Nano-engineering Immortal Cultivation Chronicle

Episode 3: Herb Gathering

Thump, thump.

As his heart raced at the woman’s smile, Jang So-cheon hurriedly stuffed the Mystic Flask into the Heaven and Earth Pouch. Then, he set off toward the herb cluster he’d discovered earlier.

Jang So-cheon had once found a patch of herbs here. Unfortunately, that was when a white fox appeared, and he’d barely escaped disaster without harvesting a single plant. If his memory served him right, there had been quite a variety and number of herbs in that spot. The real reason he’d bragged to Makjang that something good would happen if they came here was because of this.

“Oh!”

On his way to the herb patch, Jang So-cheon noticed a faint green energy emanating from the area. It was so subtle that he had to look closely to see it.

“Could that green glow actually be the energy of the herbs? If that’s true, I’ve hit the jackpot…”

Shaking off his wild imagination, Jang So-cheon quickened his pace. When the herb patch came into view, he let out a cheer.

Buddha’s Fragrance Herb, Eight-Ratio Herb, Stone Gate Herb, Green Water Flower…

Rare herbs were scattered everywhere.

Jang So-cheon set down the Herb Gathering Net slung over his shoulder, pulled out a trowel, and began harvesting. Gathering herbs required care—each plant had different medicinal parts. For the Eight-Ratio Herb and Green Water Flower, it was the leaves and flowers. For Stone Gate Herb, the seeds and roots were used. Buddha’s Fragrance Herb, on the other hand, was precious in every part; you had to dig up the whole plant and treat it like a treasure.

Nearly half a shichen passed. After harvesting all the herbs in the patch, Jang So-cheon stretched his aching back with a fist. He looked up at the sky to check the time. It was still a bit early to meet up with his group.

After a moment’s thought, he decided to check out the spot where he’d seen the green energy. He didn’t know what might be there, but if he hurried, he could make it back in time.

‘Still, just in case, I’d better move fast.’

Not wanting to keep his teammates waiting, Jang So-cheon activated the Cloud Moon Divine Technique he’d learned at Jamnyeong Pavilion.

Whoosh!

As he used the Cloud Moon Divine Technique, his form blurred and his speed increased dramatically. Yet, he moved with the effortless grace of drifting clouds, just as the technique’s mantra described.

Rushing toward the source of the green energy, Jang So-cheon soon found himself staring at a cliff in frustration. The energy was coming from halfway down a sheer precipice.

The cliff was steep beyond belief. But after coming this far, he couldn’t just give up. Jang So-cheon decided to risk it.

Thunk!

Channeling spiritual energy to lighten his body, Jang So-cheon carefully descended, stabbing the Blue Silver Sword into the rock face for support.

Whoooosh!

A sudden gust of wind from below made him sway, but he pressed himself tightly against the cliff and waited for the wind to die down before continuing his descent.

Thunk! Crack!

There were a few close calls as the rock crumbled under his sword, but Jang So-cheon finally reached his target safely.

‘There’s a cave even in a place like this?’

He noticed a small ledge jutting out, with a deep hole beneath it. To his amazement, a single Spirit Herb was growing inside.

The Nine-leaf Immortal Herb.

This was the very Spirit Herb that the Supreme Elder had put out a bounty for, offering Contribution Points—far rarer than even the Seven-colored Swallow Orchid. Its age was also impressive.

Thunk!

Planting the Blue Silver Sword firmly underfoot, Jang So-cheon carefully dug up the herb, making sure not to damage a single root. As the roots came free, the green glow vanished as if it had never been.

Placing the Spirit Herb in a Jade Box and storing it in the Heaven and Earth Pouch, Jang So-cheon had to admit that the glow had indeed come from the herb.

Thump, thump.

Suppressing his pounding heart, Jang So-cheon climbed back up the cliff. It was about time to head back. Even if he hurried, he wasn’t sure he’d make it on time.

But…

He couldn’t bring himself to leave without checking out the spot where he’d seen the blue energy.

“It’s not like I’ll be any less late if I go now… Ah, whatever.”

Leaping into the air, Jang So-cheon dashed at full speed toward the source of the blue energy. He was sure the team leader would scold him, but he’d just use the Nine-leaf Immortal Herb as an excuse.

That thought eased his mind a little.

Using the Cloud Moon Divine Technique, Jang So-cheon raced like a cloud drifting past the moon, then stopped in astonishment at the sight before him.

A massive tree stump, likely tens of thousands of years old, towered before him. The tree was covered in vines, and to his surprise, the blue energy was seeping from within the dead wood.

“What is this?”

There was no way a Spirit Herb could be inside a dead tree. Feeling a bit duped, Jang So-cheon drew his Blue Silver Sword and began digging into the trunk.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Well, maybe he’d lose a little time, but he was determined to uncover the source of the blue glow.

The wood, dead for centuries, crumbled easily. Still, the stump was so massive that it took him nearly a whole shichen to reach the center.

“Whoa!”

What he found there was a Wood Spirit Pill, radiating blue light.

Jang So-cheon had seen a Wood Spirit Pill once before. He’d run an errand for an elder of the sect and caught a glimpse of one—no bigger than a fingernail, yet treated as a priceless treasure.

“A Wood Spirit Pill this big? Something this size would be worth a fortune…”

Hands trembling, Jang So-cheon took out a Jade Box from the Heaven and Earth Pouch and placed the pill inside, then hid it deep in the pouch alongside the Mystic Flask.

Jang So-cheon knew the effects of the Wood Spirit Pill. If you buried it in the ground, any Spirit Herbs nearby would grow rapidly and become more potent. Cultivators who grew herbs would pay a king’s ransom for one, but Wood Spirit Pills were so rare that money alone couldn’t buy them. They were snapped up the moment they appeared on the market. Occasionally, rumors said they showed up at Auction Houses attended by high-level cultivators, but Jang So-cheon had no way to confirm that.

Having found a treasure at the source of the blue glow, Jang So-cheon now truly ran as if his feet were on fire. He was already well past the appointed time—his teammates were probably in an uproar looking for him.

But as he neared the meeting point, the sounds of battle reached his ears.

‘What’s going on?’

Jang So-cheon halted his technique and hid behind a boulder, peeking out cautiously. What he saw was completely unexpected.

The team leader, vice-leader, and Han Sa-jeo were working together to fight a beast that looked like a giant ox.

The beast was over three zhang tall, with a black horn on its forehead and iron-hard skin. It was fast, too, and the three were struggling.

Stealthily, Jang So-cheon crept over to where Makjang was hiding and watching the fight.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. I got here and no one was around, so I was about to go look for them when the three came running, with the beast chasing them. They’ve been fighting ever since.”

“So they’ve been fighting this whole time?”

“Yeah. But it looks like it’ll be over soon. Look—the beast is completely worn out.”

“The team leader’s exhausted too.”

Just as Jang So-cheon said, Gwak Mu-jin’s movements were slowing as he fought the beast. Although all three attacked together, it was really Gwak Mu-jin and Sanggwan Cheonse doing most of the fighting. Gwak Mu-jin, in particular, stood out, wielding a massive saber shaped like the Blue Dragon Crescent Moon Saber, relentlessly driving the beast back.

Slice!

At last, Gwak Mu-jin’s great saber severed the beast’s neck.

Gush, gush.

Blood poured from the deep wound like a waterfall.

“That’s it!”

Makjang jumped up and pumped his fist in the air, thinking it was the finishing blow.

But he didn’t know how tenacious the beast was.

Mooaargh!

With a savage roar, the beast spewed a cloud of black Poisonous Mist at Gwak Mu-jin and Sanggwan Cheonse, then leapt out of their formation and charged straight toward Makjang and Jang So-cheon.

“Oh no! It’s coming this way. So-cheon, run!”

Makjang drew his sword and stepped in front of So-cheon, trying to protect him with his slightly higher cultivation.

“Idiot! You should run too!”

Seeing this, Jang So-cheon couldn’t bring himself to flee. It wasn’t just about loyalty—he couldn’t abandon Makjang, who was risking himself to save him.

“You fools… Get out of the way!”

Han Yeo-ok came flying in like a madwoman, hurling her hidden weapons at the beast. When that didn’t work, she even pulled out her hairpin and threw it.

Whoosh!

Thunk!

This time, her attack wasn’t in vain—the hairpin embedded itself deep in the back of the beast’s head.

Stagger.

The beast reeled from the blow, and Han Yeo-ok, her long hair flying, leapt into the air. She drew her Phoenix Twin Blades—close-combat weapons, not ideal against such a monstrous foe.

Just then, Sanggwan Cheonse’s voice rang out from above her.

“Han Sajae! Leave the beast to the team leader and me—protect the juniors!”

“Understood!”

Hearing the reliable voice of her senior, Han Yeo-ok regained her composure, realizing she couldn’t deal a fatal blow to the beast herself.

Sanggwan Cheonse, at the Qi Refining Stage’s Seven Stars Realm, was the most skilled in spell arts among One Group. His fire-element Divine Miracle was especially powerful—he could conjure a Fire Serpent to attack his foes.

As he extended his hand, a Fire Serpent burst from his palm, savagely attacking the ox-like beast.

Fwoosh!

The formless Fire Serpent could change size at will. Sensing the danger to Jang So-cheon and Makjang, Sanggwan Cheonse pushed his fire energy to the limit. The massive Fire Python coiled around the beast, biting into its flesh and burning its bones.

Sizzle, crackle.

The air filled with the stench of burning flesh and black smoke, but the beast didn’t stop its charge toward Jang So-cheon and Makjang.

Han Yeo-ok rushed to protect them, but the beast only opened its maw wider and sped up, intent on killing them both.

“Makjang! Dodge to the side!”

As the beast closed in, Jang So-cheon threw his sword at it, then tackled Makjang, rolling them both out of harm’s way.

Han Yeo-ok, arriving a moment later, threw her Phoenix Twin Blades at the beast—one blade piercing its eye.

Mooaargh!

The beast, now with only one eye, glared at the three of them. Then, just as it leapt to crush them—

Whoosh!

A massive blue-tinged blade descended from the sky, striking the beast’s crown.

Tremble.

Struck by Gwak Mu-jin’s attack, the beast froze as if dead.

Fwoosh.

Meanwhile, the Fire Python continued to burn its body.

Thud.

At last, the beast collapsed and died.

Phew!

Sanggwan Cheonse withdrew the Fire Serpent into his palm, then checked on the others.

Slice!

The team leader pulled his saber from the beast’s skull, then swung it to sever its neck. He retrieved the Phoenix Twin Blade from its eye and handed it back to Han Yeo-ok.

Step, step.

Sanggwan Cheonse, watching, drew a sword from his Heaven and Earth Pouch and split open the beast’s skull, retrieving the hairpin. He wiped it clean and hesitated, unsure if he should return it.

Smack!

Han Yeo-ok strode over and snatched the hairpin from his hand.

“It’s a keepsake from my mother. Thank you for finding it.”

“Oh, I… I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t.”

Her voice was cold, but there was a shy warmth beneath it.

Picking up his Blue Silver Sword and stowing it in the Heaven and Earth Pouch, Jang So-cheon turned to Makjang.

“I know you stepped up to protect me. Thanks. But next time, think before you act. We both nearly died back there.”

“I wasn’t myself for a moment.”

“I know. Still, thank you.”

With the situation resolved, Gwak Mu-jin cut off the beast’s horn and collected the Poison Sac, storing them in his Heaven and Earth Pouch—both valuable medicinal ingredients.

The group moved to a flat area and, without a word, collapsed to the ground.

The team leader looked at Han Yeo-ok and asked, “Samae! Did you get everything?”

“Of course. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Let’s see.”

At Gwak Mu-jin’s words, Han Yeo-ok rummaged through her Heaven and Earth Pouch and pulled something out.

“Wow!”

Jang So-cheon’s jaw dropped.

Spirit Land Ginseng—five roots, each over three hundred years old.