Ma Linya was astonished. As Kanni listed the ingredients for the feeding lure, what surprised her was how familiar he was with the names and properties of medicinal herbs. Some of them were things even she had only vaguely heard of.
Zeng Mu's reaction was simpler. He did not understand the origins of a single herb; all he caught was that they needed eleven kinds.
Kanni left alone, saying he would look for the most important ingredient. It could not be bought at the Herbal Medicine Shop, so he could only try his luck. Without it, their chances of success would be cut in half.
Cloud Ink Town really did have everything. Even its unassuming Herbal Medicine Shop had an extensive stock, and the two of them bought all the herbs and supplementary ingredients they needed within half an hour.
Back at the tavern, they borrowed Ke Manmaige's stove to brew the herbal mixture. The dozen or so herbs produced a rich, powerful smell that temporarily overwhelmed even the strongest liquor. Soon, the medicinal scent wafted from the stove and filled the entire tavern, prompting every customer present to ask about it. Ke Manmaige's otherwise quiet evening suddenly became busy as he went around answering their questions one by one.
An hour passed, but Kanni still had not returned. Ma Linya was growing anxious, and Zeng Mu regretted not asking exactly where he was going. Otherwise, they could have gone to check on him.
With his skills, he probably would not encounter any danger, but he was still badly injured and had not brought the sword he was best at using. Given his skill with a dagger, Zeng Mu had good reason to worry.
Fortunately, their worries proved unnecessary. Another hour later, Kanni returned, soaked from head to toe.
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