26: Let's retreat first; this place is not safe to stay any longer.

The warm sunlight dispelled the chill in the County School office, but Zhao Rui felt cold all over, as if he had just been pulled out of an ice cave.

He clutched the smooth wooden examination token, his palms slick with cold sweat.

"Su Ming... that... that fellow surnamed Qian... how could he..." Zhao Rui stammered, his mind a tangled mess, unable to sort out his thoughts.

One moment he was lording it over them, shooing them away like flies; the next, he was bowing and scraping, wishing he could kneel and call them 'father.' This change was faster than the weather in the mountains.

Su Ming tucked his examination token into his embrace, his movements unhurried.

"Because of that box." His voice was calm, as if speaking of something unrelated to himself.

"The box?" Zhao Rui looked down at the Zitan wood box Su Ming was holding again, his eyes filled with confusion and awe.

"He recognized it as Young Master Zhou's item," Su Ming said concisely.

Zhao Rui's mouth formed an 'O' shape. He seemed to understand, yet also seemed more confused.

"Disciple, don't explain too much to him; let him figure it out himself." Lin Yu's voice sounded in Su Ming's mind, with a hint of a wily tone. "The person who made things difficult for you just now was, in all likelihood, instigated by Zhao Rui's Maternal Uncle-in-law, Zhou Kang."

"Since Zhou Kang can resort to such despicable methods, it's hard to guarantee he won't have a backup plan." Lin Yu's analysis continued, "The petty official in the yamen was intimidated by us using Zhou Yulin's name. Zhou Kang will soon know. A cornered dog will jump over the wall. If he becomes enraged and secretly finds a few ruffians to give us an 'accidental death,' that wouldn't be fun."

"Disciple, my advice is to immediately initiate a 'strategic transfer.' This place is enemy territory, and it's not suitable for long stays. First, go to the pharmacy to ask about the source of the Spiritual Plant, and then go to the bookstall to buy some books."

"Yes, Master," Su Ming silently replied.

He turned to Zhao Rui and said, "Zhao Rui, we're not going to the Zhou Residence for now. After we're done with our business, we'll go straight back to the village."

"Ah? Not... not going?" Zhao Rui was stunned.

"What would we go for? To wait for your Maternal Uncle-in-law to personally step in and drive us out?" Su Ming retorted.

Zhao Rui's face alternated between red and white, unable to utter a single word. The humiliation on the road and the danger just now intertwined, completely deflating his temper.

"Let's go, let's take care of some proper business first." Su Ming didn't look at him again and took the lead.

Su Ming led Zhao Rui, relying on his memory, and accurately found the pharmacy named "Hui Chun Tang."

The pharmacy was very quiet, with only a young Waiter in a gray short jacket dozing on the counter, his drool almost reaching the ledger.

Su Ming gently tapped the counter.

"Thump, thump."

The Waiter jolted, suddenly lifted his head, and blearily wiped the corner of his mouth.

"Cust... Customer, looking for medicine?" He saw Su Ming and Zhao Rui's shabby attire, and the enthusiasm in his eyes quickly cooled, returning to his lazy posture.

"Little brother, I have something to ask." Su Ming pulled two copper coins from his Huai and subtly pushed them towards the Waiter's hand. "I want to buy some Black Knot Grass. I wonder which village you collect this grass from? If it's nearby, I can go cut it myself and save some money."

His words were perfectly those of a frugal country boy.

The Waiter's gaze fell on the two copper coins, his eyes lit up, and he subtly swept them away with his sleeve, making them disappear.

With the money, his attitude improved somewhat.

"Black Knot Grass, you say?" He pursed his lips and pulled open the bottommost drawer of a row of medicine cabinets behind him, which was haphazardly filled with a pile of dried grass.

"This stuff isn't worth much, who would bother remembering where it was collected from?" The Waiter casually grabbed a handful and threw it on the counter. "It was collected many years ago, when the shopkeeper followed itinerant merchants to the countryside, bits and pieces. It's already been processed, heaven knows which mountain nook it came from."

He glanced at Su Ming again: "If you want to cut it yourself, you can find it on any hillside outside the city. Why bother asking?"

Su Ming's heart sank; the lead was broken.

"Master..."

"As expected." Lin Yu was quite calm. "Information management in such low-level pharmacies is a mess. However, we got a crucial piece of information—'many years ago.' This indicates that the Spiritual Qi node might have existed many years ago, but it was very weak, possibly even depleted."

"It's alright, this is called eliminating wrong answers. At least we know that we won't find results following this pharmacy lead in the short term. Let's make a note of it and revisit it later. Come on, let's go to the bookstall to get our papermaking formula."

"Thank you, little brother."

Su Ming thanked him and pulled Zhao Rui away.

The Waiter watched their retreating figures, weighed the two copper coins in his sleeve, scoffed, and then leaned back on the counter to continue his sweet dreams.

West City Corner, Old Scholar Tree.

The dense shade cast by this towering ancient scholar tree separated the hustle and bustle of the market from the summer heat, spreading a cool expanse on the ground. Under the tree's shade, several bookstalls laid out on straw mats were as usual.

Su Ming led the still somewhat disoriented Zhao Rui closer, his gaze habitually sweeping towards the usual spot behind the bookstall—last time, it was a middle-aged man with a weathered face and thick knuckles silently guarding these handwritten books.

However, this time, the figure squatting beside the straw mats, carefully wiping book covers with a semi-dry hemp cloth, made Su Ming slightly pause.

"It's him?" Su Ming's heart stirred. Wasn't this youth the same aloof figure who had been scolded by the Waiter in the Literary Treasure Studio but still left with his back straight? Although it was only a fleeting glance at the time, Su Ming clearly remembered that calm yet resilient temperament. Back then, he only thought he was a poor scholar who couldn't afford books, but he never expected...