This was a long-standing tradition in Yuhe County.

Powerful and influential figures often scouted Martial Artists based on their performance in the sparring trials, hoping to recruit them.

So, what Miss Jinlian was doing didn’t seem too out of the ordinary.

The handmaiden stared at the Elixir, stunned for a moment. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then simply nodded in agreement.

Just then, Miss Jinlian suddenly raised a hand to stop her. "Wait."

Her fingertips tapped gently on the arm of her Grandmaster’s Chair as her gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Liu Maolin, who was standing outside the railing.

Liu Maolin was talking with several other disciples from Sun’s Martial Arts Hall, an excited smile on his face.

The corners of Miss Jinlian’s lips lifted slightly. She had a passing acquaintance with Liu Maolin and knew he was not only meticulous but also had some knowledge of medicine—he was certainly no brute.

"That won’t do." Miss Jinlian shook her head and looked at her handmaiden again. "Take this Hundred Herbs Spirit Pill to Liu Maolin. Say I asked you to give it to him. Tell him this Hundred Herbs Spirit Pill is a gift for Yang Jing, and ask him to pass it along on my behalf."

The handmaiden understood. Liu Maolin was acquainted with her mistress. Having him deliver it was far more discreet than having a stranger approach Yang Jing out of the blue.

Miss Jinlian said lightly, "Liu Maolin knows medicine. He’ll be able to tell at a glance that the Elixir is harmless. He will trust me."

This way, Yang Jing could take it without worry, and the gesture wouldn’t seem too forward. It was a much better approach than delivering it directly.

She didn’t want her kind intentions to be met with suspicion, ruining the mood for no reason.

"Yes."

The handmaiden, holding the wooden box, turned and moved through the crowd.

Behind the silk screen, Miss Jinlian leaned back in her Grandmaster’s Chair again, rolling a jade thumb ring between her fingers.

A hint of a smile appeared in her eyes as she watched Liu Maolin’s expression shift from initial surprise to sudden understanding upon seeing the handmaiden and accepting the wooden box.

Liu Maolin opened the box and studied its contents for a moment. Then, just as she had predicted, he hurried toward Yang Jing. He had clearly recognized the Elixir’s value and understood her intentions.

’This roundabout way of doing things is rather interesting.’

Miss Jinlian thought, her gaze once again falling on Yang Jing.

In the distance, Liu Maolin was both shocked and delighted.

He had recognized the handmaiden as one of Jinlian’s attendants. One look at the Hundred Herbs Spirit Pill’s gentle luster and the clear medicinal fragrance wafting from the box told him it was undoubtedly a treasure.

He had known Miss Jinlian for many years. Though young and seemingly delicate, she was in fact quite shrewd and never did anything without reason. This Elixir was surely meant to win over Yang Jing.

"Junior Brother!"

The wooden railing by the fence was hot from the sun. Liu Maolin stood on his toes, waving and shouting toward Yang Jing’s position below the main arena. "Junior Brother, over here!"

Hearing the voice, Yang Jing stopped his cultivation, got up, and walked quickly to the fence, stopping at the half-foot-high wooden railing.

He saw Liu Maolin holding a small sandalwood box and asked, puzzled, "Senior Brother, what is it?"

Liu Maolin opened the box. Inside, a shimmering, jade-green Elixir lay quietly, its medicinal fragrance light yet lingering.

He didn’t mention its name, simply smiling as he pushed the wooden box forward. "Take this. It’s a Healing Elixir, a bit stronger than the Rejuvenation Pill you took earlier. It’ll help you recover faster."

He deliberately downplayed its value, not telling Yang Jing how precious the Spirit Pill was.

The moment he’d opened the box, a wave of pure medicinal energy had rushed toward him, and he knew this was no ordinary item. It was an extremely precious Hundred Herbs Spirit Pill. If he explained its true effects, knowing Yang Jing’s stubborn nature, he would likely refuse it time and again.

Yang Jing leaned closer to look. The Elixir had a gentle luster and a faint light seemed to flow across its surface. It was clearly no ordinary item.

He was about to ask what kind of Elixir it was, but Liu Maolin cut him off. "Don’t ask too many questions. Just take it. You still have to fight Xu Guangwei next. Restoring your energy is what’s important."

Yang Jing saw the sincerity in Liu Maolin’s eyes, and his hesitation gradually faded.

He had always been close to his Fourth Senior Brother, Liu Maolin. Over the past year at the Martial Arts Hall, Liu Maolin had taken good care of him. Later, after breaking through to the Bright Strength stage, he’d taken a position at the Liu Family Medical Hall, which allowed him to keep up with his training.

"Then... thank you, Senior Brother."

He no longer refused and carefully took the wooden box.

"What’s there to be polite about with your senior brother?"

Liu Maolin patted the wooden railing, his tone light. "Go on back and rest. Get your energy back."

Yang Jing nodded firmly, tucked the wooden box into his robes close to his chest, and gave Liu Maolin a cupped-fist salute before turning to walk away.

Liu Maolin watched Yang Jing walk away, then breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

’Good thing I didn’t tell him everything,’ he thought. ’With Yang Jing’s stubborn temper, if he knew the Elixir came from Miss Jinlian, whom he’s only met once, he would have definitely tried to shove it back at me.’

’I’ll tell him where the Elixir came from after the sparring trials are over. For now, it’s best not to affect his state of mind,’ Liu Maolin thought to himself.

「Meanwhile.」

Yang Jing returned to the area below the main arena and sat down cross-legged.

He closed his eyes and assessed the condition of his body.

The effects of the Rejuvenation Pill were still circulating slowly, like warm water flowing over a dry riverbed, gradually replenishing his depleted Inner Strength. The hidden injuries from his earlier fights with Qin Yu and He Han were also throbbing faintly. While not life-threatening, they felt like several fine needles, constantly interfering with the flow of his Inner Strength.

He opened his eyes and opened the sandalwood box.

The green Elixir lay quietly inside, its surface shimmering with a thin halo of light. As he leaned in to smell it, a cool, clear medicinal fragrance shot into his nostrils and seeped into his very being with each breath, instantly calming his restless mind.

"It really is extraordinary."

Yang Jing murmured to himself. ’Senior Brother Liu said it was a bit stronger than a Rejuvenation Pill, but it seems he was being modest.’

Without further hesitation, he picked up the Elixir and put it in his mouth.