Chapter 172

However, the bamboo forest also brought Qing Mengzhu a great deal of reward. In addition to bamboo worms, bamboo shoots, and bamboo fungus, wild medicinal herbs could also be found occasionally.

That day, Qing Mengzhu was patrolling the mountain with his two dogs.

The Dharma Protector and Guard were used to going up the mountain with Qing Mengzhu. Once they arrived, they kept running around him, panting heavily with their tongues hanging out, looking very excited.

The bamboo forest is home to various insects, wild birds, and other small animals. The two dogs get excited when they see these animals and may even try to hunt them—though most of the time they don't catch anything.

Qing Mengzhu had gotten used to the noise from the two dogs and didn't pay them any attention.

Just as Qing Mengzhu was carefully inspecting the area, the two dogs that had run ahead suddenly started barking.

Qing Mengzhu had been raising dogs for a while now, and she knew from their barking that they had discovered something interesting ahead, so she called out in response, "Don't rush me, I'm coming right away."

Dharma Protector and Guard: "Woof woof woof!"

Hearing the voice still urging him on, Qing Mengzhu clicked her tongue and started walking in that direction.

Qing Mengzhu guessed that there might be newly grown mushrooms ahead. The bamboo forest was quite humid, and there would be a lot of mushrooms after the weather warmed up.

Of course, this was also thanks to his frequent digging for the spores of various wild mushrooms in the bamboo forest.

If too many spores are released, some will eventually grow.

Qing Mengzhu carried the basket on his back and was about to reach the place where the dogs were when he suddenly saw a newly grown bamboo.

This is a bamboo that grew from a bamboo shoot. It probably grew in the last couple of days. The top is still in the shape of a bamboo shoot tip, but the bottom has already transformed into a bamboo. The whole bamboo has grown very tall, probably more than two meters.

Such tall new bamboo shoots are not uncommon in bamboo forests; he found dozens of them during his patrol just now.

If nothing unexpected happens, it will turn into a tender bamboo shoot in a month, just like the surrounding bamboo.

Something's not right.

Qing Mengzhu's intuition immediately warned him.

The color and shape of this bamboo stalk are a bit off; it seems different from the surrounding bamboo and bamboo shoots.

It's like a goose mixed in with a duck.

Qing Mengzhu was thinking this, she went over to take a closer look.

"Something's not right?" Qing Mengzhu muttered to herself as she walked around the bamboo, tapping it. "Could it have mutated? It seems to be taller than regular bamboo."

Qing Mengzhu turned to look at the Cloud Mirror Bamboo around her and quickly noticed that this newly grown bamboo was indeed taller and seemed to be harder. The sound it made when tapped was a bit "clanging," like the sound of metal.

As a Junior Grower who had also purchased an intermediate-level bamboo cultivation skill book, Qing Mengzhu never doubted her intuition.

After realizing this, he immediately stopped and carefully examined the bamboo in front of him.

It's not an illusion; this bamboo has mutated, but we don't know the extent or direction of the mutation.

Thinking this, Qing Mengzhu simply took out her phone and started scanning the bamboo.

The scan results from the Mall Assistant showed that it was indeed a new type of bamboo, not the Cloud Mirror Bamboo.

Its quality is slightly inferior to the surrounding bamboo. Although it has reached the "Superior Grade" quality, it is still 99% away from being "Superior Grade".

No, what matters now is not its quality, but its variation.

Qing Mengzhu checked its active ingredients using the Mall Assistant, but unfortunately, its main active ingredients were the same as the surrounding bamboo, and it was impossible to discern the direction of its mutation.

It seems that even mutated bamboo is still bamboo, and cannot be distinguished from the surrounding bamboo in terms of composition.

Even so, this was enough to surprise and delight Qing Mengzhu.

He immediately took out his phone, found the map that Ming Chunxi had specially made for him, and marked a mutated bamboo tree on the map.

After planting bamboo for so long, this is the first mutated bamboo he has successfully cultivated.

Qing Mengzhu took a picture of the bamboo with great excitement and sent it to Ming Chunxi immediately.

He didn't elaborate, but Ming Chunxi immediately understood. "Is there anything different about this bamboo?"

Qing Mengzhu: [It's not Cloud Mirror Bamboo, but a new type of bamboo! I just discovered it.]

Ming Chunxi: [Mutation?]

Qing Mengzhu: [Yes! I'm planning to talk to Boss Duan about it. What do you think? Or should we wait a few days until it grows into new bamboo shoots, then I can cut off a section of bamboo and cultivate new seedlings before we discuss it?]

Ming Chunxi quickly replied: [I vote for cultivating new bamboo seedlings. If we hand over this bamboo directly, they might not be able to grow it as well as you. It's safer to keep seedlings from both sides.]

Qing Mengzhu thought about it and agreed: [Then I won't say anything now, I'll talk to you when it grows up. Hey, the Dharma Protector and the Guard are biting my trouser leg, I can't talk to you anymore, we'll chat when you get back. Come back early this afternoon!]

After finishing their conversation, Qing Mengzhu put away her phone and looked down at the two dogs.

The two dogs waited for him ahead, but he didn't come. So they ran back and tugged at his trouser leg, trying to pull him forward.

Meeting his gaze, the two dogs barked loudly!

Qing Mengzhu quickly pulled her trouser leg back up. "Stop barking! What's up ahead?"

The dog couldn't speak, so it could only circle him twice and continue barking.

The two dogs had a determined attitude, Qing Mengzhu followed them to see what was ahead.

Unexpectedly, when I got to the front, I found a small clump of wild lilies. I don't know what animal brought them there.

It's a pity, it's not lily harvesting season now, so we can't dig them up.

Qing Mengzhu patted the two dogs. "Just let them stay here, don't worry about them."

The Dharma Protector licked its nose. "Woof."

The Guard stopped tugging at Qing Mengzhu's trouser legs.

This should be considered an agreement.

Qing Mengzhu had no interest in the wild lilies; he went back to check on the mutated bamboo.

Unfortunately, he couldn't discern any further information about the bamboo with his naked eye, so he could only mark it and leave it at that for the time being.

There's a mutated bamboo here; who knows, there might be a second one.

Qing Mengzhu searched through the bamboo forest, but unfortunately, he searched two mountains and only found this one.

However, during his walk, he discovered quite a few wild herbs.

This mutated bamboo was truly rare. The next day, Qing Mengzhu brought fertilizer and well water, intending to water and fertilize the bamboo.

Once the bamboo grows a little bigger, he can cut off branches to cultivate new bamboo seedlings for research.

Unexpectedly, before Qing Mengzhu could even cultivate new bamboo seedlings, Duan Yu'ang called him, "Mengzhu, we've cultivated some new bamboo seedlings. When are you free? I'll deliver them to you."

Qing Mengzhu: "Ah? New bamboo seedlings?"

Duan Yu'ang said with great enthusiasm, "Yes, it was cultivated using the bamboo we brought back from you. We specifically sent the bamboo into space and used space-induced growth technology to cultivate several bamboo seedlings."

Qing Mengzhu: "Are you sure?"

Duan Yu'ang: "We've already done the genetic testing, and it's very certain. Several leaders here said your bamboo cultivation skills are excellent, and they'd like to send a few saplings to you so you can help cultivate them. What do you think?"

Qing Mengzhu opened her mouth. "I should be able to cultivate new bamboo seedlings on my side soon too."

This time it was Duan Yu'ang's turn. "Huh?"

Chapter 172

Qing Mengzhu was absolutely certain that he had indeed successfully cultivated mutated bamboo.

Duan Yu'ang quickly arrived with his staff.

The group arrived at Qing Mengzhu's house. Qing Mengzhu didn't waste any words and led everyone up the mountain to stand in front of the mutated bamboo.

Qing Mengzhu touched the outer skin of the bamboo, then turned to the crowd and said, "This is the bamboo. When it first grew, I noticed that its color and shape were different from other bamboos. It grew taller, and its nodes were a bit reddish."