The Mountain Herb Gatherer's Granddaughter (2)
I stared blankly at the Qing Ye Grass clutched in my hand. Just moments ago, its leaves had been wilted and its roots slightly damaged, but now it brimmed with vitality, as if still planted in the soil. On top of that, my ability informed me that its medicinal potency had grown even stronger.
"...This is insane."
I muttered without thinking. For now, it was just a common herb like this, but what if this effect worked on spirit herbs used by cultivators?
I let my imagination run wild for a moment. Reviving a spirit herb from a single root fragment, or making a centuries-old herb that's lost its potency bloom anew. And then... centuries-old—no, millennia-old spirit herbs. Cultivating them effortlessly in mere decades, or even years.
"Ha."
A hollow laugh escaped me. If that were possible, it would be thrilling.
"But... this is a xianxia world."
Faint memories from my past life flickered through my mind—xianxia novels I'd read long ago. If I had to sum up this world in one phrase:
The law of the jungle.
That was the essence of most xianxia worlds I knew. The strong ascended to the higher realms. The weak were trampled like weeds at the bottom.
Not every story was solely about ruthless cultivation at any cost, but that wasn't the point. The problem was, right now, I was just a ten-year-old girl with no backing whatsoever. I didn't even know how to gather spiritual energy, let alone any cultivation methods. My knowledge of dantian, meridians, and all that came solely from novels I'd read in my previous life.
All I could rely on were my Single Spirit Root aptitude and these traits. The fact that I, who originally couldn't use spiritual energy, could wield this ability was probably thanks to the Plant Spirit Body trait.
I glanced down at my hands. These small hands had revived a withering herb. It was just a common one for now, but what if my ability grew stronger? What if word of this got out?
Some would try to take me in. Others would try to seize it for themselves. In the worst case...
"They'd kill me."
I murmured calmly. This world was more than capable of that.
"But... what's done is done. No helping it now."
I gave a wry smile. Surviving comes first, anyway.
I swallowed those last words inwardly and slowly lay down on the bed in the flickering lamplight.
A gentle shake on my shoulder roused me, and I slowly opened my eyes. In the dim darkness, without even a lamp, a shadowy figure stood.
"Yeon-hwa."
The low, subdued voice belonged to Grandfather. I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
"Mm... Is it time to get ready already?"
"The sun hasn't risen yet, but to preserve the herbs' potency, we need to head out now."
Still half-asleep, I sat there dazed for a moment before snapping to attention.
"Yeah... I'll get ready quick."
Once Grandfather left the room, I climbed down from the bed and straightened my clothes. My small body still felt heavy with sleep, but my mind cleared in an instant.
Status window.
"Not a dream, then."
I whispered softly. Then I headed to the corner of the room. The herbs I'd hidden there were wilted, but the Qing Ye Grass I'd infused with energy yesterday remained as fresh as ever. I gazed at it briefly before changing into clothes suitable for moving around and stepping outside.
The pre-dawn village, before the sun had even peeked over the horizon, was far chillier than expected, even in late spring. Stepping out with sleep still clinging to me, I saw Grandfather had already prepared everything near the storage shed: two backpack baskets, a hoe and hook for digging herbs, a water jug, and a bundle with a few strips of dried meat.
He turned at the sound of my footsteps.
"There you are."
"Yeah."
"Not too cold?"
"I'm fine."
It was a bit chilly, but bearable. Grandfather eyed my outfit and handed me a small cloth vest.
"Put this on. The mountain winds are much colder up there."
"Thanks."
I slipped it on quickly. Lined with a bit of fur inside, it warmed me right up. He handed me a small basket.
"Don't push yourself today—just stick by my side and learn. You still have trouble telling poisonous plants from medicinal ones."
"Got it."
I nodded. Soon after, we left the house. The early morning village was silent. Wisps of smoke rose from a few hearths here and there, but most homes remained shuttered tight. Only hunters or fellow herb gatherers like us stirred this early.
I trailed close behind Grandfather. As we left the village and entered the mountain path...
Suddenly, a sensation like yesterday's spread not just to my fingertips, but through my entire body. I stopped unconsciously.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh... nothing."
I brushed it off hastily, but my eyes were already scanning the surroundings. The moment we entered the mountains, the air felt different. I could sense every bit of energy emanating from the plants and trees. It was as if the whole mountain was alive, breathing, and I felt it with my entire body.
Plant Spirit Body.
The words from the status window came to mind.
[Resonates naturally with the wood qi of heaven and earth.]
[Recovers vitality in forests and earth, enhancing resilience.]
With every breath of mountain air, my body felt lighter and lighter. Smiling at the surge of vitality within me, I resumed walking.
The mountain path was fairly treacherous for a child like me. Small rocks jutted out along the animal trails, and exposed tree roots tripped at every turn. Yet I didn't feel fatigued. On the contrary...
Was it my constitution? The deeper we went, the lighter my body felt.
"Take it slow. You'll hurt yourself."
I caught my breath and replied.
"Yeah."
About an hour after starting the climb, Grandfather halted at a certain spot.
"Pay close attention from here on."
I looked around. Sunlight barely filtered in, casting everything in shadow, and the ground was damp.
Grandfather gestured with his hand.
"Shady spots like this are good for Qing Ye Grass or Bai Shu Gen."
I nodded, surveying the area. I'd sensed it since entering the mountains, but now it was crystal clear. These were the energies of the herbs. Near the entrance, they'd been faint, but did it vary by potency? Here, several spots glowed more vividly than before.
Staring at one clustered patch, Grandfather followed my gaze and called me over.
"Yeon-hwa. Come here."
"Yeah?"
"Looks like my granddaughter found a Bai Shu Gen cluster."
I blinked in feigned surprise. Kneeling to inspect the grass, he said,
"Bai Shu Gen is great for reducing fevers."
He dug it up with the hoe, continuing,
"It helps bring down fever in heat-related illnesses. But raw, it's poisonous—can cause stomach upset."
I nodded.
"So it needs drying or boiling, right?"
"Exactly. Remember that well."
A moment later, Grandfather smiled at me.
"Want to try digging one?"
I nodded and set down my basket, taking the hoe. Carefully, as he'd shown me, I dug around the roots. As I brushed away the soil bit by bit, a white root emerged.
"Ho ho. Not bad for a first try."
"Just got lucky."
I grinned sheepishly.
After that, we roamed the mountains, gathering more herbs: Qing Ye Grass, Bai Shu Gen, Zhi Xue Grass for staunching blood, Gen Wei Grass for digestion. We didn't go too deep, so no rare finds, but plenty of useful ones.
Of course, I used my ability now and then to locate them. Thanks to that, today's haul was far better than usual. Grandfather seemed inwardly pleased with the heavy baskets.
Then, suddenly, I sensed a stronger energy than the common herbs. My eyes snapped to it.
Under a shaded rock: a plant with blue flowers. I hurried to Grandfather.
"Over there... Is that Qing Ling Grass?"
His eyes widened as he approached and inspected it. He muttered low,
"Ho... It's Qing Ling Grass, alright."
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Yeah. Not exactly common."
Qing Ling Grass wasn't the rarest, but valuable enough—one root could cover a common farmer's monthly living expenses. Grandfather dug it up carefully by hand, without tools.
"This needs separate storage."
He pulled out a bamboo tube and placed the Qing Ling Grass inside gently. We gathered a few more herbs after that.
As the sun passed its zenith,
"That's enough. Great haul today."
I peered into the basket. Definitely more than Grandfather usually gathered. We rested a bit, chewed some dried meat, and began descending slowly.
As the village came into view below,
"Yeon-hwa."
"Yeah?"
"You worked hard today."
I smiled faintly.
"You too, Grandfather."
He glanced at the basket.
"This'll sell well at the market tomorrow."
My eyes lit up.
"Can I come too?"
He thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Sure. You gathered some yourself, so let's go together for once."
I nodded vigorously, beaming.
"Yeah!"