Amid the blazing summer day, the forests brimmed with various wild fruit trees, generous gifts from nature, festooned with abundant ripe fruits. Many were at the delicate stage of transitioning from tart to ripe, and the air was tinged with a faint fruit fragrance, the most primal and purest scent of nature.
It seemed that this deep mountain was indeed rarely visited by humans, with hardly any signs of human activity, only nature's miraculous craftsmanship silently conveying the tales of the years.
Su Yu couldn't help but regret that these treasures of the mountain were unrecognized and left to thrive or diminish on their own.
She took a bright red cloth strip from her waist and carefully tied it to a branch of the fruit tree both as a wayfinding marker to guide her return and as a sign to come back and harvest the fruit once they were fully ripe.
The ground was strewn with many overripe wild berries, vibrant in color like red jewels nestled among green leaves, though most had been preemptively nibbled on by greedy little animals, leaving behind gnaw marks.
Su Yu felt no desire to eat them, knowing that these natural gifts rightly belonged to the true masters of this piece of woodland.
Continuing on, Su Yu suddenly encountered a lush wild mulberry grove, its dark, shiny fruits hanging like strings of glistening onyx heavily from the branches, with fallen mulberries creating a thick "carpet" on the ground, obviously having ripened a while ago.
Seeing this, a glint of delight sparked in Su Yu's eyes, and just then, feeling parched, the tree-full of mulberries seemed like the perfect natural solution to quench her thirst.
She set down her belongings and agilely climbed to the tree top, her slender fingers darting like nimble squirrels, eagerly plucking several mulberries and popping them into her mouth.
In an instant, the sweet and tart juice burst like fireworks in her mouth, the lush sweetness and slight tang weaving a delightful symphony, leaving an aftertaste that lingered wonderfully.
Su Yu contentedly squinted her eyes and a slight smile curved her lips. Though her days here had been brief and Jiang Ziling's prepared meals rich and tasty, she had never tasted fruit as fresh and pure as this.
At that moment, these small mulberries were undoubtedly a heavenly delicacy in the human world.
Only after fully satisfying her cravings did Su Yu slowly climb down from the tree, her fingertips still fragrant with the scent of mulberries.
Considering that mulberries were difficult to transport and perish quickly, she decided to come back to this place before descending the mountain to gather some, intending to let Jiang Ziling and Xixi also taste this unique flavor from deep within the mountains.
Unknowingly, the sun had climbed high overhead, its rays blistering and dazzling, reminding Su Yu that it was now midday.
Yet, the thatched hut was still nowhere in sight, making her realize that she had unconsciously delved deep into the heart of the mountain forest, the surrounding vegetation growing denser, the sunlight gradually obscured by thick canopies, leaving only dappled light dancing at her feet.
Su Yu knew that moving forward, she had to be more cautious and vigilant, for the unknown depths of the mountain might well be harboring unexpected dangers and challenges.
Su Yu gently set down her water bottle, letting the sweet liquid glide down her throat, moisturizing her parched mouth.
She sat on the soft layer of fallen leaves, a brief rest allowing her to revisit those dusty memories.
In her past life, whenever she and her master prepared to venture into towering mountains, her master would solemnly face the majestic ranges and devoutly worship the Mountain God, praying for their safe return.
At that time, Su Yu, still young and naive, often thought her master overly superstitious, believing that modern equipment and cautious attitudes were sufficient to handle the unknown risks of the mountains.
Even during their last trip into the mountains, she took advantage of her master's inattention to leave ahead of time.
However, reality cruelly shattered her arrogance when a moment of carelessness caused her to lose her precious life, and only now, in a different form, had she crossed into this unfamiliar world.
Su Yu gazed into the deep, endless forest ahead, a deep remorse and reverence welling up inside her.
She understood that the traditions and rules passed down from her ancestors were filled with wisdom that had been refined through the ages.
She slowly bent her knees, pressed her palms together, and with a gaze both firm and devout, whispered to the mountains as if she were a master, "Mountain God, today this young woman enters the mountain alone to gather herbs. I earnestly beseech Your protection from ferocious beasts and to keep me safe throughout my journey."
As her words settled, she deeply bowed three times toward the mysterious depths of the mountains, each bow accompanying her deep appreciation for life and reverence for nature.
After rising, Su Yu hoisted the bamboo basket bearing her hopes, tightly gripped a wooden stick for defense, and stepped into the forest.
She carefully parted the dense branches along her path, her sharp eyes searching among the verdant foliage for precious herbs.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled patterns on her focused face, while the breeze gently stirred her hair, as if she were silently communicating with nature.
Time quietly slipped by in the tranquility of the woods, and about an hour later, Su Yu was gasping for breath, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
She looked around—although there were herbs everywhere, they were common varieties with limited value, not apt to earn more than a few copper coins to supplement her living.
In her disappointment, she found a stout old tree to lean against, took out her water flask, and gulped down several mouthfuls. The cool liquid seemed to instantly dissolve her fatigue and rekindled her fighting spirit.
"In these desolate deep mountains, how can there not be rare and extraordinary flowers and herbs?"
Su Yu thought to herself, her gaze once again stretching to the dense forest in the distance.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her buttocks as if she had sat on a stone.
She frowned and shifted her position, brushing away the fallen leaves beneath her.
However, with that motion, an animal's skull startlingly rolled out and tumbled forward, vanishing from sight.
A chill suddenly rose up her spine, Su Yu's hairs stood on end, her heartbeat thundered, and her nerves instantly tensed to their limits.
The lone skull, obviously brought there by a wild animal, meant that she had unwittingly trespassed into the territory of a fierce beast.
Su Yu knew the situation was perilous, being alone, her safety was paramount.
She looked up at the increasingly immense and ominous mountain and felt a deep regret. Her decision to rashly venture deep into the mountains alone today was unwise. The pressing need was to return the way she had come as soon as possible and to come back only after preparing adequately.
Just as Su Yu was preparing to turn around and leave, out of the corner of her eye, she inadvertently glanced in the direction where the skull had rolled. A dash of brilliant red instantly caught her attention.
She widened her eyes, incredulously staring at the red color—it was a Red Ganoderma!
She was so excited she almost jumped for joy. This serendipitous discovery was truly a divine blessing!
To facilitate finding it again, Su Yu untied a bright red cloth from her waist and carefully tied it around the tree trunk. This was the customary marker of medicine collectors, signifying the growth of Lingzhi here, with the possibility of regrowth next year.
Then, she crouched down and minutely examined these treasures of nature.