Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 50 - Lisa’s Astonishment

As Cassius wasn’t planning on staying in Flower Road Village for long, there was no point in carrying the heavy wild boar down the mountain since the leftovers would just rot. So he just cut off a leg as his prize.

At noon, smoke slowly rose from the courtyard of a small house on the edge of Flower Road Village. Cassius cut the boar leg into long strips before threading them on sticks and placing them on a rack.

The flames licked at it, cooking the meat evenly. A delicious layer of fat began to melt, pale yellow grease dripped, tantalizingly slowly from the meat and into the fire with a sizzle. A faint aroma of roasted meat soon filled the yard.

Cassius had packed some spices, perfect for seasoning his dinner. The salt dusting the top of the meat quickly melted into the juices in the heat, running along the red veins of the meat. He lightly sprinkled some pepper as a finishing touch.

Ignoring the steam coming off the meat, Cassius tore off a piece without waiting. It tasted good albeit a bit tough and quite chewy. He took a few more bites before washing it down with some bread and water.

The meat was gone in less than a half hour. As Cassius required a lot of energy to sustain his strong physique, his appetite was much larger than that of an average adult male.

After finishing his lunch, he made an effort to tidy up Li Wei’s home again before heading out. With his bag and newly obtained Lanxin Grass in hand, he left Flower Road Village as silently as he had come.

He left in a hurry, mainly out of fear that the delicate Lanxin Grass might die, which would weaken his case with the Wind Elephant Sect. In the end, it might not be a huge deal, but it was better safe than sorry.

This time, Cassius didn’t have a cart to hitch a ride on so he had to walk to Black Sand City. Fortunately, he had excellent speed, stamina, and endurance and he reached Black Sand City twice as fast as a leisurely moving cart.

As usual, he first headed into the city to gather information.

Black Sand City was reminiscent of the 1880s, and not that much different from Oak City. Aside from the main streets, the rest of the side roads were dirt tracks.

The most popular mode of transportation was the horse-drawn carriage. In the bustling city center, a woman wearing a feathered hat and black dress sat gracefully in a carriage with her hands folded demurely on her lap. Beside her, a well-dressed old gentleman in a top hat and suit used a sturdy cane to step slowly down from the carriage and enter the grand theater.

A strange vehicle approached from a distance. It had four wheels, was made entirely of steel, painted pitch black, and had a boxy, crate-like front. The seats in the middle looked similar to a carriage, and there was even a small seat at the back.

Cassius stopped to watch, listening to the chugging mechanical noise. This automobile was the first of its kind...

Cassius spent all afternoon gathering the information he needed. From there, he realized that there would be a train heading towards Oak City the next day at noon. Cassius paid for a room at an inn and also bought a few sturdy flower pots and a large box.

The next morning, at around 10 a.m., Cassius waited at the predetermined spot for the train. Finally, just as it was getting close to 12 p.m., a steam locomotive spewing black smoke appeared on the tracks. Cassius skillfully climbed aboard and started his journey back.

***

"What did you say?! Is it really true?!"

In the quiet room, Lisa looked at Cassius in shock. "You can't joke about this kind of thing! If I report it and it turns out to be false, you could even be expelled from the Wind Elephant Sect..."

Cassius had anticipated Lisa’s reaction. He didn’t say anything and merely opened the large box beside him, revealing four greenish-blue Lanxin Grass before Lisa's eyes. Afaint earthy scent wafting out.

Actions spoke louder than words. No amount of talk could be more convincing than presenting the actual items: four full pots of live Lanxin Grass.

Cassius had originally brought back seven or eight plants, but half of them had died along the way. The delicate herbs couldn’t withstand much jostling.

Fortunately, because Cassius had taken the train, he had managed to return fairly quickly. If he had been any slower, all of the Lanxin Grass might have died by the time he returned.

"Teacher, I brought back a few plants. Why don’t you see for yourself?" Cassius placed the box on the ground and gently pushed it over.

Lisa’s breathing quickened as she stared intently at the four herbs. Sitting cross-legged, she gingerly took out one pot. In the sunlight, the peach-shaped leaves looked full with clear veins that extended outward, and the green surface also had a slight bluish tint—all of which were characteristics of Lanxin Grass.

Everything was correct and of excellent quality to boot!

Lisa brought it up close and sniffed, detecting a faint fragrance.

"It’s real!!!" She was overwhelmed with indescribable shock and joy. Lisa knew very well what a Lanxin Grass site meant for the Wind Elephant Sect. The cost of precious training medicine would be halved. Plus, they wouldn’t have to worry about trying to purchase it in Beiliu County's already limited annual production of Lanxin Grass.

The Wind Elephant Sect’s medicine supply each year was small and was used solely by the high-ranking members and teachers. The disciples had to rely on their teacher's generosity to share some of their monthly supply.

If what Cassius said was true, and he had discovered a Lanxin Grass site, Wind Elephant Sect was going to experience an earth-shattering change. The higher-ups would be astounded by this news.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Lisa couldn’t stop coughing, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She stared at Cassius with tiger-like eyes, as if she wanted to devour him.

"Tell me the story again! Don't leave anything out!" The usually composed Lisa was practically bursting with excitement. She hadn't felt this thrilled in years. "Come sit here..."

Cassius had anticipated this and recounted the story again.

Lisa interrupted halfway through, "You mean there’s a whole area covered with Lanxin Grass? Both sides of the stream?! Over a hundred meters of it?!"

"Yes," Cassius confirmed with a nod.

Lisa’s jaw dropped. “This... Such a large area...” After a moment, she asked, "Is it a similar quality to what you brought back?"

"Yes." Cassius nodded again, pausing to add, "It's actually probably better. Because of how delicate the herbs are, the leaves wilted a bit after two days in the box."

"Hu..." Lisa took a few deep breaths, struggling to contain her cough. "Give me a moment to gather myself."

The room fell into an eerie silence for a few minutes.

Once Lisa had caught her breath, she broke the silence. "We can't delay this matter any longer. I’ll report it to the higher-ups right away! Give me the box."

Cassius quickly replaced the pots into the box and passed it over to Lisa.

"I'm being dead serious. Keep this to yourself, do not tell anyone else. The sect will definitely reward you handsomely, I promise. Don’t worry!" Lisa picked up the box and patted Cassius on his shoulder.

"I need to find my master, your grandmaster, first. Once he gets involved, the higher-ups will undoubtedly give you the rewards you deserve!"