Chapter Twenty-Six: The Cultivation of Herbs

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Cultivation of Herbs

Just when Eli Mason thought the rainy weather would persist indefinitely, the sun finally reappeared in the sky, and the weather cleared up.

It had been nearly half a month since Eli discovered the secret of the green liquid. He had long grown impatient with waiting. On the first clear night, he once again witnessed the miraculous spectacle he had seen four years ago: countless light spots densely surrounded the vial, forming a large cluster of light.

Seeing this wondrous scene, Eli felt the weight lift from his heart. He was now confident that the vial was not a one-time-use item but a miraculous tool that could be used repeatedly.

After another seven days of waiting, the vial finally produced another drop of green liquid. Although Eli had already been almost certain of this outcome, he was still overjoyed. This meant he would have an endless supply of rare medicinal herbs and no longer needed to worry about sourcing them.

The rarity and value of medicinal herbs are mostly determined by their age. The older the herb, the more potent its medicinal properties. Similarly, the older the herb, the harder it is to find. They usually grow in remote mountains, forests, or on cliffs, and obtaining them often involves significant risks.

While some herbalists and doctors grow common herbs that mature quickly, very few would bother cultivating plants that take decades or even centuries to mature.

However, some wealthy families, as a precaution, have people cultivate extremely rare herbs to use in emergencies. These herbs only develop their full medicinal properties after many years. Since the wealthy can easily buy more common herbs, they invest in long-term cultivation. These herbs often take over a hundred years to mature and are priceless. Ordinary people cannot afford such endeavors.

Occasionally, rare wild herbs appear on the market, but they are quickly bought by these wealthy families, driving the price of rare herbs sky-high and often making them unavailable.

Eli wasn't optimistic about Doctor Mo's prospects on his journey, suspecting he wouldn't achieve much. But now, with this vial, Eli no longer had to worry about acquiring rare herbs. He could grow as many valuable herbs as he needed in a short time.

With an unusual excitement, Eli spent the following days conducting several more experiments on the accelerated growth of herbs.

In one experiment, he sprinkled diluted green liquid on several herbs, resulting in a large quantity of herbs with only one or two years of medicinal value by the next day. This was far inferior to the herbs from his first experiment, leading Eli to deduce some patterns.

In the next experiment, Eli skipped the dilution step and directly dripped the green liquid onto a ginseng plant. The next morning, he found a century-old ginseng, indistinguishable from a wild ginseng of the same age. This success delighted Eli, not because of the rare herb he obtained but because he had grasped the method of using the green liquid.

Eli then conducted several preservation experiments, placing freshly extracted green liquid into various containers such as porcelain bottles, jade bottles, gourds, and silver bottles. He discovered that no container could preserve the liquid for more than a quarter of an hour. Once removed from the mysterious vial, the green liquid had to be used within that time frame, or it would disappear. The diluted liquid exhibited similar properties; although it lasted slightly longer, the green liquid's components would eventually vanish, leaving only the diluting liquid behind.

After several such tests, Eli gave up on preserving the green liquid in other containers. He realized he couldn't store large quantities of this mysterious liquid and turned to testing its cumulative effects.

He dripped a drop of green liquid onto a green Three-U Herb, transforming it into a hundred-year-old yellow Three-U Herb. A few days later, he added another drop, further enhancing its age by over a hundred years.

Seeing this method worked, Eli continued the process for over two months. Each time new green liquid was produced, he dripped it onto the Three-U Herb. The herb's leaves gradually changed from yellow to yellow-black and finally to black. Eventually, the leaves turned shiny black, and it became a thousand-year-old Three-U Herb, a rarity in the world.

This successful test proved that with patience, Eli could further enhance the herb's age. However, Eli saw no need for excessively aged herbs now; herbs with several hundred years of potency were sufficient for his needs.

After completing these extensive experiments, Eli could finally rest and reflect. It had been a considerable time since Doctor Mo left the mountain.

Eli lay on his wooden bed, holding the thousand-year-old Three-U Herb, lost in thought.

He stared at the black herb, seemingly studying it. However, anyone else in the room would have noticed from his unfocused gaze that his mind was elsewhere.

He no longer felt the initial joy of obtaining the herb. Instead, he pondered the benefits and dangers the vial brought him, planning for his future.

Eli had read many stories about the dangers of possessing valuable items in Doctor Mo's books. The vial in his possession was undoubtedly a priceless treasure. If others discovered it, he wouldn't survive the next day. Like many before him, he would be overwhelmed by greedy individuals seeking to seize his treasure. Even closer to home, if the sect leaders learned the vial's secret, they would stop at nothing to kill him and take the vial, leaving Eli with a tragic fate.

"I must never tell anyone about the vial. I must use it discreetly. The vial's light-absorbing phenomenon is too conspicuous; one careless move could reveal its secret," Eli resolved to keep the vial's existence a secret.

"However, I desperately need herbs for my cultivation. Not using the vial would be a waste. I need to find a way to balance both needs." He recalled his stagnant progress in cultivation, feeling despondent. Regardless of the circumstances, he couldn't neglect his training. He wasn't driven by Doctor Mo's oversight but by the subtle changes in himself that he knew were linked to the nameless cultivation method.

Determined, Eli set a new plan into motion. He would continue using the vial but with utmost caution, ensuring no one discovered its secret. His cultivation progress was paramount, and he wouldn't let anything hinder it.

The challenges ahead were numerous, but Eli was ready. With the vial's power at his disposal and a clear understanding of the risks, he felt prepared to face whatever came his way.