The bamboo basket was surprisingly snug on Anji’s back when she carried it. Even with her poor stamina, she could easily carry it with the little straps attached to them. It was as if they were tailored for her. The size was big enough but not extremely heavy. The bamboo used was lighter than the ones Lizi used, making them an expensive product. Anji learned that the depth of a pond could never be judged from the surface. Yan Ping was a teacher who took everything as an opportunity to teach, especially outside the classroom. Hence, this must also be some form of test to teach Anji something new.
Following her teacher’s advice, Anji found a patch of herbs that she had seen in Doctor He’s books. Since there wasn’t any seasoning in the kitchen, the herbs would give the food some aroma after they were dried and ground up. Thankfully, she did not need to learn any spells to use the mortar and pestle.
Next, Anji spotted a tree with some plums. Many were still unripe, but the few that were ripe were too tall for her to reach. Anji could climb the tree, but she was afraid her arms might still be too short. Without a weapon, reaching them would be impossible. She looked around on the floor to check if any plums had fallen to the ground but sighed in dismay when there were none. The birds and squirrels must have eaten those already. She might have to revise her chores routine and wake up early tomorrow morning if she wants to have any luck eating fruits.
Following the less dense foliage, Anji found some berries on bushes she could reach. Without wasting time, she hurried over to pick all the ripened berries, leaving the unripe ones on the bushes. The basket wasn’t even a third full by the time she had gathered all the berries she could see. However, only eating berries would not fill her. It would be difficult to forage for food after the sun went down. Hence, Anji decided to continue looking around for wild vegetables.
Further down the path, after ten minutes of stumbling, the small girl found a familiar five-pointed leaf. She immediately recognised what it was. Although Anji was not allowed to do anything in the kitchen, she often observed how the uncle chef cooked. Lizi would explain to her the different ingredients used while she snacked. Anji was very certain that this leaf belonged to sweet potatoes that could only be found beneath the soil.
Apart from a bamboo basket, Anji had no tools to help her dig. Sweet potatoes are buried deeply in the ground, and even if Anji dug with her bare hands, she might not reach them even after the sun went down. Hence, she could only grab onto the leaves.
The leaves covered the berries, shielding them from the sun. The bamboo basket was also half filled with leaves now. This should be enough for today. She would find other things tomorrow. For now, she had to find the pond Yan Ping talked about and follow it to the creek to get twenty pebbles.
After twenty minutes of roaming the forest, Anji realised she must be lost. The path she had taken earlier had completely vanished, and she had no idea where she was. Panic started to set in, but Anji refused to cry. Whenever she was in a hopeless situation, the most important thing to do was to stay calm. Her shifu wasn’t a heartless person. Anji had faith that she would find her if Anji failed to return in two hours.
Thinking logically, Anji sat down to conserve her energy under a big tree. She placed the basket down and closed her eyes, meditating. If she used the senses other than her eyes, maybe she would pick out something she missed previously. Latest content published on N()velFire.net
There was a massive difference between meditating indoors and outdoors. The first thing Anji immediately noticed were the sounds that she could hear with her eyes closed. There were more animals in the vicinity than she had noticed earlier. The sounds of insects became more vivid, and suddenly, Anji became aware of the numerous small creatures hidden in the trees, behind the rocks, and in the bushes.
In addition to sounds, Anji became aware of the different scents in the air. Apart from the faint sweetness of berries that she gathered coming from her bamboo basket, the deep musk of soil kept her grounded. There was a sort of dampness in the air and a slight stir of breeze occasionally. The breeze smelled like plants and something else Anji could not place a finger on yet. However, the movement of the leaves swaying in the breeze made her fully aware of the sun’s position when she felt different parts of her exposed hand become warm from its rays.
Training her ears, Anji wasn’t sure if she was imagining things. However, the new breeze carried a scent of what seemed like water and was cooler than the previous one. It was a scent that gave Anji hope. Even if she were lost, she could find her way back after following the stream.
Opening her eyes, Anji picked up her bamboo basket and started trekking in the direction of the wind. According to her knowledge, wind was an element created by rising and cooling air from the sea region. However, it could also happen in the mountains when the temperature is different between the peak and the foot. The wind usually affected valleys most, and rivers can often be found there. Where there was a river, there would usually be fewer trees and an open area, giving the wind a place to roam freely.
Scampering in the direction of the wind and waiting for a new gust to confirm her direction, Anji slowly made her progress and found more things she could collect for today’s meal. Many different kinds of mushrooms were edible on the forest floor near rocks. The ground was also becoming softer, confirming that a water source was nearby. She spotted many stones with moss covering them, and as she grew closer, the sound of flowing water became clearer.
"It’s here," she smiled excitedly. The sound of water could be heard clearly, and the air was much cooler.
It did not take much longer before Anji spotted the first edges of water through the thickly woven leaves and branches. It was a steep decline into the creek that flowed fiercely. Hence, Anji decided to walk along the sound of flowing water downwards. There was a higher chance of finding a shallower part of the river if she followed its flow.
From a distance, Zhao Mingfeng wavered. He knew he should not interfere with his daughter’s training progress, but watching Anji stumble in an unfamiliar place made him worry. It was amazing how she managed to keep calm while figuring out how to find her bearings. The creek she found was the original one from which they diverted water. As it had fast-flowing water, the sect thought it was safer to divert the flow and create a small pond nearer to the isolated hut. Anji had not been taught how to swim. It would be dangerous if she fell into the water.