Chapter 539: All Helpless

"Yes, Garden Master Xue, please tell us, otherwise, we'll just be fumbling in the dark!"

"If we don't know the situation, there's nothing we can do. Garden Master, please elaborate on the details so we can find a better solution!" Elder Lu's words caused everyone to nod in agreement and voice their support. Even for Garden Master Xue's generous reward, they wouldn't dare be perfunctory.

"Alright then, I'll explain the situation with the Earth Vein Spirit Vine!" Knowing that only by speaking out could everyone devise solutions, Garden Master Xue did not decline: "The Earth Vein Spirit Vine has always thrived. When healthy, this vine was plump and full, entirely green, with exceptionally lush branches and leaves. Its presence here conveyed a strong sense of vitality... About six months ago, the situation changed!"

"Six months ago, the maid I sent to guard the medicinal field reported that the spirit vine's leaves had started to turn yellow. At the time, I didn't believe it, but I rushed over immediately and saw that it was true! However, anyone who has cultivated medicinal plants knows that plant leaves can turn yellow with seasonal changes, so I didn't pay much attention."

"To my surprise, ten days later, it spread as if contagious. The yellow leaves multiplied, evolving from a few to half of the entire vine. It was then that I finally realized something was wrong and immediately sought a cure!"

"With the leaves turning yellow, my first suspicion was the water used for cultivation, as water is often the primary factor when many plants exhibit this condition!"

"For this reason, I specifically fetched snow water from Heavenly Cold Mountain to irrigate it. I expected the yellowing to subside with time, but to my surprise, a month later, the entire spirit vine was covered in yellow leaves. Not only that, but its secondary branches also began to wither!"

"At this point, I started to panic. I meticulously investigated the soil issues, even going to great expense to replace all the soil around the vine... yet it had no effect! I then tried various other methods, but none had the slightest impact. Now, having exhausted all options, I had no choice but to invite all of you here for assistance!"

Shaking her head as she spoke, Garden Master Xue felt a sense of despondency.

"Yellowing leaves and wilting branches usually indicate either nutrient deficiency or nutrient excess... Garden Master Xue, have you tried addressing these?" Elder Lu inquired.

"I've tried all of those; they were useless!" Garden Master Xue shook her head.

"Let me take a look first!" After hearing the explanation, an old man stepped forward from the crowd.

"It's Elder Liu!"

"Which Elder Liu?"

"Who else in Myriad Kingdoms City dares to call himself Elder Liu? Of course, it's Garden Master Liu from the North City Herb Garden!"

"He's here too? The North City Herb Garden is the second-largest herb garden in Myriad Kingdoms City!"

"If even he can't figure it out, then we're truly out of options..."

Upon seeing the old man emerge from the crowd, everyone immediately burst into an uproar.

"Is this guy famous?" Zhang Xuan looked at Lu Zhan, puzzled.

"Cough, cough..." Lu Zhan choked on his saliva. "Brother Zhang, this Elder Liu was already renowned in Myriad Kingdoms City a hundred years ago! He served as the Alliance Leader's personal herbalist! Even my grandfather consulted him back in the day. In terms of qualifications in herbology, he's absolutely the most senior in all of Myriad Kingdoms City! You... you haven't even heard of him, have you?"

"Oh!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Just 'oh' and that's it?" Lu Zhan nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

That's Elder Liu! Even the current Hall Master Kang of the Master Teacher Pavilion would speak of him with genuine respect and reverence. Yet you just say 'oh,' your face calm and expressionless, as if you've merely seen 'John Doe' or 'Richard Roe.' What do you mean by that?

"What's wrong?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Nothing!" Seeing his innocent expression, Lu Zhan felt dizzy.

It was then that he realized this young man wasn't feigning ignorance; he truly had no idea about Elder Liu's status and identity.

Just as he suppressed his exasperation, planning to properly educate Brother Zhang on herbology later, he heard another remark that drove him mad.

"This old man isn't skilled enough; he can't cure the Earth Vein Spirit Vine!" Immediately, the young man was seen looking at Elder Liu, shaking his head repeatedly, seemingly with disappointment.

Shaking his head? Disappointed? Lu Zhan felt his chest boil again, nearly going mad.

What are you disappointed about?! Even if you are a Master Teacher, you know absolutely nothing about cultivating herbs, while Elder Liu is a renowned master herbalist! Even if he can't cure it, why are *you* disappointed? And... that tone! It's like you're talking to a junior! Big brother, where did you even come from? Can we please not be so arrogant and presumptuous?

While Lu Zhan was on the verge of fainting, Elder Liu, on the other side, finally circled the thick vine.

"Soil, water quality, air, nutrients... none of them are problematic. What's going on?" Elder Liu frowned, seemingly troubled by an insoluble puzzle.

Based on his research of medicinal plants, he could tell whether soil quality, water quality, and similar factors were up to standard with just a glance. The elements around the medicinal plant before him were impeccable and beyond reproach. Yet, this enormous Earth Vein Spirit Vine was on the verge of dying, which struck him as incredibly strange.

"Garden Master Xue, could it be that this Earth Vein Spirit Vine has reached the end of its lifespan?" After a moment of thought, Elder Liu spoke.

"Lifespan? No! The Earth Vein Spirit Vine can live for thousands of years. This one is only a little over a hundred years old; how could it possibly have reached the end of its lifespan?" Garden Master Xue shook her head.

She had already considered this point and even thoroughly analyzed it, finding that the entire vine was vibrant and full of life, certainly not in a dying state.

"Furthermore, if it were due to old age, it should gradually wither, starting with decay from the roots. But currently, the leaves are yellowing first, followed by the death of the branches. This clearly indicates it's not simply old age!" When plants and medicinal herbs reach the end of their lifespan, it's typically the roots that wither and shrivel first, followed by the leaves. The current situation, where the leaves yellow first, clearly indicates the sequence is incorrect.

"Indeed!" Hearing her analysis, Elder Liu couldn't help but shake his head. "My aptitude is limited. After my examination, I truly cannot find the root of the problem. Garden Master Xue, please forgive me!"

"Thank you for your efforts, Elder Liu!" Seeing his inability to help, Garden Master Xue's eyes dimmed somewhat, but she still responded politely.

"I couldn't be of any help! My apologies!" Elder Liu stepped back a few paces and stood to one side, deep in thought.

It seemed that the condition of the Earth Vein Spirit Vine truly left him without a better solution.

"Elder Liu really couldn't solve it?" Seeing that Elder Liu indeed admitted his helplessness, Lu Zhan recalled the young man's earlier remark and couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise.

Had this Brother Zhang, whom he had just met, merely stumbled upon the truth by chance, or did he truly possess the ability to discern with a glance that Elder Liu couldn't cure it? Didn't he know nothing about cultivating herbs?

"If Elder Liu can't do it, I'm afraid I might not either, but I still intend to try!" Elder Lu stepped forward.

Standing before the vine, he carefully tapped it, then peeled off a piece of bark to examine it closely. After an unknown period of contemplation, he too, like Elder Liu, shook his head.

Having dealt with medicinal plants for so many years, they could quickly identify common ailments. However, the disease afflicting the Earth Vein Spirit Vine before them was unlike anything they had ever encountered, making treatment impossible.

Since Elder Liu and Elder Lu, the two most senior experts, were helpless, others came forward one by one to examine it and offered numerous suggestions. However, Garden Master Xue rejected all of them.

This was because these methods were all quite common, and she had tried them herself before, to no effect whatsoever.

An hour later, most of the garden masters and master herbalists present had observed the vine and were all helpless. The remaining individuals were mostly accompanying their elders or simply came to observe, their true skill levels far below those who had already tried. Since even the foremost experts had no solutions, they naturally couldn't think of any better methods.

"Does anyone else have a good solution?" Seeing that so many pharmacists had been gathered yet still couldn't find a solution, Garden Master Xue's disappointment grew increasingly profound.

"No!"

"Every method I could think of, Garden Master Xue has already tried; it seems it truly can't be done!"

"If Elder Liu, Elder Lu, and Garden Master Xue herself can't find a way, how could we possibly come up with a good solution?"

"No wonder Garden Master Xue offered such a high reward; it's indeed a reward not just anyone can obtain!"

Hearing Garden Master Xue's question, everyone shook their heads in unison.

Most people had personally gone up to examine it. The disease afflicting the Earth Vein Spirit Vine had already surpassed the scope of their understanding; even seasoned herbalists of many years had no recourse.

"Very well then. Thank you all for your efforts. A banquet has been prepared in the main hall; please partake before you leave..." Seeing that everyone had exhausted their options, Garden Master Xue shook her head.

Having invited people under the pretext of a banquet, she had naturally prepared food and fine wine long in advance.

"We're truly ashamed that we couldn't help. We'll skip the banquet..."

"We have matters at home, so we'll take our leave first..."

Although Garden Master Xue offered her hospitality, everyone's expressions were rather grim.

Indeed, they were all renowned herbalists, experts. So many of them had come, yet they couldn't even determine the cause of the plant's illness. It was no wonder they felt embarrassed.

"This Earth Vein Spirit Vine is afflicted with a strange illness. It's understandable that you couldn't find the symptoms; I haven't either. I still hope you'll stay and enjoy the banquet before leaving. As it happens, I, Xue, also have something I wish to entrust to you all..." Seeing everyone's ashamed faces, Garden Master Xue knew what they were thinking and offered a comforting remark. Just as she was about to continue, she suddenly froze. "Young Master, what are you doing?"

Hearing her words, everyone looked over in unison and saw a young man who had, at some point, emerged from the crowd. He approached the thick vine and gently touched it with his palm.

After touching it, he casually turned around, then, as if no one else were present, proceeded to touch several other precious medicinal plants before finally stopping.

"What is he doing?" Everyone was bewildered.

Medicinal plants require special growing conditions, and some are extremely sensitive to human touch, which is highly taboo. Therefore, although everyone was studying the Earth Vein Spirit Vine's ailment, almost no one dared to approach it.

Even those who did make contact wore gloves or similar protection.

After all, each cultivator practices different techniques, and an accidental reaction with the medicinal plant could lead to unimaginable consequences.

In the past, a powerful cultivator with Yang-attribute cultivation techniques once touched a Yin-attribute medicinal plant, causing their body to rot away shortly after.

This is also why herbalists typically cultivate neutral techniques.

Now, with so many master herbalists standing by, observing and diagnosing the symptoms without daring to approach, this fellow actually snuck in and started touching things indiscriminately, utterly heedless of consequences...

What is he doing? Does he not understand the rules?