C13 So You Were the Stupid Person Who Used Crystals to Buy a Hen?(1)

Watching Mrs. Hsiao sip the chicken soup, Zheng Gongming anxiously observed his wife.

Lately, Mrs. Hsiao had attempted to enjoy some "delicacies," but each bite was promptly and unalteredly regurgitated.

"Hmm?" Mrs. Hsiao held a spoonful of chicken soup in her mouth, a new flavor tantalizing her taste buds.

After swallowing without a hint of nausea, she hesitated, then gestured for her daughter to give her another spoonful.

With the second taste, not only was there no revulsion, but an eagerness to eat more welled up inside her.

"How is it, my dear?" Zheng Gongming ventured, a sliver of hope flickering in his voice.

"It's tasty!" Mrs. Hsiao declared, taking the spoon from her daughter to serve herself more soup.

"It really works!" Zheng Yueting and her father exchanged glances, both reading surprise in the other's eyes.

Mrs. Hsiao's appetite surged; she eagerly gulped down the soup, occasionally nibbling on pieces of chicken. The long-absent sensation of hunger thrilled her.

Her stomach, shrunken from disuse, felt full after half a bowl. Reluctantly, she dabbed at her lips with a silk handkerchief, gazing at the remaining soup with longing.

"Madam, how do you feel?" Zheng Gongming inquired, full of concern.

"Who knew such a delicious thing existed in this world!" Mrs. Hsiao gazed at Zheng Gongming affectionately. "My lord, it seems I might be able to keep you company for many more years."

"Wonderful, wonderful!" Zheng Gongming, overcome with emotion, grasped her hand tightly.

"My lord, we owe a great deal to Tingting this time," Mrs. Hsiao said with a graceful smile, her beauty shining through her weariness.

"Ha, indeed, we have raised a wonderful daughter," Zheng Gongming, always doting on his daughter, felt even more affectionate now. "Tingting, ask for any reward you desire, and if it's within my power, it's yours."

"Dad, I don't need anything, but Mom still relies on the 'Spiritual Competitor' to maintain her health. This time, they gave me some as a favor to Lau Qiqi. We can't keep accepting gifts without giving anything in return; we don't want people to think the Zheng family lacks manners."

"You're absolutely right. The Floating Flower Palace has healed your mother, and I must show my gratitude!" Zheng Gongming agreed heartily. "But what is this 'Spiritual Competitor' that it works such wonders?"

"Dad, there's still half a bowl of chicken soup left. Would you like to try it?" Zheng Yueting suggested with a twinkle in her eye.

"Sure, let's see what's so special about this chicken soup that can conquer anorexia." Zheng Yueting had hit the nail on the head, and without another word, Zheng Gongming grabbed a spoon and took a taste.

The chicken soup was a revelation—Zheng Gongming's eyes sparkled with delight.

Could it be that everything I've eaten before was no better than swill?

He couldn't stop spooning the soup into his mouth, one spoonful after another.

Before long, the bowl was nearly empty. As a cultivator, Zheng Gongming naturally had a hearty appetite and didn't hesitate to polish off the chicken as well.

Staring at the empty bowl, the master of the Golden Blade Sect wiped his mouth, his face a picture of longing as he turned expectantly to Zheng Yueting.

"Dad, that's all there is, and who knows when we'll get more. We need to save it for Mom's treatment," Zheng Yueting said, pointing to the paper bag in her hand, torn between laughter and sympathy.

"Ah, what a 'Spiritual Competitor'! After tasting such a delicacy, how will I ever go back to ordinary food?" Zheng Gongming lamented, exchanging a knowing look with Mrs. Hsiao.

Having generously given away all the painstakingly produced salt to two beauties, Zhong Wen found himself utterly disheartened come dinner time.

Having sampled the midday chicken soup, the evening meal paled in comparison, making it all the more unappetizing.

If only he had known, Zhong Wen would have saved some for himself. Now, it was a case of regretting when it was already too late.

Casting a glance at Lin Xiaodie seated across from him, he noticed that the little loli wasn't faring much better.

"Zhong Wen, do you have any more 'Spirit Competitor'?" The little loli gazed at him with a forlorn expression.

Her palate had undergone a significant upgrade after the so-called baptism of salt, leaving her uninterested in the meals prepared by Mrs. Wang.

"Just hang in there today, Xiaodie. I'll go out tonight to gather some ingredients, and I'll whip up another batch tomorrow," Zhong Wen said, shaking his head, resolved to make another trip to Medicine King Valley that evening.

"Oh." The promise of improved meals the next day lifted the little girl's spirits a bit, and she quietly took another bite of her rice.

Post-dinner, Zhong Wen sprawled on the table, immersing himself in the study of Great Qian script.

As the hour approached eleven, with the absence of Lau Qiqi's sword practice echoing in the yard, Zhong Wen stealthily departed the compound, heading towards Medicine King Valley.

Now, with the Cloud Immortal Step at his feet and the tune "Riding on my beloved motorcycle" on his lips, he moved through the woods like a shadow, swift and silent.

Feeling a renewed surge of spiritual energy, his journey was considerably lighter than it had been in the wee hours.

In less than half an hour, he was back at the stone wall marking the entrance to Medicine King Valley.

Well-acquainted with the terrain, he made quick work of reaching the "Compendium Pavilion."

This time, Zhong Wen was on a mission, heading straight for the "Spirit Pattern" section and reaching out without hesitation.

Armed with his knowledge of herbal medicine and alchemy, he had intended to try his hand at pill refining that afternoon. However, despite having a top-grade furnace, he lacked the necessary pill fire.

The flame used for pill refining in Medicine King Valley was kindled by a unique Spirit Pattern, and without understanding of this arcane art, Zhong Wen was at a loss, with no choice but to watch helplessly.

Thankfully, with the "New Light Library" at his disposal, gathering a selection of Spirit Pattern texts should make the task of drawing them far from daunting.

"Found 'Spirit Pattern Class' book 'Fundamentals of Spirit Pattern Studies, Volume I.' Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Located 'Spirit Pattern Class' book 'Fundamentals of Spirit Pattern Studies, Volume II.' Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Encountered 'Spirit Pattern Class' book 'Flame Spirit Pattern Manual, Volume II.' Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

...

"Entry of one hundred 'Spirit Pattern Class' books completed. Please draw a lot to receive a reward: 1. Guide to Crafting a Spirit Pattern Pen; 2. Great Qian's Most Beautiful Women Rankings; 3. The Lethal Sword."

"Congratulations, you've earned the reward: Guide to Crafting a Spirit Pattern Pen!"

Not too shabby! It's like being offered a pillow just as you're falling asleep—Zhong Wen was quite pleased with the prize.

Research on Spirit Patterns in Medicine King Valley was quite limited, serving primarily the purposes of pill refinement and cultivation of spiritual medicines. Therefore, the collection of such books was just over a hundred volumes—not exactly extensive. Having completed his collection of Spirit Pattern studies, Zhong Wen still felt a sense of longing for more and turned his attention to the core category of Medicine King Valley's library: Medical texts.

Upon inspection, he found the medical books were further categorized into "medical theory," "pathology," "pharmacology," "convalescence," "acupuncture," and more. With nearly a thousand volumes in total, the variety was overwhelming.

"Let's collect them!" With plenty of time to spare, he resolved to proceed.

"Medical book 'Thousand Discussions on Typhoid and Miscellaneous Diseases' discovered. Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Medical book 'Soul Chasing Needle Technique' discovered. Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Medical book 'Toxicology Canon' discovered. Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Medical book 'Medicine King's Divine Chapters' discovered. Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Medical book 'Thousand Cases of Autopsy' discovered. Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Medical book 'Hundred Cases of Craniotomy' discovered. Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

"Medical book 'Discourse on Meridians' discovered. Would you like to catalog it? Yes/No."

After practicing the One-energy Longevity Technique, Zhong Wen was nearly exhausted to death by the time he had cataloged all the medical texts. But his persistence paid off when the coveted line of text finally materialized on the bookshelf:

"Recorded 100 'medical category' books. Please draw for a reward: 1. Complete Collection of Beast Tongues; 2. Three Hundred Tang Poems; 3. Sleight of Hand."

"Congratulations, you have earned the reward: Complete Collection of Beast Tongues!"

Zhong Wen: "..."

Seems like I'm not meant to be human anymore...

Thankfully, the massive haul of books this time triggered another prompt:

"Recorded 500 'medical category' books. Please draw for a reward: 1. Great Qian Bilingual Dictionary; 2. King of Stories; 3. Sleight of Hand."

"Congratulations, you have earned the reward: Sleight of Hand!"

"Recorded 1,000 books. Please draw for a reward: 1. Grand Plain Profound Yin Arts; 2. Finger Flicking Divine Ability; 3. Flower Transferring Jade Receiving."

Damn, those options are stunning!

Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhong Wen's eyes brimmed with tears as he beheld the three spirit skills offered in the final draw.