[NR] Examining A Plant - Chapter 706

Jason removes the clover from its supports and lays it out on a piece of butcher paper. “Clovers are a common plant, but I hate just means you commonly find mystical cultivars. Which I assume this is as it was so easy to send to me. Which sadly means this is going to be one of the lower tiers of earthly wonders.”

Rosha tosses one of her plushies at the camera, “How dare you look down on my family’s precious herbs!” Though she doesn’t manage to keep a straight face and soon breaks out into giggles.

Courtney sighs, “I think just about everyone playing with ‘energy infused’ plants have a small plot of these things.”

Jason nods, “That is how it tends to go. I’m not saying a cultivar that dependably handles mystical energies will always be at the lower end. It is simply that if a common plant that for the most part remains that way develops to handle the mystical side of things, it will be a surface level change.

“With time and care, you can breed better variants. Though after a certain point, they tend to evolve into a new species of plant which at the base level is already mystical.

“This clover? I’d be willing to bet you could grow one of them in a region free of mystical powers. Whereas the better plants won’t even germinate.”

Jason spreads the clover’s roots out and zooms the camera in on them. “Now first I want you to notice how the closer to the stem, the suppler the roots become. If you can sense energy, this difference becomes even more obvious and points to the first detail.

“The roots are not a source of, or store for, the plant’s energy. Oh, and from now on, instead of mystical this, earthly that, I’m going to just refer to such things as energy.

“While the roots are benefiting from the energy, they are more of a location where excess or unwanted energies are pushed. This does not mean they’re useless. However, the energy will be less pure than anywhere else.”

Jason rummages around a couple of the benches drawers until he finds a small rubber clamp. “If I had a tool like my sealed silver snips, this is one of the first places I would cut. In fact, I would harvest the plant a little above the roots with them right away. Can you guess why?”

Rosha raises her hand, “I know!”

Jason nods his head towards the screen she is displayed in.

Rosha, “So that the energy in the rest of the plant doesn’t try to equalize into them!”

Jason raises a single finger, “That’s one of the reasons. Courtney, do you want to guess at any other reason?”

Courtney shrugs, “If the rest of the plants energy can leak into the roots, presumably the impure energy can go the opposite direction.”

Jason nods, “Correct, with a common third reason being that many mystical herbs can regrow at least once from just their roots if properly harvested.”

Jason places the rubber clamp just above where the roots and stem connect. “Thankfully, it seems this cultivar of clover seems to prefer to leak into the roots instead of having the roots leak into the stem. If there was a more visible difference between the stem and roots, you could use that to judge such things. As it stands, though, this sort of knowledge requires either experimentation or the ability to see energy.”

Courtney, “What kind of experiments?”

Jason shrugs, “Well first, you find out what energies are in both pieces. Then you chop up a bunch of the herb and test each segment for them.

“As an example, if a plant has a bunch of fire energy that reacts to water by sizzling? You turn each segment into paste and put them in water to judge the reaction. Using regular science from our world? I’d try using a calorimeter for more precise measurements.”

Jason traces a finger up the stem until he reaches the first leaf. “Now, I could say that once again, having energy sense bypasses all the annoying tests. That would get annoying though, so just assume that’s tacked on at the front of everything going forward.

“Anyway, it is hard to see, but running my fingers along the joint makes it obvious. The leaves are the source of the energy in the stem. In fact, running my fingers over the stem tells me the energy was flowing upward.

“Unlike the roots, this isn’t a matter of it being more or less supple. Rather, you can vaguely feel the difference. Sort of like how you can feel a static charge mixed with running your hand over the fur of something the wrong and right way.

“Of course, this won’t always be true, but it tends to be like petting fur the right way in the direction of the energy flow. You know what? You could also compare it to running your hand over the surface of slowly running water. Maybe.”

Courtney frowns, “Does this require someone to have started cultivating? Or at least begun taking in energy in some form.”

Jason shakes his head, “The static charge thing is a better analogy for this. Whether you cultivate or not doesn’t matter, just whether you match the charge or not. And even then? Matching it simply gives a different feeling. Which is actually how many low-level cultivators judge in the field whether a plant will be helpful for them.

“In fact, unless you specially train for it? Being too powerful actually can make it harder. Hard to feel the difference when your own power overwhelms the plant itself. The biggest problem with non-cultivators isn’t feeling it, but making them realize what it is.

“Until you touch energy, it can end up feeling like nerves or their imagination. After all, barring a special physique, humans don’t have a natural energy sense. We aren’t inherently magical. Though that also means we aren’t locked into anything. Someone might have talent for one thing or another, but most won’t be stopped from making their own choices.”