CHAPTER 239: CHAPTER 0239: THE WONDROUS USES OF WINTER MELON_1

"Lift it out? Could it even be lifted out? This could easily lead to an accident."

Zhang Bin’s amorous fantasies dissipated instantly, and he hurried toward the vegetable garden.

Su Man followed him with a brisk trot.

In the garden, Father Zhang was in high spirits, directing dozens of burly men from the village. They laid down straw on the ground and then frantically started shouting as they pushed the winter melon, trying to roll it out.

But the winter melon was too big and tall, towering many times their height, so they could only push against its lower half. As a result, no matter how hard they pushed, the winter melon didn’t budge an inch.

Many of the village women were also there watching the excitement, laughing so hard they were nearly falling over, all of them having a wonderful time.

"Sigh, there are so many of you, yet you can’t even move one winter melon," Mother Zhang bragged. "If my son were here, he wouldn’t even need to push it. He’d just pick it up and walk right out with it."

Zhang Bin nearly stumbled and fell.

This winter melon is as huge as a small hill, possibly weighing several tons—five tons isn’t out of the question. Even though I’ve now cultivated to the Qi Sea Realm Peak and possess the Strength of Eight Bulls, which is 8,000 jin or about four tons, I’m not confident I can just pick up the winter melon and walk away. Besides, the winter melon is so enormous, I wouldn’t even know where to apply force.

"Xiao Bin is back! Everyone, don’t worry! Let Xiao Bin carry it out!" a villager with sharp eyes spotted Zhang Bin and called out with a mischievous laugh.

"Ah... My son is really back?"

Mother Zhang was shocked, her boastful claim suddenly in danger of being exposed right then and there.

Honestly, son, of all the times to come back, why did you have to pick right now? she grumbled to herself.

The burly men stopped what they were doing and chuckled.

Xiao Fang was there too. She approached him and said softly, "Hubby, don’t push yourself. This winter melon is too heavy."

"Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing," Zhang Bin smiled. He walked over, placed both hands on the bottom of one end of the winter melon, and lifted with all his might.

The winter melon, as big as a small hill, was lifted off the ground.

It’s not as heavy as I expected, Zhang Bin thought. It seems that although the winter melon is huge, it must be hollow, so it’s not that heavy after all. Probably not even four tons.

He stood the winter melon up on its end, then slipped underneath it. Turning around, he hoisted it onto his back and began walking forward with great strides.

Each step he took left a deep footprint in the ground. Even the stone slabs began to crack under the weight.

"My god, how strong is Xiao Bin? Just how powerful has he become?"

All the villagers stared, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Su Man was also completely stunned, her face a mask of shock and disbelief. Although she had seen Zhang Bin float in the Void that day, she still couldn’t have imagined that a mere person could carry a winter melon weighing several tons on his back.

That’s something only Immortals should be able to do, right?

Mother Zhang’s eyes lit up, a look of immense pride spreading across her face. She declared loudly, "How about that? I wasn’t bragging, was I? My son can easily carry the winter melon out all by himself."

"But you said Xiao Bin could carry it out in his arms," a villager retorted, unconvinced.

"That’s because my son’s arms aren’t long enough to wrap around such a huge winter melon! Otherwise, of course he would have carried it straight out. Why would he need to use his back?" Mother Zhang argued, full of confidence. "You little brat, trying to argue with me? You need to go home and drink milk for a few more years."

The villager was instantly defeated, looking utterly embarrassed.

"HAHAHA..."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Next, Zhang Bin repeated the process, carrying the other mountain-sized winter melon out as well.

Then, Zhang Bin cut off a piece of the winter melon. Mother Zhang immediately used it to make a winter melon and pork rib soup. It gave off a rich, enticing fragrance that made anyone who smelled it salivate.

Even Su Man, who was accustomed to all kinds of exotic delicacies, found herself swallowing repeatedly, her face full of anticipation. This winter melon is clearly delicious. It’s sure to fetch a high price, and it will definitely bring more customers to my hotel, earning a hefty profit.

However, Zhang Bin didn’t allow anyone to have a single bite. He ate two slices himself, then sat cross-legged on the ground. Focusing all his attention, he looked inward at his abdomen, sensing for any changes. If it were a medicinal herb, consuming it like this could reveal some of its properties. This was how, in ancient times, Shennong had tasted hundreds of herbs to test their effects.

Of course, using such a crude method to accurately determine the full properties of an herb was impossible. This was especially true for Alchemy, where there could be no room for error. That was why Zhang Bin had to build a laboratory. He planned to use advanced scientific methods from Xuanwu Star to meticulously test the medicinal properties of all plants on Earth. He even intended to test some minerals and other strange substances. Only then could he successfully refine the elixirs from the Xuanwu Star recipes.

Gradually, a look of shock and ecstasy spread across Zhang Bin’s face. It seemed he had made a miraculous discovery.

About half an hour later, he finally opened his eyes and leaped to his feet.

"Son, is everything alright?" Father Zhang asked, already reaching for the winter melon in his bowl.

"Don’t eat it!" Zhang Bin shouted hurriedly.

Father Zhang flinched in fright and asked in terror, "Is it poisonous? Does this mean we can’t sell it for money?"

"It’s not poisonous, but it has special medicinal properties. It has become a miraculous medicine, so it can no longer be sold as a vegetable," Zhang Bin explained.

"It turned into a medicinal herb? We can’t eat it as a vegetable?"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Su Man, however, was so anxious she was practically jumping up and down, fearing her vegetable venture was about to go up in smoke. On the verge of tears, she lamented, "But this is clearly a winter melon! How did it turn into a medicinal herb?"

Father Zhang didn’t care what the winter melon had become. He only asked worriedly, "Son, is this medicinal herb valuable?"

"Valuable? It’s priceless. Dad, you’ve made a great contribution this time. We’re going to be rich," Zhang Bin said excitedly.

"HAHAHA..."

A fervent light gleamed in Father Zhang’s eyes, and he laughed with wild excitement. It was as if he could see the two massive winter melons before him turning into two great piles of bright red banknotes, each one as high as a small hill.

"You two money-grubbers, stop daydreaming," Mother Zhang chided from the side. "Hurry up and tell us, what kind of medicinal herb did it turn into?"

"Yes, what exactly did it become, and what does it do?" Su Man also asked, full of curiosity.

"This is an unbelievably magical medicinal herb. Men can’t take it; it’s only suitable for women," Zhang Bin said mysteriously, touching his own chest. "Because this herb is for breast enhancement. The effect is immediate upon consumption, causing instant swelling. If I hadn’t used my True Qi to disperse the medicinal effects just now, I’d already have two big steamed buns right here."

He had been racking his brain over a breast enhancement formula, never imagining that the winter melon his father cultivated would solve the problem. It was just what the doctor ordered.

"How is that possible?"

Everyone stared dumbly at Zhang Bin’s chest, their faces filled with utter astonishment and disbelief.