Chapter 19

Returning to the medicinal garden, Ding Qi once again pondered the issue of the true qi anomaly.

Before descending the mountain, when he was recalling the feeling of the true qi agitation, he already had some ideas.

At first, Ding Qi suspected that the true qi agitation was due to the increase in his true qi over these days, which finally led to an external manifestation of his ability to sense the phoenix tail grass.

However, he quickly negated this idea.

His ability to sense the phoenix tail grass had not changed for a long time. During this period, he practiced the innate skill, and the amount of true qi in his body did indeed increase. However, due to the short practice time, the increase was not significant compared to the total amount of true qi in his body.

Ding Qi instinctively felt that such a level of increase was far from enough to significantly enhance his ability to sense the phoenix tail grass.

Moreover, Ding Qi had previously deduced that his ability to quickly find the phoenix tail grass was likely related to the true qi given to him by Old Zhang.

If this deduction was correct, it meant that the abnormality in his search for the phoenix tail grass was only related to the true qi he had refined, and not much to the amount of true qi he cultivated later.

If this were true, no matter how much true qi he cultivated in his body, it would not increase the efficiency of his search for the phoenix tail grass.

Next, Ding Qi carefully analyzed the four instances of true qi agitation today. Finally, he discovered a rather peculiar point.

Ding Qi found that the agitation of true qi did not occur throughout his entire body, but only in a part of it. More precisely, it was the true qi he had cultivated from the innate skill over these days, along with the true qi he had refined from Old Zhang, that was agitated. The rest of the true qi did not show any abnormalities.

Practicing multiple skills at the same time is a major taboo for martial artists. Different types of true qi can conflict and damage the body, easily leading to the complete destruction of the meridians and a significant loss of power.

Ding Qi had tried practicing many skills, and naturally, there were many different types of true qi in his body. However, this did not have a significant impact on him.

Because the various types of true qi in his body were too weak to cause internal conflicts. As long as he focused on practicing one skill in the future, all the different types of true qi would be assimilated.

Ding Qi knew that many martial artists, when they first started practicing, would also try many different skills and eventually choose the one most suitable for them. The different types of true qi left in their bodies would quickly be assimilated by the main skill, so there was no need to worry.

This time, it was precisely because there were several different types of true qi in his body that he noticed the problem.

"The true qi cultivated from the innate skill can actually sense the presence of the phoenix tail grass?"

After noticing the key point in the forest, Ding Qi already had this idea.

Back in the medicinal garden, Ding Qi sat on the bed and repeatedly thought about the four instances of true qi agitation when he picked the phoenix tail grass today, trying to determine if it was really related to the true qi from the innate skill.

However, the feeling of true qi agitation was extremely subtle, making it difficult to distinguish from his memories whether it was caused by the true qi from the innate skill. As a result, Ding Qi still could not confirm his suspicions.

In the end, Ding Qi could only wait until the next few days when he went up the mountain to pick the phoenix tail grass to verify his suspicions.

"Regardless of what causes this, today's discovery is definitely something to be happy about." Ding Qi put aside his doubts and thought.

The true qi agitation when approaching the phoenix tail grass greatly helped Ding Qi in finding medicinal herbs, which was a great piece of good news. The only thing that made Ding Qi a bit regretful was that the true qi agitation when approaching the phoenix tail grass was very subtle, requiring great attention to feel. It was almost indistinguishable from the feeling of true qi circulating in the body, making it easy to make mistakes and difficult to distinguish.

To quickly verify his suspicions, Ding Qi had to interrupt his original plan. On the second day, he did not practice the innate skill as planned but got up early from bed, carried a small basket, and rushed up the mountain, quickly crossing the forest around the mountain path and disappearing into the depths of the mountain.

For three consecutive days, Ding Qi got up early every morning to go up the mountain and came down in the evening. During these days of continuous herb gathering, the number of phoenix tail grass he had, including the four he picked on the first day, had already reached over ten, a bountiful harvest.

At the same time, after several days of verification, Ding Qi finally confirmed his suspicions. The true qi that reacted to the phoenix tail grass was indeed the true qi cultivated from the innate skill.

"Who would have thought that the innate skill would have such an effect." Pulling a phoenix tail grass from the grass and putting it into the basket on his back, Ding Qi sighed.

This was the fourth consecutive day Ding Qi had gone up the mountain to gather herbs. By yesterday, he was almost certain that the true qi from the innate skill could sense the phoenix tail grass. However, to ensure accuracy, he went up the mountain again today to verify it, finally feeling relieved.

When he initially deduced that it was likely the true qi he had refined that allowed him to quickly search for the phoenix tail grass, Ding Qi had almost given up on the idea of improving his search efficiency by increasing his true qi.

But now he found that the true qi cultivated from the innate skill also had the effect of improving the efficiency of searching for the phoenix tail grass, making his previously abandoned idea possible again.

For a moment, Ding Qi was filled with amazement.

With the true qi in his body sensing the phoenix tail grass, Ding Qi's speed in searching for herbs was greatly increased. Originally, it took him three to five days to find one phoenix tail grass. Now, he could harvest several herbs every day.

In these three days, with the help of the true qi from the innate skill, he harvested two herbs each day for two days and four herbs on one day. On average, he could harvest two to three herbs per day, which was almost ten times more efficient than before.

"This is just the beginning of practicing the innate skill. If I continue to practice this skill, I believe the search efficiency will greatly improve." Thinking about this, Ding Qi felt a surge of joy.

Although Ding Qi knew that the mysterious innate skill was extraordinary and a highly advanced skill, he did not expect that practicing it would help him find the phoenix tail grass.

This new discovery made Ding Qi look at the skill he was practicing with a new perspective, and his enthusiasm for practicing the innate skill became extremely high.

Now, with the help of the true qi's sensing ability, Ding Qi found the phoenix tail grass quite conveniently. However, since the true qi agitation caused by the phoenix tail grass was extremely subtle, relying on this feeling often led to mistakes, and the efficiency still needed to be greatly improved.

Ding Qi estimated that as long as he diligently practiced the innate skill, he could definitely improve the efficiency. At that time, the number of phoenix tail grass he could harvest each day would be even greater.

Ding Qi looked at the sky; it was already late. At this time, he usually started preparing to go down the mountain, and this time was no exception. Taking advantage of the not yet dark sky, he could still see the marks left in the forest. He followed the traces he left when entering the mountain and walked down.

Ding Qi did not return to the medicinal garden first but went to the Tongfu Inn to have dinner. During these days of going up the mountain, he would get up early in the morning, go to the Tongfu Inn for breakfast, and bring lunch back in the basket to eat in the mountains. In the evening, he would return to the Tongfu Inn for dinner before going back to the medicinal garden.

After finishing dinner, Ding Qi took a few steamed buns and left the inn. As he approached the medicinal garden, he faintly heard someone calling his name. Only Ding Qi and Manager Zhao lived near the medicinal garden, so the person calling him could only be Manager Zhao.

Hearing the voice, Ding Qi quickly walked towards the medicinal garden and indeed saw Manager Zhao looking for him at the door of the house where he lived.

Seeing that Manager Zhao had something to find him about, Ding Qi thought of something and his face turned serious.