Chapter 87 Heading North

Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Heading North

Soon, thanks to everyone’s hard work, the originally empty small banquet hall was completely transformed.

In the basic crop area on the left, abandoned shelves had been repurposed into three-tiered vertical planting racks. Plastic pots of various sizes and modified containers were arranged on each level. The spots near the windows, which had relatively better lighting, were reserved for leafy greens like spinach and bok choy. The lighting in this environment was inherently dim; organizing it this way simply catered to Professor Ye’s habits.

The mutation research area on the right was tightly sealed off by thick tarpaulins, and the interior was further divided into several independent sections using wooden boards. They were labeled: "Squirting Cucumber Experimental Group," "Venus Flytrap Experimental Group," "Thorny Vine Experimental Group," and "Reserved Area." Each section contained the corresponding planting pots, making the entire area look perfectly organized.

Han Ning stood in the mutation research area, his gaze sweeping over the plants in the experimental groups. According to the experimental plan designed by Professor Ye, he needed to repeatedly cast [Rapid Growth] and [Natural Blessing] on these target plants to observe their reactions and growth trends.

All three of these crops had seeds and could be cultivated from them. Their seeds had only just been treated and buried in the soil. However, their environmental requirements varied greatly. For example, the squirting cucumber needed sandy soil, was averse to the cold, preferred sunlight, and required little water. The Venus Flytrap also needed sunlight, but it required an abundance of water. As for the thorny vines, they had chosen the Vajra Vine, which was actually the most suitable for their current environment.

Limited by their conditions, what they lacked most right now was sunlight. Professor Ye could only pin his hopes on Han Ning’s methods. Meanwhile, the mysterious Seaweed Fruit had been placed in an acrylic box by Professor Ye. Filled with floodwater and mud from outside, it was currently undergoing research.

"Let’s begin," Professor Ye said, holding a pen and paper.

Han Ning focused his Spirit. An emerald-green glow emerged from his palms, enveloping the squirting cucumber, Venus Flytrap, and Vajra Vine seeds in sequence.

[Rapid Growth (Middle Level) Skill Level +1. Current: 181/200]

[Natural Blessing (Basic Level) Skill Level +1. Current: 55/200]

[Rapid Growth (Middle Level) Skill Level +1. Current: 182/200]

[Natural Blessing (Basic Level) Skill Level +1. Current: 56/200]

...

The emerald halos flowed, nourishing the plants. Under the nourishment of the dual Skills, these plants quickly sprouted and broke through the soil. They swayed gently, displaying vigorous vitality.

As the last wisp of green light faded away:

[Spiritual Power: 20/50]

On the interface, the Skill Level of [Rapid Growth] reached 192/200, only a step away from breaking through to High Level. [Natural Blessing] had also increased to 66/200. Casting Skills consecutively had consumed 30 points of his Spiritual Power. His Spiritual Power pool was much larger than before, and its recovery speed had also increased.

"The effects will take time to observe. You should rest first," Professor Ye said without looking up, continuing to record the data on the side.

...

In the afternoon, Han Ning and Snow Cake appeared northwest of the Biyun Resort. After resting, Han Ning’s Spiritual Power had once again recovered to its peak.

In the torrential rain, the two figures sliced through the water’s surface, swimming toward the distance. The further northwest they went, the deeper the floodwaters became. The surroundings were dead silent. Even the Crocodile Lizards that could occasionally be seen earlier had vanished without a trace, leaving only the boundless curtain of rain.

Han Ning activated his Molten Gold Eyes, scanning his surroundings vigilantly. Maintaining the Fish Gills Technique, he pushed northwest for nearly six kilometers in one breath. This location was already two or three kilometers further west than the Agricultural and Forestry University he had reached previously, and the water depth here was approaching 3.2 meters.

He wondered, "Is there something over there?"

When Han Ning neared a former pedestrian overpass, his gaze abruptly locked onto the portion of the bridge that had not yet been submerged.

SPLASH SPLASH!

Over a dozen twisted figures were coiling on the overpass. Raindrops fell continuously, striking their bodies and splashing water into the air. Their upper halves were covered in slick, pitch-black scales, with torsos resembling anacondas with black scales, sporting a pair of scale-covered arms that looked almost human.

The most striking feature was their heads. They were flat like shovels and covered in fine scales. Their narrow, vertical pupils glinted with a cold, yellow light. With sunken nose bridges and mouths that split open all the way to the roots of their ears—revealing dense, interlocking fangs—their facial features combined to create the ferocious, eerie semblance of a monkey’s face. Their lower halves consisted of thick tails covered in even larger scales, which lazily slapped against the ground as the rain poured over them.

"These must be the Black Snake Monsters that the scrawny man mentioned," Han Ning thought.

Golden flames flashed in Han Ning’s eyes. The gill features on his face vanished, replaced by the growth of short, Dark Gold fur. In a matter of seconds, he transformed from a human into the half-human, half-tiger stance of the Molten Gold Battle Tiger. He paddled through the water, swimming over silently. Snow Cake sensed its master’s battle intent and followed closely behind.

The distance rapidly closed.

The Black Snake Swarm seemed to be startled by the disturbance in the water currents below, and they shook their ferocious heads one after another.

"Die!"

Han Ning’s tiger claws tore through the water currents. Carrying a terrifying wind pressure, he ruthlessly swiped at the nearest Black Snake Monster.

"Hiss?!"

The Black Snake Monster tried to open its mouth, a glob of pitch-black, viscous liquid swirling in its maw. But before it could spit it out...

CRUNCH!

In the face of absolute power, its pitch-black chest was effortlessly shattered like rotting wood. With its momentum unabated, the tiger claw swept upward.

SPLAT!

The entire head burst open like a rotten watermelon.

[Beast Form (Basic Level) Skill Level +5. Current: 235/2000]

Without pausing his movements in the slightest, Han Ning raised a thick tiger leg and delivered a sweeping sidekick. It struck another nearby Black Snake Monster right in the waist, sending it flying as its Scale Armor shattered and its bones and tendons snapped.

Meanwhile, Snow Cake had also engaged in battle with a Black Snake Monster. It executed a Crocodile Lizard dash, crashing into the Black Snake Swarm and throwing them into disarray. Then, it opened its large mouth.

POP!

A three-colored light rippled out, completely dissolving a Black Snake Monster’s head.

Han Ning followed Snow Cake’s example. Opening his tiger jaws wide, a condensed golden fireball brewed in his throat.

BOOM!

A scorching pillar of golden fire erupted outward, piercing through three Black Snake Monsters that were charging side by side, burning them to a crisp.

BANG BANG BANG!

The battle broke out in a flash and ended in just a few dozen seconds. Before Han Ning, who had executed his Transformation Technique, the dozen or so Black Snake Monsters were as vulnerable as clay figures, torn to shreds with overwhelming force. The corpses of the Black Snake Monsters littered the ground.

[Druid Growth Progress +180. Current: Level 5, 1251/2000]

[Three-Color Gemstone Crocodile Lizard Growth Progress +180. Current: Level 4, 240/550]

A total of fifteen clusters of Energy, glowing with a faint black mist, merged into one and sank into Han Ning’s body. A warm current surged through him, nourishing his body.

Han Ning deactivated his transformation, reverting to his human form, and looked further to the northwest.

"Fifteen Black Snake Monsters only yielded 180 progress points, but they’re easy to kill. I can make up for it with quantity," he thought, feeling the growing strength within his body.

Cultivating plants was important, but improving his strength and breaking through to the next Level was of the utmost importance. Han Ning planned to simultaneously level up and increase his Beast Form’s Skill Level.

Relying solely on the Molten Gold Fierce Tiger form was still too limited. At the Basic Level, he could only fuse with one Beast Spirit. Once he reached the Middle Level, he could fuse with two more, making it three in total. At the High Level, there would be no restrictions.

With Professor Ye holding down the fort on the plant side, he only needed to follow the professor’s daily schedule and cast Natural Blessing and Accelerated Growth. This allowed him to focus more of his Energy on killing monsters and leveling up.