Chapter 423: The Ring
Chapter 423: Chapter 423: The Ring
Su Qing’s Wood Ability had risen to the Sixth Rank, and her Domain had expanded by another 1,000 meters. Whenever she needed, she could control the plants within her Domain, using them to listen and watch. It was a truly practical long-range surveillance tool. Her time-reversal ability also extended to three months.
Beyond that, her Bagua Pool had grown a bit larger. The green and gray mists within it were not only denser, but a layer of green liquid and gray liquid had appeared at the bottom of the pool. The Vine Seeds soaking in the green mist had grown a little, and the golden patterns on them had increased.
All these changes made Su Qing overjoyed, but what interested her most right now was the layer of liquid at the bottom of the Bagua Pool.
When she understood the functions of the two liquids, Su Qing’s eyes lit up. The green one was an upgraded version of the green mist; it could repair nerves and dissolve foreign objects. Learning of the Green Liquid’s ability thrilled Su Qing to her core. ’This is practically defying the heavens! With this Green Liquid, I can completely heal the shrapnel in my grandma’s brain.’
The gray liquid, on the other hand, was an upgrade of the gray mist. It didn’t put people to sleep but rather induced a state of hypnosis. In other words, after ingesting the gray liquid, a person would appear conscious but would answer any question asked of them. It was the perfect companion for an interrogation.
Her space seemed to have grown larger as well, and the green mist inside was much denser.
Feeling these changes, Su Qing was ecstatic. Acting on a sudden impulse, she waved her hand. The fallen leaves and creeping vines on the ground immediately flew up, coalescing into a long, green blade.
’It worked!’
Su Qing held the green blade in her hand, glanced at a nearby branch, and swung.
With a loud CRACK, the branch—as thick as a baby’s arm—snapped in two. The cut was smooth and clean.
Su Qing’s eyes widened. This was another new skill for her Sixth Rank Wood Ability. She quickly raised the green blade to her eyes and curiously ran her finger along the edge. It didn’t feel particularly sharp, yet this blade made of leaves and vines had just sliced a branch clean off!
’Amazing!’
Su Qing couldn’t help but break into a smile. Excellent. She liked this new skill.
After familiarizing herself a bit more with her new skill, Su Qing dispersed the green blade. The leaves and vines went limp, scattering across the ground. She lightly dusted her hands off and looked up at the sky. It was already noon. Su Qing found a random open spot and took out her food—the rations the villagers of Xiuma Village had specially prepared for her mountain trek.
There was tsampa, cheese pastries, dried cheese, and beef jerky, as well as butter tea in a waterskin. In addition, Uncle Sangji had given Su Qing a waterskin of Tibetan white wine. He had been worried about the high altitude on Xiqing Mountain, afraid Su Qing might suffer from hypothermia. The wine was meant to help her warm up. Although Su Qing didn’t need it, she hadn’t refused Uncle Sangji’s kind gesture.
After her meal, Su Qing resumed her search for Purple Danshen in the mountains.
Just as the villagers of Xiuma Village had said, Xiqing Mountain was indeed rich with medicinal herbs. Whenever she saw an old specimen, Su Qing would collect it and store it in her space. She silently congratulated herself, grateful that Mr. Gong had given her an herbal encyclopedia. It not only had descriptions and detailed uses for the herbs but even included illustrations, which was incredibly convenient.
Unfortunately, though Su Qing found many medicinal herbs, she still hadn’t found the 800-year-old Purple Danshen she was so desperate to find.
Su Qing found a tree stump and sat down. She took a small, low table from her space and set it on the ground, then brought out the wild chestnuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts she had collected in Lihua Village. She also poured herself a bowl of butter tea, intending to have a leisurely afternoon tea.
She had just eaten two wild chestnuts when she saw a little gray squirrel on a nearby branch. It stared at her with its big, adorable eyes.
Seeing the little gray squirrel, Su Qing couldn’t help but smile. She held up a hazelnut and gestured toward it. The squirrel looked at Su Qing, then at the hazelnut in her hand. Having been stored in Su Qing’s space, the nut was infused with a great deal of green mist, making it incredibly tempting to the squirrel.
The gray squirrel hopped back and forth on the branch, tilting its head as it studied Su Qing. It cautiously scurried down the tree and approached her, its little nose twitching constantly. After determining that Su Qing truly meant it no harm, it happily leaped forward, snatched the hazelnut from her hand, and began to eat with gusto.
Finding the gray squirrel cute, Su Qing pushed a small pile of hazelnuts, wild chestnuts, and walnuts to a corner of the table. The squirrel seemed to understand this was for it. It immediately chirped twice at Su Qing in a fawning way, its big, fluffy tail swaying back and forth. Watching it, Su Qing couldn’t resist reaching out to gently stroke the squirrel’s little head.
The gray squirrel didn’t resist, letting Su Qing stroke its head. Its little cheeks puffed in and out as it ate, looking incredibly cute.
Su Qing and the gray squirrel enjoyed a pleasant afternoon tea together. When it was finished eating, the squirrel chirped at Su Qing twice, then leaped onto a branch and scurried away.
Su Qing didn’t think much of it, chalking it up to a charming, wild encounter in Xiqing Mountain.
But to her surprise, the gray squirrel returned a short while later, carrying a ring in its mouth. It hopped onto the small, low table in front of Su Qing, placed the ring down, and chirped at her twice.
Su Qing couldn’t help but laugh. "Are you here to give me a reward?"
As she spoke, Su Qing picked up the ring to examine it. It was clearly a man’s ring. The band was solid silver, carved with intricate patterns, and the top was inlaid with a piece of green turquoise.
Su Qing had seen a ring like this on Uncle Sangji’s hand, though the style was slightly different. It was obvious this ring belonged to one of the nearby villagers.
But Su Qing found it strange. This was already deep within Xiqing Mountain. Hadn’t Uncle Sangji said that the villagers, whether from his village or the others nearby, never went this deep into the mountains?
So why would a ring like this be here?
’Or maybe someone came in here secretly, lost it in the forest, and this little squirrel found it and brought it to me as a reward.’
’That seems to be the only possibility.’
But this was clearly another man’s possession, and Su Qing didn’t want it. She smiled and handed the ring back to the gray squirrel. "Those treats were my gift to you," she said with a laugh. "You don’t need to give me a reward. You can take this little thing back."