Simply Trading

Besides, there was no danger from the stream. It was too narrow, and the water a little too fast moving, to afford any of the more dangerous animals and fish from settling anywhere close by. That was probably the reason why Ming Guanhe had chosen to set up a camp there.

The forest, on the other hand, held a few more risks. But Qin Feng was not unprepared; he had already gathered some of the more common items that could be used to fend off the less powerful animals thereabouts. And he certainly had not heard anything about Spirit Beasts coming so close to the Forest edge.

If that had been the case, he doubted that Elder Ming Guanhe would have set up a camp so close to the same. So he should be relatively safe, if he stuck to the areas close to the periphery marked out by the Elder.

And as it turned out, he struck gold not too far from the unseen line that Elder Ming had drawn earlier. So much so that he had quickly bundled up his find, and hurried back to the site. There was no point in heading out any further, since he had already laid hands on something that should suffice to draw Ming Guanhe"s attention!

Naturally, he made it a point to lay it out next to the stream, as if he was cleaning it, when the Elder returned. Purportedly from his inspection of the other Hunters.

"Ah! You are back, Elder! I trust that things are going well?"

Ming Guanhe seemed mildly surprised by his obvious high spirits. "Indeed. The others are doing better than I had expected. Most of them, anyway. But what about you? You seem to have a good harvest it seems, from your good mood."

"Oh, you cannot be more correct, Elder! Look at this! Look at this! This is a rare find indeed! And I may have made good about half the losses that I have sustained back at my medicine field because of this!"

Qin Feng didn"t bother to hide what he had in his hand and held it out as though for the Elder"s inspection. A thick root, shaped like a yam but in a bright red color, rested in his right palm.

"Look at this! I have found a Red Smoke Root!"

"Oh?"

Qin Feng continued to grin as he waved the root in his hand at the Elder. "You might not be familiar with the uses of this little root, Elder Ming. But it is worth close to sixty silver coins, in the market where I come from. Those that venture into the forest and the swamps to hunt back there rely on this to keep the insects away! And some say that even the most horrible Black Sting Wasps from the Tepid Swamp would avoid it if they can!"

The Elder seemed to stiffen where he stood. Qin Feng noted that carefully, even as he continued to stroke the pudgy Red Smoke Root in his hands, brushing away the dirt that was clinging onto its long secondary roots.

He had Elder Ming hooked, he was certain, and wasn"t too eager to make things too obvious. It would be better for him, if Ming Guanhe was the one who initiated a deeper explanation, rather than if he offered it up himself.

"Perhaps you can tell me how such a root is used then. With a name like Red Smoke, I presume that it should be burned?"

"Ha! Ha ha. You are correct, Elder Ming. That is one of the most effective ways to use it. The only trouble with that method is that it would only function for about two hours or so, and the scent would dissipate after that time. Without a better method of using it, the Red Smoke Root is only good for short raids and such."

"Oh? Then there are better methods?"

Qin Feng stopped, and looked up at the darkening evening sky, as though he was thinking about the problem. In actuality, he already had the answer. And a suitable piece of equipment with him, to test out the same. Not that he was going to make it that simple for Elder Ming Guanhe.

"Unless one can constant replenish the supply of the same, before the smell leaves one"s body, it doesn"t work very effectively if one is using it to keep insects and such at bay for a longer period. The simple burning method would only work if one was simply using it to get away, I suppose.

"However, if one can use a small incense burner, and constantly add pieces of the root to the same, one might be able to make a piece of this size last for about six to seven hours. That should be more than enough to keep one safe from attacks from insects within that period of time."

There was no hiding the interest in the Elder"s eyes, the moment that he heard those words. For a moment, Qin Feng wondered if the older man was going to question him further about the root. But Ming Guanhe"s control was far better than he had thought it to be, for the Elder merely smiled back, and gestured back towards their simple camp.

"Well, you are lucky to have found that. I have not heard about something like that, although I have been reading through the Medicinal Herbs and Rare Plants Manual back at the Medicine Hall. It seems you are better read than I am."

"Elder Ming must be joking with this little one. To be honest, this little one has only a small medicine field to deal with, so that leaves me with more time to read. And I have always been interested in the rarer herbs and such, since I joined the School.

"I am already very pleased that I am able to surprise Elder Ming. Please do not praise this little one too much, or I shall be tempted to try on larger hats in the near future, Elder."

Ming Guanhe laughed heartily, as soon as he heard that. And waved for him to lead the way. Qin Feng relaxed a little, as soon as he saw that. The old man seemed convinced that it was nothing more than a coincidence, which was thankfully what he had been aiming for.

But he would have to work out how to hand the root over to him, when the time came. It would take Elder Ming a little more time, unless he was greatly mistaken, before he started relying on the same, in his search for the Purple Blood Ginger.

He would have to be a bit more patient, it seemed.

* * *