The Purifying Water Lotus upgraded
The hot meal was swallowed, and the empty stomach was finally filled.
Lu Heng sat motionless against the stone wall of the cave.
I've been working so hard all day, my body is really tired. My legs are sore, my back is stiff, and even my fingertips feel a little weak. It's not a sharp pain, but the kind of heavy, lingering fatigue that comes from a long day.
The bee stings on the back of my neck and the top of my head are still causing a dull ache, burning and itching intermittently. They're not fatal, but they're quite bothersome.
He took out the Tiger Bone Wine he always carried, unscrewed the cap, and the pungent medicinal smell immediately spread out.
The injury on his head was in such an awkward spot that it was difficult to raise his arm properly, so he could only massage it superficially. He focused on massaging the red and swollen areas on his neck and both sides of his cervical spine, applying medicated wine to his skin, first cooling and then warming it, gradually suppressing the annoying burning pain.
While applying the medicine, I casually ran my hand through my hair.
My hair is too long, a messy, clumped pile, making my scalp feel stuffy. And when I touch my chin, my beard is stiff, unruly, and prickly.
Lu Heng frowned.
It's not a question of whether it looks good or not.
There's no room for fuss in the wilderness, but long fur is a real nuisance. It gets very dirty when you sweat, and it's cumbersome to run around in.
The crucial issue is that he currently has no shaving tools.
I must remember this, and when I come across something suitable in the future, I should get it immediately.
Feeling a little better, Lu Heng got up.
He took all the carcasses of the Horned Sheep and Red Cliff Jackal he had hunted that day from his Wristband Space and laid them flat on the open ground of the cave.
No manual dissection is required.
Lu Heng focused his mind and directly activated the Wristband's disassembly function.
The light curtain lit up, covering the entire area of beast corpses.
A few seconds later, the corpses on the ground were completely decomposed, and all usable meat, bones, materials, and Energy Core were neatly categorized and stored in the Storage Space.
The Wristband displayed a notification as the disassembly was completed.
Although Horned Sheep is also a Black Iron Tier ingredient, it contains more and purer energy than ordinary Black Iron Tier meat.
Looking at the notification, Lu Heng felt reassured.
Today was truly unlucky; I was chased by a swarm of poisonous bees for no reason and almost fell into the river.
But the harvest was indeed substantial; they amassed Stone, ingredients, and cores—all in all. All things considered, they didn't lose money; on the contrary, they made a huge profit.
After processing all the supplies, he took out the Black Iron Chest he had opened that day.
I lifted the lid of the box, and the first item looked particularly out of place.
Shower gel, facial cleanser, shampoo—a complete set of modern toiletries. A strong, artificial fragrance is noticeable up close, pungent and overpowering.
Lu Heng glanced at it twice, then threw it into a corner and piled it up.
He knew perfectly well that the wilderness feared this kind of thing the most.
The smell is too strong and travels far. Wild animals and poisonous insects in the mountains are extremely sensitive to strong odors. Using this stuff is just asking for trouble. I'm not tired of living, so I absolutely refuse to use it.
The second item is a book on body conditioning, titled "The Muscle and Bone Relaxation Art".
It specifically teaches people how to stretch their muscles, relax their muscles, and correct their posture when exerting force.
Lu Heng flipped through a couple of pages, confirming that it was a good thing for long-term health improvement, and casually placed it on his homemade bookshelf, leaving it for him to practice slowly in his spare time.
The third item is Black Iron Tier Treasure Chest.
It comes with ten independent Storage Space and can be permanently placed in the Shelter for use as a warehouse.
This is real, hard currency.
Aside from the Storage Slot on his Wristband and necklace, he had no extra storage space, and his supplies were always piled up in a mess. With this fixed treasure chest, he could categorize and store building materials, seeds, and food, and reserve his personal space specifically for combat supplies, making it extremely practical.
The last item is a small packet of quick-ripening chili seeds, which the entry states are ready for harvest in seven days.
After carefully collecting the seeds, Lu Heng turned and walked towards the Planting Room inside the Shelter.
This place is sheltered from the wind and has a constant temperature; the soil was specially improved by him for cultivating crops.
In a small pond in the corner, Purifying Water Lotus float quietly on the surface.
Just as he approached, a new notification suddenly popped up on the Wristband's screen.
[Purifying Water Lotus Advancement Completed: Black Iron Tier]
[Unlock Basic Passive: Suppress Eerie Aura in the Shelter]
Lu Heng paused, looking at the Purifying Water Lotus in the pool.
The lotus leaves are greener than before, with a smooth and moist surface. The whole plant looks much more composed, exuding a strange sense of quiet restraint.
He understood.
The Energy Crystal fed to her previously had residual nutrients that had been slowly accumulating inside the lotus, and today they were completely digested, allowing her to successfully break through to a higher grade.
Although it only has the most basic spirit-suppressing effect, and cannot be used to attack or produce resources, it is especially important in the wilderness at night.
Deep within the mountains and forests lurk unspeakable and eerie things, and supernatural auras are the hardest to guard against. With the Purifying Water Lotus guarding the stone cave, the entire Shelter gains an extra layer of security.
Lu Heng looked at the Purifying Water Lotus with satisfaction.
The Crystal's energy hasn't been completely depleted; it's still slowly accumulating within the lotus's body, and it should continue to grow stronger.
He turned his gaze away, picked up a small shovel, loosened the thin soil in the open space, buried the quick-ripening chili seeds one by one, and covered them with soil and pressed it down.
After doing all this, he turned to look at the two crops he had planted earlier.
It is growing very well, with lush foliage and vines laden with small, unripe fruits that are fully formed and will be ripe in just a few days.
Looking at the crops that were about to ripen, Lu Heng felt a slight itch in his heart.
We've gotten tired of eating roasted game and wild fruits every day.
Once this batch of crops is harvested, we can have a change of pace and replenish the scarce plant nutrients.
He glanced at it a couple more times, suppressed his anticipation, and turned to leave the Planting Room.
Back in the center of the cave, Lu Heng took down the "Muscle and Bone Relaxation Art" from the bookshelf and began practicing it while standing in the open space, referring to the diagrams.
He frowned immediately after performing the first two basic stretching exercises.
The movements were extremely awkward, completely contrary to the usual way of exerting force, and the muscles and bones were forcibly stretched.
Aches, swelling, and dull pain instantly spread throughout my limbs, with every muscle instinctively resisting.
It's so torturous, it's even a bit inhumane.
My body subconsciously wants to be lazy and give up.
But Lu Heng gritted his teeth and stubbornly held his position without moving.
He knew very well that the key to survival in the wilderness was strength.
Although this set of exercises is painful, it can clear blockages in the muscles and bones, make up for physical strain, and make the body more and more solid and perfect.
Suffering a little more now will give you more confidence when fighting and escaping in the future.
Even though his whole body ached unbearably, he still endured the discomfort and repeated the tedious physical exercises over and over again.
In the silent cave, only the sound of his steady breathing could be heard as he silently honed his body in the night, accumulating the resources to survive.