Chapter 612: Rare Plant! Thorn Sword Grass!

"Are you okay?"

Xu Jingming walked over and took a bottle of mineral water from his space ring, handing it to Ailin.

After expanding his space ring, he had stocked it with a large supply of pure water for emergencies.

"Th-thank you."

Ailin, barely recovered, took the mineral water, drank just one sip, then poured the rest over herself.

But compared to the sticky slime coating her entire body, this bottle of water was like a drop in the ocean.

It only cleaned the slime off her chest; the rest of her remained slick and slimy.

Yet, the water soaking into her body only accentuated the full contours of her chest.

"Thank you for helping me—I wouldn't have known what to do otherwise."

Ailin took a deep breath, stood up from the ground, and bowed deeply in gratitude.

"It was nothing. You could've handled those vines yourself."

Xu Jingming smiled.

When he had attacked earlier, he noticed these vines weren't particularly aggressive.

They were roughly at the lower end of the seventh tier; as an S-rank sixth-tier awakened, Ailin should've dealt with them easily.

Her earlier panic must've been triggered by some deep-seated fear.

After all,

compared to ferocious beasts,

soft, wriggling creatures that secrete slime are what women fear most.

And indeed, in Ailin's eyes, these vines were hundreds of times more terrifying than bloodthirsty beasts!

After entering the cave, she'd been caught off guard and bound by the vines.

That's why she lost her composure and forgot to release the plant seeds stored in her space ring that complemented her abilities.

"S-rank! These vines have psychic energy fluctuations—they're the plant life we're looking for!"

At that moment, Eva's excited voice echoed in his mind.

Xu Jingming immediately turned his gaze to the center of the cave.

The vines on the walls had been cleared away, but a cluster remained on the ground.

These vines stood upright like serpents, coiled tightly toward Xu Jingming.

Xu Jingming indeed sensed faint psychic energy emanating from them.

Yet the psychic energy was extremely weak, like that of an ordinary cat or dog.

He could easily tell these vines were in a state of extreme fury!

Like a cat arching its back, fur standing on end.

"This thing is a plant life?" Xu Jingming glanced dismissively at the slime-dripping vines.

Aside from women, he didn't care much about appearance.

But these vines were genuinely disgusting.

After all, plant life forms battle armor—just imagining his armor covered in slime made him feel nauseated.

"Don't look down on it just because it's S-rank. This thing is called 'Black Purple Vine.'

It's one of the better types among the ordinary plant lives cultivated by the Flower Goddess.

Its slime has a slight paralyzing effect and can heal wounds!

Just collecting this slime alone qualifies as a B-rank healing resource."

Eva introduced enthusiastically:

"Capturing plant life is simple.

Just like using a space ring—leave your own psychic imprint on it."

Indeed, you can't judge a person by appearance, nor measure the sea with a dipper.

Xu Jingming hadn't expected the slime to have such effects.

Even knowing its utility, he still found it repulsive...

"This is plant life—I came here specifically for it."

Seeing Xu Jingming staring at the plant, Ailin volunteered:

"I didn't expect it to be 'Black Purple Vine.'"

Ailin sighed helplessly.

Even Xu Jingming, a man, found it disgusting—how much more so for a woman like her?

From cultivation value and effects alone, Black Purple Vine was decent enough.

But that slime... it was simply unbearable.

Of course,

she could capture it and later exchange it for something else.

"By the way, you know what plant life is, right?"

"Yes."

Xu Jingming nodded.

He couldn't admit he'd been tailing her this whole time just for this plant life.

"Plant life is extremely rare. I've been here over ten days and only found this one.

I didn't expect you'd be nearby too, Xu Jingming..."

Before she finished speaking, a sharp whistling sound struck—Black Purple Vine attacked again!

"Still not giving up?"

Xu Jingming's mind stirred; lightning flashed, instantly severing the extending vines!

"Thunder Prison!"

Boom—boom—boom—

Brilliant golden lightning sealed the remaining Black Purple Vine in place, preventing any further attack.

Just as Xu Jingming and Ailin thought they were safe, a piercing whistle pierced the air!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!...

Black streaks, like venomous snakes, shot from the cave's depths at several times the speed of sound!

They targeted both Xu Jingming and Ailin!

"Watch out!" In an instant, Xu Jingming activated a Perfect-level Thunder Barrier around himself.

Beside him, Ailin remained frozen, stunned.

Just as the black streaks were about to pierce Ailin's skull—CRACK! —the brilliant golden Thunder Barrier flared to life!

Ding! Ding! Ding!!

The black streaks slammed into the two Thunder Barriers, producing a series of crisp, metallic clangs!

Golden lightning scattered—but the black streaks failed to penetrate the barrier's defense.

They fell to the ground.

Only then did Xu Jingming realize: these black streaks were blade-shaped leaves!

"What is this...?!"

Brilliant golden lightning surged forth, illuminating the depths of the cave.

The next moment,

a plant, six to seven meters tall, resembling a shrub, appeared before Xu Jingming.

Its entire body was emerald green, its stalks covered in sharp thorns, its leaves shaped exactly like swords.

"S-rank! This is a rare plant life—Thorn Sword Grass!"

Eva's excited voice rang out in his mind.

Beside him, Ailin, just now regaining her senses, reacted the same way:

"Thorn Sword Grass! I never thought I'd find this plant life here!"

She stared at the plant with burning fervor, completely forgetting she'd nearly been killed moments earlier by its flung leaves.

"Is Thorn Sword Grass stronger than Black Purple Vine?" Xu Jingming asked Eva mentally.

"Stronger? It's vastly stronger!"

Eva's voice trembled with excitement:

"The Flower Goddess's plant lives are divided into three categories: ordinary, rare, and supreme.

Black Purple Vine is one of the rarer ordinary types.

But Thorn Sword Grass is a rare plant life—its rarity dwarfs Black Purple Vine by countless times!

Even in our Second Civilization Era, few powerful cultivators possessed Thorn Sword Grass!"