Upon hearing those words, Lu Yao immediately sensed that things were going awry. Yet, constrained by the other party's status, he dared not say much.
"Boy, your injuries are far too severe. Without Blue Sea Tidal Root, White Blossom Green Bodhi, Fragrant-Seeking Hundred-Leaf Grass, and Retained Orchid Purple-Gold Lotus, I fear they will be impossible to cure." The old man let out a deep sigh and spoke with feigned helplessness.
As those names were spoken one by one, the corner of Lu Yao's mouth twitched incessantly. Every spiritual herb the old man listed was part of his private collection. Handing over four such treasures was no different from having a chunk of flesh carved straight off his body.
"And there's also the Thousand-Silk Spirit-Nourishing Root," Lin Tian added calmly. Though he knew little about medicinal herbs, Lu Yao's expression alone told him their immense value. Still, his purpose in coming to the Medicine Peak had never been these herbs—it had always been the Thousand-Silk Spirit-Nourishing Root.
The moment those words left his mouth, both Lu Yao and the old man turned to stare at him in disbelief. If the old man's earlier demands could be considered extortion, at least they had been somewhat justifiable, as those herbs were indeed used to treat internal injuries. But the Thousand-Silk Spirit-Nourishing Root had nothing whatsoever to do with such wounds. By bringing it up now, the intent to fleece him could hardly have been more obvious.
"So what?" the old man retorted swiftly, lifting his chin with imperious arrogance. "Your disciple beat my disciple into such a grievous state—what's wrong with adding one more Thousand-Silk Spirit-Nourishing Root as compensation?"
"Exactly," Lin Tian followed up without missing a beat. "My master still has me organizing the books in the Scripture Pavilion. With injuries this severe, I fear that task will have to be set aside. My personal health may be insignificant, but the Pavilion houses so many precious texts. If they cannot be sorted promptly because of my condition, that would be a grave dereliction of duty indeed."
"Your disciple?" Lu Yao ground his teeth at those words. Left with no choice, he finally produced a Thousand-Silk Spirit-Nourishing Root and handed it over. Compared to the other four herbs, this one's value was, in truth, relatively modest.
"Good disciple, very good," the old man said with unrestrained satisfaction as he examined the herbs in his hand. "To think we managed to pry so many spiritual medicines from Lu Yao so effortlessly. That stingy little brat—back in the day, when I tried to get even a single one of these from him, he refused without hesitation."
"Who's your disciple?" Lin Tian shot back mercilessly.
"Boy, how can you go back on your word?" the old man protested at once, clearly displeased. "You already called me 'Master' just now, and now you want to deny it?"
"That was under duress," Lin Tian replied irritably.
"What? Do you think becoming my disciple is some sort of loss?" The old man bristled. "Do you have any idea how many people on the Medicine Peak are desperate to kneel before me and beg for my tutelage, only to be turned away? I'm making an exception for you, and you're still unhappy?"
"What benefit do I get from being your disciple?" Lin Tian asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied the old man.
"Well now, aren't you bold—scheming against your own master already," the old man said, momentarily stunned. Then a slow smile crept across his face. The more he spoke with Lin Tian, the more intriguing the boy became.
"Very well," the old man said after a moment's thought. "If you are willing to become my disciple, I will give you the Nine-Gold White Jade Lotus that I personally cultivated."
"The Nine-Gold White Jade Lotus? What does it do?" Lin Tian asked, startled.
"You don't even know what the Nine-Gold White Jade Lotus is for?" The old man stared at him in disbelief. "Boy, don't tell me—you aren't a disciple of the Medicine Peak?"
"Ahem… it seems I might, perhaps, not be a disciple of the Medicine Peak after all," Lin Tian replied awkwardly. He had come here solely for the Thousand-Silk Spirit-Nourishing Root. Now that the herb was in hand, there was nothing stopping him from leaving immediately.
"You're actually not from the Medicine Peak?" The old man's excitement flared instantly. "And yet you can read our texts, comprehend them, and even refine and distill their contents?"
As the former Peak Lord of the Medicine Peak, he knew better than anyone how obscure and abstruse those manuals were. Without guidance, most disciples would be utterly lost. That was why specialized elders were assigned to explain medicinal principles and help newcomers gain a foothold.
Someone like Lin Tian, who could rely solely on self-study to achieve comprehension, was exceedingly rare.
"Are the books really that difficult?" Lin Tian asked innocently.
"Difficult—extremely so," the old man replied at once. "When I first entered the Medicine Peak, I could recognize every character, yet once they were strung together, I was completely at a loss. And yet you, boy, possess remarkable insight. Even if you are not of the Medicine Peak, it matters not. If you follow me and diligently study medicinal theory, your future achievements will rival anyone on this peak."
"But what I want to learn… is artifact refining," Lin Tian said hesitantly.
"Artifact refining?" The old man rolled his eyes skyward. He had been wondering which peak could produce such an outstanding disciple, only to discover that the boy was from the Artifact Peak. Now it finally made sense why Lin Tian had demanded the Thousand-Silk Spirit-Nourishing Root.
"Boy, the path of medicine far surpasses that of artifact refining," the old man admonished. "The status of a healer is something no artifact refiner can hope to match. Think carefully—artifact refining may have its prospects, but compared to medicine, it falls woefully short."
"But artifact refining is what I truly love," Lin Tian said firmly. "I appreciate the former Peak Lord's kindness, but I must decline your offer to take me as your disciple."
"Wait," the old man called out urgently as he saw Lin Tian turn to leave.