Chapter 177: Chapter 176: You Can Help Me Cultivate?

Gu Zhao bestowed a Celestial Spirit Talisman and a Vajra Profound Talisman upon each of them. The two thanked him profusely and left, overjoyed.

Their minds were now filled with enacting justice on heaven’s behalf, Righteousness and Heroism, punishing the wicked, Demon Suppression, and...

The *Supreme Meridian Breathing Technique*!

The *True Qi Eight-section Brocade*!

These were two introductory Cultivation Techniques devised by the old Taoists. The former was for Qi Nourishing and Refining God, while the latter used External Skills to guide Qi. Though they might not be the most efficient, they were both orthodox techniques of The Three Pristine Ones and produced pure Taoist True Qi.

’This is the first step for the Taoist Sect’s legacy in the Otherworld.’

Sometimes, what seems like an ordinary, insignificant matter is actually a milestone event in the grand scheme of history.

For example...

’On a perfectly ordinary night, an Otherworld ghost and a Blue Star Person had their first intimate relationship?’

"AHEM, AHEM!" Gu Zhao cleared his throat and stepped out of the main hall, just in time to see Yang Chi and Lu Yue approaching together.

"Sect Leader!" The two of them cupped their fists in salute.

Gu Zhao nodded. "What is it?"

Since joining Daluo Palace, the two had spent their time either listening to the old Taoists’ lectures or cultivating peacefully in their quiet chambers. On days when no enemies attacked, their lives were utterly carefree.

Thus, in their leisure time away from Cultivation, they had taken to exploring the surrounding scenery.

Lu Yue said, "With the recent completion of Daluo Palace, the Incense has been thriving. Aside from people coming to worship and pray for blessings, many have also come to the Medicine King Hall seeking medical treatment."

Yang Chi said, "If their faith is pious, we’ve been helping them by channeling our Qi to regulate their bodies."

Lu Yue continued, "However, we discovered that the palace doesn’t keep any standing stock of medicine. So we took a trip to the back mountain, hoping to gather some common medicinal herbs."

Yang Chi reached into his sleeve and pulled out a lumpy, dirt-covered object, his face beaming. "And then we discovered a two-hundred-year-old Yellow Lemon. Whether eaten raw or made into medicine, it can aid one’s Cultivation."

They both said in unison, "We have come to present it to you, Sect Leader!"

"Thank you, thank you. That’s very thoughtful of you."

Though he didn’t necessarily need it, Gu Zhao accepted the herb with a smile. Probing it with his True Qi, he could sense that it truly did contain Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

"Can I just eat this thing raw?" Gu Zhao joked. "It won’t be so potent that it gives me a nosebleed, will it?"

"Of course not," Yang Chi laughed. "If you take the herb and then use your Magical Power to guide its digestion, how could you get a nosebleed? Besides, Heavenly and Earthly Treasures are hard to come by. Most people just eat them on the spot when they find them."

Gu Zhao understood now. No wonder they hadn’t found any such things at Three Extremes Mountain or within the Golden Wind Divine Sect. Even if those cultivators found herbs containing Spiritual Qi, they would have eaten them immediately to supplement their Cultivation.

In an Extraordinary World where even plants could become demons, there was naturally no shortage of medicinal herbs containing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. It was just that Gu Zhao and the others relied on absorbing Spiritual Qi and converting Evil Qi for their Cultivation, so they hadn’t previously considered digging up herbs.

But now that they had medicinal herbs, the Taoist Sect naturally had methods to make use of them.

’How could eating it raw possibly be as effective as refining it through Alchemy?’

And speaking of Alchemy...

That was the Taoist Sect’s bread and butter!

With this in mind, Gu Zhao gave an order, "Have a cellar set up in the palace warehouse to serve as an apothecary. In addition to Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, we can also purchase and store some common medicines."

Lu Yue nodded thoughtfully. "If pious worshipers come to our gates, could we perhaps gift them some medicine?"

Yang Chi added, "In that case, should we go to the county and invite a few physicians to take up residence at the palace?"

"There are plenty of people in the county seat; there’s no need for us to compete with the common folk for medical resources." Gu Zhao shook his head and asked them, "It seems you two know a bit about medicine?"

Lu Yue smiled. "I’ve read a couple of medical books, so I can recognize most herbs and prepare some basic formulas."

"In that case, pick a few helpers from among the Firework Taoists to be in charge of purchasing herbs," Gu Zhao instructed. "When Martial Uncle Ming Yu gets back, you can help him identify them."

The Celestial Master’s Mansion has a Taoist Medical Research Institute, which is essentially a branch of traditional Chinese medicine. Taoist Ming Yu understands medicine as well, but the names for herbs on Blue Star are clearly different from their names in this Otherworld.

At the very least, Gu Zhao had never heard the name Yellow Lemon before—and this thing was definitely not a lemon that was yellow!

Once Taoist Ming Yu figured out the correlations between this world’s herbs and those from Blue Star, and then did some research into this world’s unique medicinal plants, the possibilities would be immense.

Most importantly, this world had herbs that contained Spiritual Qi!

Gu Zhao looked at the Yellow Lemon in his hand, a smile playing on his lips as his mind began to race with ideas. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

...

After discussing the matter of the herbs with the old Taoists, Gu Zhao put the Yellow Lemon into his Storage Gourd. He then happened to run into Zhuo Qingyan and Li Qingshuang, who were on their way down the mountain.

Seeing Gu Zhao’s high spirits, a flicker of emotion crossed Li Qingshuang’s eyes, but she still stepped forward and said, "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days, Brother Gu, Qingyan, and Silk Embroideress."

Gu Zhao was taken aback. He looked at Li Qingshuang. "Your internal injuries are healed?"

Li Qingshuang gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and nodded. "My internal injuries have healed, and my Vitality is restored. I haven’t been back to the Spirit Court for several years, so I’d like to return as soon as possible."

Gu Zhao nodded in understanding. "But hasn’t the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits sealed off the Wanling River to prevent people from the Xuanwei Divine Sect and the Spirit Court from coming to Jiangnan?"

Li Qingshuang smiled. "The Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits’s Magical Power is boundless, but I am merely a minor figure. The Dragon King wouldn’t pay me any mind. Crossing the River by boat would naturally risk provoking his displeasure, but I can fly from one bank to the other."

Gu Zhao smiled too.

Li Qingshuang’s Protective Magical Treasure was the Cyan Feather Fan, whose essence was that of a Cyan Bird. Li Qingshuang’s own true form was, naturally, also a Cyan Bird. If she took on her original form, she could fly freely between the two banks.

This was also the reason she had been able to come to Jiangnan to investigate Xu Kongting.

"I will report on the matter of Daluo Palace, so that if anyone from the Xuanwei Divine Sect or the Spirit Court comes to Jiangnan in the future, they won’t have any misunderstandings with Daluo Palace," Li Qingshuang added.

"Then I must thank you, Miss Li," Gu Zhao said with a smile, cupping his fists.

"It is I who should be thanking you." Li Qingshuang shook her head, giving Gu Zhao a meaningful look. "Brother Gu, you can just call me Qingshuang."

...

That night, Zhuo Qingyan gently gathered her hair as she lay on Gu Zhao’s chest. "Qingshuang has fallen for you."

"Huh?" Gu Zhao fell silent, merely enjoying the sensation of the cool, smooth skin beneath his hand.

Zhuo Qingyan’s lips curled into a slight smile. "Ever since you learned the *Cave Truth Yellow Record*, you’ve gotten more and more incredible. I’ve benefited quite a bit from it as well."

Gu Zhao couldn’t help but cough. "AHEM, AHEM, AHEM!"

Zhuo Qingyan gave a faint smile. With a graceful turn, she draped her gauze skirt around her body and floated away. "Brother Gu, you are the Sect Leader of Daluo Palace. How can you be so bashful?"

"What do you mean?" Gu Zhao didn’t understand.

The next moment, a cyan figure floated into the room. "I can never repay the debt of you saving my life, so I can only offer myself to you."

’Now Gu Zhao understood. It was just that...’

"Isn’t this a little too fast? Shouldn’t we get to know each other first?"

...

A moment later, a sharp, clear cry echoed throughout Daluo Palace.

Sensing the soaring, ethereal Magical Power within her body, Li Qingshuang was utterly astonished. "You can help my Cultivation?"