Complete one practice method every day

The icy rain soaked him through instantly, but Chen Yue paid no heed, running wildly along the muddy road towards the county town. Behind him, the dilapidated temple receded further and further into the rainy night, eventually disappearing into the darkness.

As the rain gradually subsided and finally stopped completely, Chen Yue had already run several miles. He was panting heavily, soaked to the bone, and the two roosters in the coop were also wet, making low clucking sounds.

Chen Yue glanced back at the way he came. The worst-case scenario hadn't happened; nothing dirty was chasing after him.

Just as Chen Yue was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly felt a pang of heart palpitation.

A burning pain shot through his chest, as if a branding iron was pressed against his heart. Chen Yue staggered, barely managing to steady himself, and with trembling hands pulled open his soaked clothes.

A black spot the size of a little finger appeared in the center of his chest.

The dark spot had irregular edges and was as dark as ink, making it particularly glaring against the skin. A chilling aura emanated from the spot, spreading along the veins, causing Chen Yue to shiver.

He remembered the last words of the herb-gathering ghost in the dilapidated temple.

"You'll die a much worse death than me!"

Chen Yue's face turned pale. He gritted his teeth, picked up the chicken coop, and continued running forward. Finally, he saw the outline of the county town.

The city gates were already closed, but outside the city there was a simple shack, a place where traveling merchants would stay. Chen Yue rushed into the shack, which was empty except for some dry grass piled in the corner.

Chen Yue started a fire, took off his wet clothes to dry them, but his eyes were fixed on the black spot on his chest.

In the firelight, the dark spots seemed even deeper, with something wriggling within them. The chilling sensation fluctuated in intensity, as if something alive was crawling under the skin.

Chen Yue dared not fall asleep. He gripped the wood-chopping knife tightly, staring at the leaping flames, but his mood sank involuntarily.

Chen Yue didn't know how to treat these dark spots. He also didn't know if he would survive the night.

Time passed slowly, and at midnight, the flame suddenly flickered.

A ripple appeared before Chen Yue's eyes, and within the flames, a line of distorted characters emerged. The characters did not belong to any script of this era, yet he could inexplicably understand them:

[Daily Settlement: Slay one enemy, gain +1 Source Point]

The words lasted for three breaths before disappearing into the flames as if they had never existed.

Chen Yue stood there, stunned, his heart pounding.

What is this?

A sudden, sharp pain shot through the dark spot on his chest. Chen Yue groaned and clutched his chest. The chilling sensation became even more pronounced, as if something was trying to emerge from the dark spot.

He pulled open his clothes and examined the spot carefully by the firelight; the black spot seemed to have grown a little larger than before.

It was very small, almost imperceptible, but Chen Yue was certain that it was indeed spreading.

Chen Yue leaned against the wall, exhaustion washing over him like a tide, but he forced himself to stay awake, staring at the leaping flames ahead, recalling the words he had just seen in the fire.

Panel? Source point?

Chen Yue held his breath and focused all his energy.

Before my eyes, the air rippled like water, and a semi-transparent square panel slowly appeared.

[Name: Chen Yue]

[Skill: Herb Identification (Beginner 33/100)]

[Source: 1]

Chen Yue's heart skipped a beat and then began to pound violently. He stared at the panel, almost forgetting the stabbing pain in his chest and the damp coldness all over his body.

As Chen Yue focused his attention on the panel, the panel's functional information naturally flowed into his mind, as if it were part of his own knowledge.

A moment later, Chen Yue slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The first function of this panel is to calculate his daily activities at midnight and amplify the results as feedback.

The sweat, practice, and achievements you put in during the day will all be amplified during the settlement. The harder you work during the day, the greater the rewards at night.

"Heaven rewards diligence..." Chen Yue murmured to himself.

This source is one of the most precious forms of reward.

It can directly affect skills, forcibly breaking through bottlenecks and advancing to higher levels. For example, he could use this 1 point of source to instantly leap from the beginner stage to the intermediate master stage in herbal identification!

However, the source point is not easily obtained, nor can it be acquired by killing monsters.

It's more like a recognition and reward for groundbreaking achievements. For example, today's first slaying of the monster is a major event that can change the course of fate, hence the reward of this precious 1 point.

Chen Yue shifted his gaze from identifying the herbs. He couldn't focus on identifying the herbs; the only issue at hand was how to use them to treat the black spots on his chest.

Even if one's ability to identify medicinal herbs reaches a high level, it won't save Chen Yue's life at this moment.

"Cough, cough..."

A violent cough interrupted Chen Yue's thoughts, followed by an uncontrollable tremor throughout his body. Even leaning against the fire, his body, soaked and tense all night, was finally giving way.

A chill crept into his bones, combining with the coldness in his chest. Dizzy and weak, Chen Yue needed nothing more than to lie down, get a good night's sleep, and break a sweat.

But he dared not close his eyes.

The final, mournful curse of the herb-gathering ghost in the dilapidated temple, and the writhing black spot on his chest, all coiled around his nerves like venomous snakes. Chen Yue feared that if he closed his eyes, he would never wake up again.

Chen Yue could only force himself to stay awake, adding firewood, staring at the firelight, pinching his thumb and forefinger with his fingernails, using the pain to fight against the heavy sleepiness and the invading chill.

Time crawled by slowly amidst the torment, and the light from the campfire was gradually diluted by the grayish-white daylight seeping in from outside the window.

Finally, voices came from outside, growing louder as they approached: the creaking of a carrying pole, the sound of coarse cloth shoes on wet stone slabs, and the low murmurs of farmers in their local dialect.

Its daybreak.

Chen Yue struggled to stand up, his vision blurred for a moment, and he barely managed to stand by holding onto the earthen wall.

He touched his forehead; it was a little hot.

Chen Yue picked up the chicken coop in the corner, quickly found a farmer and bought a rooster, then followed the crowd into the county town.

The familiar streets, the gradually bustling atmosphere of the city, Chen Yue walked with uneven steps, feeling the chilling black spot on his chest spread through his veins with each step.

Finally, he stopped in front of a shop facing the street.

The black signboard with gold lettering, the three characters "Huichuntang" appearing somewhat dim in the morning light. The shop was not yet open, and all was quiet.

Chen Yue didn't go through the front door, but instead went around to the narrow alley next to it, pushed open an inconspicuous little door, and walked into the backyard of the pharmacy.

Several early-rising apprentices were already busy. Some were drawing water from the well, while others squatted in a corner, using a cleaver to cut bundles of dried herbs into sections. The blade struck the wooden block, making a monotonous "crackling" sound. Two others were carrying bamboo trays for drying herbs, their steps hurried.

Almost the instant Chen Yue stepped into the courtyard, everyone paused, and all eyes turned to him.

Those gazes held no concern, only undisguised scrutiny and mockery, along with a hint of amusement.

Chen Yue's hair was disheveled, his face was as pale as paper, and the chicken coop he was carrying looked even more disheveled.

"Oh, Chen Yue's back?"

An apprentice who had been squatting and cutting herbs straightened up, grinned, revealing yellowed teeth, and said, "How could you get such a mess while collecting chickens? Did it fall into the river on the way?"

The apprentice fetching water nearby scoffed, "Manager Tu wants roosters full of energy, but these... they don't look very spirited. Are you trying to fool us with sick chickens?"

Low, hushed laughter echoed through the courtyard.

Chen Yue seemed not to hear him and walked straight inside with the chicken coop in his arms.

"Chen Yue!" A voice came from the side, filled with concern.

Chen Yue turned his head and saw Liu Jing jogging over from the pharmacy. Liu Jing was a year younger than him, not very tall, with a round face and bright eyes. He was one of the few people in the pharmacy who wouldn't kick him when he was down.

Liu Jing ran over and, seeing Chen Yue's expression, his own expression changed slightly. "What's wrong? You look so pale! Yesterday's rain..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

The snickers and whispers in the courtyard suddenly disappeared.

All the apprentices, regardless of what they had been saying or doing, lowered their heads in unison, their hands becoming incredibly focused and serious, as if the previous commotion had never happened.

Manager Tu Shan walked into the backyard with his hands behind his back.