23 : Experimenting with Remedies
The sun is just beginning to set, casting a soft golden light across Li Mei's herb garden. The evening air is cool and crisp, carrying with it the scent of freshly turned earth and the rich fragrance of blooming flowers. Li Mei stands in front of her small wooden table inside the hut, her mind focused on the task at hand. Today, she has decided to experiment with combining the herbs she has gathered from the mystical space and test their effects more thoroughly.
She looks around at the tools she has carefully acquired over the past few days. Initially, she had little more than basic, weathered tools left behind by the previous occupant of the hut. The wooden mortar and pestle she found in a corner of the room is worn, but functional. It reminds her of her resourcefulness—how she'd started with nothing but a few simple tools and her knowledge of herbs. Her small iron pot, used to boil mixtures, sits beside the mortar, still gleaming despite its rustic appearance. She also has a few clay jars, carefully collected from the village, in which she stores her mixtures for later use.
But it isn't just the village that has helped her gather tools. Her mystical space, which she now knows to be an almost magical extension of her being, has played a crucial role in providing some of the finer items she needs. As if responding to her needs, the space has provided her with metal blades, wooden spoons, and fine jars for storing the potions she creates. She's even discovered that the space can produce small glass vials that shimmer in the light—perfect for her remedies.
Li Mei feels a sense of gratitude as she arranges her tools. Over time, the space seems to respond more to her intentions and desires. If she needs something—whether it's a small strainer for filtering herbs, or a precise knife to cut delicate petals—it's there, waiting for her. Today, she prepares to experiment with her latest collection of herbs, determined to refine her skills.
She looks down at the herbs she's gathered: Mountain Ginseng, Red Sage, Golden Herb, Jade Leaf, and Moonlight Blossom. Each one, while common in its own right, holds powerful properties she's only just beginning to understand.