“Oh my god, it’s crawling with snakes! This isn’t something you can just hunker down and wait out. No way, I can’t do this.”
“My little treasure is waiting for me back home. I can’t risk my life here.”
Sheng Yang and Li Dashan resisted once again.
Zeng Keyu was also wavering. Knowing it was a snake pit and still going in—that was a real test of nerves.
He Mu remained silent, simply scrolling through the system mall. Among the few time-limited items available were a Depth Charge priced at 200 yuan, a Scarecrow at 500 yuan, and an Ice and Snow Talisman at 1000 yuan.
A bit pricey, but she had the money.
He Mu thought for a moment and asked Xuan Qi, “Excuse me, does it count as success as long as all of us reach the opposite shore, no matter what method we use?”
Xuan Qi could tell He Mu was a clever person with her own ideas, just like how she knew how to protect the weak in the first trial—something other seekers of treatment wouldn’t have thought of.
Now, hearing her say this, she probably had another plan and was trying to get information from him first.
Xuan Qi said, “You must cross by stepping on the river.”
He Mu smiled. “Alright then, we’ll cross by stepping on the river.”
She immediately spent 1000 yuan from the mall, pulled out an Ice and Snow Talisman, and tossed it into the river. In an instant, the river froze, trapping the water, along with any water snakes or leeches, beneath a thick layer of ice.
Everyone was stunned.
“Time to cross.”
He Mu pushed Lu Lang’s wheelchair across the river to the opposite shore, then waved and called out, “Hurry over! It’s going to wear off soon.”
Lu Shiyan snapped out of it, grabbed the nearest Li Dashan, and ran across.
Zeng Keyu also pulled Sheng Yang across.
With that, all six successfully crossed the river.
The four siblings—Xuan Qi and the others—looked at He Mu with changed expressions.
“It seems we all misjudged you. You’re actually a cultivator.”
Nu Ba walked to the riverbank, lightly touched the ice with her finger, and withdrew it immediately. But it seemed to carry a corrosive power—the ice instantly melted, and even the river water dried up by more than half.
The river water flowed ceaselessly, quickly refilling the riverbed.
But the miracle of a single finger melting ice and drying water left even He Mu staring in awe for a minute or two.
Right—in mythology, Nu Ba, the daughter of the Yellow Emperor, was the drought goddess. She played a crucial role in the later Battle of Zhuolu but exhausted her divine power, causing drought and no rain wherever she went.
At this point, Nu Ba should be able to control her divine power at will. If she touched someone while using this ability, it would be a surefire way to create a mummy in no time.
Xuan Qi said to He Mu, “The trial is passed. You and the patient, follow me.”
He Mu immediately perked up.
Lu Shiyan quickly asked, “What about us? Can’t we follow?”
Xuan Qi glanced at Lu Shiyan. “Wait outside.”
Meeting Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan face-to-face was no easy task.
Those seeking treatment would first consult other healers. Minor issues would be resolved directly, while only the most difficult cases would be brought to Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan.
Otherwise, if every little ailment required his attention, how busy would he be? His time was mostly spent leading the tribe to grow strong and achieve glory.
He Mu pushed Lu Lang as they followed Xuan Qi to a nearby village, arriving at a small fenced courtyard at the village entrance.
A long-faced man in hemp clothing was feeding chickens in the courtyard. Their feathers were as fine as silk, hence the name Silk Feather Black Chicken—a top-grade nourishing ingredient.
Xuan Qi led He Mu and Lu Lang into the courtyard and greeted him, “Uncle Yu, there are outsiders seeking treatment. Could you take a look?”
Uncle Yu… Yu Fu? That famous divine surgeon?
He Mu respectfully stepped forward and bowed. “Divine Healer Yu, I have long heard of your great name. I humbly request you to examine my master.”
Lu Lang also spoke respectfully, “We beg for your help.”
After scattering the grain in his hand, Yu Fu looked up, first nodding to Xuan Qi, then turning his gaze to He Mu and Lu Lang.
Yu Fu said, “Since the young master has brought them here, they must have passed the test. They are guests now. Please, come inside.”
Xuan Qi did not accompany them the entire way, leaving after delivering them to the door.
The house had a threshold, making it inconvenient to push the wheelchair inside. He Mu simply lifted Lu Lang, wheelchair and all, and carried him in.
Seeing this, Yu Fu remarked, “This young lady has impressive strength. Is it innate divine power or cultivated later?”
“Such trivial strength is hardly worth mentioning.”
She possessed neither innate divine power nor cultivated strength—it was purely a stroke of luck, a system that had fast-tracked her abilities.
And indeed, it wasn’t worth discussing. In the presence of such renowned figures, she was merely a small fry.
Yu Fu chuckled, “To be so young and already know how to remain humble and restrained—commendable.”
He Mu was both flattered and surprised. “Divine Healer Yu, you praise me too highly.”
Once inside, Yu Fu began examining Lu Lang, checking his pulse, observing his tongue, and feeling his bone joints and other areas.
Yu Fu said, “I’m afraid this patient’s bones are damaged.”
Lu Lang nodded excitedly. “Divine Healer, is there a way to treat it?”
He Mu also watched him nervously.
Yu Fu laughed heartily. “It’s not too difficult.”
He then turned to He Mu and said, “I prefer no one else present during treatment. You must be hungry after the journey. There’s some chicken soup simmering in the kitchen. Go and have a bite to eat.”
He Mu left the room, giving Yu Fu the space to work.
Following the aroma of meat, she went to the kitchen and saw a clay pot filled to the brim with Silk Feather Black Chicken soup, infused with some unidentifiable medicinal herbs. The fragrance was overwhelming.
She ladled a small bowl and drank it down. A warm current surged through her entire body, leaving her feeling cozy and invigorated. She faintly sensed a new change in her physique—it seemed more agile now.
[Congratulations, Host, for completing Body Tempering Fifth Stage.]
?
The beginner’s gift pack had granted her the first three stages of Body Tempering: Muscle Training, Blood Transformation, and Tendon Alteration. Now, she had gained two more stages: Skin Training and Bone Forging?
She had just endured a beating and eaten a meal—was advancing this easy?
The system must have gone easy on her, practically handing her the entire Pacific Ocean.
Happiness shared is happiness doubled.
He Mu found an empty clay basin, filled it with about two-thirds of the soup and a few pieces of meat from the pot, and carried it toward the outskirts of the village.
Before long, she spotted Lu Shiyan.
Lu Shiyan and the others were not allowed to enter the village, but they were free to move around outside. However, soldiers were secretly monitoring their movements.
Not seeing Zeng Keyu and the other two, He Mu asked, “Why are you alone? Where are the others?”
Sheng Yang had an urgent need to relieve himself and dragged Zeng Keyu along to accompany him. Li Dashan also joined in the fun, forming a team to answer nature’s call.
Lu Shiyan replied, “They’ll be back soon. What are you carrying?”
“Something good.”
There weren’t many bowls or chopsticks at Yu Fu’s place, so He Mu had brought only a basin for the soup and a single bowl. She hadn’t even taken chopsticks—with just a few pieces of meat, they weren’t necessary.
He Mu poured a bowl of soup for Lu Shiyan, steam still rising from it. “Try it.”
Lu Shiyan’s appetite surged at the smell. He downed the bowl in one gulp and helped himself to a second.
Zeng Keyu and the other two returned, drawn by the aroma. He Mu let them take turns drinking.
Before long, their bodies began to change.
Lu Shiyan and Zeng Keyu, who had endured the most beatings, saw their bruises visibly fade. A surge of warmth coursed through their bodies, awakening them from within.
Sheng Yang took a few kicks, and after drinking the chicken soup, he felt a slight sensation. The heaviness from lack of exercise was gone from his body, replaced by an unprecedented lightness, and his hands and feet felt stronger.
Li Dashan finished even the last drop of the soup and gnawed on two pieces of meat, but aside from feeling full, he noticed nothing else.
Li Dashan muttered, “You’re fooling me, aren’t you? I don’t feel anything at all.”
He Mu pointed out bluntly, “That’s because you hid the best and didn’t get hit at all.”