Still wearing a faint smile, Ji Wuye finally stopped before the wooden door and knocked softly, "It's me," he called out, his deep voice reverberating through the stillness. But for some reason, the back door of the Herb Medicinal Shop remained unusually quiet, devoid of the usual bustling activity.

He knocked again, louder this time, the sharp sound echoing in the alleyway. Yet there was still no response, no shuffling of footsteps or muffled voices from within. His smile faded, replaced by a pensive frown as his eyebrows furrowed. With a slow exhale, he pushed the door slightly, finding it unexpectedly unlocked.

The main room of the shop soon came into view, bathed in a soft, filtered light. There was the polished oak counter where the shopkeeper or his young assistant usually stood. Surrounding the room were the familiar dozen burnished wooden drawers and glass jars lining the walls, each one neatly labeled with elegant calligraphy, detailing the contents within.

Towering shelves filled with leather-bound tomes on traditional medicine and herbology lined the opposite wall.

Although the curtains were all closed, some light from the second floor streamed in through the cracks, offering a clear view while still maintaining a sense of privacy and seclusion.

The rich, earthy scent of various herbs filled Ji Wuye's nose as he stepped inside. Yet there was something foreign lingering beneath the usual herbal aromas – a sharp, pungent smell that seemed out of place.

'It smells like white lotus paste,' he thought to himself, his nostrils flaring slightly as he analyzed the scent. It had the medicinal quality of herbs one would find in any physician's quarters, carrying the potency of soaked ginseng with the bite of strong rice wine.

Despite the room being softly illuminated, either from the morning light sneaking through the cracks in the curtains or the herbs releasing faint fumes from the drawers, the atmosphere felt different – heavier, almost stifling.

A foggy mist hung in the air, like morning dew, obscuring the furthest corners of the room. The wooden floor was damp in places, but not wet everywhere – just in odd patches, leaving some areas mysteriously untouched, as if the moisture had selectively chosen where to settle.

Ji Wuye's crimson eyes then traced the dampness on the floor, following the trail as it led toward the back of the counter and continued on to the storage room where the shopkeeper usually kept large batches of herbs.

Without hesitation, he followed the path, his white shoes leaving faint impressions in the damp floorboards as he descended into the cramped space.

As usual when he arrived, it was total darkness, with minimal visibility aside from a few torches hanging on the brick walls of the cramped space.

This, of course, triggered his Quick Adaptation skill. Soon enough, his glowing eyes pierced through the darkness, revealing familiar rows of long, sturdy wooden crates, each neatly lined up and filled with carefully dried and preserved ingredients.

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There were no signs that the crates had been ransacked, not even footprints to be found. However, there was a faint trace of dampness leading here, which meant...

'This is too obvious for a robbery,' he thought to himself, when a strange sound pierced the silence. As he looked up, he traced it to the room where business transactions with the shopkeeper usually took place.

"Ah...! More! More, harder!" A woman's voice dripped with raw desire. "Please, don't stop!"

"Ah...! You're so wet..." A man's guttural response followed.

The sounds were unmistakably erotic - wet slapping noises punctuated by passionate moans that echoed off the walls. A trail of scattered clothing and damp footprints led from the main room directly to that chamber, like breadcrumbs of lust.

The woman's cries grew more desperate, her voice breaking with each thrust, while masculine grunts provided a steady rhythm.

Ji Wuye didn't need to know exactly what had just happened or guess whether this was a robbery—it was obvious. From the sounds, it would take a long time for them to finish, and he had no time to wait for that. Thus...

Shaking his head, he stepped forward and rapped his knuckles against the wooden door. "Brother, I have some business to discuss."

The intimate symphony ceased abruptly - replaced by rustling fabric.

When the door finally creaked open, the lanky assistant appeared, his chest still heaving and skin glistening with sweat. His hair was disheveled, and his robes were hastily tied, revealing red scratch marks across his collarbone. "Master," he managed, bowing awkwardly.

"Greetings, Hero." Standing beside him was a woman whose long hanfu barely preserved her modesty as she greeted Ji Wuye.

Her jet-black hair clung to her neck and shoulders like wet silk, and her rouge-stained lips were swollen from passionate kisses. The fabric between her trembling thighs was visibly soaked, creating a small puddle on the wooden floor. Her nipples pressed against the thin silk, and bite marks adorned her exposed neck.

Though she avoided Ji Wuye's crimson gaze directly, her eyes hungrily traced the contours of his lower body and frame before she whispered, "Please excuse me," her voice still husky with desire, as the lanky shopkeeper assistant ushered her toward the exit, her unsteady legs betraying their recent activities.

…

A few moments later, the shopkeeper assistant returned, his features visibly drained and haggard. Dark circles hung heavy beneath his eyes, etching lines of fatigue across his face as Ji Wuye took note of his worn appearance. Despite his sluggish demeanor, there was a sharpness in his gaze, a determination that burned bright as soon as the question left Ji Wuye's lips.

"Do you know which herbs contain fire, metal, or ice properties? I need the strongest ones," Ji Wuye stated, his crimson eyes fixed intently on the assistant.

The shopkeeper assistant's eyes immediately sharpened, and his trembling hands moved with a newfound quickness, belying his wearied state. "Please wait a moment, Master. For fire elemental attributes, we have ginger root, cinnamon bark, and dried chili peppers." As he spoke, the assistant began rummaging through the long, sturdy wooden crates, opening each one in turn.

The heavy lids creaked open, releasing pungent waves of aroma that filled the cramped storage room.

"As for ice properties..." The shopkeeper assistant continued, his voice trailing off as he delved deeper into the crates, shifting jars and pouches with a practiced efficiency.

...

Time passed, and Ji Wuye had already left the herb shop behind. He now walked through the crowded streets, his crimson gaze focused ahead as he headed toward the Kunlun entrance.

By now, he had gathered all the ingredients he needed. 'I hope these will help,' he thought, though he was confident that the elemental herbs would work as intended.

Just like how his body could miraculously absorb many elements at once, the reason for his confidence recently popped into his mind. It wasn’t solely because of his Qi Training skill, but also...

'It's clearly the side effect of those herbs from before,' Ji Wuye mused, recalling the events that had led him to this point. His assumption stemmed from when he broke through to the Unbreakable Vajra stage, using countless herbs with various elemental properties, which likely made his body compatible with all elements.

However, there was still one mystery...

'Could it be that the monks also have the same compatibility with all these elements? Does that mean they can absorb any elements like me?' he thought.

Theoretically, that was the case, as both their martial arts were essentially the same.

However, the thought crossed his mind briefly before he reconsidered, shaking his head slightly. 'But my method is different from theirs. I absorb the herbs, while they don't.'

As Ji Wuye pondered this conundrum, he realized, somewhat tragically, that despite the short distance between him and the sect entrance, the crowded path made it feel much longer, each step forward impeded by the bustling masses.

But... finally, after what felt like an eternity, he arrived at the winding stairway, where countless others were also ascending, heading toward the Paifang entrance to Kunlun.