Chapter 45: Hundred-Year-Old Mountain Ginseng

Hundred-year-old ginseng!

When Lu Qing finished reading the information about the plant root in his hand, he was shocked.

This was actually a very precious medicinal material recorded in the “Hundred Herbs Classic,” ginseng!
And its age had already exceeded a hundred years!

“Little thing, this is truly a great gift you’ve given me!”

Lu Qing looked at the ginseng in his hand, then at the small black beast, and couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement.

One must know that among the hundreds of herbs recorded in the “Hundred Herbs Classic,” ginseng was definitely one of the most precious.

And it became more precious with age.

Ginseng of several decades was already very effective and valuable.

Like the one in his hand, which was over a hundred years old, it was even rarer.

In many pharmacies, it could be regarded as a treasure of the shop.

“It really wasn’t a waste for me to catch so many fish for you.”

Lu Qing was very happy.

Although he didn’t know the specific value of this hundred-year-old ginseng in his hand, it was obvious that it was definitely higher than the Red Moon Carp.

After all, although the Red Moon Carp also had nourishing effects, the main reason why those nobles bought it at a high price was for its fresh taste.

But this hundred-year-old ginseng was different; it was something that could truly save lives.

Such precious medicinal materials were often priceless and in high demand, snatched up as soon as they appeared.

Not to mention that the ginseng in Lu Qing’s hand emitted a light of special ability that was tinged with red.

This indicated that the ginseng already had a hint of the characteristics of a spirit medicine.

Such a treasure was probably even more precious than ordinary ginseng.

Compared to this, the fish he had fed the small black beast these days were completely insignificant.

Looking at the Night Spirit Cat, which was already leisurely licking its paws and washing its face on the side, Lu Qing’s eyes shifted. He squatted down and said in a fawning tone, “Little fellow, let’s make a deal. If you find anything like this in the future, bring it all to me. I’ll catch whatever fish you want to eat, okay?”

If anyone saw Lu Qing’s current appearance, they would find that his smile was exactly like that of a strange uncle trying to trick a child with candy.

The small black beast didn’t know if it understood Lu Qing’s words.

After licking its paws, it just glanced at Lu Qing sideways, then gracefully walked to the fence, jumped lightly, and disappeared into the night.

This time, Lu Qing saw its gaze clearly.

He felt that he had been despised by a small beast.

Lu Qing was stunned for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.

Although he was despised by a small beast, his mood was still very pleasant.

Taking the wooden basin back to the kitchen, Lu Qing lit an oil lamp, a rare occasion, and found a damp cloth.

Then he sat in the hall and, by the light of the lamp, began to clean the soil from the ginseng.

As he carefully cleaned it bit by bit, the complete appearance of the ginseng in his hand was gradually revealed.

The main part of this ginseng was quite plump, like a small radish.

The root hairs were very long, and the overall appearance already vaguely resembled a human body.

If it grew any longer, it might really grow into a small person.

What was somewhat regrettable was that some of the ginseng’s root hairs were obviously broken.

This made its appearance look less than perfect.

It was clear that the small black beast had broken them off when it was digging up this ginseng.

Although Lu Qing felt it was a pity, he also knew that he couldn’t be too greedy.

To be honest, it was already surprising enough that the small black beast could dig up a ginseng.

He couldn’t possibly ask it to dig out the ginseng perfectly like a herb collector.

After admiring this hundred-year-old ginseng for a while, Lu Qing carefully put it away.

He planned to take this ginseng to his master tomorrow to see how to maximize its value.

After all, although he had memorized the “Hundred Herbs Classic,” when it came to knowledge of herbs, he was no match for his master, the divine doctor.

The next morning, Lu Qing got up and, like his master, practiced the Body Nourishing Fist twice in the courtyard. After feeling refreshed, he went to make breakfast.

After breakfast, he took Xiao Yan to the small courtyard on the half-slope.

After seeing the old doctor, he immediately took out the hundred-year-old ginseng wrapped in cloth.

“Master, last night, this disciple unexpectedly obtained a medicinal herb and would like to ask you to take a look and see how to handle it.”

“Oh, what kind of medicinal herb?”

The old doctor was a little strange.

Did his disciple go out to collect herbs in the middle of the night?

“It’s this medicinal herb.”

Lu Qing opened the cloth, revealing the ginseng inside.

“This is…” When the old doctor saw the appearance of the medicinal herb, his eyes suddenly widened. “This is ginseng?!”

Surprised, the old doctor directly reached out and took the cloth bag from Lu Qing’s hand, picking up the ginseng to examine it carefully.

“It really is ginseng, and it’s a top-quality, fresh, old mountain ginseng that is over a hundred years old and in excellent condition!”

After examining it for a long while, the old doctor let out a long breath and sighed.

“Ah Qing, where did you get this ginseng? Did you go into the mountains last night?”

The old doctor looked at Lu Qing with great surprise.

Hundred-year-old mountain ginseng of this quality usually only grows in the deep, remote mountains and old forests.

Ordinary herb collectors would find it difficult to venture into such areas.

Even he, with his many years of herb-collecting experience, had only encountered a few.

Looking at the freshness of this ginseng, it was obviously dug up not long ago.

How did Lu Qing get it?

Could it be that he ran into the deep mountains and old forests last night?

But that was obviously impossible.

Facing the old doctor’s confusion, Lu Qing smiled, “Master will definitely not guess who gave me this ginseng.”

“Someone else gave it to you? Who?” The old doctor became even more curious.

Someone would be so generous as to give away such a precious hundred-year-old mountain ginseng?

“It was that small black beast I told you about before. Last night, after I fed it fish, it brought this ginseng to me.”

“It was that small black beast?” The old doctor was greatly surprised.

Then Lu Qing explained in detail what had happened last night.

Not only did the old doctor listen with constant amazement, but Xiao Yan, who was on the side, also widened her eyes.

“It seems this small black beast is indeed highly intelligent, to the point where it can understand human nature.”

After listening to Lu Qing’s account, the old doctor exclaimed in amazement.

“This disciple also thinks so. I feel that it might even be able to understand what we say.”

The contemptuous look the Night Spirit Cat gave him when it left last night.

“This is the benefit of doing good and accumulating virtue,” the old doctor stroked his beard and said. “If you hadn’t been kind that day and driven it away, but instead fed it fish every night, how could you have this good fortune today?”

Was I being kind by not driving it away? I simply didn’t dare to!

Hearing his master’s words, Lu Qing felt a wave of shame.

That little thing was very powerful; who would dare to provoke it?

“Master, according to what you said, this ginseng is over a hundred years old. What is its value?” Lu Qing asked.

(End of this chapter)