The Unplantable Herbs

1,807 words

Chapter 159: Celestial Spirit Herbs

Having made up his mind, Han Li set down the jade slip and picked up another one.

The process for refining the “Countenance Pill” was far simpler than that of the Foundation Establishment Pill. It required no true fire to refine, and none of the ingredients listed were unfamiliar—all were fairly common varieties.

What did make him wince was the fact that nearly every single ingredient demanded a medicinal potency of over a thousand years before it could be used as a raw material for the Countenance Pill. No wonder he had never heard of this pill before. If any cultivator actually possessed a thousand-year spirit herb, they would cherish it like their own heart and liver. Why would they waste it on a pill that offered no benefit to cultivation at all? That was precisely why the Countenance Pill was so obscure in the cultivation world.

But for Han Li, this was hardly a problem. It would simply take a little more time to accelerate their growth. So he decided that after he had settled the matter of the Foundation Establishment Pill, he would attempt to refine a batch and see if it truly worked as miraculously as the formula claimed—whether it could really freeze a person’s appearance at the moment they took the pill.

When, about six or seven days later, the little old man came to the Hundred Medicine Garden to collect the next batch of herbs, Han Li made no effort to hide his intentions. Standing right in the garden, he asked directly about the three rare herbs.

“Jade Marrow Mushroom, Purple Ape Fruit, Celestial Spirit Fruit?” The little old man stroked his goatee, his small eyes narrowing into slits.

“Heh, heh! Looks like you’ve already gotten your hands on a Foundation Establishment Pill formula, nephew. That’s why you’re asking about the three main ingredients! But, nephew, you’re not actually thinking of refining it yourself, are you?” This Senior Martial Uncle Ma curled his lip and gave Han Li a look that clearly said, you have no idea how high the sky is.

“Of course not. Setting aside the fact that I know nothing about where to find these three main ingredients, I wouldn’t even know where to dig up the auxiliary herbs, which require several centuries of potency. In this very garden of yours, the oldest thing is nothing more than a Dragon-Grass sapling from a hundred-odd years ago! With a situation like that, how could I possibly entertain fantasies of refining pills?” Han Li, naturally, did not tell the truth and skillfully deflected the question.

“If you’re not planning to refine pills, then why are you asking about these three rare herbs? I’m a busy man—I don’t have time for idle chatter!” The little old man’s face darkened, and he spoke with a harsh, impersonal tone.

Han Li had already anticipated this sort of eccentric behavior from Senior Martial Uncle Ma, so he was not flustered in the slightest. Instead, he smiled and said:

“I was merely curious. Since I’ve never heard anyone mention their appearance or properties, I thought I’d ask out of simple curiosity. But what puzzles me, Uncle, is how it is that even your garden doesn’t have a single one of them. Given your habits, I would have thought you’d go to great lengths to get seeds and cultivate them here. Could it be that these rare herbs are so hard to cultivate that even you, Uncle, cannot manage to grow them?”

“Nonsense! Are you doubting my skill, nephew? The reason these herbs are not in my garden has nothing to do with my abilities. They are manifestations of Heaven and Earth’s spiritual energy—naturally occurring varieties that grow on their own. Where am I supposed to find seeds for them? And even if I got my hands on seedlings, because they grow in such peculiar environments, they simply cannot survive in an ordinary setting. No matter how much effort you put in, it would be a waste of time. Otherwise, do you think I would let them slip through my fingers?” The little old man was visibly provoked by Han Li’s words and snapped back in irritation.

“No seeds? That can’t be!” Han Li could not help but exclaim.

“Hmph. Why can’t it be? If things that are nearly extinct in the outside world, yet so valuable to cultivators, could be artificially cultivated, the great immortal sects would have been planting them in fields long ago. Would the quantity of Foundation Establishment Pills really be dwindling year by year?” The little old man rolled his eyes at Han Li and said in a tone of annoyance.

The old man’s words sent a chill straight to Han Li’s heart. No matter how miraculous the Green Liquid’s growth-accelerating effects were, if he did not even have the most basic seeds, how could he accelerate anything? It was not as if he could create something from nothing.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be off. I’ll come back for the next batch of herbs in two months.” This Senior Martial Uncle Ma, without noticing the change in Han Li’s expression, turned to leave.

“But if a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills is produced every ten years, where do the main ingredients come from? If, as you say, they grow in such peculiar environments, there must be some fixed place where they are found, right?” Han Li’s mind raced, and he immediately thought of another path. If seeds were out of the question, what about immature seedlings? If he could find enough of those, he could still accelerate their growth. So he pressed on urgently.

“Seems your curiosity knows no bounds. But I advise you to give up that notion. Going to that godforsaken place to find these three rare herbs is not much different from suicide.” The little old man could not even be bothered to turn his head. After dropping this cold remark, he ignored Han Li entirely and flew away on his magic tool.

Left behind, Han Li stood frozen on the spot, unable to move for a long while.

“I have to get my hands on these three rare herbs,” he said to himself slowly, letting out a long sigh toward the sky. “Even if he won’t tell me, can’t I just ask someone else?”

During his two years at Yellow Maple Valley, apart from this Senior Martial Uncle Ma, the only people he was reasonably acquainted with were the Steward Yu and the teaching disciple, Wu Feng.

Steward Yu was a man of deep scheming and a snob. Han Li did not enjoy dealing with him, so the first person he sought out was his Senior Brother Wu Feng. If he could not get any leads from him, his only other option would be to make a trip to see the greedy old man at Yuelu Hall. He would surely know, but he would have to pay heavily for the information.

When Han Li arrived at the Teaching Pavilion, which was specially set aside for low-level disciples, Wu Feng happened to be there, explaining low-grade spells to a few youths. When he saw Han Li, he merely gave a slight nod before continuing his work.

Han Li did not take this to heart. He knew that this was simply a sign of a strong sense of responsibility—it was not personal.

Speaking of this Senior Brother Wu, Han Li actually held a fair amount of respect for him. Though this teaching senior brother had taken the Foundation Establishment Pill and was still hovering at the peak of the Qi Condensation stage without ever breaking through to Foundation Establishment, his understanding of low-grade spells was truly masterful. He could extrapolate ten things from one, and Han Li had often marveled at it. It had been far from a waste of time to learn from him.

If it were only that, Han Li would simply have been impressed. It would not have earned him such deep respect. What truly astonished him was that, since taking on the teaching role, this Senior Brother Wu had treated all fellow disciples who came to him for advice equally, selflessly sharing his insights and experiences. It did not seem as if he held anything back. This truly shocked Han Li.

To be honest, at first, Han Li simply could not believe that someone with such a character could exist. He assumed he had run into another hypocrite who was just very good at putting on a show. So he kept the man at arm’s length, staying cordial but aloof.

But after more than a year of real interaction, observing his everyday conduct and actions, Han Li was finally forced to confirm that the man was not faking it. He genuinely and earnestly wanted to help all his fellow disciples. This left Han Li speechless for quite some time.

While Han Li did not agree with Senior Brother Wu’s approach, he had to admit that the man’s character was beyond reproach. So he took the initiative to get closer to him. Though they were not yet close enough to be called confidants, their relationship was considerably better than that between ordinary disciples.

Thus, he waited patiently on the side.

This Senior Brother Wu was truly meticulous in his explanations. He spent a full two hours covering an intermediate-level low-grade spell, the “Fire Snake Art,” and even performed several demonstrations so that the youths could properly grasp it.

To be honest, aside from the few basic spells Han Li had gotten his hands on at the very beginning, he had not learned many other spells in these two years. He had simply spent the time deepening his understanding and integrating the ones he had yet to master.

This left Han Li utterly disheartened about his own talent, and his craving for the Foundation Establishment Pill became even more intense.

The youths finally finished their lesson and took their leave. It was only then that Wu Feng turned to Han Li and asked with a smile:

“Junior Han Li, it’s been a long time since you’ve come here. Have you decided to start learning intermediate-level spells?”

Hearing this, Han Li gave a wry smile and said, without much energy:

“Brother, you know my aptitudes as well as I do. It took me two full years just to learn the lower-grade elementary spells. If I were to tackle the harder intermediate-level spells, wouldn’t it take me seven or eight years just to gain a basic grasp? I think I’ll pass.”

Wu Feng frowned and said, in a slightly reproachful tone:

“How can you be so dejected, Junior Brother? Your aptitudes may be somewhat lacking, but diligence can compensate for a lack of natural talent. With dedicated effort, you can still achieve great things.”

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Reading Guide Decoding

Han Li Hits the First Wall

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The Circular Bottleneck (循环瓶颈): This chapter introduces one of the most frustrating structural traps in the Xianxia progression system—the Circular Bottleneck. Han Li wants to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill to break through to the next realm. But the main ingredients are not available in the market and cannot be grown from seed. They can only be harvested from a deadly, secret location. To survive that location, you need higher cultivation. To get higher cultivation, you need the pill. Han Li is stuck in a logical loop where the prerequisite to solve a problem is the exact reward that problem is supposed to give him. This forces him to seek alternative paths: secret techniques, purchased (expensive) information, or unexpected alliances. It’s a classic move in the Mortal Stream to show that the system itself is rigged, not just the enemies.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators as an Elite Class: Wu Feng is described as a “peak Qi Condensation” cultivator who failed to break through after taking the Foundation Establishment Pill. This reinforces the brutal hierarchy. In a sect like Yellow Maple Valley, a Qi Condensation cultivator is a servant, even a highly skilled one. A Foundation Establishment cultivator becomes a true inner-circle member, with private caves, resource stipends, and exemption from menial duties. The difference is not just power—it’s social existence.

Circular Bottleneck

A structural progression trap where the solution to a problem requires the same reward that the problem is supposed to grant, forcing the protagonist to find alternative paths.

Chapter Overview

Get ready, fellow Daoists—because this is the chapter where Han Li’s carefully laid plans hit a wall made of pure, cosmic-level bad luck. Our favorite cautious peasant has finally gotten his hands on the Foundation Establishment Pill formula, only to discover that the three main ingredients—Jade Marrow Mushroom, Purple Ape Fruit, and Celestial Spirit Fruit—are not the kind of herbs you can just find in a corner of your local garden. Senior Uncle Ma drops the bombshell: these herbs aren’t grown from seeds at all. They are celestial manifestations, born from Heaven and Earth’s spiritual energy in specific, dangerous environments. Translation? No seeds. No seedlings lying around for the picking. Han Li’s secret weapon—the Heaven Vial’s Green Liquid—is useless if there’s nothing to pour it on. For a moment, the protagonist of our mortal stream stands frozen, his entire workaround plan crumbling into dust.

But this is Han Li, not a quitter. He immediately pivots, thinking about immature seedlings, or at least locations where these herbs might be found. Senior Uncle Ma warns him off with a chilling remark: going to that “godforsaken place” is nearly suicide. And then he flies away, leaving Han Li to mentally regroup. The chapter then pivots to Han Li’s quest for information. He rules out the scheming Steward Yu and heads straight for a man he actually respects: Senior Brother Wu Feng, the selfless teaching disciple of the sect.

This chapter is a masterclass in worldbuilding through frustration. We learn why Foundation Establishment Pills are so rare—it’s not just the formula, it’s the raw materials that are practically extinct. Han Li’s reaction is a textbook example of the mortal stream survival mindset: the first path is blocked, so he immediately calculates the next detour, without wasting energy on despair.

Key Plot Points

The Countenance Pill as a side project: Han Li discovers that a “Countenance Pill” exists—a cosmetic pill that preserves the user’s appearance at the moment of consumption. The ingredient list is simple, but demands thousand-year potency herbs. For a normal cultivator, this is absurdly wasteful. For Han Li, armed with his Heaven Vial, it’s a feasible, if long-term, luxury project. He decides to attempt it after securing the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The three main ingredients are a no-go: Senior Uncle Ma confirms the three herbs (Jade Marrow Mushroom, Purple Ape Fruit, Celestial Spirit Fruit) are not seed-bearing plants. They are “Heaven and Earth spiritual manifestations” that grow only in specific, dangerous environments and cannot be artificially cultivated. This shatters Han Li’s plan to simply accelerate them from seed.
The location is deadly: When Han Li asks where these herbs are found, Ma gives a chilling warning: going there is nearly suicide. The chapter does not reveal the location yet, but the implication is clear—it’s a high-risk zone that claims cultivator lives.
Han Li strategizes his information network: He decides to consult the selfless teaching disciple, Wu Feng, first. If that fails, he is prepared to visit the greedy old man at Yuelu Hall, knowing it will cost him dearly in spirit stones.
Character study of Wu Feng: The chapter devotes significant attention to Wu Feng’s character. He is a bottlenecked Qi Condensation cultivator (failed the Foundation Establishment breakthrough) who has achieved legendary proficiency in low-grade spells. Crucially, he teaches everyone equally, without holding anything back. This is so rare in the cutthroat cultivation world that Han Li spent a year suspecting him of being a hypocrite before finally accepting his genuine goodwill.

Reading Guide

This chapter is a perfect example of one of the Mortal Stream’s core storytelling mechanisms: giving the protagonist a powerful tool (the Heaven Vial), then showing how the world itself is designed to counter that tool. Han Li didn’t just need a magic recipe—he needed a magic recipe for ingredients that don’t even exist in plantable form. This keeps the story tense even when the protagonist has a legendary cheat item. Watch how Han Li’s mind immediately jumps from “no seeds” to “maybe seedlings,” and from “Ma won’t tell me” to “I’ll ask Wu Feng.” He never wallows.

Also, take note of Wu Feng. In a world of backstabbing snakes, a kind, generous teacher is such an anomaly that Han Li literally didn’t believe it for a year. The fact that this character exists—and is treated with respect—adds a sliver of warmth to the otherwise grim world, but it also highlights just how rare true altruism is. Characters like Wu Feng are often tragically doomed in xianxia.

Deeper Dive: The Economics of Cultivation

This chapter also reveals a hidden logic of the cultivation world’s economy. The reason Foundation Establishment Pills are scarce is not just because alchemists are lazy—it’s because the raw materials are fundamentally finite. These herbs are not agricultural products; they are rare geological events that spawn in lethal locations. This creates a system where the powerful sects have an interest in not stockpiling pills, but in controlling access to the dangerous zones where the herbs grow. It’s a resource war fought with lives, not just spirit stones. Every Foundation Establishment Pill on the market represents a cultivator who likely died to get the ingredients. And now Han Li has to figure out how to be one of the survivors.