After drying the Mien Grass, Jian Mo brought it for milling and threshing.
The idle beastmen and sub-beastmen of the tribe came to help. While he had anticipated the work would take several days, with everyone’s assistance, they finished it within half a day.
The comparison between the freshly harvested and dried Mien Grass seeds and those they had collected in the wild the previous year was striking.
This batch of seeds was plumper, with smoother, glossier outer shells. The Mien Grass fragrance and starchy sweetness were much more pronounced. Perhaps it was due to harvesting at the right time or the abundant fertilizer and water—this year’s Mien Grass had grown exceptionally well.
Jian Mo folded a piece of paper into a triangular pouch, filled it with a small handful of Mien Grass seeds, and labeled it “Second Year, First Batch of Mien Grass” before placing it in a storage box upstairs.
He intended to plant another batch of Mien Grass, but the seeds needed a dormancy period before they could be sown again.
The specifics of this dormancy period weren’t well-studied. Jian Mo planned to try sprouting them in two weeks. If the first attempt failed, he’d try again in a month.
For several days, Jian Mo was completely occupied with tasks related to the Mien Grass. After finally drying, threshing, and milling a new batch of flour, he could finally take a break.
Over breakfast, Jian Mo shared his plans with Wu Jiong, “It’s been a long time since we’ve gone berry picking. I heard from Qing Kuo that the berries outside are ripe. Why don’t we pick some today? We could also gather some wild vegetable sprouts and see if we can find mushrooms—I haven’t had fresh mushrooms in ages…”
Halfway through his sentence, Jian Mo looked up to find Wu Jiong staring at him intently. He reached up and touched his face. “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
Wu Jiong shook his head. “No, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to take it easy for once. You’ve been working hard lately.”
Jian Mo was surprised. “Relax at home?”
Wu Jiong replied, “That’s an option. But since the weather’s hot and the lake outside is calm, some people go swimming there this time of year. If you’d like, I can take you.”
Swimming outdoors? Jian Mo blinked, realizing he’d momentarily misunderstood.
Swimming sounded fun. “Which lake?”
Wu Jiong responded, “Any lake is fine, but if you don’t mind going further, we could head to Baisha Islet.”
The mention of Baisha Islet sparked Jian Mo’s memory.
Baisha Islet was on the border between the He’an Tribe and the Yi Valley Tribe, quite a distance from both. He had once gone there with Ban Ming and the others to collect bird eggs from Storm Birds’ nests.
There probably wouldn’t be anyone there now.
Jian Mo’s interest was piqued. “Let’s go to Baisha Islet. Will you carry me there?”
Wu Jiong asked, “Do you want to invite anyone else?”
Jian Mo shook his head vehemently. “No, no, just the two of us. Next time, we can bring others and Chirpy.”
Excited about their outing, Jian Mo packed some snacks—dried meat wrapped in a few large leaves—after breakfast and urged Wu Jiong to set off.
Since they didn’t need to coordinate with the tribe, they could leave whenever they wanted.
Jian Mo rode on the back of a massive wolf.
The wolf ran through the forest. Above them, fluffy white clouds drifted across a deep blue summer sky. Tall green trees blurred past as the wind swept through, lifting Jian Mo’s shoulder-length hair.
Jian Mo felt exhilarated, holding onto the wolf’s neck tightly as he squinted at the path ahead.
The wolf ran all the way to the vicinity of Baisha Islet.
Emerging from the forest, Jian Mo was greeted by the sight of a vast lake.
The water level was higher than in spring, its color a beautiful blue-green that contrasted sharply with the white sands on the shore, making the scene appear even more serene and picturesque.
Jian Mo asked excitedly, “How do we get in? Are there any undercurrents in the water?”
A flicker of amusement appeared in the wolf’s eyes before it suddenly bolted forward, leaping into the lake with Jian Mo on its back.
“Ahhh!” Jian Mo screamed, a mix of thrill and excitement coursing through him.
The wolf paddled a few strokes, taking Jian Mo further away from the shore.
Riding on its back felt no different than being on a large boat.
No—it was way better than a boat!
Bursting with excitement, Jian Mo rubbed his cheek against the wolf’s neck. Then, standing up on its back, he hugged its head and playfully nipped at its ear, resting his chin on its head. “How can you even dog-paddle so gracefully?”
The wolf turned its head slightly, its beautiful eyes full of laughter.
Jian Mo couldn’t resist planting a quick kiss on the wolf’s snout. “You’re amazing! I want to swim too!”
The wolf agreed, “Alright. Stay near me and don’t sink.”
Jian Mo grinned. “Got it—watch me!”
He jumped into the water, creating a huge splash.
The lake was calm, with only the occasional breeze stirring gentle ripples.
The temperature at the surface was warm, but the deeper water felt cold. Jian Mo noticed the stark difference as he swam, the warm water at his chest and the chill at his feet.
Looking down, he saw that the lake’s depths were dark and bottomless, sending his heart racing. Quickly, he turned his gaze forward.
The lake’s tranquil waters made for an enjoyable swim. Jian Mo swam a few laps before floating on his back to bask in the sun.
The wind rippled the lake’s surface, pushing small waves toward the shore with a soothing lapping sound.
As he floated, Jian Mo lazily pushed at the wolf’s body with his feet, propelling himself away with just a light touch.
The wolf swam alongside him, keeping its eyes on him.
Jian Mo felt a profound sense of peace and safety.
The gentle rocking of the water cradled him as sunlight warmed his skin. Turning his head one way, he could see the shimmering reflections of waves breaking against the shore. Turning the other way, he saw the massive, majestic white wolf gazing at him.
It was blissful.
He alternated between swimming and floating, playing with the wolf in the water.
Eventually, annoyed by the wet clothes clinging to his body, Jian Mo threw them onto the shore to dry and continued swimming freely.
They played until late afternoon. Exhausted, Jian Mo dragged himself to the shore, put on his sun-dried clothes, and joined Wu Jiong to hunt in the nearby forest. They easily caught two Storm Birds—this year’s birds had already left the nests, so there was no need to worry about their breeding population. They could take these back to eat.
On their way back, they took their time, wandering through the forest to gather the berries, wild vegetables, and mushrooms Jian Mo wanted before leisurely heading home.
Jian Mo, half-asleep on the wolf’s back, eventually dozed off. By the time they arrived home and he was woken up, he felt disoriented, as if he’d lost track of time.
Rubbing his face, Jian Mo was relieved he hadn’t drooled. “I feel so relaxed—I’m getting sleepy.”
Wu Jiong, carrying the basket, suddenly grabbed Jian Mo’s wrist. “Why is your arm so red?”
Jian Mo glanced down. “Probably sunburn.”
Having been here for so long, Jian Mo had forgotten about sun protection. Looking at his reddened arms and legs, he felt a faint pain and an ominous premonition. Still, he tried to reassure Wu Jiong, “It’s nothing. It’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
Wu Jiong frowned. “I’ll gather some herbs for you later and lick the burns.”
Jian Mo nodded. “Alright.”
At first, the sunburn didn’t seem too bad when they arrived home, but after a while, the redness became painful.
The burning sensation grew worse, feeling less like sunburn and more like a scald. Even a light touch revealed the skin was hot to the touch.
Wu Jiong returned with herbs, and seeing Jian Mo’s skin getting redder, he transformed into a wolf to lick the burns.
Jian Mo didn’t resist, lying limp in the courtyard. If he had known how intense the sun was, he would’ve applied some mud as sunscreen.
The wolf licked his bare arms and legs. The cooling sensation left Jian Mo feeling much better, like being gently wiped with a giant ice pack.
This method of licking was a common remedy for minor sunburns and external injuries when there were no other medicines. It was widely accepted among the beastmen and sub-beastmen.
Jian Mo, familiar with their ways, had no problem accepting this treatment.
Just as he was growing drowsy from the soothing licks, a knock came at the fence.
Startled, Jian Mo quickly pushed the wolf’s head away and sat up straight, looking toward the source of the sound.
The wolf narrowed its eyes unhappily, turning its head in the same direction.
Qing Kuo and Ye Luo entered, carrying baskets. Qing Kuo held up his basket as he approached. “We brought some herbs.”
The wolf explained to Jian Mo, “There weren’t many herbs by the river, so I asked them to help gather more.”
Jian Mo nodded.
Ye Luo glanced at Jian Mo’s flushed face and asked casually, “Jian Mo, why is your face so red? Did you get a sunburn there too?”
Qing Kuo’s expression turned playful, a knowing smile spreading across his face.
Jian Mo coughed lightly. “I’ll go wash up and get ready to apply the herbs.”
After fetching water from the kitchen and washing his hands and feet, Jian Mo felt a bit calmer.
Wu Jiong, now back in human form, was chatting with Qing Kuo and Ye Luo. When Jian Mo returned, Wu Jiong beckoned him over.
Jian Mo looked through the herbs they had collected and saw a type he didn’t recognize. “What’s this one?”
Qing Kuo explained, “It’s called Spirit Cat Tail Grass. Legend says it was discovered by our Spirit Cat Tribe. It’s good for the skin and works wonders for sunburn. It cools the skin, so it’s perfect for you right now.”
Jian Mo smiled. “That’s great.”
Wu Jiong crushed the herbs into a paste and applied it to Jian Mo’s sunburned areas. Immediately, Jian Mo felt a wave of cooling relief, soothing the burning pain.
Surprised, Jian Mo examined the herbal paste on his arm. “This really works!”
Qing Kuo grinned. “Of course it does. It’s best for unbroken skin, especially for sunburn and insect bites.”
Jian Mo nodded. “It feels amazing. Thank you both.”
Qing Kuo waved him off. “No problem. The herbs were easy to gather by the river. But where did you go to get this sunburn?”
Jian Mo, slightly embarrassed, admitted, “We went swimming at Baisha Islet.”
Qing Kuo’s smile turned mischievous again. Jian Mo wanted to say, “It’s not what you think,” but lacked the confidence and stayed silent.
Ye Luo, also catching on, chuckled softly.
Qing Kuo and Ye Luo soon said their goodbyes and left.
That evening, Jian Mo reapplied the herbal paste, wrapping his arms and legs with cloth.
Thanks to the herbs, he had a restful night’s sleep. By morning, the redness on his skin had significantly faded.
Seeing the wilting Spirit Cat Tail Grass in the basket, Jian Mo couldn’t help but lament, “Such useful herbs…”
Wu Jiong came over to check. “This herb has a lot of juice, but it wilts quickly. After breakfast, I’ll go find more by the river.”
Jian Mo suggested, “Let’s use what we have first. We can check in the evening if we need more.”
He sorted through the herbs, selecting the ones that weren’t too wilted, and ground them into a paste to apply to his arms and legs.
Afterward, he noticed there was still a lot of paste left, which felt wasteful.
Jian Mo scooped up a handful, unsure of what to do with it. The pale green juice dripped from his hand onto the ground, sparking an idea. “Hasn’t it been a while since we made soap? Do we still have lye?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “We do. You’re thinking of making soap?”
Jian Mo grinned. “Let’s try making a batch of herbal soap. Bring the filter cloth—I’ll start with the juice.”
Their house had plenty of cloth, and Jian Mo had set aside several cream-colored pieces in the kitchen for filtering, occasionally using them for steaming buns.
Wu Jiong quickly brought the filter cloth, and they squeezed out a large bowl of herb juice.
Even Jian Mo was surprised by the quantity of juice they extracted.
With the materials already at hand, they melted lye and animal fat, mixing them with the herb juice and stirring vigorously.
The saponification process happened quickly, and before long, they had a basin of pale green soap paste. It looked lovely and smelled pleasant.
Jian Mo was thrilled. “This is amazing! The herbal soap should turn out great.”
Wu Jiong fetched the soap molds and poured the paste into them, smoothing the tops with wooden spatulas. “We’ll know by tonight if it worked.”
Jian Mo said, “It should work. I don’t see anything unusual in the mixture.”
They placed the wooden molds filled with soap paste in a cool, shaded area to solidify and then went out.
By the time they returned in the evening, Jian Mo checked the soap, and as expected, it had mostly hardened.
The soap paste had transformed into pale green soap bars, emitting a faint herbal fragrance.
Testing a bit of the soap paste on his hands, Jian Mo found that while the herbal juice didn’t affect the soap’s cleansing power, the soap slightly reduced the herbal juice’s medicinal effects.
But that didn’t bother him. As a unique soap, it was still quite nice to use.
Having grown tired of ordinary soaps, Jian Mo thought this cooling herbal soap would be especially pleasant in summer and even offered insect-repellent properties—a practical and high-value product.
Wu Jiong inspected the soap and was also pleased with the results.
However, since the soap wasn’t strong enough to serve as proper medicine, he went back to the river and harvested another large basket of Spirit Cat Tail Grass for Jian Mo to apply.
Perhaps it was due to Jian Mo’s improved constitution since arriving here, or maybe the Spirit Cat Tail Grass was simply that effective. When Jian Mo woke up again, the redness and pain on his arms and legs had vanished, leaving his skin smooth and pale with no trace of sunburn.
Not wanting to waste the remaining half-basket of Spirit Cat Tail Grass, Jian Mo extracted the juice, concentrated it in an oil-free, water-free clay pot, and mixed it with a neutral-smelling animal fat to create a herbal ointment.
The ointment was cooling and easy to use, stored in small jars for convenience.
Since his household couldn’t use it all, Jian Mo gave a jar to Qing Kuo and a few others.
When delivering the jars, Jian Mo specifically emphasized, “This is for treating insect bites and swelling. Don’t use it for anything else, or it might cause discomfort.”
Everyone understood.
Qing Kuo chuckled, “We wouldn’t usually try strange things anyway.”
Jian Mo nodded seriously. “Good. That’s for the best.”
Min Dang sniffed the ointment. “It smells nice. I like the herbal scent.”
Jian Mo explained, “I originally wanted to make a balm, but it’s too hot in summer for the ointment to solidify. Since I couldn’t find other materials, I had to settle for this.”
Qing Kuo asked, “A balm?”
Jian Mo thought for a moment before describing, “In my hometown, there’s a wax-like material you can mix with oil. It turns the oil into a balm.”
He detailed the texture of beeswax for comparison. Unfortunately, there were no bees here, and the Green Moss Worm nests they had found previously bore no resemblance to beeswax.
Hearing this, everyone promised to keep an eye out for anything similar to wax.
Jian Mo said, “That would be great if you find some. While either ointments or balms work fine, in winter, lip balms made with wax are much better than those made with oil.”
Last year, they had only managed to make lip oil, which didn’t work very well. They constantly had to reapply it, which most people didn’t have the patience for. As a result, nearly everyone’s lips cracked during the winter, especially the little ones.
When the pain became unbearable, they’d reluctantly apply the lip oil as a remedy, but it was of limited use.
Given the underdeveloped production capabilities here, people often endured minor issues like this. While not life-threatening, they were uncomfortable and inconvenient.
After hearing Jian Mo’s explanation, everyone agreed more earnestly to help find wax.
Qing Kuo suggested, “This soap and ointment are very useful. Could we make a batch to trade with other tribes?”
Jian Mo replied, “Of course. The scent of Spirit Cat Tail Grass is quite distinct. If we plan to trade, it’s better to mix in other materials. Otherwise, other tribes might quickly figure out how these soaps and ointments are made.”
So far, other tribes hadn’t deduced how He’an Tribe produced their soap, as the saponification process involving lye and oil wasn’t something that could be guessed through everyday experience.
Ointments, on the other hand, were much easier to deduce—especially for a tribe like the Meng Shui Tribe, which specialized in herbal oils.
Qing Kuo laughed. “Then we’ll find some fragrant materials to add. What about flowers?”
Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “Flowers would work, and so would berries. We could soak flower petals or berry peels in the oil to infuse the fragrance.”
Qing Kuo was intrigued. “You can do that?”
Jian Mo nodded. “Theoretically, yes. I haven’t tried it yet, but we can experiment. You’ve seen how the soap already uses a lot of animal fat, and the herbal juice didn’t change its scent much.”
Qing Kuo thought for a moment. “In that case, we just need to pick some fragrant flowers. The Red Sparrow Branch is blooming beautifully right now. Want to join us in gathering some?”
Jian Mo, unfamiliar with the name, asked, “Have we not picked that before?”
Qing Kuo explained, “That’s right. This flower isn’t edible or particularly pretty, so people usually ignore it. But it’s great if you’re looking for a fragrance.”
Ye Luo added, “Red Sparrow Branch can also be used as a dye—a light red color that doesn’t fade easily. Though when mixed with other plants, the red becomes less prominent.”
Jian Mo immediately decided, “That sounds perfect. Let’s go take a look.”
He still had a jar of nearly pure alcohol upstairs. If oil soaking didn’t work, he could try extracting the scent with alcohol. However, since alcohol was expensive to produce, he’d need to weigh whether it was worth the cost.
If it wasn’t, he’d simply drop the idea.
As everyone discussed, they quickly came up with a plan to gather Red Sparrow Branch.
Qing Kuo said, “This season, every tribe has plenty of food. We can trade some of this soap and ointment for better food.”
Each tribe had its specialties, though sometimes it was just berries or tubers with little value. Still, making soap and ointment wasn’t too labor-intensive, and bartering for something to improve their lives would be well worth it.
Jian Mo was also looking forward to it. “Let’s trade for plenty of berries. If we can’t eat them all, we can make dried fruit. I haven’t had time to make any this year.”
Qing Kuo readily agreed. “We’ll prioritize berries, then move on to other supplies.”
