Chapter 28

Words : 1223 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

The sudden noise startled Lu Qing, and he became wary.What was that sound? A person, an animal, or a rat? He thought of the mysterious little beast that had stolen two large pieces of fish meat the previous night. Could it be that the creature had returned? But he had already brought all the fish meat inside. Would this creature be bold enough to break in? Recalling the information from his morning's abilities, the mysterious little beast seemed to have sharp claws. Lu Qing tightly gripped the stick he kept by his bed. At that moment, he missed the electricity from his previous life. If this were his previous home, any small beast could be scared away just by turning on the light. Unfortunately, he couldn't even afford an oil lamp now, let alone use light to frighten away wild animals. The noise outside continued, sounding like something scratching at the door. Even though Lu Qing was usually brave, he felt a bit scared at this moment. He gripped the stick and quietly walked out of the room into the hall. Suddenly, the stick struck the door with a loud bang. The noise outside immediately stopped. Lu Qing stood in the hall, gripping the stick and trying to stay calm. After a long time, he didn't hear the noise again. However, he didn't dare to open the door to check. Only after ensuring that there was no more movement outside did he return to his room. He had to admit, the calming effect of the Fish Stone was excellent. Despite the loud noise, Xiao Yan was still sound asleep. Otherwise, he would have had to comfort her for a long time. That night, Lu Qing couldn't sleep well. Fearing that the creature might return, he hardly slept at all, only dozing off briefly as dawn approached. As a result, when he arrived at Doctor Chen's place the next day, he had two large dark circles under his eyes and looked exhausted. Seeing his condition, Doctor Chen frowned. "Lu Qing, I know you want to master the Compendium of Materia Medica as soon as possible, but you must balance work and rest. Sometimes, overstudying can be counterproductive." "Moreover, if you wish to become a healer, you must take care of your own body. How can you treat others if you can't keep yourself well?" He assumed Lu Qing had been up all night studying. "Grandpa Chen, it's not what you think," Lu Qing said with a bitter smile. "I didn't sleep well last night for another reason." He then recounted the events of the previous night. "You mean to say, a wild animal tried to enter your house last night, causing you to stay up all night?" Doctor Chen was surprised. "Yes, I was worried it might sneak in and harm Xiao Yan, so I stayed up," Lu Qing replied, rubbing his eyes. "Brother, how come I didn't know?" Xiao Yan asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. "You slept like a little pig, of course you didn't know," Lu Qing teased, tapping her nose. "But you can't stay up every night like this," Doctor Chen said thoughtfully. He then went inside and soon returned with a packet of powder, handing it to Lu Qing. "Take this powder." "Grandpa Chen, what is this?" Lu Qing asked. "It's a mixture I made myself, containing various herbs to repel insects and animals. I often use it for protection when I walk in the mountains," Doctor Chen explained. "From what you said, the animal isn't very big. Spread this powder around your house, and it should be deterred." Lu Qing was overjoyed. "Thank you, Grandpa Chen!" The powder came at just the right time. Otherwise, he might have considered setting traps to catch the mysterious little beast. However, the information he had gathered made him hesitant. After all, the footprints of the mysterious little beast alone were of a high level. Who knew how powerful the beast itself was? After putting away the powder, Lu Qing took out the Compendium of Materia Medica and continued to seek Doctor Chen's guidance. This time, Doctor Chen was even more pleased. He found that Lu Qing was learning the Compendium of Materia Medica very quickly. Not only had he memorized what was taught the previous day, but he had also reviewed the remaining content and could infer other principles from it. At this rate, it wouldn't take long for him to master the entire book. "Excellent. It's clear you studied diligently yesterday," Doctor Chen said with satisfaction, stroking his beard. "I wouldn't dare forget your teachings, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing replied respectfully. "Alright, that's enough for today. You're becoming familiar with the Compendium of Materia Medica, but mere familiarity with the book is not enough," Doctor Chen advised. "Whether you become a healer or a herbalist, you need to know how to identify and select real herbs." "I remember there are some common herbs growing near the village. You can observe them and compare them with the descriptions in the Compendium of Materia Medica to see if they match," Doctor Chen instructed. "Yes, I will remember that," Lu Qing replied. "Oh, by the way, you and Xiao Yan don't need to come tomorrow. I need to go to town to sell the Red Moon Carp for you. You can study at home," Doctor Chen added. "You're going to town, Grandpa Chen?" Lu Qing asked excitedly. "Yes, the pharmacy in town ordered some herbs from me. I need to deliver them," Doctor Chen replied. "Do you need me to buy something for you? Selling the Red Moon Carp will bring you a good sum of money." "Yes!" Lu Qing answered immediately. He did have something he wanted Doctor Chen to buy. "Oh, what do you want to buy?" "I want to buy an iron pot," Lu Qing said. "Grandpa Chen, you know our house went through some changes, and I sold many things, including our only iron pot. So, I want to get a new one." "An iron pot... that's reasonable," Doctor Chen considered and agreed. "Anything else?" S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NƟvelFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality. "Also, some salt. We're almost out of salt at home," Lu Qing added. "Anything else you need?" "No, that's all for now," Lu Qing shook his head. In fact, there were many things he wanted to buy: oil, grain, clothes, shoes, and more. But he knew he had to be reasonable. Doctor Chen was an elder and was already kind enough to help him buy things. If he asked for too much, it would be inconsiderate. If not for the fact that iron pots and salt could only be bought in town, he wouldn't have troubled Doctor Chen even for these. As for other items, he could buy them at the market later. When he returned from Doctor Chen's, the first thing Lu Qing did was spread the powder around the house. He thought he could finally get a good night's sleep. However, after Xiao Yan fell asleep that night, he heard the noise again.

Chapter 28

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