Jiang Village, a small village hidden in the vast mountains, was home to only around a hundred inhabitants.

At this very moment, the full moon hung high up in the sky, and the surroundings were so silent it seemed as if the universe itself were asleep. Yet within Jiang Village, about a dozen children of various ages were seated cross-legged, facing the moon. Their breathing was slow and constant, their bodies surrounded by an aura that oscillated between noticeable and nearly invisible against the moonlight.

In front of these children, there stood a burly man dressed in animal skins. He proclaimed in a low, resonant voice, "For us, moonlight is an extremely precious cultivation resource. Especially today, the fifteenth day of the month, the darkest hour of midnight is when the moonlight is at its peak. So don't waste time, absorb as much moonlight as you can, unblock your meridians, and enhance your power."

The man's words went unanswered, for all the children were focusing intently on absorbing the moonlight.

Away from them, roughly dozens of feet away, sat a lonely teenager, approximately fifteen or sixteen years old. In front of him were arranged at least a hundred different sorts of herbs, wood, and animal bones.

Under the light of the moon, it was clear to see that this teenager was delicate looking with jet-black long hair braided and draped over his shoulders. His figure was well-balanced, also dressed in animal skin. His exposed skin was marked with various scars of different lengths.

His clear eyes, although mostly focused on the herbs in front of him, would occasionally lift to glance at the group of meditating children. Every time he did this, envy was painted on his somewhat innocent face.

The teenager's name was Jiang Yun. Having witnessed such a scene many times before, he was already used to it. He knew that his playmates were practicing cultivation by absorbing the moonlight.

Cultivation, refining oneself, refining – the Tao!

Although he yearned deeply to join them, his grandfather had told him since he was a child that due to his unique physique, he was different from them and could not cultivate.

Jiang Yun didn't believe this at first, not until he questioned his playmates and, following their advice, secretly tried to practice cultivation. After finding out that his body truly could not absorb the so-called essence of the sun and moon, he had no choice but to give up.

"However, I can become a pharmacist, producing elixirs that suit them and enhance their strength. That’s not bad at all."

He comforted himself, once again concentrating his attention on the herbs and animal bones in front of him.

"Jiang Yun, is this your final batch? Do you remember everything?"

Just then, the burly man walked over to Jiang Yun, hands clasped behind his back and looking at the herb, wood and animal bones with interest.

Jiang Yun raised his head, smiling and said, "Yes, Uncle Mu, I've pretty much remembered it all."

"Good!" Jiang Mu nodded, without doubting Jiang Yun's words at all, showing a look of approval on his rough face.

Perhaps Jiang Yun did not think it was exceptional to remember the characteristics of these herbs and beast bones. But as an adult, Jiang Mu clearly understood.

Refining medicine required materials, and the most basic materials were various animals and plants. To become a qualified pharmacist, one must understand and master their characteristics as much as possible.

The mountains where Jiang Village was located, known as the One Hundred Thousand Savage Mountains, were almost isolated from the world. The various animals and plants that grew there were countless. To have a comprehensive knowledge of every species’ characteristics was a tremendous and dull task.

However, Jiang Yun was just a 16-year-old child. He had already managed to do so in just over a decade. This required not only talent but also a resolute temperament and a persistent attitude.

"Excellent!" Jiang Mu couldn't help but praise him again, "Yun, you will definitely become a great pharmacist in the future!"

Regarding Jiang Mu's praise, Jiang Yun didn't show the slightest excitement. He just gave a faint smile, his mature demeanor was somewhat inconsistent with his age.

How could Jiang Mu not know what Jiang Yun was thinking? Compared with becoming a pharmacist, he was more willing to cultivate and become a practitioner.

Extending his enormous palm, Jiang Mu vigorously rubbed Jiang Yun's head. He seemed to want to say something else, but the words were swallowed when they reached his mouth.

Turning around, Jiang Mu sighed inwardly, "Yun, it's not that we don't teach you the method of cultivation, but because, you're not a child of our Jiang Clan."

Yes, Jiang Yun was not from Jiang Village, but an abandoned child found by the old village head Jiang Wanli, whom Jiang Yun referred to as his grandfather.

This wasn't a secret as even Jiang Yun knew about it.

Even though Jiang Yun was not from Jiang Village, no one in the village treated him as an outsider. After 16 years of living together, in their eyes, Jiang Yun was one of them.

After a moment, Jiang Mu raised his head to look at the round moon in the sky, shouted, "Alright, kids, the midnight hour has passed, cultivation ends!"

"With a rustle," the group of children who were sitting down suddenly all jumped up with ease.

Even though they all know the importance of cultivation, they are still children after all. To have them sit honestly for hours is indeed a kind of great torment.

In a split second, a figure as swift as a civet cat rushed to Jiang Yun's side.

"Brother Yun, are you going out again tomorrow? When you come back, can you catch me a tricolor bird?"

This is a little girl, about eight or nine years old. In the center of her eyebrows, there are three pea-sized colored markings arranged in a triangular shape, and her petite face is filled with anticipation.

Her name is Jiang Yuerou, the real granddaughter of Jiang Wanli. Unfortunately, not long after she was born, her parents met with a tragic accident while hunting in the mountains. They died at the hands of beasts, leaving her to rely on her grandfather for life. It can be said that Jiang Yun singlehandedly raised her and is therefore the closest to her.

The dangers in the Mang Mountains are immense, and no child under the age of eighteen is allowed to leave the village, but Jiang Yun is an exception.

In order to gain a better understanding of the characteristics of animals and plants, he will follow his grandfather into the depths of the Mang Mountains the day after every full moon. He stays there for half a month, and when he comes back, he always brings some small trinkets or animals to the children in the village. So, whatever the children of the village want, they will beseech Jiang Yun for it.

"Alright!" Jiang Yun reached out his hand, indulgently pinched Jiang Yuerou's little face, and said, "When I come back, I'll definitely catch you a tricolor bird."

"Yun child, come back for a bath!"

Just then, an old voice came from afar, and following that, Jiang Mu also glared at the children and shouted, "Alright, alright, little brats, hurry up and go to sleep. Yuerou, come to me. Yun, you go and take a bath!"

All the children dispersed at once, and Jiang Yun also stood up, pinched Yuerou's face, greeted Jiang Mu, and then turned to walk towards a small house deep in the village.