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Meng Shushu dug while advising, "Be careful when digging spirit herbs. Don't damage them, or the medicinal potency will dissipate. Over time, if they're damaged, the potency will diminish."

He was a spirit herb scout, naturally well-versed in various spirit herbs.

Continuing to explain to Xu Yan and Meng Chong, "Herbs generally aren't so delicate; damaging them slightly won't cause much loss of potency. But for fruit-type spirit herbs, especially, you must leave the fruit stems intact. As for earth-growing spirit herbs like ground moon shoots, be cautious when digging them up to avoid damage, but it's not a big problem.

"Spirit herbs grown underground usually have a protective layer.

"Of course, this is the method for harvesting spirit herbs. If you want to preserve them for a long time and prevent loss of potency, then you need another method, which is more complicated.

"Tianbao Pavilion excels at preserving spirit herbs. So generally, after various factions gather spirit herbs, they will entrust them to Tianbao Pavilion for safekeeping or retrieve them after the herbs are sealed."

Xu Yan and Meng Shushu listened as they harvested spirit herbs.

"Tianbao Pavilion is truly formidable."

Xu Yan exclaimed.

With spirit vouchers for inner domain access and the ability to preserve and seal spirit herbs, it was clear that no faction dared to offend Tianbao Pavilion.

Yet Tianbao Pavilion adhered to its principle of non-involvement in inner domain conflicts, maintaining an excellent reputation. This was one reason why major factions trusted Tianbao Pavilion.

"Tianbao Pavilion is indeed formidable. Nobody knows how deep their resources truly are. Although the Seven Star Academy has profound foundations, I feel they may not match Tianbao Pavilion's."

Meng Shushu sighed.

"However, major factions like the Seven Star Academy and Swordmaster Cliff handle their own spirit herbs. They also have methods for storing and sealing them.

"Nevertheless, they still entrust some to Tianbao Pavilion since it's widespread across the inner domain. If they encounter any emergencies outside and need spirit herbs, they can simply retrieve them from Tianbao Pavilion.

"It's said that these major factions have some secret agreements with Tianbao Pavilion, which offers them generous cooperation benefits."

As an insider of the inner domain, Meng Shushu knew better about Tianbao Pavilion's might, sighing with admiration.

"Do you know how to store and seal spirit herbs, from your family's side?" Meng Chong asked while harvesting.

"My family tradition is in spirit herb scouting, so naturally, I know how to preserve and seal them. But it's quite troublesome, and the materials needed for sealing herbs are even more complex to produce.

"However, you can purchase them from Tianbao Pavilion, but it requires money."

Meng Shushu sighed. Nowadays, most inner domain spirit herb scouts were employed by Tianbao Pavilion. He didn't like being restricted, which was why he refused Tianbao Pavilion's recruitment.

Meng Chong nodded. He had seen what was used to seal spirit herbs at Tianbao Pavilion: a thin, transparent film that kept the herbs sealed, preventing the loss of their potency.

Half a day later, all the spirit herbs in the medicine field had been harvested. Most were eighth-grade spirit herbs, with only a few seventh-grade ones.

Twenty-three types of spirit herbs in total.

"So many spirit herbs, it's inconvenient to carry. It would be great if we had storage bags."

Xu Yan looked at the pile of spirit herbs with some frustration.

"Meng Shushu, as a spirit herb scout, how can you not buy a storage bag? How can you carry so many spirit herbs? You must get one."

He patted Meng Shushu's shoulder, advising him earnestly.

"I'll try my best."

Meng Shushu said helplessly.

Once you fall into this trap dug by these senior brothers, there's no climbing out!

"Wait, there are no sixth-grade spirit herbs here, let alone fifth-grade ones."

Meng Chong frowned as he looked at the spirit herbs.

"There's also another key. Higher-grade spirit herbs are grown individually in their own plots."

Meng Shushu took out another key.

"Where is the plot?"

Meng Chong looked around, then pointed, "There!"

The three of them approached the hollow and found a hole.

Excitedly, Meng Shushu inserted the key, turned it, and with a click, it seemed to unlock.

He pushed the stone wall, and as soil fell away, the wall opened.

Behind the wall, the light was slightly brighter, especially in the center where a beam of light shone in.

The three looked at the spot where the beam of light fell and were stunned.

There, growing about a foot tall, with lush green leaves, and under the green leaves hung a thin vine with a drop of clear dew, shining brightly in the light, it looked extraordinary!

"What spirit herb is this?"

Xu Yan asked in amazement as they cautiously approached.

Upon closer inspection, under the lush green leaves, the hanging dewdrop resembled a small fruit but also a pearl, clear as dew and radiant.

Meng Shushu circled the small tree, growing more excited by the second.

Xu Yan and Meng Chong frowned; they didn't recognize this type of spirit herb. Su Lingshuo had never mentioned any similar-shaped herb.

"Do you recognize it?"

Meng Chong asked.

This spirit herb looked extraordinary; it definitely wasn't a seventh or eighth-grade herb.

"This is... this is Celestial Dew. I've only seen it for the first time, but it's recorded in the ancient texts. Its leaves are green, and the dripping dew resembles marrow."

Meng Shushu's face flushed with excitement.

"This is a treasure, a true treasure! A fifth-grade spirit herb!"

He carefully reached out his hand, gently touching the leaves of the Celestial Dew, as if caressing a loved one's cheek. His expression sent shivers down Xu Yan and Meng Chong's spines!

"Tell us about this Celestial Dew."

Xu Yan spoke up.

Meng Shushu took a few deep breaths to calm his excited heart before explaining, "Celestial Dew is a unique spirit herb. Its grade isn't fixed; the longer it grows, the higher its grade becomes. It's rumored to be able to grow into a first-grade spirit herb.

"To determine its grade, you count how many dewdrops it has. Below nine, it's a sixth-grade spirit herb; nine to eighteen drops make it a fifth-grade spirit herb. Look at this Celestial Dew, it has exactly nine drops."

Xu Yan and Meng Chong looked and indeed saw nine branches, each with a dewdrop hanging from it.

Spirit herbs of the same grade also have distinctions of upper, middle, and lower grades.

This Celestial Dew, among fifth-grade spirit herbs, belonged to the lower grade.

Nevertheless, even in the inner domain, it was still a rare treasure.

"Rumored to be extremely rare, Celestial Dew possesses miraculous effects of enhancing a martial artist's willpower, improving their comprehension and innate talent. Each existing plant sparks a fierce competition among grandmasters. Among fifth-grade spirit herbs, it belongs to an extremely precious category," Meng Shushu continued.

"It can enhance comprehension and talent? That's so miraculous?" Xu Yan exclaimed in astonishment.

Meng Chong rubbed his hands together. This was a real treasure.

A Celestial Dew plant, a fifth-grade spirit herb. If it were refined into a pill, what kind of powerful effects would it have? It was simply unimaginable!

Xu Yan was thrilled at the moment. His parents' talents were average. If he had a pill made from Celestial Dew, it could enhance his talent and comprehension, making it much easier to cultivate martial arts.

In the inner domain, such herbs were usually consumed directly. As for refining them, it was simply a matter of combining them with other herbs and boiling them into pills.

In the eyes of Xu Yan and Meng Chong, this was wasteful behavior.

And herbs like Celestial Dew were absolutely not to be mixed with any other herbs to be made into pills by inner domain martial artists, for fear of damaging the Celestial Dew's effects. Consuming them directly was even more wasteful!

So refining them into pills was the correct way!

"This Celestial Dew plant, if taken to Tianbao Pavilion, should be able to exchange for a storage bag," Meng Shushu exclaimed excitedly.

"No exchange!" Xu Yan and Meng Chong said in unison.

Storage bags could be bought since they were available at Tianbao Pavilion, but Celestial Dew was an extremely rare herb. Moreover, Meng Shushu should figure out the storage bag matter himself. This Celestial Dew plant absolutely couldn't be exchanged.

Meng Shushu smiled awkwardly and suggested, "How about we eat it together and see if it really can enhance our talents?"

"No, direct consumption? Are you crazy? Of course, it should be refined into a pill," Xu Yan vetoed.

"A pill?" Meng Shushu blinked, never having heard of it before.

He thought of the healing medicine Meng Chong had given him, which had amazing effects. Could it be a type of pill?

"Family, you quickly dig out the Celestial Dew, seal it properly, and ensure not a bit of its potency is lost. Once the pill is successfully refined, I'll give you one," Meng Chong said.

This place was also thanks to Meng Shushu's efforts, and besides, he would be considered part of the family from now on, specifically responsible for finding herbs. He couldn't just order him around without giving him some benefit.

"Alright, no problem!" Meng Shushu didn't ask about the pill matter anymore.

This was obviously a secretive matter, but since he could get a pill out of it, it wasn't for nothing. And it should be more effective than directly consuming Celestial Dew, right?

Meng Shushu began to dig out the Celestial Dew. As it was a fifth-grade spirit herb, it was too precious. Xu Yan and Meng Chong weren't familiar with digging it up, so they didn't dare to help rashly.

At this moment, they came to their senses and surveyed the surroundings.

Besides Celestial Dew, they found several other medicine fields, each growing a different spirit herb.

"Sixth-grade spirit herbs?" Xu Yan and Meng Chong's eyes lit up.

Sixth-grade spirit herbs were already the highest grade of herbs on the surface in the inner domain, expensive and rare. There were actually several here.

Neither of them reached out to dig. They left it all to Meng Shushu to handle.

After digging out the Celestial Dew, Meng Shushu took out a thin film and carefully sealed it, using inner Qi to mend the film.

After finishing, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, I didn't lose the sealing film I carried with me."

Meng Shushu collected the remaining sealing films and began to dig out the other spirit herbs.

"These are all sixth-grade spirit herbs, two of them are superior, and the rest are medium grade," Meng Shushu explained.

After digging out the sixth-grade spirit herbs and sealing them, he realized he didn't have enough sealing films. There were two herbs left unsealed.

"Be careful with these two, don't damage them. When we get to the city, buy more sealing films from Tianbao Pavilion and seal them later," Meng Shushu tore off a piece of cloth from his garment, carefully wrapping the two sixth-grade spirit herbs, and handed them to Meng Chong.

"No problem," Meng Chong took them eagerly.

The Celestial Dew would be safer in Xu Yan's care since even if a grandmaster came, they couldn't take it away.

The herbs were too numerous, and there were no storage bags available. Meng Shushu was about to take off his clothes to wrap the herbs when he saw Xu Yan pull out a large bag.

"Fortunately, I came prepared. Finally, it's come in handy," Xu Yan said happily as he carefully stuffed the herbs, one by one, into the bag.

Meng Shushu was dumbfounded. Did you have foresight? Did you carry a large bag with you in advance?

Meng Chong looked regretful and said, "It's a pity. My bag was lost when I was chased by the grandmaster!"

Meng Shushu: ...

Truly worthy of being brothers, both carrying large bags, huh?

With a bag full of herbs, Xu Yan was overjoyed, finally fulfilling his promise to his junior sister.

He had also stored many herbs in Tianbao Pavilion, and he had plenty of spirit crystals, so he could buy a lot more herbs to complete his junior sister's list.

"Young brother, you take the herbs," Xu Yan handed the bag full of herbs to Meng Chong.

Meng Chong, with his sturdy physique, was more suitable to carry such a large bag, while Xu Yan carried the Celestial Dew and several sealed sixth-grade spirit herbs on his person.

"Let's go."

All the herbs in the herb paradise had been dug up, and there was nothing left. It was time to leave.

Moreover, after killing the grandmaster in the black robe, if another strong enemy sensed it and came back for revenge, it would be troublesome. After all, the current situation wasn't suitable for a big battle, as it could easily damage the herbs.

Coming out of the herb paradise, Xu Yan looked around cautiously, but he didn't see any enemies, so he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Brother, should we go back now?" Meng Chong asked excitedly.

It wasn't suitable to venture further into the inner domain with such a large bag of herbs. It was time to return to the border wilderness. Meng Chong was probably eager to see his junior sister by now, right?

And sixth-grade spirit herbs, especially Celestial Dew, weren't suitable for storage in Tianbao Pavilion.

Although Tianbao Pavilion had an excellent reputation, as their master had said, there were situations where they would sacrifice their reputation for profit.

No one could be sure if Celestial Dew would be tempting enough for Tianbao Pavilion to break its principles.

"These herbs need to be sealed, and it's about time to go back. After the herbs are sealed, you go back first. I'll go get the stored herbs and buy the ones on the list. After bidding farewell to Brother Xie, I'll come back," Xu Yan contemplated. It was almost time to return.

"Alright!" Meng Chong nodded and said with a fierce expression, "Next time I come, I'll definitely crush a few grandmasters to vent my anger!"

With so many herbs, his junior sister should be able to refine many pills. With the assistance of the pills, his cultivation of the Great Sun Golden Body would undoubtedly speed up. It wouldn't be long before he broke through. Once he achieved the Great Perfection in the Innate Realm, or even the Great Consummation, he would come back to the inner domain and head straight for the nest of those black-robed individuals, and crush them.

He also wanted to crush grandmasters!

"Younger brother, next time you come, you can go to the Seven Star Academy, pass through the nine levels of the Martial Arts Arena, and go to the Repository Hall to see the martial arts classics. It will be beneficial," Xu Yan said solemnly.

"I understand, brother," Meng Chong nodded.

Meng Shushu didn't say a word throughout the whole process. These mysterious and incredibly powerful brothers had him calculating how to crush grandmasters. They were truly terrifying!

(End of this chapter)