Mortal Transformation into Immortal

Heavy rain usually doesn't last long.

As soon as Yu Ling left the town, the rain gradually stopped.

The clouds dispersed and the sun shone on the ground.

The mountain road was winding and difficult to traverse, too slow for the horse to run, so Yu Ling left it by the roadside and walked towards Maoping Village on his own.

It wasn't far; we arrived in less than a quarter of an hour.

This is a small village with only about thirty households, scattered along a stream.

Seeing a man cutting grass for cattle on the edge of a field at the village entrance, Yu Ling walked over.

"Uncle, excuse me for bothering you," Yu Ling said politely as he stepped forward.

The man looked up, puzzled, and asked, "Young man, is something the matter?"

"Is there a herb gatherer in the village named Wang the Cripple?"

"Is there such a person, young man? Are you looking for him?"

Yu Ling nodded and said, "Yes, I'll ask him to help me find some medicinal herbs. May I ask where he lives?"

"That thatched house over there is it," the man said, pointing to the house on the opposite hillside.

Thank you.

Yu Ling bowed in thanks and got up to go.

The man continued cutting the grass, head down.

He walked along a path through the fields, through a shady grove of trees, and arrived at the courtyard in front of the thatched house.

"Mother, someone's here."

A little girl was playing in the yard, and when she saw strangers, she immediately hid inside the house.

Then a woman came out.

"Auntie, is this Wang the Cripple's house?"

Yu Ling asked politely.

The woman nodded, then asked warily, "Who are you?"

"I'm from the town. I want to buy some fresh medicinal herbs to treat my sister's illness. I heard that your husband is very good at finding medicinal herbs, so I came to ask him for help." Yu Ling explained his purpose. Afraid of frightening the villagers, he put the sword he was carrying on his back on his horse instead of bringing it with him.

"Oh, I see. Please come in and have a seat, young man. My husband has gone to work in the fields."

Yu Ling went inside.

The woman was making breakfast.

"Yueyue, go and call your father back. Tell him someone is looking for you," the woman said to the little girl sitting on the stool.

The little girl looked at Yu Ling, made a face, then ran outside, stood by the yard, and shouted, "Daddy, someone's looking for you! Mommy wants you to come back..."

The child's tender voice echoed endlessly through the mountains.

"They're here."

A moment later, a man's response came from the opposite ravine.

"Young man, what kind of medicine are you looking for?"

The woman asked as she tidied the vegetables.

"It's mainly the Purple Golden Ox. My sister isn't feeling well, and the doctor said she needs Purple Golden Ox as a medicinal ingredient. The fresher the better. I searched all over town, but they were either dried or withered, none of them were fresh. The doctor in town said that Uncle Wang sold Purple Golden Ox not long ago, and the quality was good, so he told me to come here and ask Uncle Wang for help to see if I can find any more," Yu Ling replied.

"So that's how it is."

The woman nodded and said, "I don't know much about medicinal herbs. You can talk to him about it when he gets back."

The little girl stood outside the house, poking her head out and secretly observing him.

"father."

Not long after, there was a noise outside.

Soon, a middle-aged, rough-looking man walked in carrying a little girl.

"Master, this is the young man who's looking for you."

The woman said to him.

"Uncle Wang."

Yu Ling stood up and greeted them.

"Young man, what's the matter?" Wang the Cripple asked, frowning.

He didn't know this person.

The woman beside him said, "This young man wants your help to find a medicinal herb; his sister needs it..."

After hearing the reason, Wang the Cripple sat down and muttered, "Purple Gold Ox."

Yu Ling said, "The doctor said you sold this kind of medicine not long ago, and the quality was very good. Uncle Wang, where did you pick those purple aralia plants?"

"I won't trouble you for nothing; I'll pay you."

As she spoke, Yu Ling took out two pieces of silver.

Wang the Cripple laughed and said, "Those few purple cinnamon trees were found in a pit in Fanyun Mountain."

"Uncle Wang, could you take me there? I'd like to hire you to go into the mountains to find the Purple Golden Ox today. If you're willing, all this silver is yours."

"Of course, but I've already dug up all the purple golden oxen from that place, and only the small ones are left, so I'm afraid they won't have much medicinal effect."

"It's alright, let's go take a look first. If it doesn't work, we'll look elsewhere. My sister is waiting for this medicine to treat her illness."

"it is good."

Wang the Cripple nodded in agreement.

After breakfast, the two went into the mountains together.

"Uncle Wang, how far is Fanyun Mountain from here?"

Yu Ling asked from behind.

"It's about six or seven li, and my legs aren't good, so it will probably take me an hour to walk there."

The two left the village and entered the mountains.

Because it had rained in the morning, the woods were very stuffy and unbearably hot now that the sun was out, filled with the sounds of birds and insects.

The trees here are just as tall.

"Young man, watch your step, don't fall. We come here often and know this mountain very well."

Wang the Cripple reminded them from the front.

The mountain roads are very difficult to walk on after the rain.

"Uncle Wang, are there any wild animals around here?" he asked.

Since this place grows medicinal herbs, could it also be inhabited by demonic beasts?

"Don't worry, young man, there aren't many wild animals in these mountains. At most, there are wild sheep and deer. Fierce beasts like tigers and bears can only be found in the deepest forests," Wang the Cripple told him. He thought Yu Ling was scared.

If these things really existed, no one would dare to go into the mountains to collect herbs.

"Have we ever heard any strange noises coming from the mountains in the village?" he inquired.

"No, if they spot any wild beasts, the hunters will swarm in. A tiger or bear skin can be worth hundreds of taels of silver."

The two chatted as they walked.

An hour later, the two arrived at the foot of a treacherous mountain.

This place is not deserted; you can still see some fields here, belonging to another village.

"Young man, this is Fanyun Mountain," said Wang the Cripple, pointing to the high mountain in front of him.

"Is it up in the mountains?" Yu Ling asked.

Wang the Cripple shook his head: "No, even if there are medicinal herbs in those dangerous places, I wouldn't dare to climb them. What would happen to my family if something happened?"

He doesn't usually go to deep mountains or dangerous places to collect herbs; he just stays near the village. He doesn't make a living by collecting herbs; he only comes to the mountains in his spare time.

"Young man, it's in the ravine behind Fanyun Mountain. There's a pit there. I passed by when I was collecting herbs half a month ago, and I saw several thriving purple aralia plants inside from the outside."

Wang the Cripple led the way, and the two entered Fanyun Mountain.

At first, there were some mountain paths, but after walking for a while, the path ended. The two of them wandered through the woods, but it was mostly flat ground, so it was easy to walk on, except that there were a lot of thorns and bushes along the way.

"I can feel the weight now."

As he walked, the weight signaled to him.

And it's a very strong signal.

He could feel the excitement emanating from the weight.

Yu Ling smiled, it seemed that there really were treasures hidden in Fanyun Mountain.

"Young man, the pit is right there."

Wang the Cripple pointed ahead and said.