Chapter 659: Optimizing the Prescription

Chapter 659: Chapter 659: Optimizing the Prescription

「Inside Medicine King Valley.」

As the herb farmers worked, the successfully pollinated flowers began to change.

The color of the petals faded from a delicate pale yellow to white.

"So if it turns white, it was successful?"

Li Xu asked.

Shao Shicheng shook his head and pointed to a stalk that had already turned white. "No, when the stalk turns white, it means pollination failed and the flower has withered. A successful flower will slowly contract and develop a seed pod."

"The seed pod will only mature after five months. During this time, they have to face the wind, rain, and being eaten by animals. Only the ones that survive will leave behind seeds."

"Furthermore, the Huoshan Mi Hu usually doesn’t flower until its third year. But at that point, the Dendrobium is still just a ’plant,’ not a ’medicine.’ For medicinal use, Dendrobium must grow for at least five to six years to accumulate enough active ingredients and develop its medicinal properties."

Before becoming the life-saving miracle herb people know, even greater hardships awaited them.

Shao Shicheng pointed to the distant mountain peaks and said, "When winter comes, the Dabie Mountains are covered in a blanket of white snow, and all life seems to come to a standstill. Only the Huoshan Mi Hu, encased in snow, remains verdant and fresh, standing proudly against the elements."

"To withstand the severe cold, the Huoshan Mi Hu has long since stopped growing, entering a dormant period for several months, just like a hibernating polar bear. However, this extreme climate isn’t a torment, but a tempering. It causes the active substances gathered within the Dendrobium, such as polysaccharides and alkaloids, to become more concentrated and potent."

To verify the unique cold resistance of the Huoshan Mi Hu, Shao Shicheng said he once conducted a famous flash-freezing experiment.

He placed freshly picked Huoshan Mi Hu in a freezer at minus 20 degrees Celsius to simulate an extremely cold environment.

Twenty-four hours later, the Dendrobium was completely frozen into a crystal-clear ice sculpture, as hard as a rock.

The thawing process that followed was even more astonishing.

As the temperature rose, the layer of ice melted.

Five hours later, the thawed Huoshan Mi Hu was still fresh and vibrant, its leaves unfurled as if it had just woken up from a nap. It showed none of the soft rot or withering typical of a normal plant after being frostbitten.

"This is the magic of the Huoshan Mi Hu."

Shao Shicheng said proudly, "Compared to other types of Dendrobium, the Mi Hu, having been baptized by this secret, cold realm, has a much greater diversity and richness of active ingredients. Naturally, its medicinal properties are far more prominent."

...

On the way down the mountain, Shao Shicheng explained that thanks to years of scientific research, they had successfully achieved large-scale, artificially simulated wild cultivation of Huoshan Dendrobium.

This has played an excellent role in protecting the wild resources.

Moreover, as the cultivation volume has increased, the price has become more affordable.

Dendrobium is no longer an unattainable imperial tribute but is gradually becoming a healthy delicacy that ordinary people can afford.

"Integrating medicine into food—they share the same origin. Dendrobium has already woven the essence of traditional Chinese medicine culture into the daily lives of the local people." Shao Shicheng said with a smile, "Today, I’d like to invite Elder Gao and Doctor Li to try our local specialty—dried Dendrobium noodles."

The three of them arrived at a small farmhouse courtyard at the foot of the mountain.

Liu Helan, a woman in her late sixties, was busy in the courtyard.

She was also an old acquaintance of Gao Yuan, and the two greeted each other with great warmth.

"Sister Liu, long time no see! You’re still looking as hale and hearty as ever," Gao Yuan said with a laugh.

"I’m doing well enough, thank you."

Liu Helan replied with a smile, her hands moving nimbly as she began to prepare lunch.

The dried Dendrobium noodles were a local intangible cultural heritage. These thin noodles carried more than a hundred years of the Liu Family’s memories and skills.

Compared to ordinary rice noodles, although the raw materials were the same, the process for making these dried noodles was more complex, and they had a chewier texture.

Liu Helan’s Dendrobium noodles were an innovation based on traditional techniques.

She ground authentic Dendrobium into an extremely fine powder, blended it into the rice flour, and mixed it evenly with water.

Because Dendrobium is rich in colloidal polysaccharides, after the kneaded rice dough was steamed at high temperatures, it became fragrant, sticky, smooth, and springy.

For preservation, the rice dough was pressed into thin strips, coiled into circles, and laid out to dry on bamboo platters.

Liu Helan’s daughter also came over to help.

The mother-daughter pair worked in perfect harmony, only finishing the day’s work after the sun had set.

At dinner, bowls of steaming hot stir-fried dried noodles were brought to the table.

The dried noodles were suitable for both boiling and stir-frying.

Stir-fried over high heat with home-grown vegetables, free-range eggs, and minced meat, the aroma was irresistible.

Li Xu picked up a mouthful with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

It was smooth upon entry, with a satisfyingly chewy texture.

The best part was the faint, fresh herbal fragrance in the rice noodles—the unique taste of Dendrobium.

Moreover, after eating it, his stomach felt warm and very comfortable.

"Because Dendrobium is added, these noodles not only have a great texture but are also easy to digest. They’re especially suitable for the elderly and children, as they nourish the stomach and promote the production of fluids."

Shao Shicheng explained.

Li Xu ate two large bowls in a row, praising it endlessly. "Delicious! It has the fragrance of rice and the restorative properties of medicine. This is a true medicinal dish."

Not only that, but as part of the younger generation, Liu Helan’s daughter had inherited and expanded upon this family craft.

She experimented with incorporating Dendrobium into Western-style pastries, developing innovative East-meets-West delicacies like Dendrobium bread and Dendrobium cake.

She brought over a plate of freshly baked Dendrobium rolls, which were a pale green color, soft, and delicious.

Li Xu tried one. The refreshing taste neutralized the sweetness, creating a unique and pleasant flavor.

Before leaving, Li Xu not only bought some dried Dendrobium noodles and pastries but also made a point to buy some dried Dendrobium flowers.

"These flowers are best for making tea."

Liu Helan explained, "The picked Dendrobium flowers are dried at a low temperature, perfectly preserving their fragrance and nutrients. When you pour hot water over them, the dried flowers swirl and unfurl in the water as if blooming once more. Drinking it clears the mind and relieves melancholy."

Li Xu thought, ’I should bring these back for Elder Li and Song Sisi to try. They’ll definitely like them.’

Afterward, through his connection with Shao Shicheng, Li Xu purchased a batch of high-quality, artificially cultivated Huoshan Dendrobium at a favorable price. This would serve as the first reserve supply for Ding’s Medicinal Materials Company.

That night, the two of them rested at a hotel at the foot of Huoshan.

In the early morning, the mountain mist had not yet dispersed.

Li Xu opened his eyes and checked the intelligence.

[Today’s Intelligence: Optimized Tooth Regeneration Formula: Arnebia 15g, Davallia 15g, Ginseng 10g, Dendrobium 20g...]

[Note: The new formula uses Dendrobium’s property of "nourishing yin and promoting fluids" to assist in the generation of kidney essence. This significantly lowers the quality requirements for Arnebia and Davallia. Using ordinary high-quality herbs is sufficient to achieve the tooth-regeneration effect. If top-grade herbs are used, the efficacy will be even better.]

"It was actually optimized."

A wave of pleasant surprise washed over Li Xu.

’The system is just too considerate!’

’The original formula’s requirements for Arnebia and Davallia were incredibly strict, demanding the absolute highest grade.’

’I was never confident about it. After all, twenty years have passed. Who knows if that place on Yandang Mountain even exists anymore?’

’Now things are much better. With Dendrobium, it’s like adding a powerful "catalyst" to the formula, drastically lowering the barrier to entry.’