7 A risky solution

Li Chang had just entered the local super market that was located between his house and his school and froze.

The store had all the normal daily necessities as well as pre packaged food, fresh produce, an area where things were on consignment and even a small section of household medicines and pharmaceuticals.

Li Chang was frozen while looking at the produce.

He then actually walked backward, retracing his steps to leave the store he had just entered and looked to his right.

Directly next to the store was a very small pharmacy and clinic. However, it wasn't the clinic that caught his eye but the large number of chrysanthemums growing out front.

After he stared at the flowers for a moment he once again retraced his steps this time returning to the store and its produce area.

What had startled him was that there was no and I mean no spiritual energy or essence energy whatsoever in any of the produce inside the store. And yet within the chrysanthemums growing in front of the clinic there was.

It is true that it wasn't a lot of energy within the flowers but there was at least some.

With how little energy there was in this world, for him to find any amount, centered around anything at all, had surprised him.

Li Chang had noticed the lack of energy within the plants and animals of this world during his lunch at home. Usually even after the plants and animals were cooked for a meal they would retain a small portion of their natural energies. This wasnt the case in this world however.

There was nothing in the food, just like there was nothing in the produce in the store. But outside, there were still plants that had some natural energy. This realization would require some thought.

Li Chang walked over to the produce and began to inspect the fruits and vegetables.

They were all normal foods and except for their lack of energy he could find nothing unusual about them.

He once again left the store. This time, he walked over to the flowers outside of the clinic, and began to scrutinize them.

Li Chang opened his eyes wide. He was right. These flowers did have some natural energy inside of them. He then looked around and noticed that even some other plants in the area had some energy as well, albeit less than the chrysanthemums. It wasnt just at this clinic, he could see faint traces of natural energy in plants growing in other places as well. Even the potted ones out side of the store.

It has to be remembered that Li Changs ability allowed him to sense, see and feel the natural energies within the most mundane plants in his previous world even grass. Most of these plants were of no use even to him so he disregarded the energies in them.

Now he was in this new world and he realized that he must change his way of thinking. This seemingly insignificant amount of energy was now a world shatering revelation to him.

Li Chang reached out his had and plucked a leave off of the flower to examine it and his eyes quickly narrowed.

"So thats how it is". Said Li Chang quietly to himself.

The energy that he had been observing on the flower was now disolving into the air at a visible rate.

"It seems that this world actually absorbs the energies from living things immediatly when they die." Li Chang observed the chang within the plant and realized that this was why the produce in the store or the meal at home had zero energy.

Having realized this Li Chang knew that if he could solve this problem then he might be able to make some inferior low level no-rank elixers and maybe even pills. As a child having the desire to become an alchemist and then as an adult creating some world changing recipes for someone else he had an emense amount of knowledge regarding alchemy.

He still had some fear due to the high risk involved in this new idea for resolving his familys financial situation. Considering his accident and the horrible life he lived in his past world, it was completely understandable.

Li Chang began analizing all posible solutions to the problem of the plants rapid energy disapation.

As he was thinking an elderly man exited the clinic and quietly watched Li Chang who was completely oblivious to the stare.

"They are very nice arent they?" said the old man while still watching Li Chang.

"Huh?"

"My flowers, they're very nice arent they?"

"Oh, yes they are very beautiful."

"They are quite fragrant too."

"Indeed they do smell wonderful."

"Yup. They're mine and i take very good care of them. Growing and caring for them is my hobby, a little something for me to do in my old age. I use them in some of the medicines i make. They work best when they are fresh. So I grow them myself here at the clinic. I hope you are not getting any ideas about them young man." said the old man as he bagan to eye Li Chang a little more closely.

Li Chang was momentarly stupified by the old mans comment but quickly regained his composure and replied. "No, of course not senior i wouldnt steal or do anything to harm these beautiful flowers. I was merely admiring them, thats all."

"Good, good. Well as long as you dont think about stealing any of them, then I could let you bring one home with you for your mother." Said the old man who was beeming slightly after having his flowers praised by this youth.

"No no senior. It is best if they are just admired here at the clinic how could i bring one home with me." Li Chang had only been looking at the flowers to figure out the energy issue and had no intention of taking any away with him.

"Good lad, you can come by and look at them whenever you like." After saying this the old man returned inside the clinic.

In truth Li Chang was a little bit agitated at the moment. This old man had inadvertantly solved some of the problems that Li Chang was worrying over, during this short conversation.

Li Chang was so excited to finally have thought of a solution he could barley contain himself while he did the shopping and hurried home.

He needed to check what resources he already had and what resources he needed to get in order to attempt to make this risky solution a reality.