The scent of herbs permeated Maester Aemon's room.
Various sundries were piled in the corners, and glass bottles held liquids of different colors.
The old Maester sat hunched over a table, his hands skillfully grinding some kind of dark green leaves.
Though his eyes had long been blind, he could not see the leaves.
So he used his nose to smell and his hands to feel.
"Are you interested in herbalism?"
Aemon's voice remained gentle.
He seemed to sense Lynn's arrival.
"Guards have been getting injured these past few days, and I'd like to learn some basic healing methods from you."
Lynn pulled up a chair and sat down, his gaze falling on the strange plants on the table.
Aemon's hands paused.
He turned his head, his empty eyes directed towards Lynn.
"This is originally a Maester's work."
Seeing that Lynn didn't answer, he continued to speak to himself.
"Treating the injured is only the most superficial application of herbalism."
"True herbalism involves a much wider range of fields."
Lynn's eyebrows raised slightly.
He heard the deeper meaning in Aemon's words.
"Such as?"
Aemon chuckled softly, continuing to grind the leaves in his hand.
"Such as, drugs that induce sleep."
"Potions that affect one's mind, making one disoriented and reveal the truth."
"Herbs that enhance one's physical constitution after consumption."
"And even... poisons that render enemies unable to fight."
The last few words, the old Maester spoke particularly softly.
A brief silence fell in the room.
The fire in the fireplace crackled faintly.
Herbs that enhance one's physical constitution?
Wouldn't that save him from the tedious process of training?
"Are you willing to teach me?"
Lynn didn't beat around the bush, asking directly.
Aemon's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.
Aemon poured the powder in his hand into a small porcelain bowl.
"Power itself is neutral; the key lies in the mindset of the user."
He stood up, fumbling for several glass bottles on the herb shelf.
"Using herbs to save lives from peril."
"Using poison to take lives."
"They are both herbs, but different people will have different uses for them."
Lynn listened quietly, without interrupting.
"Which kind do you want to learn?"
"Both."
Lynn's answer was crisp and direct.
Aemon stopped his movements, his blind eyes looking directly in Lynn's direction.
"Interesting."
The old Maester sat back down in his chair.
"Most people, when faced with this question, choose the side of righteousness."
"At least on the surface."
"But you..."
Aemon's voice carried a hint of approval.
"You are very honest."
Lynn didn't reply, just waited for Aemon to continue.
"Since that's the case, we'll start with the basics."
Aemon pointed to the already ground powders on the table.
"This is Nightshade, which has a slight numbing effect."
"When used alone, it only causes a slight dizziness."
"But if combined with other herbs..."
He had Lynn pour some white powder from another bottle and mix it with the green Nightshade.
"Adding extract of Bittervine will increase the numbing effect several times over."
Lynn carefully recorded the mixing process.
Every step was firmly etched in his mind.
"What about applying it to weapons?"
Lynn asked.
Aemon's hand paused for a moment, then he continued to stir the mixture.
"Poisons for weapons need stronger permeability."
"Ordinary poisons, when they come into contact with skin or wounds, take a long time to take effect."
"But in combat, there is often only a moment's opportunity."
He had Lynn take down a small black bottle from the herb shelf.
The bottle contained a dark green liquid, emitting a pungent odor.
"This is the sap of Blood-seal Throat; a large dose will be fatal."
"But with only a very small dose, it can rapidly paralyze the muscles near a wound."
A flicker of excitement flashed in Lynn's eyes.
This was exactly what he needed.
"But remember."
Aemon's voice suddenly became serious.
"Poison is a double-edged sword."
"If the user is not careful, he can also harm himself."
Over the next few hours, Aemon explained in detail the properties and preparation methods of various herbs.
Lynn focused intently, learning every detail.
[Through Maester Aemon's guidance, you have mastered a new skill]
[Herbalism (Beginner) 1 / 10]
The prompt in his mind invigorated Lynn.
Indeed, learning with guidance was much more efficient.
"This basic knowledge should be enough for you for a while."
Aemon pushed several small bottles in front of Lynn.
"Remember the recipes; you can mix them yourself later."
Lynn carefully put the bottles into his embrace.
A bottle of hemostatic agent, a bottle of ground Nightshade, a bottle of Bittervine extract.
One of the dark green liquids was particularly eye-catching.
That was the finished paralyzing poison that could be applied to weapons.
"Thank you for your guidance, Maester."
Lynn stood up to leave but was called back by Aemon.
"Lynn."
The old Maester's voice carried a hint of deeper meaning.
"Herbalism is merely a means, not an end."
"True wisdom lies in knowing when to use it and when to hold back."
Lynn nodded, pushed open the door, and left the room.
In the courtyard, Toren was leading several Guards in cleaning their equipment.
Seeing Lynn come out, he immediately went to meet him.
"My Lord, the brothers are ready."
"This time we plan to go deeper and look for more wildling groups."
Lynn looked at the sky; the sun was setting.
"No rush."
He took out the bottle of dark green poison from his embrace.
"First, let's treat the weapons."
Toren looked at the small bottle in confusion.
"My Lord, what is this?"
"Poison."
Lynn replied concisely.
"Applied to the blade of a sword, it can quickly incapacitate enemies."
A flicker of excitement flashed in Toren's eyes.
Northern warriors were always pragmatic.
As long as it gave them an advantage, they wouldn't care if the means were honorable.
"Give everyone a little, and remember, don't let it touch your own wounds."
Lynn handed the small bottle to Toren.
"Let's depart after sunrise tomorrow."
That night, Lynn lay in bed but found it difficult to sleep.
His mind kept replaying the gains of the past seven days.
Besides herbalism, more importantly, it was the accumulation of experience points.
In seven days, three small teams took turns attacking.
On average, they brought back a dozen wildling heads every day.
[Current Experience Points: 170]
This number made Lynn's mood incredibly joyful.
It was enough to raise both skills to the next level.
Lynn closed his eyes and began to allocate experience points.
[Do you want to spend 36 experience points to upgrade Light Sword to Mastered level?]
[Confirm]
[Light Sword (Mastered) 0 / 500]
A warm current surged through his body.
Lynn felt that every move he had mastered became more refined.
At the same time, his understanding of Light Sword reached a higher level.
Skill upgrades not only refine one's already mastered skills but also, to some extent, enhance one's comprehension of that weapon.
[Do you want to spend 66 experience points to upgrade Single Handed Sword to Mastered level?]
[Confirm]
[Single Handed Sword (Mastered) 0 / 500]
Another wave of warmth washed over him.
Lynn could clearly feel his understanding of swordsmanship deepen.
The application of strength, the timing of attacks, the angles of defense.
All of these were subtly enhanced.
Not only that.
Lynn also discovered.
There was a subtle commonality between Light Sword and Single Handed Sword.
Complementing each other, his understanding of light weapons became even deeper.
[Do you want to spend 16 experience points to upgrade Unarmed Combat to Mastered level?]
[Confirm]
[Unarmed Combat (Mastered) 0 / 500]
[Do you want to spend 4 experience points to upgrade Archery to Proficient level?]
[Confirm]
[Archery (Proficient) 0 / 100]
[Do you want to spend 9 experience points to upgrade Herbalism to Proficient level?]
[Confirm]
[Herbalism (Proficient) 0 / 100]
Name: Lynn
Strength: 5 (4%)
Agility: 5 (0%)
Constitution: 5 (0%)
[Single Handed Sword (Mastered) 0 / 500]
[Light Sword (Mastered) 0 / 500]
[Riding (Proficient) 1 / 100]
[Unarmed Combat (Mastered) 0 / 500]
[Archery (Proficient) 0 / 100]
[Herbalism (Proficient) 0 / 100]
Remaining Experience: 43
"Since my overall strength has improved, let's test it out with you all."
Lynn looked at the Night's Watch members outside, a excited smile on his face.
"Continue the rotating battles!"
"Every single one of those disobedient ones, beat them all down!"
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