After resting at the Herb Gathering Hall for a day, Ye Qin completed his meditation practice and felt an underlying impatience with the slow pace of his cultivation. He left the manor of the Herb Gathering Hall and wandered into the market streets of Zhuqi County.

Looking at the bustling thoroughfares, Ye Qin felt a familiar yet alien sensation, stirring a wave of emotion within him.

Since arriving in Zhuqi County and joining the Herb Gathering Hall, he had never truly explored the town. His days were consumed either by learning to identify and gather herbs or by dedicated meditation; he’d had little mental space for simple street wandering.

He first made his way to the largest financial institution in Zhuqi County, the "Jin Ji" Bank, to withdraw the one hundred and eighty-odd Silver Leaves he had accumulated from years of gathering herbs over the past five or six years. For an ordinary family, this was no small fortune. One Silver Leaf exchanged for one hundred Copper Coins; ten Copper Coins could feed an average man in the county for a full day. In total, this wealth equated to five years' worth of food for a common laborer.

With the money tucked securely in his pouch, Ye Qin pondered what valuable items he could purchase to enhance his strength. He gave little thought to the impending fight with the inner disciples scheduled in ten days. His most urgent need was to find spirit stones that could aid his cultivation of the Zuo Wang Jing and help nurture the Little Dew Grass.

Ye Qin knew there was a trade market square in the western district specifically for martial artists to conduct transactions. Furthermore, several reputable jade shops in the city sold jade, though he wasn't sure if they carried the specific type of spirit stones he required.

With these thoughts driving him, Ye Qin headed toward the trade market in the northwestern district.

As the influx of martial artists from outside Zhuqi County increased, the number of practitioners frequenting the trade market also surged. It was now early evening, and the entire market was a vibrant hub of activity. Hundreds of martial folk were present, some setting up impromptu stalls, others examining goods and haggling over prices.

Walking among this crowd of martial artists, Ye Qin did not appear conspicuous. At just over sixteen, he was robust and healthy, his steps steady and strong, his gaze reserved yet sharp—he blended seamlessly with the other practitioners.

Over the past few years, with his own strength vastly improving, Ye Qin no longer held the reverence he once felt for the powerfully built martial heroes and renowned knights.

The Medicine King Sect's Herb Convention was still some time away, meaning the truly top-tier masters had yet to arrive in Zhuqi County. The market was mostly populated by second and third-rate martial artists; there were few present who even caught his attention.

Ye Qin surveyed the various stalls, meticulously examining the items displayed. However, most of the goods failed to meet his expectations. There were broadswords, longswords, spears, bows and arrows, iron armor, soft inner leather vests, bracers, greaves, and cowhide boots—all manner of weaponry and defensive gear. The prices were not exorbitant, perhaps a few dozen Silver Leaves per item, but they were not what he sought.

Occasionally, he spotted a low-level martial arts manual at a stall. While he could practice them, the price was too steep, often requiring several Gold Leaves. He could easily purchase a low-level manual from the Herb Gathering Hall's scripture room for just one Gold Leaf.

Besides, at this stage, he held such low-grade manuals in disdain.

Additionally, the stalls carried strange raw materials in a dizzying variety. There were stones for blacksmithing, dull black chunks rumored to be meteorite iron, and numerous medicinal ingredients: bear gall, rhinoceros horn, rhino tendon, tiger leg bones, and so on. Many stalls displayed vials of low-grade medicines such as Hemostatic Powder, Pain-Relieving Powder, and Wound-Mending Liniment. A few mid-grade medicines, like the Circulation-Activating Powder, were available, but top-grade items like Black Ointment for Tendon Repair were significantly rarer and lacked a set price.

Noticing a stall laden with goods that displayed a bottle of Black Ointment for Tendon Repair, Ye Qin’s interest was piqued, and he approached to inquire.

"Brother, how much for this Black Ointment for Tendon Repair?"

The stall keeper, a dark-skinned, middle-aged man, immediately raised his thumb upon seeing Ye Qin inquire about the price. "Young brother, your discerning eye is sharp! This Black Ointment for Tendon Repair is a rare treasure for those walking the martial world. If your hand or leg tendons are severed by an enemy weapon during a fight, as long as they are reattached within a day and this ointment is applied, recovery will be complete in less than two or three months, leaving no lasting impact on future cultivation. If you want it, brother, I'll give you a discount—one Gold Leaf per portion."

"What if the tendon was severed four or five years ago? Can it still be reattached?" Ye Qin asked.

The dark-skinned man’s expression stiffened, and he waved his hands dismissively. "What kind of joke is that? Tendons severed four or five years ago—even an immortal couldn't reattach them! Our medicine helps those who can be helped, not those who are beyond saving. I don't see any severed tendons on you, young brother!"

"Of course, it's not for me; it's for a brother whose calf tendon was injured, and that was four or five years ago. Since this medicine won't help, forget it; it serves no purpose for me to buy it."

"Hey, don't rush off, young brother! I have plenty of other fine things here—all essentials for those traveling the martial world. I’m sure there's something you can use. How about a bottle of Circulation-Activating Powder? It can revitalize all your meridians, clearing blockages caused by blood stasis. It’s only ten Silver Leaves. It’s good to have on hand; carrying one bottle means you won't have to worry about blocked meridians from injuries later on."

"My meridians are perfectly fine. Why would I spend so much money on a Circulation-Activating Powder I won't use?" Ye Qin shook his head and turned to leave, intending to check other stalls.

"Don't go, young brother, I have something else valuable here!"

The dark-skinned man put on an expression of pained reluctance and produced an herbal guide he had kept hidden in his robes.

"Judging by your attire, you must be a disciple of the Herb Gathering Hall here in Zhuqi County. I have an herbal guide here, the Precious Herb Atlas, which records dozens of absolutely rare and precious herbs along with their pharmaceutical recipes. You might find it useful."

"Precious Herb Atlas? Dozens of rare and precious herbs?"

Hearing this, Ye Qin stopped dead in his tracks, unable to suppress a small smile.

Could anyone in Pingzhou Prefecture possibly possess more herb catalogs than the Herb Gathering Hall of the Medicine King Sect? That would be a complete absurdity. Over hundreds of years, the Medicine King Sect had amassed countless herbal catalogs from the martial world. If the sect didn't have a record of something, it was almost unthinkable.

Nevertheless, he turned back to the stall and took the Precious Herb Atlas from the dark-skinned man's hand, flipping through it quickly. If he could find even one or two herbs within the catalog he hadn't seen before, he would buy it.

Ye Qin flipped through the pages, shaking his head repeatedly.

The herbs recorded were indeed rare, but he had already encountered them in the catalogs at the Herb Gathering Hall; this Precious Herb Atlas held no real value.

He patiently continued turning the pages, and as he reached the final few leaves, he saw a drawing of an incredibly familiar herb. His hand gave an almost imperceptible tremor before he swiftly closed the Precious Herb Atlas.