Chapter 89: Bracelet

A week later.

Ethan’s field was lush and green, with the help of Growth Acceleration, the Purification Beans had grown far faster than ordinary beans, they stood tall in their rows now, thick with leaves.

"What are you doing, meow?"

"Putting up a trellis so the Purification Beans won’t fall over and can grow better." Ethan replied to Pearl’s question as he inserted bamboo poles into the field and used string to secure the Purification Bean vines to them.

Building a trellis was a time-consuming and laborious task, however, doing so would increase the yield of the Purification Beans.

Pearl curiously watched Ethan’s busy figure, then it cried out loudly. "Ah! Zharok is back, meow!"

"Really? That’s great — I just finished up here too... Phew." Ethan straightened his back, stretched his limbs, and walked toward the cabin.

Just as Pearl said, Zharok had returned, he was carrying the Purifying Wooden Bucket.

Ethan smiled and patted his shoulder. "Thanks for the hard work."

"Ugh, I’m exhausted, let me sleep first, you handle dinner."

"Alright."

Zharok collapsed onto the bed and was out cold in seconds.

Ethan filled the Purifying Wooden Bucket with water, then carried it to the field and watered the Purification Beans.

"Are you trying to use purifying water to enhance the beans’ power?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"’You could say that’? Is there another purpose?"

"Hahaha, you’ll find out when the time comes."

"You’re making me more and more curious."

"Hey! Walter! Let’s go hunting! Awooo!"

"Ah, look at the time. I’ll be going then."

Although Ethan’s group had received Ash’s permission to stay temporarily in the Fox Beastman village, they couldn’t just eat and lodge for free, Walter wasn’t thick-skinned enough for that.

He had joined the Fox Beastmen’s hunting team, and within just a few days, his formidable strength had won the hunters’ full recognition, now, many Fox Beastmen would invite Walter along on every hunt.

"I’ll leave it to you."

"Yeah, got it."

"Walter! You have to teach me blood magic today!!" Lyra and the other Fox Beastman children tagged along excitedly, eager to learn.

Ethan watched them go with a smile. "I hope the Purification Beans grow well."

...

[Blessed Purification Beans]

[Purification Beans cultivated by Green Thumb and watered with purifying water, their purifying power is even stronger, and they carry a faint sweetness.]

As Ethan had expected, the beans grew beautifully, he sun-dried the harvested pods and collected the red beans inside.

Looking at the notification that appeared, Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, most of the crops he grew ended up possessing special effects, and the special effect of the Purification Beans was precisely what he had hoped for — enhanced purifying power.

"Let me have a taste... Oh... it smells so good."

When the beans were ripe, Ash came over to help with the harvest, he picked up a Purification Bean, popped it into his mouth, and chewed, Ash had eaten Purification Beans before, but he had never tasted any that smelled this fragrant, furthermore, these beans carried a faint trace of sweetness, making them surprisingly palatable.

"Is it ready? Can we go lift the curse?"

"Yeah, let’s go."

Ethan pocketed the Blessed Purification Beans, everything was ready, this time, they were truly saying goodbye to the Fox Beastmen.

After bidding the Fox Beastmen farewell, Ethan’s group returned to the cave, the female ghost in white was still standing at the entrance, looking at them with expectant eyes.

They followed the female ghost to the edge of the cliff, Ethan didn’t descend right away. Instead, he started a campfire at the cliff’s edge.

"What are you doing, meow?"

"I could just use the Purification Beans or the purifying water directly, but I want to try another method."

"What method?"

"A stew, I’ll cook down the beans into a thick base and add some flour dumplings."

He mixed the flour into dough and began kneading vigorously, Zharok watched the dough turn smooth and elastic in Ethan’s hands.

When Ethan stopped, Zharok asked, "Is it done?"

"Not yet, the dough needs to rest first, let’s do the other prep work."

Ethan poured the Purification Beans, which had been soaked in purifying water, into the Cauldron of Blessing, after boiling the beans, he poured out the first batch of water, then added fresh water and continued to boil them, once the beans could be easily crushed between his fingers, Ethan scooped them out.

"Now, grind them up."

"Got it, meow!"

Pearl poured the beans into a bowl and used Shatter, its precise, surgical version, to mash them into a thick pulp.

Ethan scraped the mashed beans back into the Cauldron of Blessing, added water, salt, and a measure of sugar, and brought it all to a simmer, then he took out the rested dough. "Now, cut the dough into small pieces and roll them into balls..."

He dropped the dough balls into the simmering stew, after boiling for about ten minutes, the pot was fragrant and ready.

[Super Delicious Purifying Bean Stew]

[A hearty stew made from Blessed Purification Beans and flour dumplings, containing a powerful purifying force. Consuming it can lift most curses.]

[Super Delicious Effect: Lifts curses.]

[Super Delicious Effect: Cures severe illnesses.]

[Crafting Difficulty: ★★★★]

"Alright, let’s head down." Ethan lifted the Cauldron of Blessing, grabbed bowls and spoons, and headed for the cliff’s edge.

Walter, Pearl, and Zharok blocked his path.

"Wait, you made stew, don’t you want to taste some?"

"Ahem, we should probably have a bowl too."

"Exactly, meow!"

"Hmm... true." There was plenty of stew in the Cauldron of Blessing, even if everyone had a bowl, there would still be some left over.

Ethan ladled out four bowls and handed them to Walter, Pearl, and Zharok, the three took their bowls and carefully took a sip.

"Meow-ahhhhh-meow!! It’s so sweet, meow!!"

"The savory and sweet flavors leave a lingering aftertaste! And the texture of the dumplings is excellent!"

"So warm and comforting! These dumplings are delicious! They would be even better in winter!"

They praised Ethan’s culinary skills to the heavens. Ethan watched them and smiled.

Then, he waved to the female ghost in white, who was standing at the edge of the cliff silently watching them, he ladled a bowl of the stew and offered it to her, but the female ghost shook her head, rejecting Ethan’s goodwill.

It seemed that lifting the curse was far more important to her than eating.

"I’ll have another bowl!" Zharok had already licked his bowl clean and wanted another serving.

Ethan shook his head, refusing his request, there wasn’t enough left. "I’ll make more for you after we finish this."

"Alright, let’s hurry down then."

"Hmm... looks like dinner tonight is Purifying Bean Stew."

"Make sure to put in lots of dumplings, meow!"

Ethan smiled, nodded, and agreed to their requests.

Ethan and the others took the stew, descended to the bottom of the cliff on Walter’s blood-red birds, and arrived before the skeleton, Ethan spooned some of the thick stew into the skeleton’s mouth.

’Will this work?’ If it didn’t, he would have no choice but to pour the soup directly onto the curse.

Just as he was pondering his next move, Walter shouted. "The curse has disappeared!"

The black sludge was dissolving, Ethan stepped back.

’Thank... thank you...’

A weak voice brushed against his ear, he turned, the ghost in white was bowing to him, tears streaming down her face.

Ethan shook his head quickly, ’no need for that.’

"Meow?! Look over there, meow!!"

With the curse gone, the skeleton crumbled, white powder scattered across the ground.

Beneath it lay a bracelet.

[Legendary — Pope’s Bracelet]

[A bracelet bestowed by Goddess Gaia upon the Pope of the Church long ago, passed down from generation to generation. It possesses powerful holy power and can receive Goddess Gaia’s oracles.]

"...This thing looks pretty amazing, can we take it?"