The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

Back home, Yang Shuisheng hastily prepared some food to fill his stomach and went to bed early.

But I couldn't calm my mind.

The nine distinct yet consistently unconvincing streams of energy within his dantian constantly reminded him that the opportunity for a breakthrough might be just around the corner, but it lacked that crucial final push.

When Uncle Shuanzhu mentioned Ganoderma lucidum, it was exactly what he needed right now.

So Yang Shuisheng woke up just as dawn was breaking the next day.

He quickly packed his things, took a small hoe, a rope, and a sturdy cloth bag, along with some dry rations, and quietly left the house, heading towards the precipitous Eagle Cliff deep in the back mountains.

The mountain forest was shrouded in mist in the early morning, and the dew was heavy.

With his internal energy flowing freely, Yang Shuisheng moved nimbly, avoiding damp areas where there might be poisonous snakes or insects, and climbed towards Eagle's Beak following the route described by Uncle Shuanzhu.

Eagle Cliff is a treacherous place, mostly steep rocks and dense primeval forests. Usually, apart from the most experienced hunters and herb gatherers, almost no one comes here.

Fortunately, Yang Shuisheng was quite familiar with the Daliang Mountains. With his exceptional eyesight and keen sense of terrain, he finally found the cliff crack that was hidden by thick vines and weeds after nearly two hours.

The crack was very narrow, allowing only one person to squeeze in sideways. It was dark and gloomy inside, with a cold, damp atmosphere and a faint smell similar to old wood.

"This is it."

Yang Shuisheng took a deep breath and carefully squeezed in sideways.

The crack was dimly lit and slippery underfoot.

He lit a small piece of pine resin he carried with him with a match, and by the flickering light, slowly groped his way deeper into the forest.

After walking about ten meters, the inside of the crack suddenly opened up, forming a small natural stone chamber.

Sunlight filters through cracks in the ceiling of the stone chamber, and a thick layer of humus has accumulated on the ground.

In the deepest, dampest, and shadiest corner of the stone chamber, a strange and beautiful plant grows quietly at the base of a huge rock covered in moss.

The plant is shaped like an open umbrella, with a deep purplish-brown color and concentric rings on its surface like cloud patterns. The umbrella is as big as an adult's open hand, thick and full, and has a restrained luster like jade in the dim light.

Below the cap is a thick, short stem, also dark in color.

The entire plant exudes a rich and refreshing fragrance that invigorates the spirit.

A century-old Ganoderma lucidum!

Judging from its appearance, size, and aroma, it is definitely over a hundred years old; it is a true treasure of nature.

Yang Shuisheng was overjoyed, and his eyes lit up.

With it, the chances of breaking through to the True Qi Realm are much greater.

There are specific techniques for harvesting Ganoderma lucidum of this age; its core must not be damaged, otherwise its medicinal efficacy will be greatly diminished.

Yang Shuisheng held his breath and carefully used the small hoe he had brought to remove the moss and pebbles attached to the Ganoderma lucidum. Then, finding the right angle, he used a sharp knife to steadily cut the entire Ganoderma lucidum off along the root where the stem connected to the rock.

He was completely focused throughout the process, moving gently as if afraid of damaging anything.

Yang Shuisheng carefully wrapped the fragrant Ganoderma lucidum in clean oil paper and placed it inside the cloth bag. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, and a layer of fine sweat appeared on his forehead.

This trip was worth it!

Looking at the sky, it wasn't even noon yet, which was much smoother than expected.

In high spirits, he decided not to rush back and instead wandered around the neighborhood to see if he could gather some other useful medicinal herbs.

Eagle Cliff is a secluded spot, so you might find some unexpected treasures there.

He walked through the mountains and forests, his sharp eyes scanning the grass and crevices in the rocks.

Sure enough, he found several good medicinal herbs, all of which were quite old.

Just as he was about to head home, a foul and putrid odor suddenly wafted over on the wind.

Yang Shuisheng wrinkled his nose.

"This taste..."

He took a closer sniff; it didn't smell like ordinary animal feces or rotting plants. It smelled more like meat that had been rotting for a long time, mixed with a hint of blood.

He initially thought it was the death of some large animal in the mountains, such as a wild boar.

But driven by curiosity, he still carefully followed the direction of the scent and groped his way over.

The scent came from a more remote, bushy ravine.

Pushing aside the dense, thorny thicket, the sight before him made Yang Shuisheng's pupils shrink sharply.

At the bottom of the ravine, amidst a pile of rocks and fallen leaves, lay a corpse that had already begun to decompose.

The body was dressed in a dark jacket and work pants. Although it had been gnawed by wild animals and bloated with decay, its general outline and clothing could still be vaguely discerned.

Yang Shuisheng's heart sank!

He recognized the outfit all too well; it was the same outfit worn by one of the three city dwellers who confronted Zhao Hu by the campfire that night and later went to chase after him. There was no mistake.

He forced himself to endure the nauseating stench and examined it closely.

There was a large, bloody hole in the corpse's chest, as if something sharp had pierced through it from behind.

The surrounding land showed signs of a chaotic struggle, but the area was not large.

It appears he was killed in a sudden, unexpected attack from behind.

"Did Zhao Hu do it?"

A thought flashed through Yang Shuisheng's mind like lightning.

That night, Zhao Hu was chased by his pursuers and fled into the deep mountains for his life.

He is familiar with the terrain, and it is entirely possible for him to set a trap using the environment, or to take advantage of the opponent's unpreparedness to kill one of them.

Moreover, judging from the fatal wounds on the corpse, they were crude and ruthless, not like a disciplined fight, but more like a desperate counterattack in a moment of desperation.

If Zhao Hu manages to kill one of them, what about the other two?

Did they continue pursuing it, or were they scared away?

What about Zhao Hu himself? Is he dead, or did he escape?

Yang Shuisheng frowned.

It seems that Zhao Hu wasn't entirely a lamb to the slaughter that night.

This guy has been able to run rampant in Peach Blossom Valley for so many years. Besides relying on his cousin Zhao Youcai, he also has a ruthless and cunning side. It's not surprising that he would turn on his foes at the critical moment.

But... if Zhao Hu didn't die and even killed an enemy, where did he go afterward?

Did it die in the deeper parts, or... has it already quietly returned?

This guess sent a chill down Yang Shuisheng's spine.

He didn't linger and quickly left the mountain valley filled with the aura of death, returning swiftly to Peach Blossom Valley along the way he came.

It was already afternoon when we got back to the village.

Instead of going straight home, he took a detour and arrived at the courtyard of Zhao Hu's brick and tile house.

The courtyard was quiet, the gate was still locked, and just like a few days ago, it looked deserted.

The villagers continued to discuss Zhao Hu's disappearance. After the town police came to investigate but found nothing, everyone gradually accepted the idea that Zhao Hu might have run away or died in the mountains.

But Yang Shuisheng did not draw a conclusion easily.

He stood in the shadows of a corner not far away, his sharp gaze sweeping over every corner of Zhao Hu's yard.

The yard was fairly tidy, but there were some messy, withered leaves.

The doors and windows of the main room were tightly closed, and everything looked normal, befitting a house that had been uninhabited for several days.

However, Yang Shuisheng's gaze eventually fell on the trash can made from a broken earthenware jar next to the courtyard gate.

The trash can was filled with fresh garbage such as rotten vegetable leaves and fruit peels.

Yang Shuisheng's eyes narrowed slightly immediately.

Zhao Hu has been missing for many days, so there shouldn't be any trash around.

Besides, everyone has a trash can, and it's impossible for neighbors to specifically come to Zhao Hu's house to throw away their trash.

Therefore, there is only one explanation: recently, most likely in the last day or two, someone lived in this yard and generated this garbage.

And this person is most likely Zhao Hu himself!

He's already secretly come back!

He's most likely hiding in his own home. The lock on the door is just a cover; he probably has other ways to get in and out, or maybe it wasn't even locked at all, just for show.

This speculation sent a chill down Yang Shuisheng's spine.