Fu Yuchi held the Solomon's Seal in his hand and stared at it for a long time. His thoughts were suddenly pulled apart. Back in the mountains, he was surrounded by dangers. Jackals and wolves ambushed him from the front, and tigers and leopards chased him from the back. He didn't even know the difference between the five grains. He only remembered that his teacher mentioned when he was teaching him, "Find Solomon's Seal to relieve hunger." Only then did he know that this thing could fill his stomach. He survived by eating this herb raw. He was very familiar with the taste of Solomon's Seal.
"This is a good thing. If the harvest is bad one year, we can use it to save the day." Sun Miao'er dug out the Solomon's seal, carefully memorized its appearance, and thought it was better than having to eat tree bark and leaves when she had nowhere else to go.
Fu Yuchi took another step forward, his expression suddenly becoming wary. He squatted down, leaning against a tree trunk, picked up some moist soil from the ground, and sniffed it. "Don't go any further. There are ferocious beasts ahead."
Upon hearing the words "ferocious beast," Sun Miao'er was horrified. She had thought it was just a rumor, but it turned out that there really were some terrifying things in this mountain valley. No wonder there were so many treasures in the mountains, yet the villagers rarely went up the mountain alone, especially in the summer, which was the season when wild beasts were active. If they encountered one, they would probably be doomed.
The two changed direction. The trees were much sparser on this side, and the mountain road became gentler. Looking out from the mountainside, they could see scattered villages in the distance. The village closest to Fushui Village was over a low hill, and the county town in the distance was already as small as a sesame seed.
“Master, I recognize this, it’s patchouli!” Sun Miao’er finally found a herb she knew and happily dug it up by the roots. Patchouli is a good thing; it can be used to make tea to quench thirst in the summer and can also be used to make medicine to relieve heat. “If we dig it up now, it will come in handy during the Great Heat.”
There's no air conditioning or fan here. I don't know how we'll survive the hottest time of the day.
The two walked along the winding mountain path toward the summit when suddenly a gust of wind arose, carrying a large amount of moisture. Dark clouds covered the sky, and the forest instantly turned dark. Several crows were startled and flapped their wings from the branches, flying toward the horizon.
Having learned from her previous experience, Sun Miao'er immediately realized, "Master, the rain is coming again."
"It's too late."
Before Fu Yuchi could finish speaking, a torrential downpour began, showing no mercy. This rain was even more intense than the previous one, with raindrops the size of soybeans hitting the leaves one after another, pattering like firecrackers.
Sun Miao'er stood in the rain, completely dazed and confused, leaning towards the canopy of a tree. "Master, come and take shelter from the rain quickly."
Fu Yuchi was still standing in the rain, letting the rain drench him. He was soaked to the bone, and his light-colored clothes had turned dark from the water. Sun Miao'er shouted at the top of her lungs, thinking that he, like her, had been caught off guard by the sudden rain.
The rain was getting heavier. By the time Sun Miao'er came to her senses, Fu Yuchi was already standing in front of her, grabbing the bamboo basket at her feet and carrying it on his back. He firmly gripped Sun Miao'er's slender wrist with one large hand. "Come with me, it's dangerous."
His tone was firm and unequivocal.
Through the sound of the rain, Sun Miao'er heard his words clearly. She was then pulled into the rain and ran back the way she came. Rainwater quickly slid down her cheeks, and her whole body was already soaked to the bone, yet she didn't even have time to catch her breath.
Fu Yuchi pulled her back into the cave before stopping. He abruptly let go of her hand, and a faint blush appeared on her ears. Only then did he notice that both of them were soaked to the bone by the rain, with not a single dry spot to be found.
Especially Fu Yuchi, who was running ahead, blocked most of the rain and wind. He also stood in the rain for a long time longer than Sun Miao'er. While standing in the cave, the water flowed down his clothes and temples, forming a small puddle on the ground.
"Master, thank goodness, the fire hasn't gone out yet." Upon seeing this, Sun Miao'er hurriedly ran to the campfire that had just been lit, using a stick to pry away the charred firewood on top. There were still a few flickering flames underneath; any later and the fire would have been completely extinguished.
The tinder in the bamboo basket was soaked in water and was no longer of any use.
Sun Miao'er added firewood, and the fire burned again. "Master, let's warm ourselves by the fire."
The cave was once again filled with the warmth of the flames. Fu Yuchi took off his outer robe, wrung it out in his hands, and it took him a while to wring it out until it was half dry. The water in the small puddle was accumulating and could already reflect some blurry figures.
Fu Yuchi used a long tree branch to hang his outer robe on the opposite side of the campfire, hoping to dry it with the heat. Sun Miao'er couldn't easily take off her outer robe, so she could only stand closer to the campfire, shivering and squeezing the water from the corner of her clothes.
"It seems I'll have to prescribe a proper medicine for you when we get back tomorrow."
The rain outside hadn't stopped; all that could be heard was the sound of rain pattering through the trees. Fu Yuchi squinted slightly, certain that the rain wouldn't stop today. Calculating the time, even if the rain stopped, the sun would have already set.
Sun Miao'er curled up, shivering, and held her hands over the fire, trying to draw some warmth into her body. Her body was already weak, and she worked hard every day with poor food. She couldn't withstand the rain and was about to catch a cold.
"Wait for me in the cave. Don't go anywhere else. This mountain is very dangerous. Be careful not to wander around." The rain began to subside slightly. Fu Yuchi touched his outer robe, which was about 70-80% dry. He took it off the tree branch and handed it to Sun Miao'er.
Sun Miao'er was so cold that she was delirious and could only nod. Her lips were bluish-purple, but fortunately, her feet began to warm up slowly under the firelight.
"If you're cold, put this on first." His tone remained gentle and calm, creating a sense of warmth in the damp and cold cave.
The medicinal fragrance wafted from the outer robe, becoming even stronger after being soaked in water. When the bone-chilling cold had struck her earlier, she had hugged herself, almost thinking she was going to die there. Now, holding the warm, slightly damp outer robe, she felt much more at ease.
When he looked up, he was all alone in the cave. The words "Master, be careful" were stuck in his throat, and he could only say them to himself.
As Fu Yuchi had predicted, the rain drizzled for an hour. By the time it finally stopped, it was already half dark. The white light above the cave gradually dimmed, leaving only the burning crimson flames inside.
On the wall beside them, huge shadows were cast by the firelight. Outside the cave entrance, darkness reigned, and not a single ray of light could be seen. The mountains returned to silence, the melodious hooves of birds were gone, and the distant roars and howls of beasts could be faintly heard.
She instinctively leaned against the corner of the wall, but her master hadn't returned yet. This was the middle of nowhere, wild animals roamed; what if something happened to her… Sun Miao'er cut off her unconscious thoughts. A pounding sound came from her stomach, her limbs were slowly warming up, and her clothes were half-dry from the fire.
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