58: Chapter 58 Stealing the Elixir

Closing the book, he rubbed his brow, stood up, and walked to the edge of the field.

Moonlight like water spilled over the five plots of Spiritual Plants.

The leaves of the Jade Dew Ginseng shimmered with a faint silver light under the moonlight, swaying gently.

He squatted down, his fingertips lightly touching the leaf of a Jade Dew Ginseng.

The leaf was slightly cool, carrying moist dew.

"Just a little longer,"

He whispered.

"When you're fully grown, I'll take you to the Market."

The Spiritual Plants were silent; only the night wind brushed past, bringing the fresh scent of greenery from the distant mountain forest.

He stood up and looked at the spiritual field under the moonlight.

In two months, the Jade Dew Ginseng would be mature.

At that time, he would take this batch of Spiritual Plants to Lingcao Hall to find Meng Qing.

Perhaps he would also bring a bottle of the Spiritual Liquid he extracted himself to see how many Spirit Stones it was worth.

Maybe he would buy more seeds and expand by a few more plots.

One step at a time, slowly.

Cultivating is like planting a tree; only with deep roots can the leaves flourish.

His roots were growing deeper and deeper.

During the final half-month of the Jade Dew Ginseng's maturation, Li Changsheng discovered something unusual.

At first, it was just some subtle traces.

A few weeds by the ridge of the field had been stepped on and bent, pointing toward the location of the Jade Dew Ginseng.

The wooden bucket used for watering had been moved, and the bottom of the bucket was stained with mud that didn't belong to this field.

One late night, he even vaguely heard rustling sounds coming from the edge of the field, but when he put on his clothes and went out to check, he found nothing.

"Someone has their eye on you."

Senior Brother Zhou from Section C, Number 6, squatted on the field ridge, chewing on a blade of grass, his tone certain.

"Those three Jade Dew Ginseng of yours once grew to three inches in three months, with medicinal effects comparable to ten-year-old plants; word has spread throughout the Hundred Herb Garden."

"Now they're almost mature at five months, and their medicinal effect is estimated to be twenty or thirty years. It would be strange if no one was eyeing such good things."

Li Changsheng squatted next to the Jade Dew Ginseng, his fingertips lightly touching a verdant leaf.

The leaf trembled slightly, as if sensing some kind of unease.

"Does the Hundred Herb Garden not have a protective Formation?"

"There is one, but it's to keep out wild animals and low-level Yao Beasts."

Senior Brother Zhou lowered his voice.

"It can't stop people."

"Especially some Outer Sect Disciples who have a few tricks up their sleeves. Stealing a few Spiritual Plants is all too easy for them."

"As long as they aren't caught in the act, there's no evidence afterward."

He stood up and patted the dust off his backside.

"I advise you to keep watch at night for these last two weeks."

"During the days the Jade Dew Ginseng matures, the leakage of Spiritual Qi is at its strongest, and you can smell it from far away. That's when it's most dangerous."

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother Zhou."

After Senior Brother Zhou left, he squatted by the field, looking at the three increasingly plump Jade Dew Ginseng, his brow furrowing slightly.

Keep watch.

These two weeks, he had already intended to care for the Jade Dew Ginseng day and night without pause.

Using the Spirit Nurturing Method from the Evergreen Plant Truth Scripture for a final sprint before maturation.

Keeping watch was just a secondary matter.

The problem was, if someone really came to steal, what could he do?

Qi Refining Level 2.

He didn't know any offensive Spells.

The only thing that could be called 'actual combat' was the thirty breaths of dodging during the assessment six months ago.

If someone at Qi Refining Level 4 or 5, or even higher, came...

He stood up, walked back to the tool warehouse, and pulled out the small Pill Furnace he had bought from the Market from a corner.

During these two weeks, besides caring for the spiritual field, he had been studying the Basics of Spirit Herb Processing and the methods of spirit extraction.

The Cold Extraction Method recorded in the book didn't require high temperatures; it only needed continuous nurturing with Spiritual Qi to slowly force out the essence from the Spiritual Plant and condense it into liquid.

Although the small Pill Furnace was worn out, as an extraction vessel, it was barely usable.

If someone really came to steal, this Pill Furnace... could probably be used to hit people too.

He laughed self-deprecatingly and put the Pill Furnace back in its place.

Night soon arrived.

Li Changsheng did not return to his quarters. Instead, he carried an old mattress, found a wind-sheltered corner by the field, laid it out, and sat down.

Moonlight like water spilled over the five plots of Spiritual Plants.

The leaves of the Jade Dew Ginseng shimmered with a faint silver light under the moonlight, swaying gently, with the dew on the leaves reflecting tiny points of light.

He closed his eyes but did not sleep.

His Spiritual Qi perception spread out to its limit; any movement within dozens of yards was within his awareness.

The first night, nothing happened.

The second night, nothing happened.

The third night, just after the Hour of the Rat.

Li Changsheng suddenly opened his eyes.

There were footsteps.

Very light, very slow, approaching from the other end of the field ridge.

He held his breath, his body tensing slightly.

The footsteps stopped at the edge of the field, followed by a rustling sound, like something being gently pushed aside.

Li Changsheng slowly stood up and, hugging the shadows of the ridge, moved toward the direction of the sound.

Under the moonlight, a dark figure was crouching next to the Jade Dew Ginseng, reaching out to pull up the sturdiest one.

Li Changsheng did not make a sound, nor did he rush forward.

He just stood quietly in the shadows, watching the dark figure.

The dark figure's hand was about to touch the stem of the Jade Dew Ginseng.

"This one isn't mature yet; it would be a pity to pull it."

The voice was very soft and calm, yet it sounded exceptionally clear in the silent night.

The dark figure whipped around, the moonlight revealing a young face.

Qi Refining Level 3, wearing the grey robes of an Outer Sect Disciple, he was now staring at Li Changsheng with a face full of terror.

"You, how did you..."

"I've been keeping watch for three nights," Li Changsheng said without moving, just looking at him. "Your luck is bad; you ran into me tonight."

The Disciple's expression changed several times. Finally, he gritted his teeth, stood up abruptly, and actually intended to take it by force!

He took a step forward and reached out to pull the Jade Dew Ginseng!

Li Changsheng did not stop him.

He only sighed softly.

In the next instant, just as the Disciple's hand touched the stem of the Jade Dew Ginseng, he jerked it back as if stung by something.

"This, this is..."

"In the last seven days before maturation, the stems and leaves of the Jade Dew Ginseng secrete a mildly toxic sap,"

Li Changsheng said indifferently.

"After touching it, your hand will be numb for half an hour. If it's serious, you won't be able to lift your entire arm tomorrow."

The Disciple looked down at his hand; sure enough, it had already begun to turn slightly red and swell.

He looked up at Li Changsheng, his eyes full of fear and confusion.

"You, you calculated this all along?"

Li Changsheng didn't answer, just watched him quietly.

The Disciple felt unnerved by the gaze. Finally, he stomped his foot, turned around, and ran, quickly disappearing into the night.

Li Changsheng stood in place, looking in that direction for a long time before withdrawing his gaze.

He walked over to the Jade Dew Ginseng, squatted down, and looked at the spiritual ginseng that had almost been pulled.

Fingerprints left by the Disciple remained on the stem, but the spiritual ginseng itself was unharmed.

"Were you scared?"

He asked softly, his tone like he was asking a child.

The spiritual ginseng naturally did not answer.

The leaves trembled slightly in the night wind, as if in response.

He smiled, stood up, walked back to the wind-sheltered corner, and sat down again.

The moonlight was still like water.

He closed his eyes and continued his watch.

The fourth night, nothing happened.

The fifth night, two dark figures came together.

Seeing the cross-legged figure by the field from afar, they hesitated for a moment and then quietly retreated.

The sixth night, a Disciple at Qi Refining Level 4 walked over openly.

Claiming he was just "passing by to take a look," he left sheepishly after being stared at calmly by Li Changsheng for a few breaths.

The seventh night, nothing happened.

The eighth night, ninth night, tenth night...

Until the fourteenth night.

On this night, the moon was exceptionally round and the moonlight exceptionally bright.

On the leaves of the Jade Dew Ginseng, the dew was even more plump than usual, shimmering with a faint spiritual luster.

The stems stood upright, and the edges of the leaves began to turn slightly yellow.

This was the sign of the final night before maturation.

At sunrise tomorrow morning, the three Jade Dew Ginseng would mature simultaneously.

Li Changsheng sat by the field, looking at the three spiritual ginseng, silently counting down in his heart.

Hour of the Rat, peaceful.

Hour of the Ox, peaceful.

During the Hour of the Tiger, the sound of footsteps rang out.

Not one person, but three.

Li Changsheng opened his eyes.