36. Spirit Seed

"Chen Fengyun, why don't you pick a few more pieces? My uncle said you can choose as many as you like," Zeng Yiyue quietly reminded Chen Fengyun.

"With this five hundred thousand, that's already enough to cover my university expenses. Even though I unintentionally did Uncle Zhao a small favor last night, this much is sufficient. If I keep asking for more, people will look down on me for being greedy," Chen Fengyun replied with a gentle smile.

"You're right, I think so too. It's still early, so how about we stay in Yunnan for a few more days? We could visit Xishuangbanna and Cangshan Erhai, what do you think?" Zeng Yiyue nodded in agreement.

"Great, let's go together!" Before Chen Fengyun could respond, Xu Dalin eagerly chimed in.

"Aren't you two still in school? Don't you have classes to attend?" Chen Fengyun asked curiously. Was it really so easy for college students now, to skip class whenever they wanted and go traveling?

"We're here for our social practice program, and there are still five days left. So we can accompany you and explore the area a bit. It's our first time in Yunnan, too," Geng Chunming replied with a laugh.

"Alright, that's fine. We have some time before the college entrance exam results come out. As long as we return before then, it should be fine," Chen Fengyun considered. Since they were already out, they might as well travel a bit more—perhaps they could gain something from visiting more places.

Currently, Chen Fengyun's cultivation had reached a temporary bottleneck, so he could take this opportunity to study other things, such as the art of crafting magical implements, and perhaps upgrade the level of his flying sword.

Young people are always ready to set off at a moment's notice. The next day, they bid farewell to Zhao Jianguo and began their journey around Yunnan, deciding to visit Xishuangbanna first, then Dali and other places.

Chen Fengyun noticed that Xu Dalin seemed to have ulterior motives, constantly gravitating toward Zeng Yiyue, trying to get close to her. Zeng Yiyue, however, appeared not to notice, or perhaps found him agreeable, as they got along quite well.

Still, observing quietly, Chen Fengyun found that both Geng Chunming and Xu Dalin shared the impulsiveness and boldness of youth, but were good people at heart. If Zeng Yiyue was willing to develop things further with Xu Dalin, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

On the road, everyone was having a great time, and whenever they stopped to rest, Chen Fengyun would immerse himself in the refinement techniques recorded in the jade slip, constantly learning the skills required to craft magical items, such as identifying various materials and mastering the necessary techniques.

A few days later, Chen Fengyun discovered that his cultivation panel now showed a new skill: Artifact Refining, though it was still at Mortal Level, First Tier. However, it could be improved using attribute points.

"No need to rush to enhance it with attribute points. I'll wait until I've mastered all the knowledge in this jade slip and then use attribute points to increase the level—the effect will be much greater that way," Chen Fengyun thought to himself.

Xishuangbanna, known in ancient Dai language as Mengbalanaxi, means "a magical and ideal land." It's famous for its wondrous tropical rainforests and the rich culture of ethnic minorities, making it one of the most popular tourist cities in China.

Notable attractions include the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Mengle Giant Buddha Temple, Wild Elephant Valley, and the Dai Ethnic Garden. The annual Water-Splashing Festival, held from April 13 to 15, is renowned as the Oriental Carnival.

Xishuangbanna is not only a multi-ethnic region but also one of the richest places in the world for wild plants. Its agreeable climate draws countless tourists from all over the globe.

When Chen Fengyun and his friends arrived, the Water-Splashing Festival had long since ended, and the summer holidays had not yet begun, but the area was still bustling with tourists. Laughter could be heard everywhere, and people were constantly stopping to take selfies or group photos.

In an ancient street, Chen Fengyun noticed that most shops sold all kinds of souvenirs, including clothing and jewelry of various ethnic groups, as well as unique toys and artifacts.

"You all go on ahead and have fun; I'll browse here for a bit," Chen Fengyun said suddenly, having spotted an antique shop. He left the others behind and started examining the shop's wares.

Of course, he was actually searching for old objects infused with special energy. Although some items in the shop were replicas, Chen Fengyun, using his spiritual sense, still managed to spot a few genuine antiques.

However, whether genuine or not, the prices were not cheap. Even if he managed to find a bargain, there was little profit to be made. After ruling out any objects without special energy, he ended up selecting nothing.

"It seems not all antiques contain special energy. Only those used by cultivators, or those made from rare natural treasures, would possess such qualities," he reflected.

After nearly an hour of searching with no results, Chen Fengyun left the shop, feeling somewhat disappointed. He wandered the streets, looking for Zeng Yiyue and the others as he strolled.

Suddenly, a shop selling medicinal herbs caught his attention. When his spiritual sense swept over the shop, he detected a faint trace of spiritual energy. It was very weak, but unmistakable.

"Welcome! What can I help you with today?" A middle-aged woman in brightly colored ethnic dress greeted him with a warm smile.

"May I take a look at these herbs first?" Chen Fengyun was unsure of the shopkeeper's ethnicity and worried about any possible taboos, so he asked politely.

"Of course, feel free to look around. If you have any questions, just ask me," the shopkeeper replied kindly.

Chen Fengyun began searching carefully for the source of the faint spiritual energy. Finally, he discovered that it wasn't coming from the herbs themselves, but from some brownish seeds in a corner of the shop.

"Boss, what are these?" he asked.

"Those are benzoin and Paris polyphylla seeds," the shopkeeper replied, a bit surprised that such a young man would be interested in seeds.

"Benzoin? Paris polyphylla? Are these used in traditional medicine?" Chen Fengyun inquired.

"Yes, this is the medicinal benzoin," the shopkeeper explained patiently, picking up a mass of spherical granules pressed together, reddish-brown to grayish-brown in color, embedded with yellowish-white and grayish-white almond-like pieces, and with a rough, uneven surface.

"And this is Paris polyphylla, also known as 'Seven-leaf One Flower,'" she continued, pointing to a knobby, flat, slightly curved cylinder, yellowish-brown or grayish-brown on the surface, with white patches where the skin had fallen off; densely ringed with rough bands, one end with prominent nodes, the nodes bearing oval, sunken stem scars.

"What are their uses?" Chen Fengyun's spiritual sense continued to scan the seeds, noting that only a few emitted faint traces of spiritual energy.

"Benzoin can treat abdominal pain, postpartum dizziness, and other ailments. Paris polyphylla is mainly used for sore throats, snake and insect bites, bruises, and similar symptoms," the shopkeeper explained one by one.