Chapter 123

Hey, you—

Fei Lusha's startled voice hadn't yet faded when she saw Luo De, who had rushed unprotected into the Dead Zone, burst back out from within, the whole thing taking less than a second.

Fei Lusha's hand was raised in midair, unsure whether to lower it or keep it up.

After a long while.

She then asked Luo De, who was gazing thoughtfully at his own hand: "You, alright?"

Still fine.

Saying this, Luo De raised his hand to show Fei Lusha.

Just like before.

The black markings were rapidly fading, disappearing completely in the blink of an eye.

It is indeed devouring.

On the other side, Nadixa also formally gave the go-ahead for this.

Although she had only just entered the Dead Zone for a short time, she had already gathered enough samples.

It can devour, but there is an upper limit.

This is Nadixa's conclusion based on the speed at which Luo De's body converts Dead Zone power.

In other words.

If one inhales too much Dead Zone power at once, they still cannot withstand it.

We still need to keep testing.

Not only is there a limit to what you can bear, but we also need to test whether your body can increase this limit after receiving elemental energy feedback; if so, your bearing limit can continue to be raised.

In the dream world, Nadixa had already conjured paper, pens, and blackboards—tools for calculation—and was waiting for Luo De to continue gathering data.

Senior, this is my senior brother Ti Nali; please help me look after him while I go clear this Dead Zone.

After handing Ti Nali over to Fei Lusha for care, Luo De once again came to the Dead Zone, took a deep breath, and stepped back inside.

According to Nadixa, he still needs to go in and out of the Dead Zone several times.

This time.

Fei Lusha no longer stopped him, merely frowning as she watched Luo De's figure vanish into the Dead Zone's mist.

Having finally found a promising seedling not limited by thinking, willing and able to study multiple disciplines, we cannot just let his life be wasted in the Dead Zone.

As for Luo De's purported constitution that might be immune to Dead Zone corrosion,

she thinks it's better to remain skeptical, after all there has never been any record of such a constitution in Sumeru.

If he shows any abnormality this time, we'll stop him later.

Fei Lusha secretly made up her mind.

Luo De, already inside the Dead Zone, naturally had no idea what she was thinking.

What he now knows is that, as he goes deeper, the Dead Zone's power attacks become increasingly fierce.

The monsters wandering in the Dead Zone, like flies drawn to a scent, swarmed over upon spotting Luo De's appearance here.

Moreover, the Dead Zone's branches, far more numerous than in the game, likewise began spewing dark red energy balls at him the instant he entered.

These Dead Zone branches are the reason large Dead Zones are hard to clear.

When few, they're fine; but when many, they're truly like machine guns, annoyingly incessant.

Luo De first formed a low-consumption grass elemental shield to block the Dead Zone branches' attacks, then pulled out the 'Reason Over Force' to prepare to smash these monsters.

Just then.

Nadixa's voice came again: 'Hold out a bit longer; I need to collect samples to see if your stamina's fluctuations affect the conversion efficiency of Dead Zone power, and also whether you can maintain elemental energy consumption while using Dead Zone power to replenish your elemental energy.'

Oh, okay.

Luo De, who had been about to quickly dispatch these monsters, responded with an acknowledgement, then put away 'Reason Over Force' and switched to a curved blade taken from the Tanite Tribe.

This is a cursed spirit weapon.

It seals an ice elemental cursed spirit; if released, one can, in a demonized state, turn an ordinary person into a powerful ice elemental wielder.

However, Luo De does not intend to use the cursed spirit; he merely relies on the blade's sharpness to weave between the violent Dead Zone monsters, blocking the branches' attacks while allowing the Dead Zone power wandering within to freely erode his body.

This curved blade is not very easy to wield.

It's too light.

After obtaining the Grass Element Divine Eye, Luo De's physique was greatly enhanced; even holding 'Reason Over Force' in hand is no longer as comfortable as before, let alone this lightweight curved blade.

Using this awkward weapon, he can only exert forty to fifty percent of his full ability.

Nevertheless, it satisfies Nadixa's requirement to linger with the monsters.

This not-so-smooth battle continued until Luo De began to feel dizzy.

Alright, we can go.

A faint green light covered Luo De, preventing further Dead Zone erosion; taking advantage of Nadixa's protection, he swung his blade, cutting the two small floating mushroom beasts that lunged at him in half, leapt up, and flew straight over their heads.

"Exhale—"

As soon as he entered the dead zone's range, Luo De's dizziness symptoms eased considerably.

Seeing the green mountains and clear waters before him, completely unlike the misty scene inside the dead zone, his suppressed mood also felt much better.

Just like before.

After no further dead zone power continued to erode him, the erosion symptoms on Luo De's body began to dissipate again.

However.

This time the dissipation was much slower than before.

"Before you reach your limit, the dead zone's power cannot harm you; it will only accumulate in your body to be processed or await transformation. After you reach your limit, the dead zone's erosive damage will not be as severe as it is for others; there will be a buffer period in between. How long this buffer period actually is still needs to be tested."

Your endurance limit matches the elemental energy storage in your Vision, so theoretically expanding the Vision's elemental energy capacity can raise the upper limit, but this still needs further verification.

The elemental energy consumed in battle can be replenished by converted elemental energy; this has already been confirmed.

The conversion rate between Blight Power and elemental energy is roughly one thousand to one; the exact value cannot be calculated precisely, it's roughly in this range. The Blight Power absorbed into your body is not converted immediately, but must first undergo purification before being converted and absorbed, during which a very large loss occurs, which I cannot calculate.

Therefore, for these reasons, your speed of converting Blight Power cannot keep up with the erosion speed of Blight Power.

Especially after reaching the limit, conversion efficiency drops to only one-fifth of before, so the closer you get to your body's limit, the less your conversion efficiency can withstand the erosion speed, and the signs of erosion become increasingly severe.

However, as long as you escape the Blight's erosion, your Blight erosion symptoms can gradually heal on their own, provided you don't stay long-term in the Blight after reaching your limit; but for your safety, I do not recommend in-depth testing on this point—if you encounter Blight, just leave before reaching your limit.

Also, during combat, conversion efficiency is not affected by minor stamina consumption; as far as we can tell, but we still need to test conversion efficiency under moderate stamina consumption and stamina exhaustion.

Nadixa gradually summarized all these characteristics.

Among these, there is very good news.

That is, her theory of becoming stronger through nesting dolls currently appears to hold.

This conclusion, which Nadixa drew from the collected sample data, also filled Luo De, who was recovering from Blight erosion symptoms, with vigor.

Indeed, there truly is a shortcut to becoming stronger.

As of now.

As long as he clears enough Blight, his elemental energy and physical fitness will rapidly expand at a terrifying speed.

As for Luo De not having systematically learned any martial arts up to now,

In the face of absolute power, a numbers-focused build can crush a technique-focused one; no matter how flashy you are, I can drown you in a huge amount of elemental energy or smash you with a single blow, and that's that.

Of course.

If this numbers-focused build could also have technique, it would be even harder to imagine.

Luo De and Nadixa's conversation cannot be heard by Fei Lusha.

She could only see Luo De, who obviously showed Blight erosion symptoms, and since coming out he has sat there constantly grinning foolishly.

Could this kid have had his brain addled by Blight Power?

It's all my fault; I should have just gone to stop him earlier!

With such regret, Fei Lusha approached worriedly, without a word directly unleashing wind elemental energy to prepare to expel the Blight Power from Luo De's body.

"Senior, I'm fine; just rest a bit and I'll be okay, no need to worry."

Seeing Fei Lusha come to help with the operation, Luo De hurriedly waved his hand, showing her his arm that was in the process of recovering, and hehe said: "Once I recover, I'll go in a few more times, and then we can basically resolve this Blight."

"You're still going?"

"Your body."

Fei Lusha glanced at Luo De, whose skin tone was returning to normal, hesitated a moment, then dispersed the elemental energy in her hand, took back what she was about to say, and replaced it with a concerned admonition: "Act within your limits; absolutely do not push yourself."

"Mm, thank you for your concern, senior."

Luo De nodded heavily, then closed his eyes and patiently felt the changes in his body.

When he opened his eyes again,

Tighnari, who had been unconscious for a good half day, also woke up just then.

"Luo De? Why are you here?"

Tighnari covered his head and sat up, looked at the Blight ahead, then at the bandages wrapped around himself, immediately understood what had happened, and thanked Luo De: "Thank you, and also, who is this person, who is this?"

Tighnari did not know Fei Lusha, so he turned his gaze toward Luo De.

Luo De understood his meaning and proactively introduced: "This is Senior Fei Lusha, a senior of the Knowledge Theory School; I met her in the desert on this trip, she is preparing to return to the Academy, and we happen to be traveling together."

"Thank you, Senior Fei Lusha."

Obviously, Tighnari does not know what the name Fei Lusha signifies.

Fei Lusha also showed no particular reaction to this.

After all, a hundred years have passed; such a long time is enough for a family to go through several generations, so it's normal that few people recognize themselves.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries.

Tighnari then tried to stand up by supporting his body, but this time his injury was serious; several attempts to rise ended with him swaying and collapsing again.

"Just rest here for now; I'll go handle this Blight."

Luo De patted Tighnari's shoulder, letting him rest easy here, and wouldn't let him move around no matter what.

"You're going?"

Tighnari's gaze toward Luo De was somewhat doubtful.

"Hey, you forgot I also have a Vision?"

Luo De raised his hand and condensed; a mass of Ice Elemental Power compressed to the extreme appeared in his palm: "I am someone who scored full marks in the Fundamental Theory School's examination, a disciple of the Sage of the Fundamental Theory School."

Having said that,

He flexed his muscles and laughed: "I'm also quite strong, and I just went in once; look, I'm completely unharmed."

Upon hearing him say that,

Tighnari turned his head to look at Fei Lusha.

"He indeed just went in once, staying for nearly an hour before coming out."

With Fei Lusha's confirmation of Luo De's ability,

Tighnari pondered a bit, and then no longer objected.

After all, back when in Xu Mi Cheng, Luo De's elemental energy control had received unanimous approval from Nafisi and Juleshe, which he knows.

With such excellent control, Luo De certainly cannot be regarded as an ordinary Vision bearer.

Moreover, since he can now safely remain in the Blight for an hour, with such skill in elemental energy control, even if he cannot clear this Blight, guaranteeing his own safety is still no problem.

Just like Fei Lusha.

Tighnari not objecting aside, the necessary caution is still needed: "Be careful at all times; absolutely do not push yourself."

Hmm, I understand.

Luo De's answer was the same as before; he waved his hand and stepped into the dead zone once again.

This time.

He switched back to his own way of reasoning with people, and once again fiercely entangled with the dead zone's monsters.

Following Nadixa's orders, he not only didn't clean up the dead zone's branches, but also squandered his own power to his heart's content—basically wasting his strength and elemental energy however he liked.

Coincidentally, this group of dead zone monsters had thick hides; even the larger ones could withstand Luo De's successive blows with a few sticks.

Otherwise.

If everything could be killed with a single blow, Nadixa's test couldn't continue.

Just like that.

Each time Luo De reached his limit he would go out, wait until fully recovered before going back in; after several dozen such trips, he finally smashed the core tumor of this large dead zone, and this road‑blocking dead zone finally ended the painful ordeal of being tortured by him, completely dissipating.

Nadixa's test also yielded the result she wanted.

First, the elemental energy Luo De obtained by converting dead‑zone power can indeed increase his absorption limit for dead‑zone power, so the 'nesting doll gets stronger' theory holds.

Second, Luo De's conversion efficiency of dead‑zone power is still affected by his stamina; when he is near exhaustion, the conversion efficiency drops to about one‑tenth of normal. If, in that state, the dead‑zone power inside him also reaches its limit, his situation becomes very dangerous. Nadixa did not risk testing that state; she merely warned Luo De not to fight in the dead zone until exhaustion, otherwise unpredictable mishaps could occur.

(End of chapter)