[NR] Eh, I'll Know It When I See It - Chapter 518 (Patreon)

Jason sighed, “I wish there was a simple solution to finding the reverse meridian resources. At least, that there was a simple solution that could still hide what you were looking for. In my previous life, the solution was simple. You just need someone that has excavated their normal meridians, but not moved on to the next stage yet.

“Since they’re finished with the regular meridians, their extraordinary meridians can influence the outside world until they move on to the next stage. At that point, the extraordinary meridians are most able to affect the outside world. This allows those at that point to use a form of dowsing to find the resources.

“Though I advise we not refer to it as that. The dowsing that people attempted on this planet has nothing to do with what I would consider dowsing. Anyway, we don’t have that option because I’m the person with the highest cultivation in the planet and I’m not even there yet. We aren’t the heads of some sect with hundreds of teenagers available to dowse at any particular point in time.

“Instead, we’ll have to be more generic in our search. Right now, people are more than able to search for plants with more power in them than not. And I’m sure any organization worth mentioning will have already gathered at least a few samples as well as made attempts at infusing things.”

Courtney shrugs, “Well, yeah. The fact that people found what you did so quickly says something about our capabilities.”

Jason shakes his head, “Not really. With what happened when I started cultivating? I was basically screaming my existence to the world. The only samples you will have been able to gather are the weakest, especially with the plants. After all, a plant brimming with power is much too tempting a target.

“Anything able to naturally gather power will either be able to hide their power or they won’t survive long.”

Courtney, “Fair enough. So how are we supposed to find these hidden gems?”

Jason, “Well, the most obvious way is to look for strange scenes. Most empowered plants and such are the result of the situation they are in. A scraggly plant that manages to survive much closer to a volcano than any of the others. One flower in a field with a different color to all the rest. A plant bearing fruit out of season.

“So nothing too odd yet as there hasn’t even been a thousand years for things to get strange. Yes, there will be clearly supernatural stuff out there, but most of what we’ll be going for are simple natural mutations which also allow power to be gathered. That and natural formations which can charge up even inanimate materials.

“Though that second one will have to be mostly on the back burner because those are both easier to find and harder for us to have found.”

Courtney, “Let me guess, you find natural formations by having knowledge of formations?”

Jason nods in response

Courtney sighs, “And so for me to have people find them would require teaching them formations. A thing we don’t want to spread around yet.”

Jason shrugs, “The good news is that we don’t actually want the resources from such a place yet. While reverse meridian stuff can develop in those locations, it isn’t because of the locations in particular.

“If anything, not having to sort out that stuff from the rest will make it easier. Oh, and less likely to attract attention. Gathering too much stuff would only make us stand out more.

“Now to wrap this up, all you need to do is have people go out and look for slightly strange plants and such in areas with a lower power density.”

Courtney shakes her head, “That is giving too much away. It shows we are looking for those things in particular. Instead, we need to gather more as a smoke screen.

“My people will be told to gather the slightly odd plants and to note the location’s energy and the energy balance for the area. Then it becomes a simple study of how the various energies affect plants and their variants.”

Jason laughs, “That’s a much better method! Though get them to also measure the plants personal energy levels. Oh, and give them a ‘secret’ mission to prioritize any particularly high energy plants.”

Courtney smiles, “That would certainly hide our intentions even deeper. Do you have a good excuse for why I would need to personally sort the plants?”

Jason shrugs, “Hold back a few of the particularly high energy plants and send the rest to your researchers. Hell, you could even divide it up even more. Keep the choicest ones for yourself, send the next best to your own researchers, and send the rest to your family provided researchers.

“While the so-called cream of the crop plants won’t be too useful in the long run, we’re just at the start of our journey. There will probably be a few we can make use of. Just send me pictures and energy readings of them and I’ll pick out any we need.”

Rosha, “Wouldn’t you need to actually check them yourself? This doesn’t seem like something you can manage through a picture and some readings.”

Jason shrugs, “If they were high tier plants? Yeah, I would have to personally examine them to figure anything out and even then, I might miss something. These though? They’re just the most basic mystical herbs.

“While they won’t match one to one with what I remember from my last life. That doesn’t matter because such things rarely do. Rather, these are the mystical herbs that develop from regular herbs and so can take on many forms.

“What is important will be a few general features and the kind of power they hold. There are an infinite number of variations on the lowest grade health herb from which even alchemists without any cultivation can make healing potions. The lowest of such potions, of course, but potions with magic to them, nonetheless.

“Sure, true alchemy nerds will debate about whether one region’s version or another is best for a specific type of injury. In the end, they’ll do the job. By definition, they will not have any amazing effects because at that point, they won’t be of the lowest grade anymore.

“So yeah, I just need to take a look and we’ll be able to sort things out well enough. Sure, some stuff will slip through the cracks, but if anything, that is better for us. After all, it isn’t like we’re throwing them away. Instead, we’re passing them on to others to research. Better for them to believe we aren’t able to magically pick all of the best plants while leaving them with all the duds.”