Wandao 007
The morning mist had yet to disperse. On the Spirit Herb Slope to the east of Niupu Village, a veil of vapor clung like gauze to the emerald blades of grass. Wan Xiaochuan and Lin Qixian stood shoulder to shoulder at the foot of the incline, gazing out at the legendary wild herb field said to brim with spiritual energy.
Wan Xiaochuan, his short black hair tied back, wore a coarse grey robe already damp with dew. Clutching a bamboo basket, his eyes were sharp and alert.
"Brother Lin, the spiritual energy here is indeed dense. But I've heard rumors—some who strayed into these hills never came back."
Lin Qixian, slightly lean in build, wore a faint smile. A self-made insect pouch and herb satchel hung from his back, and his eyes sparkled with irrepressible excitement.
"Only cowards speak thus. This slope was once a place of trial chosen by my master, the Grand Alchemist Yaoji. Today, I'll show you the art of 'Spirit Seeking and Herb Testing.'"
With that, he bent down and picked up a section of spiritual bamboo. Holding it aloft, he chanted a string of arcane syllables. As the chant shifted in tone, a faint blue glow emerged along the bamboo's surface. Then, he thrust it into the soil.
"This is a Qi-Attracting Bamboo. It senses the flow of spiritual herb veins beneath the ground. Watch closely—there."
A thread of light pulsed from the bamboo's tip, tracing a path toward a crack in the rocks. Wan Xiaochuan approached and peered carefully. Amid the cluster of grass, nestled in the crevice, was a tiny herb of vivid cyan-blue hue, its trident-shaped leaves faintly glimmering with silver at the center.
"This is... the Three-Spirit Heartleaf?" Wan Xiaochuan's eyes widened.
Lin Qixian nodded. "Indeed. But it's not yet mature. Harvesting it now would be pointless. Today, I won't teach you how to pick it—I'll teach you how to 'Nurture the Herb and Refine the Heart.'"
As he spoke, he drew a weathered herb manual and a smooth jade slip from his robes, handing them to Wan Xiaochuan. Four characters were inscribed on the cover:
"Lingcao Xinjue"—The Heart Sutra of Spirit Herbs.
"This method was passed down by my master, designed for those who live in harmony with spiritual herbs. After reading it, sit in meditation beside the herb, circulate your breath and spirit energy until your heart aligns with its life essence. Harvest it later, and its potency will be greatly amplified."
Wan Xiaochuan received the manual, his brows lifting with a flicker of awe.
Such a method of cultivating herbs—he had never heard of it even within the Wan family's well-stocked herbal halls. In that moment, he realized that though Lin Qixian hailed from the countryside, his legacy was anything but ordinary. Their acquaintance had been brief, yet their friendship deepened as if they were old companions.
"What about you?" Wan Xiaochuan asked.
Lin Qixian smiled. "I have another target. Deep within this slope lies a formation I discovered—a Five-Flame Herb Array. A rare mutating herb might reside within. I intend to try my luck."
Wan Xiaochuan nodded, carefully stowed the manual, and sat cross-legged beside the Three-Spirit Heartleaf. He began circulating the Wind and Thunder True Technique, drawing qi with the wind, steadying his spirit with thunder. A gentle breeze stirred around him, the surrounding spiritual energy subtly merging with the breath of the herb. The leaf trembled slightly in response.
At that moment, a soft rustle echoed from the bushes below the slope. A faint shadow slipped into Wan Xiaochuan's spiritual sense.
Without a sound, he gathered his qi in preparation. The footsteps grew louder—until a black-clad youth leapt out, iron fork in hand, his eyes gleaming with madness.
"The spirit herb is mine! Get lost!"
Wan Xiaochuan's gaze turned fierce. In a flash, he sprang up, flinging his bamboo basket to obscure the youth's sightline. With a burst of movement, he closed the distance.
"Wind and Thunder Step · First Form!"
His footwork rode the wind, inner strength surged, and a streak of lightning flared from his palm as he struck toward the youth's shoulder.
Boom! The black-robed youth staggered back in shock, his robe torn at the shoulder—clearly wounded.
"You... you possess spiritual energy?" the youth cried in disbelief.
Wan Xiaochuan didn't answer. His body flashed again, thunder roaring through the wind, driving the youth toward the slope's edge. Just then, Lin Qixian arrived, drawn by the commotion. With a swift motion of his hands, a black shadow darted from his insect pouch.
"Spirit Locust · Qing Li, form the formation and drive him off!"
Dozens of spirit locusts took to the air, swirling around the youth in a binding swarm that closed in like a net.
"I... I won't accept this!" the youth growled through clenched teeth. But facing the spirit insects' oppressive presence, he finally turned and fled.
Lin Qixian turned to Wan Xiaochuan, grinning. "Looks like this trial will be livelier than we thought."
Wan Xiaochuan nodded, his expression solemn. Above the wild hills, the spiritual herbs shimmered faintly in the morning light—and their path of cultivation had only just begun.