Chapter 893: A Deep Search for the Unexpected Treasure
Chapter 893: A Deep Search for the Unexpected Treasure
Four days later, a loud rumble echoed through a certain part of the forest, causing an airflow that rustled the branches and grass, startling the surrounding birds and insects into flight.
Chen Chuan retracted his fist, and before him stood a creature resembling a wild boar. Its body was as large as a small mound, but now half of its body was buried beneath the mud, having been forcefully hammered down by a single punch.
This creature was known as a Muzzle Hog, and like the Ridge Goat, it had a strong sense of territoriality. However, the latter was known for its straightforward temperament and fearlessness in the face of strong enemies. This Muzzle Hog, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to any signs, had dull senses, and upon sensing Chen Chuan's approach, it charged straight towards him.
This was the first time he had encountered such a creature offering itself up for free. While the Muzzle Hog's nutritional value was generally average, Chen Chuan wouldn't have taken the initiative to capture it if it hadn't provoked him.
But since it had come to him, he couldn't let this opportunity go to waste.
Purely in terms of taste, its meat was excellent. The Fusion Land's military base had a specialized breeding ground for these creatures, and this one had grown to an unusually large size, possibly due to entering the deeper parts of the Fusion Land.
However, as he thought about this, he felt that the situation was somewhat unusual.
Muzzle Hogs were typically social creatures, but this one seemed to be alone, and its size was quite impressive. Standing on its four legs, it was already three to four meters tall, indicating that there might be something special about it.
He checked the information provided in the bestiary and discovered some clues. This Muzzle Hog was actually quite young, having recently reached adulthood. It was likely that it had consumed some high-energy nutrients, allowing it to grow to such a large size.
Chen Chuan stood up and scanned the surroundings. It seemed there was something nearby.
Without delay, he called out to Chao Ming, who was in the sky, and asked him to search the area. Within a few minutes, a cry came from above, indicating a possible discovery. Chen Chuan followed, and soon they arrived at a secluded, narrow valley.
This place was roughly three to four acres in size, located in a crevice within the mountain. Above, one could see the burning hyper-algae, with thick smoke swirling. Before entering, a pungent odor filled the air, but it dissipated once inside, and the area was also warmer. To the side, there was a larger opening, providing a view of the conical mountain resembling a volcano.
Chao Ming had discovered this place because the Muzzle Hog frequently visited here, leaving a noticeable trail when viewed from above.
Vines and branches climbed up the stone walls, and hanging from them were numerous green fruits the size of persimmons.
Chen Chuan took a closer look and recognized the origin of these fruits.
"So these are the Demoghost Fruits... No wonder..."
According to the bestiary, a single vine could bear dozens to hundreds of these fruits, and their uniqueness lay in the fact that most of the fruits had different effects. Some could be used medicinally, while others were highly toxic, and some were simply sweet fruits. However, there was a small chance for even rarer effects, such as containing extremely rich high-energy nutrients.
Moreover, the same fruit might undergo changes over time, making it highly unpredictable. In theory, even the effects of a Nine-Hole Stone Lotus Seed were possible, but the probability was minuscule. The drawback was that the growing conditions were extremely demanding, making large-scale cultivation impossible. Many pharmaceutical companies' attempts had reportedly failed.
The Demoghost Fruits all looked the same on the outside, and no one could tell their effects until consumed. The Muzzle Hog might have eaten one with particularly potent properties, leading to its bodily transformation, and possibly granting it the ability to detect and resist toxins. Its fellow species might not have been as lucky.
Chen Chuan counted and found around fifty fruits remaining on the vine. Most people might hesitate to try these fruits due to potential toxins, but he wasn't afraid of their poisonous effects.
If there was a fruit containing high-energy nutrients, finding one would be a real gain, and even without it, he wouldn't consider it a loss, as the fruits tasted quite good.
So, after some thought, he decided to butcher the Muzzle Hog outside and brought it over to the fire, where he started roasting the meat. Meanwhile, he picked the fruits one by one to try them.
Even without using his second self, a fighter's constitution and the Pure Sect's Forge Secret Art were sufficient to resist and eliminate any adverse effects.
Chao Ming waited patiently on the side, watching the skewers of meat sizzling over the campfire, emitting a sizzling sound.
Chen Chuan sat on a pile of stones, gazing through the open mountain pass at the mountain covered in hyper-algae, which felt somewhat familiar. He had a vague feeling that there might be some connection between this mountain and Yang Zhi City's Charred Mountain, but he wasn't sure if there was any link between the two.
As he ate half of the fruits, many of the meat skewers were already cooked. The aroma of the grilled meat filled the air, and he took one out for Chao Ming and grabbed one for himself, sprinkling some simple salt and pepper before taking a bite.
The crispy outer layer cracked with a bite, and a gentle chew released a burst of juicy flavor, instantly filling his mouth with a delightful fragrance. The meat was perfectly cooked, especially being of such high quality, it was an absolute delicacy, providing a sense of satisfaction and happiness with every bite, even if its nutritional value was limited.
He and Chao Ming devoured the Demonic Fruit in one go, eating for over an hour until they felt they had enough. But as they finished the last few fruits, a surge of energy spread through their bodies.
He raised an eyebrow, surprised by the fruit's effect.
After a moment's thought, he looked around at the environment, wondering if this region was particularly conducive to growing such fruit. If so, it wasn't a coincidence.
He made a mental note of the location, planning to return in the future.
He felt the energy being greedily absorbed by his body's altered organs. Then, he reached into his pocket and took out the piece of metamorphic hard shell containing the alienated tissue from the flying serpent's brain, resembling a piece of white jade.
This tissue was wrapped within the hard shell, which stored all the nutrients the serpent had accumulated for its metamorphosis. As long as the shell remained intact, the nutrients could be preserved for an extended period.
He considered whether to use this tissue to obtain the altered organs he needed. While the energy and nutrients within were abundant, in this land of abundant nutrients, they weren't indispensable to him.
On the other hand, this tissue could be invaluable to fighters attempting to break through the third limit, potentially increasing their success rate by more than half.
However, the prerequisite was that their bodies could withstand and absorb the energy. Otherwise, the altered organs might grow uncontrollably, or they might even be influenced by the residual spirit of the flying serpent.
Of course, if they consumed the Nine-Aperture Lotus Seed or had sufficient inhibitory medication, they could suppress the aberrant growth, and with the right connections, they could find someone to help soothe their spirits.
In any case, for those who needed it, this tissue was priceless, and he might be able to exchange it for something far beyond its original value.
After some thought, he decided to wait and see.
He put the tissue back into his pocket and looked into the distance. When the serpent's spirit power struck him, he had seen fragments of a broken image, revealing that this being had been briefly used as a vessel by some entity long ago, only to be discarded later.
Logically, it should not have survived, but perhaps the entity's stay was brief, or there might have been other reasons. In any case, it had survived and, as a result, knew how to ascend to a higher level.
He had found the right version of the book!
His primary goal in coming here was to encounter beings of a similar level, not just Demoghosts. If not for the Nine-Aperture Stone Lotus or something that could enhance his second self, engaging in combat with them would be a pure loss.
Aside from gaining some combat experience, he wouldn't obtain anything too practical from them.
But if he encountered beings of the same level, the nutrients from their altered organs would be far superior to what he had seen from other beings. Perhaps he could obtain a substantial boost from just one of them.
And the obstacles to his second self might even be overcome.
In his opinion, in such a vast area where fighters rarely ventured, he was likely to stumble upon such things. However, this would require venturing deeper into the Convergence Zone.
Undoubtedly, this would take more time, and there was a good chance he would find nothing.
Before coming here, he had planned to practice the Great Ming Light Style and the Great Blue Sky Style, aiming to master several more techniques in each. But in just over a month, he had already made progress in about half of the styles.
At this rate, he might complete the remaining techniques in just over a month.
So, he decided to stay for another month. If he couldn't find what he was looking for, he would return.
He calculated that by the time he returned, the results of the investigation at the Yangzhi City Company should be ready.
With this thought, he stood up from the ground, and Chao Ming immediately followed, supporting his body. He blew out the campfire, picked up the Snow Lady Blade that was stuck in the ground, put on the cloak he had taken off earlier, and put his hat back on. He called out to Chao Ming and left the area.
After leaving this region, he didn't follow the mountain paths but instead recalled the fragmented images from the flying serpent's spirit. He headed in the direction it had come from.
Two days later, he arrived at a vast wasteland, where he could see over a dozen enormous sand rhinos migrating in the distance, with numerous ape-like creatures climbing and jumping on their backs.
These creatures were unappetizing and had little nutritional value. Moreover, they emitted an odor that made all other beings avoid them, making them poor ingredients.
As for the apes, beings in the Convergence Zone were generally low in value, and these creatures often had a strong sense of revenge. If he caught one, a whole group might come after him, so he took a glance and lost interest.
However, there were other valuable beings in the wasteland, but they were challenging to find and navigate towards. So, he decided to abandon this path and take a different route.
Just then, an ape leaped off the back of a sand rhino and ran towards him.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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