Ying Lin wandered through the forest, humming to herself. Swordlights zoomed by overhead, followed by the sound of combat. She watched for a moment, then turned back to the forest and continued on, still humming. Wild herbs, wild herbs. If I find the shiny ones, the Young Miss Fu Liyu will be happy, and then she’ll have no choice but to take me to the banquet!

A faint tingle brushed her skin. Ying Lin turned, following the sensation. She wound through the forest, carefully placing her feet as she went. The trees grew older and more majestic around her, thick trunks cloaked in moss, broad canopies soaking up the sunlight far overhead. Here and there, a few small plants thrived in the patches of sunlight that filtered through, a patch of brambles here, a few tiny flowers with thread-like stalks there. In the dark under the shadow of a tree’s trunk, colorless stalks produced pale-blue, drooping flowers. Ying Lin paused, crouching down to examine them, but no warmth emanated from the strange flowers, so she stood and moved on.

Further and further into the forest. The air grew rich and clean. Ying Lin took a deep breath and closed her eyes, relishing the sensation. A swirl of energy bolstered her flagging stamina, and she hurried onward, rushing along with the momentary burst of strength. The warm, tingling sensation grew stronger. She sped up, leaping over a tree root as tall as her knee, and burst into a small glen between the tall trees.

Trees surrounded the space on all four sides. Their branches curved around the glen, allowing sunlight to pour down, uninhibited by the trees. A thick warmth swirled in the glen, and a beautiful butterfly unlike anything Ying Lin had ever seen before fluttered around inside, seven colors scintillating off its wings. Something small and furry rustled through the undergrowth, so quick she barely caught a glimpse of its white fur before it vanished.

“Wild herbs, wild herbs,” she hummed to herself, looking around. Long grasses gleamed a brilliant green under the sunlight. A bundle of blue and white flowers bobbed with the gentle breeze. Thick energy swirled around her, full of life.

A bulbous plant with jagged leaves caught her eye. Ying Lin hurried over and crouched beside it, licking her lips. She reached at it from the right, then pulled back her hand. From the left, the same. Last time, the Young Miss yelled at me for harvesting it wrong. Apparently, I ruined the efficacy of the herb… hmm, but if I can’t harvest it right, then… what about if I just don’t harvest it?

Grinning, Ying Lin scooped her hand under the herb and dug out the earth around it. When she had fully dug around the root, she lifted it and the earth as one, lifting the entire plant out of the ground along with a lump of dirt twice the size of a baby’s head. The plant still grew peacefully atop the earth, unaware of its sudden change of circumstances.

Ying Lin surveyed her prize for a moment, then nodded to herself and carefully placed the plant and earth both into her bag. She glanced around, searching for a second herb. A strange feathery-leafed flower with a small, fiery red bud caught her eye, and she hurried over and examined it. It feels warm, like the other one, and the flower’s glowing a little bit. This is probably a good herb as well! I'll dig it up and bring it back to the Young Miss. Humming to herself, she pawed at the ground.

Ying Lin reached out around the back of the plant, and her fingers landed on something cold and smooth. She shrieked and yanked her hand back.

A beautiful snake wiggled out from behind the flower. Silvery-white scales shimmered on its back, and a green, purple, and black. It regarded her warily. A purplish tongue flickered from its snout and wiggled on the air.

Ying Lin backed away slowly, eyes wide. She licked her lips and held her hands up. “Is that your flower? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you.”

The snake tipped its head. It blinked slowly at her, dark eyes mesmerizing.

“I’m going now. Okay?” Slowly, she rose to her feet.

Her foot slipped in the hole she’d dug earlier for the previous herb, and she jolted forward, toward the snake. The snake jumped. Ying Lin squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for a bite.

Nothing happened. She fell to her knees, unharmed except for scraped knees.

Ying Lin peeked her eye open. The snake laid on the ground before her, upside down, completely dead. Clouded eyes stared at the sky, and its purplish tongue lolled lifelessly.

She gasped. “No!” Such a pretty snake… did I scare it to death? I didn’t mean to.

The snake continued to flop there on the ground.

Wait, a beautiful creature like this… is it a spirit beast? Fu Liyu would be so impressed if I brought a spirit beast home! Especially one as pretty as this one.

Besides… besides, it’s hurt! I don’t think I actually scared it to death, so it must have gotten hurt somewhere before I met it. Otherwise, why would it be flopping so pitifully in front of me?

I should take it to the doctor to see if he can fix it. Get the doctor to heal it, then take it to Fu Liyu once it’s safe and healed. There’s no way she won’t take me to the banquet, then!

She reached out and poked the snake warily, yanking her finger back as soon as she touched its scales. It didn’t twitch. Hesitantly, she touched it again, letting her finger rest on it a little longer this time. Still nothing from the snake. Taking a deep breath, she slid her hands under the snake. It continued to be dead. In fact, its body even cooperated with her, and when she accidentally flipped it over a little, it made sure to turn back belly-up.

It's really sick! I have to take it to the doctor quickly! Ying Lin held tightly to the snake and ran, almost forgetting about the herb in her bag in her haste. She sprinted back through the forest, retracing her steps back home. The doctor, the doctor, the fairy doctor from the lotus! He’ll fix it, for sure!

Wait, what if he takes it for my wish? Ying Lin paused for a second, then shook her head. He’s a doctor! He can’t count all sick people as asking him for wishes. It shouldn’t count. Besides, a pretty spirit beast like this… who wouldn’t want to help it? It’s so cute! I’ve never seen a snake this cute before!