Chapter 32: Gathering and Unlocking New Characters

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Gathering and Unlocking New Characters

Baal carefully scooped up a bit of the black Water, sealed it, and placed it into his storage device.

Then, he picked up the gray-robed apprentice’s stone to inspect it. He smiled at Chen Shang. "This thing can manipulate the Earth Element. It’s probably a natural creation from some Otherworld. No wonder he survived the Meteorite event... We’ll split it equally after we get out."

Seeing Chen Shang’s deep frown, he added, "You’re pretty strong too, man. You can make an Energy Ball do all sorts of crazy tricks with different Elements. And this Ben Bo’Erba—just based on its base stats alone, it could absolutely crush ordinary Tier One Creatures. It’s definitely a top-tier product among apprentices."

Chen Shang gave a wry smile. The various Element Transformations were traits he had farmed from other apprentices, and Ben Bo’Erba was also the result of combining traits. He had started late; there was still so much he needed to learn.

Take the gray-robed apprentice’s "dying" Curse, for example—Chen Shang’s knowledge of Curses was virtually non-existent. Fortunately, only those on the Wizard’s side possessed such methods. Chen Shang felt somewhat nostalgic for the simple-minded natives of the Other Planes.

They staked out the area for a few more days, but no more lone wolves took the bait. The mountain ridge was as quiet as a graveyard, though Chen Shang knew people were constantly being eliminated.

A few days later, an apprentice suddenly sent a broadcast through the Crystal Plate.

"Everyone, due to the mass extinction of creatures, the surviving Hallucinogenic Mushrooms have sensed the danger and laid down an Illusionary Sealing Array deep within the Southwest Mountain Range.

"To harvest the mushrooms, the Array must be broken. This requires a large number of people working together. Please stop killing each other and gather here immediately."

Attached to the message was a set of coordinates and the sender’s information: Luna Xiya from the Natural Elements Laboratory.

Chen Shang and Baal fell into a long silence after listening to the broadcast.

Then, they spoke at the exact same time. "Should we go?"

"What if it’s a trap?"

"If we don’t go, and others break it open, we won’t even get the scraps."

They fell silent for another moment before quickly making a decision. "Let’s go. Hiding until the end is meaningless. The assessment is about proving our abilities!"

Two days later, Chen Shang and Baal arrived at the coordinates. A rift valley lay beneath their feet. They stood on a protruding rock, peering down. The bottom was incredibly deep and shrouded in thick fog, and a type of glowing moss clung to the rock walls.

Refracted by the mist, the light illuminated the entire valley like a flowing emerald river. The fog seemed to breathe and writhe like some colossal beast, slowly shifting colors from milky white, to pale purple, to indigo... looping endlessly.

It was bad news. The fact that the Hallucinogenic Mushrooms had set up a Sealing Array on their own meant they had developed self-awareness. The harvesting process would likely be extremely tricky.

People had already gathered at the edge of the rift valley. Over a dozen figures were scattered among the rocks and dead trees. None of those who had survived this long were simple characters.

Chen Shang’s gaze swept over them.

A person sat in the corner, entirely wrapped in a dark red robe that obscured their face, but something snake-like wriggled beneath the fabric. A scrawny figure squatted on a massive boulder. She had short hair, dark circles under her eyes, and a palm-sized teddy bear dangling from her chest, covered in crooked stitches. A few others were gathered together, conversing in low tones, all bearing the insignias of their respective laboratories. Some preferred to remain unseen, standing further away in the shadows.

Chen Shang and Baal descended from the ridge and found an empty spot to stand.

A woman stepped forward and addressed them. "You two don’t need to be so cautious. Every person we lose diminishes our chances of opening the Maze. We can’t afford to kill each other anymore."

Chen Shang followed the voice. The speaker stood at the edge of the rift valley with her back to the fog. Her hair was a pale green, and she exuded the elegant aura of an Elf. She wore the standard robes of the Natural Elements Laboratory.

"Are you the one who sent the broadcast... Luna Xiya?"

"That’s right. It would be best if you two showed up in your true bodies," Luna Xiya nodded.

Suddenly, the skin of Chen Shang and Baal began to wrinkle. Like deflated balloons, their bodies dissipated in the wind, leaving only two shriveled seed husks on the ground.

Someone by the rift valley chuckled softly. "Doll Seeds? Interesting."

Two more figures walked out from behind the ridge. This time, it was the real Chen Shang and Baal. Several Ben Bo’Erbas trailed behind them, their footsteps incredibly light.

Luna Xiya’s gaze swept over them, lingering on the Ben Bo’Erbas for a fraction of a second. "Find a place to sit, you two. We’ll wait a bit longer to see if anyone else shows up."

Chen Shang led Baal to the edge of the rift valley. They found a rock neither too close nor too far from the crowd and sat down. The Ben Bo’Erbas surrounded them like a ring of silent shields.

As he sat down, the system panel suddenly flashed.

[Extractable trait detected: Plant Incarnation (Green). Extract?]

Chen Shang froze for a moment before quickly scanning his surroundings. He usually made a conscious effort to trigger traits while at the Starfall Laboratory’s school, so there was basically nothing left to extract from ordinary apprentices unless he got close to an Official Wizard. He hadn’t expected to reap a harvest in the assessment world. They truly lived up to their titles as Elite apprentices from other laboratories.

Chen Shang silently willed the extraction.

[Extraction successful!]

Then, the panel flashed again.

[Mythical Resonance conditions met!]

[Collected: Dragon Power (Green) + Muscle Enhancement (White) + Bone Hardening (White) + Volume Expansion (White) + Plant Incarnation (Green)]

[Fuse into Mythical Trait: Huluwa·Da Wa?]

He wondered if he had unlocked a new character. Chen Shang’s Spirit rallied, and he opened the detailed description.

[Huluwa·Da Wa (Blue): Core Abilities: Heaven and Earth (Incomplete), Rooted in the Earth, Infinite Strength, Vine Entanglement.

Can transform into a giant. Gains a continuous stream of Power when both feet are planted on the ground. Personal Power can erupt and double to break past limits. Can transform the body into vines to enhance physical durability.]

Four abilities, and none of them were of a low grade. It was vastly stronger than Ben Bo’Erba. Chen Shang silently confirmed the fusion. The five traits lit up simultaneously, converging and condensing on the panel. A moment later:

[Fusion successful. Acquired Mythical Trait: Huluwa·Da Wa (Blue)]

Chen Shang closed his eyes and silently activated Da Wa’s abilities. In an instant, his entire body tensed up as he felt a surging Power within him. With his feet firmly planted on the ground, he felt as if he could move mountains and drain the seas. Huluwa was a strength-type fighter, so such a Transformation on the Power level wasn’t surprising. It was just the Vine Entanglement ability... but considering Huluwa was grown from a gourd, it actually made sense. Since he couldn’t test it out in detail right now, Chen Shang could only make such deductions.

As for Heaven and Earth... it was far too conspicuous. He would have to wait for a better opportunity. He then deactivated the Da Wa state.

Just as Chen Shang was testing Da Wa’s abilities, the short-haired little girl in the distance suddenly looked up and scanned the surroundings. Finding nothing unusual, she lowered her head and squeezed her teddy bear. "Did you feel anything?"