The herbs needed were all common herbs. There was no special method of processing the herbs. You only needed to drop them into the bath water and let them sit for a while before climbing in. It was kind of like making mushroom soup, except I was the main ingredient.

“Right…. I have some time before Mother comes back. Let’s check the forest edge for the herbs.” My mind was kind of going nuts at this time. Images of the herbs began to pop up in my mind. Information I should not know was clear as day. 

The sun was strong and warmed the skin when standing under it, but the cool chill of the autumn breeze was enough to make one cover-up. I made my way to the back of the hut I was living in and pushed through the tall grass that grew all the way up to the forest edge. I moved through the grass only because I had to stay out of sight. The grass was up to my shoulders, so it was the perfect place for an unwanted monster like me to stay hidden.

 But as I got to the forest edge, the grass became shorter and shorter, so it was easier to see where I was going. And right as I arrived, I found two of the five herbs I needed. I quickly plucked two large leaves from the bush close by and placed them on the ground. I plucked a batch of each herb, enough for three baths. Normally, one bath was fine, but it was better to take three to make sure all impurities were stripped from the body.

“That should be good, but I still need raspweed, killstone, and lastly, a gondue root. The issue is the gondue root…” gondue root was the harder of the three herbs left to find. I only had to check around for the other. Raspweed grew under the fallen leaves of the forest, while killstone was a kind of mushroom. In fact, I just ate some earlier. These could be found around the sides of trees in damp places. 

“It is truly fascinating how I know what is what and what they can all be used for….” I bundled up a few other herbs as well since they had a special use for when I finally entered the body fortification stage. These herbs could be made into an elixir for me to drink to help boost my cultivation speed. They were simple to make, and anyone with the proper knowledge could make them.

“Oh! Raspweed!” I hurried over to the small green leaf sticking out from under the leaves of the forest floor. I did not need much of this herb. Just a few stalks would be good for three baths. 

“All that is left is killstone and gondue root…. I can only dig around the rocks near trees and hope to find it.” Gondue root was a strange plant that attached itself to large rocks that were half buried in the ground a kind of parasitic type plant. They fed off the minerals in rocks instead of the actual minerals in the ground.

I spent a good hour searching for the last two herbs. Luckily, I was able to find both and got them bundled up. I also picked up some other herbs to make some salves for healing wounds. My mother always had wounds on her body, and I was afraid she would end up with an infection at some point if she was not careful. After making a container for water using leaves, sap, vines, and bark, I gathered some river water to make the salves. 

“I will have to figure out what to do about the bathes later. For now, I need to get home before my mother does and hide these things.” I wanted to break through to the body fortification realm before I told my mother I had this strange knowledge. I planned to tell her that I snuck out and found an inheritance in the woods when I was roaming around. It sounds really made up, but it was the only option at this time. I could only hope she won’t beat me after. She will be mad that I did not listen to her after all…

After getting home and hiding my herbs, my mother came not too long after. As always, she looked very tired, more so than normal. She had really not been eating much as of late. “I was able to get a small horned rabbit.” But even with how tired she was, she still forced a smile for me. It was heartbreaking. A mother who was doing her best to allow her daughter to survive. This could no longer go on. 

    “Mother….. I will go gather herbs and mushrooms tomorrow. You stay home and rest.” I had to stand my ground this time. If I do not firmly tell her she had to stay home and rest then I would not be a filial child. I am afraid she will end up dying at this rate. Then what? Five years of suffering will go to waste. She worked so hard to raise me she was not allowed to die early.

“No, that will not do. You are only five and are unable to cultivate. I can not allow you to leave the house especially when the villagers will take that chance to attack you.” My mother was being very stubborn. I knew she was doing this because she cared about me but she had to realize that I also cared about her as well.