subconsciously recalled the rumors about Wang Pozi and Li San yesterday. But in front of so many people, how could they be frightened by a piece of trash?
"How dare you! How dare you talk to us like that? It seems that I didn't scare you off yesterday!" Ye Liang shouted angrily, and stretched out his hand to grab the package in Ye Li's arms, ready to snatch it away by force and teach her a lesson.
However, just as his hand was about to touch the package——
Ye Li's body seemed weak and tilted slightly backward, as if she was standing unsteadily.
At the same time, she very subtly hooked her ankle on a wooden stick that was extended from the stall next to her.
Ye Liang tried his best to grab forward, but his center of gravity was unstable and he was tripped by the wooden stick. With a cry of "Ouch", he immediately lost his balance and fell forward in a panic, bumping into a pottery stall next to him!
"Crackle!" With a crisp sound, several clay pots and bowls were smashed to pieces!
“My jar!!” The stall owner screamed and grabbed the dazed Ye Liang, “Pay me money! You must pay me!”
The scene was in chaos. Ye Ming was also dumbfounded and rushed to help his companions.
Ye Li had already taken advantage of the chaos, holding her package, and blended into the crowd quietly like a swimming fish, quickly disappearing around the corner of the street.
Only Ye Ming and Ye Liang were left, being tightly entangled by the stall owner. They were so angry that they were jumping up and down in the mess, but they could do nothing.
After leaving the hustle and bustle, Ye Li stopped in a deserted corner and slowly loosened her clenched palms, which were slightly sweaty. At that moment, if Ye Liang had not stopped, she was ready to use that weak spiritual energy to teach him an unforgettable lesson, even though that would reveal her strength.
She lowered her head, opened the rag bag, and first picked up the dark metal fragment that triggered the Samsara Mirror's sensing.
It felt cold and heavy to the touch. She carefully scraped away the dirt, revealing some extremely ancient, faint patterns on the surface, but still couldn't sense any energy fluctuations. She tried to channel that faint trace of spiritual energy into it.
The spiritual energy was like a drop in the ocean, with no reaction at all.
But the fragment of the reincarnation mirror deep in her soul once again transmitted an extremely faint, longing throbbing.
"It's really not simple..." Ye Li's eyes flickered as he carefully put the fragment away. Now was not the time to study it, but this item must be extraordinary.
She looked at the pebbles again. They were just ordinary, low-quality materials, nothing special. As for the hematite, she could use them to exchange for other things next time.
She repacked her things, put on her new leather bag to fill it with water, and then quickly left the market.
This trip to the market was quite fruitful. Not only did it solve the temporary food problem and exchange for a clean skin, but more importantly, it also obtained the mysterious fragment. Moreover, the bottle of liquid medicine seemed to have attracted the attention of others.
Troubles may follow, but opportunities often coexist with risks.
She needs to get stronger faster.
The figure disappeared again into the path leading to the remote back mountain, and the girl's gaze was already cast further away.
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