The next morning, Wang Linchi left early with Zhang Dao. Many villagers watched them with indifference; none attempted to stop them.
Mainly, it was because they had neither personal relations nor mutual interests. Zhang Dao was just a child in Wang Linchi's eyes, but to the villagers, he was already considered the head of his household and not a child at all. It was his own choice, and nobody felt obligated to dissuade him.
The two left quickly and endured hardship on the road. Zhang Dao never complained or grew tired. Instead, he was eager to learn. On the second day after their departure, he told Wang Linchi that he had mastered the material.
"So soon? The whole book?" Wang Linchi voiced his disbelief, but inwardly, he wasn't concerned at all. He was even surprised Zhang Dao had lasted two days; he had actually expected him to claim mastery the day before.
"Master, let recite it for you." Zhang Dao didn't try to explain, knowing it would be pointless. To convince Wang Linchi, he just needed to recite it once.
The recitation went smoothly, without any stumbles, demonstrating his proficiency.
Wang Linchi's expression naturally shifted to one of surprise. He needed to play his part.
Zhang Dao couldn't help but laugh inwardly each ti he saw 'Wang Linyuan' look surprised. He found it amusing. If only this 'Wang Linyuan' were willing to pass on the Heavenly Talisman Body technique to him, he would actually be a decent person.
"Well done. Your mory is impressive," Wang Linchi said, recovering from his shock. "Although mory isn't the primary requirent for mastering Charms, a good mory can, to so extent, indicate the strength of one's Comprehension."
"It seems you truly have a Talent for this craft."
At this point, Wang Linchi sighed with feigned emotion, "I didn't expect that at my age, God would send such a promising young seedling."
Zhang Dao was overjoyed. In previous simulations, Wang Linchi had never expressed this final sigh of emotion. Clearly, his performance this ti had been too good; his progress in gaining favor was exceptionally smooth.
The rest would have to co slowly.
"I am undeserving. It is all thanks to you, Master, for saving my life that I have this opportunity." Zhang Dao naturally wouldn't smugly claim to be a genius. Instead, he remained humble, attributed the credit to Wang Linchi, and implied that without Wang Linchi, he would be nothing.
"What does that have to do with ? It's all due to your own Talent. Next, I will impart to you the true arts of the Charm. I can only do my best to teach; how much you learn is entirely up to you." Wang Linchi's expression beca stern.
They continued their journey, Wang Linchi instructing as they walked, and gradually, evening approached.
"I never expected your Comprehension to be so profound. In a single day, you've learned what took a month of study."
"It's getting late. Let's set up camp here for the night and resu our journey tomorrow morning." Wang Linchi checked the ti; it was indeed unsuitable to continue traveling.
This stretch of the journey had been peaceful. However, beyond this area, things were likely to beco unsettled. Even without feuding Warlords, various bandits road freely. There was no shortage of people who couldn't survive and thus resorted to becoming outlaws.
Zhang Dao naturally agreed and diligently helped Wang Linchi set up the tents.
He was very pleased about this.
His pleasure wasn't because Wang Linchi was teaching him the arts of the Charm—he had no interest in these fundantals, having mastered them long ago. Rather, it was because tonight, he would obtain the precious herb, Dragon Pattern Heavenly Hemp. With an eidetic mory, his subsequent progress would be even smoother.
In these initial stages, his focus was naturally on increasing his own Potential and developnt, not on achieving instant success, which was fundantally impossible.
The tents were quickly set up. Zhang Dao went to gather firewood while Wang Linchi prepared the evening al.
A bonfire was essential to deter Wild Beasts.
Wang Linchi watched Zhang Dao walk further and further away. "What good thing has this kid found now?" he wondered. He understood that Zhang Dao must have used the Unpredicted Prophet to locate sothing and that there was a plan involved. "To be able to pinpoint things with such accuracy, he's truly remarkable."
Wang Linchi followed Zhang Dao's route, using his mosquito mory-entities for reconnaissance, and soon found a scene of a wrecked carriage and dead bodies.
"Ambushed by robbers?"
The carriage was filled with dicinal herbs and furs, most of them damaged. As for the corpses, they were badly decomposed.
However, judging by their attire, they were likely a rchant caravan under a Warlord.
"No, this wasn't a robbery. It was a silencing." Wang Linchi quickly realized.
If it had truly been a robbery, this cartload of dicinal herbs and furs would certainly not have been left behind, and the bodies would have been thoroughly searched.
If nothing else, the value of these dicinal herbs in these chaotic tis was practically equivalent to Gold.
dicine was needed everywhere; after all, wars were raging all around.
Yet these items were simply discarded in this hidden ditch. This suggested the assailants cared nothing for these valuables, or perhaps these goods were a hot potato—handling them would risk discovery by the Warlord backing the caravan.
"Ti of death: no more than a month ago." Wang Linchi quickly estimated.
anwhile, Zhang Dao had also arrived. Unlike Wang Linchi, who had scouted with his mory-entities, Zhang Dao headed straight for his target with clear purpose. After so rummaging, he quickly produced a brocade box.
Opening it revealed a dicinal herb, long and slender like a dragon. Wang Linchi recognized it at a glance: it was Gastrodia elata, but a mutated variety, different from the common type.
These mutated dicinal herbs had only appeared in the last two hundred years or so, but artificially inducing such mutations was quite difficult.
Compared to ordinary varieties, mutated herbs possessed significantly greater dicinal potency. However, most people wouldn't consu them, as it could lead to their bodies being overwheld by the nourishnt—a minor ailnt could potentially beco fatal after a single dose.
They were either used to prolong a life hanging by a thread or as poison; rarely were they used for ordinary treatnt.
Just like the Yao Lingzhi Zhang Dao had consud earlier, which was also a mutated form of Lingzhi.
Wang Linchi watched Zhang Dao chew and swallow the Dragon Pattern Heavenly Hemp in just a few mouthfuls. "Dragon Pattern Heavenly Hemp. So this was your target."
"However, in the last hundred years, the yield of these mutated herbs seems to have declined annually. Most of the mutated herbs still found today are over a century old."
Wang Linchi identified the Dragon Pattern Heavenly Hemp Zhang Dao had swallowed as having at least a hundred years of dicinal potency. To consu all of it without any adverse reaction... it could only be said that his bloodline and constitution were truly exceptional.
Well, it was also possible that it hadn't been digested and absorbed yet, so the effects weren't imdiately apparent.
But judging from Zhang Dao's actions, he clearly knew the potency of the Dragon Pattern Heavenly Hemp. Otherwise, would he have taken it out and consud it so readily, without the slightest hesitation?
After eating it, he didn't even glance at the remaining items, simply picked up the firewood he had previously set aside, and hurried back.
Wang Linchi couldn't help but notice sothing odd. "This gives the distinct impression of an expert Player speedrunning a ga." Combined with Zhang Dao's attitude, there was indeed a Player's ntality at play.
"A simulator? Or is his Heroic Spirit himself?" Wang Linchi couldn't help but think of these two types of Golden Fingers.
That must be why he can undergo repeated trial and error, finding the optimal path to success.
"If it's the latter, then perhaps that explains everything."
It is because it's the latter that he appears increasingly childlike. Wang Linchi is moving with the flow of ti, while the other is moving against the current of history. Therefore, the current Nine Extres is the first-generation Nine Extres, while the Emperor of Universe from Ancient Tis is the final generation.
After all, those with 'Heroic Spirit is Myself' type Golden Fingers usually can't start their simulations directly from the most powerful Ancient Era. They can only begin from the lowest level and the era closest to their own.
"No wonder I couldn't find him. It turns out he and I aren't even in the sa era. What's here is rely a projection that has possessed soone else's body."
"He's controlling it remotely, which is why I can't trace it to its source."
"If my guess is correct, then this Nine Extres, Zhang Dao, will be the least threatening Nine Extres of all."
Wang Linchi's eyes narrowed. He pondered if he could perhaps exploit this situation.
Wang Linchi was still quite cautious. "But I must continue to probe. If my guess is wrong, I'll have alerted the enemy." These were all speculations based on his intuition. Although, thanks to his good Luck, his guesses were correct nine tis out of ten.
Yet, the possibility of failure remained.
Moreover, if the other party truly possessed such a Golden Finger, as speculated, he was bound to be a protagonist. The clash of their destinies would surely attempt to mislead Wang Linchi.
"Fortunately, probing isn't difficult. I just need to observe more carefully to reach a conclusion."
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