Rise of The Abandoned Husband

I watched with satisfaction as the cultivators who had threatened us just moments ago retreated from the basin under Guy Noble's pressure. The tension that had been crushing down on us lifted, leaving behind a mixture of relief and lingering wariness.

"That was close," the Man with the Mustache whispered, still trembling slightly. "Too close."

"They're just regrouping," I replied, keeping my voice low. "Ms. Hayward isn't the type to accept defeat gracefully."

Guy Noble approached us, his confident stride belying the danger we'd just faced. "We should move quickly. The herb won't fully emerge for another hour or so, but we need to secure the area."

I nodded, studying the glowing crack where the Ten-thousand-year-old Medicinal Material was slowly pushing its way through the earth. Already, a faint, sweet fragrance filled the air around it—a sign of its incredible potency.

"Clara, stay with me," I told the young girl who had remained surprisingly calm throughout the confrontation.

She nodded seriously, her large eyes scanning our surroundings. "I'll watch for bad people."

The Man with the Mustache chuckled nervously. "Out of the mouths of babes. We definitely need to watch for bad people."

Guy deployed his cultivators in a defensive perimeter around the emerging herb, then joined me near the glowing crack. "My father will be pleased. He's been seeking a Ten-thousand-year-old material for decades."

"Why did he really send you to help me?" I asked directly.

Guy's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Noble Family recognizes potential allies... and future powers. You've made quite the impression, Liam Knight."

Before I could press further, a commotion erupted from the eastern side of the basin—the direction Ms. Hayward's group had headed earlier.

"What now?" the Man with the Mustache groaned.

Brilliant light suddenly burst from beyond the ridge, bathing the entire area in a golden-green glow. The light pulsed rhythmically, accompanied by waves of sweet fragrance that made even Guy Noble's eyebrows rise in surprise.

"That's..." he began, his voice trailing off.

"Another herb?" I finished for him, frowning.

The Man with the Mustache nervously tugged at his facial hair. "That's impossible. Two Ten-thousand-year-old materials in such close proximity? It defies all natural laws!"

Clara tugged at my sleeve, looking concerned. "Is our treasure still the right one?"

I hesitated. The magnificent display of light and fragrance from the east was exactly what ancient texts described when a truly valuable medicinal material emerged. Our humble glowing crack suddenly seemed insignificant in comparison.

"We should check it out," the Man with the Mustache suggested anxiously. "What if Baldwin was right all along?"

Guy Noble's face darkened. "Baldwin Daniels is a fraud. Whatever's happening over there, it's not what he predicted."

Despite Guy's confidence, doubt crept into my mind. What if we were wrong? What if the true treasure was with Ms. Hayward's group? I glanced at our slowly emerging herb, then back toward the spectacular light show in the east.

"No," I finally decided. "We stay. This is the genuine article."

Guy nodded approvingly. "A man who doesn't doubt his judgment. I like that."

The Man with the Mustache looked less convinced. "But that light... that fragrance..."

"Appearances can be deceiving," I reminded him. "Remember what you told me about the most valuable treasures often being the most inconspicuous?"

He tugged at his mustache anxiously. "Yes, but—"

"Trust me," I said firmly. "This is where we need to be."

As we waited, I sent two of Guy's cultivators to observe Ms. Hayward's group from a distance. They returned quickly, reporting a scene of excitement and triumph around what appeared to be a crystal-clear herb that had fully emerged, glowing with intense light.

"Ms. Hayward is claiming victory," one reported. "She's already extracted the herb and placed it in a special container."

The Man with the Mustache groaned. "We've made a terrible mistake!"

"Patience," I urged, though I couldn't entirely suppress my own doubt.

Hours passed. The spectacular light from the eastern area gradually faded, while our modest glowing crack continued its slow progress. The Man with the Mustache paced nervously, occasionally casting longing glances toward Ms. Hayward's location.

"Perhaps we should reconsider," Guy suggested quietly, his earlier confidence wavering slightly.

I shook my head. "No. We wait."

As twilight approached, the crack in the earth suddenly widened. The gentle glow intensified, and a sweet, subtle fragrance—different from the overwhelming scent we'd detected earlier—began to fill the air.

"It's happening!" Clara exclaimed, pointing excitedly.

We gathered closer, watching in awe as a small, unassuming plant slowly emerged from the earth. Unlike the brilliant display from Ms. Hayward's find, this herb emitted a soft, steady glow that seemed to pulse with ancient rhythm.

"That's it?" the Man with the Mustache asked incredulously. "It's so... ordinary."

The herb looked simple—tiny leaves of deepest green arranged in a perfect spiral pattern around a central stem no thicker than a child's finger. But as I reached out my senses toward it, I could feel waves of potent energy radiating from its core.

"This is no ordinary herb," Guy whispered, his eyes wide with recognition. "This is the True Celestial Grass."

I nodded slowly, understanding dawning. "And Ms. Hayward's find?"

Guy's lips curled into a knowing smile. "A clever deception by nature itself. The False Celestial Grass—all show, minimal substance."

As the herb fully emerged, we carefully extracted it using special tools Guy had brought. The moment it left the earth, its glow intensified briefly before settling into a steady, gentle radiance.

"Beautiful," Clara breathed, reaching out to touch it before I gently stopped her hand.

"Ten thousand years of gathered essence," I explained. "Too powerful for direct contact."

Guy secured the herb in a jade container, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "The Noble Family will honor our partnership, Liam. Half of this herb is yours, as agreed."

I nodded, relief washing over me. With this herb, I could advance my cultivation significantly—perhaps even break through to the next level.

"We should leave before Ms. Hayward realizes her mistake," the Man with the Mustache suggested anxiously.

"Too late for that," a new voice called from behind us.

We turned to find Ms. Hayward approaching, flanked by Baldwin Daniels and several other cultivators. Her face was a mask of barely contained fury, but there was something else in her expression—uncertainty, perhaps even fear.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked coldly. "Without sharing your... discovery?"

Guy stepped forward, positioning himself between us and the newcomers. "We made a fair find. The basin wasn't claimed territory."

Baldwin Daniels sneered, though his confidence seemed diminished. "Another worthless weed, no doubt. Unlike our magnificent specimen."

I couldn't help but smile. "Is that what you think?"

"Show them," a commanding voice called from behind Ms. Hayward's group.

The cultivators parted to reveal an elderly man with a weathered face and piercing eyes. His robes marked him as a high-ranking expert from the Veridia City Martial Guild—a Marquis well-known for his expertise in ancient herbs.

"Master Zhou," Ms. Hayward greeted him with forced politeness. "We were just about to return to present our find."

Master Zhou ignored her, his gaze fixed on the jade container in Guy's hands. "Open it."

Guy hesitated, looking to me. I nodded slightly, and he carefully unsealed the container, allowing just enough of the herb's essence to escape.

Master Zhou's eyes widened momentarily before his expression settled into grim confirmation. "As I suspected. The True Celestial Grass."

Ms. Hayward's face paled. "What? But our herb—"

"May I examine your find?" Master Zhou asked, though his tone made it clear it wasn't a request.

With visible reluctance, Ms. Hayward produced an elegant crystal box. Inside rested a translucent herb that glowed with impressive brightness, its structure similar to our find but larger and more flamboyant.

Master Zhou barely glanced at it before shaking his head. "False Celestial Grass. A clever mimic that evolves specifically to distract treasure hunters from the true prize."

Baldwin Daniels stepped forward, his face flushing with anger. "That's impossible! I sensed—"

"You sensed what it wanted you to sense," Master Zhou interrupted coldly. "The False Grass emits potent spiritual energy specifically designed to fool cultivators."

Ms. Hayward's knuckles whitened around the crystal box. "But the light... the fragrance..."

"All deception," Master Zhou confirmed. "Nature's way of protecting its greatest treasures."

He turned to me with new respect in his eyes. "How did you know? Even experienced herb hunters are fooled by the False Grass."

"It was too obvious," I replied simply. "Too eager to be found. True treasures don't announce themselves so loudly."

Master Zhou nodded appreciatively. "Wisdom beyond your years."

Baldwin Daniels sputtered indignantly. "This is absurd! My Heavenly Secrets technique is infallible!"

"Is it?" Master Zhou asked mildly. "Then explain how this young man found the true herb while you were led astray."

Baldwin had no answer, his mouth opening and closing silently as his reputation crumbled before our eyes.

Ms. Hayward's gaze shifted between our herb and hers, her expression calculating. I tensed, recognizing the dangerous glint in her eyes—she wasn't ready to accept defeat.

"Perhaps we should verify these claims more thoroughly," she suggested smoothly. "At Guild headquarters, where proper tests can be conducted."

Guy Noble laughed. "A transparent attempt to seize our find. No thank you."

"The herb belongs to those who found it," Master Zhou stated firmly. "Guild law is clear on this matter."

Ms. Hayward's face darkened with rage. "This isn't over. That herb should belong to the Guild!"

"Actually," Master Zhou interjected, examining Ms. Hayward's crystal box more closely, "based on my experience, this is not a Ten-thousand-year-old Medicinal Material at all, but a medicinal material around five thousand years old."