99 Single-Character Names with the Character "Hao"
He had been observing this place for a long time, watching many people undergo the test—some failed, others succeeded—and gradually, he began to grasp the rules of the second formation.
The second formation was an expansive sea of medicinal herbs and flowers.
To pass, one had to traverse this vast field without turning back, feeding the beast under one’s care with a hundred different herbs without triggering any poison reactions.
The rule seemed deceptively simple, yet countless challengers had stumbled here.
Not only did one have to master the complex interactions of herb growth and mutual restraint, but luck played a crucial role, as did the type of mystical beast involved.
Within the medicinal field, there were thousands upon thousands of spiritual herbs, their colors winding endlessly along the flower paths toward the horizon.
Water-crossing grass, Spirit Moon Fragrance, Fragrance Divider, Knowing-Long Flower…
At first, Qin Chuan moved slowly through the field, but gradually he quickened his pace, his eyes scanning the surroundings, occasionally plucking a herb to feed the toad on his shoulder.
Suddenly, his steps halted—he had come upon a fork in the path.
After a moment’s hesitation, he resolutely chose the right-hand path. Not all the herbs here were familiar to him; he could only select the route that seemed more reliable within his sight.
Gradually, a cold sweat broke out on Qin Chuan’s forehead, and his pace slowed. Some herbs required careful scrutiny before he could identify them.
Ten kinds, twenty kinds…
As Qin Chuan painstakingly identified the herbs, the young man who had earlier announced his name and initiated the test now gave a cold, sinister smile.
This youth was Xiao Rong. By seniority, he could even be addressed as Second Master Xiao Tianlian.
“The paths in this medicinal field have been secretly altered by me. Most herbs on either side possess conflicting medicinal properties. With a hundred interactions of mutual growth and restraint, you won’t make it!”
If Qin Chuan were truly a member of the Liu family, Xiao Rong wouldn’t dare act so brazenly. But since Qin Chuan had revealed his true name, others saw through his background.
A crystalline screen about a person’s height stood before the crowd, broadcasting Qin Chuan’s struggle.
The observers behind were of varying skill levels with flora and fauna, yet all furrowed their brows.
“This is strange. What’s going on today? Since when did the test become this difficult?”
“Indeed, these herbs are either poisonous or mutually antagonistic. If this were my test, I’d guarantee the beast couldn’t swallow more than ten herbs without harm.”
As Qin Chuan fed the beast thirty herbs, his steps grew labored. Many herbs were unfamiliar to him, and even those he knew were mostly poisonous.
His mind stirred, and he glanced obliquely upward toward a nearly transparent crystal orb.
Since entering the field, this orb had followed him closely. He knew that because of it, every move he made was under surveillance.
Perhaps due to his incapacitation of Xiao Tianlian, countless eyes outside the medicinal field were fixed intently here—some praying, others cursing, some calm, others anxious.
“This medicinal field is off!”
“Though the path shifts randomly, no one could make it this difficult by tampering. Reaching thirty herbs at this level of difficulty is impossible without foul play.”
Qin Chuan had seen others pass this field before, and even those who reached the end didn’t face such hardships. The herbs here were strange and exotic, with poisonous species dominating.
For ordinary people, they would consider the mutual growth and restraint of herbs from the tenth or twentieth herb onward, choosing subsequent herbs carefully based on what the beast had already consumed.
But his test was different—most herbs were extremely rare or obscure.
There were countless herbs in the world—thousands, nearly infinite. Qin Chuan had only been cultivating for just over two months. He was intimately familiar with only a few hundred species and had seen or recognized a few thousand at most.
Under normal circumstances, this second formation would not be very difficult for him.
He sighed. He was undoubtedly drawing attention, though he didn’t know which schemer had marked him. The names that first came to mind were Xiao Tianlian and Zeng Wu.
Though Xiao Tianlian was a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had fainted from anger and frustration, he had since awakened. Seeing Qin Chuan on the screen meeting his gaze, he sneered coldly.
His glance flickered toward Xiao Rong, as if approving, silently saying, “You’ve done well, kid. Once this matter is settled, I won’t forget your favor.”
Snapping back, he stared fiercely at Qin Chuan on the crystal screen, eyes filled with hatred. “You will not pass this second formation!”
Of course, no one else heard Xiao Tianlian’s thoughts.
Most wore worried expressions. “Young friend, you must pass this second formation!”
A few stakeholders, seeing Qin Chuan struggle, couldn’t help but feel joyful, as if it were a festive occasion.
“He’s moved!”
Qin Chuan stood motionless for a long while, and the slightest movement drew everyone’s attention.
He plucked a piece of moss-like herb and fed it to the toad on his shoulder.
“Brother Wang, you’re knowledgeable—do you know what herb this is?”
“Pale blue all over, prefers growing on jade nitrate stones, about an inch tall when mature. It must be Canglan Moss.”
“Canglan Moss?”
“Exactly. I’ve only read about this in ancient texts from a thousand years ago. It’s rarely used in pills today. The toad shows no adverse reaction after consumption, so clearly Brother Qin is well-acquainted with its properties.”
Xiao Tianlian, a pill master, often concocted pills for disciples and had never heard of Canglan Moss before. Seeing Qin Chuan pluck it excited him, initially thinking Qin Chuan was grasping at straws.
But as three breaths passed with no harm to the toad, his heart sank.
“Just a lucky strike! Yes, it must be that!”
His unease deepened, and his already pale face grew even more haggard.
...
“Ha!” Qin Chuan laughed heartily, unconcerned about being watched.
His joy came not from guessing the herb correctly, but from his deep yearning for the way of flora!
He concealed the herb within his wide sleeve, mentally explaining its medicinal properties and pharmacology one by one.
Known as the “Mystical Herbal Codex,” Qin Chuan had traveled through countless years, witnessing innumerable strange pills and herbs. With his guidance, the second formation was naturally no challenge.
Yet he did not walk away immediately. Instead, he sat cross-legged before a dark green-black tree about half a man’s height, each branch adorned with three to five unopened silvery-white buds.
“This tree is called the Iron Tree, but it’s difficult to serve as a spiritual herb. Try infusing spiritual energy into it.”
With a thought, a faint stream of spiritual energy extended from his fingertips, spreading slowly.
“Gradually, make it slightly stronger.”
“More… less… good, maintain it.”
As the energy grew slightly stronger, the silvery flowers on the Iron Tree began to wilt.
“Just a trace of spiritual energy can cause the silver flowers to bloom; this is the essence of the entire tree. This flower and tree together are known as Iron Tree Silver Flower.”
“Each branch has at least three buds; the tree is at least three hundred years old. Let me explain its pharmacology…”
Time flew quickly as a large crowd fixated on the crystal screen, not daring to look away.
The screen seemed too small for the spectacle.
Each time Qin Chuan plucked a herb, a ripple of astonishment arose.
“Fifty-six, fifty-seven... seventy-two!”
“What herb is this? Does anyone know? Brother Wang?”
The man called Brother Wang shook his head.
“If anyone knows, I humbly offer twenty spirit stones as a reward!”
No one answered.
“Thirty!”
“Forty!” he gritted his teeth.
At this moment, someone in the crowd, eyes flickering with interest, stepped forward.
“Eighty spirit stones!”
“This...” The young man hesitated, but Brother Wang sighed and stepped forward.
“I’ll pay the remaining forty.”
...
Qin Chuan hadn’t expected the herbs he selected—even their names—to fetch such high prices.
Immersed in his own world, he walked further and further, each step memorizing several herbs.
Usually, he lacked enough tangible specimens for verification, which hindered his progress in the way of flora.
Gradually, amid constant confirmation, Qin Chuan seemed to forget everything else, moving like a fish in water, greedily absorbing this vast medicinal field.
He lost count of the herbs plucked, but any herb whose properties he learned from the toad and could be safely ingested was gathered.
The variety was immense; some even astonished the toad, including rumored extinct herbs!
“Eighty, ninety... ninety-nine!”
“One more to go!”
Even Xiao Tianlian looked disheartened, head bowed, as if already envisioning Qin Chuan’s triumphant expression.
“Brother Qin Chuan has eight herbs before him. Whoever can guess and name one of these herbs in advance will receive a reward of one thousand spirit stones from me!”
Suddenly, the man surnamed Wang shouted this.
The crowd was stunned, then shocked.
“A thousand spirit stones, really?”
“Don’t laugh, I’m Wang, a man of means!”
“Brother Wang is generous!”
“Generous!” they echoed.
“Here I come, Brother Wang, don’t go back on your word!” A man with burn scars stepped forward.
Wang waved his heavy storage pouch. “Naturally!”
“I’m thirty percent sure Brother Qin will choose the second spirit item from the left—Qingxiu Flower! This is neither flower nor leaf, but the dew upon the herb!”
...
After he spoke, another person stepped forward.
“In my humble opinion, Brother Qin will choose the first herb on the left. This herb is called Red Moon Grass…”
This was a one-armed man. Upon uttering “Red Moon Grass,” seeing no objections, he smiled slyly and proceeded to fabricate the herb’s properties.
He had no knowledge of these eight herbs but noticed no one else volunteered a guess. He decided to take a wild chance—an eight-in-one shot.
With great seriousness, he extolled the fictitious Red Moon Grass, attributing numerous medicinal properties.
When he finally tired of boasting, many prepared to note down his words, causing some guilt to stir. Yet thinking of the thousand spirit stones, he endured their admiring gazes calmly.
After the one-armed man, no one else could provide a reasonable answer.
Then—
“Look, Brother Qin has moved!”