The next morning, after a restless night, Han Li woke up early and made his way to the herb garden. He was eager to check if the plants he had experimented on the previous day had undergone any changes.
As he approached the herb garden, a strange, pungent aroma filled the air. The scent was a mix of various medicinal herbs, stronger than anything he had ever encountered before. Han Li paused for a moment, a flash of realization striking him. Could it be...?
With quickened steps, he approached the plants. He could hardly believe his eyes. The plants—those very same herbs—were now completely transformed. The once ordinary leaves, flowers, and fruits now looked completely different. The Yellow Dragon Grass had developed a purple hue, the Bitter Lotus had bloomed into nine petals, and the Forget-Me-Not fruit had turned black.
"Ha-ha-ha! This is amazing!" Han Li couldn't contain his excitement. He had never seen anything like this before. The plants, which should have taken years to mature, had accelerated in their growth within a single night. They had matured to the point of being rare and highly valuable medicinal herbs.
"These herbs… they've matured in a single night! Their medicinal properties have skyrocketed! The Yellow Dragon Grass, the Bitter Lotus, and the Forget-Me-Not… They are all at least ten years old now!" Han Li marveled, running his fingers through the plants and confirming that their appearance matched exactly what he had read in his medicinal texts.
With a wild grin, he began to entertain some bold thoughts. "If I can replicate this process and create a supply of rare herbs at will, I could make a fortune. I could sell these herbs to others, and earn more money than I ever dreamed of."
His imagination spiraled out of control as he began to consider all the possibilities. He even rolled on the ground in his excitement, like a teenager overwhelmed with joy at a big discovery. After several minutes, he pulled himself together, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his display of emotion. His rational mind soon regained control, and he began considering the practical challenges of turning this discovery into something useful.
First, he had to verify the safety and stability of these herbs. While their appearance had drastically changed, their medicinal properties still needed to be tested. After all, they had absorbed the strange green liquid that had caused the rabbits to explode. Who knew if the herbs had absorbed any dangerous properties from that liquid?
Second, the mysterious green liquid in the small bottle was now used up. Han Li had no idea whether it could produce more liquid or if he had simply exhausted its supply. He needed to check and make sure it wasn't a one-time thing.
Finally, even if the herbs turned out to be safe, he needed to fully understand the process of accelerating their growth. If he couldn't control it perfectly, this "discovery" could turn into a disaster.
After considering these problems, Han Li began to plan his next steps. He was eager to test the herbs but wanted to proceed with caution.
First, he returned to the kitchen outside the valley and bought two more live rabbits. The kitchen staff was puzzled by his repeated requests for live animals, wondering if Han Li had taken up butchering for fun. Han Li ignored their curious stares, focused on his experiment, and tied the rabbits outside his door for easy observation.
Then, he carefully harvested the accelerated herbs, turning them into a powerful muscle-strengthening medicine. He mixed the medicine into the rabbits' favorite food and fed it to them over the next few days. This would test whether the herbs were poisonous or if they would have any other dangerous effects.
Finally, after waiting for the sun to set, Han Li retrieved the small bottle and placed it outside, eager to see if any more liquid would appear. He waited with bated breath, watching the bottle intently as the minutes ticked by.
An hour passed. Then two. No changes.
Han Li felt his heart sink as the bottle remained still. Was the liquid truly gone? Was it a one-time occurrence? Was there something he had done wrong?
Frustrated, he looked around at the quiet night. "No signs of anything unusual. Everything seems normal… except that the sky is a bit dark tonight."
It was then that Han Li remembered something. He had previously noticed the green liquid only appeared on clear nights, when the stars and moon were visible. Tonight, however, the sky was overcast, and no stars or moon could be seen.
"That's it! The weather… it's too dark tonight!" Han Li slapped his forehead in realization. The strange liquid had only appeared under clear skies before. Perhaps the cloudy weather was preventing it from appearing again.
His spirits lifted slightly as he planned to try again when the skies cleared. However, over the following days, the weather refused to cooperate. It rained incessantly, and the sky remained overcast, frustrating Han Li beyond measure. The constant downpour seemed to mock his efforts, and the more he waited, the more impatient he became.
Meanwhile, the two rabbits he had been observing were in perfect health. Not only had they shown no signs of poisoning, but they had become more energetic and robust than ever. Their health had improved, and they were thriving from the bone-strengthening medicine he had mixed into their food.
Despite the good results with the rabbits, Han Li's frustration only grew. The real question remained whether the green liquid would appear again—and until the weather cleared, there was nothing he could do to answer that question.
The stormy weather continued, and with each passing day, Han Li's anxiety deepened. Would the mystery of the liquid ever be resolved?