He had cultivated at the North Slope Academy for ten years, and his greatest wish was merely to break through to the sixth level of Body Refining and graduate smoothly from the academy. If one day he could reach the ninth level of the Martial Artist Body Refining stage and become a national-level Divine Blade Master of the Martial Kingdom, that would truly be a blessing from his ancestors.

The legends of immortals were a very distant story to him.

This ancient painting scroll made him feel a sense of closeness.

Charles Bennett felt a bit troubled. The library at North Slope Academy only collected books, not paintings. This painting was most likely piled up in the old book storage, never seeing the light of day, or discarded elsewhere.

It would be a pity to throw away this ancient painting.

“But to take it away, I must get Steward Walker's approval, and that will probably cost some money. In that case, there will naturally be less silver left to buy cultivation herbs.”

Charles Bennett hesitated.

……

At dusk, Charles Bennett finished his work for the day, left the old book storage, and locked the door.

“Steward Walker, today I sorted over four hundred books! All the complete books have been categorized and placed on the shelves. There are also dozens of completely useless waste books and fragments that need to be discarded!”

Charles Bennett reported the organization of the old book storage to Steward Walker.

“Mm.”

Steward Walker was quite satisfied with Charles Bennett. Over the past ten days, Charles Bennett had come early and left at dusk, worked diligently, and never slacked off.

“Steward Walker, I’d like to buy three old books to take home and read. These old books are all classified as discarded, one hundred copper coins each. What do you think?”

Charles Bennett took out two old books and an ancient painting scroll.

He felt a bit uneasy. The two tattered old books were just a cover for the ancient painting scroll. He was worried that if he took only the painting scroll, it would be too conspicuous, and if Steward Walker noticed and kept it, it would be troublesome.

“Uh…”

Steward Walker was about to shake his head and refuse, but when he heard that Charles Bennett was going to pay, he immediately swallowed the word “no.”

“One hundred copper is too little. These two are both good books—one tael of silver each! As for the painting, I’ll just give it to you.”

Steward Walker glanced at the tattered books, rolling his eyes.

The ancient painting scroll had a rough and ugly gray stone handle, not a fine and smooth jade handle, and wasn’t worth even a dozen copper coins. He wasn’t interested in looking at it further. Since these books were to be discarded anyway, they would be dealt with sooner or later. This silver could go into his own pocket and didn’t need to be accounted for by the academy.

“So expensive?”

Charles Bennett was shocked. If he had known, he wouldn’t have wanted the two old books and would have just asked for the painting scroll. But now, if he backed out, he might anger Steward Walker.

He gritted his teeth and made up his mind, “I’ve already earned ten taels of patterned silver in these ten days, far more than I expected. In ten years, I’ve never bought anything I liked. Today, I’ll spend two taels of silver to buy it and take it home.”

Chapter 4: The Medicine Garden in the Painting

Charles Bennett left the library with two tattered old books and an ancient painting scroll, heading toward his residence. “The herbs I bought earlier have already been used up. I should buy some new ones to take back.” On the way, he passed a herbal shop inside the academy and remembered he was out of herbs.

“Mr. Bolton, do you have any fresh herbs?”

Charles Bennett felt the eight taels of silver left in his pocket and entered the herbal shop.

“A new batch just arrived this morning, freshly picked from the mountain, tender and juicy. They’re on the shelves—pick for yourself!”

The shopkeeper, Mr. Bolton, was tallying accounts at the counter.

Charles Bennett walked up to the shelves.

On the small shop’s shelves were many herbs, each with a bamboo tag indicating the price, grade, and use: body tempering herbs, healing herbs, ranging from first to third grade, suitable for early-stage body refining.

“First grade is ten copper, second grade is over a hundred copper, and third grade herbs actually cost a tael of silver each. These third grade herbs are really expensive!”

Charles Bennett muttered.

“That’s not expensive! Our shop doesn’t have fourth to sixth grade herbs. Otherwise, they’d be priced at dozens or even hundreds of taels of silver. Herbs of that grade are all bought up at high prices by noble families and wealthy merchant guilds. At least, our little shop doesn’t sell them. As for rare herbs of seventh grade and above, you can hardly buy them even with gold. Such rare herbs are all offered to the Martial Kingdom’s royal treasury and high officials—you won’t see them on the market. Have you made your choice, young man?”

Mr. Bolton said with a smile.

“Oh, I’ll take another look.”

Charles Bennett clicked his tongue in amazement and continued to consider which grade of herbs to buy.

He used to have no money, and after ten years of cultivation at the academy, he had always used the cheapest first and second grade herbs to temper his body, never having tried third grade herbs. Now that he was in the middle stage of body refining, and had earned a sum from cleaning the book storage, he had quite a bit of silver and could afford to buy third grade herbs to temper his body.

“Mr. Bolton, I only have eight taels of silver. Could you help me pick out a few sets of third grade herbs?”

Charles Bennett licked his lips.