Lu Yang thought for a long time but couldn't figure out how to comment on this method that challenged moral ethics and ways of thinking. "It's good that the problem is solved," he finally managed to say.
Uncle Ba also felt that solving the issue was a good thing, especially since it was his idea. He patted Lu Yang on the shoulder and said, "The little medicine kings can be quite mischievous. You've worked hard during this time. Show me your jade pendant."
Lu Yang did as he was told, and Uncle Ba tapped on Lu Yang's jade pendant. "The reward for your task, three hundred contribution points, has been added to your pendant."
With effort comes reward, and Lu Yang felt that three hundred contribution points was a significant amount for him. However, he quickly realized that while it seemed like a lot, it might not even be enough to buy the little medicine kings' foot bath water.
The exchange list clearly stated that the medicine king's spirit liquid came in two versions: the regular and the deluxe. In Lu Yang's understanding, the regular version was like the little medicine kings' foot bath water, while the deluxe version was akin to bath water.
"Say goodbye to the little medicine kings. Opportunities to enter the medicine garden are rare, and you probably won't have the chance to come back..." Uncle Ba's words trailed off as he suddenly remembered that as long as Yun Zhi wanted Lu Yang to come over, he would have to let him pass without daring to stop him.
"Ahem, anyway, you should go say your goodbyes," he said.
Lu Yang nodded, feeling that Uncle Ba had more to say but didn't finish. When the little medicine kings learned that Lu Yang was leaving, they felt a bit reluctant.
"We're friends, so take this old ginseng beard with you. Oh, but it's too valuable; I can't bear to part with it."
"My old ginseng skin... it hurts too much. Forget it; I don't have anything valuable here, so I'll just say goodbye verbally." The ginseng doll said as it bid farewell to Lu Yang. It hadn't given anything when it said goodbye to Gu Yue.
"We're all cultivators; a month isn't long. If you're leaving, just go without needing to say anything," the Three-Leaf Star Grass hinted at its reluctance.
"My vines and leaves are too vigorous. If you take them, your body might undergo changes. For safety's sake, I won't give them to you." During their time together, Lu Yang learned that the main body of the Kirin Immortal Medicine was a green vine.
The Kirin Immortal Medicine was the truth. Throughout the month, the little medicine kings had suppressed their inner vitality, fearing that Lu Yang might accidentally take some.
If they gave Lu Yang a part of their bodies, they would have to add dozens of seals, and even if Lu Yang got it, he wouldn't dare to use it.
"After saying goodbye, won't you give us some gifts?" The Time's End Flower turned to Lu Yang, asking for gifts.
Lu Yang was moved by the atmosphere and felt tears welling up in his eyes. "After some time, I will definitely have my senior sister come to visit you all."
The little medicine kings hurriedly urged Lu Yang to leave. The farewell scene was quite touching.
...
Compared to the medicine king's spirit liquid, those three hundred contribution points were a fortune for Lu Yang, who was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. He was eager to try and buy some good things at the task hall.
He couldn't keep relying on his senior sister to give him things; he wanted to earn money through his own efforts.
"Hey, I was just about to go find you at Tianmen Peak, but I didn't expect to see you here." Meng Jingzhou was surprised to see Lu Yang coming out of the medicine garden. Then he remembered that Yun Zhi was his senior sister, so it made sense.
Beside Meng Jingzhou was a big man in a scholar's robe, who looked both refined and strong. The man clasped his hands and said, "Brother Lu, it's been a while since we last met. This is actually our first formal meeting."
"Man Gu, it surprised everyone when you became a disciple of Elder Si." After returning the greeting, Lu Yang smiled and asked, "Are you looking for me for something?"
"Can't I look for you if there's nothing going on?" Meng Jingzhou pretended to be angry.
"Come on, let's have some tea and sit down to talk slowly." Meng Jingzhou led Man Gu and Lu Yang to a tea house.
The Meng family had a rule that it was best to discuss matters over a meal. If the conversation went well, the Meng family would treat, and if it didn't, everyone would share the bill.
"What would you like to drink? We have all kinds of tea here," the tea master asked quickly.
Lu Yang couldn't see through the tea master's cultivation level either. He leaned over and asked, "Man Gu, what level do you think the tea master is?"
Man Gu replied quietly, "As far as I know, our newly recruited disciples are the weakest in the sect. Even the chickens on the mountain have higher cultivation."
Meng Jingzhou ordered a famous tea. "Then let's have a pot of milk tea."
The tea master suspected that Meng Jingzhou was causing trouble for the sect.
"Oh, I misspoke. I meant to say a basin of milk tea; I remember it's a specialty from near the extreme north." Seeing the tea master's unfriendly expression, Meng Jingzhou quickly gestured to show he meant no harm.
Only then did the tea master realize that Meng Jingzhou wanted freshly made salty milk tea.
Before long, the tea master brought out a hot iron basin filled with fried rice, butter, beef jerky, and milk skin, along with a pot of milk tea.
Lu Yang and Man Gu exchanged glances, unsure of how to handle it, so they left it to Meng Jingzhou.
Meng Jingzhou first slowly fried the ingredients in the basin until the rice turned yellow and made a crunching sound, then picked up the pot of milk tea and poured it all in.
As the milk tea met the hot iron pot, it sizzled, and the aroma of the milk tea wafted out, filling the air.
Lu Yang took a sip, smacked his lips, and found it salty with a unique taste; it was quite good.
Man Gu took a sip and then gulped down a bowl in one go.
"Do you have any tasks right now?" Meng Jingzhou asked.
Lu Yang shook his head. He had just completed Uncle Ba's task in the medicine garden and hadn't found another task yet.
"There aren't many tasks suitable for us. The ones in the task hall aren't enough for us to do. I'm curious, if they're not enough for us, do they suffice for the previous senior brothers and sisters?"
"So I asked the senior brothers and sisters and learned the inside story."
"What did you find out?"
"It's not just the tasks released by the task hall that count as completed tasks. If you find tasks on your own and complete them, you can also earn contribution points. If you report the results of the completed tasks to the sect, and they verify that the results are real, they will give you corresponding rewards."
"Do you know how the tasks in the task hall come about?"
"How do they come about?"
"There are three situations. One is based on the 'Mutual Assistance Agreement' among the five great sects and the Great Xia Dynasty. When the Great Xia Dynasty needs cultivators but lacks manpower, they will request our help, but this happens rarely."
"Even though we are all part of the righteous human race, it’s somewhat embarrassing for a grand court that has existed for a hundred thousand years to seek help from a sect."
"The second situation is when someone seeks help from the five great sects, hoping we can deliver justice, but the premise is that the Great Xia Dynasty doesn't interfere, like your task of catching the parrot."
"The third situation is when our sect discovers clues during travels, which will be published as tasks in the task hall, and the sect will prepare corresponding rewards."
"This third situation is our hope."
(End of chapter)