The Precious Jade (Hidden)

Chapter 14

 The Jin Sect's banquets had always been extravagant, but today it was merely a private banquet, as Jiang Cheng told him to keep a low profile for now. So Jin Ling didn't order people to prepare any type of entertainment, like singing or dancing, only asking them to bring more wine and delicious food. "I want to have a drink with my uncle."

Lan Xichen's family rules were strict, he didn't eat or drink, but he was happy to listen quietly to the two.

Since Jin Min was not from the main branch of the Jin's, his status was not high enough, so he could only sit in a lower seat than the three Sect Leaders. But he was well-versed in subjects and had a good sense of humor. So his unusual travel experiences quickly attracted Jin Ling, and even Jiang Cheng gave him a slight sideways look. "Jimi's snakes are like demons; they have a torso, some have three heads, some have seven heads, and some even have nine heads. The people there regard them as the messengers of the gods."

"In the vast deserts of Xiyu, there is a sacred mountain that, according to legend, was a treasure of the Jade Emperor. The legend also said that in the past, when the Han army fought with the Xiongnu, the top of the mountain opened up and swallowed them all whole. To this day, they say you can hear the sounds of the two armies fighting each other coming from the earth beneath your feet. At first I thought it was nonsense, but when I got to the mountain, I heard the clash of weapons, but I couldn't feel any sort of spiritual energy, either from humans or demons. It was very odd. What I regret the most now is not being able to find the Flower of the Spider Mother in southern Xinjiang."

"Flower of the Pig Mother? What's that?" Jin Ling inquired with a laugh as he hit the table with his fist when he heard the name of the flower. "Ha! Is there a flower that blooms in the shape of little pigs?"

"I did not say that!" Jin Min uttered as he also began to laugh, "I would have already found it, fried it until it was fragrant and crispy, and then brought it to you on a fine white jade plate!"

Jin Ling couldn't stop laughing, and Jiang Cheng didn't want to stop his laughter, but he couldn't help but blurt out a question. "What is Flower of the Spider Mother? I've never heard of it."

"It is said that in southern Xinjiang, there is a strange flower that looks like an orchid, and has a small spider no bigger than a thumbnail nesting among it's petals. Rumor has it that although the spider is small, it can actually control all the spiders in the world, be used as medicine, and cure all kinds of diseases." the man explained.

"Wow, that's disgusting." Jin Ling muttered as he imagined spiders crawling all over the ground, and goosebumps formed across his skin.

"Controlling spiders is just a rumor. If it's truly that powerful, I'm afraid someone would have already sought after it, me included. However, the flower's medicinal properties are clearly recorded in the history books." Jin Min's eyes held clear infinite longing that was etched deep in his heart, "If I can get my hands on a flower to study, I am willing to give up all my worldly possessions!"

"Alright, enough talking about it, I no longer have an appetite." Jin Ling muttered, before quickly gulping down a glass of wine to suppress his shock. He suddenly remembered something and asked Jin Min, "Brother Min, you mentioned you brought a lot of herbs back this time. Would you have any Moon Grass by chance?"

Upon hearing about potential Moon Grass, Lan Xichen's heart tightened, and he looked at Jiang Cheng, who while flushed in the face (as he had already had two glasses of wine) frowned sharply when he heard Jin Ling mention the Moon Grass. Hearing Jin Ling's question, Jin Min quickly replied, "Actually, I have been collecting some Moon Grass for personal reasons these past two years."

"Oh! So could you give me some of it?" As soon as Jin Ling heard he had it, he swiftly asked if he could get some. Jiang Cheng's expression was quite gloomy, and he wanted to stop Jin Ling from continuing, but Jin Ling winked at his uncle slyly, and then said to Jin Min, "When my A-niang was alive, she suffered from chronic headaches, which could only be eased with Moon Grass. Now I too suffer from the condition, so if you have some, could you sell some to me?"