Divine Level Witch Doctor

Li Tao was passionately making his point, spittle flying, but Meng Dahua reached out and tugged his arm, signaling him to stop.

"What gives?" Li Tao turned, confused and annoyed.

Meng Dahua said nothing, just jutted his chin toward Zhao Yuan. Only then did Li Tao notice Zhao Yuan's completely calm expression; he showed no sign of shock whatsoever. Li Tao froze, thinking he must not have explained it clearly. He quickly repeated himself, "Er... you're not surprised at all? The herbs here grow as much in one day as they do in one or two years anywhere else!"

"I heard you," Zhao Yuan replied. "No need to shout."

He had anticipated how well the herbs here would grow.

'Are you kidding me? He was the one who personally used the Five Elements Coins to set up the Spirit Gathering Array passed down by Wu Peng. It would be stranger if the herbs planted here *didn't* grow well! After all, the Spirit Gathering Array Zhao Yuan had set up in the medicinal herb garden at West Hua Medical University was just an incomplete version, and even that had made the herbs grow like they were on steroids!'

"You knew? Then why aren't you surprised?" Li Tao asked, his own face a mask of astonishment.

Meng Dahua's eyes lit up. "You know the reason for their frenzied growth?"

He and Li Tao had been studying the cause of the herbs' explosive growth for a while now but had come up with no answers. They had tested the soil, the water, the seeds, and even the air, but found nothing out of the ordinary. In the end, they could only conclude this mountain was some kind of natural treasure.

Zhao Yuan nodded. "Of course. The herbs are growing so fast not because this is some fabled treasure land, but because I used a special cultivation technique."

A special cultivation technique?

Meng Dahua and Li Tao were stunned, finding it hard to believe.

'This kid only showed up to scatter the seeds. After that, he went to Rongcheng City and hasn't been back since. When the hell did he have time to use a special cultivation technique?'

Zhao Yuan smiled and said, "This special technique of mine doesn't need to be applied daily. Using it once, at the time of planting, is enough."

Meng Dahua and Li Tao were still skeptical, but the proof was right before their eyes.

'Could such a miraculous technique really exist in this world?'

The two were both shocked and excited. They wanted to press him for details, but though they opened their mouths to ask, they ultimately said nothing.

They weren't fools. They had been around the block and knew how the world worked. How could they not understand that a technique like this would be a closely guarded secret? They were just outsiders. Prying into the matter would be asking for trouble. What if they angered Zhao Yuan and he kicked them out? That would be a tremendous loss! They wanted to stay here and continue their research.

"Don't you two worry about the construction." Zhao Yuan didn't chat with them any further. With that, he turned and walked away.

Staring at his departing figure, Li Tao nudged Meng Dahua with his elbow and asked in a low voice, "Elder Meng, do you think he was telling the truth? Does a cultivation technique that can make herbs grow as much in one day as they would in one or two years... really exist?"

After a moment of contemplation, Meng Dahua said, "I believe him. I can't find any other explanation!"

Li Tao sighed. "I've been cultivating Chinese medicinal herbs for so many years. I always thought I was among the best in the field, an undisputed authority. But now, compared to Boss Zhao... I feel like a complete amateur!"

"I feel the same way," Meng Dahua said, nodding in agreement. "Putting everything else aside, this special cultivation technique alone guarantees that he will become an insurmountable giant in the world of medicinal herb cultivation!"

At that moment, the two medicinal herb experts were completely and utterly in awe of Zhao Yuan.

What they didn't know, however, was that the "special cultivation technique" was a lie Zhao Yuan had deliberately fabricated for their benefit.

Zhao Yuan knew that once the herbs from the cultivation base went on sale, they would inevitably attract widespread attention. Anyone who cared to investigate would quickly discover that the herbs hadn't been growing for very long. Once word got out, it would surely lead to all kinds of speculation.

To prevent harmful speculation and its potential consequences, Zhao Yuan decided to preemptively tell the two experts that the explosive growth was due to a special cultivation technique he had mastered. When the time came, he could let them explain it to the world on his behalf.

After all, in this age of explosive technological advancement, all sorts of incredible new tech could appear. This excuse was certainly better than rumors of a "Treasure Mountain," right? If people actually believed the Treasure Mountain rumors and came flocking to stake claims and lease land, the environmental damage would be immense.

While the two medicinal herb experts were whispering to each other, Zhao Yuan walked over to a group of villagers and called out to one of them, "Brother Quan, is your motorcycle around?"

"It is, it is! You need to use it?" a young man in his twenties called back.

Zhao Yuan nodded. "Yeah, mind if I borrow it for a bit?"

"No problem! I'll go home and ride it over for you right now. Wait here!" Brother Quan shouted, then turned and ran toward his house. The other villagers swarmed up to greet Zhao Yuan.

The old village chief was there too. Hearing Zhao Yuan, he tapped his long-stemmed pipe on the ground twice, walked over to his side, and asked in a low voice, "Brother Yuan, where are you off to?"

Zhao Yuan replied, "Nowhere special. It's been a while since I was back, just wanted to ride around a bit."

The old village chief was skeptical. "You need a motorcycle just to 'ride around a bit'? Besides, your family has a motorcycle. Why borrow someone else's?"

"Well..." Zhao Yuan was at a loss for words.

Before he could think of an excuse, the old village chief pressed, "Be honest. Are you planning to go to Xiaqiao Village?"

Zhao Yuan hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes. When I left home this morning, I heard my dad talking about what's happening in Xiaqiao Village. It sounded very strange, so I was planning to go over and see what's going on with my own eyes."

A look of understanding dawned on the old village chief's face. "You don't think it's Ghosts or evil spirits in Xiaqiao Village?"

Zhao Yuan shook his head. "I can't say for sure if it's Ghosts or evil spirits. I'll have to go see for myself to find out." Then he added, "You're not going to try and stop me, are you, Chief?"

"Stop you? As if I could stop you. You're a grown man. What am I going to do, have someone tie you up so you can't go?" the old village chief joked, before his expression turned serious. "But if you really do go to Xiaqiao Village, you must be extremely careful! Do your best not to come into contact with their people. Don't drink their water or eat their food. Right now, everyone in the ten miles and eight villages is saying Xiaqiao Village has been cursed. I don't know if it's true, but it's never wrong to be cautious."

"I know." Zhao Yuan nodded. Seeing that Brother Quan hadn't returned with the motorcycle yet, he asked, "Chief, when did all this strangeness start in Xiaqiao Village? I didn't hear anything about it when I was back for New Year's."

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