Chapter 0005: The Weak Man Saves the Beauty

Chen Ling appeared to be earnestly receiving instruction, yet in his heart, he was contemplating the herbal compendium mentioned by his family, which contained secret formulas for treating external injuries and strengthening the body. After preparation, if taken consistently for a week in conjunction with external wound remedies, the body would soon be able to recover

Cheng Su'er took out a small basket from the large one and carried it on her back. She said, "The other doctors have gone to gather herbs on their own. I came to call you, and we've delayed for a moment. Let's go; the medicinal herbs on the nearby hills have all been picked, and it will take us a long time to get out."

You are nothing but beasts! Su'er’s eyes were filled with hatred, and there was a hint of panic in her gaze. She held a bronze sickle for defense, but having never trained in martial arts, she was naturally no match for these two seasoned and formidable soldiers. With a flick of the sickle, one of the Qin soldiers seized her wrist, causing a sharp pain in her pulse point, and the sickle fell to the ground

Two scouts from the Qin army infiltrated the Wei army's activity area to gather intelligence. Suddenly, they discovered Su'er, who was alone gathering herbs, and they harbored malicious thoughts. The Qin state, located on the frontier, had not yet cultivated the minds of its people several decades ago, resembling untamed beasts. After Shang Yang's reforms, the Qin state developed the Hexi Qin culture, which gradually led to its strengthening. However, the inherent wildness and ferocity of the Qin were unmatched by the six other states.

Su Er reached out to wipe her tears, leaning her delicate body against his chest, and with a smile through her tears said: "Thank you, Brother Chen. Usually, when I see your gentle demeanor, I never expected that you could kill two Qin soldiers without even blinking. It seems I can no longer underestimate you in the future"

"Do not... who are you? Qin army scouts? How dare you cause trouble in the defense zone of Wei? Are you not afraid of death, like - Tu - Shu?" It was indeed Su'er’s voice

Little girls, soon you will know what it means to wish for death rather than life, haha ... ...

While the medicine was being brewed, Chen Ling was not idle. For the past few days, he had been consuming only coarse grains and corn, and without any nobility, he had no right to eat meat. For someone with his weakened physical condition, relying solely on vegetarian food without nutritional supplements led to a slow recovery of his constitution. He wielded two short daggers and, using the Chen family's flying knife technique, killed a wild chicken. After skinning it, he cleaned the entrails by the stream, intending to prepare a Beggar's Chicken for nourishment.

At that moment, a figure sprang out from the tall grass, handsome and striking; it was Chen Ling. He walked over quickly and asked with concern, "Su Er, are you alright?"

The art of the flying knife emphasizes the combination of heart, eye, spirit, strength, and intention. Although Chen Ling's strength is somewhat lacking, he is not deficient in the other aspects. Therefore, this skill still provides him with considerable room for survival

"Chen Ling? Was it you who saved me just now?"

On the second day, Chen Ling got up early and waited outside the infirmary, as he had arranged to meet Su Er at the front of the tent during the early hours of the day. At this moment, the first rays of morning light were just beginning to shine, and the autumn morning felt somewhat chilly, with a considerable amount of fog.

Chen Ling, have you been waiting long?

This is called Zhu Lan grass, which I just mentioned to you. It is used to make hemostatic agents and has effects similar to those of Zizhu grass and Sanqi grass found in the Chuyue region. Be careful not to confuse them, or you might poison yourself

Chen Ling saw that the young girl was overly frightened, so he quickly got up, extended his arm to hold her delicate shoulder, and comforted her, saying: "Su'er, don't be afraid. With your big brother Chen here, no one can harm you."

Hmm, alright. Chen Ling felt a bit short of breath, only regretting that this body was too weak. It seemed that this young master from a previous life had never practiced any martial arts, his flesh was soft, and there was not a single muscle in his entire body. His fists were powerless, and it was likely that even hitting someone would not cause any pain

This time, Chen Ling accompanied her under the pretext of wanting to go out, primarily to find a quiet mountain forest for physical training and martial arts practice. Additionally, she intended to gather some herbs to brew for strengthening her physique and hastening her recovery from injuries. Furthermore, she aimed to hunt some game to supplement her diet, as her nutrition was insufficient, leaving her body weak. If she were to engage in intense training again, her body would surely be unable to withstand it.

Chen Ling approached with a smile and said, "Miss Su'er."

Chen Ling happily agreed, and after parting ways, strolled into the mountain stream, searching around. Following the secret recipe of the Chen family from his previous life, he dug up some rarely used herbs and ground them together in proportion. He then took out a ceramic vessel from his pack, resembling a wine jar, which was extremely ugly in appearance. During this period, ceramic craftsmanship was still immature, and bronze vessels were more common. Given his current status as a soldier, he could not obtain bronze vessels at all, only crude black pottery, which he had stolen from the barracks.

It seems that the family remedy for external injuries is still quite effective. Fortunately, there was no deep bone injury, just a superficial wound. Otherwise, it would have taken a hundred days of recovery. Now, that is not necessary. After the wound completely heals, with both internal and external medication, in just over ten days, I can start physical training. Chen Ling was somewhat satisfied. Just as he turned around to check the fire on the free-range chicken, a woman's voice calling for help came from the mouth of the mountain stream.

"Is it really you? I never expected your throwing skills to be so precise, you saved me, I am so grateful to you. You have no idea, if I had fallen into their hands, it would have been truly more terrifying than death!" Su'er said, recalling the terrifying scene from earlier, unable to hold back the tears streaming down her cheeks

"Young lady, in these days of battle between our two armies, your Wei troops have certainly killed many of our Qin soldiers. Today, since we have encountered a woman from Wei, we will first violate and then kill you, leaving your body in the wilderness. Let your Wei soldiers see that they cannot even protect their own women, which is utterly disgraceful."

In front is Qinghong Ridge, where medicinal herbs are relatively abundant on the hillside. Come with me to gather herbs.

Two Qin soldiers each grabbed one of Su'er’s arms, intending to drag her to a secluded place to violate her. Su'er was in a state of panic and screamed. At that moment, a cold light shot out from behind; one of the Qin soldiers was struck in the back, letting out a terrible scream as he fell forward to the ground, convulsed a few times, and then ceased to breathe

Chen Ling nodded and followed Su Er out of the camp's defensive area. Due to Su Er's high prestige in the military, the soldiers on guard were very courteous and allowed her to pass.

Although he lacked strength and internal energy, he nonetheless possessed extensive experience in martial arts cultivation, with both vision and technique being exceptionally refined. What he lacked was the process of starting from scratch to diligently cultivate internal energy and to re-train and strengthen his body. At this moment, fighting alone was not feasible, yet he could still accurately throw a flying knife with a flick of his hand.

Hehe, look at this young lady, she is quite charming and has a lovely figure. Today, we two are in for some good fortune

If you must blame someone, blame the fact that you are from the Wei state

After Chen Ling washed his outer garment, he cleaned his wound. The medicine was just ready, and after drinking it in one go, although it was extremely bitter, he soon felt that the pain in his body had lessened.

The two ascended the rocky path of the mountain, beginning their journey over hills and valleys. Along the way, Su Er patiently explained to him the characteristics and effects of various herbs, to which Chen Ling listened with an open mind. In fact, he was born into a martial arts family and had been exposed to ancient culture, martial arts, herbal medicine, and traditional Chinese studies from a young age. He had been rigorously trained in the wilderness by his family, making him quite familiar with plants and medicinal materials. Survival in the wild and self-rescue were fundamental skills.

In an instant, not far away, a girl in a flowing green dress swayed gracefully as she approached; it was Cheng Su'er.

"No, I just came out. Let me carry the large basket for you." Chen Ling removed the strap from her shoulder and shouldered the large basket.

"Su'er, there is a mountain stream over there. I would like to go wash my wounds, and my clothes are all muddy as well, so I might as well wash them too. It has been too stuffy these days, and it is just right to get some fresh air." Chen Ling took the opportunity to suggest.

Two strong Qin soldiers died in an instant, startling Su'er and causing her some panic. Although she served as a physician in the army and had seen many soldiers die in battle, witnessing the scene of murder was completely different from failing to save a patient. This made the skilled little healer, who was adept at reviving the dying, turn pale with fear.

Cheng Su'er slightly wrinkled her delicate nose and glanced at his collar, which indeed looked a bit dirty. Should she wash it for him? Thinking about his body and the scene of washing his collar, she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and said: "Alright, you go wash up, but be careful not to let the wound get cold and infected. You can use a towel to gently wipe around the wound, and for the clothes, just give them a light scrub. Don't apply too much force for now to avoid tearing the injury."

He set up a small earthen stove, placing a black ceramic jar filled with clear water on top of it. He began to use a fire starter to ignite the firewood, boiling water to prepare medicine. As long as he persisted in taking it for a period of time, his injuries would soon heal, restoring his vitality and strength

Cheng Su'er walked ahead, climbing the foothills, traversing through thorny bushes, searching for medicinal herbs. Before long, she discovered Zhu Lan grass, also known as Gan Gen or Zi Hui. The flowers and leaves have longitudinal folds, and the stamens and style are fused to form a column. Below ground, there is a thick rhizome, resembling a chicken's head, which is rich in stickiness and has excellent hemostatic properties

Another Qin soldier hurriedly turned around, becoming alert. He had just drawn the sword from his waist, intending to observe the enemy's movements, when suddenly a flash of white light shot towards him. He swung his sword to block it, but was a moment too late; the short dagger had already pierced his forehead. In a state of panic, he fell to the ground, lifeless.

Cheng Su'er meticulously explained to him, causing Chen Ling to feel a bittersweet smile in his heart: Please, I have known these plants since I was a child, alright

Chen Ling bent down to draw out the two short daggers, wiped the bloodstains on the collar of the Qin person's corpse, and smiled slightly as he looked up, saying: "Of course, are there any others here?"

Chen Ling chuckled to himself, thinking that his appearance indeed resembled that of a "pretty boy"—delicate and handsome, pleasing to the eye but lacking substance. He did not possess the masculine vigor of a real man and realized he must intensify his training; otherwise, would he not be looked down upon by the women of this era