"Are those.....mushrooms? Like.....giant mushrooms?"

Li Ming was left completely shocked as she stared at the huge fungus standing in front of her at a little distance.

The Medical Sect's Island was even more mysterious and surprising than what she first assumed.

In the last hour, she had seen a variety of unique spiritual herbs that had taken her months to get her hands on when she first started learning medical skills.

"A what?" Miss Wu asked in confusion as she first looked at Li Ming and then around their surroundings to see exactly what had caught Li Ming's attention.

"A mushroom! Moreover, a giant one! Are they also considered as spiritual herbs...or probably...spiritual fungus?"

Li Ming hurriedly asked as she replied to Wu Ying's question. However, looking at the confused expressions that were visible on the faces of all the seven members of the group, it was clear that did not understand a single thing.

"Umm.....it's that big white thing over there. Near the foot of that tree!" Li Ming tried to explain as she pointed at the mushroom.

"Oh! That's a pretty normal herb on this island. Even though it's very hard to find it in the five Empires, but our Island has a large variety and numbers of this herb. Unfortunately, it is one of those herbs that barely has any use in the medicines." Wu Ying told her as she pointed at a few other mushrooms growing around the area, all in different colors and sizes.

Li Ming slowly nodded her head as she took in the information that she just received about the giant fungus.

"We are about to reach our destination. Junior sister, you can go around and take a look at the surroundings to make sure that there are no hidden beasts in the shadows once we get there." Wu Ying said as she kept leading them towards a tunnel that stood at a little distance away from them.

They stopped at the entrance of the tunnel and Wu Ying turned to look at Li Ming as she waited for the latter to step in into the tunnel.

"Alright! I'll go and take a look at the area first. However....." Li Ming trailed off as she looked a little hesitant with the current situation.

"What happened Junior sister? Are you scared to go alone since this is your first time on the Herb Island? Don't worry! The pill that I gave you will keep your presence hidden from those beasts and poisonous plants." Wu Ying said in a soft comforting tone.

If seen by normal people, everyone would have considered Miss Wu, a well educated and caring Senior sister.

However, people who had observed human nature for years could clearly see through the facade that she had placed over her real intentions.

"It's not like that. I know that you guys won't let me get harmed. However, what I'm worried about is that if a spirit beast attacked you here in my absence, then what will we do?" Li Ming showed her concern in return as she played her part pretty well.

"Oh! You don't have to worry about us. Piercing Blue Spirit Grass is growing around this small cave and its strong smell keeps the dangerous animals away from this area. We will be safe here. Just go and take a quick look around the other side of the tunnel." Wu Ying hurriedly replied.

Li Ming looked at little blue-colored grass that was covering the ground around the area at every few meters of distance.

She nodded her head before turning towards the cave and stepping inside the tunnel.

The group of teenagers watched the silhouette of the young girl disappearing inside the tunnel and soon she vanished into the darkness that was covering the inside of the tunnel.

"Sister Ying, do you think our plan will work?" One of the boys asked as he kept staring at the entrance of the cave.

"Of course, it will. This little girl has barely set her foot inside the Guixian Island and everyone is already worshipping her like she is some goddess. Who knows what kind of methods she has used to reach such a high cultivation level at such a young age?"

It was another girl from their group who replied instead of Miss Wu. Her tone and the covetous look in her eyes were clearly stating exactly how much she despised Li Ming.

"Sister Min min is absolutely right! Have we ever before heard the name Li in the upper circle of any of the five Empires? Out of nowhere, a girl who keeps wearing a veil, popped up here in the Academy to claim the position of the most genius prodigy of our generation. How could something like this happen?"

Another girl supported the first one's statement while adding her own thoughts into the jumble.

"You all are actually right. We don't know about the background of this girl and there's nearly impossible for someone from a small family to become such a high-level cultivator at such a young age no matter how capable they were born in the arts of cultivation. The lower family lacks the resources that a cultivator needs. Either this girl ended up getting her hands over some mysterious possession or probably she used some dark methods."

One of the boys summarized as he looked at the rest of his friends to see their expressions.

Of course, the rest quickly nodded their heads in agreement.

"Sister Wu, how long will it take for the pill to start working?" Another boy asked as he looked at the beautiful young lady who had kept quiet all this time.

The others too turned their attention towards the girl as they waited for her reply. They all were aware that the pill Wu Ying had given to Li Ming was different from what she gave to the rest of them.

The pill that they all ate was actually used for keeping their body fragrance locked for a few hours.

However, the pill that they gave to Li Ming was actually used for attracting the attention of those dangerous beasts that were lurking around the area.

The two pills looked exactly alike but their effects were polar opposite. All that it took was the addition or subtraction of a single spiritual herb that caused all the changes in the pills.

They were very near to the outskirts of the third circle and the possibility of encountering a high-level ferocious spirit beast at the opposite end of the tunnel was quite high.

Moreover, the pill will make Li Ming's body emit such a sweet fragrance that would succeed in attracting those beasts towards her.

"It already would have started taking effect by now. Let's not waste any time. Quickly cover the mouth of the tunnel." Wu Ying ordered as she took out two small porcelain bottles from her spatial ring.

The bottles contained second-grade Middle-Level dizziness powder inside them. As soon as the boys covered the mouth of the tunnel with the massive rock that had been sitting beside the entrance, Wu Ying covered the area with the dizziness powder.

"Our work is done here! Let's head back." She ordered as soon as she finished her job of sprinkling the powder.

The rest of her team nodded their heads as they followed behind Wu Ying, leaving Li Ming to fend herself from the ferocious beasts that were already about to approach her any minute.

***

"Master, should we...."

The young man in light sky blue dress trailed off at his Master's signal.

He was really feeling bad for the poor girl who was currently about to become the meal of hundreds of beasts that had surrounded her.

However, seeing that his Master still had to make any move, he kept completely still in his place, not daring to say or do anything.

Who would have known that the moment he would come out of the Nine Lotus Courtyard with his Master after two months, they would encounter a huge spiritual ball flying past the Lotus Pavilion?

The spiritual ball was flying towards the Hall of Elders but with a single flick of his Master's sleeves brought the energy ball in front of them.

And as soon as he opened the spiritual ball, they ended up witnessing the drama that was going on in the Medical Sect's Island.

"M-master....s-should I in-inform the Great Elder about the situation?" The boy once again dared to voice out his question as his fear and sympathy for the little girl increased.

Just like usual, his Master did not bother to answer his question immediately. After all, one thing that made his Master popular throughout the entire Guixian Island was his hobby of not answering people's questions.

One could keep shouting their questions at him at their loudest pitch and he won't even blink.

He would only answer when he wanted. Otherwise, asking him any question meant wasting one's energy and testing their patience.

"Xiao Heng, do you have nothing to do? Go to the Study Hall and copy the First three themes of Qi Arrays."

And just like that the future days of Xiao Heng were doomed. All thanks to Li Ming!