Chapter 84 — ILK Chapter 84

Registering a Trademark As soon as she returned, Sang Ye sought out Du Yuan to ask for her treasured collection of medicinal herb seeds.

Du Yuan handed them over readily, though not without a twinge of "heartache" for her collection. She reminded Sang Ye, "Once they sprout in your Pocket Dimension, remember to pick the best seeds to store away for a rainy day."

Sang Ye agreed instantly. There was no reason not to return the favor to her teacher. Moreover, she planned to share the future profits with Du Yuan. To her, Du Yuan was like a mother; they would likely spend their lives together. Given Du Yuan’s free-spirited nature, having a personal fortune and her status as a Guide would ensure she could handle any trouble she might encounter while traveling.

Aside from ordinary herbs, Sang Ye carved out a special plot under the Parasol Tree for the Spirit Herbs. She fenced it off with fine bamboo to prevent other plants from encroaching. These spirit herbs were notoriously temperamental—even in the idealized environment of the Pocket Dimension, their efficacy could be ruined by a slight change in rain, light, or neighboring flora. They were more fragile and "expensive" to maintain than high-born nobles.

Ironically, the herbs she painstakingly cultivated often underperformed compared to those that grew wild on jagged cliffs or in deep ravines, weathered by the elements but brimming with natural spiritual energy.

…

After tending to the herbs, Sang Ye used her mental intent to harvest all the ripe fruits and vegetables, storing them in her spatial ring.

Her spiritual form then drifted toward the coast. The Parasol Tree had extended several "clones" of itself near the sea to extract salt. The raw salt went into her ring, ready to be refined into fine table salt, iodized salt, or low-sodium variants.

She also recalled ancient records of specialty salts: the volcanic Red Salt of Hawaii, the caramel-sweet Black Salt, and the violet-scented Persian Blue Salt. She shared these detailed descriptions and geographical factors with the Parasol Tree, attempting to push its "Concept God" potential to manifest these unique minerals within her dimension.

The Parasol Tree’s bark wrinkled like a frustrated brow. Its branches rustled violently, as if refusing to engage in such a difficult task. Sang Ye patted the trunk encouragingly, "Tongtong, I believe in you!"

The next second, the tree unceremoniously "ejected" her consciousness back into her physical body.

…

Following Lin Changli’s habit, the first thing Sang Ye did upon returning was take a bath to wash away the dust of travel.

Relaxing in the large, heated pool of her suite, she sipped a Coke—a stamina-restoring drink Lin Changli had left for her. She communicated with the Parasol Tree from afar: "Fine, throw me out, but make sure you harvest the livestock and seafood." The tree, busy digesting geographical knowledge, ignored her.

When she arrived in the kitchen later, Lin Changli and Du Yuan were preparing a new dish: Pasta.

They had prepared chicken marinated in black pepper, eggs, and ginger-garlic water. Sang Ye brought out the pasta she had previously prepared—made from Durum Wheat, which was harder and higher in protein than ordinary wheat, making the noodles chewy and resistant to overcooking. She had used processing plants to create various shapes: penne, farfalle, fusilli, and lasagna sheets.

Lin Changli sautéed a rich meat sauce with minced pork, tomatoes, onions, and rosemary. Meanwhile, Sang Ye handled the Creamy Chicken Stew, searing chicken thighs in butter before simmering them with mushrooms, onions, and heavy cream.

The meal was a hit. Little Wu Jianing loved the "Butterfly" (farfalle) pasta, while the adults enjoyed the chewy penne. As she ate, Sang Ye’s mind turned to business. Her products were selling well through the Jiang family, but they all bore the Jiang brand name. She decided it was time to register her own trademark—the silhouette of the Parasol Tree—to be listed alongside the Jiang brand as the raw material supplier.

…

The next day at the hospital, Asu Ment was complaining to her doctor. Though her physical body had recovered at S-rank speed, her mental energy was depleted. She had used too much "power" to burn off pregnancy weight and restore her figure, while her twin daughters had already siphoned off a massive amount of energy to build their own mental landscapes.

"You aren't being discharged until your mental indicators are stable," the doctor declared before fleeing the room.

Sang Ye didn't stay long. She went upstairs to Melusine’s luxury suite. After waking the "doll-like" Little Duchess, she confirmed their new partnership.

"I'll provide five types of herbs—seeds and live plants," Sang Ye said. "But I can't guarantee they'll work as well as mine once they're grown in the outside world. I'm not a scientist; I just have special mental energy."

Melusine didn't mind. She was already calculating the billions in patent fees they could collect from the Empire’s scientific, military, and educational sectors.

Before leaving, Sang Ye showed Melusine her trademark design: a hand-painted, dark green Parasol Tree with a red cord tied around the trunk. The painting was vivid, with thick, oil-like colors and a powerful visual impact.

"I need to register this trademark. Since you handle finance and internal affairs, can you help?" Sang Ye asked.

Melusine, fascinated by the art style, later sent a message: “This painting is incredible. How much did you pay for it? Who is the artist?” Sang Ye replied: “Didn't cost a cent. Lin Changli painted it. Do you want one? I can ask him to paint one for you.” Melusine, recognizing the style as identical to the royal portraits hanging in the Imperial Museum, replied: “Never mind. Forget I asked.” She promptly shut down her terminal and went back to sleep, choosing not to poke the "Royal Artist" nest.