Once the Wood Essence was anchored, miracles began to manifest across the nations. Crops that usually required three months to ripen matured overnight. Elderly citizens on their deathbeds, deemed untreatable by doctors, were suddenly seen walking the streets the next morning.
Such phenomena led the common folk to revere Su Han as a living deity. After all, how could a mere mortal wield such miraculous power?
The good news kept pouring in. After just one night, the Spirit Grain harvest surpassed all expectations, with yields tripling across the board. Simultaneously, the rare medicinal herbs used for strengthening the body burst into full bloom and bore fruit.
Inside the Jade Chamber, Ningguang and the others reviewed the reports, their faces etched with shock.
"The Dadaupa Valley region near the World Tree saw crops mature in a single night with double the previous output. It's staggering..."
"It's not just there. The woodlands along the coastline are growing at a frantic pace."
"Even Watatsumi Island is reporting wonders," Sangonomiya Kokomi added. "The penned fish and shrimp saw an explosive growth spurt; they've reached maturity overnight."
Watatsumi, being a tourist-focused island, had long struggled with high import costs. Kokomi had previously sought Su Han's advice, and his solution was to establish high-efficiency aquaculture in the nearshore waters. No one expected the Wood Essence's power to be so potent.
Ningguang frowned slightly, tapping her chin. "This surplus might make resources too cheap. We should ask Su Han to seal a portion of the radiation."
As a merchant at heart, she knew the rule: rarity creates value. If goods became too common, their market price would crater. However, Yae Miko disagreed.
"I don't think we should seal it. The Wood Essence is powerful, but its radiation isn't limitless. Besides, if resources become cheap, we can pivot to processing—canning or other preservation methods. We have the Dimensional Gates now; the influx of people from other worlds, like those from Seirai or the Warring States period, will consume astronomical amounts of food. This surplus is a godsend."
Ningguang paused, realizing her old mercantile habits had limited her vision. With the expansion of the population through the gates, the demand would soon match the supply. Moreover, a well-fed populace was a strong, happy populace.
The Seafood Feast
In the Culinary Research Center, Xiangling was in a bind. The explosion of seafood from Watatsumi was so massive that the market couldn't move it fast enough. It was still a hot summer, not yet the Moonchase Festival. Between the leftovers from the Black Dragon King incident and this new harvest, the inventory was "exploding."
Su Han walked in to find the little chef pacing. "What's the trouble? You called for me quite urgently."
"You're finally here! I wanted to plan a grand seafood feast for the Moonchase Festival in ten days, but the Wood Essence caused a backlog. The Watatsumi industry is over capacity. I don't know how to sell all this!"
"You don't know how to cook it fast enough, you mean?"
"Mhm!"
Su Han chuckled. "Have you ever tried fish balls or shrimp balls?"
"You mean the fried ones?"
"No... I mean Hot Pot! Dropping fish and shrimp balls into a boiling broth... the flavor is even better than beef or mutton."
As a transmigrator, Su Han knew a thousand ways to prepare seafood, but the fish ball was the most efficient way to process massive quantities.
Xiangling blinked. "Hot pot? Isn't it too hot for that in this weather?"
"You're overthinking it," Su Han teased. "Just place a Cryo Slime in the room or install a cooling rune. A spicy hot pot at the end of a scorching summer is the ultimate indulgence."
With his guidance, Xiangling's inspiration caught fire. Su Han spent the next hour teaching her about vacuum canning and various specialized fish-based broths, solving her crisis in one go.
By noon, the group sat around a steaming pot. They watched the white, bouncy spheres bobbing in the soup with curiosity.
"Is this a meatball?" Paimon asked, drooling.
"It's a fish ball! And those are shrimp balls," Xiangling chirped. "Lord Su Han helped me figure out how to process Kokomi's surplus. Dig in!"
The texture was springy, the taste fresh without a hint of fishiness. It was a masterpiece.
The Cauldron of Creation
During the meal, Eula nudged Su Han. "Did you check the Bargain Area? Two new treasures have refreshed."
Su Han swallowed a shrimp ball and opened the interface. His eyes widened at the first item.
[Item]: Shennong Ding (Cauldron of Shennong)
Original Price: 8,000,000 Points
Discount: 90% OFF
Current Price: 800,000 Points
[Description]: An ancient artifact from the Heaven's Scar world, also known as the Cauldron of Creation. It was forged from the gathering of countless medicinal spirits.
[Effect]: Can refine any material into medicinal liquids or pills, automatically elevating their quality by one or two tiers. If lucky, it can produce 'Super-Grade' items. It can also be used for forging, though the results will lean toward the 'Healing' attribute.
[Note]: Contains an internal space for storing medicines, which improves their quality over time.
Su Han didn't hesitate. This was the second of the "Ten Great Artifacts" he had obtained, following the Xuanyuan Sword.
When he summoned the cauldron, it was surprisingly small—about half the size of Guoba. It was a pale, translucent green, emitting a faint, ethereal medicinal fragrance.
"This is a supreme artifact?" Beidou asked, leaning in. "It doesn't feel as domineering as the Xuanyuan Sword."
"You can't judge an artifact solely by its aura," Su Han explained. "The Xuanyuan Sword is for conquest; the Shennong Ding is for preservation and evolution. With this, I can create pills that could turn an ordinary person into a powerhouse overnight."
"What can it do right now?" Paimon asked, skeptical.
"Let's see. I have the materials... let's refine a pill and open your eyes."
Su Han tossed in a few items: a soul fragment from the Divine Dragon, a petal from the Biluo Azure Lotus (at which Raiden Makoto winced in her heart-tree), the essence of the Black Dragon King's blood, and a fragment of the dragon's heart-core.
He didn't even need to inject elemental energy. The Shennong Ding activated on its own, a transparent nine-colored flame erupting around its base. Mona gasped; she could sense the hidden laws governing that flame.
A few minutes later, the lid rattled. A dense, intoxicating fragrance flooded the entire Secret Realm. A single breath made everyone feel mentally rejuvenated.
The Azure Fallen Immortal Pill had been born.
Raiden Ei stared at the pill, sensing that consuming it would raise her strength by an entire tier. Suddenly, a blur of motion lunged toward the cauldron.
Ei's hand flashed out, pinning the intruder down by the collar.
Ruo-Ruo (the Dragon King) kicked her legs in the air, huffing with fury. "Give it to me! I want to eat it!"
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