Chapter 129: Blood Rose Grass (Part 4)
"Is that a mouth or a butt? There is a smell of dump every time you open it." Mingyue covered her tiny nose and mouth as if she couldn't handle the smell from the fat man in front of her.
But her appearance was akin to a clueless little girl that asked for an innocent question.
Fatty Zhang was infuriated as his face reddened. It was the first time he heard such humiliation.
"YOU BRAT-"
"Wood, spear, twirl, condense, harden, blunt, strike!" Herbalist Bai muttered something, and in the end, he added, "Kick him out, Nature's Element, Elephant's Strike!"
The wooden floor contorted as three small twigs appeared and grew at the very fast rate. The three twigs swirled and turned into one big knuckle-shaped wood. And its aim was Fatty Zhang, and it was a clean hit.
PAK!
BOOOM. . .
Fatty Zhang was thrown back, out of the apothecary. The wall was broken and the fatty was thrown out of the apothecary. His body couldn't be seen as the cloud of dust explode and filled the surroundings. But, no one cared about Fatty Zhang.
"Humph. Don't play around, you brat." Herbalist Bai narrowed his eyes toward the curvy lady, and the latter chuckled and ran away in a hurried manner not long after that.
"Wooah! It's cool! What is that?" Mingyue applauded while she was attracted to the wooden knuckle. After the wooden knuckle knocked Fatty Zhang down, it returned to the floor and disappeared. It was as if what had happened was only an illusion.
Seeing the undisguised admiration from Mingyue, Herbalist Bai's mood grew a little better.
"Humph. Brat, don't play around. Go home, this place is closed for today." Herbalist Bai waved his hand and some leaves grew from the floor. And in a flash, the destroyed wall was covered by those leaves and in short time, the wall returned to its original form.
Mingyue's big eyes were sparkling as she patted the new wall.
It was no different from before, as if the time was rewinded. It was magical.
"Uncle! Show me again! Show me again!" Mingyue acted cute as she shot her sparkling eyes toward Herbalist Bai.
Even though he was flattered, Herbalist Bai was a rational-thinking man. He felt that there was something about the little girl in front of him. But it was obvious that he wouldn't show what he was thinking.
"No means no. Don't say anything else."
"Fine. Gimme a few stalks of Blood Rose Grass." Mingyue puffed her non-existent chest and put her hands on her waist.
". . . " Herbalist Bai was speechless.
The little girl in front of him was no different from a little girl asking for a candy, but what she asked was something much more than a mere candy.
Blood Rose Grass, was the main ingredients to concoct the basic Blood Clotting Medicine. It was not an expensive medicine as it was only able to close some small wound. This kind of herb didn't have any use other than it.
Even though the herb had a very limited use, the Blood Rose Grass was considered important for many mercenaries, especially for 1-star mercenary.
Thus, it was not weird for the Apothecary to always have the Blood Rose Grass in stock. And Red Rage Bear Mercenary was one of the patrons. The biggest one and the ex one, of course.
"Uncle wants to kick me out, right? Then pay. It is the reparation." Mingyue wrinkled her nose as she tried to threaten Herbalist Bai, "If you don't have it, just say it. Put down the Apothecary sign in front of the store because it is a disgrace, a shame."
Even though he had met some idiot like Fatty Zhang earlier, Herbalist Bai was never being looked down. And now, a little girl looked down on him, on his store's integrity.
As his face darkened, Herbalist Bai snorted, "Of course, I have. But why do I have to give it to you? Can you even afford it?"
Herbalist Bai looked up and down of Mingyue, and he was a little surprised. Even though her appearance was unlike those of big family or nobility, her feature was not losing to any of them. Even though Herbalist Bai didn't care about the appearance, he couldn't handle any contempt aimed at him.
"Humph, just say that you are poor. Cannot afford to throw some stalk of Blood Rose Grass, but still talk big. If you are a dog, you are all bark without bite."
"Heck! I asked, why do I have to give it to you?"
"No! I didn't tell you to give it to me!"
"Then?"
"Reparation, of course." Mingyue puffed her chest in pride.
". . ."
"If you want to gift it to me, I will be reluctant to accept it. It will be something that you gift, not something that you give. Understand? Gift and give. You should learn more about language, uncle. Even though you are old enough, there is still a way as long as you never give up."
Mingyue had a pitying expression as she gazed at Herbalist Bai, and it annoyed him.
Herbalist Bai's eyebrows twitched as he couldn't comprehend the logic of the little girl. But considering that he just cancelled the deal with the Red Rage Bear Mercenary, Herbalist Bai decided to give up a stalk or two rather than torturing his pride.
"Ah Shu, come here!"
But the shopkeeper Ah Shu didn't show up, but rather answered from behind the door, "Master Bai, I am not done with your earlier assignment-"
"Cut the bull, just bring two stalks of Blood Rose Grass!"
"Eh?"
"Don't talk any crap. Just bring the items."
"Er. . ." Mingyue hid her left thumb and showed the other fingers. "Can I have this number?"
"Fifty-four? Are you trying to rob me? Ten! No more!" Herbalist Bai turned his head and shouted at the door, "Ah Shu! Make it ten stalks! Choose the worst quality!"
". . . I want to say nine. But seeing your kind heart, I will reluctantly accept ten stalks. It is bad to refuse something that was given to you, right?" Mingyue stared at her nine fingers. She had some unwilling expression, and that annoyed Herbalist Bai.
"Ah Shu! Make it nine stalks!"
"Fine, fine. You are such a slave-driver." The door was opened as the shopkeeper Ah Shu had a handful full of red-coloured grass, a darkish red coloured. Similar to a clotted blood's colour. The grass shone under the faint light of the candle. "Here is the thing, and I have chosen the worst quality. Is this your way to have revenge on Red Rage Bear Mercenary?"
Herbalist Bai scoffed and snatched the Blood Rose Grasses in the shopkeeper Ah Shu's hand. "You dumb donkey! Are you looking down on my integrity? Am I the type that reneges on my own word?"
". . . Yes."
"SCRAM FOR THIS DADDY!"
But shopkeeper Ah Shu had already disappeared.
"Humph. Brat! Here is your thing. Now scram out of this place." Herbalist Bai put the nine stalks of Blood Rose Grass on the counter without any care. He went inside the inner area of the Apothecary, leaving Mingyue alone.
"Humph. Smelly uncle. See my revenge next time." Mingyue stuck out her small tongue at the direction of herbalist Bai.
The door was closed as Mingyue left the Apothecary. Her purpose was fulfilled. It was not a waste of time as she watched a new drama.
The silent atmosphere returned to the Apothecary and the place returned to its original peace. The place was filled with various traces of herb and medicinal plant.
But, there was one thing different from before.
In the spot where Mingyue stood earlier, a young leaf protruded from the wooden floor.
No one knew, no one realized.
…
Fu Tao only stood as he watched Mingyue came out from the Apothecary. But he saw two handfuls of red-coloured grass on both of Mingyue's hand.
After putting all the Blood Rose Grasses into a clean fabric, Mingyue tied it of Xiao Wu's neck.
". . . Can we do our examination now? We don't have enough time to play around." Fu Tao massaged his temple. "The sun is already high above us."
Fu Tao didn't believe that they were allowed to get the Blood Rose Grass from the Apothecary or any other merchant. Moreover, Mingyue didn't hold any coins from the start. So purchasing the Blood Rose Grass sure was impossible.
Unless the shopkeeper was crazy enough.
Not only that, but they also were late at the start because of Mingyue. Half of the duration was used up already, and they still hadn't done anything. But he didn't dare to blame Mingyue as he still treasured his own life.
And moreover, Fu Tao didn't know the appearance of the Blood Rose Grass except for the description of red-coloured grass. And the backup plan was to extort the other exam's participant, the safer and easier option.
"Yes, time to return!" Mingyue didn't want to explain anything as Xiao Wu galloped at the direction of the Mercenary Guild.
"He- hey!"
But Mingyue was already far and Liao Yun was chasing after Mingyue. And it was obvious that Fu Tao was left alone again.
". . ."
He wanted to cry, but no tears flowed.
…
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