Transmigrated to the Beastman World as a Veterinarian – CH184

Chapter 184: Improved Recipe

The Hunting Festival officially began, and the He’an Tribe quickly became a flurry of activity.

“Brother Jian Mo—” Ban Ming and his group of energetic young men shouted from afar. “Our tribe’s people are competing today. Don’t forget to watch the matches at the arena!”

Jian Mo waved back with a smile. “Of course! I’ll be there soon.”

Ban Ming grinned. “Great! We’re off to prepare. See you later!”

With that, they dashed off.

Jian Mo took off the wooden pin fastened to his chest—a handcrafted piece featuring a simple engraved design of a cat and dog snuggled together, with a sturdy pin at the back for fastening to clothes. He carefully put it away, planning to head home for a quick meal before catching the match.

He had spent the entire morning volunteering—guiding visitors and helping maintain order—finally earning himself a small break.

Just as he neared home, Wu Jiong appeared to greet him. “I thought you’d come back earlier.”

Jian Mo gave him a quick hug. “I got held up helping sort through the latest batch of game brought in by the Meng Shui and Yi Gu Tribes.”

Wu Jiong nodded knowingly. “I figured as much.”

Jian Mo’s eyes sparkled as he teased, “Aren’t you supposed to be overseeing the matches? Go on, get ready! I’ll come cheer you on after I eat.”

Wu Jiong smiled faintly. “Alright, see you soon.”

Jian Mo replied warmly, “See you soon.”

After days of eating spicy hot pot, Jian Mo craved a simpler meal. When he reached home, he found a pot of warm rice and stir-fried vegetables waiting for him. His heart softened at the thoughtful gesture, and he happily hummed a tune as he served himself.

Once he finished, he made his way to the arena.

From a distance, Ye Luo waved enthusiastically. “Hurry up! Qing Kuo’s match is about to start. I thought you might miss it.”

Jian Mo laughed. “Not a chance! I planned my time perfectly.”

This year’s festival had added several new events, including a highly anticipated category for sub-beastmen. While they couldn’t fully shift into their beast forms, they could partially transform parts of their bodies to aid in combat, making the matches thrilling to watch.

Jian Mo joined Ye Luo in the He’an Tribe’s seating area.

On the arena floor, two sub-beastmen—one from the Dian Xin Tribe and the other from the Xiong Ying Tribe—were already engaged in an intense battle.

Jian Mo recognized both fighters and knew their skills were exceptional. However, seeing them in action was far more impressive than he had anticipated.

With just one glance, Jian Mo was completely captivated, joining the rest of the crowd in cheering loudly for the competitors.

The atmosphere in the arena steadily reached a fever pitch, with roars and cheers filling the air.

Inside the ring, the two sub-beastmen were locked in a fierce exchange. Each strike and dodge was swift and calculated, with neither willing to back down.

After dozens of exchanges, the sub-beastman from the Dian Xin Tribe began to tire. A moment’s lapse in focus left him vulnerable, and a heavy punch sent him sprawling to the ground.

The winner was decided.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

Wu Jiong and the other event organizers quickly stepped in to check on both participants, confirming that there were no serious injuries before announcing the continuation of the matches.

Next up was Qing Kuo, representing the He’an Tribe, against a sub-beastman from the Bing Jiang Tribe.

The Bing Jiang fighter was tall and broad-shouldered, while Qing Kuo’s build was lean and compact. His narrow waist was cinched with a beast-hide belt, emphasizing his agile and formidable physique.

As soon as the match began, both fighters transformed their ears and claws into their beast forms, immediately closing the distance between them with lightning-fast moves.

Jian Mo, who had been vocal during the earlier matches, found himself completely speechless this time. His throat felt tight as he clenched his fists, silently willing Qing Kuo to emerge victorious.

Being a feline sub-beastman himself, Jian Mo had trouble keeping up with Qing Kuo’s movements.

Qing Kuo’s speed and strength quickly gave him the upper hand.

In a stunning display of skill, Qing Kuo executed a precise spinning kick, sending his opponent flying to the edge of the arena and knocking him unconscious.

The kick was so perfectly executed that even beastmen in full feline form might have struggled to replicate it.

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause.

“Ahhh! Qing Kuo, you’re amazing!”

Jian Mo cheered along with the crowd, his hands instinctively transforming into feline claws. For a moment, he imagined himself delivering such a powerful move when fully grown.

Though he doubted his long-haired cat lineage would grant him such combat prowess, he figured having even half of Qing Kuo’s skill would be impressive enough.

As he retracted his claws, Jian Mo’s mind wandered with excitement.

Ye Luo nudged him on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go talk to Qing Kuo.”

Jian Mo winced and rubbed his shoulder. “Did you sign up for the sub-beastman matches too?”

Ye Luo grinned. “I did. My turn’s tomorrow morning.”

This year’s festival had organized matches by category: mornings were for sub-beastmen, afternoons for beastmen, and the final days reserved for the cubs’ events.

Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “I’ll come early to watch. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Ye Luo reminded him, “I’m not as strong as Qing Kuo.”

Jian Mo laughed. “That sounds like modesty to me.”

Ye Luo’s lineage resembled that of a clouded leopard. Jian Mo had seen him hunt in the forest, moving with extraordinary agility and grace among the trees.

Jian Mo declared, “It’s settled. I’ll grab a front-row seat.”

As they chatted, they made their way to meet Qing Kuo at the arena exit.

Still catching his breath from the match, Qing Kuo looked up at them. “What are you two doing here?”

Ye Luo handed him a cloth to wipe his sweat. “We came to check on you, of course.”

Jian Mo’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “That kick was incredible! Teach me how to do it someday!”

Qing Kuo chuckled. “Ask Wu Jiong to teach you. He’s even better at it than I am.”

As the three chatted while walking, Jian Mo noticed that Qing Kuo didn’t seem to have plans to return to the viewing stands. Curious, he asked, “Where are you headed? Aren’t you going back?”

Qing Kuo replied, “A lot of people brought things to trade today. I’m going to see if I can exchange for some food supplies.”

Jian Mo, still brimming with admiration for him, quickly offered, “I’ll come with you!”

Qing Kuo nodded. “Let’s head home first to grab some things to trade. We’ll meet back here and go together.”

After agreeing on the plan, they returned home, gathered their trading items, and reunited at the agreed spot.

The Hunting Festival was grander than usual this year, with many tribes participating and setting up stalls along the pathways of the He’an Tribe. People displayed a wide variety of goods, waiting for others to stop by and trade.

The trio started walking from the riverside up the path. Along the way, stall owners enthusiastically greeted them.

Both Qing Kuo and Ye Luo were decisive in their trades, quickly amassing a haul of food supplies including nuts, berries, dried fruits, jerky, and tubers. Jian Mo, however, hadn’t found anything that piqued his interest yet.

At the turn leading up to the rear mountains, Jian Mo’s eyes lit up when he saw a young sub-beastman selling a pile of bright yellow berries.

Intrigued by the berries, Jian Mo changed direction and approached the stall. “How do you trade for these yellow berries?”

The young sub-beastman looked up, recognized Jian Mo, and smiled shyly before offering him a taste. “Jian Mo Dafu, what do you have to trade?”

The berries were incredibly sweet. Jian Mo took out some fabric. “Would beast wool cloth work?”

The sub-beastman nodded cheerfully. “How much do you want?”

Jian Mo handed over a smaller piece of fabric. “Trade me as much as this can get me.”

The sub-beastman used a wooden scoop to ladle out the berries, filling Jian Mo’s basket with over ten scoops. He glanced at his dwindling berry pile and asked, “Is this amount alright?”

Jian Mo nodded with satisfaction.

Seeing how sweet the berries were, Qing Kuo also decided to trade for some.

While they were completing their trades, Jian Mo’s gaze landed on several black fruits nearby, emitting a unique savory aroma, somewhat like stewed meat. Curious, he picked one up and sniffed it.

The young sub-beastman, noticing Jian Mo’s interest, explained, “The elders in our tribe say these fruits are edible. Would you like to trade for some too, Jian Mo Dafu?”

Jian Mo asked, “What are they called?”

The sub-beastman shook his head. “I don’t know. They just smelled nice, so I brought them back.”

Ye Luo leaned over to inspect the fruit. “I’ve never seen this before. What tribe are you from?”

“Cong Liu Tribe,” the sub-beastman replied.

Ye Luo nodded. “No wonder. Your tribe is so far from ours. You must have things here we’ve never seen before.”

The sub-beastman smiled in response.

Jian Mo asked, “Can I taste one?”

“Of course,” the sub-beastman replied, pulling out a wooden knife to slice off a piece of the fruit for Jian Mo.

The fruit’s flesh had a texture similar to that of an apple. It tasted tart and sweet, with an intriguing fragrance.

What truly caught Jian Mo’s attention, however, was its similarity to a medicinal herb known as “Throat Pearls.”

Throat Pearls were used in a renowned skin treatment formula that claimed to heal wounds without leaving scars. Jian Mo couldn’t be certain if this fruit was the legendary herb, but it was worth investigating.

Jian Mo asked, “Can I trade for these fruits with cloth as well?”

The sub-beastman replied, “These are quite rare, so I’d need more cloth in exchange.”

Jian Mo promptly handed over another piece of fabric. “That’s fine.”

The sub-beastman traded him the fruits, even including the one he had sliced.

Ye Luo asked, “Do you recognize these fruits?”

Jian Mo responded thoughtfully, “Maybe. I’m not sure, but I’ll test them first.”

Since Throat Pearls needed to be combined with other medicinal ingredients, Jian Mo decided to gather more herbs. Seeing that there was still daylight left, he returned home, grabbed Ying Ao, and headed out to collect supplies.

As for Chirpy, it was playing wildly with the cubs and was currently unreliable for tasks.

Jian Mo spent the entire day busy, and so did Wu Jiong.

By evening, when Wu Jiong returned home, he found Jian Mo carefully simmering something over a charcoal fire in the courtyard. Curious, he asked, “Who’s injured?”

Jian Mo looked up. “No one. This is for a scar-healing salve. I’m not sure if it will work, but I want Bei Ya to try it.”

He had always been concerned about Bei Ya’s condition but had struggled to find an effective treatment.

Wu Jiong stepped closer to help, noticing that Jian Mo was simmering the sap of Kun Zhi trees. A nearby jar held a thick, concentrated herbal liquid.

Seeing Wu Jiong’s questioning expression, Jian Mo explained, “Bei Ya’s scars are unique. I want to see if I can turn this into a salve.”

Jian Mo had learned the technique of making salves with Kun Zhi sap from Lian Ke, but his methods had been somewhat rudimentary. After studying with Xing Yi at the Xing Chu Tribe, Jian Mo realized the sap required proper processing before use.

Carefully, Jian Mo simmered the Kun Zhi sap to the right consistency before combining it with the herbal liquid. He stirred continuously, ensuring the mixture didn’t boil over, then poured it into a shallow wooden tray lined with large leaves. After spreading it evenly, he set it aside to cool and solidify.

Wu Jiong observed and remarked, “This is the first time I’ve seen you make a salve like this.”

Jian Mo exhaled softly, relieved to have completed the process. “I just didn’t have the opportunity before. Now we wait for it to cool and solidify.”

Wu Jiong placed a reassuring hand on Jian Mo’s shoulder. “Come inside and rest. You’ve been busy all day.”

Jian Mo said, “I’m still fine.”

Wu Jiong sighed, “I’m not. I’m about to collapse.”

Hearing this, Jian Mo playfully pushed his shoulder. “Then go rest quickly!”

After having dinner inside, Jian Mo returned to the courtyard to check on the salve he had made earlier.

The salve had cooled completely and could be peeled cleanly off the large tree leaves, resembling the process of making steamed rice rolls.

The peeled salve was flexible, and when Jian Mo stretched it, he could feel a slight stickiness.

He turned toward the house and called out to Wu Jiong, “Go take a bath first. Once you’re done, I’ll put this salve on your leg to see if it can lighten or even remove the scar on your calf.”

Wu Jiong glanced at the salve and shook his head. “I don’t need it.”

The scar on his calf was from his childhood. It had been there for years and didn’t seem worth the trouble to remove.

Jian Mo rushed over and nudged him insistently. “Come on! You’re helping me test if the salve works. I don’t have any scars on my body to try it on, and if I give it to Bei Ya and it doesn’t work, that would be too disappointing.”

Hearing this, Wu Jiong finally relented and went to take a bath.

Behind him, Jian Mo called out, “Make sure you wash thoroughly!”

Wu Jiong waved his hand lazily to show he had heard.

Soon, Wu Jiong returned, his body carrying the herbal scent of the soap he had used. The fragrance was refreshing and pleasant.

Jian Mo waved him over to the courtyard and examined his leg in the dimming twilight. “The scar is pretty deep.”

Wu Jiong responded casually, “An old injury from years ago.”

“It’s fine,” Jian Mo said confidently. “The recipe claims it can work, so let’s give it a try.”

He held the salve against Wu Jiong’s leg and then rubbed at the surrounding fur thoughtfully. “The fur around the scar is pretty thick—it might not stick well. Can I shave a bit off?”

Since Wu Jiong was already sitting in front of him, he didn’t object. “Just a little.”

Jian Mo pulled out a knife, tested the sharpness of the blade with his finger, and then fetched some soap. Carefully, he shaved a small patch of fur around the scar.

He was meticulous, removing only a narrow strip of fur. After all, Wu Jiong often transformed into his beast form, and a bald patch on his wolf leg would look odd if it were too large.

Once the fur was shaved, Jian Mo gently ran his fingers over the scarred skin and asked, “How did you get this?”

Wu Jiong replied, “When I was a kid, I was playing with De Jiang and the others. I fell from a tree and scraped it.”

Jian Mo measured the scar and cut a piece of the salve to size with scissors. Then, he heated it over a small flame until it became tacky. Carefully, he pressed it onto the scar with a satisfying pat.

Leaning back, Jian Mo admired his handiwork and said with satisfaction, “Alright, now we just wait a few days to see if it works.”

Wu Jiong glanced down at his leg. “It sticks pretty well.”

Jian Mo crossed his arms smugly. “Of course! That’s the magic of the improved formula.”