角色故事•一（解鎖條件：角色等級20）
曜青，飛雨湖。
荇藻開着黃花，游魚在雨絲中跳躍，菱角荷花肆意生長，湖邊石灘常有老龜曬背。
狐人少年背着藥簍，劃着小舟，雨絲順着他的耳廓流下，又被輕輕甩去。
他撈取荇菜，擷取荷花，剝開鮮嫩的茭白，隨手往嘴裏扔去。
「甘甜入脾，滋潤可口……」
摘畢，他撐起小船，輕盈地越過湖岸，換上了醫者的服飾。
……
醫館內蒸汽氤氳，異香浮動。
「脈象比上次好了些，只是還缺少調養，要不試試我的新藥？」
他撤去脈枕和金針，微笑着搬上一套嶄新的醫具。
老者看着桌上的九宮鐵鍋，不禁苦笑。
「別人一輩子也搞不出幾種新藥出來，你倒好，一天就能發明好幾種。」
「師父謬讚了，這是名為「九宮格」的鼎鑊藥式，製作簡便，效果奇佳。」
他倒出藥簍中的食材，簡單清洗後改刀切片，鍋里的高湯開始冒泡沸騰。
「一兩天錦草，三錢苦木，四厘蓯蓉，大骨熬煮，搭配深海貝可驅散苦味，助心神安眠。」「這白鰍和紫魚片性溫，最能滋養氣血，只需涮兩三秒即可。」
「青菇、銀針、雪藕…都是飛雨湖中我以藥渣精心培植的作物，除了鮮美之外，兼有藥性。」
晶瑩的魚片滑入沸湯，師徒二人大快朵頤，雨天的濕寒一掃而空。
杯盤狼藉之際，老者放下杯筷，仿佛看穿了什麼。
「這頓『九宮格』，看起來是醉翁之意不在酒。」
他站了起來，鄭重地行了個禮。
「師父敏銳。是否進入丹鼎司，徒兒已有決定。
「丹鼎司雖好，終究和徒兒懸壺濟世的心願不符。要問何處最需要醫家，必是曜青征戰之地。
「而眾多醫家之中，唯有我等染指派強調藥食同源，以飲食之樂解疾病之苦…『九宮格』之藥，方便快捷，祛寒除濕，正是徒兒為戰場所特製。
「生死之間，人命至重。倘若我有一方濟之，也算不辜負丹鼎司培養之恩。」
老者似有言勸告，但最終卻還是咽了下去。
「戰場苦寒異常，出發之前，記得…多帶些熱性的食材。」
Character Story: Part I
• Unlocked at Character Level 20
Rainsoar Lake, the Yaoqing.
In the misty rain, yellow floating heart foliage and blossoms decorated the lake as frolicking fishes leaped out of the water from time to time. At this lakeside abounds with lotuses and water chestnuts, old turtles basking on the pebbles were an everyday sight.
A foxian youth with a basket for storing harvested ingredients on his back rowed a small boat, raindrops running down his ear before being lightly flicked away.
As he scooped up floating heart plants and picked out lotus flowers, he peeled open wild rice stems and threw them casually into his mouth.
"So sweet and refreshing, it delights the palate...."
After harvesting the plants, he steered the boat to shore and crossed the lakeside with graceful ease before changing into the attire of a healer.
...
Inside the apothecary, misty steam hung in the air as tantalizing aromas filled the premises.
"Your pulse has become more stable since you last visited, but you should still work on getting more rest and nourishing your body. Care to try one of my new medicines?"
With a smile, he put away the wrist cushion and golden needles, bringing out a whole new set of medical tools.
As the elderly man gazed at the nine-squared cauldron in front of him, he couldn't help but break into a wry smile.
"Others can hardly even invent a few decent medicines in their lifetimes, yet a single day is all you need to achieve that and more."
"You flatter me, Master. This cauldron-based medicinal formula is called the 'nine-square grid.' Not only is it simple to make, but its effects are also wondrous."
The youth poured out the ingredients from his basket, cleaning them quickly before slicing them. As he did, the stock inside the cauldron began to bubble and boil.
"A tael of euphorbia, three mace of bitterwood, and four cash of desert cistanche... Boil with big bones, then pair with deep sea shellfish to dispel the bitter flavor. The concoction can aid one in achieving peaceful slumber." "As for the white loach and threadfin snapper, their constitution-warming properties are great for nourishing the qi and blood. We need only dip the slices in boiling water for two to three seconds."
"These green mushrooms, silver needle tea leaves, and snow lotus roots were all carefully cultivated with decoction dregs by me at Rainsoar Lake. Not only are they tasty and refreshing, but they also offer medicinal benefits."
As glistening fish slices met boiling soup, both master and disciple enjoyed a delicious meal that quickly made them forget about the damp coldness of a rainy day.
In the aftermath of the meal, the older man put down his chopsticks, seemingly having realized something.
"This meal that I've just had, the 'nine-square grid'... It seems there is more you wish to tell me with this meal than what I'd thought."
The youth stood up and solemnly bowed.
"Master, you are perceptive indeed. I have long since made up my mind about whether to join the Alchemy Commission."
"While the Alchemy Commission is a good place to be, it is ultimately not compatible with my wish to practice medicine for the masses. The one place that requires a healer the most is undeniably the battlefield where the Yaoqing's forces are."
"Among the many schools of healers, only practitioners of the Ranzhi School — such as you and me — place emphasis on the tenet of 'food is medicine,' using the joy of food to alleviate the pain of ailments... The 'nine-square grid,' with its convenience and effectiveness in dispelling the cold that ails one's constitution, was specially made by me to provide succor to those on the battlefield."
"For those who yet breathe, there is nothing more important than the preservation of life. If I could deliver the people from pain and suffering with a mere medicinal formula, the Alchemy Commission's time and effort spent in grooming my talents would be well-spent indeed."
The elder looked as though he wanted to talk the youth out of his decision, but he ultimately decided against it.
"The battlefield is a bitterly cold place... Don't forget to bring more foods that warm the constitution ere you depart."
