Chapter 3: The Industries of Spirit Hall
The water in the tub gradually cooled down, and the crimson color, originally as thick as blood, slowly faded away.
Along with it, the bone-piercing sensation of pain also disappeared.
At this moment, Zhao Liuyun felt feverish all over, his muscles were soft, as if he had just endured a long, grueling battle, and now that he could rest, every inch of his body felt weak and limp.
Struggling, he used clean water to wash off the residual medicinal liquid, then dried his body with a towel. Too lazy to even put on clothes, he lay straight down on the bed.
Pulling the quilt over himself, his eyes closed, and a heavy wave of sleepiness surged over him.
Even if there were matters of heaven-shaking importance, they would have to wait until he woke up.
When he opened his eyes again, the night outside the window was deep; it was around seven or eight o'clock.
The fatigue from the carriage ride had vanished without a trace.
Zhao Liuyun now understood why his Martial Uncle had said, "You'll understand once you've finished the Medicinal Bath."
Pain makes a person forget all distracting thoughts!
If it weren't for the instinct to gain experience through Meditation every night, he probably could have slept straight until the next morning.
Struggling to get up, Zhao Liuyun rubbed his shrunken stomach.
He had clearly eaten rations on the carriage ride here, and he had been quite full.
Yet now, his stomach rumbled with hunger, his gut feeling incredibly empty, as if he hadn't eaten for two days.
This must be one of the effects of the Medicinal Bath.
His body was heating up; there wasn't a single spot from head to toe that wasn't hot.
Looking in the mirror, Zhao Liuyun could see his cheeks were rosy, as if he had a fever.
But since he was a Spirit Master, it was difficult for him to get sick; this was clearly the effect of the Dragon Blood Tree Medicinal Bath.
The medicinal power stimulated his body, accelerated blood circulation, promoted the body's absorption of food, and greatly increased his appetite.
Physical growth does not come from thin air, and it is common knowledge that—
You have to eat a lot to grow fast!
The tub in the room was placed aside; the residual medicinal liquid must have been poured out by Martial Uncle.
Lights were shining outside the door, but Martial Uncle was still busy.
If he wasn't mistaken, the food was already prepared.
Putting on his clothes, Zhao Liuyun hid his gold coins under the bed and followed the light.
His small wooden hut wasn't large; it was right next to Martial Uncle's hut.
The scent of medicine was strong nearby... Was this a medicinal material warehouse or a pharmacy?
The light was coming from inside.
The door was open, and Zhao Liuyun walked straight in.
"Martial Uncle."
"You're awake?" Huang Xin looked at his Martial Nephew who had pushed the door open, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.
He had taken the Dragon Blood Tree Medicinal Bath alone, hadn't fainted, waiting for him to clean up, and was able to wash himself and even manage to climb onto the bed.
This was already quite surprising.
What was even more astonishing was that he could wake up on his own in the evening?
"Aren't you going to sleep a little longer?" Huang Xin asked gently.
"No, I still need to Meditate later." Zhao Liuyun's voice was clear, though mixed with a hint of tiredness.
Huang Xin was speechless.
Is this what a genius is like?
Not letting go of even a sliver of accumulation, insisting on cultivation even after undergoing a bone-corroding, heart-burning Medicinal Bath.
"After taking a Medicinal Bath, it's fine to rest for a night," Huang Xinadvised.
"No, no, cultivation is like sailing against the current; if you don't advance, you retreat. Moreover, I cannot foster laziness because of this." Zhao Liuyun smiled brightly, his eyes holding a Galaxy, "My aspirations are high, and I cannot relax now."
"Cannot foster laziness..." Huang Xin repeated softly, nodding involuntarily.
He had previously admired his Martial Nephew's resilient will, and now he respected this mental fortitude even more.
The world only saw his exceptional talent, but didn't know how much hardship and sweat he put in secretly.
Thinking of his own laziness in his youth, Huang Xin suddenly felt a pang of shame.
Zhao Liuyun didn't notice the churning thoughts of his Martial Uncle, only feeling the unbearable hunger in his belly, and couldn't help but ask:
"Martial Uncle, you must have prepared something to eat, right?"
"Of course."
The Dragon Blood Tree Medicinal Bath stimulates the body to rapidly absorb nutrients from food, so food replenishment is inherently necessary.
Huang Xin had originally planned to finish processing the medicinal materials he was working on before waking up his Martial Nephew, but he didn't expect him to walk out on his own.
Filled with admiration, he smiled mysteriously: "I guarantee you've never eaten this ingredient before!"
"Oh?" Zhao Liuyun's appetite was piqued by this remark, and he immediately became energetic.
Arriving in the kitchen, the stove fire was blazing, and a thick clay pot was bubbling, emitting wisps of white steam.
The rich, potent aroma of meat, mixed with the strong scent of medicine—Forest Ginseng, Red Leaf Flower... Zhao Liuyun sniffed, growing even more expectant.
Using a cotton cloth, he lifted the lid, revealing a huge, plump, and temptingly colored pork knuckle being stewed inside!
"Guess what kind of meat this is?" Martial Uncle's voice rang out beside Zhao Liuyun's ear.
He subconsciously began to judge it in his mind.
The knowledge from the academy's Library was of great help.
The bones were thick, the muscle fibers solid, the fat layer extremely thin, and upon closer smell, a wild aura was subtly hidden within the medicinal fragrance.
"This shape... wild boar?" Zhao Liuyun's eyes showed surprise, "A Spirit Beast!"
As Huang Xin scooped the tenderly stewed knuckle into a large basin, he said, "A good guess. This knuckle comes from a ten-year Spirit Beast, the Earth Elemental Pig."
"It's rich in nutrients, and combined with nourishing medicinal materials like Forest Ginseng, it can effectively replenish the energy lost by the body after the Medicinal Bath."
Zhao Liuyun followed him to a small dining table and sat down on a chair.
"Guess how much it cost in total?" Huang Xin tapped the trembling pig skin with his chopsticks, deliberately creating suspense.
He was familiar enough with ordinary meat, but his knowledge of Spirit Beast meat was truly limited.
He tried hard to recall the fragmented records he had read in travel diaries: "Five gold coins?"
"...It's only ten years old, how could it be that expensive?" Huang Xinrolled his eyes. "One!"
"Just this knuckle, one gold coin!"
"But it's impossible to buy just one knuckle at a time. The market price for the whole thing is ten coins, and I bought a foreleg, which cost eight coins even with the discount!"
Zhao Liuyun secretly clicked his tongue, involuntarily recalling the patrolling Spirit Hall Law Enforcement Team in the Soul Hunting Forest, and blurted out, "Are these all industries of the Spirit Hall?"
Huang Xin nodded and said:
"That's right. Spirit Hall has dedicated personnel responsible for recovering the corpses of Spirit Beasts produced during Spirit Hunting."
"The Spirit Hunting Warrant only permits Spirit Masters to hunt for spirit rings, while the Spirit Beast corpses belong entirely to Spirit Hall!"
"What about medicinal materials?" Zhao Liuyun immediately thought of other aspects.
Huang Xin said, "The same applies. Spirit Hall also has specialized Medicinal Herb Gatherers."
"To put it plainly, everything in the Soul Hunting Forest—aside from spirit rings and the one-in-ten-thousand Spirit Bones—every blade of grass and every tree belongs to Spirit Hall's assets."
So that's how it is!
Zhao Liuyun suddenly realized.
The Star Dou Great Forest is vast, making it difficult for Spirit Hall to fully control. So, under the guise of "prohibiting wanton slaughter," they restrict the outflow of Spirit Beast meat.
Also, because it is too dangerous and medicinal gathering is difficult, they indirectly control the quantity of medicinal outflow.
These Soul Hunting Forests, scattered throughout the Douluo Continent, are the main production sites for various low-level Spirit Beast meats and medicinal materials.
High-end resources certainly come from the major Spirit Beast Habitats, but how scarce are they?
What truly circulates in the world are these seemingly ordinary, yet strictly controlled, "low-end" goods.
It is no wonder that Spirit Hall can guard such immense wealth with an iron fist, making them rich enough to rival a nation.
Of course, Spirit Hall must have other industries, but this one alone is astonishing enough.
"Martial Uncle, what are you implying?" Zhao Liuyun pondered.
Huang Xin spread his hands, his tone humorous:
"The Medicinal Bath costs money, and the Spirit Beast meat required after the Medicinal Bath also costs money. I can't afford this kind of expenditure."
"You are a genius Spirit Master and a genius Physician. It's time for you to work hard and earn money for your future."
Not to mention that practicing medicine is required for Professional Experience for the Physician Profession, and even if that failed, he still had his savings to rely on.
Zhao Liuyun gladly accepted, his stomach roaring with hunger—
"Gugugu~"
"Martial Uncle?"
Huang Xin immediately burst into laughter: "I heard your stomach rumbling a while ago! Hurry and eat while it's hot, or you'll waste the flavor of this Earth Elemental Pig."
Zhao Liuyun threw caution to the wind and began eating heartily, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.
His mouth was filled with the aroma of meat; the tendons were soft and the meat glutinous, making him nod repeatedly as he ate.