"Ow?"
"Ow?"
The two foxes were dumbfounded again.
They stared at the residue of the pus for a long ti, then looked at the two freshly coated petals, and then at the two petals that hadn’t been coated yet.
"Ow?"
Suddenly, Big Head pointed his claw at the fifth petal.
"Ow ow ow! Ooh ooh ooh!"
His eyes had been enhanced, able to perceive subtle details. Now he saw on the surface of the Blood Powder Peony petal, a very fine blood-red vein had been ruptured!
The two foxes suddenly realized that their ntor had said to be careful not to crush the veins.
The reason being, if the petal’s wound contacted Misu Wine, it would rot?
White Claw looked at his own front paw and indeed saw that the white paw had a bit of red flower juice on it.
"Ow!"
Holding a Blood Powder Peony flower with one paw, his enhanced eyes carefully observing the veins on the petal, he grabbed the petal with the other paw, avoiding the most fragile veins, and carefully tried again.
Beside him, Big Head frowned, thinking fortunately they had enhanced their abilities earlier; otherwise, handling these petals would have been quite difficult!
...
The sky was overcast with clouds, and the gale howled.
In the operation room, each fox worked diligently and busily.
Many fox apprentices made various mistakes.
But Bai Mo moved among them, correcting them, teaching them the ropes.
It didn’t take long before they all got the hang of it.
Peach Blossom Eyes learned to pinch the vines with his claws.
Watching White Claw, he saw him plucking the petals "pop" "pop".
On the Bronze Cutting Board, the wine-coated petals didn’t decay. Each was intact, coated with wine, neatly arranged on the Bronze Cutting Board.
...
Dusk descended, the mountain seed even later.
The wind on Fox Mountain blew even stronger.
In the operation room, most of the foxes had finished their work and packed up the processed herbs.
White Claw and Big Head were busy putting the marinated petals into the Bronze Box, preparing them for tomorrow. They also prepared to take the remaining Blood Powder Peony and Misu Wine back to the warehouse.
"Ow?"
Bai Jianmao from the kitchen, carrying a bag, ran in and pointed to the petals torn on the ground.
Confirming they were useless, Bai Jianmao packed these petals into a bag and then turned away.
White Claw and Big Head were left puzzled.
Since when did the kitchen staff co to clean up the trash?
When did they add this task?
...
The pre-treated herbs were all placed in the operation room.
The remaining bulk herbs were returned to the warehouse.
After a day of busyness, Fox Mountain returned to peace.
In the dormitory hall, it was pitch black, and the foxes gathered in groups, "ow ow ow ooh ooh ooh," speaking in fox language, boasting about their day’s work, boasting about what they had just learned.
White Claw and Big Head lay on their mats, their reddish-brown eyes looking at their forepaws, quietly reflecting.
Suddenly, from outside the hall door, a warm scent wafted in, teasing every fox’s nose.
They looked out with their reddish-brown eyes.
They saw their ntor coming from the night, followed by a dozen senior brothers and sisters from the kitchen.
Were they carrying sothing?
What was that?
...
The dozen foxes from the kitchen carried a giant iron pot, huffing and puffing behind the ntor, into the dormitory. Under the gaze of all the senior brothers and sisters, they walked to the center of the dormitory.
Thud!
The big iron pot landed heavily.
Bai Mo stood beside the iron pot.
"Everyone worked hard today during the day.
"So were processing herbs, others continued planting or excavating ruins.
"It wasn’t easy for anyone."
The foxes all smiled, their reddish-brown eyes looking towards their ntor.
"However, as we processed herbs today, we also produced a lot of waste.
"Those petals, vines, fruits, peels... they’re all precious herbs.
"Not to ntion all of it was painstakingly grown by everyone.
"Speaking rely of the value of those herbs, outside Fox Mountain, they’d be worth a fortune."
"We cannot waste so much."
The foxes beca silent.
White Claw’s mouth drooped as he rembered the dozen or so petals he had torn.
Such a large plot of herbs, grown for half a year, using over ten barrels of fertilizer and pesticide from the warehouse, finally yielded a sack of Blood Powder Peonies. But today, he had torn so many.
As the foxes were feeling regretful, the ntor spoke again.
"Therefore, we gathered all the discarded herbs.
"After so processing and mixing, along with Milo Ginseng, Eight-Star Dates, Jade Food Fruit, Black Gold Grass, Bitter Tea Flower, Celestial Honey... we stead up a big pot of rice cakes!
"No dicinal effects, no enhancents. But the taste is pretty good.
"Everyone line up, co forth and get a piece!
"Just a small piece to taste. Don’t eat too much!"
After all, this group is already plump enough!
All the fox apprentices were stunned, then watched the ntor standing next to the big iron pot, and a group of foxes started jumping and cheering!
"Ooh ooh ooh!"
"Ow ow ow!"
...
A night passed by.
The night sky over Fox Mountain dispersed, and lifting their eyes, the foxes could once again see thick clouds.
On the plaza, the Alchemy Furnace was already set up, and various firewood was stacked into small mountains.
The pre-treated kinds of herbs were also arranged in suitable spots.
Bai Mo, with over a thousand apprentices, was on the plaza, assigning alchemy tasks.
"Peach Blossom Eyes, your task is to maintain the fire and add wood under the main Tripod Furnace.
"Rember, the flas must rise above the beast tooth pattern on the furnace but must not exceed the beast eye pattern.
"White Ears, your task is to add herbs. You see those five boxes placed over there? Those are your tasks. During the alchemy process, it may randomly specify you to quickly add one into the Tripod Furnace..."
While the ntor spoke, the apprentices nodded.
White Claw and Big Head occasionally listened, occasionally turned to observe the plaza setup.
This ti, an overhead fra was arranged above the main Tripod Furnace. They had never used this before, what could it be for?
Suddenly, the group of foxes quieted down.
The ntor had taken out the box containing the Roadside Flowers!
A group of foxes leaned forward, and they saw when the box opened, the Roadside Flowers blooming. It was a large pure white flower with sixteen petals and fine, tender stans. The eight ears originally providing its inner voice had withered, becoming unnoticeable in the box.
This flower was also part of the alchemy process. Who would be responsible for it?
Then they heard the ntor speak.
"White Claw, your task has arrived.
"You need to carry the dicine box and the Roadside Flower, climb to the overhead fra above the Tripod Furnace.
"Then constantly observe the Tripod Furnace.
"Once the alchemy begins, the dicinal broth in the Tripod Furnace will continuously bubble.
"Every ti you observe a bubble the size of Big Head’s head, you must pluck off a petal completely, without any damage, and throw it into the Tripod Furnace.
"Do you understand?"
White Claw nodded, indicating he understood.
He stepped forward and took the Small Bronze dicine Box from the ntor’s hand, glanced at the Roadside Flower inside, closed the box, and slung the dicine box’s strap over his shoulder.
...
The ntor continued assigning tasks to the other senior brothers and sisters.
White Claw stood beside, carrying the small dicine box, suddenly feeling very uneasy.
Formal alchemy was a highly complex task, with many steps, much more troubleso than pre-treating herbs.
Moreover, formal alchemy must absolutely not make mistakes!
Fox Mountain was poor and rich at the sa ti. Every herb was extrely precious, and waste was intolerable.
In this alchemy, many herbs only had a single portion. If the alchemy failed and the herbs were wasted, organizing another alchemy might take a very long ti afterwards.
White Claw looked at the complex setup on the plaza, looked at the ntor, at the countless senior brothers and sisters, and suddenly felt even more uneasy.
Looking at the small dicine box he was carrying...
The most crucial and valuable Roadside Flower in the alchemy, the ntor had entrusted it to him.
What if... what if... supposing... in case... he made a mistake, wasted the Roadside Flower, what would happen then?
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