ACIDEM 09

Chapter – 09

Making a Living

Rosy dawn dyed the clouds red; sunrise hid behind the mountains.

Early the next morning, Fu Shaoguang woke up, stretched all six legs, spread his wings, and felt a deep, genuine contentment from the inside out.

This had been the most relaxed and comfortable sleep since his rebirth—no need to be on guard, no fear or worry.

Carefree, refreshed, and clear-minded.

Rubbing his growling, hungry stomach, Fu Shaoguang left his little courtyard and drank morning dew near the old pine tree. He didn’t stop until he felt full.

After drawing in the purple energy of dawn and spiritual essence to complete his daily cultivation, Fu Shaoguang didn’t rush to go out.

Beasts are yin in nature and prefer to be active at night.

The Beast Market would only come alive in the evening. If he wanted to find suitable work, he’d have to wait until dusk at least. During the daytime, beasts were either sleeping or busy farming and gathering.

Under the bright sunlight, Fu Shaoguang looked around his yard more carefully, then thought for a moment and flew out of his home.

The Beast Market had fields and hills.

He was penniless and wanted to try his luck on the mountain. If he could find medicinal herbs, that would be best; wild fruits and vegetables wouldn’t be bad either.

In the bright light, the Beast Market was clearer.

On Anping Lane, most of the large houses were made of earth walls and thatch; buildings of green brick and black tile were few and far between. Some beasts built in styles characteristic of their races—the groundhog’s home was like a big cave dwelling, the magpie’s like a bird’s nest. These were beasts who held land deeds and could build as they pleased.

Early in the morning, beasts were already out earning a living. In any world, among any race, the poor and suffering always labored hard.

Toward Fu Shaoguang, their new neighbor, some beasts smiled in a friendly way, others pretended not to see him. Fu Shaoguang did the same—smiling at the friendly ones, keeping his distance from the indifferent.

Leaving the east end of Anping Lane, a stretch of fertile fields came into view. Golden waves of wheat and rice rippled, sending up the crisp fragrance of harvest that lifted any beast’s spirits. Some were already reaping in the fields. Fu Shaoguang also passed medicinal herb plots and orchards, seeing even more scenes.

Mantis beasts wielded sickles, working with both arms to earn commissions; earthworm beasts were responsible for turning over the harvested farmland and adding fertility; horse beasts helped haul grain and fruit.

Beyond the fields rose a hundred-zhang hill, thick with vegetation. It was autumn, and the forest was layered in dazzling colors.

Beasts were already carrying baskets, picking wild fruits like hazelnuts and persimmons, as well as mushrooms. Others were chopping firewood to sell at the market.

With his small size, Fu Shaoguang wanted to find things of high value that were easy to carry. He searched carefully but found nothing.

The beasts weren’t stupid—they knew to grab good things too. Common, easily recognized precious herbs like ginseng, lingzhi, and fleeceflower root were also sought after, especially by vegetarian beasts who had considerable knowledge of them.

If there were any on the hill, they’d have long been picked clean.

Fu Shaoguang wasn’t too disappointed.

Still, he refused to give up and kept looking.

But again, he found nothing.

On his way down the mountain, he caught a glimpse of a plant from the corner of his eye and froze. Drawing closer for a closer look, he saw small reddish-brown branches, oval leaves with sharply pointed tips and fine serrations along the edges.

【Thunder God Vine!】

After careful observation, Fu Shaoguang was overjoyed.

In his previous life, when he’d gotten a terminal illness that Western medicine couldn’t save, he’d pinned his hopes on traditional Chinese medicine. While receiving treatment, he’d also taught himself herbal medicine knowledge and come to recognize many medicinal plants—Thunder God Vine was one of them.

Also known as “Broken-Intestine Grass,” “Arsenic of the Mountains,” and “Purple-Gold Bark,” it was bitter and highly toxic.

In small amounts, it benefited animals like pigs and parrots, but animals often didn’t know moderation. It was highly poisonous to cattle, mice, rabbits, and others, and most insects disliked it, causing many animals to fear it.

Some fears were buried deep in the blood, impossible to erase even after becoming a beast—unless one was well-versed in pharmacology, most beasts would steer clear of this herb.

That worked to Fu Shaoguang’s advantage.

Poison was also medicine!

Though he too felt disgust and fear in his heart, that was nothing compared to the terror of poverty.

Although the whole Thunder God Vine plant was toxic, it was mainly the root that was used medicinally. Overcoming his mental block, he flew down to the ground, moved all six legs, and started digging.

Fu Shaoguang was an expert at this. He knew the ropes well and had superb technique. Even though mountain soil wasn’t as easy to dig as riverbed silt, he had considerable strength, and Thunder God Vine preferred damp, shady spots where the soil was easier to turn.

When he saw the root system, he pressed on.

Then he took out the small knife he’d taken from the kitchen in his bamboo token and cut sections of the roots, one joint at a time, moving with extreme care to avoid being splashed by the sap.

After a good while of work, he’d filled his bamboo token. Leaving part of the root system to keep the branches and leaves growing, Fu Shaoguang covered the soil back up, flew to a mountain stream, washed the knife and himself, then returned home with the blade.

Back in his little yard, he drank a few sips of dew he’d collected that morning, collapsed onto his bed, and rested with his eyes closed.

The way of nurturing life: always seek mild exertion, but never to the point of great exhaustion.

If he wanted to live long, he had to take care of his health and not overwork. Moderate exercise was enough.

But right now, he was poor, so he could only rush about and work hard, trying his best to nurture his body and mind. Once his circumstances improved, he’d make up for it properly.

—

The sun set in the west.

Anping Lane grew noisy.

All kinds of calls and chatter mingled together.

The entire Beast Market came alive.

Fu Shaoguang, who’d slept half the day, got up, basked in the moonlight, stretched his limbs, and flew out the door.

He hadn’t taken a good look at the Beast Market scenery last night, so tonight he planned to look for work while taking in the local customs and atmosphere.

Leaving Anping Lane and turning onto Golden Jade Street, he saw beasts coming and going, shoulder to shoulder—a lively scene full of the smoke and bustle of everyday life.

Ox beasts carried poles with vegetables for sale; donkey beasts sold tofu; carp beasts sold aquatic goods; pig beasts set up dinner stalls selling noodles; rabbit beast cubs chased and played; the spider family’s cloth shop was open, competing with the silkworm family’s silk store across the street; the bee family’s sweet syrup shop was doing booming business; the nine-striped civet’s powder shop was full of female beasts…

There was even a flower house, where the females had all been carefully selected—each with her own flair. Beasts had glossy, sleek fur and plump figures; fowl beasts had clean, bright feathers; insect beasts had varied, colorful patterns—all very much to beastly aesthetics. The air was thick with feminine pheromones that intoxicated beasts, and many males were drawn over.

Passing by, Fu Shaoguang held on with all his might and sped up. The lesson and instinct of the male mayfly, who exhausts all his energy in frantic reproduction and dies, were vivid in his mind. He had to remember at all times not to repeat that tragedy—not even a crack could be allowed.

Female beasts would only interfere with his health-preserving, life-extending efforts. Staying clear-headed, with few desires and little romantic entanglement, was the way to live a hundred years.

After walking past the flower house, Fu Shaoguang let out a breath of relief and continued his stroll before heading to the medicine shops.

To highlight the Beast Market’s medical support, the old weasel beast had specifically pointed out last night that there were two medicine shops—one good at using medicine, with a ginseng on its sign; the other good at using poison, with a scorpion on its sign.

Having encountered natural enemies one after another in the Beast Market, and having killed many of them multiple times in the past—even turning the tables and preying on them—

By now, Fu Shaoguang’s fear of natural enemies had greatly diminished. He flew boldly into the Scorpion Poison Shop.

The scorpion beast was a bit startled to see a mayfly beast; when he saw Fu Shaoguang produce Thunder God Vine, he was even more taken aback.

In the ten years since opening his shop, his customers had mostly been poisonous creatures—non-poisonous beasts were rare, and a mayfly beast was a first. But a customer was a customer, so the scorpion beast received him as usual.

Half a cup of tea later, Fu Shaoguang left with twenty freshly earned coins, happily continuing his stroll.

Though he hadn’t found suitable work, he was still delighted. Bug Master… had money now.