Chapter 48: Sky Blue Fruit

Chapter 48: Sky Blue Fruit

It only took five days for Ji Xinghuo and his companions to return to Olympia.

They encountered a few battles along the way, none of which were particularly intense, and Ji Xinghuo easily took care of them.

They also came across several hunting teams, most of which were led by Superhumans with high-level teammates. They were clearly all first-rate hunting parties, and it seemed like they were all headed to the Absolute Peak Valley. Upon seeing Ji Xinghuo and the others returning, some teams even approached to inquire about their journey.

However, Ji Xinghuo's group did not divulge any information about the Stone Sickle Giant Demon and simply stated that they had turned back without encountering it.

The four of them boarded a zeppelin in Freedom City and descended into Olympia.

"We're back!"

As they rode the steam bus, Chi Zhonglin looked around at the familiar city with a sense of pride. "Haha, I've made it back alive once again, with all my limbs intact! Ladies of Secret Window No. 9..."

"Hmm?" The three teammates turned to look at him.

"Umm..."

Chi Zhonglin's words trailed off, and he quickly explained, "I just want to have a drink with them. They're my friends, and it's normal to socialize and bond with friends over drinks, right?"

Ren Mian and Jiang Nan Caiyi chose to ignore him.

"Xinghuo," Chi Zhonglin moved closer and said, "Do you want to join us? We brothers shouldn't just fight together but also enjoy life's pleasures."

Ji Xinghuo was quite tempted.

"Don't corrupt Xinghuo," Ren Mian said coldly.

"Brother Chi, I have something else to do, so I'll pass this time," Ji Xinghuo quickly declined, his face serious. "I'll join you for drinks another time, but for now, I'd rather drink at home."

"That's no fun," Chi Zhonglin muttered, but he didn't press the issue further.

Soon, the team arrived back at their villa.

Their hunting expedition had taken them away from the Twenty Star Realms for about forty Earth days. As a result, a thin layer of dust had settled over the rooms of the villa.

Jiang Nan Caiyi quickly changed into a comfortable set of home clothes and, armed with her tools, began tidying up the place.

Ren Mian, on the other hand, entered the garden to tend to the various flowers, plants, and trees she had cultivated.

After washing up and changing into clean clothes, Ji Xinghuo felt refreshed. However, he noticed that Chi Zhonglin was nowhere to be seen, presumably having already gone out.

"Caiyi, I'll help you," Ji Xinghuo offered.

It would take a while to clean such a large villa by themselves.

"You should rest, Xinghuo," Jiang Nan Caiyi said, looking a bit flustered. "This is something I should do, and I enjoy cleaning. It helps me relax."

Ji Xinghuo smiled and said, "I'm not tired. We'll get it done faster if we work together."

Seeing his insistence, Jiang Nan Caiyi finally relented and thanked him repeatedly. Being Superhumans, they were quick and agile, and it took them less than an hour to clean the entire villa, inside and out, leaving it looking brand new. They even cleaned the training room, the strength training room, and the martial arts field.

"I'm going out to buy some ingredients, Xinghuo," Jiang Nan Caiyi said before heading out.

Ji Xinghuo made his way to the garden, where Ren Mian was still inspecting the flora.

Every Plant Witch was an excellent horticulturist and botanist. The garden, spanning over five hundred square meters, was divided into several sections, with multiple temperature-controlled greenhouses creating diverse environments suitable for a wide range of plants. Rare and precious plants of over a hundred varieties were cultivated here.

He entered a glass greenhouse and saw Ren Mian crouching among a patch of "Rejuvenating Sweet Osmanthus," pruning away excess branches and leaves.

"Sister Ren," Ji Xinghuo called out softly.

"Hmm?" Ren Mian looked up, a smile spreading across her face. "What brings you here?"

"Just curious," Ji Xinghuo replied as he drew closer. Ren Mian didn't stop him, continuing her work as he approached.

The Plant Witch's set of abilities was quite unique, with not a single one possessing direct offensive power.

Her core ability, "Green Heart Root," allowed her to manipulate plant growth.

"Organic Formation" controlled the rapid synthesis of inorganic matter into organic matter.

"Photosynthetic Reaction" was an exceptional ability that greatly enhanced the efficiency of photosynthesis in plants, granting Plant Witches a degree of control over light and the ability to create darkness.

During the test of her archery skills, it was this "Photosynthetic Reaction" that Ren Mian had used to interfere with Ji Xinghuo's vision.

These three abilities complemented each other perfectly, making Plant Witches the undisputed masters of plants!

The remaining three abilities served as supplementary powers.

"Transplant" enabled the transfer of plants to different locations and was also applicable to organ transplants. Some skilled doctors would incorporate this ability into their practice.

Rumor had it that it could even be used to transplant abilities, but that was just hearsay.

"Grafting" forcibly joined two or more different plants together, enhancing their effects and allowing the Plant Witch to graft plants onto herself, thus gaining access to their abilities.

"Chlorophyll Cells" caused the Plant Witch's body to produce chlorophyll, catalyzing photosynthesis in plants.

Additionally, they could photosynthesize like plants, directly absorbing sunlight and combining it with carbon dioxide produced through respiration. By drinking water, they could obtain the necessary nutrients for their bodies and quickly restore their stamina while reducing their dependence on food.

It was clear that Ren Mian had mastered all six abilities of the Plant Witch template.

But that wasn't all.

This meant that despite being a high-level superhuman, she possessed at least nine abilities. In addition to the six inherent Plant Witch abilities, she also had "Light-Trapping Crystals," "Light Blast," and "Crystal Cluster Projection" from the Crystal Light Attendant's profession template.

Nine abilities—triple the number of a typical high-level superhuman! It was simply outrageous.

And it wasn't just her. Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nan Caiyi also possessed five or six abilities each, far exceeding the norm for Superhumans.

Ren Mian must have had access to some source or channel for capacity-expanding artifacts.

Ji Xinghuo pondered how to bring up the subject, though he wasn't in a rush. He quietly watched Ren Mian tend to the plants, her beauty surrounded by the vibrant flowers adding a touch of allure and charm to the scene.

He stood there for over an hour, occasionally asking questions when he didn't understand something.

Although Ji Xinghuo wasn't a Plant Witch, this knowledge could still prove useful.

Ren Mian patiently answered all his queries.

As dinnertime approached, Ren Mian had mostly finished her work in the garden.

She walked over to a tree that stood only a little over two meters tall. This tree was rather unremarkable, resembling a cassia tree with its dense foliage and lush green leaves that exuded a faint, pleasant fragrance. A small fruit hung from its branches, resembling an unripe green apricot.

Ren Mian plucked the lone fruit and tossed it to Ji Xinghuo. "Try it and see if it's sweet."

"What kind of fruit is this?" Ji Xinghuo asked casually as he popped the fruit into his mouth.

He bit down, hearing a crisp crunch, and the fruit burst with freshness and juice. A rush of sweetness, reminiscent of peaches but without the pit, exploded in his mouth.

"It's sweet!"

He smacked his lips, savoring the lingering flavor. He couldn't help but glance back at the tree, hoping to spot another fruit, but there was none to be found.

"This is the fruit of the Qingkong Tree. I transplanted it onto this Trifoliate Osmanthus tree," Ren Mian said, pointing to the tree beside her. With a charming smile, she added, "The Qingkong Fruit is a rare expansion artifact. Any beings below the fourth stage of life evolution, be they deviants or monsters, can consume it to merge with an additional exotic species. Each fruit is valued at 30 million Asya."

"Ah?"

Ji Xinghuo's eyes widened in shock.

He had just devoured 30 million Asya in one bite. If he had known the fruit was so expensive, he would have savored it slowly to truly appreciate its flavor.

He must have felt like Zhu Bajie eating the immortal peach, but at least he tasted the sweetness, which was more than what Zhu Bajie could say.

Then, he thought of a problem.

"Sister Ren, I can't afford 30 million," Ji Xinghuo said, his face reddening in embarrassment.

"This is a team benefit. You don't have to pay for it," Ren Mian said with a smile. "As long as you join the team and complete a hunt, earning my recognition, you'll receive a Qingkong Fruit. Xiao Chi and Caiyi have both eaten theirs, so don't overthink it."

"That's good, that's good," Ji Xinghuo said, heaving a sigh of relief. He then beamed with joy. "Sister Ren is too generous! To think that such a precious fruit is just a team benefit."

"I've mastered the method of cultivating the Qingkong Fruit, so it's not that precious to me. Each person can only eat one, anyway. More than that wouldn't be of much use," Ren Mian said nonchalantly.

"You can't eat it yourself, but you could sell it for money," Ji Xinghuo said, astonished.

"I've already sold quite a few," Ren Mian said with a slight smile. "When your wealth reaches a certain level, you'll find that many of the things you want can't be bought with money. Especially when it comes to the needs of high-level deviants, money isn't very useful."

Ji Xinghuo now truly understood what it meant to have abundant financial resources!

Money isn't very useful...

Were these even human words? They were so enviable!

Ji Xinghuo looked at the little tree before him and suddenly realized why Sister Ren had casually planted it in the garden without any special protection.

It was because she simply didn't care.

Noticing his gaze, Ren Mian said, "The Qingkong Fruit is extremely rare, and most people can't recognize it. If anyone can identify and pluck it, I'd say they have good eyes."

At that moment, Jiang Nan Caiyi called out, "Sister, Xinghuo, it's time for dinner."

"Let's go," Ren Mian said, and she and Ji Xinghuo left the greenhouse and returned to the villa.

Chi Zhonglin had also come back.

After dinner, Chi Zhonglin suddenly said, "Sister Ren, I've thought about it for a few days, and I still want to merge with 'Bloody Ferocity.'"

"Have you made up your mind?" Ren Mian asked.

Chi Zhonglin nodded firmly. "As you said, beyond the legendary tier, Bloody Ferocity's power seems mediocre, and its potential is lacking. But that's something to consider after reaching the legendary tier. I'm only a high-level deviant now, two tiers away from legendary. The most important thing for me right now is to enhance my strength so that I have a chance to reach the legendary tier."

"As for its insufficient potential, I'm a vocationless deviant anyway, not bound by any profession templates. Maybe I can compensate for it with other abilities in the future."

"Let's treat this as an experiment. Vocationless deviants must dare to try new things."

"Anything is possible!"

As he spoke, Chi Zhonglin's expression became increasingly resolute.

"Since you've thought it through, I won't object," Ren Mian said, seeing his solemnity and hearing his reasonable explanation.

"Thank you, Sister Ren!" Chi Zhonglin was overjoyed.

"Bloody Ferocity is priced at around 23 million Asya on the market. Let's set the price at 20 million. According to the principle of battle loot distribution, since you're taking Bloody Ferocity, you should give us three teammates 5 million Asya each," Ren Mian thought for a moment and then said, "I don't need my 5 million, so you can give it to Xinghuo and Caiyi instead."

"Okay, no problem," Chi Zhonglin readily agreed. "I have some savings, so I can cover it."

Ren Mian took out the Bloody Ferocity exotic species and handed it to him.

She then took out the crystalline exotic species they had obtained from the cave in the Hanging Mountain and looked at Ji Xinghuo. "This one is Ether Sensitivity. Do you still want it?"

"Yes," Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Then, we'll use the same distribution method. Ether Sensitivity is valued at 2 million Asya. You can give Xiao Chi and Caiyi 750,000 each, and I don't need any," Ren Mian said, handing the exotic species to Ji Xinghuo after she finished speaking.

"As for the remaining exotic species, I'll sell them off."

Ren Mian left with the exotic species and returned within half an hour.

There were many shops in Olympia that bought exotic species, and she had sold several dozen for a total of over 8 million Asya, less than half the value of Bloody Ferocity.

Ren Mian distributed the money to her three teammates, keeping none for herself as she had no interest in money.

Ji Xinghuo received a total of over 9 million.

After giving Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nan Caiyi 1.5 million each, he had about 7 million left, as well as the Ether Sensitivity exotic species.

"I'm about to become a millionaire again!"

Ji Xinghuo suddenly felt that making money wasn't so difficult. In just over 40 days, he had earned back ten times what he had spent on weapons and equipment.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten about one matter.

"Sister Ren, about the 20 million I owe you..." Ji Xinghuo began, but Ren Mian interrupted him.

"You can keep that money for now to enhance your strength. Pay me back when you have more in the future. There's no rush," she said.

"Okay," Ji Xinghuo agreed without any pretenses.

Especially now that he knew that Sister Ren was a super-rich woman, casually selling a fruit for tens of millions, he didn't feel as embarrassed about temporarily owing her money.

In the depths of the night, Ji Xinghuo entered the training room and exercised for several hours. During the recovery period of his star power, he took a sum of money and left the villa.

Soon, he arrived at a shop specializing in exotic species.

"Do you have Ether Sensitivity?" Ji Xinghuo inquired, only to learn that they didn't have any in stock.

He visited several shops and finally understood how popular Ether Sensitivity was. It was often bought as soon as it arrived, and it was rare to find it in stock; one usually had to place an order.

After wandering around Olympia for two hours, Ji Xinghuo finally spotted Ether Sensitivity in a shop.

This Ether Sensitivity exotic species was obtained from a monster and resembled a part of the brain, a small gray lump.

Ji Xinghuo asked to hold it, and the shop owner readily agreed.

As soon as he touched the exotic species, a window popped up in his vision, displaying the information from the Myriad Star Pupils.

[Exotic Species: Ether Sensitivity]



[Grade: Superior]



[Successful Fusion Rate: 83%]



[Upgradeable: No]



Ji Xinghuo understood the situation as soon as he saw the information in the interface. Indeed, the Ether Sensitivity obtained from the cave was unique!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end