Chapter 4: The Herbal Garden in the Painting

Oh, let me take another look

Before long, the Blood-red Vine fell out of the ancient scroll with a "thud"

Ye Chen boiled hot water, returned to the room to fetch the herbs, and glanced at the herbs on the table, instantly revealing a look of astonishment

It seems to be growing!

I will try again to see the effect

Ye Chen was overjoyed and decided to use all three of his herbal medicines for experimentation

This plant of Sophora flavescens has grown to six inches, possessing at least sixty years of medicinal potency, and is entirely a sixth-grade herbal medicine! Such high-grade herbs are not available in herbal shops. Even if they were available, the price would be at least several dozen or even hundreds of taels of silver

Where is my Sophora flavescens! In such a short time, who has stolen my medicine

The truly astonishing item is this ancient scroll. Within it, a medicinal herb garden of one mu can actually allow a three-inch-long Sophora flavescens to grow into a six-inch-long Sophora flavescens

This morning, a new batch of goods just arrived, consisting of fresh herbs picked from the mountains, tender and juicy. Feel free to choose from the shelves

He soon realized something more important

Boss Zhang chuckled

The first rank costs ten copper coins, the second rank over a hundred copper coins, and the third rank of herbs surprisingly requires one tael of silver per plant. These third rank herbs are indeed expensive

Mr. Zhang, the owner of the herbal shop and bookstore, is currently settling accounts at the counter

If this is truly a celestial artifact, its dissemination would likely cause a sensation throughout the Martial Kingdom. Countless swordsmen and knife-wielders, as well as experts at the ninth level of body refinement, would flock to the North Ridge Academy, desperately vying for this treasure. Once a martial artist breaks through to the ninth level of body refinement, they can enter the primordial spirit stage and become a cultivator. Who wouldn't want to possess a tool used by celestial beings

This body refinement training!

If we follow his understanding, the medicinal herb garden in this painting is likely lacking in fertility and requires a period of fallow.

This苦参 is nothing significant

Ye Chen found it difficult to conceal the shock within his heart

Ye Chen measured the length of the苦参 with his fingers and swallowed.

Ye Chen unrolled the ancient painting scroll titled "Immortal's Abode," gazing at it for a while before contentedly placing it on the table. This was the first time in ten years that he had spent money on such a luxurious ancient painting, greatly fulfilling the dream he held in his heart.

Ye Chen widened his eyes and held his breath

Boss Zhang, I only have 8 taels of silver, could you help me select a few sets of third-grade herbs

What exactly is this ancient scroll? ... ... The scroll is inscribed with the two characters "Xianfu". Could it really be a magical artifact used by practitioners of immortality from hetushu.com?

Ye Chen's gaze became dazed, and his breathing quickened

Ye Chen mumbled

"Boss Zhang, do you have any fresh herbs?"

Ye Chen clicked his tongue upon hearing this and continued to ponder which herbs would be best to purchase

Ye Chen arrived at the shelf

How did my Sophora flavescens enter the ancient painting! This plant of Sophora flavescens cost me one or two taels of silver, how can I take it out!

Call!

Ye Chen contemplated for a moment and attempted to place a red blood vine on the ancient scroll.

After he placed the last herb, the 'Ten-Year Snake Gall Fruit,' into the medicinal garden, it hardly grew at all. The snake gall fruit had only developed medicinal properties for less than a year before it fell out

The opened package of herbs on the table clearly contains three herbs, but now one of the Sophora flavescens is missing

Ye Chen left the bookstore with two worn books and an ancient scroll, heading towards his residence. "The herbal medicines I bought some time ago have already been used up; I need to purchase some new herbs to take back." On the way, he passed by a herbal shop within the academy and remembered that he was out of herbs.

In the barren medicinal herb garden depicted in the ancient scroll, there stood a plant of Sophora flavescens, thirty years old and three inches in height. The leaves of this Sophora flavescens were still lush and glistening, thriving remarkably, clearly the very one he had purchased.

Alright! This is thirty-year-old Sophora flavescens, which nourishes the body, strengthens vital energy and blood, and unblocks the meridians for internal use. This is twenty-year-old Red Vine, which heals internal injuries and clears blood stasis. This is ten-year-old Snake Gall Fruit, used for external medicinal baths to treat skin and flesh injuries. These are all third-grade herbs, and one of them has slightly weaker medicinal properties, so I will sell it to you at a lower price, charging you eight taels of silver

The wormwood plant in the painting is indeed growing larger

Ye Chen licked his lips

How has the ancient painting become unrecognizable

Ye Chen picked up the ancient painting scroll, rubbed his eyes, and looked closely again

This is not expensive at all! Our shop does not carry herbs of the fourth to sixth grade; otherwise, they would be priced at least several dozen to over a hundred taels of silver. Herbs of this grade are heavily purchased by wealthy aristocratic families and affluent merchant associations, so our small shop does not sell them. As for rare herbs of the seventh grade and above, they are difficult to acquire even with gold, as such rare herbs are reserved for the royal treasury and high-ranking officials of the State of Wu, and cannot be found on the market. Have you made your selection, young man?

He is a commoner from a rural family in Wuguo, aware that fields are used to grow grain year-round, and that soil fertility can weaken. The rice yield becomes poorer with each planting, necessitating a fallow period of a year and a half to restore soil fertility

Suddenly, he witnessed something even more shocking

Oh, why is there one less Sophora flavescens plant?

Could it be that the fields in this ancient painting, like the cultivated fields outside, also deplete the fertility of the land

Ye Chen hurriedly stepped forward to the table and picked up the herbs on it

Within the ancient scroll, amidst an acre of medicinal herbs, there grew a vine of crimson hue, exquisite and charming, almost indistinguishable from reality in the painting

Ye Chen felt the eight taels of silver remaining in his pocket and entered the herbal medicine shop

A twenty-year-old red blood vine has vanished into thin air

This ancient scroll has become much dimmer than before. The originally vibrant colors of the painting have started to fade, becoming dull and lacking luster

He used to have no money in his pocket. After spending ten years cultivating at the academy, he had always relied on the cheapest first and second-grade herbs to refine his physique, never using third-grade herbs. Now, he has reached the mid-stage of body refinement, and having earned a sum from cleaning the library and doing miscellaneous tasks, he has quite a bit of silver in his pocket, allowing him to purchase third-grade herbs for refining his physique.

After repeated attempts, he gradually understood the trick to using this ancient scroll. Each time he placed the herbs inside, they would automatically fall out along with the illustrations once they had grown to a certain extent

After Ye Chen discovered this, he was startled and dared not use it again

Ye Chen vigorously shook the ancient painting, and a much thicker Sophora flavescens fell out of the scroll with a "thud!" Its size was more than double that of the original.

Ye Chen began to busy himself, heating water in a pot under the eaves, preparing to brew herbs for internal consumption and external bathing.

After using it many times, Ye Chen discovered that the ancient painting had undergone changes

On the shelves of the small shop, there are numerous herbs displayed, with bamboo tags indicating their prices, grades, and uses. These include herbs for body refinement and healing, with grades ranging from one to three, suitable for use in the early stages of body cultivation

First, let the ancient painting rest and restore some strength to Tian Li

Ye Chen paid eight taels of silver and joyfully received three bundles of medicinal herbs to open a herbal medicine shop. Carrying old books, ancient paintings, and three sets of herbs for cultivation, he arrived at a secluded courtyard within the academy where students resided, specifically in one of the wooden houses.

The owner of the pharmacy skillfully wrapped three packets of herbal medicine and said with a smile, "These three prescriptions should be used together for excellent detoxification effects."

Thank you

Indeed, this is how it is used

This blood vine has begun to grow at a visibly rapid pace, becoming increasingly robust.

Subsequently, he placed three packets of herbs on the table and opened one of the packets.