Chapter 14: Herbal Bath with Coiling Dragon Vine

Chapter 14: An Herbal Bath with the Coiling Dragon Vine

Jiang Xianzheng and his wife shared a look, and the atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

A few seconds later, Lu Caiyun spoke, "Your grandfather and I are getting on in years. It's too late for us to take up cultivation. You should cultivate on your own. While we may not be able to help with your cultivation, we can definitely take good care of you in daily life."

Jiang Xianzheng nodded in agreement, adding, "Your grandmother is right. We're old, and even if we wanted to cultivate, our hearts are willing but our strength is lacking. This ancient text appeared from the jade pendant and is fated for you. You focus on cultivating properly."

He paused, then emphasized his next words, "Ying Xue, the contents recorded in this ancient text are otherworldly and profound. You must not easily reveal it to others, understand? A treasure like this is most dangerous because it invites envy."

Grandfather had a point. Throughout history, there have always been examples of people being guilty of possessing a treasure.

Nowadays, those of little skill who come into valuable things are most likely to attract unwanted attention. Not to mention outright robbery or stealthy theft, some malicious individuals would even resort to murder to steal treasures. While the "Health Preservation Method" wasn't even considered a foundational cultivation technique in the cultivation world, on the spirit-energy-scarce Blue Water Star and in the eyes of ordinary mortals, it was a priceless treasure. Keeping a low profile was definitely the right approach.

"Grandfather, I understand what you're saying. Besides you two, I won't tell anyone," Jiang Yingxue nodded obediently. If her power wasn't sealed and she possessed all her strength, she wouldn't be afraid. However, currently, most of her power was still sealed. Although Blue Water Star's spiritual energy was thin, it was impossible to know if any cultivators stronger than her lived here. In short, better safe than sorry.

"Hmm, don't tell your eldest aunt for now either," Jiang Xianzheng breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Mingzhen was indeed his eldest daughter, and he trusted her character, but trust and revealing a major secret to her were two different matters. The fewer people who knew, the safer it was.

The old couple knew what was at stake and kept their mouths shut.

*

For the past half month, the sunlight in J City had been consistently bright and beautiful, with occasional rain that quickly gave way to clear skies.

Nourished by sunlight, rainwater, and well water, the Spiritual Plants in the backyard were also thriving, with some already reaching maturity.

Jiang Yingxue harvested a basket of Spirit Guzhi and pulled up a Coiling Dragon Vine. She ground the Spirit Guzhi into powder using a stone mill for the two elders to take dissolved in water. They could have a cup of water mixed with Spirit Guzhi powder upon waking in the morning and before sleeping at night. The Coiling Dragon Vine was boiled for bathing.

In the woodshed at the front yard, a large pot sat on the stove. Inside, the Coiling Dragon Vine was being boiled, with firewood burning vigorously underneath. As the water boiled, it gradually turned blue.

Water boiled over a wood fire had a unique scent, the warm, earthy scent of a wood fire.

"Sister, I want a bath too!" Xiao Zhao's claws gripped a miniature bathtub as it flew to Jiang Yingxue's feet and stopped.

"Alright, I'll set aside a bucket for you," Jiang Yingxue smiled gently. With one hand, she took its small bathtub, and with the other, she added more firewood to the stove.

"Thank you, sister!" Xiao Zhao flapped its wings and flew to Jiang Yingxue's face, pecking her cheek. It had learned this from TV as a way to show affection.

Look! Sister is smiling too. This method seems good.

"You're welcome, Xiao Zhao," Jiang Yingxue gently ruffled the feathers on its head, a faint smile hanging on her face.

As evening approached, Grandfather and Grandmother also came back from their market stall.

"Grandfather, Grandmother, it's time for the herbal bath today. Would you like to bathe or eat first?" If they wanted to eat first, she would add a few more sticks of firewood to the stove to keep it warm.

"Coiling Dragon Vine?" Jiang Xianzheng became interested, craning his neck to peer into the woodshed. Ever since reading the "Health Preservation Method," he had been eagerly anticipating the Coiling Dragon Vine for a long time.

"Yes, it's the Coiling Dragon Vine." The amount of Coiling Dragon Vine in the pot was carefully controlled by Jiang Yingxue. Using only one vine resulted in gentle properties. At most, the bath would cause some slight numbness and pain, a level within the elderly couple's tolerance. However, the mild effect also had a drawback—it was "mild." Therefore, to achieve the ideal result, multiple consecutive baths were required.

Jiang Xianzheng said enthusiastically, "A Yun, Ying Xue, you two eat first. I'll bathe and then eat."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Caiyun frowned and stopped him, "What's the hurry? Eat first, then take the herbal bath after the meal. Old Jiang, even after eating, I won't fight you for it. You can be the first to bathe, alright?"

"Not eating means no strength. If you faint during the bath later, it would be a huge embarrassment." They had just ridden their tricycle back from town. Logically, they should bathe first to relieve their fatigue. But Lu Caiyun remembered her granddaughter mentioning that this herbal bath could be a bit stimulating, causing a stinging sensation on the skin. Given that, they should definitely eat first and then bathe.

"Heh heh," Jiang Xianzheng chuckled awkwardly. He would listen to his wife.

Seeing Xiao Zhao comfortably spreading its wings in the bathtub, he laughed, "I'm not the first one bathing. Look at this little fellow."

"Haha, what a good little one," Xiao Zhao's blissful bathing expression successfully made Lu Caiyun, who had just been stern-faced, laugh.

*

The next day, early morning.

Jiang Xianzheng got up very early. He was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard. Hearing movement at the house door, he glanced back at Jiang Yingxue and smiled, "Ying Xue is up. That herbal bath yesterday was good. Waking up today, I feel full of energy all over."

"It's good that it's effective, Grandfather. Remember to drink the Spirit Guzhi Powder water, you and Grandmother. One spoonful per serving, one cup in the morning and one in the evening." Afraid they might forget the amount, she had even written a label and stuck it in a conspicuous place on the jar's outside, visible at a glance.

"We drank it. It's just... the taste is a bit strange and astringent," Jiang Xianzheng couldn't understand it. The powder looked fine, smelled fine, but the taste when mixed with water was indescribable. If he didn't know this stuff was precious, he would have used it to water the vegetables.

"Strange and astringent? I'll check on it later," Regarding Spirit Guzhi, Jiang Yingxue always swallowed the whole root. She hadn't drunk the powdered water. Since Grandfather reported the taste was strange and astringent, she would definitely find a way to make its taste more normal.

A flash of inspiration struck her. She thought of the Qiong Peach in the backyard. The Qiong Peach was a mild-natured spiritual fruit, very versatile. Grinding it into powder and mixing it with the Spirit Guzhi would surely improve the taste.

Jiang Xianzheng stopped his morning exercise and said, "Ying Xue, the tricycle you wanted is ready. Grandfather will take you to see if you're satisfied. If not, we can continue improving it."

This was a tricycle that had been carefully decorated and modified, primarily in its appearance.

The tricycle's carriage was made according to the sketch discussed by the grandfather and granddaughter. The carriage was processed and crafted into a food vending stall, all wooden in structure. It looked simple, neat, and its function was clear at a glance.