OBS Chapter 351
Chapter 351
Ye Jingchu pondered to himself. He was now missing an arm and wounded, half his clothes stained with blood. The excruciating pain from his wound made his brow furrow tightly. Every slight movement seemed to drain all his strength. Under these circumstances, it was truly unwise to fight the two men before him. Therefore, he forced himself to remain calm, striving to make his voice sound steady and cold, and said in a chilling tone, "Gentlemen, I am merely passing through this place and have no intention of offending you. In this desolate wilderness, I presume neither of you are benevolent people. If we were to fight, and trouble ensued, it would likely be disastrous for all of us."
One of the men in black sneered, his laughter particularly jarring in the silent wilderness: "Enough nonsense. We are ordered to guard this place. No unauthorized personnel are allowed to approach. If you know what's good for you, leave now."
Just as Ye Jingchu was racking his brains for a solution, a deep and hoarse voice came from inside the cave: "Let him in." Upon hearing the order, the man in black, though reluctant, still sheathed his sword and stepped aside to make way.
The Cave Rendezvous
Dragging his weary and injured body, Ye Jingchu slowly entered the cave. Deep within, he saw an elderly man with white hair, his face etched with the wrinkles of time, yet his eyes were deep and sharp, as if they could see through everything. The old man scrutinized Ye Jingchu, then slowly said, "Young man, you have been poisoned and have lost too much blood. If it weren't for your special constitution, you would probably be dead already." Upon hearing this, Ye Jingchu was shocked. He recalled his previous discomfort, weakness, and frequent sharp pains; it turned out to be due to poisoning.
The old man continued, "I can cure your poison, but you must promise me one thing." Ye Jingchu hurriedly asked, "Senior, what is it? Please enlighten me." The old man smiled mysteriously, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes: "Help me obtain a medicinal herb, which is located in the Night King's mansion." Upon hearing this, Ye Jingchu hesitated. The Night King's mansion was heavily guarded, teeming with experts; obtaining the herb would be no easy feat. However, considering his current state of being afflicted by a rare poison and his precarious life, he knew that if he refused, he might not live much longer. So, he gritted his teeth and agreed.
Seeing that Ye Jingchu agreed, the old man took out a black pill from his robes and handed it to him, saying, "Take this medicine; it will temporarily relieve your pain." Ye Jingchu took the pill and swallowed it without hesitation. After a moment, he felt the pain in his body lessen considerably, and his strength gradually returned. The old man continued, "You must bring the medicinal herb within three days, otherwise the poison will relapse. The herb is called the Azure Grass, which grows deep in the back garden of the Night King's Mansion. It is extremely rare and is usually heavily guarded." Ye Jingchu cupped his hands and asked, "Why are you so sure I can obtain this Azure Grass, senior?" The old man smiled slightly and said, "I've heard that the young prince of the Night King's Mansion, Ye Jingchu, is proficient in medicine and is naturally familiar with the layout of the herbs in the mansion. Moreover, you are originally from the Night King's Mansion, so even if you are down on your luck now, you have a better chance of finding the medicine than others." Ye Jingchu was greatly surprised, not expecting that the old man knew his identity. He didn't say anything more, bid farewell to the old man, and then sneaked back to the Night King's Mansion under the cover of night.
Seeking medicine at the Prince's Mansion
Nightfall, relying on his memory of the route, carefully avoided the patrolling guards. However, as he neared the back garden, he discovered numerous new traps and mechanisms. Arrows shot from cracks in the walls, and sharp thorns hid in the grass, threatening injury at the slightest misstep. Just as he was at his wit's end, he suddenly remembered a secret passage he had discovered as a child that led directly to the back garden. He ran towards the passage, hoping to successfully obtain the Azure Grass.
As night fell, he slowly made his way through the secret passage. The passage was dark and damp, with water droplets constantly seeping from the walls and dripping onto the floor with a crisp sound. A putrid stench filled the air, making him want to vomit. He carefully avoided some crawling poisonous insects; these insects were brightly colored and clearly extremely venomous, and a bite from one of them could have dire consequences. Finally, he reached the end of the passage. Through the dim light, he saw the ghostly blue grass in the back garden. Bathed in moonlight, the grass shimmered with a faint blue glow, appearing exceptionally beautiful and mysterious.
Cracking the power grid
However, the area around the bushes was covered with a fine electric fence, and touching it would trigger an alarm. Ye Jingchu searched for a switch and suddenly noticed some ancient medical symbols carved on a nearby stone. He crouched down and studied them carefully, finally deciphering how to disable the electric fence using his extensive medical knowledge. Following the order indicated by the symbols, he gently pressed down on several stones, and with a "click," the electric fence disintegrated.
The truth is out
Just as he reached out to pluck the Azure Grass, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder. Startled, he turned around and saw it was the old steward of the Night King's mansion. The old steward looked at him, his eyes filled with affection and relief, and sighed, saying, "Young Prince, the Master knew you would return for the Azure Grass, and deliberately set up many trials to test you. This Azure Grass is what the Master left for you to save your life; take it now."
Ye Jingchu was stunned for a moment, then a warm feeling welled up in his heart, filled with gratitude. He picked up the Azure Grass and quickly returned to the cave to give it to the old man. The old man took the Azure Grass and laughed loudly, "Not bad, young man, you are trustworthy and righteous. In fact, all of this was a test for you, and you have passed it. I will heal your injuries completely."
Night fell over the cave, and candlelight flickered inside. Ye Jingchu breathed a sigh of relief, finally feeling a weight lifted from his heart. He turned around, bowed respectfully to the old man, and said earnestly, "Senior, I have no way to repay your life-saving grace and your meticulous guidance. Thank you for your trouble."
The old man, with a kind face, waved his hand, gesturing for Ye Jingchu to sit down. He then rose and walked to the old medicine cabinet behind him, filled with various herbs. The cabinet emitted a faint medicinal fragrance, each shelf seemingly concealing unknown medical secrets. The old man's eyes were sharp as he precisely selected several herbs from among the many. With practiced skill, he placed the herbs in a stone mortar and ground them slowly and rhythmically. The herbs gradually turned into a fine powder in the mortar, which the old man then skillfully mixed together, carefully stirring until evenly coated, creating a medicinal ointment.