Two days after his arrival in the village, Long Tian was feeling more stable. His wound, though still sensitive, had healed significantly thanks to Grandpa Yao's ointment. The burning had subsided, and he could move his hand without pain.
During that time, he met Aunt Lin, an energetic woman with a stern look who was in charge of assigning community tasks. He had to collect firewood, help carry buckets of water from the river, and clean out some animal pens. Although the work was not easy, Long Tian was grateful to have something to do while he recovered.
It was also during those days that he finally heard the name of the place: Silent Stone Village. A small and remote mountain village, surrounded by dense forests and ancient trails. None of the villagers seemed to know much about the outside world, and many acted as if the city to the north was little more than a myth.
The system, for its part, had remained silent since the first mission. Long Tian wondered whether it functioned automatically or only activated under certain conditions. Although he got no answers, he stayed alert. He knew that any change could be crucial.
Then, just at dawn on the third day, while collecting firewood on the forest outskirts, the familiar sound echoed in his mind:
> [Mission Received: Collect the Moon Herb]
Description: Find and collect at least one unit of Moon Herb. This plant grows in shady forest areas and only blooms under moonlight.
Reward: 5 Spirit Energy Points.
Warning: The plant can only be collected at night. Time remaining: 2 nights.
Long Tian frowned. He didn't know this plant, but he understood he couldn't miss this opportunity. The "Spirit Energy Points" were likely useful for powering the system, and perhaps unlocking future functions... or even his so-called Hell.
After finishing his tasks for the day, Long Tian headed once more to Grandpa Yao's house. A question had been lingering in his mind ever since he received the mission, and he needed a believable excuse not to raise suspicion.
"Grandpa Yao, do you happen to know something called 'Moon Herb'?" he asked calmly.
The old man looked at him curiously, raising an eyebrow.
"Moon Herb, huh? That name doesn't come up often around here... Where did you hear it?"
Long Tian pretended to think for a moment, lowering his gaze with a confused expression.
"I'm not sure... I think I remembered it from one of those blurry fragments of my lost memory. I was gathering firewood, and suddenly it just came to me."
The old man sighed, not pressing him further.
"Could be. Maybe you were an herbalist before you lost your memory. Come, I have a book that might help."
Grandpa Yao walked over to a small, dusty shelf and pulled out an old tome bound in cracked leather. Inside were illustrations and descriptions of dozens of medicinal plants.
"There are records here of plants I've seen on my travels and others I only know through word of mouth. Handle it with care, I wouldn't lend it to just anyone."
Long Tian accepted it with both hands, grateful. Internally, he doubted he'd be able to read it, since this world wasn't his and the language had to be different. But as he opened the first pages, the letters began to glow faintly... and instantly, his mind understood them.
"It must be the system," he thought, surprised but relieved.
He flipped through several pages until he found an illustration of a blue-stemmed plant with long, silvery leaves exactly as described in the mission.
Moon Herb: Grows in shaded areas, absorbing moonlight. Strengthens the body, improves spiritual circulation, and can reinforce inner energy. Highly sought after due to its rarity. Often eaten by wild animals upon discovery.
Long Tian closed the book with determination. Now he knew exactly what to look for... but he also knew he wouldn't be alone when he found it.
"I need to be ready," he murmured.
With the information in hand, Long Tian realized that gathering the herb wouldn't be as easy as he initially thought. The description clearly warned that wild animals were drawn to its scent, and if he was unlucky, he might find a beast guarding it like a treasure.
"I can't go like this... if something attacks me, I'll have no way to defend myself," he muttered with a frown.
Determined, he headed to Aunt Lin's home, who had helped him with some village chores in the past few days.
"Aunt Lin," he greeted respectfully, "do you know if there's a sword I could borrow? I need to collect a herb in the forest, but I'm worried I might run into a beast."
The woman laughed softly, shaking her head.
"Swords, boy… we're not warriors here, we're farmers. No swords around. But if you really need something to defend yourself, you can take the woodcutting axe from the shed. It's not sharpened like a weapon, but it might scare off anything that gets too close."
Long Tian thanked her immediately and went to get the tool. It was heavy, the handle worn from years of use, but better than nothing.
"With this, I'll have to manage… At least if I run into something, I might buy myself time to escape," he thought, fastening the axe to a makeshift belt.
Then he looked toward the forest, where sunlight barely filtered through the treetops. He took a deep breath.
As night fell, while Long Tian rested leaning against a wooden wall in the small shed he used as shelter, a glowing notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Mission in progress: Collect the Moonlight Herb!]
[Update: Activating mission tracking...]
His eyes widened in surprise as a soft bluish light spread before him, drawing a floating map in the air. The lines traced themselves, revealing the layout of the nearby forest, and in the middle of it, a glowing marker indicated the location of the herb.
"A map?" he muttered in awe. "So the system can do this too..."
Although it didn't answer him directly or provide explanations, this assistance was more than welcome. Now he knew exactly where he needed to go.
The marked location was quite far from the village, deep into a thick and shadowy part of the forest. From the glow of the map, he figured he would have to cross a hill and follow a small stream.
"It's going to be a tough trip... but if I want to move forward, I have to complete this mission."
He prepared to leave at dawn. He strapped the woodcutter's axe tightly to his back, made sure to carry a bit of water and some hard bread gifted by a villager. Then, he memorized the map as best he could before it slowly faded from view.
The search for the Moonlight Herb was about to begin.