Martial Arts: Starting from a Seemingly Real System

After exiting the passage and arriving at the inner valley of Yaowang Valley, Qiao Rui felt that the view in front of him suddenly became clear.

Everywhere you look, you see lush greenery, with towering trees standing tall, twisted branches and vines hanging down and entwined, and clusters of flowers and shrubs. You can hear the crisp chirping of birds and insects, and the aroma of herbs and medicine lingers around your nose, which lifts your spirits and makes you feel refreshed.

Huang Jingxuan blew out the lantern and hung it on the rock wall, then led everyone forward, constantly introducing Yaowang Valley.

"Growing herbs here is not like farmers planting large plots of land. Our ancestors said that herbs have different properties and need to be planted in the most suitable environment according to their habits. Let them grow naturally, and occasionally remove insects and apply fertilizers carefully. Don't intervene too much!"

At first glance, Qiao Rui saw all kinds of flowers and plants all over the mountains. He couldn't tell which were medicinal herbs and which were ordinary flowers and plants. They were all in small groups of three or two. There were no large medicinal fields and no traces of human intervention.

"The geographical environment of Medicine King Valley is peculiar, and the climate is abnormal. It cannot be judged by common sense. The east side facing the sun is like spring all year round, the south side leeward is extremely hot, the open west side is full of autumn winds, and the snow-capped mountains in the north are freezing cold. The ancestor said that this is a precious place that can meet the environmental requirements of 90% of the world's medicinal materials. It is a God-given Medicine King Valley!"

Huang Jingxuan introduced the matter with great enthusiasm, and the reunion with Qiao Rui really made him extremely happy.

The old ancestor had a strange temper. Although he favored Huang Jingyu, he did not like Huang Jingxuan and only sent him to the front valley to do the reception work. The other medicine boys and slaves in the valley were not very close to him because of his sister's status. God knows what it's like for a teenager with so much energy but nowhere to vent and no one to talk to.

"There is a stream in the back mountain, which converges into a small lake in the valley. My sister calls it Little Mirror Lake. There is a small island in the middle of the lake, which is planted with fragrant bamboos. The ancestor lives in Zuimengxuan in the bamboo forest. Originally, my sister was also qualified to live on the bamboo island, but the ancestor disliked my noise and did not allow me to live there. So my sister asked the medicine slave to build a small courtyard by the lake for me to live with!"

Following the direction of Huang Jingxuan's finger, there was indeed a small lake. The surface of the lake was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the bright sunshine, shining brightly.

A wooden corridor by the lake leads to a small island in the middle of the lake. On the island there are lush bamboo forests and fragrant breezes. At the entrance of the corridor, there is a large wooden house with a yard standing alone. It seems that this is the residence of the siblings. The other houses are built more than ten feet away from the lake. It seems that the hierarchy here is really strict!

As they approached the courtyard, a strange aroma of a mixture of various medicinal herbs hit their noses. Huang Jingxuan pushed the door open first and muttered, "Sister, look who's here?"

Qiao Rui followed him into the yard. The ground was filled with bamboo baskets filled with herbs that were being dried, with a barely achievable path in the middle.

Under the eaves, a young girl sat on a high stool. Her slender feet, wearing only white silk stockings, were stepping on a medicine grinder, slowly crushing the herbs back and forth. Her bright yellow dress swayed gently with her movements.

The girl rolled up her sleeves, revealing her flawless white arms. In her right hand she held an ancient book, reading it with great interest. In her left hand she held a piece of candied fruit, which she had taken a bite of, and chewed it with great satisfaction.

Although it was still chilly in spring, Yaowang Valley had a unique climate and the temperature in the yard was just right. Under the sunshine, the girl looked bright and quiet. She was truly graceful, a girl of thirteen or so, in the prime of her youth in early February.

Following Huang Jingxuan's shout, the girl looked up and sideways, and saw Qiao Rui. She was stunned for a moment, then suddenly screamed, dropped the ancient books and candied fruits in her hands, and rushed into the house in a panic, leaving the group looking at each other in bewilderment.

Not long after, the door opened again, and Huang Jingyu came out gracefully after tidying up his clothes, and called out with a red face, "Brother Qiao!"

Then she glared at her brother fiercely, blaming him for bringing people in rashly and letting Qiao Rui see her casual look.

Huang Jingxuan chuckled twice, walked a few steps closer and whispered to his sister why Qiao Rui, Tian Jing and the two brothers had come, and asked her to find a way to ask the ancestor to save Qiao Rui.

When Huang Jingyu heard that Qiao Rui was seriously injured, she knew it was not the time to reminisce about the past, so she immediately nodded and said, "Come with me, I will take you to see the master!"

The group left the yard and walked along the corridor into the island. In the bamboo forest of the island, a large bamboo building came into view. Huang Jingyu signaled everyone to wait outside while she went in to report to her master.

Seeing Tian Jing pursing her lips with a serious expression, Qiao Rui knew that she was worried about him. As she was getting closer to success, she became more and more anxious. He quietly held Tian Jing's hand tightly. Tian Jing turned her head to look at Qiao Rui and showed a warm smile like spring.

Huang Jingyu's voice could be heard faintly from inside the bamboo building, but it was not clear. At this time, an old man's voice like a huge bell came out, "No!"

Tian Jing was shocked. Could it be that the Shuangjue Patriarch did not agree to save Qiao Rui? She held Qiao Rui's hand tightly with her backhand, feeling inexplicably nervous.

Huang Jingyu's voice became louder, and he spoke quickly and urgently. The old man's voice came out again: "I set these rules myself, and no one can be an exception!"

There was silence inside and outside the bamboo building. After a long while, Huang Jingyu said something again. This time, the old man did not speak. Then there was silence, and a depressing atmosphere spread...

Huang Jingyu seemed unable to convince the old ancestor, and a feeling of repressed despair surged in Tian Jing's heart, and she could hardly control herself.

The two brothers from the Shushan School have been very cautious ever since they entered the valley. Now, after hearing the Shuangjue Patriarch constantly emphasizing the rules, they finally felt relieved. The two brothers looked at Tian Jing, whose face was pale, and Qiao Rui, whose brows were knitted together, and their gloating feelings were evident in their words.

"Da, da, da, da, da!"

Huang Jingyu walked out with an angry look on his face. The sound of his footsteps on the bamboo floor was like a heavy hammer hitting Tian Jing's heart again and again. Tian Jing held Qiao Rui's hand tightly, his face was as pale as paper, and his forehead was covered with sweat.

Huang Jingyu took two steps closer, unable to hold back his anger any longer, and smiled sweetly at Qiao Rui, saying, "Brother Qiao, let's go in!"

Everyone was stunned. What did that mean? Did she convince the Shuangjue Patriarch?

"Sister...sister, is it done? You scared me to death when you came out like that. I thought the ancestor would not agree!" Huang Jingxuan was so nervous that he stuttered.

Huang Jingyu wrinkled his nose and said proudly, "I didn't do that for you guys to see. I was trying to scare the old man. If he doesn't agree, I won't recognize him as my master and won't learn medicine from him anymore!"

"The ancestor said let's come in together!" Huang Jingyu said, and gave Qiao Rui a look that reassured him.

Walking into the spacious hall of the bamboo building, the furnishings inside are quite simple. An old man is lying on a bamboo lounge chair at the top, holding a shiny yellow wine gourd in his hand, drinking it sip by sip with an expression of great enjoyment. This is the famous master of Medicine King Valley, Shuangjue Laozu.

It was hard to tell the age of the Shuangjue Patriarch. His face was ruddy, especially his red nose, which was particularly conspicuous. His hair and beard were a mixture of black and white, and looked messy and unkempt.

His eyes were slightly narrowed and his gaze was a little cloudy. Hearing the powerful voice just now, he would never have expected such an image.

"Who is striking the jade chime, what's the matter?" The old ancestor asked lazily with his eyes half open and half closed.