Chapter 19 The Principal's Flower Garden, Tang Chuan Enters the Rice Jar
"Certainly."
Tang Chuan readily agreed, a knowing smile flashing in his eyes. He nodded and said, "I mainly want to find some barbecue seasonings, and I'll accompany you to ensure your safety."
"Then it's settled."
"Should I apply for the warrant after class?"
"Okay! It's a deal!"
Xiao Wu breathed a sigh of relief when Tang Chuan agreed not to interfere with her obtaining the soul ring, and became cheerful again, continuing to nibble on the Snow Jade Crimson Vine.
After finishing their fruit, the work-study students packed up their belongings and headed to the teaching building in groups.
Xiao Wu followed closely behind Tang Chuan.
One moment she was tugging at Tang Chuan's sleeve, asking how to apply for the Soul Hunter Forest token, and the next she was talking about the various special fruits and vegetables from her home, promising to bring them to Tang Chuan to try sometime.
The panic from before had long since vanished, replaced by thoughts of the Soul Hunting Forest and the Star Dou Great Forest.
Tang Chuan walked ahead, listening to Xiao Wu's chattering behind him, and couldn't help but smile: "Various ingredients from the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest..."
"For now, we can only rely on this little rabbit!"
Even Tang Hao might not be able to venture deep into the Star Dou Great Forest. He would have to find an opportunity to trick Xiao Wu into taking him back to "her home".
While passing by the Academy garden.
Laurel trees and wisteria were planted along the roadside. Tang Chuan slowed down, stretched out a Blue Silver Grass, rolled up a laurel leaf and a plump wisteria flower pod, and quickly put them into his palm.
With a slight movement of his spirit power at his fingertips, the Blue Silver Grass immediately began to devour it.
Two more pages of the illustrated guide in the Sea of Spirituality have lit up:
[Ingredient: Bay leaves]
[Origin: East Teaching Building Garden, Notting Academy]
[Duration: Thirteen years]
[Features: Rich in unique aroma, which becomes stronger when heated]
[Effects: Removes the fishy smell of meat, enhances the aroma of food, and soothes gastrointestinal discomfort]
Next came the wisteria pods, and this entry surprised Tang Chuan even more:
[Ingredient: Wisteria flower pods]
[Origin: Garden of the East Teaching Building, Notting Academy (transplanted from the Soul Hunter Forest)]
[Duration: Fifty years]
[Characteristics: The flower pods are edible, with a crisp and tender texture and a light floral aroma]
[Effects: Replenishes physical strength and alleviates spirit power depletion; the seeds can be ground into powder and used as a spice to enhance the aroma of soups.]
"There are still fifty years left!"
Tang Chuan was slightly surprised. He didn't expect that there would be plants transplanted from the Soul Hunter Forest in Notting City. It seems that the plan to scan the campus food ingredients was not in vain.
The unexpected gains within the Academy made him even more eager to enter the Soul Hunter Forest.
There must be even more ingredients hidden in the Soul Hunter Forest that can unlock the encyclopedia.
The first class in the morning was "Spirit Beast Basics and Age Identification," held in the large classroom of the East Teaching Building.
The work-study students usually sit in the last few rows of the classroom.
The other students mostly looked at them with a hint of indifference or even disdain. Some even deliberately moved their chairs to the side, as if afraid of being associated with poverty.
"Tch, do part-time students even deserve to attend a spirit beast class?"
A young man in brocade robes scoffed, toying with a jewel-encrusted pen in his hand. "You've never even touched a spirit beast's hair, how do you understand?"
Xiao Wu clenched her fists, but Tang Chuan gently tugged at her sleeve.
Tang Chuan shook his head at her, indicating that she shouldn't bother with these people. They could find an opportunity to beat Xiao Chenyu, the leader of the noble students, into submission later. There was no need to start a conflict now.
The lecturer was an old teacher with a goatee.
His surname is Zhou, and he is said to have taught at Notting Academy for over forty years.
He held a yellowed-covered book, "The Complete Atlas of Spirit Beasts," his fingertips pausing on the pages before he slowly read the opening lines: "Spirit beasts are divided into several categories, including plant spirit beasts, beast spirit beasts, insect spirit beasts, and sea spirit beasts. Their age can be identified by their fur, scales, and leaf patterns..."
During class, Teacher Zhou also unfolded several hand-drawn illustrations of spirit beasts.
It is covered with densely packed details.
During class, the veteran teacher displayed illustrations of various spirit beasts.
It explains in detail how to determine the approximate age of a spirit beast by observing its physique, fur color, pupils, and spirit power fluctuations.
Many students from well-off families listened with great interest.
They would raise their hands from time to time to ask questions like, "What's the difference between the scales of a hundred-year-old spirit beast and the scales of a thousand-year-old spirit beast?" They had been exposed to knowledge about spirit beasts since childhood, so they understood it more quickly.
Work-study students, on the other hand, can only memorize by rote.
Most of them come from ordinary families and have very few opportunities to come into contact with spirit beasts. They mostly know what spirit beasts are but not why they are.
Tang Chuan sat in the back row listening to the lecture.
This was rather rudimentary for Tang Chuan, who possessed the "Ingredients Illustrated Guide," but he listened very attentively.
In particular, the descriptions of the habits and habitats of various spirit beasts, as well as those seemingly useless but potentially valuable parts, were very helpful for Tang Chuan in his search for spirit beast ingredients.
The bell rang, and the students poured out of the classroom.
Tang Chuan walked along the Academy path, his eyes scanning the flowers, plants and trees on both sides. He plucked a small leaf of Dewdrop Grass from the flower bed and stuffed it into his pocket for Blue Silver Grass to eat, but the encyclopedia did not react at all.
As he passed by a lawn.
He quickly pulled out a few thick-leaved weeds.
Then he saw a few inconspicuous brown fruits growing on a shrub, and picked two of them.
He even found a few clusters of grayish-brown mushrooms at the base of an old tree, and picked them as well...
Tang Chuan fed all of these harvests to the Blue Silver Grass.
[Ingredient: Tart fruit]
[Origin: Notting Academy]
[Age Limit: Not Mature]
[Characteristics: Extremely acidic, appetizing]
[Effect: Slightly stimulates saliva production; can be used as a condiment for pickled vegetables to neutralize greasiness]
[Ingredient: Thickleaf Grass]
[Origin: Notting Academy]
[Duration: Six Months]
[Characteristics: Thick, juicy leaves with a strong grassy smell]
[Effect: Provides temporary satiety; requires blanching three times to remove some of the grassy taste]
...
Most of them are ordinary plants with no value, only able to light up basic entries in the encyclopedia, and some don't even have an effect in the encyclopedia.
However, just as Tang Chuan passed by a meticulously tended flowerbed...
A vine with pale purple flowers hidden under a bamboo fence caught his attention; its shape and fragrance struck him as somewhat unusual.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Tang Chuan quickly bent down and pinched off a small section of stem and leaves.
The palm-sized Blue Silver Grass wriggled, devouring the stems, leaves, and pale purple flowers together.
The next moment, the "Ingredients Illustrated Guide" in his mind flashed with golden light, and a new page became clear:
[Ingredient: Peace Lily]
[Origin: Notting Academy Principal's Garden]
[Duration: Thirteen years]
[Characteristics: Delicate floral fragrance, calming and soothing]
[Effects: When brewed as tea, it can slightly relieve spiritual fatigue; as a spice, it can enhance the flavor of food and has a calming effect.]
"Oh?"
Tang Chuan was overjoyed. He hadn't expected this to be the principal's flower garden. Hadn't he stumbled upon a perfect spot?!
The principal's flower garden must contain plants of special value, definitely not just the calming flower.
Tang Chuan looked around. The flowerbed was surrounded by a bamboo fence about waist-high, with a few green leaves climbing on it. Apart from the occasional student passing by, there were no staff members on duty, which gave him the opportunity to explore.
[end of the chapter]