62 The Origins of Fire Cloud Grass
It was almost noon, and the fog in the mountain forest gradually dissipated. It was now hot and dry.
Master Si was riding on the fat tiger, rushing forward excitedly. Jiang Ming followed behind with a trace of doubt in his eyes.
According to Master Si’s description, what it had discovered was not the fire cloud grass, but something that had the smell of the fire cloud grass—or rather, its aura.
“Could it be some unripe fire cloud grass?”
Jiang Ming’s eyes moved slightly. He was also a little curious about what he was about to see.
According to the townspeople, since the first appearance of the fire cloud grass, no one had ever seen how grew and matured.
Jiang Ming recalled the information he knew about the fire cloud grass, “Every time I see it, it’s mature. It was as if it had appeared out of thin air.”
If he could see an unripe fire cloud grass, he might be able to figure out how it appeared and grew.
They passed through mountain creeks and streams. After a full quarter of an hour, the sun became hotter and hotter, and the fat tiger stopped.
Master Si raised its paw and pointed forward.
Jiang Ming quickly moved and stood beside it, looking forward.
When Jiang Ming saw the scene in front of him, he was stunned.
At the edge of the cliff, where the sunlight was the strongest, a short three-leaf grass grew tenaciously in the cracks of the rocks.
“Purple root grass!”
Jiang Ming recognized this green grass. It was a relatively common herb with a dark purple root, which was mainly used to treat weak spleen and body.
But at this time, Jiang Ming’s attention was not on the purple root grass, but on a flying insect that was less than an inch lying on the leaf.
“A fire mayfly?”
Jiang Ming finally revealed a look of shock.
It was a common insect found deep in the forest, and it was named after its flaming wings.
“They’re an extremely ancient species that don’t eat or drink in their entire lives. They’re born in the morning and die by nightfall.”
Jiang Ming looked at the primitive and beautiful insect, but at this time, it was exuding an unusual heat. It was extremely similar to the fire cloud grass.
Every now and then, the fire mayfly would flap its wings. Its translucent thin wings reflected a multi-colored luster under the sun, in which there was a faint red light circulating and flickering.
“Is it absorbing the power of the blazing sun?”
Jiang Ming was more and more shocked. This fire mayfly could be seen everywhere in the mountains, rivers, and swamps, but he had never heard of it having such a magical change.
He tried to calm down and continued to observe.
It was getting closer and closer to noon. The sun in the sky was getting hotter and hotter, and the flapping of the fire mayfly’s wings was also getting more and more frequent.
Finally, at noon, when the sun was at its strongest, the fire mayfly suddenly flapped its wings and flew up into the sky!
The red light in its wings instantly gathered in its body, emitting a burning power. It seemed that there was an intense and extreme transformation going on in its body.
However, in just an instant, a turbulent flame burst out from its body and burned it to ashes!
Red light spots fell like rain falling into the sand, blending into the purple root grass below.
The purple root grass seemed to have received a great supplement. It suddenly grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, gradually turning red and sprouting new buds.
In an instant, the ordinary purple root grass transformed into the fire cloud grass that Jiang Ming had seen several times, exuding a faint burning aura!
“This is the origin of the fire cloud grass!”
Jiang Ming stared at the strange crimson grass that was swaying gently and sighed with emotion. Who would have thought that the fire cloud grass, which was worth dozens of taels of silver, actually came from a fire mayfly that was even weaker than an ant?
“The fire mayfly must have eaten the purple root grass to be able to absorb the power of the blazing sun and attempt to undergo a transformation. However, this transformation doesn’t seem to be that simple!”
Jiang Ming muttered to himself. A lot more fire cloud grass was appearing in the mountain. Did that mean there was a fire mayfly that had successfully transformed?
If a failed fire mayfly could create some fire cloud grass, then what would it transform into when it was successful?
“It seems that this mountain is not as simple as it looks! Fire cloud grass is appearing more and more frequently. Could it be that some treasure is really about to appear?” Jiang Ming muttered to himself. According to those old rumors, every time fire cloud grass appeared frequently, it would cause a bloody storm.
“Maybe the treasure that caused the fight was the source of the transformation of the fire mayfly,” Jiang Ming guessed. “No matter what. We can’t stay in the mountains for the time being!”
He picked up the fire cloud grass and began to make plans.
Perhaps those major forces had not yet reacted to it, but after a period of time, the frequency of fire cloud grass’s appearance would increase. Then everyone knew that a treasure was going to appear on this mountain.
Even martial arts experts from other places would probably come from afar.
After all, fire cloud grass was already a precious medicine that could help martial artists improve, and the suspected source of the fire cloud grass was something that was rumored to lead to a great treasure.
Although Jiang Ming was a second-class martial artist, he was at a first-class level. However, he had no intention of participating in this gamble. An unknown treasure was not worth the risk.
“It’s better to leave first!”
Jiang Ming returned to the wooden house in the mountains and boiled the fire cloud grass into a medicinal soup to drink. He then put some valuable medicinal herbs into his medicine basket and walked down the mountain.
He did not care about the rest of his belongings. Jiang Ming was no longer the poor boy who had just transmigrated. At most, he would just replace them after the storm passed.
As for Master Si and the fat tiger, under Jiang Ming’s instructions, they also went to the depths of the forest to find a safe place to hide.
* * *
“Hey, since Elder Zhang is treating us today, we’re all going to make him pay!”
Jiang Ming and Ah Fei were drinking and chatting when a group of herb gatherers came in.
In the center of this group of people was an old man with a face full of wrinkles. His face was also red.
“Alright. Today’s drinks are on me. Everyone, drink to your heart’s content!” Elder Zhang laughed heroically, his face filled with excitement.
“Mr. Jiang, hurry up and serve the wine. Elder Zhang also picked some fire cloud grass today. He sold it to the Green Mountain Army and earned thirty taels of silver!”
“Congratulations!”
“Amazing, Elder Zhang.”
The bar was a mess, and everyone was looking at Elder Zhang with envy.
Now that the Green Mountain Army was in power, they were not as shameless as the Old Snake Gang back then. As long as they followed the rules, the herbs would be purchased at the normal price.
This year, several people made a fortune by finding fire cloud grass.
Jiang Ming took a sip of wine and sighed internally.
In the short few days that he had returned to the town, two people had found some fire cloud grass.