To not come directly, Bai Qi spent some time talking with the young elder, touching on various topics ranging from the method chosen for the duel and up to the floral decor on the Palace's robes. And while Bai Qi rarely enjoyed or allowed himself small talk, he undoubtedly could be charismatic when required. Yet, as he found himself alone, laughing sincerely for the first time in several weeks, he could not think he had been too charming.

Even Bai Qi's mind could not answer these questions. Charm or no charm, just how a simple question about one's family could be considered something else but just that? A question?

But seemingly, Fan Lin thought something else about it, as in place of sharing at least the bare minimum, she blushed before blurting out, "I think that can wait. Yes, it can, for about the moment you win the [Martial Path of Herbs]. Mmm, then, if you do, I will answer."

Not given a chance to explain himself, the young golden-haired assistant elder beating a hasty retreat, Bai Qi found himself laughing at the sheer absurdity of what happened.

But even a genuine laugh had to quell at some point, and so it did, with Bai Qi returning to his usual collected conduct just a few breaths later, his mind also returning to the matter or matters at hand.

While unexpected as it was funny, the situation didn't change much in any way, the [Martial Path of Herbs] still being the only way for Bai Qi to guarantee time and position enough to interact with the people of the Palace.

"And so, it seems I will have to end among the best, huh?" With such a comment, Bai Qi brushed the matter aside, deciding to return to what he was doing. After all, when did he plan to fail?

***

Even if Bai Qi didn't require guidance in selecting or identifying herbs, he wasn't so arrogant as to discard the offered knowledge without looking at the given scrolls and books. Thus, as soon as he confirmed his objective, he moved towards the table. Still, quickly, barely a cup of tea in time, he returned to the meditation mat, now certain nothing of the provided information was unfamiliar to his accumulated knowledge.

And so, at the following sunrise, the newly arrived elder, one that Bai Qi had already seen on the plaza, seemingly an assistant one as Fan Lin was, found Bai Qi in nearly the same position as the hastily retreated woman had - in deep meditation. Though this time, neither the elder waited nor Bai Qi made the latter do so.

After a quick but respectful greeting and the also young woman, 4th level Warrior King, introducing herself as assistant elder Ki, she requested Bai Qi to follow her. And he did, ready to participate in the event. One in which now, he had even more reasons to distinguish himself, even if one of that reasons was actually nothing more than a misinterpretation of Bai Qi's words, something he had to be sure to clear up, less he wanted it to turn more complex.

***

As they walked towards the hall housing the thousand participants - ninety hundred ninety-nine left there - Elder Ki maintained her silence, yet as Bai Qi entered the enormous hall, {While there were witnesses and so nearly everyone already knows about the duel, we didn't share anything on the result but that one of you retired from the competition. Thus, no one but the Palace members know about what happened.} This qi transmission prepared Bai Qi for what to expect and behave, as it explained the reason for his low-key arrival via a small side door, allowing him to mix into the crowd without much notice.

And indeed, it went as planned, as while a couple of nearby people did notice Bai Qi's presence, they barely paid any attention to him.

With no desire to interact with anyone, Bai Qi chose a secluded corner, planning to spend the time until the beginning of the [Martial Path of Herbs] in peace and solitude. Not that he missed the opportunity to examine every nearby cultivator or the calm was conditional, a sizable amount of groups already formed and some clamoring, discussing, or even quarreling about details or exchanging knowledge on herbs, even if with the people they knew or had come here with.

Though that latter assumption was to be mistaken, at least in a single case, a young man about Bai Qi's own age. This young cultivator, a 2nd level Warrior Lord, was actually going around, offering to compare what they learned to a couple of groups and even loners. In the latter's category, Bai Qi also fell in, and just as he thought so, the young man actually started towards him.

"Well met, brother." With a rather formal greeting and salute, the young cultivator first greeted and introduced himself, "[Bleeding tree of the Penghou], inner disciple, Zeng Hui."

Courtesy should be met with courtesy, no matter what one thought, and Bai Qi responded in the same style, "Well met, Brother Zeng. I am called Bai Qi, currently unaffiliated."

"Brother Bai, would you mind comparing notes on what the Palace people taught us? I am not sure each of the ten instructors taught their group the same." Maintaining the same polite manner, Zeng Hui cut down to the chase. Yet, before Bai Qi answered, the young, short haired owner of a pair of bright green eyes proceeded to add, "Until now, I have confirmed that my group instructor didn't mention the [Dew of the Fairy] but did talk about the [Sun Bear's Claw], which other groups seemingly didn't hear about."

With both being rare Earth-tier herbs with a strong Yang affinity and unique harvesting method, Bai Qi concluded that the Palace went for the divide and conquer strategy, teaching about each of the rarest herbs only to a tenth of the participants.

"I heard nothing about that two, but judging from the rarity, I suppose your two groups should not know about the [Red Jay's Blooddrop], am I right?" Neither method mentioned by the young cultivator was unknown to Bai Qi, but he had no plans to stand out, as he had none to hamper others. Thus, he selected one of the other ten herbs named in the same scroll from the ones provided to him, deciding to share something as in reward for Zeng Hui's diligence.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"No, we didn't, at least my group." An honest shake of the head followed by an offer to exchange knowledge to pick either of the two he named for the one Bai Qi did.

"Agreed. Then let it be the [Sun Bear's Claw]." And as to explain his choice, Bai Qi added, "I am unsure about the other you named, but the [Sun Bear's Claw] is a known Yang herb. And one that I suppose will be valued highly."

"Mmm, you may be right. Then so be it." With the deal sealed, Zeng Hui didn't hesitate or wait, a qi transmission of his entering Bai Qi's mind with all the information he received.

While Bai Qi had no intention, nor need, to swindle Zeng Hui, he could not at least note that such a mindset wasn't so much of benefit in the jianghu, though he did feel it of his liking.

***

Bai Qi and Zeng Hui were to part ways, the latter planning to continue his information trading as the sound of a bell stopped all talks in the room, bringing a thousand pairs of eyes to the small elevated platform from which it came.

"The sun is about to cross the center of the sky, and then the event will commence. Thus, we will announce the [Martial Path of Herbs] rules now." The same short-haired 4th level Warrior King that had previously spoken on the plaza and just now escorted Bai Qi made her appearance near the bell, her qi-infused voice filling the entire hall, one that extended for nearly a thousand feet from side to side.

The more Bai Qi listened, the more he became surprised. Not because of the rules or the preparations they implied but the sheer amount of resources required for the latter. And to no less shock, the quality, and quantity of formation master, at least a 1st step Saint of the path, they required.

As for the rules themselves, they were pretty rudimentary, at least for a similar event, but only if held on a higher-tier plane, where Saints of the paths were far more common.

Each participant would be teleported directly to the event's grounds with nothing but the clothes on their back. On the way, they would receive a special holding pouch and a life-saving mark which was nothing more than a single-use conditional teleportation formation.

Then, each would be free to act as they consider correct, the objective being to fill the pouch with the spirit herbs they could, up to a number of a hundred. A full day later, the pouches' contents would be revised, and depending on the quality, state, ripeness, and other factors, the total score, trough points per each herb, would be assigned to the participants.

And while it appeared straightforward, there were several unique details added.

For example, one could not take anything from the pouch during the event, and any reaped herb would be stored automatically. Thus, if one encountered a hundred effortless in picking and commonly found herbs like the [Spotted Five-leaf] and harvested them, the participant would be unable to gather anything else, his pouch already full.

As the Assistant Elder explained, the [Martial Path of Herbs] grounds would entirely block one's qi and aura, limiting the participants to their weapon masteries and intent. Thus, another example would be fighting and taking others' pouches from them, with neither prohibited while still having a uniqueness.

Fighting would be allowed only with weapons, and as everyone would not have any on themselves, fights could only happen when both parties reached and used a [Petal Stage] like the one Bai Qi had gotten acquainted with the previous day. As for taking the pouch of another, it was impossible to do without winning a duel on the [Petal Stage], where after one's opponent was defeated, their life-saving seal would activate, sending them out of the grounds while leaving the pouch behind.

With the explanation finished, Elder Ki looked around as if her eyes were scanning everyone present before asking, "Questions?"

***

There would be three questions, and to each, Assistant Elder Ki would give a detailed answer, something shocking when considering the difference in status between any member of the [Delicate Forest Palace] and the present, coming from 3rd and 4th tier powers and a fair amount of rogues, cultivators.

The questions themselves weren't dumb, though, with Bai Qi inwardly approving two of them, making sure to observe who had been the one to ask.

The first one was asked by a young woman in flashy, richly-decorated robes, "What if someone attacks another participant outside the [Petal Stage]?" To this, Elder Ki explained that if the life-saving seal on a participant activated outside a [Petal Stage], the observing elders and disciples from the Palace would arrive at the location, with the culprit, if there was one, immediately eliminated from the competition.

The second, asked by no one else than Zeng Hui, "Some of us can use intent even without a weapon, but what about the ones that can not? How will we be able to gather some of the special herbs?" While the question appeared stupid, it was far from so. Some herbs, especially the so-called semi-sentient ones, required force as part of their gathering method, and except for a few cultivators present, most had no way to release their weapon intent while barehanded.

"Now, that is a good question. And one that denotes your desire to play on even ground. But the martial path requires inventiveness, so it will be up to you to find a way." Such an answer was definitively not a pleasing one to hear, and Elder Ki was perfectly aware of it, as she ended up adding, making it appear as if it wasn't planned, "For this time though, the Palace has prepared hints to the method to gather any of the high Earth-tier herbs in other ways. Hints that you will find hidden around the entire event grounds. And also, there will be hints to the location of such herbs somewhere around." By the end, as if a secret it was, Elder Ki even lowered her voice, winking towards the gathered cultivators.

As for the third question? It was a very basic one, and Bai Qi would have ignored it altogether if not for having to listen to it, "What about the rewards?"

"Like on previous events, the three higher scoring participants will be granted gifts from the Palace and be allowed inside our inner grounds. And obviously, as before, depending on your rank, you will have the opportunity to choose a set amount of points worth of herbs from the ones you gather." While greed was indeed a motivator for many cultivators, it seemed that the Palace didn't hold such motivation in high reward, as the answer was blurted out in a cold tone, even if it was complete as the other two.