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 texture—it 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 expected—Tianyi 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.
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.
"By the heavens, not now!" I exclaimed as I teetered precariously. Tianyi, sensing my alarm, could only flutter about helplessly. After all, she couldn't steady my fall.
Well, she could. She'd just get crushed in the process. I have no doubt she was more durable than the average butterfly, but this was likely too much of a challenge for her.
Faced with the choice between preserving the essence and preventing a potentially disastrous fall, I instinctively opted for the latter. With a regretful sigh, I tossed the essence orb away and executed a swift handstand, using my good arm to break my fall.
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The world turned upside down for a brief moment before I righted myself, standing back up with a flourish that would have made Instructor Xia Ji and Li Na proud.
"Aha! Behold the grace of a wounded crane!" I boasted to no one in particular, my heart racing from the close call.
Catching my breath, I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. "Thank the heavens for those relentless drills,"
I was grateful for the agility and mobility they had instilled in me.
If there was one thing that remained from my epic training to defeat the mountain named as Ping Hai, it was that the Bamboo Reprisal Counter helped me become more acrobatic.
Bamboo Reprisal Counter (Level 1): This defensive skill draws inspiration from the flexible yet unyielding nature of bamboo. Absorb the force of incoming attacks, bending without breaking, and then channeling this accumulated energy back towards the assailant.
It was an odd thing; I spent a month learning, it and didn't actually register it into the Interface until I used it against Ping Hai. I managed to use it against Han Wei and Li Na in practice, so why didn't I learn it then?
Well, it didn't matter to me much. So long as I learned it eventually. The Interface is vague about many of the things it does. Perhaps one day I'll uncover its secrets.
As I steadied myself after the near miss, a wave of relief washed over me. I looked back to where I had inadvertently thrown the essence orb, half-expecting it to have dissipated. Instead, Tianyi was hovering over a small puddle that now glowed with a subtle turquoise light.
Intrigued, I approached and observed the essence interacting with the water. It spread out in a radiant display, reminiscent of ink diffusing in water, creating a mesmerizing pattern that seemed to pulse with life. It continued for a moment longer, before eventually dying down and turning back to a regular puddle.
The sight was not only beautiful but revealing; it dawned on me that the true nature of spirit moss manifested when its essence mingled with water! Of course!
I gathered a handful of the moss, carefully placing it in my pouch for further study. Judging by the lack of activity from the Heavenly Interface, I was only scratching the surface of its hidden qualities. I'd need to go back.
"Tianyi, WIndy! We've accomplished our mission. Let's go."
Windy seemed unwilling to return, cozying up near the rocks. They seemed to have found a new favorite spot.
I tried coaxing them with a gentle nudge, "Come on, Windy, adventure's over for today," but they merely flicked their tongue, indifferent to my plea.
Just as I was about to give up and let them enjoy their newfound nook a bit longer, Tianyi, with her delicate grace, fluttered over and landed gently on Windy's head. There were no words exchanged, of course, but the subtle shift in Windy's demeanor was unmistakable. It was as if Tianyi had imparted some silent wisdom or perhaps just offered a butterfly's version of encouragement.
With what seemed like a resigned sigh from a creature without lungs, Windy finally relented, uncoiling themselves from their rocky embrace and slithering up to my awaiting hand. "Thank you, both of you," I said, feeling a mix of amusement and gratitude for their peculiar little interaction.
With Windy safely on my arm and Tianyi leading the way, we made our way back to the Verdant Lotus sect. The daylight was still in our favor, casting long shadows that danced alongside us as we trekked through the vibrant, changing landscape of the sect's outskirts. The day's adventure had been fruitful, and the promise of unlocking the spirit moss's secrets awaited.
I made a beeline for the alchemy pavilion. The essence's reaction with water had sparked a theory in my mind, one I was eager to test. I remembered reading about the moss's basic properties—its use in dressing wounds due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. My Essence Extraction skill tended to amplify a plant's effects, so it stood to reason that the essence, when combined with water, might create a potent healing solution.
Once in the pavilion, I quickly gathered the necessary materials: a small bowl, purified water, and a sterilized knife. My heart raced with anticipation as I poured the water into the bowl and prepared another sample of spirit moss. With a steady hand, I extracted its essence, watching as the glowing turquoise orb formed above my palm.
Carefully, I dropped the essence into the bowl of water, and the reaction was immediate. The essence dispersed, creating a captivating display reminiscent of the earlier spectacle by the river. This time, however, I was ready to test its effects firsthand.
With a mix of apprehension and excitement, I pressed the knife to my finger, making a small, deliberate cut. A drop of blood welled up, but I didn't give it time to linger. I submerged my finger into the bowl, the cool, essence-infused water enveloping the wound.
The sensation was immediate and unmistakable—a gentle, soothing warmth that seemed to penetrate deep into the cut. I watched, fascinated, as the edges of the wound appeared to draw closer, the skin knitting together with a speed that defied belief.
However, the aura surrounding the water seemed to dissipate, becoming fainter and fainter until the distinct hue was no more.
After a few minutes, I lifted my finger from the water, half-expecting to see the cut still there. But no, the skin was healed, leaving only the faintest line to show where the wound had been. Astonishment washed over me. The essence of spirit moss, when merged with water, possessed remarkable healing capabilities, far beyond what I had anticipated.
Quest: Creation of Healing Hydrosol has been completed.
Due to your status as Interface Manipulator, your rewards will be adjusted accordingly.
Unlike my other quests, the reward came quicker than imagined.
Reward calculation completed.
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 nothing—no 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 hydrosol—spirit 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 here—they tapped along its length.
Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours.
As the demonstration continued, a strange sense of déjà 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 clicked—the 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 unique—a 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 me—a 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 outside—still 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.