Chapter 164 - 163: Blood Waterflea

Chapter 164: Chapter 163: Blood Waterflea

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After leaving the basement, Gu Su was left with only one item in his hand: the Blood Waterflea Seed. It was dry and shriveled, and he could barely feel its weight.

Gu Su stood by the Yin Fire Heap for a moment, thinking, then turned and summoned Red Bone.

Red Bone’s Talent Points were invested in planting. He was in charge of the Deceitful Tree, the Withered Wood Forest, the Mushroom Cave, and four other miscellaneous plants.

When it came to plants, he knew far more than Gu Su.

"My Lord," Red Bone said as he walked over. The ghostly fire in his eye sockets flickered as his gaze fell upon Gu Su’s hand. "This is..."

"A Blood Waterflea Seed," Gu Su said, handing it over. "Take a look. Can we grow this thing here?"

Red Bone took the seed, turning it over and over to examine it. He then brought it to his nose and sniffed, though it was a mystery what a Skeleton like him could possibly smell.

"It’s a parent seed," he said, looking up. "The most basic kind—unprocessed and unmutated. This seed preserves the Blood Waterflea in its original form."

Gu Su’s interest was piqued. "You recognize this?"

"I’ve heard of it. I have the planting memories," Red Bone nodded. "But I’ve never grown it myself."

"Then tell me, what’s it used for?"

Red Bone held the seed up to the light, then slowly began to speak.

"My Lord, the most famous quality of the Blood Waterflea is its ability to change the color of water.

"Wherever it’s planted, the water will slowly turn a faint red. From a distance, it looks like a pool of blood, which is where its name comes from."

Gu Su frowned. "Actual blood?"

"No, it’s fake," Red Bone shook his head. "It only looks like blood. The water is still just water—it has no nutrients, and you can’t drink it as a substitute for blood. At least, Vampires don’t like it.

"However, I’ve heard that in an emergency, it can be used as a temporary substitute for real blood, because this ’blood water’ can at least transport oxygen. It can buy you a little time."

"Is that all?" Gu Su was a little disappointed. "What other uses does it have? It can’t just be for decoration."

"There’s more." Red Bone held the seed in his palm, extending his bone fingers one by one as if counting. "The roots, leaves, flowers, and fruit—they each have their own purpose.

"None of them are particularly rare, but if you list them all out, it’s quite a comprehensive plant. It’s incredibly useful, at least in a swamp."

"Explain."

Red Bone tapped the seed with his fingertip.

"Let’s start with the roots. The Blood Waterflea has fibrous roots that grow densely enough to cover the entire bottom of a pond.

"These roots have a very special property: they’re hollow, like thin tubes."

Gu Su paused. "Hollow?"

"Yes, like natural, thin pipes," Red Bone nodded. "If you’ve ever seen a blood vessel, My Lord, you’ll understand.

"After being dried, they can be used as substitutes for blood vessels—not for people, of course, but for constructing things. For example, in mechanisms that require fluid circulation, or as internal conduits for certain Undead creations."

Gu Su nodded thoughtfully.

"Additionally, the dried roots make for good firewood. They burn quite hot.

"They have another use, too. If you mix them into building materials, they can act as rebar. While not as good as real Metal, it makes a wall much stronger than one made of pure mud.

"Most importantly, My Lord, the Strong Root Grass is growing a bit too fast, whereas these roots stop growing once they’re harvested."

Gu Su nodded at once. He had been keeping an eye on the Graveyard Demon’s situation and was aware of how the Strong Root Grass was currently growing.

"The leaves of the Blood Waterflea vary in size, depending mainly on when you harvest them. The small ones are about the size of a palm, while the large ones can grow to about a meter. The large leaves are especially thick—a person can stand on one without it sinking."

Gu Su’s eyes lit up. "You can stand on them?"

"Yes.

"And not only can you stand on them, but once dried, the leaves can be made into armor." Red Bone gestured with his Bone Joints. "The large ones can be cut and sewn into a Chest Armor or a Shield.

"While not as good as proper Iron Armor, their advantages are that they’re light and have some toughness. A blade strike won’t split them right open."

Hearing this, Gu Su felt that even Saw Grass was inferior in comparison.

"What else?"

"The leaves can also be used as a substitute for sheet metal. For instance, if you’re building a house and are short a few roof panels, you can lay large Blood Waterflea leaves on top to block wind and rain. They’ll hold up for a year or so without any issues."

Gu Su nodded, signaling him to continue.

"Next are the flowers. The Blood Waterflea’s flowers are white, and they bloom in small, dense clusters. From a distance, they look like a white mist, but up close you’ll see the petals are quite large and can be used as paper."

"The fruit grows below the water’s surface and forms a small pod when ripe." Red Bone paused. "This thing is edible, but it doesn’t taste very good. It’s astringent and hard, a real pain to chew."

Gu Su laughed. "Then why bother eating it?"

"You don’t eat it," Red Bone shook his head. "If you melt it down by roasting it, My Lord, you get a sticky substance.

"That substance is a very strong adhesive, even stronger than normal white glue. You can use it to bond wood, bone, or sheet metal. It dries clear, so unless you look closely, you can’t even tell something has been glued."

After hearing all this, Gu Su was silent for a few seconds before speaking slowly.

"The roots can be used for pipes, firewood, and rebar; the leaves for armor, shields, and sheet metal; the flowers for paper; and the fruit for making glue... This thing sounds less like a plant and more like a hardware store."

Red Bone nodded. "You’re right, My Lord. Individually, each part of the Blood Waterflea seems unremarkable, but taken together, they can handle a lot of jobs. That’s why it’s considered a decent plant in swamps, and many places grow it.

"There’s just one thing..."

"What is it?"

"These are all its original, most basic uses." Red Bone held up the seed. "What you have, My Lord, is a parent seed. ’Parent seed’ means that nothing is set in stone. It could grow in any number of directions."

Gu Su could tell there was a hidden meaning in his words. "You mean... mutation?"

"Exactly," Red Bone nodded. "If you just want to grow it for materials, My Lord, then simple hydroponics will do. You’ll be able to harvest in a few months.

"But if you want to try something else, My Lord... there’s a lot we can do."

"Yin Qi?"

"Yes, we can use some Yin Qi to cultivate it.

"As for what it will ultimately grow into, that’s something we can’t know.

"However, one thing is certain: the fundamental nature of the Blood Waterflea won’t change.

"At most, its Attributes will just change a bit."

Hearing this, Gu Su thought for a moment. "Alright. First, plant a normal batch. This thing needs water, right?

"There are hydroponic racks over there. Plant them there.

"Don’t plant them by the ditch.

"We’ll consider the mutation effects once we have more seeds.

"Also, once you’ve grown something, take it to Tooth Bone and see if he has any thoughts on these materials.

"Also, you need to manage the Strong Root Grass and Saw Grass properly.

"We still have uses for those things."

"Rest assured, My Lord. I will handle everything here perfectly!"