C6 Vale of Healing(2)

Deep in the ocean, there's a type of Ankang Fish with a luminescent 'lantern' on its back. It usually hides in the darkness, luring unsuspecting small fish and shrimp closer, before swallowing them whole!" Zhong Wen was passionate about the ocean and could talk endlessly about it. "And then there are the corals—white, red, black—all densely packed in the blue sea, more beautiful than any painting in the world, like something out of a fairy tale."

"Wow, Zhong Wen, you know so much. I wish I could see the ocean too," the little girl said, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she gazed at Zhong Wen, her heart brimming with longing.

"When my memory comes back, and if your master agrees, I'll take you to see the ocean," Zhong Wen replied with a smile, gently patting the little girl's head. Her hair was so soft that he found it hard to stop stroking it.

Before they knew it, Liu Qiqi, Yin Ning'er, and Zheng Yueting had all turned their attention to Zhong Wen.

The adorable little girl was perched on the lap of a refined young man, hanging on his every word as he regaled her with fascinating tales. His voice, rich and magnetic, seemed to weave a spell over his listeners.

The atmosphere was incredibly warm, the young man's stories captivating and novel, leaving the girls utterly enchanted.

Dinner had long since finished, but no one seemed in a hurry to leave. Eventually, Yin Ning'er coaxed a reluctant Lin Xiaodie to their evening studies. Liu Qiqi and Zheng Yueting headed out to the courtyard to practice sparring, and Wang Quanxin busied herself with cleaning. With nothing else to do, Zhong Wen returned to his room to continue transcribing Elementary Studies.

After more than an hour, his neck ached from the effort. He stood up, stretched, and began to pace the room.

In a moment of idleness, his thoughts drifted to another book he had collected earlier that day. His focus had been on the Solar Flare Touch, and he hadn't had the chance to look at it.

Now with some free time, he delved into the mental bookshelf and located the Chronicles of Vale of Healing. Words whizzed by his eyes, and in an instant, he had committed the book's contents to memory effortlessly.

Upon flipping through the pages, he was taken aback.

The "Chronicles of Vale of Healing" turned out to be a diary, penned by none other than the Lord of a renowned ancient cultivation sect known as the Vale of Healing.

The sect, as described in the chronicle, specialized in panacea studies, medicine, poison, and alchemy, boasting numerous medical and alchemy experts. Consequently, despite their average combat abilities, they wielded considerable influence within the ancient cultivation world due to their extensive connections.

Who wouldn't want to be on good terms with a healer?

The records detailed the Valley Lord's medical prowess, which was so advanced that he could challenge the Lord of the Underworld himself. Moreover, the sect's Second-in-Command had mastered alchemy to such an extent that he had elevated himself to the brink of Sagehood by consuming pills.

Thus, the Vale of Healing maintained an esteemed status throughout the ancient cultivation world.

Being a personal diary, Zhong Wen was uncertain about the presence of any exaggeration and didn't dwell on it too much.

However, what truly astonished him was the mention of the Vale of Healing's location within the diary.

If he understood correctly, the Vale of Healing was situated right in the valley of Whispering Peak!

Since recognizing the so-called "ancient script" as ancient writing, Zhong Wen was convinced of a connection between this world and the one he had left behind. This revelation ignited a burning desire within him to delve into the mysteries of the ancient times—a quest driven by a complex mix of emotions and a yearning to trace back to the roots of his soul.

Now, having stumbled upon a lead to an ancient sect, he felt an irresistible urge to investigate further.

Stepping outside, he found that Liu Qiqi and Zheng Yueting had already finished their training and had retired to freshen up.

The courtyard lay in serene stillness, punctuated occasionally by the chirping of insects, while the moon's soft luminescence draped the space in a gossamer glow.

He took a few steps beyond his door, surveying the surroundings. His room was the only source of light in the otherwise darkened courtyard.

In this era, the night held little in the way of entertainment, and people typically retired to bed around nine o'clock in the evening.

Zhong Wen waited patiently for a moment longer, estimating that everyone at Whispering Blossoms had retired for the night. He then removed the glowing Psicrystal from the lamp plate, having learned from Xiaodie that this was its name.

Once removed from the lamp, the Psicrystal quickly lost its luster. Zhong Wen set it on the table, softly closed the door, and crept to the courtyard entrance. He quietly unlatched the door and slipped away from the Whispering Blossoms' grounds.

The mountain air was refreshingly cool on this summer night, with the occasional breeze providing relief. Once he had put some distance between himself and Whispering Blossoms, Zhong Wen no longer held back and broke into a run.

In his past life, he had grown up in a rural village with a large mountain nearby. As an energetic child, he climbed it daily, so navigating the mountain terrain was second nature to him. Guided by the moonlight, he swiftly made his way toward the valley described in the Chronicles of Vale of Healing.

Half an hour later, fatigue began to set in. His body was young but still recovering from serious injuries, and without any cultivation of spiritual power, he was quite frail.

He was about to pause for a rest when he heard a beast's roar ahead.

"There's a wild beast!" Zhong Wen's face paled.

He realized his oversight; the mountains he had explored in his previous life had been cleared of dangerous animals by the state. He had forgotten that in the wilderness, these mountains were the domain of wild creatures.

The roars grew louder, prompting Zhong Wen to act swiftly. He scrambled up a tree over two meters tall, curling his body tightly and peering down through the leaves.

Soon, a white tiger, over two meters in length, strolled leisurely beneath him.

Such an enormous tiger!

Zhong Wen held his breath, his palms sweating and heart racing.

The giant white tiger seemed oblivious to his presence in the tree, continuing on its way. Moments later, it vanished from Zhong Wen's view.

Zhong Wen's limbs felt weak as he clung to the tree, taking a long while to gather his strength before he cautiously made his way down. Touching his forehead, he found it drenched in sweat.

Once he had steadied himself, he resumed his journey toward the valley with increased caution, moving slowly to avoid startling any ferocious beasts that might be lurking in the mountains.

After half an hour, he reached the valley entrance described in the Chronicles of Vale of Healing. He scanned the area to ensure he was alone before approaching a particular section of the mountain wall.

The wall appeared bare and indistinguishable from the rest. It was no surprise that generations of the Whispering Blossoms had resided here for decades without noticing anything unusual.

Zhong Wen carefully felt along the wall until his right index finger pressed firmly on a lower section. With a rustling sound, the wall rotated inward like an automatic revolving door. He quickly slipped through the opening, vanishing behind the wall, which seamlessly blended back into the mountainside as if nothing had occurred.

"Have things really come to this point?" Lin Zhiyun murmured, her lips pressed tightly together as she scrutinized the ledger, her brows knitted in concern.

"This 'Sanctuary of Healing' that opened across from us is a mystery. They're selling herbs at half the price of ours at the Tower of Whispers. At this rate, we'll be out of business in two months," lamented Qiao Erniang with a sense of defeat.

"What about the quality of their herbs?"

"I had someone check. Their quality doesn't come close to the herbs from Whispering Peak, but it's passable, and the average person might not notice the difference."

"So, it seems that the 'Sanctuary of Healing' is pricing their herbs suspiciously low."

"Exactly. They could easily raise their prices by twenty to thirty percent and still do well. Instead, they choose to wage a shameless price war," Qiao Erniang said indignantly. "Ms. Lin, it seems they're targeting us. We need to respond swiftly."

"They're not engaging in theft or robbery; they're simply undercutting us on price. We can't exactly storm their establishment over it," Lin Zhiyun said, her brow furrowing even more deeply.

She had never been adept at business, and a series of recent setbacks had left her feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

"Should we consider... lowering our prices as well?" Qiao Erniang ventured cautiously.

"Erniang, use your judgment. If we're really struggling, then go ahead and drop the prices a bit," Lin Zhiyun replied, her voice tinged with resignation. "As for our financial shortfall, I'll figure something out."

Ms. Lin was known for her kindness and her gentle treatment of those under her command. Yet, Qiao Erniang couldn't help but feel that such a disposition made her too soft and indecisive for the cutthroat world of commerce.

Watching Lin Zhiyun walk away, Qiao Erniang let out a sigh, her heart heavy with concern for the future of the Tower of Whispers.