Chapter 4 Part I

    Early the next morning, the siblings woke up at dawn and set off for Fufen City. The manager of the Fufen Medical Hall was surprised to see them; he hadn't seen her in a long time and had wondered where she had disappeared to. He secretly thought she might have moved to another city, feeling regret that someone as skilled as she had possibly relocated.

    "Miss Lin, I thought you had moved to another city, it’s been so long."

    "I was a little unwell, but I’m better now."

    "Ah, I see."

    "These are the ground herbs I've brought to sell today. Please check them, Master Song," she placed the bundle of ground herbs in front of him.

    "Oh, anything from Miss Lin couldn’t possibly be of poor quality. No need to inspect, I trust you. We have been doing business for a long time, same price as always."

    Manager Song was about to accept the goods, but Xuyao gestured to keep the herbs back, "No, please inspect them first."

    "Ah… Oh, if that’s what you wish, young miss," he was slightly confused, wondering if her illness had muddled her senses. Never mind, it wouldn't hurt to examine it anyway. The shop wasn't bustling with customers at the moment. With practiced ease, he unwrapped the bundle containing the herbal powder and began inspecting it. His eyes widened in astonishment as he noticed that the powder was significantly different from before.

    They were pure and of higher quality!

    However, he lacked the deep knowledge to determine the exact level of their quality.

    "Miss Lin, hold on, I’ll take these herbs to the master for a proper check," he decided that only the master could confirm their exceptional quality.

    "Please do."

    Master Song disappeared into the back of the shop with the bundle, and shortly after, he returned with an astonished look. "Miss Lin, my master would like to meet with you briefly, if you would honor us."

    "Lead the way, please," the young woman nodded. It was rare for anyone to meet the fourth-level herbalist behind the Fufen Medical Hall. Herbalists of this level had such demeanor, arrogance and aloofness. Even the city’s governor wouldn’t have the right unless he wished it.

    Xuyao led Xiaoxin to the reception room of the Fufen Medical Hall. Although Master Song gave them a brief glance, he made no comment.

    "Please, Miss Lin, this way to the reception room."

    Xuyao entered the reception room of the Fufen Medical Hall to find it minimally furnished with just a set of wooden tables and chairs, the room devoid of any luxurious furniture; it could almost be described as bare except for the table set.

    A large, glossy brown wooden chair was occupied by a portly elderly man with a long, silver-white beard reaching down to the high table. Outwardly, he presented himself as a kindly old man, but his arrogance was palpable, not fully masked by any means. As she approached him, a faint scent of ancient herbs wafted towards her, subtly perceptible.

    "Greetings, Elder."

    "Hmm, call me Ma Hua. Have a seat."

    "..."

    "Did you separate and grind these herbs yourself?" He asked directly, skipping any preliminaries, clearly not wanting to waste time, true to the nature of a proud herbalist.

    Xuyao took a moment to observe and assess the man before her. Suddenly, her eyes revealed a shocking image.

    This elderly man with a young boy!

    She gasped in shock. Was he really involved in cut-sleeve? More disturbingly, she saw the young boy tied to a bed, undergoing severe torture. The boy struggled desperately but was unable to escape because his arms and legs were bound. Seeing such a sight, in Xuyao’s heart, she felt a deep sense of disgust. It wasn’t just his tastes that were reprehensible, but the coercion and torture of the boy that was truly abhorrent—a revered figure in Fufen was merely a detestable old man.

    "What do you say?" Ma Hua asked again when he noticed her silence, suppressing his irritation. If it weren’t for the high-quality ground herbs, he wouldn’t have bothered spending time with a common woman.

    "Respected elder, I didn't separate and grind the herbs myself. I happened to meet a skilled herbalist. I'm not sure of his level, but unfortunately, he's injured and can no longer prepare medicines. He can only separate and grind the herbs."

    "What kind of injury?" Ma Hua pressed, intrigued by the expertise of this mysterious herbalist. Even the simple task of separating and grinding herbs had been performed with such quality and purity that he himself could not achieve. He needed to forge a connection with this person, who could potentially elevate him to a level-five herbalist in the future.

    Unbeknownst to Ma Hua, the very herbalist he sought was sitting right in front of him, telling a lie with a deadpan face.

    The reason Xuyao's herbal powders were of higher quality and purity was due to her special eyes that she had been granted. She could effortlessly select the highest quality and most pure herbs, resulting in herbal powders of significantly higher quality than before.

    However, after witnessing a disturbing vision of the old man earlier, she decided to deceive him.

    "I do not know. He only mentioned he was injured."

    "Where is he now?"

    "His whereabouts are unclear, master. He comes and goes. He appears when he wishes to see me. I happened to help him once when he was dehydrated on a mountain trail."

    "How can I meet him?"

    "I do not know."

    "In that case, when you meet him, tell him I would like to see him. If he doesn't mind, ask him to visit me." With his status as a level-four herbalist, he might pique this person’s interest a bit. Ma Hua thought highly of himself.

    How could I not be disgusted? Disgusted to the point of goosebumps! What a perverted old man! Xuyao thought to herself, feeling her skin crawl.

    After leaving the Fufen Medical Hall, her view of the place changed completely. In this place, there are despicable people like this lurking behind the scenes. Ma Hua was arrogant and self-important, wearing a mask of kindness and honesty while in reality, being a repellent figure underneath. She had even been selling drugs to him like this for all these years.

    She wondered what would happen to that young boy and hesitated as she stepped out of Fufen Medical Hall. Should she go help the boy?

    But what could she possibly do? Such a matter was beyond her strength. Ma Hua was a powerful figure in Fufen, and his residence was likely surrounded by level three or level four martial artists to watch over him.

    Indeed, a herbalist is a treasure trove for martial artists. Just providing high-level elixirs monthly was enough to keep such warriors loyal.

    She was just a simple village woman, untrained in martial arts. How could she possibly help the young man?

    Flashed.

    Suddenly, an image flashed through her special eyes—of men in black tailing her. She vividly remembered seeing them outside a perfume shop they had passed by earlier. They had followed her without her noticing at all, befitting skilled martial artists. If not for her special eyes, she would have remained unaware.

    Eh, are they following me?

    So, do these special eyes of mine sees not only the future but the past as well? Xuyao was internally alarmed. The visions of the past and the future were distinctly different. The images from the past were clear and realistic, while the visions of the future were vague and less distinguishable. This newly discovered ability of her special eyes brought her some unease, but the immediate concern was the men in black tailing her.

    Has Ma Hua really sent people to follow me like this?

    This old man won’t let things go so easily. She underestimated the situation. She just thought these special eyes would allow her to distinguish things invisible to the naked eye and to select low-quality herbs, resulting in purer, higher-quality herbal powders. Selling these would bring in more money, enough to afford the journey to apply for the medical seal examination. Although she could sell the powders at a high price, she didn’t expect such complications to arise.

    It was she who had been careless…

    However, Xuyao had already made it clear to Old Ma Hua that she herself could not contact the mysterious doctor; she could only wait for him to come to her. They could follow her if they wanted, but if the mysterious doctor didn’t appear, how could they get any information from her? Moreover, the mysterious doctor she mentioned didn't even exist. How could he come to see her?

    "Xiaoxin, what would you like? I will buy it for you. Today we made a good sale from the herbs," the young woman said, turning to the boy who was following closely behind.

    "Uh... I, I would like some paper and a brush, please," the little boy expressed his needs for the first time since living with her. He had never asked for anything before; it was always her who determined what was suitable for him. But now, he asked for paper and a brush, and Xuyao smiled, acknowledging his request.

    Alright, even though paper and brushes were expensive and considered a luxury for ordinary villagers, for her, these items were an investment in the future. Just as the noble families invested in their children's education to ensure a prosperous future, unlike ordinary villagers who saw such expenditures as wasteful. Most of their earnings went towards food and household expenses, which Xuyao did not find unreasonable given their limited income that would not be enough for such wasteful things.

    But now that she had some money, she too wanted to fully support Xiaoxin in his educational pursuits. Fortunately, she did not need to hire a teacher, as she had secretly learned to read and write from the teachers that taught at the Bai family, allowing her to pass on knowledge to Xiaoxin without reluctance.

    Xuyao and Xiaoxin spent nearly the entire day visiting various shops until they had purchased everything they needed. Having not left the house for two months, they had to buy more essentials than usual. With such a large amount of items purchased, the only way to transport all these items back home was to hire a cart, as they could not carry everything by themselves.

    After finishing their shopping, Xuyao decided to take her brother to a part of town where martial arts performances were held.

    This area was the main street that often hosted performances of martial arts dances or duels by town residents, even though such martial arts competitions were technically illegal. However, they were highly lucrative from spectator fees. The first martial arts arena here was initiated by Lixiao Auction House’s owner. Despite being illegal, the local authorities turned a blind eye, partly because some of the revenue went to the governor's manor. The organizers also ensured the duels were well-regulated to avoid serious injuries or major issues.

    "Xiaoxin, today I will take you to watch a martial arts duel."

    "Huh? Are we going to watch a duel? I want to see it."

    Even though there was a fee to watch the martial arts duels, Xuyao was happy to pay so that Xiaoxin could broaden his horizons and see how other martial artists performed.

    The duel took place in the middle of the arena, which was set up along a street. Spectator seating was spreaded across various shops that provided chairs for their customers. After paying and choosing a secluded spot in a tea house—less noticeable but with a good view of the arena—the siblings settled down to watch the upcoming duel. Yet, Xuyao could still feel the watchful eyes of the men in black who had followed them.

    They just won't stop following, so annoying indeed!

    Soon, the martial arts performance began, with loud cheers and encouragement from the spectators resonating powerfully. Even the little boy next to her got up and cheered excitedly, jumping with enthusiasm. Xuyao was glad to see him enjoying himself like this. Most of the townspeople were ordinary folk, not martial artists, and rarely had the chance to see real warriors in action. This arena provided them with an opportunity to witness the power of true martial artists, and thus, it could charge a substantial fee for attendance based on the number of spectators at a time. It also attracted young fighters eager to test and prove themselves, making this venue a popular choice.

    While Xuyao was intently watching the fight, a strange vision suddenly passed before her eyes. It was an image of a middle-aged man watching the fight just like her. The scene shifted to him drinking tea or some other beverage and then suddenly collapsing to the ground, dead. The third scene showed Ma Hua smiling in front of the man's grave.

    Gasp! The images vanished, but Xuyao felt as if she had run a long distance, physically exhausted by the visions. It was the first time she had seen such images that physically affected her this much.

    Xiaoxin, absorbed in the fight, did not notice his sister's labored breathing or the sweat beading on her smooth face.

    After a moment's rest when she felt somewhat better, Xuyao began scanning the surroundings of the arena and every nook of the neighboring stalls, revisiting the memory of the vision. Her gaze drifted to a liquor shop across the street, the tea house, and then she saw him.

    The man was a middle-aged, around fifty years old, large, burly figure with a rugged beard, but she could still see the remnants of his youthful handsomeness. If she wasn't mistaken, this man was Huang Tan, the influential owner of the Lixiao Auction House in Fufen City. He was a fifth-level martial artist with a vast empire of businesses tucked behind the chest of his manor, making him truly wealthy and influential in Fufen. Additionally, he had a good relationship with the governor, yet he was not on good terms with Ma Hua.

    Xuyao sighed, saddened that this man would soon be dead.

    But why must she witness such events? Was it some kind of test from the heavens?

    Xuyao hesitated for a moment, unsure of the origins of her special eyes. Her curiosity and doubts silently gnawed at her. There must be a reason behind what was happening. If it was a gift from heaven, shouldn't she use it to help those in need and in distress?

    The young woman was troubled in her heart.

    Xuyao was extremely hesitant about whether she should warn Master Huang Tan. Even now, she couldn't shake off the men in black that Ma Hua had sent after her. How could she possibly find the strength to help someone else?

    Eh, could it be Ma Hua?

    Suddenly, Xuyao realized a connection. It must be said that Ma Hua and Master Huang Tan rarely got along due to their divided spheres of influence in Fufen City and some conflicting interests. If Huang Tan were to die, Ma Hua would become the most influential person in the city. Who then could check his wicked deeds? How many more young men would fall victim to him?

    This realization spurred Xuyao into action.

    "Xiaoxin, stay here in the shop, and don't go anywhere. I have to run an errand."

    "Big Sister, where are you going?" the young boy asked, turning to her.

    "I forgot to buy something, and the shops are about to close. It will just take a moment. Do not leave this place, do you understand?"

    "Yes," the boy nodded before turning his attention back to the fight.

    Once she was sure, Xuyao left.

    Soon, in a liquor house bustling with young masters, martial artists, and affluent nobles, a young master of exceptional beauty appeared. He wore a pristine white suit that matched his fair complexion and moved gracefully into the liquor house. Xiao’er, seeing this, worriedly thought he had to tell him that the place was already full, as people had come to watch the fight and all tables were occupied.

    "I'm sorry, Young Master, our establishment has no tables available."

    "Oh."

    "It's alright. Can you deliver this letter to someone for me?" He handed Xiao’er a small, tightly folded and securely tied piece of paper. Xuyao was confident that if Huang Tan read it, it would certainly catch his attention.