Big Black curiously came over, sniffing the materials with its nose and occasionally poking at them with its paws, as if it wanted to help, but it always ended up making things worse.

"Silly dog, stop causing trouble." Lu Fan smiled and pushed Big Black away.

After much effort, the prototype of the saddle finally emerged.

Lu Fan looked at his masterpiece. Although it was still a bit rough, he was already very satisfied.

"How about it, Anlan? My skills are pretty good, right? Don't you have the potential to become a master craftsman?" Lu Fan said proudly.

An Lan smiled and nodded: "Hmm, it looks pretty convincing. I didn't expect you to have this skill."

Next, the saddle will undergo final finishing touches and improvements.

Lu Fan used a knife to smooth and neaten the edges of the leather, and then used rope to weave some simple patterns on the saddle.

He also added two small pouches to the sides of the saddle for storing small items, such as flint and nuts.

After several hours of hard work, a brand new saddle was finally completed.

Lu Fan excitedly moved the saddle to Lightning's side and carefully installed it, as if he were dressing his beloved baby in a beautiful new outfit.

Lightning seemed to appreciate the comfort of the new saddle, gently swaying its body, appearing quite content, and occasionally nuzzling Lu Fan with its head, as if expressing its gratitude.

"Lightning, now we're all comfortable." Lu Fan patted Lightning's neck, then flipped over and mounted him.

He rode slowly across the grass, enjoying the comfort of the new saddle.

His thighs no longer ached from the chafing, and he laughed happily: "Haha, it worked! I don't have to worry about my thighs suffering when I ride horses anymore, I can go wherever I want!"

In the afternoon, Lu Fan and An Lan led the newly renovated animals back to the shelter and settled them in.

The warm afternoon sun shone on the shelter, bringing a sense of lazy comfort.

"We don't have many spices left for cooking at home. We need to go out and collect some more, otherwise our meals will be much less flavorful."

Lu Fan patted his round belly, looking serious, as if he had already anticipated how bland and tasteless the food would be without spices.

"Yes, even a skilled cook can't cook without rice. Without spices, the gamey smell of meat just can't be masked, and eating it will become a real ordeal."

An Lan responded with a smile, her eyes crinkling, picked up her basket, and made as if to set off.

As soon as they stepped outside, Lu Fan swiftly took the basket from An Lan's back, steadily hoisted it onto his own shoulder, and patted his chest, saying, "I can handle this physical labor!"

They walked along a winding path, and the chirping of insects rose and fell from the roadside grass, as if playing a unique symphony.

As Lu Fan walked, he looked around, his eyes scanning the surroundings like searchlights: "What spices do you think we can find? Mint, perilla, or some other treasure?"

"That's hard to say. Nature has many treasures to offer, and there might be some surprises waiting for us."

An Lan spoke mysteriously, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, as if she could already see the spices covering the mountains and fields beckoning to them.

Before they had gone far, Lu Fan's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed excitedly as if he had discovered a new continent: "Look, that's mint!"

He rushed over, moving as nimbly as a little monkey, squatted down, carefully picked up the small leaf, and examined it closely, as if he were looking at a rare treasure.

An Lan quickly stepped closer, took a deep breath, and smiled familiarly: "That's right, it's mint! This cool scent is so familiar, it's refreshing."

Lu Fan excitedly began picking the fruit, moving quickly and muttering to himself as he did so.

"That's great! I can have a cup of mint tea tonight and make a mint salad. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. I feel like my saliva is going to soak my shoes."

After picking the mint, they continued on their way. A short while later, Anlan stopped beside a thicket of bushes.

Her eyes were fixed on a clump of purple plants, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Lu Fan, look, isn't this perilla?"

Lu Fan ran over, looked at the purple leaves, and burst into laughter: "It really is! Perilla is a magic weapon for removing fishy smells. We won't have to worry about the fishy smell anymore when we eat fish. When we cook fish, the aroma will be able to travel for miles!"

The two began picking perilla leaves again, placing them one by one into their baskets. The air was filled with their unique fragrance, attracting even the little insects that passed by.

As they walked, they came to the foot of a small hill.

The hillside was covered with all sorts of unknown plants, like a green ocean.

Lu Fan rubbed his hands together, eager to try: "This place must be hiding a lot of good stuff. Let's go up and take a look. Maybe we can find the 'treasure map' of the Spice Kingdom!"

Just as he reached the halfway point of the mountain, Lu Fan tripped over something, lurched forward, and almost fell flat on his face.

He steadied himself and looked down. It turned out to be a clump of low-growing plants with small leaves that emitted a peculiar fragrance.

What is this?

Lu Fan asked curiously, bent down, and gently pinched the leaf with his hand. The fragrance instantly became stronger and went straight into his nose.

Discover Thyme

An Lan also came over to study it, tilted her head and thought for a long time, then suddenly her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands.

"I know, it's probably thyme! I've read about it in a book before. Its aroma is very special and can add a unique flavor to dishes, instantly turning ordinary dishes into Michelin-starred meals!"

"Wow, I didn't expect to find such a rare item."

Lu Fan excitedly began picking thyme, muttering, "From now on, I'll rely on you to make barbecue. It will definitely smell amazing for miles around, and all the little animals in the forest will be tempted to come here."

Just as they were about to continue climbing the mountain, Lu Fan heard a buzzing sound.

[A hornet's nest has been discovered]

He stopped warily, his ears darting around like radar: "Wasps!?"

There was a hint of nervousness in his voice.

An Lan also tensed up, her body slightly stiffening, and the two of them carefully searched for the source of the sound.

It turned out to be a beehive under a big tree, with a swarm of bees flying around busily. Sunlight shone on their transparent wings, reflecting a rainbow of colors.

"No, this is just too unlucky." Lu Fan swallowed hard, making a gurgling sound in his throat, and slowly backed away, as if afraid of alerting these little "assassins".

Although he has an affinity for animals, wasps are known for their bad temper, and he doesn't want to easily test their limits.

"Don't panic, we'll just go around it." An Lan pulled Lu Fan's arm, and the two tiptoed around the beehive.

He walked cautiously, as if he were on a battlefield riddled with landmines.

We finally reached the top of the mountain. The view from the summit was expansive, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the scenery was breathtaking.

The rolling mountains in the distance resemble a sleeping dragon of the earth; in the azure sky, a few white clouds drift lazily, as if playing in the sky.