Chapter Sixty: The Whereabouts of the Lingji Herb

Seeing the illusory chieftain arrive, Yang Xiao removed the short sword from Man Shang’s neck. He felt confident enough in his own skills: if Man Shang dared attack him again, he would not hesitate to strike back, and his speed would far outpace Man Shang’s. The latter would not have the chance to even get close before he was dead.

“Brother Yang Xiao, please refrain from violence,” the illusory chieftain said earnestly. “The few of you from Giant Spirit Gate have come as guests to our Barbarian tribe, and we have treated you well. Surely you cannot deny this? I hope, for the sake of our hospitality, you might spare Man Shang’s life. He has always grown up among the one-eyed wolves and is deeply attached to them. Witnessing so many of them die before his eyes, it is understandable that he lost his composure for a moment and did something foolish. Please forgive him this once; it is the heartfelt plea of our tribe.”

Yang Xiao replied, “Since the chieftain speaks so, I am not one to ignore sentiment or kill indiscriminately. Man Shang did me no real harm, and he does have his reasons. I will let this matter pass.” With a flick of his wrist, he handed the short sword back to Man Shang and turned to rejoin the rest of the Giant Spirit Gate disciples.

“Thank you, Brother Yang,” the chieftain said gratefully.

“The grand ceremony is now concluded, so it is time for us to take our leave,” Ling Yunmei said politely. “We are grateful for the Barbarian tribe’s generous hospitality. If fate allows, we shall meet again.”

Indeed, after causing such a disturbance, it was best to leave before further troubles arose.

“I had hoped you would stay longer, but since you are eager to depart, I must accept it with regret,” the chieftain said, cupping his hands. “You are always welcome to visit our tribe again.”

“By the way, Chieftain, have you ever heard of a herb called Spirit Auspice Grass?” Qing Yuhe asked as they prepared to leave.

“Spirit Auspice Grass? Are you searching the desert for it?” The chieftain seemed visibly excited upon hearing the name, as if he knew of the plant and had some special connection to it.

“Judging from your expression, do you truly know of this spiritual herb?” Qing Yuhe asked, puzzled.

“I have indeed heard of it,” the chieftain said, calming himself. “It is said to prolong life and greatly nourish the body, but I have never seen it myself. Our elders say someone once discovered it in the northwest, though this is only rumor, not fact. If you’re determined and unafraid of peril, you might try your luck in the northwest. Perhaps you’ll find some clues.”

“Is that so? Thank you, Chieftain, for your guidance. We will search for it as you suggest. We apologize for the disturbance and now take our leave,” Qing Yuhe said, cupping his hands, and departed with the other disciples.

After the Giant Spirit Gate disciples left, the chieftain let out a long breath and said to Man Shang, “You were too impulsive this time. These disciples could slay so many one-eyed wolves; their skills are extraordinary and their cultivation is high. You cannot face them head-on. Fortunately, you were not harmed, so I am relieved.”

“Thank you for your concern, Chieftain. I am unharmed. But why did you send them northwest to search for Spirit Auspice Grass? That region is where our ancestral shrine lies. Do you intend to let them go there?” Man Shang asked, confused.

“If they hadn’t asked me about Spirit Auspice Grass, I would have let them leave. Our tribe is not strong enough to oppose them. But since they seek the herb, they are fated to remain in the desert forever; they should not expect to come out of the ancestral shrine alive,” the chieftain said, shaking his head.

“Do you mean there is some secret weapon in the shrine to deal with them?” Man Shang asked, still puzzled.

“I’ll tell you: the ancestral shrine itself is a great formation built by our ancestors. Not only would disciples at the Spirit Sense level perish within, even masters at the Qi Condensation stage would find no way out. Over the years, I have gradually let go of past grievances, hoping to live peacefully. But these people, driven by profit, are doomed by their own choices. Do not blame me for their misfortune—they have only themselves to blame for seeking their own destruction,” the chieftain sighed.

The Giant Spirit Gate disciples, of course, knew nothing of these words. Once they left the Barbarian tribe’s territory, they could not sense anything that happened within, for a protective barrier encircled the tribe. Though it did not restrict entry or exit, it kept out dust and sound; once outside, they could no longer perceive anything within.

With the chieftain’s “guidance,” the disciples naturally headed northwest to search, for finding Spirit Auspice Grass was their mission.

“Yang Xiao, do you think the chieftain’s words are true?” Ling Yunmei asked.

“It’s hard to say. Whether true or false, we can only find out by searching the northwest,” Yang Xiao replied. The chieftain’s story was detailed enough to seem true, yet there was no obvious reason for deception. Still, there were many doubts. Weighing it all, Yang Xiao could not judge whether the chieftain’s words were genuine.

“Whatever the case, since we have this clue, we must go there. Completing our master’s task is most important. From now on, let’s be cautious on the road,” Qing Yuhe interjected.