CHAPTER 271: CHAPTER 266: HEROINE AND DEMONESS

In the Nursery Hall, a teacher was invited to educate the children. Every morning was the time for the kids to learn literacy. Since the Nursery Hall was established by the Medicine Valley, they also had to study some pharmacological knowledge in the afternoon. When Ye Qiu and his group arrived, the children inside were organizing medicinal materials under the guidance of their teachers.

The children were all very sensible, and when Ye Qiu and the others stood by the courtyard, none of the children noticed their arrival.

"Teacher, this doesn’t seem to be Angelica dahurica," a five- or six-year-old child said, raising his hand with a small piece of herbal material.

The teacher seemed to have a fondness for him, stroking his beard and smiling, "Oh? What do you think it is, then?"

"I think it looks a bit like Qianghuo," the little boy said, his voice tender yet his tone confident.

"I haven’t taught you to recognize Qianghuo, so how do you think this is Qianghuo?" the old teacher continued to ask.

"Yesterday, the teacher had us memorize the characteristics of Angelica dahurica and Qianghuo. The book says that, although Angelica dahurica and Qianghuo look similar, their smells are very different. Angelica dahurica has a lighter scent, while Qianghuo has a strong and pungent smell," the little boy explained methodically.

"Then, can you explain the different effects of Angelica dahurica and Qianghuo?"

"Angelica dahurica mainly enters the kidney meridian, descending internally, and is adept at removing rheumatism between the waist and knees, and it is good for treating rheumatic arthritis that lingers internally and below. Qianghuo, on the other hand, enters the bladder meridian, has a strong dispersing and surface-relieving capability, can ascend to the crown and traverse the limbs, and is effective in treating upper body wind-evil, hence it is commonly used for wind and rheumatism pains that are above the body and superficial," replied the boy not in a rote manner, and concluded with a summary of his own. With each sentence he spoke, the old teacher’s smile grew wider, astonishing the children present.

Ye Lingxian and Ye Qiu, observing from the side, were also amazed. The child looked to be only five or six years old, yet he was so impressive.

"Indeed a promising young talent!" Ye Chongtian, who had appeared unnoticed, looked at the little boy with great satisfaction in his eyes.

He descended the steps, stopping the old teacher from bowing, and looked earnestly at the little boy saying, "Then, do you know the differences between Chicken Blood Vine and Big Blood Vine?"

"Yes," the little boy replied without any fear, looking at him, "The characteristic of Chicken Blood Vine is that its wood is arranged in eccentric semicircular rings of five to eight, while the cross-section of Big Blood Vine is reddish-brown, with yellowish-white wood and numerous fine pore conduits, arranged radially from the center to the exterior."

"So, how many types of medicinal materials can you recognize now?"

"Thirty," the little boy hesitated briefly before replying to Ye Chongtian.

Seeing Ye Chongtian’s interest in testing the child, the old teacher added from the side, "I believe it’s more than that. Ji Nan, you’ve already memorized half of the ’Compendium of Materia Medica’; don’t be modest."

"But teacher, I’ve only read about those medicinal materials in books, and I haven’t seen them, so I can’t consider them as materials I recognize," the little boy earnestly explained.

"You’re absolutely right; you only truly recognize a medicinal material after you’ve seen it and understood its properties," Ye Chongtian said as he patted the little boy’s head with a smile, "Would you like to take me as your master?"

The old teacher was delighted at these words, wishing he could make the decision for the little boy immediately, but with Ye Chongtian present, he didn’t dare to interject rashly.

Yet the little boy didn’t immediately agree, instead looking up at Ye Chongtian and asking with his chest puffed out, "Then, are your medical skills very impressive?"

Ye Chongtian laughed, "I suppose they’re quite decent."

The little boy looked at the old teacher then said, "What about compared to our teacher? Who is more skilled?"

"How can I dare to compare myself with the Valley Master?" the old teacher exclaimed in shock.

Ye Chongtian gave him a glance and continued with a smile: "Then he must be a bit more impressive."

The little boy’s eyes shone brightly, his voice crisp: "Master!" he exclaimed, about to kneel.

Ye Chongtian stopped him in time: "You’ll pay your respects as a disciple when we get back. First, tell me, what is your name?"

"Ji Nan."

"Is there any particular meaning to the name?" Ye Chongtian asked the teacher.

"Ji Nan was already over a year old when he came to the Nursery Hall. He knew his name, but not his parents or his hometown. We reported it to the authorities, but nobody has come looking for him," the teacher explained Ji Nan’s background in detail, anxious that Ye Chongtian might misunderstand and not take in this intelligent and hardworking child.

"The surname is Ji?" Ye Chongtian was indeed surprised, because Ji is the current Imperial Family name.

However, he quickly dismissed his own conjecture. If this child really had some relation to the Royal Family, and since the Nursery Hall had reported it to the court, it would be unreasonable for them not to know of his existence. Since no one had come looking, it probably meant he had no relations with the Imperial Family.

Ye Qiu saw that her father’s attitude towards this little boy was much better than towards her, which made her feel somewhat jealous. However, she was also puzzled; in her father’s previous life, he didn’t have a disciple named Ji Nan, and with his outstanding talent, it didn’t make sense that he didn’t join Medicine Valley. What accident had happened in her father’s last life?

At this moment, what the Ye Family didn’t know was that atop the Nursery Hall’s roof lay a person, motionless, watching everything in the courtyard; and that person was none other than the White-faced Young Master who had just been competing at the Martial Arts Arena with the disciples of the Qingyi Pavilion.

Seeing Ye Chongtian intending to take Ji Nan as his Disciple, a cold light flashed in his eyes.

The mission assigned by his organization must not fail; he was determined to have this child! Thousand Faces clenched the folded fan in his hands.

After observing for two more days, Ye Chongtian and Ye Lingxian did not find any other disciples that they had a strong feeling for in either their own or other sects’ Nursery Halls, so they decided to return to the valley.

Ye Qiuxin’s sense of crisis grew deeper, and she took out the Rainy Pear Blossom Needle from her pack and hung it on her waist.

Ye Lingxian felt her daughter’s nervousness but did not stop her; in the world, it is good to maintain a sense of vigilance.

"Take this." Ye Qiu handed Ji Nan a hidden weapon, "If you’re in danger, point this at the enemy, and be very careful; the arrows inside are poisoned."

Ji Nan accepted the hidden weapon and smiled shyly at Ye Qiu: "Thank you, Senior Sister."

"No need to thank me, I am your Senior Sister, I’ll cover you from now on," declared Ye Qiu with a swagger.

Ji Nan was a child with delicate features yet also very well-behaved. After a few days together, not only was Ye Chongtian satisfied with this Disciple, but Ye Lingxian and Ye Qiu also grew increasingly fond of him. Any trace of jealousy that Ye Qiuxin had previously harbored quietly dissipated.

"Stop!" As the group passed a small grove, Ye Chongtian sensed something amiss and said to Ye Qiu and Ji Nan inside the carriage, "Stay inside, don’t come out."

Ye Lingxian and her husband exchanged a glance. She moved to the back of the carriage, and the couple kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings, one in front and one behind.

"May I ask which hero is present? I am Ye Chongtian, willing to offer all the gold and silver treasures on me for your kindness in letting us leave this place," Ye Chongtian called out loudly.

Ye Qiuxin grew nervous inside and quietly pulled back a corner of the carriage curtain, gently placing the Rainy Pear Blossom Needle on the window sill.