Chapter 74: Foraging

Chapter 74: Foraging

The verdant expanse surrounding the Verdant Lotus sect buzzed with life, invigorating me with every step. Earthly Root Connection made each breath seem like it cleansed me from within.

"Ah, the fresh scent of adventure! Isn't that right, Tianyi?"

She fluttered up to my nose, signaling her approval. Windy, poking out of my sleeve, flicked out their tongue back and forth before returning back into the darkness of my sleeve.

It was getting colder by the day. All the trees had turned orange, leaving me with the nice sensation of crackling leaves as I walked the beaten path.

The chill of approaching winter tinted the landscape with hues of orange, the crisp sounds of leaves underfoot accompanying my steps on the well-trodden path.

Finally arriving at the river up north, where the elusive spirit moss was rumored to thrive, I couldn't help but grumble at the uneven terrain. The rocky riverbank, coupled with my arm still snug in its cast, made for an amusing yet challenging trek.

"Behold, my faithful companions, the uneven battleground upon which we stand! A lesser man might falter, but I, with my boundless determination and slightly impaired balance, shall persevere!" I declared, navigating the riverbank with exaggerated caution.

It wouldn't do to re-break the careful healing of my arm. Doctor Fei Ni would likely strap me to the bed, unable to move a finger at that rate.

Somewhere among this greenery, the elusive spirit moss awaited.

Gently, I lowered Windy to the ground, allowing them to explore the lush bank freely. "Seek out our verdant quarry, brave Windy," I encouraged, watching as they slithered away with an eager flick of their tongue.

Tianyi, ever vigilant, hovered nearby, her wings a blur of motion. "We're on the hunt for spirit moss," I explained to her, "emerald green, with feather-like fronds that sprawl in a spiral pattern. Keep your eyes peeled."

As I began my own search, I muttered to myself about the likely habitats of the moss, based on my extensive, yet recently acquired, reading. "Near rocks and trees, the texts said. Moist, shaded areas where the sun's touch is gentle, not harsh."

My mind wandered to the role it would play in my hydrosol concoction.

As I meandered along the riverbank, my gaze fixed on the nooks and crannies that might harbor the spirit moss, I pondered its peculiar name and scarce references in the sect's archives. "Not much to go on, really," I mused. "It's more or less a footnote, known more for its luminescent turquoise glow in the evening than any profound medicinal properties."

I crouched by a particularly moist patch of earth, scanning the area while recalling the other types of moss I'd studied. "Peat moss, club moss... each with its own unique uses in medicine and tea. But spirit moss?"

The thought nagged at me as I sifted through the underbrush. "There's got to be more to it. Perhaps it's like those rare herbs that don't reveal their true potential until put under the alchemist's flame."

With Windy exploring nearby and Tianyi flitting about in her diligent search, I couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and frustration.

Tianyi's sudden, excited fluttering caught my attention, breaking through my contemplative state. Following her lead, I navigated the uneven terrain with a careful gait, mindful of my still-mending arm. She led me further upstream, where the babbling of the river seemed to sing in harmony with the rustling leaves.

There, nestled between two moss-covered rocks, was Windy, their body coiled with an air of triumph. The surrounding stones were blanketed in a lush layer of moss that seemed to dance with an ethereal glow, its emerald fronds sprawling out in intricate spirals just as the texts had described.

Kneeling beside the serene spectacle, I carefully inspected the moss, confirming its identity against the mental checklist of characteristics I had memorized. The vibrant green hue, the delicate, feather-like textureit was unmistakably the spirit moss we sought.

"With the keen eyes of Tianyi and the steadfast determination of Windy, we have unveiled the hidden gem of the northern wilds!" I praised, my tone teeming with the grandeur of a seasoned cultivator.

I turned to my companions, a wide grin spreading across my face. "This, my dear allies, is a victory not just for our quest, but for the annals of Verdant Lotus lore! May the province sing of this day, when Kai, Tianyi, and Windy conquered the elusive spirit moss!"

Their reactions were as expectedTianyi buzzed with a joyful hum, while Windy simply flicked their tongue.

"Together, we shall usher in a new era of alchemical marvels, starting with the humble yet mighty spirit moss!" I declared.

Gingerly, I prodded the moss with the fingers of my good hand, adopting the same methodology I used when I dealt with new plants. The moss felt cool and slightly damp to the touch, its texture both delicate and resilient. I tapped into my Plant Whisperer skill, hoping it might shed some light on the enigmatic spirit moss.

Concentrating, I extended my senses towards the moss, seeking a deeper connection, a whisper of insight into its hidden qualities.

"Ah, what secrets do you hold, oh verdant enigma?" I mused aloud, half expecting the moss to whisper its mysteries. Deciding that a visual inspection alone wouldn't suffice, I resolved to delve deeper into its essence.

However, the moss remained silent, its secrets locked away beyond my skill's reach. My Plant Whisperer skill, while a boon in the wild, seemed to offer little more than an instinctual understanding of how to interact with plants, a guide to their basic handling and use rather than a key to their deeper mysteries. It was akin to a sixth sense for the green world, an intuitive nudge in the right direction when faced with unfamiliar flora. While it had proven invaluable in my Advanced Herbology classes, it was not the all-revealing oracle I might have hoped for in this moment.Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

With a focused breath, I placed my palm over a small patch of the moss, channeling a gentle flow of qi to coax out its essence. The moss responded to my touch, a soft, turquoise glow emanating from beneath my hand as I carefully gathered a small orb of its essence.

Inspecting the glowing orb, I marveled at its beauty and pondered its potential. "Now, to safely store you away for further study," I muttered, only to realize with a sinking feeling that I hadn't brought a vial.

With my one good arm occupied with maintaining the essence, I awkwardly fumbled through my pouch with my elbow, hoping I had overlooked a spare container. Perhaps I could ask Windy to snake inside my pouch and see?

In my flustered state, I failed to notice a protruding root on the ground. My foot caught on it, and a jolt of panic shot through me.

Your reward will put you into a trance-like state. Proceed?

I'd never encountered such a notification before. As I mentally braced for whatever was to come, a wave of dizziness swept over me, plunging me into darkness.

When my senses returned, I found myself in a nondescript room, devoid of any familiar landmarks. Glancing down, I realized, with a start, that I had no physical form here. "What in the...?" I muttered, trying to make sense of the situation. Tianyi and Windy were nowhere to be found.

My hands reached into nothingness where they should have been. The instinctual need to touch, to feel, was met with an eerie absence that sent a shiver through my non-corporeal form. I waved my hands, or at least I thought I did, in front of where my face should have been, but there was nothingno sensation of air moving, no visual confirmation, just the unsettling void.

"Hello?"

I couldn't feel the sensation of my mouth moving, but the voice clearly echoed.

Before I could ponder further, a robed figure appeared, featureless and enigmatic, moving towards a table laden with the very ingredients I needed for the hydrosolspirit moss, tienchi ginseng, hyacinth orchid, and common reed. Their movements were precise, almost ritualistic, using tools similar to the ones in the pavilion but intricate designs I couldn't help but notice.

Where had I seen those before?

I watched, fascinated yet bewildered, as the figure demonstrated the creation of the hydrosol. Their method was unfamiliar, yet somehow, it felt right. It was like watching Elder Zhu at work; I couldn't grasp the full depth of his skills, but I recognized their effectiveness. This figure's handling of the ingredients was beyond my current understanding, yet it resonated with me on an instinctual level; I couldn't miss an iota of what was being demonstrated here.

As the figure in robes approached the table, I couldn't help but notice the setup. Spirit moss, tienchi ginseng, hyacinth orchid, and common reed were all laid out, ready for use. Their movements were deliberate, almost like they were performing some sacred ritual.

Watching them work was mesmerizing. They didn't just chop the tienchi ginseng; they had a special way of handling it, teasing out its essence without brute force. For the hyacinth orchid...Instead of crushing the petals, they gently rubbed them together, preserving their beauty while drawing out the essence. It was nothing like I'd ever seen.

The common reed was another surprise. No simple cutting herethey tapped along its length.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours.

As the demonstration continued, a strange sense of dj vu washed over me. The room's layout, the design of the tools, something about them was eerily familiar. It took me a moment, but then it clickedthe resemblance to the ruins where I first encountered the Heavenly Interface was uncanny.

With each ingredient prepared, the figure began the actual process of creating the hydrosol. They used a distillation setup that was familiar yet foreign, with glassware that seemed to twist and turn in ways that defied my understanding of alchemy.

A small window in the room allowed a sliver of moonlight to filter through, casting a serene glow over the scene.

The figure carefully placed a bowl in the water, ensuring it was in direct view of the moonlight, and slowly poured the essence of the spirit moss into it. The liquid's hue deepened, creating a spectacle of turquoise that was even more intense than what I had observed during my own experiment by the river.

This deliberate action, under the moon's gentle gaze, seemed to amplify the moss's known properties. I realized the significance of this step; the spirit moss was renowned for its ethereal glow in the moonlight, and here, in this trance-induced vision, the figure was harnessing that very trait, enhancing it through the alchemical process.

As the other ingredients were distilled into a hydrosol, dripping steadily into a separate bowl, I watched the entire procedure come together. Each drop seemed to fall with the deliberate slowness of honey sliding down a spoon, pooling into the bowl with a hypnotic regularity that drew me deeper into the vision.

The figure's methodical, precise movements, the careful handling of each element, all contributed to the creation of something truly uniquea healing hydrosol imbued with a constant, gentle glow.

What struck me was the permanence of this glow. Even as the figure moved the finished product away from the moonlight, the hydrosol continued to emit a subtle, turquoise light. It was a revelation; the temporary, natural luminescence of the spirit moss had been transformed into a permanent feature of the hydrosol through this intricate and deliberate method.

I committed every single detail to memory. I'd have to analyze every single move, every touch. It went beyond the basic alchemical processes I was familiar with, hinting at a level of mastery that I had yet to fully comprehend.

"Uh, thank you! I learned very well from this experience!"

Although I knew the figure wouldn't hear me, seeing as it hadn't reacted to my presence as it darted around the room throughout the entire process, I thanked it. After all, a man who doesn't show grace is no more than a beast!

To my disbelief, the figure paused in its meticulous work and turned towards where I perceived myself to stand. Despite lacking any discernible facial features or a clear form, the gesture was unmistakably directed at mea wave that acknowledged my presence in this ethereal space.

With a start, I found myself back in the present, the sensation of my physical form returning in a rush of sensory overload.

Tianyi and Windy seemed to be doing their thing, unaware of the mental journey I'd just been on. I checked outsidestill mid-afternoon. That whole vision felt like hours, but here, only minutes had passed.

"Time's weird," I muttered to myself. There was a lot to unpack from what I'd just seen. That detailed process of making the hydrosol wasn't something I could just wing later. I needed to get this right, especially with how the spirit moss essence worked in the moonlight.

Heading back to my quarters seemed like the best move. It was quiet there, a good place to think and sort through everything I'd learned. And with the night coming up, I had the perfect setting to try out the hydrosol recipe for real.

Tianyi followed closely, her gentle fluttering a constant comfort. Windy, now more subdued, stayed wrapped around my arm, almost as if sensing the importance of what was to come.

Once in my room, I laid out my notes and the ingredients I'd need. Tonight's experiment under the moonlight would be crucial. It was all about getting the essence to glow just right, just like that figure! Making the healing hydrosol not just effective but special.

"Okay, let's break this down," I said to myself, focusing on the task at hand. The night's work would be a true test of what I'd learned, both from my classes and from that mysterious, faceless figure in my vision.