novelraw Chapter 16 : Medicine King Gathering（1 / 3）
Chapter 16 : Medicine King Gathering（1 / 3）
Chapter 16: Medicine King Gatherin
Time slipped by in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day the Medicine King Gathering began.
Before dawn had even broken, several spacious carriages were already parked outside the main entrance of Drunken Immortal Pavilion, fine horses snorting restlessly.
Qin Bai wore luxurious robes, holding a folding fan as he sat by the carriage window, his expression relaxed and at ease—forming a stark contrast with the tension and excitement of the surrounding Qin Family disciples and servants.
Quite a few gazes fell upon him, accompanied by hushed whispers.
“Second Young Master is really going into the valley this time? Wasn’t it originally said he’d only wander around the outskirts?”
“You don’t know? The three families discussed matters a few days ago—seems they reached some sort of consensus. This Medicine King Gathering isn’t like it was a month ago.”
“Judging by this, they’re probably going deeper to try their luck? But bringing that person along?”
“Which person? Someone worthy of Second Young Master personally waiting—could it be…”
“Who else could it be? The ‘Orchid of the Empty Valley’ newly promoted by Drunken Immortal Pavilion! Tsk tsk, bringing her to this kind of occasion—Second Young Master really is…”
The murmurs abruptly ceased the moment that figure appeared.
Lin Xiaowan walked out from Drunken Immortal Pavilion, still dressed in a black robe, with wide flowing sleeves. Her long hair was simply tied up with a dark wooden hairpin.
In the faint morning light, her steps were calm and composed. Facing the surrounding noise and countless gazes, she walked out steadily.
“It’s her! Miss Xu Fu!”
“As expected… she’s even more than the rumors…”
“‘Orchid of the Empty Valley’—well deserved…”
The men’s eyes could not conceal their amazement and fantasies, while the women’s expressions were complicated—envy, jealousy, and disdain all mixed together.
Qin Bai stepped down from the Qin Family carriage and walked to the carriage prepared by Drunken Immortal Pavilion, naturally extending his hand.
Lin Xiaowan placed her hand in his palm and used the support to step up.
The curtain fell, blocking all sight.
The convoy slowly set off, heading toward Luoxia Valley outside the city.
By the time they arrived outside Luoxia Valley, the sun was already high.
At the valley entrance lay an open clearing.
All kinds of stalls were set up, though most were simple ground stalls—just a cloth spread out with a variety of medicinal herbs displayed on top, of varying ages and questionable authenticity.
Shouts of hawking, bargaining, and casual greetings mixed together, forming a bustling temporary marketplace.
After getting down from the carriage, Lin Xiaowan swept her gaze across the noisy market before letting it settle on the mist-shrouded valley entrance in the distance. Faintly, she could see cultivators in the attire of the three families standing guard there.
Strangely, they did not stop outsiders from entering—clearly, they had other plans.
“The Medicine King Gathering hasn’t officially started yet?” Lin Xiaowan asked tentatively.
Qin Bai waved his folding fan and smiled. “No rush. Most of the core disciples from each family are still on their way. We’ll have to wait until everyone arrives and the elders finish their instructions before it officially opens.
Probably another day or two. For now, let’s stroll around the market—maybe we’ll find something good.”
With that, he led Lin Xiaowan into the marketplace.
Qin Bai seemed to be in high spirits, frequently stopping at stalls, picking up strange items to comment on, or joking with familiar vendors.
Walking beside him, Lin Xiaowan was surprised to discover that Qin Bai… actually knew quite a few independent cultivators and merchants from the northern part of the city?
Her gaze swept over the stalls along the way, observing the appearance, names, and approximate prices of the medicinal herbs, comparing them with what she had previously studied.
When they reached a stall selling various odd trinkets, someone approached from the front.
The man looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. His features resembled Qin Bai’s by five or six parts, but his brows and eyes were sharper, his lips thin and tightly pressed. He wore a black fitted outfit.
From memory, this person was the Qin Family’s eldest young master—Qin Qian.
Behind him followed two Qin Family disciples with similarly strong auras.
Qin Qian’s gaze first landed on Qin Bai, his brows knitting slightly, then swept over Lin Xiaowan beside him, his eyes cold with a trace of subtle scrutiny.
“Second Brother.” Qin Qian’s voice was calm.
“Elder Brother.” Qin Bai’s smile remained unchanged as he put away his folding fan and cupped his hands.
“The Medicine King Gathering is not a place for leisure—it carries danger. You are too lax. You should take it seriously.” Qin Qian spoke lightly, yet his tone carried the authority of an elder brother.
Qin Bai smiled indifferently. “Rest assured, Elder Brother. I know my limits.”
He offered no further explanation. Though his attitude seemed casual, there was a faint hint of resistance in his tone.
Qin Qian glanced at him, said no more, and only added, “Take care of yourself.”
Then he left with his people, not sparing Lin Xiaowan another glance from beginning to end.
Lin Xiaowan’s expression remained calm, as though she had not heard the underlying meaning in Qin Qian’s words.
Qin Bai turned to her and shrugged. “My elder brother is like that—rather rigid. But he’s actually warm-hearted beneath a cold exterior.”
“Mm.” Lin Xiaowan nodded.
The two continued forward, gradually reaching the more chaotic end of the market.
Most gathered here were people from the northern part of the city—of mixed backgrounds, dressed in all sorts of ways. Occasionally, a few cultivators who did not conceal their aura stood out among the crowd.
Lin Xiaowan stopped at a stall selling old books and damaged jade slips, bending down to flip through a tattered 《Medicine King Illustrated Compendium》.
“You’ve found a treasure there! This compendium has a long history—many herbs that haven’t appeared for hundreds of years are recorded inside! It’s been passed down from my ancestors, but due to family hardship, I have no choice but to sell it!”
The stall owner was a scruffy middle-aged man. He stood up as he spoke, rubbing his hands and chuckling foolishly, though his eyes were sharp.
Lin Xiaowan pretended to be very interested, nodding along, while actually memorizing the contents for free. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a familiar figure.
“Xu… Miss Xu?!”
Hearing the voice, she raised her head to see Zhang Fan walking quickly toward her, his face filled with surprise and undisguised joy.
After three months apart, his figure seemed more upright and refined. The naïveté from when he first arrived in Luoyang City had faded, replaced by a steadiness forged through experience.
“Zhang Fan?” Lin Xiaowan feigned surprise, putting down the book and standing up.
“It really is you!”
Zhang Fan hurried closer. His gaze fell on Lin Xiaowan’s face, and he paused slightly. The girl before him seemed even more… beautiful than he remembered.
Whether in appearance or temperament, she had become colder and more refined, making it impossible to look away.
“Miss Xu, you’re also here for the Medicine King Gathering?”
“I came along with a friend to take a look.” Lin Xiaowan smiled faintly. “How have you been these days?”
At her question, a trace of complexity appeared on Zhang Fan’s face—growth from experience, but also the loneliness of being in a foreign place.
“I’ve been alright. Encountered some dangers, made some friends. It’s just…” He scratched his head, a little embarrassed yet eager to speak. “Sometimes it feels like there’s no one to really talk to. In the northern part of the city, everyone is either busy making money, busy fighting, or…”
Before he could finish, Qin Bai’s voice called out from not far away, filled with a smile: “Xu Fu, come take a look—there’s an old ginseng here with good quality.”
Lin Xiaowan turned and responded, then looked back at Zhang Fan with a slight nod. “We’ll talk another time.”
Zhang Fan quickly nodded. “Alright, alright! Miss Xu, go ahead!”
He watched as Lin Xiaowan turned away, her black-clad figure moving lightly toward that young nobleman dressed in luxurious robes.
The young man naturally reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder and drawing her closer, lowering his head to speak to her intimately.
The smile on Zhang Fan’s face slowly faded. A stifled, inexplicable anger rose in his chest, and his fists unconsciously clenched.
A familiar young independent cultivator from the northern district came over, following his gaze. With a teasing elbow nudge, he said, “What, Zhang Fan, taken a liking to Xu Fu? I’d advise you to give that up early.”
Zhang Fan frowned. “You know her?”
“Heh, who doesn’t in the south of the city lately? Drunken Immortal Pavilion’s newly promoted top courtesan—‘Orchid of the Empty Valley,’ Xu Fu! So many nobles and cultivator clans throw fortunes just to hear her play a tune! She’s currently the person Second Young Master Qin cares about the most.”
The cultivator clicked his tongue. “A woman who thrives in Drunken Immortal Pavilion chases wealth and power. People like us can only admire from afar. You really think she’s some fairy descended from the heavens? She’s just…”
Zhang Fan didn’t catch the rest. His ears buzzed.
Drunken Immortal Pavilion? Top courtesan?…
These words were like red-hot brands searing into his heart.
He couldn’t believe it—the girl who had looked at him by the stream with clear eyes and a gentle smile, the girl who had earnestly advised him at the city gate—how could she be… from such a place?
No, impossible. There must be some mistake!
He had to find a chance to ask her in person!
However, for the rest of the time, Lin Xiaowan remained by Qin Bai’s side. Watching from afar, Zhang Fan could not find a single opportunity to approach her alone.
The agitation and confusion continued to ferment within him.
“You brat, set your mind aside for now. We came to Luoxia Valley to seize opportunities under the watch of the three families.”
That young man’s voice echoed again in his mind, speaking like someone experienced.
“Got it, Master.” Zhang Fan sighed.
At noon, a simple platform was hastily erected at the valley entrance. The elders of the three families presiding over the Medicine King Gathering stood atop it, their auras deep and steady.
At the forefront was the Lin Family elder—Lin Yunzhi. His gaze swept over the dense crowd below. His brows moved slightly as his eyes paused briefly on Lin Xiaowan, a faint trace of doubt flashing in his eyes.
That girl’s appearance gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity—as if he had seen her somewhere before.
Beside him, leaning on a cane and smiling kindly, the Li Family elder Li Ping asked, “Old Lin, what are you thinking about?”
Lin Yunzhi replied casually, “What’s it to you?”
“This time, it seems your Lin Family is determined to win—even sending out Lin Chan’er.” Li Ping looked into the distance, catching sight of a graceful figure, speaking meaningfully.
“Heh, it’s all just training among the juniors. Victory depends on their own strength. We old ones will simply wait for good news.” Lin Yunzhi stroked his beard and chuckled.
The plump Qin Family elder Qin Guan did not join their subtle rivalry, merely smiling as he looked at the Qin Family disciples below.
After a while, Lin Yunzhi briefly announced the rules—ten days of herb gathering, with the final evaluation based on the age, rarity, and overall value of the submitted herbs. Non-family participants could also submit herbs in exchange for rewards…
However, regarding “friction” between factions, his words were vague and ambiguous.
Besides the clearly uniformed teams of the three great families, most of the crowd consisted of independent cultivators, herb gatherers, and small factions from the northern city. At a glance, there were several hundred people.
All eyes were fixed on the platform, waiting for the signal to enter the valley.
After the rules were announced, the prodigies of the three cultivation families appeared. A stir ran through the crowd as gazes turned in three directions.
To the east, at the front of the Lin Family—
A green-clad figure stepped forward.
She was a girl of about sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a fitted green outfit, standing tall like fresh bamboo.
Her hair reached just to her shoulders. Her features were delicate, her skin fair, and her bright eyes carried an undisguised sharpness and pride.
Most eye-catching were her hands wrapped in cloth strips, and the green longsword at her waist, its hilt entwined with silver thread—though unsheathed, it already radiated sharpness.
She was the Lin Family’s acknowledged rising star—Lin Chan’er.
Standing there quietly, she drew countless gazes, especially from young independent cultivators whose eyes were filled with awe and admiration.
“That’s Lin Chan’er? Truly extraordinary presence!”
“I heard she’s only sixteen and already at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement. The Lin Family has produced someone remarkable.”
“That sword of hers is definitely no ordinary weapon…”
To the west, within the Li Family—
A pale-faced, gloomy young man slowly stepped forward.
Dressed in a dark green robe, his figure was thin, his eyes calm to the point of emptiness. Yet when his gaze occasionally swept the crowd, it sent chills down people’s spines.
“Li Sui… he’s here too?”
Li Sui—the most mysterious and unpredictable among the Li Family’s younger generation, known for his skill with poison and infamous reputation.
His presence caused people nearby to instinctively step back, their voices lowering with fear.
“Shh, keep it down. That guy’s sinister—best stay away.”
To the north, within the Qin Family—
Two figures stood side by side, drawing entirely different kinds of attention.
On the left was Qin Qian, the eldest young master—cold-faced, upright, dressed in dark attire with a sword on his back, exuding the steady composure of a successor.
Beside him, half a step behind, stood Qin Bai, wearing his usual carefree smile, casually waving his folding fan.
Today, Qin Bai had also changed into attire suited for movement. The two brothers stood together—one calm and steady, the other unrestrained like the wind—creating a striking contrast.
“The Qin Family’s two young masters are both here. They must value this Medicine King Gathering greatly.”
“Qin Qian truly carries himself with great bearing—just like his father.”
“As for the second young master… still as carefree as ever. I heard he even brought that Miss Xu from Drunken Immortal Pavilion?”
“Tsk, bringing a confidante to this kind of occasion—Second Young Master’s romantic nature hasn’t changed at all.”
Beyond these most eye-catching figures, there were many other outstanding young talents among the families, such as Lin Li of the Lin Family and several eager Qin Family disciples, all exceptional individuals—evoking both envy and self-doubt among the independent cultivators below.
Within the northern group, Zhang Fan’s gaze swept over those dazzling prodigies.
Then he looked toward that slender black-clad figure beside Qin Bai, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
On the platform, Lin Yunzhi took in all the reactions below. His gaze lingered briefly on Lin Chan’er, a trace of satisfaction flashing by, before he cleared his throat. His voice, infused with spiritual power, rang clearly across the entire area:
“Everyone, the Luoxia Valley Medicine King Gathering officially begins today!”
Before his words had even faded, a green figure shot forward from the Lin Family—Lin Chan’er!
“A bunch of worthless trash dares compete with me? Hmph!”
With a flick of her slender hand, she struck the jade pendant at her waist. Spiritual light flashed, and her entire body vanished into thin air. In the next instant, she appeared at the misty valley entrance. With a light step, she entered the valley!
“A teleportation talisman!” gasps erupted from the crowd.
Though the elders would not intervene, protective items and movement talismans given to disciples were not restricted.
The Lin Family’s move clearly demonstrated their determination to win.
Seeing this, the Li Family disciples’ expressions changed slightly, and they no longer delayed, rushing toward the valley entrance in pursuit.
Qin Bai turned and placed a wooden token engraved with the Qin Family emblem into Lin Xiaowan’s hand, speaking softly: “The outer area of the valley is relatively safe. If you encounter trouble, show this token—ordinary people won’t dare act against you lightly.”
Lin Xiaowan accepted the token, her fingers brushing over its patterns. She looked up and asked, “You’re really going deeper?”
“I intended to, but the family elders have orders—I can’t disobey.” Qin Bai smiled. “I’ll gather herbs as fate allows. No need to be overly greedy.”
“Stop wasting time. Let’s go.” Qin Qian urged.
“Meet outside the valley.” With that, Qin Bai turned and merged into the core Qin Family disciples, quickly disappearing.
Holding the token, Lin Xiaowan watched his figure vanish into the misty forest.
“This Qin Bai…”
Lin Xiaowan narrowed her eyes. She had seen his true nature before—he was not the frivolous young master described in rumors. His behavior could only be described as deliberate concealment.
As for his purpose, she could not yet discern it.
“These ten days of herb gathering… can be considered my opportunity. Gathering medicinal herbs…” Her gaze passed over the energetic disciples of the three families and settled on the northern cultivators—those with spiritual roots, even cultivation. “I wonder if, through large-scale Dual Cultivation, I can break through to the second layer of Qi Refinement?”
Before setting off, she found a place to change into a black fitted outfit suitable for moving within the valley. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and a light veil of the same color covered her face, revealing only her clear, cold eyes.
In this attire, she was completely inconspicuous among the crowd—entirely different from the flowing black-robed “Xu Fu” of yesterday.
As the disciples of the three great families entered the valley one after another, Lin Xiaowan blended into the flow of people from the northern city and stepped into the valley entrance.