Chapter 522: All Are Powerless

"Yes, Garden Master Xue, please tell us, otherwise we're groping in the dark!"

"If everyone doesn't know, we'll be powerless. Medicine Master, why not elaborate on the situation? We need to find a better solution!"

...

Old Lu's words made everyone nod and shout out at the same time.

Even if only for Garden Master Xue's reward, they dared not be perfunctory.

"Alright, then I'll talk about the situation with the Earth Vein Spirit Vine!"

Knowing that only by speaking out could others think of a solution, Garden Master Xue did not decline: "The Earth Vein Spirit Vine had always thrived. When it wasn't sick, this vine was plump and round, entirely emerald green, with lush foliage. Coming here gave one a sense of abundant vitality... About half a year ago, things changed!"

"Half a year ago, the maidservant I sent to watch over the medicinal garden reported that the spirit vine had yellowing leaves. At the time, I didn't believe it and rushed over immediately. Upon seeing it, it was indeed so! However, anyone who has cultivated medicinal herbs knows that plant leaves change color with the seasons, so I didn't take it seriously!"

"Who would have thought that ten days later, like an infection, the yellow leaves increased, from a few to fully half. At this point, I finally realized something was wrong and immediately sought a cure!"

"With the leaves yellowing, my first suspicion was the quality of the irrigation water. For many plants, the primary factor in such a situation is water!"

"To that end, I specially fetched snow water from Tianhan Mountain to irrigate it. I thought that as time passed, the yellowing would ease. But who knew that a month later, the entire spirit vine was covered in yellow leaves, and not only that, the branches began to wither!"

"Now I was truly panicked. I carefully studied the soil issue, even going to great lengths to replace all the soil the vine absorbed... Still no effect! Then I tried various methods, all to no avail. Until now, I have no other recourse, so I invited everyone here to help!"

Speaking and shaking his head, Garden Master Xue looked dejected.

"Yellow leaves and withering branches—normally, it's either malnutrition or overnutrition... Have you tried adjusting that, Garden Master Xue?"

Old Lu spoke.

"I've tried all that, but it didn't work!"

Garden Master Xue shook his head.

"Let me take a look first!"

After hearing the explanation, an old man stepped forward from the crowd.

"It's Old Liu!"

"Which Old Liu?"

"Who else in Ten Thousand Kingdoms City dares to call himself Old Liu? Of course, it's Garden Master Liu of the North City Medicinal Garden!"

"He came too? The North City Medicinal Garden is the second largest in Ten Thousand Kingdoms City!"

"If even he can't figure it out, we're hopeless..."

...

Seeing the old man step out, the crowd immediately buzzed.

"Is this guy famous?"

Zhang Xuan looked at Lu Zhan with confusion.

"Ahem..." Lu Zhan choked on his saliva: "Brother Zhang, this Old Liu has been renowned in Ten Thousand Kingdoms City for a hundred years. He was once the盟主府's imperial herb cultivator! Even my grandfather once sought his advice. In terms of herb cultivation qualifications, he's undoubtedly the oldest in all of Ten Thousand Kingdoms City! You... you haven't even heard of him?"

Lu Zhan felt like he was going crazy.

Was this Zhang Xuan really from Ten Thousand Kingdoms City? If he was, how could he not know Old Liu?

After all, his fame wasn't limited to herb cultivation; his strength and everything else commanded respect in the royal city.

"Oh," Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Just 'oh'?" Lu Zhan nearly spat blood.

That was Old Liu! Even the current Hall Master Kang of the Master Teacher Hall would show sincere respect and awe when speaking of him. You just say 'oh,' with a calm, expressionless face, as if seeing 'Zhang San, Li Si'—what does that mean?

"What's wrong?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Nothing!"

Seeing his innocent look, Lu Zhan felt dizzy.

Only then did he realize that this young man wasn't pretending; he truly didn't know Old Liu's status and identity.

Just as he suppressed his frustration and planned to thoroughly educate Brother Zhang on herb cultivation knowledge, he heard another sentence that made him furious.

"This old man isn't skilled enough; he can't cure the Earth Vein Spirit Vine!"

Then he saw the young man look at Old Liu and shake his head repeatedly, as if disappointed.

Shake his head? Disappointed?

His chest churning again, Lu Zhan felt like going mad.

What the hell are you disappointed about? Even if you're a master teacher, you know nothing about herb cultivation. Old Liu is a world-renowned herb cultivation expert. Even if he can't cure it, what right do you have to be disappointed?

And that tone!

Like speaking to a junior. Big brother, where did you pop out from? Can you not be so arrogant, so cocky?

While Lu Zhan was about to faint, Old Liu finally circled the thick vine.

"Soil, water quality, air, nutrients... none of them are problematic. What's going on?"

Old Liu frowned, as if puzzled by some difficulty.

With his research on medicinal herbs, he could tell at a glance whether soil, water quality, and such were up to standard. Everything that could affect the herbs was flawless and impeccable, yet such a massive Earth Vein Spirit Vine was dying, which struck him as exceedingly strange.

"Garden Master Xue, could it be that this Earth Vein Spirit Vine has reached the end of its lifespan?"

After pondering for a moment, Old Liu spoke.

"Lifespan? No! An Earth Vein Spirit Vine can live for a thousand years. This one is only a little over a hundred years old. How could its lifespan be over?"

Garden Master Xue shook her head.

She had considered this too and had specifically analyzed it, finding that the entire vine was full of vitality, not at all like it was dying.

"Moreover, if it were the end of its lifespan, it should gradually wither, starting to rot from the roots. But now, the leaves yellow first, then the branches die. Clearly, it's not a matter of lifespan!"

When plants and herbs reach the end of their lifespan, the roots typically yellow and shrivel first, then the leaves. Now the leaves yellow first—the order is clearly wrong.

"Indeed!"

Hearing her analysis, Old Liu couldn't help but shake his head: "I am dull-witted. After investigation, I truly cannot find the problem. Please forgive me, Garden Master Xue!"

"Thank you for your trouble, Old Liu!"

Seeing he was powerless, Garden Master Xue's eyes dimmed a little, but she still replied politely.

"I didn't help. Sorry!"

Old Liu stepped back a few paces and stood to the side, pondering deeply.

It seemed the condition of the Earth Vein Spirit Vine truly left him with no better solution.

"Old Liu really couldn't solve it?"

Seeing that Old Liu indeed said he had no solution, Lu Zhan remembered the young man's earlier remark and couldn't help but widen his eyes.

Had this newly acquainted Brother Zhang spoken correctly by chance, or did he truly have the ability to see at a glance that Old Liu couldn't cure it?

Didn't he know nothing about herb cultivation?

"If Old Liu can't do it, I probably can't either, but I'll still give it a try."

Old Lu stepped forward.

Standing before the vine, he tapped it carefully, peeled off a piece of bark to examine it closely, and after who knows how long of contemplation, he ultimately shook his head, just like Old Liu.

Whether it was a disease or not, after so many years of dealing with herbs, they could quickly identify it. The disease afflicting the Earth Vein Spirit Vine was something they had never seen before, so naturally, they had no way to treat it.

With the two most senior experts, Old Liu and Old Lu, unable to do anything, others came forward one after another to observe and offered many suggestions, but all were rejected by Garden Master Xue.

Because these methods were all very ordinary; she had tried them before with no effect.

An hour later, most of the garden masters and herb cultivation experts who had come had observed and were all powerless. The remaining people were mostly accompanying their elders or just there to observe; their true skill was far inferior to those before. Since those before couldn't solve it, they naturally couldn't think of better methods either.

"Does anyone have any good ideas?"

Seeing that so many gathered pharmacists couldn't solve the problem, Garden Master Xue's disappointment grew.

"No!"

"All the methods I can think of, Garden Master Xue has already tried. It seems it really can't be done."

"If Old Liu, Old Lu, and Garden Master Xue can't do it, how could we possibly come up with a good method..."

"No wonder Garden Master Xue offered such a great reward. This reward is indeed not something just anyone can obtain!"

...

Hearing Garden Master Xue's question, everyone shook their heads in unison.

Most had personally gone up to look; the disease of the Earth Vein Spirit Vine had exceeded their understanding. Even veteran herb cultivators had no solution.

"Very well, thank you all for your trouble. A banquet has been prepared in the living room. Please stay and eat before you leave..."

Seeing that everyone had no more ideas, Garden Master Xue shook her head.

Since she had invited people under the pretext of a banquet, she had naturally prepared food and wine.

"We didn't help, we feel guilty. We'll pass on the banquet..."

"There are matters at home, so I'll take my leave..."

Although Garden Master Xue was earnest, everyone looked rather embarrassed.

Indeed, they were all famous herb cultivators, yet so many had come and couldn't even identify the cause of the plant's illness. No wonder they felt awkward.

"This Earth Vein Spirit Vine is strangely ill. It's not a big deal that you couldn't find the cause; I couldn't either. I hope you'll stay and finish the banquet before leaving. I also have some matters to entrust to you all..."

Seeing everyone's shame, Garden Master Xue knew what they were thinking. She comforted them and was about to continue when she suddenly froze: "Young master, what are you doing?"

Hearing her words, everyone looked over and saw a young man who had somehow stepped out of the crowd, approached the thick vine, and gently touched it with his hand.

After touching it, he turned around on the spot, and as if no one else was there, he touched several more precious herbs before stopping.

"What is he doing?"

Everyone was baffled.

Medicinal herbs require special environments to grow, and some are extremely sensitive to humans, most averse to being touched. Therefore, although everyone was studying why the Earth Vein Spirit Vine was sick, basically no one approached it.

Even if they did touch it, they wore gloves or something.

After all, each cultivator's cultivation technique is different, and it might react with the herbs, leading to unimaginable consequences.

In the past, a strong practitioner with a Yang-attribute technique touched a Yin-attribute herb, causing it to rot and die shortly after.

That's also why herb cultivators all practice neutral techniques.

Now, with so many herb cultivation experts standing by, observing and diagnosing the symptoms, not daring to approach, this guy sneaks in and touches everything recklessly, without restraint...

What is he doing?

Doesn't he know the rules?