Chapter 58: Expanding the Herb Fields

Training the external arts to perfection.

According to his recollections and what was written in the Cloud Crane Manual, a martial artist should properly begin tempering the skin and membranes only after attaining a minor mastery of flexible force and penetrating force, aided by external tools such as wooden stakes, sandbags, and stone locks.

Beyond that comes the refinement of the internal organs through flexible force, known among martial artists as internal training. Yet without the flexible force, Chen Yu could only find himself stuck awkwardly at this threshold.

“I wonder if I can overcome this barrier before descending the mountain.”

With the arrival of the first day of May, less than ten days remained until the grand ritual. In the next couple of days, he had to tidy up the temple inside and out, then descend the mountain to attend the gathering.

Counting the days, only two or three remained. If he could break through to minor mastery of penetrating force and grasp flexible force in one stroke, he would descend the mountain with greater confidence.

Chen Yu sighed softly. Chaos reigned below! The ritual would be held in Ping City, nearly two hundred miles from Shiya County. The roads were distant and mountainous, surely plagued by rebel bandits.

Moreover, the temple’s finances were meager. After the last round of exchanges, only about five taels of silver remained. Though accommodations would be provided by Haiyun Temple, expenses for travel and food would still add up.

He thought of the few medicinal herbs in the temple, decent in appearance, but since he lacked the proper prescriptions, most were unused. Once in the city, he could sell some to cover expenses.

“Besides, I need to make a few more pills.”

The Pure Heart Pill was unique to Cloud Crane Temple—not a rare treasure, but of respectable quality. Unlike the old Daoist, Chen Yu held no prejudice against alchemy.

He planned to send some to Senior Master Liu in gratitude for the gifted grain seeds, and as tokens for other Daoists participating in the event.

Wild boar meat was out of the question. There might be reclusive ascetics strictly observing the precepts; bringing such a thing would only attract resentment.

And at a gathering of ascetic Daoists, swaggering in with two slabs of boar meat would be quite inappropriate.

After much deliberation, the Pure Heart Pill was the most suitable offering.

As for the spirit liquid...

The thought had barely surfaced when Chen Yu suddenly recalled the scene of his first fusion and refinement of the spirit liquid—a strange, intense craving that came on abruptly, and even now left him unsettled.

He suspected that if he truly brought it out, no one could resist the dreadful urge to possess it.

Dispelling the thought, Chen Yu decided not to expose it during his descent, lest it invite trouble.

Yet, all things have their advantages and disadvantages. Should he face a dire emergency, this uncontrollable desire could serve him well.

He resolved not to leave it entirely behind, keeping a pouch with him.

In the afternoon, Chen Yu fastened his axe and stepped into the lush woodland behind the temple.

The expanded fence made the chicken coop sufficient for now. Today, his task was to enlarge the medicinal field.

It had been built generously when the temple was founded, but over time, neglected and overgrown, only a small patch remained by the courtyard.

---

With his growing familiarity with the spirit mechanism, the number and variety of cultivated plants had increased since the beginning.

The temple’s supply of clay pots and wooden boards was limited—fine for individual plants, but for larger quantities, the medicinal field was necessary.

He had plans for future cultivation: new specimens would be kept in pots for easy observation and protection from wild animals, preventing unforeseen disasters.

For others, like the Intestinal Herb or the Divine Fruit of Orchid Court, whose properties and effects were already understood, mass production could proceed in the field.

Yet, the spirit mechanism was only part of the challenge; the medicinal field was simply too small.

In the forest.

Chen Yu strode in, searched for a while, and soon selected a tree as thick as his wrist, cutting it down with one swing!

Thud! Thud!

The bark split, and the tree soon fell.

Compared to ordinary mountain farmers, he possessed much greater strength and endurance, felling several more trees in quick succession.

To expand the medicinal field, the surrounding enclosure had to be improved; otherwise, what he planted today would be gone tomorrow.

A bamboo fence alone wouldn't suffice—it needed a wooden palisade for better protection. He also planned to set up two straw figures to scare away birds.

He trimmed the branches on site, carried the logs to the clearing one by one, and in total felled nine trees, each two or three zhangs long. Later, he would cut them into seven-foot-high, three-finger-thick stakes to stand in the ground, filling the gaps with bamboo strips and branches, bound with tattered cloth to form a fence around the field.

Roughly estimating, the new field could expand from its current two-zhang square to five zhang long and four zhang wide, about five times the original area.

He measured the ground and began his work.

Compared to building the chicken coop, setting stakes required far less skill and was not easily toppled by wind or rain. If it did collapse, he could simply set another post.

He kept the axe in hand, using it to cut and split the logs as needed.

Two hundred feet of fencing was no small task, but his improved skills made the work swift.

After just two hours, with daylight still lingering, he finished the longest side.

Thud!

He drove the final stake into the earth, using up all the wood and bamboo, joining the sides together.

Dusting off his hands, Chen Yu stood nearby, admiring his handiwork.

The crooked fence formed a rough circle, enclosing the medicinal field at one corner. Truthfully, it was a bit crude and makeshift.

Unable to bear the sight, he took up his axe and hammer again, tinkering for another half hour, making many corrections until the appearance was no longer so offensive.

---

Lacking in skill, truly.

Shaking his head, Chen Yu circled the perimeter, finding no gaps or weaknesses. Satisfied, he packed up his tools and left.

The new field needed weeding and tilling, but that could wait for tomorrow. It was already late, the sun nearly set. After a busy afternoon, though his body was not tired thanks to the spirit liquid, he still wished to rest and ease his mind.

...

Radiant sunset bathed the mountains.

After supper, Chen Yu practiced the Cloud Crane Manual as usual.

Absorbing the spirit liquid once more to its limit, he found the efficiency of the Spirit Invoking Strengthening Technique diminishing. So he devoted his remaining energy to the Cloud Crane Manual.

More precisely, to the recorded fist techniques and the methods for using knives, swords, and other weapons.

Compared to the lightness and cultivation techniques he had always focused on, his proficiency in other combat skills was lacking. Preparing for the descent, he spent several days studying and practicing these arts.

Though the skills of guardianship had to be honed through battle, at least he needed to be familiar with the techniques before advancing further. Presently, aside from two loose moves he had used to defeat the White Fruit bandits below the mountain, he had no other means of defense.

Now, he sought to remedy that shortcoming.

Fortunately, his strong spirit and improved physique, along with enhanced force, allowed him to master the forms quickly.

Indeed, this was the case.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He threw a punch, his elbow twisting like a serpent, seeming to crush the air and producing a dull, heavy sound.

Spirit Ape Arm!

Without pause, he raised his hips, his right hand slicing through the air like a blade, sending waves of force crackling around him.

Exhaling through his nose, Chen Yu drew back his fists, reflecting deeply, about to continue when a scream erupted from behind the courtyard.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Cluck cluck!

Without hesitation, he stepped forward, his figure leaping a full zhang in an instant, and after three or five bounds, he reached the back of the temple.