Chapter 1, Crossing Over

The next ten days are like days in paradise, having donned new clothes, although they do not fit very well. Eating millet cakes to one's heart's content, but unfortunately, one must learn the art of herbal medicine; if one cannot master it, hunger will ensue. The instructor is also not very diligent, having completed the teaching in a cramming manner within ten days, after which each person is given a bamboo basket, and a budding herbalist is freshly minted.

Seeing the shopkeeper's eyes narrow slightly, I quickly took my leave

As graduation approaches, I find myself tossing and turning in bed due to concerns about work, when suddenly everything goes dark, and I am transported!

Fang Ming was also aware that his interference was quite taboo, and the fact that Manager Zheng had hinted several times at promoting him only made him more detestable. Therefore, he maintained a low profile, speaking little and working more. The other apprentices gradually accepted this situation or observed it with indifference, but only Wang Cheng and his group continued to create trouble for him, seizing every opportunity to mock and ridicule.

There is only one trouble: the depths of Huoshan are shrouded in fog year-round, often filled with miasma. The mountains are densely forested, with abundant vegetation, making it very easy to get lost. Therefore, entering the mountains to gather medicinal herbs is an extremely difficult task

Next, following the master into the mountains, Fang Ming was accompanied by a herbalist named Wang Yin. Such herbalists are notoriously reckless, often suffering from ailments themselves. When faced with high mountains, the young apprentice must go first; when encountering deep valleys, the same applies. If they come across valuable herbs, they would risk the young apprentice's life to collect them. Fang Ming had experienced being suspended like that more than once or twice. On that day, after being suspended for half a day, he finally managed to gather the herbs. After signaling, the previous master could no longer hold on and passed away, which inadvertently benefited Fang Ming.

Hui Chun Tang is one of the largest pharmacies in Ming Lun County, and its owner, Wang Da Heng, is known as Wang Da Shan Ren. He is a prominent figure from the Yaowang Gang in Le Chun County and has significant influence in both the legal and illegal realms within the county. His Hui Chun Tang occupies more than three mu of land in the county, functioning as a colossal enterprise that integrates the collection, production, and sale of medicine, while the treatment of illnesses and saving lives has become a secondary business

I also think it is very likely, otherwise how could the dialect be so good, it is clearly a family tradition, haha

Just when he was about to starve to death, he saw that Huichuntang was recruiting apprentice herbalists. He knew that this was a one-way road. Some of his former companions from begging had also gone to apply, but unfortunately, none of them had survived a year. Now, he couldn't even last a day, so he might as well eat arsenic, at least he could die with a full stomach, right

Ah, they have arrived!" Upon hearing the shout, Fang Ming quickly set down his work and hurried over. The elderly shopkeeper nodded slightly at Fang Ming, seemingly letting out a sigh of relief. He then picked up the teacup on the table and savored the tea, eventually returning to his usual calm and composed demeanor.

You are giving too much, I cannot bear it

Fang Ming first greeted the old man, and then unexpectedly began to communicate with the leading strong man in a rapid exchange, speaking in the local dialect with perfect pronunciation, making one wonder if he was also a native. The strong man was equally delighted, as if he had encountered a relative, patting Fang Ming on the shoulder and engaging in a warm conversation.

"According to the rules of the hall, any apprentice who fights within the hall shall receive twenty lashes. What, do you want to join me in receiving punishment?" Fang Ming coldly glanced at Wang Cheng.

After Fang Ming was pulled up, he fainted, and at the same time, a "Martial Arts Order" appeared in his mind, followed by a surge of information. After receiving the memories of his previous body, Fang Ming realized that he had caught up with a nearly expired soul transfer. Unfortunately, he did not become an emperor, nor did he attain great wealth or a scholarly family, but rather, he was a beggar. Fang Ming immediately raised a middle finger to the "Martial Arts Order" in his mind.

Fang Ming quickly nodded and bowed, saying, "Not at all, we are young and inexperienced; this pharmacy relies on your esteemed guidance for everything."

Returning to the front hall, I saw the shopkeeper. At this moment, the shopkeeper had also finished his tea. He said slowly, "Well done, go on, wash your face, what do you look like."

Fortunately, this accompanying linguistic proficiency is quite beneficial. Although the Gao Di tribe in Huoshan is referred to as a single tribe, it actually comprises dozens of clans, each with a significantly different language, which has caused great distress for Manager Zheng, who is responsible for collecting medicinal materials

"Fang Ming, you rascal, hurry up and come here! If this deal falls through, watch your skin!" An elderly man, resembling a shopkeeper, was frantically dealing with a group of oddly dressed customers. In the midst of his busyness, he turned around and shouted, causing all the young apprentices in the front hall to feel a chill run down their spines, and they quickly buried themselves in their work.

It became simple from there. The Han envoy had come to exchange medicine for goods, specifically requesting the Connecticut specialty "Cloud Pattern Brocade." However, he could not speak Mandarin and, at that moment, was unable to produce a sample, resulting in a stalemate. With Fang Ming present, things became much easier. Subsequently, both parties clarified the items and completed the transaction. The Han envoy was quite pleased and, upon leaving, embraced Fang Ming, brushing his fingers across Fang Ming's face, leaving a mark on it. Fang Ming understood that this was the other party's way of making friends and could only smile wryly in silence.

At the edge of the well in the backyard, I drew up a bucket of cool water to wash my face. In the reflection was a boy who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, with an ordinary face, yet his pair of dark, warm eyes held a certain spirit.

Lost in thought, a strange and mocking voice accompanied by a picture book came through: "Hey, Fang Ming, with that paint on, you really do look like a mountain native. No one knows who your parents are; could it be that you are truly of native descent? Hahaha"

The cool water splashed on his face, causing Fang Ming to fall into deep thought

Fang Ming felt a fire in his heart, yet he forcibly suppressed it and turned to leave

Fang Ming let out a cold laugh, lifted his leg, and walked away, disregarding the torrent of curses behind him

This group of guests carried bamboo baskets on their backs, dressed in colorful short jackets, with dark long trousers, and tied with emerald green belts. Notably, their faces were painted in various colors, dazzling the eyes. The leader, a burly man, appeared as if he had just emerged from a dyeing workshop, resembling a ghostly figure

Fang Ming looked up and saw three people standing in the aisle, all of whom were boys around fifteen or sixteen years old. The leader was a sturdy individual, noticeably taller than the others, known as Wang Cheng. They were all apprentices in the pharmaceutical field and had always looked down on him, seeking to provoke him.

After understanding all this, Fang Ming was completely at a loss in the wind

As the saying goes, one relies on the mountains for sustenance when near mountains, and on water when near water. Wang Dashanren has set his sights on the Huoshan Mountain Range, which stretches for hundreds of miles around Minglun County. This mountain range spans several counties and extends deep into the unknown, teeming with all manner of creatures such as snakes, insects, rodents, ants, as well as wolves, tigers, leopards, and a variety of medicinal herbs including realgar, ephedra, ginseng, and ganoderma. It is no surprise that Wang Dashanren's pharmacy, located here, is thriving, reaping substantial profits.

There are two limitations. First, Fang Ming cannot choose the martial arts world to traverse by himself; it is randomly selected by the martial arts decree. Second, the opportunity to traverse can only be initiated during the full moon each month, and the duration is limited to three months. One can choose to forgo this time and accumulate it for the next world, but once entered, the time will be exhausted. Third, currently, only soul transference is allowed.

This robust man had thick, muscular arms, high and bulging, with hands that were large and powerful, resembling the size of a cushion. At this moment, his face was flushed as he animatedly gestured and communicated with the elderly shopkeeper, saying, "This one, no good, must—" Suddenly, in a moment of urgency, he burst out with two sentences in a local dialect, further bewildering those around him.

Da Qian, Connecticut, Lechun County, Minglun County, Huichun Hall Front Hall

By the time he woke up, he was already in this body, but at that moment he was hanging in mid-air over a cliff, the rope around his waist choking him and making it hard to breathe, while he was desperately clutching a medicinal herb in his hand. He was then pulled up, and the sheer cliffs along the way had taken away a small part of Fang Ming's life.

What a pain! What a pain! If only the heavens would just give me the freebies, then I would be a master of languages in the modern world! With my English level 8, Japanese level 1, and simultaneous interpretation skills, everyone would have to bow down before me! Would I still have to worry about finding a job? At that time, I could just do some translation work casually, sipping on a drink, driving a nice car, surrounded by beautiful women and living in a luxurious mansion, enjoying life to the fullest. Those days would be worth trading for even a deity. At that time, I could just do some translation work casually, sipping on a drink, driving a nice car, surrounded by beautiful women and living in a luxurious mansion, enjoying life to the fullest. Those days would be worth trading for even a deity.

Fang Ming took the opportunity to showcase his fluent command of the local dialect, not daring to overdo it. He selected a few major tribes and a dozen or so medium-sized tribes with similar pronunciations. This greatly surprised Manager Zheng, who promoted him to the position of apprentice pharmacist, while also assigning him the responsibility of receiving guests, finally allowing him to leave the perilous group of herbal gatherers

At this moment, the Performance Order also joined in the excitement, manifesting a line of inscriptions resembling oracle bone script. Fang Ming took a look and saw that it was an introduction to the Performance Order. The general meaning was that he could use the Performance Order to traverse various martial arts worlds from his past lives, but this was not without limitations

Wang Chengben was capable of losing his temper, but upon recalling the thorny whip, he forcibly restrained himself: "You worthless scoundrel, you only dare to rely on the rules to suppress me. If you are a man, let’s have a proper showdown tonight in the small woods east of the city. I’ll let you use one hand. Do you dare? Give me an answer."

It has been two or three months since I arrived in this world, and it is truly a pitiful situation! Fang Ming repeatedly cursed in his heart. He was an ordinary liberal arts student from the twenty-first century, who enjoyed playing the game "Wulin Qunxia Chuan" and especially liked the hero Dongfang Wuming, whose name resonated with his own, thus earning him the nickname "Half Hero".

As for his language skills, he attributes them to his innate talent, claiming that these are the results of his own efforts over the past decade or so. Fortunately, he grew up in the county, where everyone knows him well and he does not possess any martial arts skills. People look down on the locals and do not consider them particularly impressive; they merely regard them as rare.

There is an old saying that life is like a strong oppression; if you cannot resist, you can only enjoy it. The same goes for time travel. Fang Ming has read many time travel novels in the past, but he has not seen many characters who later returned to Earth. He can only accept his fate and start planning for the future

In addition to sending herbal gatherers into the mountains every year without regard for life and death, the primary source of supply for Huichuntang is trade with the Gaodi ethnic group of Huoshan. This group of unusually dressed guests are the Gaodi people.

This fleshly body has been begging in Minlun County since it had memory, with hunger being a daily occurrence and a full meal being a treat akin to the New Year. In previous years, when the harvest was good, it could at least survive, but this year, due to the severe drought in Jiangsu, the government's disaster relief is utterly ineffective, and even small households are facing ruin, leaving him directly on the brink of life and death

The "Martial Arts Order" is the golden finger that Fang Ming acquired upon his time travel, and it also comes with the ability to understand and communicate in any language. As long as he hears a sentence, he can fluently converse with others, and he can comprehend any written text at a glance

Wang Cheng positioned himself sideways, blocking the middle of the road: "What, do you want to run?"