New concept of the mysterious way to ascend to immortality

Chapter 289 Assigning Tasks, Beginning the Repayment of Kindness

After focusing on processing and modifying the fourth [Eggplant Essence], Yuan Zhu clapped his hands and turned to look at the three people with different expressions.

Hmm... Let's ignore Nie Yin for now, since his favorability rating is inexplicably skyrocketing. This lunatic's favorability rating rises quickly but falls just as fast, so there's no need to pay him any attention.

Then, he looked at Yuan Tang, whose expression was slightly serious and who remained wary of his surroundings, and asked, "Little Tang, what do you think of this place?"

The little girl spoke up decisively: "Dangerous, evil, and unsettling."

Based on the data feedback from the [Anti-Law], Yuan Zhu was able to roughly determine the current state of the siblings.

They were not like Nie Yin, a mortal with slightly slow reactions; both of them had reached the pinnacle of the 'True Qi' cultivation [Human Rank] or even broken through it. Therefore, they were more acutely aware of 'disease pollution,' had stronger resistance, and reacted just as intensely to it.

The diseased plants here pose a threat to the [Insect Repair System].

In other words, within the [Disease Garden], everything—plants, air, and water—is an inedible and undigested source of highly toxic and harmful substances for [Insect Cultivators]. It's even worse than 'miasma pollution'.

Otherwise, given that the two of them would pick up the broken tables, chairs, and wooden floors in the "haunted house," take a couple of bites, chew them thoroughly, mix them with their saliva, and then spit them out, in order to cultivate the frugal style of the chewing mushroom.

Faced with such a huge garden where everything is 'edible', wouldn't you be overjoyed?

Upon learning that the orthodox [Insect-type] method could not effectively refine and utilize [Disease-type] elements, he felt slightly disappointed. It seemed that the [Holy Light System] was truly the best, capable of burning and refining disease contamination without any side effects, except for being slightly more dangerous.

Then he asked, "Do you think the environment here is suitable for cultivating 'spiritual herbs' or raising 'spiritual insects'?"

"(ΩДΩ)?!!"

The little girl stared wide-eyed in shock, unable to comprehend her brother's thoughts. How could such a desolate place be suitable for raising insects or plants? There wasn't even a speck of foul miasma; how could the spiritual herbs absorb polluted spiritual energy to grow? And what kind of food could the spiritual insects possibly consume?
She shook her head repeatedly: "No! No! The environment here is too terrible, too harsh. Not only is there no 'spiritual energy,' but the malevolence (disease pollution) here is even stronger. Even if the 'seed' is successfully stimulated, the medicinal properties of the herb will be gradually stifled, causing it to wither and die completely, or turn into a strange local plant."

"The same applies to spirit insects. They need to feed on plants nourished by the Reverse Life Tree, or fungi and moss nurtured by the roots of the Immortal Tree in the underground world. Without these spiritual foods, spirit insects will lose their spiritual essence and become worthless. Compared to this eerie 'secret realm,' it would be better to try it out in the 'Shadow Cave (Haunted House)' outside."

“Those little dwarves (goblins) huddled together could be considered decent ‘flesh fields’ for cultivation. However, there’s no spiritual energy in this ‘upper realm’ for ‘spiritual herbs and medicines’ to breathe. I wonder how much of their medicinal properties will be retained after the cultivation process?”

Yuan Tang had little interest in raising 'spirit insects'. After all, she already possessed the [Golden Cicada Cauldron], and from now on, she only needed to focus on raising and strengthening them to cultivate her own [Alchemy Furnace]. Following the extremely unique 'Alchemist/Dan Cultivator' path within the [Insect Cultivation System] did not require relying on more spirit insects.

On the contrary, she became very interested in 'cultivating spiritual herbs' after the topic was brought up. After all, how could she, as an alchemist, improve without the medicinal materials that matched the 'Insect Pill'? Therefore, she also wanted to find a way in the 'Upper Realm' to successfully cultivate 'corpse bodies' without relying on 'miasma/spiritual energy'.

At this moment, the younger brother chimed in, "That's right. Without 'spiritual energy (miasma),' it's difficult to nurture spirit insects. Furthermore, the transformation of spirit insects requires the assistance of 'true qi.'"

Without spiritual energy, they couldn't raise insects or grow grass. Their true qi also couldn't be replenished, making it a major problem whether they were using qi threads to catalyze the spiritual insects or controlling the alchemy furnace.

Yuan Zhu thought for a moment and said, "The insect-raising plan will be put on hold for now. I have a batch of 'Reverse-Growth Mulberry Seedlings' and 'Pollution Root Nodules' on hand. In a few days, I will choose a pure piece of land (【Cold Pool Deep Valley】) to plant them and try to create a 'spiritual energy' environment for raising insects."

Upon hearing this, the siblings both showed expressions of longing and anticipation. Yuan Tang even boldly asked, "Big brother, is what you're talking about the real upper realm? A wonderful world where you can see blue skies and white clouds, where there is no pollution, no apocalypse, no destruction, and where there are vast expanses of clean plants and legendary animals?"

They both knew that the "haunted house" they were currently staying in was merely a secluded and safe place to stay in the "upper realm".

The clean air that Yuan Zhu once described, the clean water that one can breathe freely, the clean water that one can drink freely, and the pure soil that one can even eat... that is the true [Upper Realm. Duling Star].

Because of the excessive 'pollution' on their bodies, coupled with factors such as acclimatization issues, alienation from nature, the search and investigation by the [Pale Law], and illegal immigration, they are temporarily unable to freely enter and leave the [Haunted House] to experience the wonders of the upper realm.

Therefore, Yuan Tang only hoped that the 'new home' her elder brother had found wouldn't be built in a dark, sunless cave. They could endure digging in the mud in the lower realm, but to have to do that again when ascending to the upper realm? Wouldn't that be a waste of their time?
Yuan Zhu assured him confidently, "Don't worry! It's an absolute paradise you can't even dream of. There are mountains, water, waterfalls, forests, and mist. The air is fresh, a natural oxygen bar, you can breathe freely without worrying about pollution. It's tens of thousands of times better than your hometown!"

He wasn't exaggerating when he said that. Compared to the materially barren and environmentally harsh [Feathered World], the [Misty Mountains], with its unprecedented abundance of flora and fauna, could definitely be called paradise.

At least, they can devour all sorts of weeds, leaves, berries, reptiles, frogs, mice... Compared to the terrible 'dung beetles, fluorescent moss, and highly poisonous mushrooms' of the underground world, the Misty Mountains are all top-quality green food.

The pollution in the mortal realm is negligible compared to that in the underworld.

Upon receiving a positive response, the siblings felt a surge of hope for the future. Nie Yin, who had been listening in, couldn't fathom just how deplorable their 'original world' had been before their smuggling. Could their employer's mere promise to send them into the mountains really make them this happy?

Yuan Zhu looked at Yuan Tang again: "We'll temporarily abandon the spirit insects, but the cultivation of spirit herbs cannot stop. Starting tomorrow, you will follow Nie Yin to learn basic experimental operation knowledge, while using the [eggplant essence] in the villa to try [corpse seed]. You don't need to stimulate all the [seeds], just choose the type you are best at and conduct the first batch of trials in a [spiritual energy-free environment]. Hmm, you can't be given more than 10 [eggplant essences], and you can't waste them."

Yuan Tang nodded earnestly: "I understand, and I will cherish these 'Eggplant Spirit Dwarfs'. As for the types of plants I will cultivate, I plan to abandon 'spiritual herbs and medicines' and start with [fungi]. Although I have mastered the basic techniques of [corpse plant], I lack experience. Instead, I have been cultivating 'fungi' at home for many years."

Yuan Zhu thought of her brother and sister, who had painstakingly gnawed on chair legs and wooden floorboards all afternoon. She was so frugal that she couldn't bear to waste those wood shavings.

So he asked, "Among the spiritual herbs you cultivate in [Cicada City], are there any [fungi]? Since you plan to start by growing mushrooms, why not make it a bit more challenging from the beginning?"

“Yes! Of course! Among the ‘seeds’ you brought back, there are more than 20 different ‘Ganoderma lucidum spores’, which also meet the standards for ‘corpse species’. In addition, two months ago, our ‘Pastoral Village’ also traded various ‘Cordyceps fungi’ and ‘zombie fungi’ through the nomadic families of the ‘Technician Alliance’, all of which are very suitable for ‘Demon Insect Corpse Species’.”

Speaking of Cordyceps, it's a very special category of medicinal herbs in the underworld. It has an innate affinity with the Corpse Species, and is even rumored to be the origin of the Corpse Species.

The Cordyceps species in the [Feathered World] are numerous and not limited to the 'Cordyceps sinensis' that Yuan Zhu remembered. On the contrary, these mycelia can parasitize various insects, giving rise to 'Cordyceps fungi' with different forms and medicinal properties, such as [Cockroach Cordyceps, Locust Cordyceps, and Beetle Cordyceps].

As for the other type, the "zombie fungus," it is closely related to "cordyceps." The difference is that after "cordyceps" matures, its host (corpse) is completely dead, lying motionless on the spot. The "mycelium" spreading from its body merges with the "celestial tree roots" in the nearby soil, absorbing more energy. In contrast, the host of the "zombie fungus" often has its physical body hijacked by the mycelium after death, essentially a "celestial zombie" rising from the dead. The "celestial zombie tendrils" inside are replaced by "zombie mycelium," and the fungus, lacking self-awareness, hijacks and controls the corpses of insects, moving aimlessly in search of nutrients. It may even control the "vehicle" (corpse) to feed on other fungi, plundering nutrients and growing stronger.

Snake: "I understand. One is the [Tower Defense] type, which takes root and expands the range of nutrient intake; the other is the [Vehicle] type, which is limited in scale but has the advantage of being flexible and mobile, and can search for high-energy food."

Yuan Zhu: "I can't approve the [Demon Insect] for you to parasitize and raise for the time being, but you can use [Eggplant Essence] as a host, and half [Cordyceps Fungus] and half [Zombie Fungus]. ​​Don't let me down."

Yuan Tang immediately exclaimed excitedly, "I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"

At this moment, the younger brother Jun asked timidly, "Brother Yuan, what about me?"

Yuan Zhu thought for a moment: "You shouldn't stay in the villa. Starting tomorrow, I will bring your 'students' into this garden. You can stay here and teach them basic fighting skills, cultivating their combat experience and awareness. Later, more 'terrestrial warriors' will join your 'fighting training class,' so work hard."

Having acquired a large number of advanced secret martial arts techniques from [Cicada City], Yuan Tiao was not opposed to teaching martial arts skills; on the contrary, he was eager to try.

But the problem is: "Huh?! They're teaching martial arts? But there's no 'spiritual energy' here, how can they cultivate 'True Qi'?"

Yuan Zhu: "It is not the true qi martial arts of [Cicada City], but the basic martial arts of Duling. The 'Red Harbor Fist' that I once taught you."

"That? Is it enough to just teach such a simple martial arts technique?"

Yuan Zhu earnestly instructed, "That's enough. I hope that under your guidance, the five students can master this martial art and internalize it. Don't just teach them perfunctorily; you must take turns beating them severely until the moves become 'conditioned reflexes' ingrained in their bones!"

The younger brother nodded vigorously: "Understood!"

He secretly vowed to himself that he would do his best to train his students well and not let his elder brother down.

This poor child, having ascended to the upper realm less than a day ago, was assigned arduous physical labor. But the other three present didn't care at all that Yuan Tiao was only eight years old, and that this involved serious forced labor of a child.

Even Yuan Tiao's biological sister, Yuan Tang, felt only gratitude and relief. Big Giegie valued her and her brother so much that she placed such high hopes on them and entrusted them with so many important tasks.

What else could the siblings do? Of course, they could only work hard with gratitude, to express their thanks! They could never repay Brother Yuan's kindness!

After assigning the tasks, Yuan Zhu let the three of them roam freely. Note that you can use the [Holy Flask] to release holy light to protect yourself, and also activate the [Uniform] to isolate yourself from disease contamination.

The three didn't run far; instead, they stayed a short distance away, carefully observing the modifications (torture) being done to the [Eggplant Spirits]. They continuously fed them 'Eyeball Fruits' to accelerate the disease's spread; at the same time, they physically sealed their abdomens with [Holy Flasks] to counteract the disease contamination.

Getting carried away, he took out a series of [Brain Eggplants] and stuck them on the Eggplant Spirit's head. These Brain Eggplants didn't have [Labor Skills] or [Fighting Skills] recorded into them; instead, they loaded the [Paladin Breathing Technique] that Miao Miao had adjusted.

Now that I have become the [Fallen Seal. Sassy Bottle Jinchūriki], I can try the 'Fallen Holy Light Breathing Technique' to regulate and control the [Sassy Bottle Dantian] in my abdomen, extract 'Holy Cough Particles' to circulate throughout my body, strengthen my body, and resist disease.

...

Nie Yin saw Yuan Zhu's scientific research skills in these [eggplant spirits]. He was an employer with ideas, and he was using these poor 'goblin test subjects' to verify his immature conjectures.

The two siblings, however, focused their attention on the [Holy Flask] and the [Fallen Holy Light Breathing Technique] that the eggplant spirit was passively activating. This [Breathing Technique] was similar to [Qi Refining Technique] yet also seemed to share a common origin, which greatly attracted Yuan Tiao's attention. Moreover, some sparks of inspiration faintly emerged from it, but he failed to grasp them.

As for the eggplant spirit that was passively activating the [Knight's Breathing Technique], it did not manage to control the 'Fallen Holy Light' to strengthen its flesh and blood. Instead, due to the further aggravation of the conflict between the 'Holy Light' and 'disease' in its lungs, it began to cough up and vomit blood frantically.

Yuan Zhu: "This is..."

Snake observed every change within the eggplant spirit's body through the [Artificial Intelligence Program] and said, "We're being too impatient. The [Breathing Technique] can be tried in combination with the [Holy Flask], but that's only in the case of a pure 'blank goblin' body, with only one type of [Holy Light Contamination]."

"This [Eggplant Spirit] is in a very complicated situation. It has been strengthened by [Shadow. Eggplant Parasite] within its body; it has also consumed the fruit of disease, causing its flesh and blood to be abnormally strengthened; and finally, it has sealed the [Fallen Seal Flask] and released holy light in its abdomen. Three kinds of pollution of varying strengths stand in a tripod within its body, conflicting with each other. After being stimulated and strengthened by the [Breathing Technique], its 'lungs' could not withstand it and began to bleed."

Yuan Zhu: "It seems that the [polluting systems] cannot coexist."

Both are labeled as 'Shadow Pollution', so theoretically they're family. However, [Shadow. Parasite] clashes severely with [Frog-type Pollution] and is unilaterally defeated and rejected.

Now, a similar situation arises again. Disease or divine light—only one can survive.

As for the [Shadow], due to its extremely low threat level (weak), it can always coexist well with any [polluted energy]. It is then tagged and named using [Ghostly Aura] techniques, such as: [Shadow-type. Ultimate Warrior], [Shadow-type. Sword Immortal], [Shadow-type. Knight Order], etc.

Yuan Zhu: "This [Shadow System] is purely a loss-making venture, a sponsorship. It doesn't change the essence of [Ultimate Warrior, Sword Immortal, Knight...]."

Snake: "But it allowed the Great Wilderness Immortal Scripture to successfully invade these hosts' bodies, observe and record the cultivation data of different transcendent systems! And don't you think this kind of 'naming' behavior, which is essentially a free gift from 'Shadow Contamination,' is very suitable for the 'Anti-Law Great Dao'?"

The Shadow Armor and Shadow Flying Sword, which the Tiger Demon could not refine, were essentially still "seeds" of the "Power Path, Sword Immortal System" and could not be integrated into the Tiger Demon's "Shadow System".

However, these 'extraordinary crystals (seeds)' labeled with the [Shadow] tag can be lent out to users such as 'ultimate warriors and sword cultivators' through [Anti-Law.Shadow]. By nurturing and expanding them, they can gain high-level clients (thugs).

(End of this chapter)