The potency of the Wu Thorn Grass was astonishing. Meng Yuqing was shocked that just a small dab of its juice on a stick the size of a chopstick was enough to incapacitate the animals so quickly.
Xuan seemed equally amazed, staring at the tiny damp spot on the stick in disbelief.
Lie and Mu quickly ran over.
"Are they dead? What did you put on them?" Lie asked softly.
Mu leaned in to sniff one of the unconscious beasts and said, "They're not dead, just knocked out."
"It's the juice from Wu Thorn Grass, crushed into a paste. I only used a tiny bit," Xuan explained, holding out the stick to show the faintly wet area.
"The effect is incredibly strong," Lie affirmed.
"Will they wake up?" Mu asked as he returned to Xuan's side.
"They will, but I don't know how long it will take. This is my first time using this herb," Meng Yuqing replied, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
"If we could use this juice for hunting, it would make things so much easier," Lie said, glancing at Xuan, his tone tinged with excitement.
"This was only tested on small beasts. We don't know how effective it would be on larger ones," Meng Yuqing said, looking down at the stone bowl in his hands.
"I'll find a way to test it on larger beasts," Xuan said, turning to Meng Yuqing with determination. "I'll bring one back for you to try."
The four of them waited around the unconscious beasts. After about an hour, the largest one's eyelids began to twitch.
"It's waking up!" Meng Yuqing exclaimed, pointing at it.
All eyes immediately focused on the beast. Moments later, it opened its eyes, and upon noticing the attention, it began to struggle weakly.
As the effects of the herb wore off, the beast's movements grew stronger. Soon, the others also began to wake up, growling in protest.
"They've all woken up. They seem no different from before," Mu commented after inspecting them.
"I wonder if it works on beastmen," Lie said, poking at the leftover paste in the bowl.
"Why don't we just test it?" Mu said casually, grabbing the bowl and sniffing it. "It smells kind of nice," he added before taking a lick.
"Mu!!" Lie and Xuan shouted simultaneously, too late to stop him.
What's wrong with this bear?! Meng Yuqing screamed internally.
Mu had taken a generous lick, and soon after, he could no longer hold the bowl, his body swaying unsteadily.
"I… I can't move. I feel like my body isn't listening to me," he stammered before collapsing.
Xuan quickly caught him, while Lie grabbed the bowl to prevent it from falling. Meng Yuqing hurried over to reassure them.
"It's okay! Don't worry. It works the same way when ingested as it does when applied to a wound. It's not life-threatening. He'll just sleep it off. But since he ate a lot, he might be out for a while."
Hearing this, both Xuan and Lie relaxed. Mu's breathing evened out as he fell into a deep sleep.
Xuan gently laid him on the ground and rubbed his temples. "This guy is way too reckless."
"Yeah, it's a good thing this was just Wu Thorn Grass and not something poisonous. We need to have a serious talk with him when he wakes up," Meng Yuqing agreed.
"If he keeps this up, I'm going to punch him next time," Lie said angrily, shaking his fist. If it had been a poisonous herb, Mu's life could have been in danger.
With no other choice, the three of them stayed by the unconscious Mu, keeping an eye on him. Xuan glanced at the half-finished house, mentally calculating how far behind schedule they'd be. What he had planned to finish in four days would now take an extra day.
Thankfully, beastmen were resilient. About an hour later, Mu stirred and slowly opened his eyes.
"You're awake! How do you feel?" the three of them asked in unison, leaning over him.
Mu opened his mouth, but his voice was barely audible. Meng Yuqing leaned in closer to catch what he was saying.
"I still feel weak…"
"It's okay. Just rest a bit longer," Meng Yuqing reassured him. Mu's beast form was that of a large black bear, and now Meng Yuqing realized his goofy appearance wasn't just in his beast form—he was genuinely simple-minded and impulsive.
After a while, Mu began to regain his strength and managed to sit up with Xuan's help.
"How did it feel?" Xuan asked, steadying him.
Mu scratched his head, trying to recall the experience. "It felt like I suddenly had no strength at all, like my body didn't exist. My head was spinning, and then I blacked out. When I woke up, my mind felt empty, and my body was still weak. It's only now that I'm starting to feel normal again."
Mu's detailed description made Xuan turn to Meng Yuqing, silently asking for his input.
Meng Yuqing pondered for a moment before saying, "It sounds like a strong anesthetic."
"Anesthetic? What's that?" Xuan asked, unfamiliar with the term.
"It's just a different way to describe the juice from Wu Thorn Grass. It numbs the body and saps strength, kind of like being drunk," Meng Yuqing explained offhandedly.
"Drunk? What's that?" Lie's interest was piqued.
"It's something to do with alcohol… never mind. It's hard to explain now. I'll make some for you to try later."
The mere mention of a new type of food made the three beastmen's eyes light up with excitement.
Seeing their reactions, Meng Yuqing discreetly backed away. Great, another thing to add to his to-do list.
The incident took up most of the afternoon. As the sun began to set, Xuan called for them to get back to work.
"Let's go. We can still get some progress done."
While they resumed construction, Meng Yuqing stared at the tied-up beasts, feeling troubled. The wild animals in this world were massive and extremely feral. Without a suitable approach, his plan to domesticate them might not work.
Lost in thought, the day slipped away.
Later That Night
Back at the house, Qiuye had dinner ready. After eating, everyone retired early to their rooms.
Not long after, Xuan appeared at Meng Yuqing's door, speaking softly.
"Can I come in?"
"Come in," Meng Yuqing replied, puzzled. What could he need so soon?
Xuan entered, holding a curved object about half a meter long.
"What's that?" Meng Yuqing asked, pointing at the item in Xuan's hand.
"It's a bone spike from a Thorn Beast's tail. It's their hardest and sharpest weapon, capable of cutting through stone," Xuan explained, handing it to Meng Yuqing.
"I thought about your idea for a weapon. Stone blades wear down quickly and are heavy for you. This might suit your needs better."
Meng Yuqing's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Xuan to act so quickly.
He accepted the bone spike, feeling its cold surface. The spike was naturally curved, with a blade-like edge extending up from its pointed tip. About 15 centimeters near the base were left unsharpened, creating a natural handle.
"A perfect curved blade!" Meng Yuqing exclaimed.
"It's great! Absolutely perfect," he said, swinging it experimentally.
"I'm glad you like it," Xuan said with a smile, seeing how delighted Meng Yuqing was.
Meng Yuqing grabbed a small piece of hide and carefully applied Wu Thorn Grass juice to the blade's edge, marveling at its potential.
"If only I could test it out…"
"Do you want to go try it outside?" Xuan asked.