Jian Mo and Wu Jiong headed to Lian Ke’s temporary residence early in the morning.
Lian Ke was already waiting for them. Seeing their arrival, he smirked with satisfaction. “Well? Didn’t I say my medicine works?”
Jian Mo raised his swollen finger for Lian Ke to see. “What’s the principle behind this?”
Lian Ke tilted his head smugly. “Secret formula. Let me take a closer look at your finger.”
Jian Mo extended his hand. “Can the claws on my other fingers come out too?”
While examining the claw, Lian Ke answered absentmindedly, “No, they haven’t grown in yet. How could they come out?”
Jian Mo paused, exchanging a glance with Wu Jiong. Both realized something important. “The claws were already there?”
Lian Ke hesitated, then muttered vaguely, “You need the medicine for the claws to extend.”
Jian Mo narrowed his eyes at him. “So, the medicine doesn’t make the claws grow—it just helps them emerge by separating the skin and flesh?”
Like a wisdom tooth hidden beneath the gums, slicing open the gum would reveal it.
Lian Ke pretended to focus intently on Jian Mo’s claws, staying silent.
Jian Mo sighed. Relying on a witch doctor had its limits. Their methods might be based on accumulated experience, but they weren’t necessarily scientific or effective.
Seeing their doubtful expressions, Lian Ke defended himself, “I only told you that Jian Mo has a sub-beastman developmental deficiency. My medicine helped confirm it, didn’t it? I didn’t deceive you.”
That much was true.
Wu Jiong’s tone turned cold. “Twisting words is a skill unique to you witch doctors. Weren’t you implying earlier that you could treat sub-beastman developmental deficiency?”
Lian Ke tried to argue. “I could tell! Without my medicine, you wouldn’t have discovered this problem so soon, would you?”
Wu Jiong retorted, “The claws had already grown. We would’ve noticed eventually, even without your medicine.”
Lian Ke shrugged. “You never know. What if you didn’t?”
Seeing Lian Ke’s refusal to admit fault, Wu Jiong’s expression grew darker. “I’ve already recognized the ingredients in your plaster. It uses the sap of the Kun Zhi tree. Later, Jian Mo and I will collect some ourselves.”
Lian Ke’s face turned pale, and he exclaimed, “How could you steal someone else’s formula?”
Wu Jiong replied coldly, “So I’m right. I haven’t even confronted you, yet you’re accusing me first.”
When Wu Jiong’s face darkened, his intimidating aura intensified. His piercing gaze made him seem moments away from transforming into his beast form.
Seeing this, Lian Ke instinctively took a step back, his face awkward, unable to continue his protest.
Wu Jiong said, “You don’t know how to treat sub-beastman developmental deficiency at all. Everything you said was just to deceive us.”
Frightened by Wu Jiong’s anger, Lian Ke hurried to explain, “I wasn’t lying. I just wanted to make you aware of Jian Mo’s condition. As for treatment, just feed him well and let him develop naturally. There’s no special method.”
Jian Mo asked, “So it’s like how other sub-beastmen grow?”
Lian Ke nodded. “More or less. But since you’re already an adult, your development will be slower. It might take a long time for you to fully mature.”
Jian Mo replied calmly, “Got it. Either way, thank you.”
Lian Ke muttered, “Then don’t go sniffing around for my formula.”
Having someone with a wolf’s keen nose around was indeed troublesome.
Jian Mo reassured him, “The final formula we use won’t be the same as yours. Don’t worry.”
Jian Mo was only interested in the Kun Zhi tree sap that hardened into a plaster. He wasn’t concerned about the other ingredients in Lian Ke’s concoction.
Having just been tricked by Lian Ke’s powder, Jian Mo wouldn’t trust anything else he offered, even if it was handed to him directly.
After this incident, Lian Ke felt too embarrassed to stay in the He’an Tribe any longer. He packed up his belongings and left in a hurry, not even staying for breakfast.
Jian Mo walked to the riverbank to see him off, watching the old beastman transform into his beast form and leave hastily. Any respect Jian Mo had for witch doctors was now completely shattered.
He figured most witch doctors relied on a mix of experience and guesswork, which was far less reliable than his formal education as a veterinary doctor.
There was no need to feel constrained.
After Lian Ke’s departure, Jian Mo still seemed downcast. Wu Jiong asked, “Shall we go collect the Kun Zhi tree sap?”
Jian Mo was surprised. “We’re really going? What about hunting or foraging with the tribe?”
Wu Jiong replied, “Skipping a day won’t hurt. Let’s get the sap you want first.”
Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “Let’s go!”
Wu Jiong checked Jian Mo’s injured finger. “Wrap your finger with fresh medicine first. I’ll let the others know where we’re going.”
Jian Mo’s finger, inflamed from the earlier treatment, needed to be cleaned and re-bandaged.
He went to the back of the mountain and gathered herbs to reduce swelling and relieve pain, grinding them into a paste to wrap around his finger.
The cool, soothing sensation immediately brought him relief. He sighed in contentment, glad his finger wasn’t seriously harmed. The pain would serve as a lesson.
Wu Jiong soon returned, having prepared a wooden tube and a large wooden barrel.
Jian Mo, eager to see the Kun Zhi tree, asked, “Is it far from here?”
Wu Jiong shook his head. “Not too far. It’s south of here, in that dense forest. You probably didn’t notice it before.”
Jian Mo thought for a moment. “You mean that thick patch of woods?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “That’s the one. Let’s head out.”
He shed his beast-hide robe and transformed into a giant wolf, crouching down.
Jian Mo secured the barrels onto the wolf’s back and placed a couple of extra bags inside. Spring offered plenty of opportunities for foraging, so it made sense to bring along additional storage.
Once everything was ready, Jian Mo climbed onto the wolf’s back. He playfully pinched the wolf’s thick, soft ears, feeling them twitch in his hands. Satisfied, he hugged the wolf’s neck. “Let’s go!”
The wolf’s deep voice rumbled, “Alright.”
He took off, sprinting toward the forest outside the tribe.
Nearby, Chirpy, who had been playing with the cubs, watched the giant wolf carrying Jian Mo away, staring at their retreating figures for a long moment.
A striped kitten beside Chirpy pawed at his leg. “Meow, Chirpy, what are you looking at?”
Chirpy lowered his head. “Chirp.”
Jian Mo hadn’t been out in days. Seeing the vibrant greenery of spring, with plants seeming to grow anew each day, lifted his spirits.
Spring’s lush vegetation was simply breathtaking.
The giant wolf carried him at full speed, stopping only when they reached the edge of a vast, untouched forest.
Jian Mo gaped at the enormous forest before him, his mouth falling open in awe.
Although the tribe often went out to forage, they rarely ventured into the forest. It was too dangerous, filled with wild beasts and treacherous terrain that could easily cause trouble.
A forest as dense as this could easily cause the inexperienced to lose their way.
Jian Mo guessed that only individuals like Qing Kuo and Ye Luo were capable of navigating such a vast forest.
As Jian Mo continued to observe the forest, the giant wolf turned his head and gently nudged him with his muzzle. “You can get down now.”
Jian Mo wrapped his arms around the wolf’s head and planted a firm kiss on its furry side. “This place is so special. There must be lots of treasures in there, right?”
The giant wolf responded, “There are wild vegetables and fruits, but mainly Kun Zhi tree sap.”
“Then let’s get to it!” Jian Mo exclaimed.
Sliding off the wolf’s back, Jian Mo untied the tools fastened to him and signaled, “All set.”
The wolf shifted back to human form, picked up the discarded beast hide, and wrapped it around his waist. “Let’s get moving.”
Jian Mo, unbothered, watched Wu Jiong as he put on his hide boots. “You know, I still think beast hide isn’t breathable. If we get a chance, I’d like to see if we can make fabric from certain plants.”
Wu Jiong remarked, “Plant-based fabric might not be as soft as animal fur.”
“That’s not necessarily true,” Jian Mo countered. “Where I come from, we have incredibly soft, breathable plant-based fabrics. Fur is too warm. You’re already sweating in this weather. Imagine how uncomfortable it’ll be later.”
Wu Jiong conceded, “Once we get back, we’ll ask other tribes about it.”
The two continued chatting as they entered the forest.
Inside the forest, the light dimmed significantly.
However, the lack of undergrowth in this ancient woodland made it less cluttered. The trees were spaced apart, and the ground was covered in soft, clean layers of fallen leaves, making it pleasant to walk on.
Jian Mo looked around, finding the environment surprisingly charming.
Wu Jiong extended his hand to Jian Mo. “This way. There are Kun Zhi trees here.”
“Got it!” Jian Mo responded enthusiastically.
As they walked through the forest, Jian Mo noticed moss and fungi growing on the trees, though most weren’t edible.
Animal droppings were scattered throughout the forest, evidence of the many creatures that called it home.
But as apex predators of the local food chain, beastmen commanded respect. No animals dared approach them, and most fled at the sight of their presence.
After some time, Wu Jiong led Jian Mo to their first Kun Zhi tree.
It was a shrub-like tree no taller than two meters, with sprawling branches that extended more than two meters in diameter.
“How do we collect the sap from this tree?” Jian Mo asked.
“Break a branch and let the sap drip into a wooden tube,” Wu Jiong explained.
He selected a relatively sturdy branch and snapped it.
From the break, dark green sap immediately began to flow.
Wu Jiong positioned a wooden tube beneath the branch and bent it downward to allow the sap to drip freely into the container. “Leave it to drip for the morning, and it should be enough.”
Jian Mo mimicked Wu Jiong’s actions, though his movements were clumsier. In the process, some of the sap smeared onto his hand.
The sap wasn’t toxic, but by the time he had secured the tube, the thin layer of sap on his hand had solidified into a film. When he peeled it off, it came away like a sheet.
The texture reminded him of the blackhead peel-off masks popular among girls in his school days.
Wu Jiong noticed him staring at the sap. “What are you thinking?”
Jian Mo chuckled. “Just remembering something amusing from the past.”
He shared the story with Wu Jiong, who listened patiently before taking his hand and leading him onward.
After a short walk, they found a second Kun Zhi tree.
Repeating the process, they snapped branches and collected sap before moving to the next tree.
By midday, they had filled all their wooden tubes.
Taking a break in a spacious, well-ventilated clearing, Jian Mo brought out the mushroom sauce he had packed, and they shared a simple lunch.
Though this world favored two meals a day, Jian Mo still preferred having three whenever possible.
After lunch, Wu Jiong transformed back into his wolf form. Jian Mo climbed onto his back, burying himself in the soft fur for a nap. By the time he woke up, the sun had shifted westward, and he felt refreshed.
They decided to head back to collect the tubes and gather anything useful they found along the way.
After a day of collecting, every wooden tube was more than half full of sap.
The sap was dark green and viscous, resembling a medicinal paste.
However, it was thinner than the sap Lian Ke had brought, likely requiring further processing.
Wu Jiong suggested, “We should boil it in a pot to evaporate the excess water.”
Jian Mo nodded. “That makes sense. That’s probably why Lian Ke’s salve was black, while ours is still green.”
Satisfied with their haul, they decided against collecting more sap to avoid harming the trees’ growth. It was better to return another time.
Even without maximizing their collection, they had made substantial progress.
Back home, Jian Mo quickly finished dinner and set to work processing the sap.
In a clay pot over a fire, the sap thickened into a black, sticky substance, closely resembling the salve Lian Ke had shown them.
Jian Mo sniffed it and noted a similar scent, though Lian Ke’s formula likely included additional herbs to mask the odor. The resemblance between the two was only faint.
Once the sap had cooled, Jian Mo used a wooden sliver to scrape up a small amount and applied it to his cleaned, injured finger.
The salve solidified quickly, forming a sturdy, adhesive layer that clung tightly to his skin.
To Jian Mo, this substance seemed perfect as a sterile dressing.
For future injuries, after stitching a wound, applying this salve with a single “smack” would likely work far better than wrapping the wound in cloth.
The best part was that it wouldn’t hinder a patient’s movements, making it much more convenient for everyday life.
The more Jian Mo examined the salve, the more satisfied he became. Despite Lian Ke’s questionable methods, the material he introduced was undeniably useful, and some of his practices had inspired Jian Mo in unexpected ways.
Given that, Jian Mo decided to let the matter rest.
As he was engrossed in studying the salve he had prepared, Qing Kuo stopped by.
Seeing Jian Mo working on medicine, Qing Kuo asked worriedly, “What’s going on? Is it about the powder Witch Doctor Lian Ke gave you?”
Jian Mo waved his hand dismissively. “No, it’s not a big deal. It’ll heal with some rest. I’m just making some salve to keep on hand.”
Qing Kuo let out a sigh of relief. “You scared me. I thought it was serious, and we’d have to chase him down to demand an explanation.”
Jian Mo chuckled. “If it were serious, I wouldn’t have let him leave this morning. What brings you here?”
Qing Kuo nodded. “We went out earlier and saw that the Ambus River has started flowing again. We’re planning to go gather supplies there tomorrow. Do you want to join us?”
Lately, Jian Mo had either been staying in the tribe treating people or going out alone. It had been a while since he had joined the tribe’s group activities.
“Count me in!” Jian Mo responded. “I don’t have anything planned tomorrow, so I’ll join you.”
Qing Kuo added, “Good. We’ll wait for you in the morning. The Ambus River is quite far, so we’ll need to set out early.”
Curious, Jian Mo asked, “Where is the Ambus River? Has it been dry? Why did you say it’s flowing again?”
“It’s to the far east,” Qing Kuo explained. “It only flows during spring and summer. The things we gather from the river are only available during those seasons.”
Hearing this, Jian Mo immediately understood.
The river must be a seasonal one, fed by melting snow. As the weather warmed and snowmelt increased, the river began to flow again.
Encountering a seasonal river for the first time, Jian Mo felt a surge of anticipation. “Got it. I’ll be up at dawn tomorrow!”
“See you then,” Qing Kuo said with a grin before taking his leave.
