Chapter Forty-Two: Jade Ginseng

With a thunderous boom, the force of the two palms colliding was worlds apart from the earlier exchange, and the disparity in outcome was equally vast. This time, Chief Pang felt his body violently shudder, then, as if his strings had snapped, he was sent flying like a kite, tumbling far across the ground before coming to a halt, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood. In stark contrast, his opponent landed lightly in place, seemingly unscathed.

“He truly is an innate master—undoubtedly one of the very best among them. But I’ve never heard of such a person in the Carefree Sect. Who is he?” Pang was utterly shaken, but unable to voice his question, forced instead to focus on suppressing the turmoil within his body. This sudden turn left the other three men in black momentarily stunned, giving the disciples of the Carefree Sect an opportunity to launch a fierce assault, even managing to slay one of the distracted enemies.

The reason Li Xingyu triumphed so effortlessly was not only due to his profound cultivation, but even more so because Pang had underestimated him. Li Xingyu had caught him off guard, forcing him to respond in the worst possible way.

After glancing at Pang, who lay far off, Li Xingyu leapt up and retrieved the bundle hanging from a tree. As he took it down, the fighting ceased and all eyes turned toward him, filled with fear and wariness—and a flicker of greed. Li Xingyu paid them no mind. He opened the bundle, revealing a delicate wooden box inside, from which a faint medicinal fragrance wafted. Had he guessed incorrectly? The contents of the box might not be what he had previously suspected. Judging from the care with which the box was guarded and the subtle aroma it emitted, it was likely some rare medicinal herb hidden within.

As Li Xingyu stared at the box, lost in thought and with everyone else still shaken by his display of power, a man in black caught Pang’s meaningful glance from where he lay. Understanding his superior’s intent, he wasted no time and suddenly made a move against Chen Jingrou by his side.

Chen Jingrou’s cultivation was far inferior to his, and she lacked combat experience. Worse, he attacked by surprise. Before she could react, she was subdued, his sword pressed against her neck, chilling her with its coldness. With his hostage secured, he grew emboldened. Seeing Li Xingyu notice the commotion and turn his gaze, the fear in his eyes diminished. “I advise you not to make any sudden moves. Stand where you are and throw the box over. If not, I’ll kill her.” As he spoke, he pressed the blade more firmly, even slicing a thin line into Chen Jingrou’s delicate neck.

Another man in black, who had been on the verge of despair, was suddenly invigorated upon seeing his companion seize the Carefree Sect leader’s beloved daughter. He quickly moved closer, trying to guard against a rescue attempt. Suddenly, he noticed a fleeing figure ahead that seemed oddly familiar. “How could I possibly see my own back?” That fleeting thought was the last he had before losing consciousness. Li Xingyu, wary that their reunion would make rescuing Chen Jingrou more difficult, seized the moment of lowered vigilance to throw a dagger taken from the bundle. With a muffled thud, a head rolled on the ground, causing even greater shock among those present. Not only was Li Xingyu’s speed and power astonishing, but none had expected him, a young man seemingly allied with the Carefree Sect, to disregard the safety of their leader’s daughter and kill his enemies so decisively.

Even Chief Pang, lying incapacitated on the ground, was stunned. Had he miscalculated? Was this young man not one of the Carefree Sect, and so indifferent to her life? This realization brought a bitter taste to his heart, dashing the hope that had just begun to rise. The disciples of the Carefree Sect, meanwhile, were taken aback by the sudden developments, and their concern for Chen Jingrou’s safety had their hearts in their throats.

Li Xingyu did intend to rescue Chen Jingrou, but he was unwilling to put himself at a disadvantage for her sake. He believed that even if he acted, the enemy would not harm her so easily; after all, she was their greatest bargaining chip. Moreover, he felt no emotional attachment to Chen Jingrou and was not afraid of the Carefree Sect. This was the first time Li Xingyu had killed a man outright. Though he knew this world was one where the strong preyed on the weak, and his cultivation had hardened his resolve, he still felt uneasy—the influence of his decades spent in Earth’s civilized society lingered.

Seeing blood and feeling his mood unsettled, Li Xingyu’s gaze toward the man holding Chen Jingrou grew even sharper. The man in black, under such piercing scrutiny, felt deep fear and immense pressure. He shrank back behind Chen Jingrou and said, “Come any closer and I really will kill her.” His nervous hands trembled, the sword grazing several shallow cuts into Chen Jingrou’s pale neck.

Afraid that excessive nervousness might lead him to accidentally kill her, Li Xingyu resumed a faint smile. “If not for his attempt to approach, I wouldn’t have acted. If you release her now, I guarantee you can leave unharmed.”

His words relaxed the man in black a little, who appeared to consider them before replying, “No. You must not only let me go, but also give me that item. Only after I confirm I’m safe will I release her.” His eyes were fixed on the wooden box in Li Xingyu’s hand.

“Do you think holding her gives you much leverage? Let me tell you, I am not from the Carefree Sect, nor do I have any special relationship with them. Don’t make excessive demands.” Li Xingyu glanced at the box and replied.

The man in black clearly couldn’t judge Li Xingyu’s claim. Based on his earlier actions, it seemed plausible, but he was still unwilling to give up so easily, and so the standoff continued. No one else knew what to say, and the scene fell into silence.

Li Xingyu knew he wouldn’t compromise easily and didn’t want to drag things out—who knew if more reinforcements might arrive? He decided to do something to draw the enemy’s attention. Since everyone cared so much about the contents of the wooden box, this provided an opportunity. He stopped watching his adversary and instead unclasped the box and opened it.

As soon as the lid was lifted, a fresh medicinal fragrance spread into the air, even reaching those farther away, who could smell this pleasant aroma. This surprised Li Xingyu. Inside the box lay a gem-like ginseng, translucent and radiant, and judging from its size, color, and aroma, it was at least five hundred years old.

No wonder they were so anxious about it—it was an aged jade ginseng. According to his knowledge, jade ginseng was a legendary spiritual herb on this planet, said to have been brought here by cultivators from another world. Jade ginseng was highly unusual; as it grew, its need for spiritual energy increased, and if it lacked what it required, it would wither and rot. It was estimated that even the most spiritually rich places on this planet could only sustain its growth for about five hundred years, and its locations were extremely secretive. To harvest a jade ginseng at the five-hundred-year threshold meant collecting it at the very limit.

This rarity made jade ginseng a legendary herb, especially those around five hundred years old. It was said that a master who had reached the peak of the innate realm could, upon consuming such a jade ginseng, break through the innate barrier even without a cultivation method. Though they would lack further guidance, breaking through would still grant them nearly half again as much lifespan. Without a method, they could rely on their own insight to devise ways to cultivate, though even with a method, success was never guaranteed. Though this miraculous effect had never been directly confirmed, there were instances of innate masters who, after taking a jade ginseng under five hundred years, gained rapid improvements even if they didn’t break through. Thus, jade ginseng was prized above cultivation methods in the martial world—especially those over five hundred years old.

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