92: Chapter 92 Planting Trees with Breath of Life! I've accepted the level 45 mutated dungeon.
After leaving the shop, Lin Feng went straight home.
The moment he pushed open the door, a faint smell of mold wafted toward him.
"Time to clean up... or maybe I should move...!?"
He muttered to himself but wasn't in a hurry to get to work.
There were more important things to do right now.
Lin Feng walked to the center of the living room and sat down cross-legged.
With a thought, items from the wanxiang ring flew out one by one.
First was that piece of Living Soil.
The palm-sized, dark-gold soil floated in mid-air, emitting a warm glow and a dense aura of life.
The moldy smell in the room was instantly washed away completely.
In its place was a refreshing scent that calmed the spirit, as if one were in a primeval forest.
"Good stuff..."
Lin Feng took a deep breath, feeling his spirit improve significantly.
Next was that ten-thousand-year evergreen tree.
Its entire trunk was a translucent emerald color, with lush branches and leaves where every leaf shone bright green.
Although it had been uprooted, it remained vibrant with life thanks to the nourishment of the wanxiang ring.
Lin Feng carefully placed the tree next to the Living Soil.
Then came those medicinal herb seeds.
ten thousand year he shou wu seeds, various purple medicinal material seeds, and some unknown seeds collected from the Secret Realm.
Big and small, multicolored, there were dozens of them.
"Elder Dan, how do I plant these?"
Lin Feng asked.
Elder Dan was silent for a second before slowly speaking.
"Spread the Living Soil out first."
Lin Feng did as instructed.
He found a corner, placed the Living Soil on the ground, and then activated it with Mental Energy.
As the legends said, the Living Soil indeed began to grow slowly!
From the size of a palm, it slowly expanded to the size of a washbasin, then to half a meter square...
Lin Feng watched it grow bit by bit, his eyes widening.
"This thing... it really grows by itself?!"
"Nonsense," Elder Dan said. "The characteristic of Living Soil is infinite growth. As long as there is energy, it can expand indefinitely."
"You can feed it with Spirit Stones now to make it grow faster."
Lin Feng suddenly understood.
He took out a pile of Spirit Stones—purple, gold, and blue—and spread them around the Living Soil.
Like a living being, the Living Soil extended countless tiny tentacles, Entangling those Spirit Stones.
"Crunch, crunch—"
The sound of the Spirit Stones being absorbed was like Xiao Jin gnawing on something.
The Living Soil continued to expand at a rate visible to the naked eye!
From half a meter square, it expanded to one meter, two meters, three meters...
Finally, when that pile of Spirit Stones was completely absorbed, the Living Soil had turned into a plot of land five meters square!
The dark-gold soil had a rainbow-colored halo flowing across its surface.
It emitted a life aura ten times denser than before!
[Living Soil Current Area: 25 square meters]
[Plantable Area: 25 square meters]
"Enough, enough!" Lin Feng quickly called a halt.
If it grew any further, his home wouldn't be able to contain it.
He carefully planted the Evergreen Tree in the center of the Living Soil.
The moment the roots touched the Living Soil, the entire tree trembled violently!
Then, those already emerald leaves became even more vibrant!
New buds even began to sprout on the trunk!
[ten-thousand-year evergreen tree Transplant Successful]
[Growth Speed +1000%]
[Quality improving...]
"Holy crap, it really works!"
Lin Feng's eyes lit up.
He then planted those medicinal herb seeds one by one around the Evergreen Tree.
He buried them in the Living Soil and watered them with a bit of spiritual spring water brought back from the Secret Realm.
Those seeds began to sprout at a rate visible to the naked eye!
Tender green seedlings poked out from the soil!
Under the nourishment of the Living Soil, they grew frantically!
In one minute, they grew to the height of a finger.
In five minutes, they grew to the height of a palm.
In ten minutes, they had already grown to calf height!
[He Shou Wu Seedling (Purple)]
[Growth Progress: 1/100 years]
[Estimated Maturity Time: 36 days]
Lin Feng was stunned as he looked at that line of description.
A ten thousand year he shou wu that originally needed a century to mature now only needed 36 days?
This Living Soil is just too insane!
"Elder Dan, this..."
"Don't make a fuss," Elder Dan said. "With the Living Soil plus Spirit Stones, and adding the life aura emitted by the Evergreen Tree, the three effects stack and multiply."
"36 days is already considered slow. If you were willing to feed it with golden Spirit Stones, it would be even faster."
Lin Feng swallowed hard.
The thing he lacked least right now was golden Spirit Stones.
Twenty-three pieces were enough to feed it for a while!
"Plant them! Plant them all!"
He took out all the seeds and planted them all into the Living Soil.
Purple ones, blue ones, and a few red ones.
They were arranged neatly in several rows.
Then he took out ten golden Spirit Stones and buried them in the four corners of the Living Soil.
As soon as the Spirit Stones were buried, they were absorbed by the Living Soil.
Those seedlings shot up another notch!
[Estimated Maturity Time: 28 days]
"Awesome!"
Lin Feng grinned from ear to ear.
Once these medicinal materials matured, he would be able to refine all sorts of top-grade Medicinal Pills!
Combined with the complete compendium of elixirs, the success rate would double, and the quality would improve by two Ranks...
The picture was too beautiful to even imagine.
"Oh right, and you."
Lin Feng looked at Xiao Jin, who was perched on his shoulder.
Xiao Jin was gnawing on half a Spirit Stone; seeing Lin Feng look at it, it blinked its tiny eyes.
"Squeak?"
Lin Feng picked it up and placed it on the Living Soil.
"The Spiritual Qi is abundant here; you'll stay here from now on."
Xiao Jin rolled around on the Living Soil, squealing in comfort.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"
It used its golden front legs to scratch at the soil, and half its body soon burrowed in.
Only its head remained outside, eyes squinted in a look of pure enjoyment.
Lin Feng smiled and took out some blue Spirit Stones, piling them next to Xiao Jin.
"Eat slowly, there's plenty."
Xiao Jin's eyes lit up, and it grabbed a Spirit Stone to gnaw on.
"Crunch, crunch—"
The sound was like a miniature excavator.
After handling all this, Lin Feng stood up and looked around.
A corner of the living room had turned into a small spiritual field.
The emerald Evergreen Tree, the tender green medicinal herb seedlings, the dark-gold soil, and a golden dung beetle rolling in the dirt.
The scene was both bizarre and harmonious.
"Alright, time to get down to business."
Lin Feng clapped his hands and turned to leave the house.
...
Half an hour later.
Lin Feng stood at the entrance of the Explorer Association building.
Looking up at the thirty-story black building, he felt a bit emotional.
The first time he came, he was just a ridiculed newcomer.
Coming back now, he was already an S-Rank Explorer and a Deacon.
He stepped into the lobby.
It was still the same people, the same counters, and the same Explorers coming and going.
But this time, no one dared to look at him with strange eyes.
Those who saw the S-Rank badge on his chest made way one after another.
Their gazes held awe, envy, and curiosity.
Lin Feng walked straight to the front desk.
Liu Ruyan was looking down, organizing documents; hearing footsteps, she looked up.
The moment she saw Lin Feng, the expression on her face was quite a sight.
First a daze, then her eyes widened, and then she stood up with a start.
"Mr... Mr. Lin!"
Her voice even changed pitch.
Lin Feng nodded.
"I want to take a mission."
"O-okay! One moment, please!"
Liu Ruyan hurriedly pulled up the mission interface.
Lin Feng looked at the giant screen in the center of the hall.
Densely packed mission information scrolled across the screen.
From E-Rank to A-Rank, everything was there.
At the very top were still those three blood-red s-rank missions.
SSS-Rank: Subdue the void fissure Dominator (Level requirement 80+, team required)
SS-Rank: Reclaim the Deep Sea Ruins (Level requirement 50+, team required)
S-Rank: Conquer the Ancient Trial Tower (Completed)
Behind the Ancient Trial Tower mission, a line of small green text had been added—
[Completed, Conqueror: Lin Feng (S-Rank Explorer)]
Lin Feng glanced at it and withdrew his gaze.
Suddenly, the screen flashed.
A new mission popped up.
It was also a blood-red S-Rank.
[Mission Name: Orléans Instance Mutation Investigation]
[Mission Type: Dungeon Conquest / Mutation Handling]
[Dungeon Name: Orléans]
[Dungeon Rank: Level 45 (Already Cleared)]
[Mission Content: Abnormal energy fluctuations have recently appeared in the Orléans Instance, and the internal environment has mutated. Multiple Explorer teams have lost contact. Please enter the Dungeon, investigate the cause of the mutation, and resolve the source of the mutation.]
[Mission Time Limit: 72 hours]
[Mission Reward: 8 million points, S-Rank Contribution points +100, Special Reward ×1]
[Danger Rating: S-Rank (Extremely High Risk)]
[Remarks: This Dungeon was originally a Level 45 cleared Dungeon; the danger level after mutation is unknown. Please consider carefully before accepting.]
Lin Feng stared at that mission, his eyes lighting up.
A Level 45 Dungeon, already cleared, but now mutated.
This meant the monsters inside might be stronger, the environment more complex, and the danger level could have doubled.
But it also meant...
There might be new opportunities!
"Mr. Lin, do you... want to take this mission?" Liu Ruyan asked cautiously.
Lin Feng nodded.
"Show me the details."
Liu Ruyan operated the console rapidly, pulling up more information.
[Orléans Instance]
[Original Rank: Level 45]
[Original Status: Cleared (Cumulative Clears: 2,347 times)]
[Current Status: Mutating]
[Mutation Cause: Unknown]
[Mutation Phenomena:]
[1. The internal spatial structure of the Dungeon has changed; the original map is invalid.]
[2. Monsters have undergone mutations; some monster levels have increased and they have gained new skills.]
[3. An unknown energy source has appeared, suspected to be some kind of treasure or special creature.]
[4. Explorer teams out of contact: 3 teams (15 people in total)]
[5. Last message sent back: Inside... something... is calling...]
Lin Feng's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at that last piece of information.
Inside... something... is calling...
Why did this feeling seem a bit familiar?
In the previous Secret Realm, he also felt like something was hiding from him.
Now in this Dungeon, something else was calling?
"A coincidence?"
He murmured.
"Mr. Lin, are you sure you want to take it?" Liu Ruyan asked tentatively. "This mission is very dangerous; three teams have already gone missing..."
Lin Feng glanced at her.
That look made Liu Ruyan's heart tremble.
She suddenly remembered that the person before her was the monster who had cleared the Ancient Trial Tower.
The freak who had soloed a King Rank Void Beast.
The madman who even dared to offend the Zhou Family.
A mission like this for him...
"I'll take it."
Lin Feng said calmly.
Liu Ruyan swallowed and operated the console quickly.
"O-okay! I'll register it for you right away!"
A few minutes later.
Lin Feng's Explorer badge had gained another blood-red "S" mark.
[s-rank mission Accepted: Orléans Instance Mutation Investigation]
[Mission Time Limit: 72 hours]
[Suggested Preparation Time: Within 24 hours]
Lin Feng put away the badge and turned to leave.
Behind him, the hall was abuzz with discussion.
"Isn't that Lin Feng? He took another s-rank mission?"
"The Orléans Instance? That Dungeon that's been haunted lately?"
"Three teams have gone missing, and he still dares to take it?"
"Nonsense, he's the tough guy who cleared the Ancient Trial Tower; what's he afraid of?"
"Tsk tsk, truly a monster..."
Lin Feng ignored the talk.
He walked out of the Association building, stood on the steps, and looked up at the sky.
The sunlight was a bit piercing.
He narrowed his eyes, calculating in his mind.
A Level 45 Dungeon, danger level unknown after mutation.
His current strength: Level 40, two million HP, eight thousand five hundred attack, with the dragon slaying sword in hand.
Theoretically, he should be able to handle it.
But it never hurt to be careful.
"I'll go prepare first."
He set off toward home.
Behind him, the glass curtain wall of the Explorer Association building reflected the sunlight.
That blood-red s-rank mission was still flashing on the screen.
As if calling out to the next person to step inside.