"What do you mean you have nothing to teach me? Do you even know who I am?!" The Medical Saint caught up to her, blocking her path.
Liu Rumeng’s expression remained indifferent. "And what does who you are have to do with me?"
"You stubborn little brat! I am the Medical Saint! The famous Medical Saint! How about that? Regretting it now, aren't you? It's not too late to kneel and take me as your master. I, the Medical Saint, have always been magnanimous... Hey! Stop right there! I said I’m the Medical Saint! The Medical Saint!"
Liu Rumeng acted as if she hadn't heard a word, until the Medical Saint blocked her path once more.
A flash of frustration crossed the old man’s eyes. He was truly taken aback by Liu Rumeng’s indifference, and his voice lost its previous haughtiness. "Fine, tell me, what will it take for you to be my apprentice?"
Liu Rumeng lowered her eyes, hiding a glint of cunning. "How can you prove you are truly the Medical Saint?"
The Medical Saint pointed toward the room. "Isn't this entire room filled with medicinal herbs proof enou—"
Liu Rumeng began to walk away. The Medical Saint quickly added, "I can find a way to unlock your Zen Sect restriction."
Liu Rumeng didn't seem particularly interested. "Everyone in the Tianwei Continent knows the ways to unlock the Zen Sect. Your offer lacks sincerity."
The Medical Saint wagged his finger. "What they know is limited to two things: spirit stones or borrowing their spiritual power. What I know, however, is different."
Liu Rumeng suppressed her inner excitement, her face remaining calm and detached. "Oh?"
"Spirit stones are too hard to find and one or two are of little use, while borrowing their spiritual power is far too dangerous—with your current abilities, it's impossible for you to succeed."
Liu Rumeng thought to herself: *If you dare suggest 'dual cultivation,' I’m walking out that door, you old lecher.*
But the Medical Saint wore a mysterious expression. "Have you ever heard of 'Borrowing Zen'?"
"...Borrowing Zen?"
"It is merely a legend; no one has tried it yet. As the name suggests, it means to borrow their Zen Sect and use it for yourself."
Liu Rumeng asked, "How is that any different from borrowing their spiritual power?" She couldn't even borrow spiritual power—how was she supposed to steal someone else's Zen Sect?
"Of course it is different. While the Zen platform is the foundation for spiritual power, as one grows stronger, the platform eventually becomes a burden. Once spiritual power reaches the Chaos Extreme, the platform is no longer needed; it actually begins to restrict further growth. The platforms they discard can then be used by others. As far as I know—well, there are at most ten experts on the Tianwei Continent who have reached the Chaos Extreme level, and their Zen platforms have likely long since been claimed. However, you could take a different path. If human ones aren't an option, what about those of a spirit beast?"
Liu Rumeng was stunned. Why had she never considered that possibility?
Wait, do spirit beasts even have Zen platforms?
The Medical Saint seemed to see through her doubt. "All things possess a spirit, let alone spirit beasts. They are a species higher than all others, second only to humans. If humans have them, how could they not?"
"Moreover, the higher the grade of the spirit beast, the more advanced the Zen platform. But this is dangerous, for no one has ever tried this method, and no one knows what the consequences might be. Girl, I’ve shared such a great secret with you—are you ready to take me as your master now?"
Liu Rumeng turned around. "I can take you as my master, but I have three conditions."
He had heard of masters setting conditions for apprentices, but never an apprentice setting conditions for a master. The Medical Saint felt a chill, but he was too reluctant to let go of such a promising candidate, so he gritted his teeth and agreed.
"First, I will manage my own recovery. You are not to interfere."
"Why?" Wouldn't it be better if he helped her?
Liu Rumeng did not answer. She was a traveler from another world, carrying things this world lacked—internal energy, breath regulation, martial arts. She feared the Medical Saint would discover these. Besides, she understood her own body best; she wasn't just recovering, she was merging her new body with her original spirit into a harmonious state—things the Medical Saint couldn't possibly understand.
Liu Rumeng then stated her second condition: "I will only stay here for one month. I must leave after that." She couldn't stay away for too long; if the Yang Estate discovered her absence, it might spell trouble for her mother.
"Third, I have no money. You must pay me a wage."
"..." Was she serious? A master taking an apprentice and having to pay them? What kind of apprenticeship was this?!
"Of course, the return on your investment is that I will make your medical arts famous. One day, the entire Tianwei Continent will know that you, the Medical Saint, raised a brilliant apprentice. How about that?"
The Medical Saint gritted his teeth, then gritted them again. "Fine!"
That night, the Medical Saint complained for a whole night to a mass of purple light. He only received one sentence in return: "She is the woman I chose, after all."
"You’re rubbing salt in my wounds!"
"You’ve been wanting an apprentice but couldn't find anyone you liked. I’ve brought you such a grand gift; shouldn't you be thanking me?" the man teased.
The Medical Saint thought about it. "What kind of thank-you gift do you want?"
"Forget the gift. You don't have anything good in this shack anyway. Just give me those jars of Sanyuehong to settle the debt."
"What?! No, no, that won't do!"
"No? Then I’ll have to take her back."
The Medical Saint struggled painfully between the fine wine and the apprentice, tears streaming down his face. "Not even one jar?"
"One jar is fine, of course."
"Then, I’ll take the apprentice!"
"Deal."
It was only much later that the Medical Saint vaguely sensed he had been played by the two of them—thoroughly played. But that was a long time later; we must return to the present.
Since becoming the Medical Saint’s apprentice, Liu Rumeng’s life had become incredibly packed. Every morning, she would start with breath regulation, followed by learning to identify various herbs with the Medical Saint. Within a single day, she was familiar with most of the herbs; she could name them just by their scent. Even the Medical Saint couldn't help but marvel at her ability to learn.
Three days later, she had mastered all the herbs, and the Medical Saint decided to teach her how to compound medicine. It was a difficult process—thousands of herbs, each with its own characteristics. Mixing any two could yield vastly different effects, and a single mistake could be fatal. Liu Rumeng studied with intense focus, refusing to rest even late at night, poring over books by candlelight until the Medical Saint was urged by the man to make her sleep.
By the tenth day, Liu Rumeng had set aside the medical texts and started compounding her own medicines. Not only were her dosages accurate, but she had also researched several new formulations—one of which was remarkably effective against a common parasitic disease in the village. Liu Rumeng was bold yet meticulous, daring to try new things while remaining cautious and steady, which deeply impressed the Medical Saint. He spent many days praising her to the man, and when he was particularly pleased, he would gesture wildly, excited like a child.
***
Half a month later, Liu Rumeng had learned everything there was to learn. Seeing the hunger for knowledge in her eyes, the old man decided to bring out his "big move."
"You’ve learned enough about compounding. Next, I’m going to teach you something much harder. Are you scared?"
Liu Rumeng smiled faintly. "I was afraid you had nothing left to teach me."
"What a cocky brat. What I’m about to teach you isn't as simple as before; it requires high perception. Don't be too confident just yet." He turned and walked into the apothecary. A moment later, he emerged holding a golden furnace.
The furnace was about the size of two palms, radiating a golden glow. The bottom was charred black from years of use, looking quite unimpressive.
"Never seen this before, have you? This is my treasure. I don't show it to just anyone!"
"A pill-refining furnace?"
"You know what it is?!" The old man was astonished. While refining pills wasn't exactly rare in the Tianwei Continent, such a furnace was incredibly precious, and the raw materials were so scarce that ordinary people never had a chance to touch them.
Liu Rumeng shook her head. "I guessed."
It wasn't that she had seen one before, but anyone who had read *Journey to the West* would find it impossible to forget Taishang Laojun's great pill furnace.
The old man sighed. "This old fellow has been with me for most of my life. It’s about time I got a new one."
"Are you going to teach me how to refine pills?"
"Your master knows many things. Don't be too in awe of me just yet."
This old man was truly... he didn't act his age. But wasn't pill-refining something from cultivation novels? Back then, Qin Shi Huang sent people to find immortality pills, and they never returned. The pill rooms were always filled with smoke, and in the end, he and his vast armies were buried in a tomb anyway. Was this stuff actually reliable?
Seeing her indifferent expression, the old man grew irritated. *How dare she question the strength of the Medical Saint.* He pulled a porcelain bottle from his sleeve, poured out a pill, and handed it to her.
"What is this?"
"The Mind-Clearing Pill. After taking it, your eyes will be clear and your mind sharp, allowing you to see hundreds of meters away!"
Liu Rumeng was speechless. *Do you think this is a telescope?* Just because he gave her a pill, she was supposed to eat it? Did he think she was a three-year-old?
As Liu Rumeng was about to refuse, the old man curled his lip. "Scared? If you're afraid, just say so. I’m not one to force people."
Knowing he was using a reverse-psychology tactic, Liu Rumeng still took the pill. *I want to see if this "miracle drug" of yours is actually that magical.*
The pill dissolved upon contact with her tongue, turning into a cool sensation that flowed into her body. Her chest felt a clarity she had never experienced before.
"Girl, take a look and tell me what I’m holding in my hand," the old man’s voice called from the distance.
Liu Rumeng looked up and could not help but be shocked.In the blink of an eye, the old man had somehow avoided her notice and run off to such a great distance.
And she hadn't sensed it at all.
Are the people on this continent all such freaks?
"Did you see clearly?"
Liu Rumeng looked away and gazed at his left hand. "A money pouch, embroidered with black patterns. You really should change it—the bottom is already moth-eaten..."
Liu Rumeng suddenly stopped, a flash of shock in her eyes.
The Medical Saint walked back with a smile. "Well? Do you believe it now?"
Liu Rumeng suddenly lifted her head. "I'm your disciple. Your things will be mine sooner or later. What else do you have in your pockets? Hurry up and hand some over."
The old man quickly guarded his chest, but seeing Liu Rumeng's secret smile, he realized she was just joking.
"You stinky girl, how dare you make fun of your master!" He looked up at the sky. "It's getting late. Let's go, into the city!"
Liu Rumeng suddenly felt they looked like a pair of country bumpkin noobs entering the city for the very first time.
The two packed up their things and walked toward the nearest town.
Having no mounts, they had to travel entirely on foot. Along the way, the old man gave her a general overview of the situation here.
It turned out this was Banhu Village. Because the village was surrounded by a large river, every evening when the water rose, it would submerge half the village's boundaries, hence the name.
The nearest town was an hour's journey away, but to the residents of the Tianwei Continent, that was nothing at all.
The village was home to quite a few secluded martial artists. Because the location was remote and rarely disturbed, many people regarded it as a wonderful place to escape the world.
Liu Rumeng scoffed inwardly: An ancient version of a senior cadre's retirement home.
After walking for about an hour, the two finally reached the town.
It was Liu Rumeng's first time here, and she found everything fresh and novel.
Though the town was still some distance from the imperial capital, it lacked neither taverns nor teahouses, and merchants and common laborers were everywhere, making the place quite bustling and lively.
Among them, there were quite a few people leading mounts as they walked.
Liu Rumeng secretly sized them up. Most were at the third level, some at the fourth, while sixth-level ones were quite rare.
This meant that people with spiritual power above the fifth level were everywhere here. In other words, Yang Yiwan didn't even count as a beginner in Tianwei—she was practically complete trash.
And she had almost been killed by such piece of trash!
The two arrived in front of a shop, and the old man tossed his money pouch to her. "You go pick one out. I have other business to attend to."
Liu Rumeng nodded, took the money into the shop, and walked over to the shelves to browse carefully.
Customers came and went, mostly dressed in luxury with transcendent bearings. They looked at the goods without even asking the price, simply throwing down banknotes and walking out.
"Boss, how much for this one?" Not familiar with the goods, Liu Rumeng could only pick by intuition.
"Two hundred liang, not a single wen less."
Liu Rumeng clicked her tongue in amazement. Such a tiny stove cost so much—it was enough to cover food expenses for her and her mother for several years.
She put it down, thought for a moment, and picked up another. "How about this one?"
"Six hundred liang."
Liu Rumeng was speechless: This wasn't alchemy; this was gold-refining.
A broken stove was this expensive—even if she learned alchemy, she wouldn't have the money to buy a stove, would she?
Just as she was about to give up, her gaze swept across an alchemy furnace at the very bottom of the shelf.
As the saying goes: the items on the bottom shelf are usually of good quality and low price.
Liu Rumeng bent down to pick it up and asked again, "How much for this one?"
"You have a good eye, customer. This is made from the bones of a Mystic Tiger. Not only is it sturdy and durable, but it also increases the potency of pills. If you're sincere, eight hundred silver liang and it's yours."
Selling it this so expensive? Were they trying to rob her?
Liu Rumeng secretly opened the old man's money pouch, and sure enough, there were only a few symbolic bits of loose change inside...
No wonder he ran off. He must have known this pittance wouldn't be enough to buy anything and made his escape.
Truly a master at scamming his own disciple!
Liu Rumeng looked up and smiled. "I didn't bring enough silver today. I wonder if there's any place nearby to make some money?"
The boss looked Liu Rumeng up and down, sizing her up from head to toe. Seeing her shabby clothes, and though her face was veiled in white, her exposed skin was sallow and colorless, a trace of contempt could not help but surface in his eyes. "Miss, if you can't afford it, hurry up and leave. I have other customers to attend to; don't block other people from buying things."
Facing the man's dismissal, Liu Rumeng only gave a faint smile, turned around, and walked out.
Chapter 23: Moyin
"Hmph, if you can't afford it, don't come in. Look at what kind of place this is." The man sneered, just about to turn and attend to other customers, when he saw a white figure leap into the shop. Her posture was ethereal, as graceful as an immortal descending from the heavens.
Without looking, he knew a major client had arrived. He hurriedly abandoned the other customers and walked toward the man, but upon taking a closer look, he froze in place.
The man stood quietly in the shop, black hair falling straight and smooth, sharp sword-like brows slanted upward, long and narrow black eyes holding a sharp edge, thin lips pressed lightly, and well-defined contours. Between his brows, a white lotus appeared faintly, now and then. His tall, slender yet unrugged physique made him look like a falcon in the dark night—cold, aloof, yet aggressively overbearing. Standing in solitary independence, he exuded an overwhelming dominance that looked down upon the heavens and earth.
Probably what people called an immortal was no more than this.
Only, those deep dark brows were slightly furrowed, carrying a gloomy undertone beneath the aloofness.
"C-Customer, what would you like to buy?" Meeting such a gaze, the boss felt his legs go weak and actually began to stutter.
The man swept a glance at him. "What did the previous customer take a fancy to?"
"Y-You mean that woman earlier? S-She took a liking to an alchemy furnace, b-but that furnace was extremely expensive, and she couldn't afford it."
"Bring it here." The man walked over to a chair and sat down gracefully, his imposing aura as lofty as an emperor.
Not daring to delay, the boss hurriedly fetched the furnace Liu Rumeng had looked at and handed it to the man.
The man glanced at it indifferently, his lips curling in contempt. "Crude craftsmanship. How do you even dare to sell such a thing?"
"C-Customer? T-This is made from fine..."
"What? Are you afraid I can't cough up the silver like her?"
With that, he pulled a thick stack of banknotes from his waist and tossed them onto the table. "Are you satisfied now?"
The boss's eyes went straight, and he quietly swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
"Bring out the best furnace cauldron in your shop."
Today he had run into someone who truly knew their stuff. Not daring to tarry, the boss ran to the storeroom, brought out the town-resisting treasure, and carefully presented it to the man.
The alchemy furnace was pitch-black throughout, dark as ink and night. It was unclear what material it was made of, but under the sunlight, it emitted an eerie sheen.
The handles were smooth and rounded, the body delicate, exuding a faint fragrance that refreshed the mind and spirit.
It was indeed a rare and exceptional piece of goods.
"Customer, you are a connoisseur; you must be able to tell what this is made of," the boss fawned.
The man chuckled faintly.
From the moment the furnace was held before him, he could tell it was made from the skull of a Ghost Eagle. Moreover, this Ghost Eagle was at least a hundred years old, which was why the skull was black without blemishes and emitted an unusual fragrance.
The Ghost Eagle was a seventh-level spirit beast. To tame one required at least a ninth-rank martial artist. Furthermore, Ghost Eagles lived deep underground and only operated at night, making them extremely difficult to capture—let alone crafting an alchemy furnace from its skull. Pills refined in this furnace would undoubtedly have vastly increased potency.
Seeing the understanding on the man's face, the boss switched to a servile smile. "Customer, to tell you the truth, quite a few people have had their eyes on this furnace, but I cherished it dearly and refused to let it go. Meeting you today, I finally realize that this furnace was waiting all along for you."
"Oh? Who else wants it?"
The boss leaned in quietly and lowered his voice. "Customer, I don't know if you've heard of Lord Moyin."
The man raised his brows slightly, a glint of amusement flashing in his deep eyes. "Oh?"
Seeing that he had piqued his interest, the boss continued, "Legend has it that this Lord Moyin is the absolute top among the Hackers!" The boss raised his thumb. "You've heard of Hackers, right?"
The man set down his teacup, flicked his sleeve, and said indifferently, "Tell me about it."
Eager to secure this big client, the boss rushed to share everything he knew.
"I only heard bits and pieces from customers. They say the Hackers are an organization composed of the top experts from various countries, including masters of the Chaos Realm and the Heaven Realm. They wander among the nations, disguised as ordinary people mingling in crowds, waiting for the right moment. The Hackers are not bound by any organization or country; they take orders from only one person—that Lord Moyin!"
The man picked up his teacup and took a light sip.
"I hear they provide intelligence to those who need it and take on all sorts of missions. They even balance the power between nations to avoid conflict. I heard the previous ruler of Hong Country once sought them out, wanting to borrow their power to attack Wei, but was rejected. Hong Country sent an army of two hundred thousand, only to be intercepted halfway back, and in the end, fewer than a few hundred returned alive!"
The man set down his teacup, his demeanor unperturbed. "Moyin wants this furnace too?"
"More than just wanting it—if a customer hadn't been present at the time, he would have seized it on the spot."
The man chuckled softly. "I wonder what this Moyin looks like."
Anxious to close the sale, the boss naturally went all out to please him. "You wouldn't know this, customer, but that Moyin has a pig's nose and ox's eyes, his face is covered in freckles, his hair is yellow and withered, and he's short and stocky. How could he possibly compare to even a thousandth of you?"