Combination (1)
If you just eat Bingseolhwa raw, your body freezes solid like the ice in a stone ice storage. Even a slight temperature change after moving it elsewhere causes it to melt away like snow. But if you process it right, you gain tremendous resistance to the cold.
└YasaengGrill Is there a way to process it?
└StarlightPrincess Maybe with my workshop's tech level, but not in your environment, YasaengGrill. Even if you brought it here, it'd melt right away.
└YasaengGrill Is there no way I can do it alone?
└StarlightPrincess Controlling the cold energy is key... To reduce the cold energy, you need fire energy. But don't boil it like soup.
└YasaengGrill Dang... Could you just explain the principle simply? I wanna eat it somehow. Cold resistance is a huge perk. It's so cold right now that even thick clothes aren't enough. The cold protection is just barely enough to keep me from freezing to death. If I could absorb Bingseolhwa, it'd be a massive survival boost.
'At least I wouldn't die from hypothermia.'
Even just not shivering from the cold would be fine. That's how you stack up strength, bit by bit.
StarlightPrincess seemed to think for a bit and didn't comment for a while. Just when I thought she was busy with something else, she posted.
└StarlightPrincess Put the Bingseolhwa in an extractor to get the liquid, then infuse it with fire energy. The principle is simple.
└YasaengGrill Can I use that extractor?
└StarlightPrincess It needs mana circuits like a fridge. If I gave it to you, it'd just be an empty tin can, right?
└YasaengGrill T_T
└StarlightPrincess Hate to say it, but you should give up.
└YasaengGrill Can't I just boil it in a pot?
└StarlightPrincess Hmm... I've never tried such a primitive method, so I don't know. That's the only extraction method I know.
└YasaengGrill Didn't ancient people eat it and record the effects? They probably didn't have extractors back then.
└StarlightPrincess Why would they do that? It's life-threatening;;
└YasaengGrill Then why eat fugu?
└StarlightPrincess Oh
└??? Lmao that's a spot-on example ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└??? Who was the first genius to think of eating fugu? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└??? Fr, one wrong move and the poison kills you instantly.
└??? I'm more curious about who first thought of milk. How'd they decide to suck on animal tits...?
└??? That's how all our ingredients came to be. Gotta respect it.
└??? Respect, not reverence? ㅋㅋㅋ Humans are wild.
People are amazing. They've eaten every plant and animal out there. Even poisonous ones—they found ways to cook them. Fugu must've gone through hell to figure out the recipe. Same with Bingseolhwa.
StarlightPrincess didn't realize it, but I latched onto that point. Bingseolhwa is a finicky herb that melts at the slightest temperature change. Yet there are records of people eating it and noting effects or side effects. That means people in cold regions cross-verified it through trial and error.
'No record of extraction, but they definitely ate it somehow.'
Probably extracted without tools or ate a purified form somehow. But that's just my hypothesis. It's like how someone who's read one book is more dangerous than someone who's read none.
└YasaengGrill Should I post live updates then? Tell me right away if something seems off.
└StarlightPrincess Not a bad idea. But you have to follow my instructions. Got it?
└YasaengGrill Of course. I'll tell you about the stone ice storage later—it's important.
└StarlightPrincess Just don't push yourself too hard, please.
└PassingDwarf Hey. For the stone ice storage, you gotta build it underground, right? Don't you have mithril at your place?
└YasaengGrill Doesn't have to be inside. I can build it outside. No mithril out there.
└PassingDwarf Then how do you know wind direction? It's summer, not winter.
└YasaengGrill Why does that matter?
└PassingDwarf You use convection. Cold air sinks to the bottom, hot air rises. That's the principle.
└YasaengGrill No idea. It's a quick prototype anyway—just tell me the basics. It'll only need to last a month. Seasons change every week here.
└PassingDwarf What kinda place is that;; Anyway, got it. Post coming soon.
Now I even need wind direction. Unreal. Good thing seasons swap weekly—if it was monthly, it'd be a headache. Prototype the ice storage, then use the box for the rest. SwordTasteStar's sending an insulated box, so that should work.
'Once I get it...'
What to give in return? SwordTasteStar's the trickiest. Cheonma's happy with anything, but not her. She refuses herbs because she doesn't wanna get stronger and barely eats. She's laser-focused on my growth, so repaying her is tough.
'Would she like a sword?'
She loves—no, adores swordsmanship, so probably swords too. Craftsmen aren't picky, but they still care. Maybe she'd like a pretty one.
'Think on that later. Ice storage structure first.'
Plenty of think time, not build time. Avalanche wiped everything—tons to remake.
'Rebuild the furnace or oven sturdy from scratch? Or in the cave?'
I mulled that over and messaged SwordTasteStar. Offered a really good sword later for the insulated box.
SwordTasteStar Is that sword the one you gave Cheonma-nim?
Eh? Did I mention it?
SwordTasteStar You sent me pics bragging about it;; ;;
Acting childish at your age. At least I didn't post it on the Gallery. And bragging to her specifically? Guess she sees me as a friend. She'd flip if she heard that, but whatever.
Anyway, can you take one I'll give you later?
SwordTasteStar Sure. Craftsmen aren't picky about tools.
It glows like glow-in-the-dark when you infuse mana?
SwordTasteStar Not for real use—a decorative one is fine. Such great performance wasted on decor.
Still, she's taking it. Relieved. Insulated box for a Mithoricon sword isn't fair trade, but whatever. Consider all her free help so far.
'Cheonma might get jealous—gotta get her something separate.'
I checked the box from SwordTasteStar. No plastic in this world, so it looks plain. But inside, walls of marble and various materials layered thick. Solid as an icebox. Just add ice and done.
I hauled it inside and thanked her.
'Dwarf posted...'
Perfect timing. Jumped to the post.
Stone Ice Storage Structure
PassingDwarf
(Photo of stone ice storage structure)
(Photo of stone ice storage cross-section)
(Photo of brick-enclosed stone ice storage)
(Photo of arched brick ceiling)
Looks roughly like this. Take your time if you wanna make it neat. Stuff snow or straw between ice blocks. Get mats from auction and tear 'em up for straw.
└YasaengGrill Wait, ceiling in bricks too? How?
└PassingDwarf Figure it out.
└YasaengGrill Ugh, gonna suck.
└??? Where's that pic from? Cross-section aside, looks real.
└PassingDwarf Museum exhibit.
└??? Grills living solo in a museum ㅋㅋㅋ
└??? Everyone's got fridges, he's building an ice storage ㅋㅋㅋ
They mock me as primitive for nearing modern levels. I once enjoyed civilization's peak—nuke power alone would make 'em piss themselves.
'So what can I do?'
Nothing, so shut up and build the ice storage. I grumbled internally, grabbed pickaxe and shovel.
No all-day work this late. 'Semi-basement style?'
Normally consider wind, but this is a test. Confirm it holds a month. Small scale—less labor, more precision.
'Frozen ground's a pain.'
Digging alone took ages. Light a bonfire, thaw while doing other stuff.
I dug till 4 PM, then stopped. Other tasks, plus Bingseolhwa extraction.
'30 mins ice harvesting, then prep Bingseolhwa.'
Grabbed insulated box, headed to river. Winter—animals scarce unless wolves. Stayed alert, won't die easy.
'Saw it?'
At frozen river, bought saw from auction. Tapped surface with small hammer, wedged saw in.
Saw-saw-saw!
Sawing perfect square. Not fully frozen—middle gave way plop. Careful around that.
"Heave-ho!"
Shaaack!
Nice rectangular ice block. Pulled it out—river filled the hole. Crackle! Froze solid quick. How cold is it?
Hauled the clear ice to box with effort. Thick as hell.
'Ice fishing possible?'
Silly thought, moved on. Watched for golden frogs—none, all frozen or hibernating. Winter's safest season, looks like.
"Oof. Hands sting."
World Tree gloves plus another pair—still freezing. Cold seeps in. Frostbite risk.
Rushed back to cave. Harvested 4 blocks total. In box for now, stone storage later.
'Time... plenty.'
Ice done—now Bingseolhwa. Why not cave? Got plans: adult mandrake.
Adult mandrakes hold yang energy—heat symbol. Boil with cold Bingseolhwa?
Thwack! Thud! Thud!
"Kweeeek! Kwi! Kuwek!"
Beat it first—calms 'em down. Limp mandrake back to cave.
Grabbed pot, lit bonfire. Posted to Gallery as flames rose.
Bingseolhwa + Adult Mandrake Combo
YasaengGrill
(Photo of beaten adult mandrake)
(Photo of unharvested Bingseolhwa)
Combine these?
└Cheonma Theory seems solid. Proper yin-yang balance.
└YasaengGrill Right?
└StarlightPrincess As Cheonma-nim says, theory's good. Kinda... brutish, though.
└YasaengGrill Boil 'em together first?
└StarlightPrincess Better. Extraction dilutes energy. Raw boil's stronger.
└YasaengGrill Got it.
Expert approved—I harvested Bingseolhwa. Held shape near body heat.
'In together.'
Add water, stew like broth. Lidded up—ready. Just wait. Checked periodically.
└YasaengGrill
(Video of unchanged Bingseolhwa and mandrake)
No changes yet. Bingseolhwa not melting.
└StarlightPrincess Both rare herbs—expected. Wait patiently.
How long till change? Added log. Wanted other work, but risky.
Sat staring at fire. Clunk!
Pot lid rattled suddenly.
-Kieeeek!!!
Mandrake scream from inside. Waking mid-way? Bad.
'Beat it again?'
Pressed lid to trap it. Opening would echo scream everywhere.
Posted urgently.
└YasaengGrill
(Video of screaming pot)
Mandrake woke? Blocking it now—what do?
└StarlightPrincess Constant screaming's bad too. Risk it and knock it out again.
└YasaengGrill Roger.
Deep breath on advice. Time it right. It screamed sporadically, then quiet—repeat.
Wait for quiet.
-Keeeek!!!
Scream soon after. Waited silence, flung lid.
And there...
"...What the hell."
Blue-tinted adult mandrake. Face purple like dead, but wriggling alive. Was red—now blue, total confusion.
'Combo turned fusion?'