C12 This Treasure Was Called "divine Competition".(2)

"It's not fair play, using the Howling Celestial Dog to gang up two against one. Otherwise, he'd likely be no match for the monkey."

"I need to stop by home first to deliver the 'Spiritual Competition' to my mom. Can I return to stay at the Floating Flower Palace for a bit tomorrow?"

"Coming back to listen to Journey to the West?"

"Yeah, I've never heard such a captivating story. If I miss the ending, I swear I'll die!"

"...Suit yourself. Stay if you like. I've got to descend the mountain anyway, so we might as well head down together."

"Great! Could you fill me in on the earlier parts of Journey to the West along the way?"

"It basically starts with a monkey popping out of a stone."

"...That's all? Your storytelling is in a league of its own..."

"Take it or leave it!"

...

Zhong Wen found himself wide awake.

Tossing and turning in bed, sleep eluded him, so he sat up, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes, entering the "New Light Library" within his mind.

The once sparse giant bookshelves now boasted a modest collection. Though many sections remained empty, the "Herbal Medicine" and "Pill Refining" shelves each held a couple hundred volumes. They weren't full, but they were starting to look like proper bookshelves.

Quantum wave speed-reading!

Zhong Wen playfully harnessed his focus and began to peruse the tomes of Medicine King Valley.

As he flipped through book after book, paragraphs of text swarmed into his brain. Despite the shelves' magical reading capabilities, the deluge of information made his head swim, nearly causing a system overload.

Within half an hour, Zhong Wen had committed to memory all the knowledge of spirit medicines and pill refining from Medicine King Valley, feeling the self-assurance of a master in both fields.

If only he'd had this ability in his past life, he mused, he could have run a lucrative training course and would never have worried about affording a house. Zhong Wen sighed at the thought.

Glancing out the window, he saw dawn was breaking. He climbed out of bed, settled at the desk, and earnestly began to transcribe "Enlightenment."

Elevate culture, eradicate illiteracy—let it begin with me!

Zhong Wen steadied his thoughts and grasped the pen in his hand...

The Shengyu Trading Company building towered three stories high, covering nearly an acre, standing as one of the most grandiose structures in Fufeng City.

As dusk approached, the front desk clerk yawned, listlessly clutching a broom, making preparations to close up for the day.

Barely twenty, the young clerk was single and in no rush to marry. The silver he'd scrimped and saved from his job at the trading company had all gone to Xiao Hong of the Cuiyi Courtyard.

Visions of Xiao Hong's fair skin and exquisite figure filled his head, saliva nearly escaping his mouth in anticipation of their rendezvous once the doors closed.

If I could make Xiao Hong my wife, my life would be complete, he mused.

Just then, a striking girl in red with a ponytail, a face as if painted, and a long sword slung across her back, pushed the door open and stepped inside.

A goddess!

In that instant, all thoughts of Xiao Hong vanished from the clerk's mind, for he had never laid eyes on such beauty in his life.

Next to this girl, Xiao Hong paled in comparison.

"Excuse me, is the manager available?" the girl's voice rang out, melodious and inviting.

The clerk, spellbound, offered no response, simply gazing at the girl in red.

"Hello, is the manager here?" she asked again, a hint of impatience creasing her brow.

"Oh, oh, are you looking for our Shopkeeper Wang?" The clerk finally snapped out of his trance, embarrassed by his own behavior. He quickly attempted to recover, "You're just in time. He would have left if you'd arrived a moment later."

"I have a valuable item I wish to sell. Could I discuss it with the shopkeeper?"

"Sure, of course. Just a moment, please. I'll go inform him right away." The clerk, still drooling, rushed upstairs without even setting down his broom.

Shortly after, a plump middle-aged man in a silk robe emerged to greet the girl.

"Miss, my name is Wang, and I have the honor of managing the Shengyu Trading Company. I understand you have a precious item for sale?" The middle-aged man's voice was filled with deference and warmth, making him immediately approachable.

"Indeed, there's something I'd like your opinion on." The young girl retrieved a small cloth bundle from within her garments, carefully unwrapping it to reveal a paper package inside. She unfolded the paper, disclosing a white crystalline substance. "This is a unique seasoning called 'Match for the Immortals'..."

In comparison to Vast Cloud City, the fourth largest city in Nanjiang Province, Fufeng City was but a modest and inconsequential town.

Surrounded by numerous mountains brimming with spiritual qi and fertile soil, the area was ideal for cultivating both food crops and medicinal herbs of the highest quality. Consequently, Fufeng City was frequented mostly by herbalists and grain merchants, whose businesses were seasonally driven, with few choosing to reside in the city permanently.

The town was home to only three significant local powers: Shengyu Trading Company, Golden Blade Sect, and Blissful Gang.

Shengyu Trading Company stood as the preeminent force in Fufeng City, boasting a formidable background. Their operations spanned from grains, medicinal herbs, livestock, ironware, and farming tools to luxurious items like jewelry, antiques, calligraphy, paintings, Cultivation Methods and Spirit Skills, and Medicine Pills. Their reach was vast and their position unassailable.

The other two major players, Golden Blade Sect and Blissful Gang—one a Cultivation Sect and the other an underworld organization—maintained a facade of peaceful coexistence, yet beneath the surface, they were locked in a silent rivalry.

However, Zheng Gongming, the Sect Master of Golden Blade Sect, had lost all interest in these power struggles over the last few days.

His dearly beloved wife, Mrs. Hsiao, had recently fallen ill with anorexia. Initially, she could just about manage to consume some broth or porridge, but lately, she couldn't even swallow a drop of water. Any attempt to drink was met with immediate regurgitation.

In an age where men of status often had multiple wives, Zheng Gongming's devotion was exceptional. As the leader of a sect, he had married only Mrs. Hsiao, a testament to the profound depth of their bond.

Gazing upon the bedridden and gaunt figure of Mrs. Hsiao, Zheng Gongming was consumed with grief, yet felt utterly helpless.

In the Great Qian Kingdom, anorexia was not uncommon, particularly among the nobility. There were no effective treatments for the illness; it often came down to whether the patient could recover on their own. Each year, a significant number of nobles succumbed to anorexia.

"Master, I fear I'm at my end," Mrs. Hsiao said, her cheeks hollow and her spirit diminished. "Once I'm gone, I hope you'll marry a girl from the Li family. Without a woman to care for you, I just can't rest easy."

"Madam, you need to focus on your recovery. You'll feel better in a couple of days. Don't fill your head with these worries," Zheng Gongming reassured her, though his heart was heavy with sorrow.

"You've been faithful to me all these years, never seeking the company of another woman, even though it made you the subject of ridicule. I've always appreciated your loyalty," Mrs. Hsiao whispered, her breath weak. "But you must promise me this. I won't be able to find peace in death otherwise. The Li family girl is kind-hearted. Knowing she's looking after you and our two children will let me leave this world in peace."

"Madam, there's no room in my heart for anyone but you..." Zheng Gongming's voice broke as tears streamed down his face. "Please, fight this illness. Think of Tingting and Qi'er. They need their mother."

"Tingting is grown and capable; I have no worries there. But Qi'er, with his gentle nature..." Mrs. Hsiao's voice trailed off, concern etched on her face for her younger son.

"Dad! Mom!" came Zheng Yueting's voice from outside.

Zheng Gongming, deep in his grief, heard the joy in his daughter's voice and frowned, about to scold her.

"Master," Mrs. Hsiao signaled with a shake of her head and a knowing look.

With a resigned smile, Zheng Gongming held his tongue.

"Ting'er, did you triumph at the Floating Flower Palace competition?" Mrs. Hsiao mustered her strength to ask.

"Let's not talk about that now," Zheng Yueting replied, her lips pursed. "Mother, how's your appetite? Can you manage to eat something?"

"I'm a bit better. I managed a bowl of porridge," Mrs. Hsiao answered, glancing at her husband who stood quietly behind their daughter.

Zheng Gongming managed a strained smile and nodded in agreement.

Zheng Yueting, ever perceptive, read the room instantly. Without giving the game away, she smiled and shared, "On my recent trip up the mountain, I encountered an eccentric who bestowed upon me a treasure. It just might be the cure for Mother's anorexia."

"Is that so?" Zheng Gongming's spirits lifted at the news, and he eagerly inquired, "What kind of treasure?"

"Fetch a bowl of chicken soup," Zheng Yueting directed the maid, choosing not to reveal details just yet. "I'll demonstrate the miraculous effects of this 'Divine Elixir' right here and now."

Before long, the maid returned with a steaming bowl of chicken soup. Zheng Yueting wasted no time, pulling a pouch of salt from her bosom. She carefully pinched off a small piece, dropped it into the soup, and instructed the maid to stir it well and bring it to Mrs. Hsiao's bedside.

"Mother, please have a taste," Zheng Yueting gently urged, ladling a spoonful of soup, cooling it with a soft breath, and tenderly offering it to Mrs. Hsiao's lips.

Mrs. Hsiao, moved by her daughter's earnest gaze and despite her lack of appetite, couldn't bear to disappoint. Bracing herself against the wave of nausea, she parted her lips and took a tentative sip of the chicken soup...