Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Whispers of the Black Forest

The initial success with the sale of "Calming Smoke" gave Gù Ti?nháo not only a small capital, but also a boost of confidence in his ability to navigate this new world using his own intelligence. However, he knew that selling homemade incense was only a means to an end. The real goal was the Meridian Opening Pill, and for that, it needed much rarer and more expensive ingredients than Cold Dew Grass. With the coins he earned, he didn't rush to buy luxuries or even better equipment right away. Instead, he invested in information. He attended more established tea houses, where merchants and pass-by farmers exchanged news, and spent some coins on cheap teas just to have the right to sit and listen. He visited the few book shops in the city, looking for bestiaries, herbal guides or regional maps, even if most were beyond his budget or were very basic. His main focus was 100-year-old Ginseng. It was one of the most potent and therefore most expensive ingredients listed in the formula of the Low Grade Meridian Opening Pill. He needed to confirm his availability and cost, and explore alternatives to acquire him that did not involve spending a fortune he did not have. The information he gathered confirmed his suspicions. 100-year-old ginseng was rare and highly valued for its Qi-strengthening properties and vitality. Occasionally, he appeared at auctions in the City of Rio Jade or was sold for exorbitant prices in specialty stores, far beyond the reach of someone in his position. Cultivating it was a slow and difficult process, and finding it in nature was a matter of luck and danger. It was then that the name "Black Mist Forest" began to appear repeatedly in its investigations. She was mentioned in a tone of respect and fear. The most detailed herbal guides (which he could only briefly flip through in stores, under the watchful eye of the owners) indicated that the unique conditions of the forest - the constant humidity, the rich soil and the abundant wild spiritual energy - were conducive to the growth of rare and ancient herbs, including Ginseng. But every mention of the reward was accompanied by a warning about the danger. Bestiaries described some of the creatures that inhabited the edges of the forest: Agile and stealthy Shadow Wolves, Iron-Tied Boar with sturdy skins, and the dreaded Mist-Hunting Spiders, whose webs were almost invisible in the mist and whose poison was paralyzing. And these were just the known dangers in the outside areas. The depths of the forest, the texts and whispers read, were home to far more powerful beasts capable of threatening even cultivators of the Spiritual Foundation Kingdom or beyond. Besides the beasts, there was the mist itself. It was not an ordinary mist; it was persistent, disorienting, and some said it had strange properties that could confuse the senses and even affect the mind. Losing oneself in the Black Mist Forest was an almost certain death sentence. Another danger was other humans. The forest attracted not only herbal gatherers and beast hunters, but also bandits, desperate cultivators and groups of adventurers who were not always friendly. Thefts and murders because of a valuable find were not uncommon in the lawless depths of the forest. Ti?nháo carefully considered the information. Going to the Black Mist Forest was a huge risk. He was only at Level 2 of Body Refinement. His combat experience was zero. He could easily be killed by a beast, lost in the mist, or victimized by other humans. However, the alternative was to stay in Maplewood City, slowly trying to make money from its incense, hoping to save enough to buy Ginseng - a process that could take years, long after the sect examination had passed. And even if he got the money, he still wouldn't have the necessary combat experience. The examination of the sect, he knew, would test not only the level of cultivation, but also the ability to fight and survive. The Black Mist Forest offered both: the possibility of finding ginseng (or other valuable herbs that could be exchanged for it) and a brutal but effective training ground. The postponement of the exam gave him time, but also made the need for practical experience even more critical. He could not afford to arrive at the exam only with brute force; he needed skill and survival instinct forged in real combat. The decision was made. She was risky, perhaps even suicidal, but she was the most promising way to achieve her goals within four months. Now he needed to plan. I couldn't just enter the forest unprepared. He used the rest of his money and the profit from future incense sales (he continued to produce it secretly at night) to systematically acquire the essentials. He could not buy high-quality weapons or armor that attracted attention, so he opted for practical and discreet equipment. He bought sturdy, dark-colored leather clothes that offered some scratch protection and mixed better with the shadows of the forest. He acquired a robust, sharp hunting knife - not a cultivator's sword, but a versatile tool for hand-to-hand combat, skinning animals and cutting vegetation. He bought strong hemp rope, flint and bait to make fire, a small pot of metal for cooking or boiling water, and a good amount of dried meat and grains - non-perishable foods that could sustain him for some time. Perhaps most importantly, he spent a significant portion of his funds on basic medical supplies: antiseptic ointments made from ordinary herbs, clean bandages, and even a small bottle of a low-grade antidote for common insect and snake poisons, purchased at the Old Zhao store after some negotiation. He also studied rudimentary maps of the region, trying to memorize the landmarks around the edge of the forest and the known routes used by hunters and loggers. I knew that navigation in the fog would be his biggest challenge. While making his preparations in absolute secrecy, keeping his facade of a reclusive and slightly improved Young Master in the Gu Mansion, he felt a mixture of apprehension and excitement. He was leaving behind the only life he knew (in this reincarnation), venturing alone into a notoriously lethal environment. But he was also taking the reins of his own destiny in a way that had never been possible before. The whispers of the Black Forest were no longer just distant rumors; they were a call to action, a dangerous invitation to the next stage of their journey.