Chapter 485

The parchment gifted by Lady Zugmoi of the Fungi.

When Luo De had just solidified the battle spirit of the Fungus Warrior Gorgon and begun ascending to the seventh tier.

He had once been mistaken by Lady Zugmoi for the real Gorgon and summoned to the realm she controlled.

The authenticity of the soul battle spirit far exceeded imagination.

Lady Zugmoi, such a powerful being, failed to recognize Luo De's true identity.

Instead, after Luo De presented what he claimed was "new spores," Lady Zugmoi was overjoyed, expressing extreme fondness.

In the end, she even believed the invasion progress in the real dimension should advance, and gifted him this parchment, demanding he take full responsibility for the matter.

Though Luo De had done nothing from start to finish.

But the issue probably wasn't serious.

After all, every one of these realm lords were ultra-long-lived creatures.

For long-lived beings, a month or two might as well be an hour or two.

After that.

Luo De also showed the parchment to the elf Kalist.

Upon learning it was a remote sacrificial altar, he completely tossed it into a corner of his spell satchel to gather dust.

Sacrifice, after all.

Involves two sides: "giving" and "receiving." This parchment belonged to the "receiving" side.

Now that it had reacted.

Naturally, it meant the "giving" side was active.

Luo De was quite curious.

He tossed the parchment onto the ground.

The half-werewolf druid Ojia grew even more alarmed.

"Aetheric aura? No—not just that. There's something more primitive, more ancient—natural power."

She stood on guard, staring intently at the parchment on the ground.

"More primitive, more ancient?"

Luo De thought for a moment.

After all, Lady Zugmoi of the Fungi was regarded by many as the progenitor of all fungi and molds.

Fungi and molds seemed to be the most primitive form of nature.

Then wouldn't the offerings sent through it carry special fungi or pathogens?

Would that not be an unwarranted contamination of the land?

"."

Luo De dared not delay; he immediately sent a message via 【Far-Speech Chain】 summoning Yuna to cast a spell.

Fortunately.

The arachnid elf Yuna had been quietly watching her master and the Tree Spirit embrace nearby.

Upon hearing the call, she immediately went over to cast the spell.

The isolation spell was completed swiftly.

Almost simultaneously.

The parchment erupted like a toothpaste tube squeezed too hard with an overly narrow opening—its contents gushing wildly forth.

First to catch the eye was golden gold.

Then came countless bubbles.

These bubbles, composed of spiritual or magical energy, contained various corrupted items.

Rotten plants, trees, fruits—all without exception emitted spores of strange, unnatural colors.

What surprised Luo De was.

There were even corrupted magical artifacts.

Inorganic materials like metal and ceramic showed active fungal colonies and hyphae.

Not only tangible offerings, but symbolic ones too.

Artworks and carvings depicting fungi and decay.

The continental style was unmistakably strong—clearly offered by someone from this continent.

It was said some extreme druids, who despised cities, worshipped Lady Zugmoi.

"Though I knew it the moment those spiritual bubbles appeared—"

Luo De ignored the gushing parchment.

He looked down at the Tree Spirit Vivian, nestled in his arms, utterly oblivious to the commotion outside.

"What do you think of fungal decay, Vivian?"

Her pure, flawless face lifted, her glowing white eyes fixed directly on Luo De.

"Pathogens, trees—bad."

Of course.

Tree spirits were extreme protectors of trees.

Druids might be extreme protectors of nature.

There was overlap, but not complete alignment.

The blue-white giant wolf beside them asked, puzzled: "Druid? There's natural energy inside, but it's also pure—no trace of distortion or withering. Guardian, may I ask two questions: why can you accept druidic offerings?"

"Hmm, it's a long story. We'll talk about it another time."

As he spoke.

With the arrival of a massive spiritual bubble as the finale.

The parchment's eruption ceased entirely.

Inside the massive spiritual bubble was the corpse of a corrupted human girl.

Her slender chest was faintly rising and falling.

This was not a corpse—it was still alive.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed a line of writing etched onto the spiritual bubble surrounding the corpse.

Written in the continental common tongue: "As agreed, the body offered to Lady Zugmoi."

An agreement?

Zugmoi's agreement.

Luo De frowned.

This was no good omen—it suggested Zugmoi intended to use a vessel to manifest in the real world.

Most likely the work of those so-called "Descent Faction" seeking the 【Magic Singularity】.

The half-werewolf Ojia also frowned.

"Regardless, Guardian, some druids are kind and orderly, but others' kindness is chaotic. I advise you not to invite fire upon yourself."

Saying this,

she cast a complex glance at the offerings and turned to leave.

After taking only a few steps, she paused at the forest's edge and turned back.

"The Scorpion Woman in the Eucalyptus Zone isn't acting right, Guardian. You should go see her—I recall you know her."

"Mm, I know."

He had already learned from Yuna's report that the Scorpion Woman Hera's spiritual aura felt unnatural.

Last week, Luo De had searched for her but found no trace.

Watching Ojia vanish completely into the forest.

The succubus Tally stepped out from the shadows, hands on her hips.

"I bet the Scorpion Woman is in heat—no men around, so she's hiding to take care of herself."

"You think everyone's like you, twenty-four hours a year-round? Scorpion people's heat cycle is only between May and October."

Luo De rebutted.

He had researched the matter—he knew the heat cycles of most beastkin races on the continent.

"Pfft, as long as it's warm, scorpions can be twenty-four hours a year-round. My mother once encountered a tiny scorpion tribe in the desert—she played with them for two whole years, eating till her belly was round and full—"

Tally launched into another succubus trivia fact.

Perhaps because this involved her mother, she knew more details—and began recounting an incident where her mother fought twelve opponents, dividing it into twelve rounds.

Luo De ignored her.

He covered Vivian's ears and went to inspect the offerings.

"There's plenty of gold—probably worth a few tens of thousands of Jin Along?"

Since Zugmoi gifted him the parchment, it meant he could personally dispose of its contents.

Except perhaps for the girl's body.

As for the corrupted magical artifacts, he could let the zombie Selina study them—maybe they'd still be usable.

Thinking thus,

Luo De pulled out an extra spell satchel and packed all the offerings inside.

Just as he rolled up the parchment.

A voice slipped through and entered his mind.

"Mr. Gorgon?! You've finally responded?!!"

(End of Chapter)