Chapter 226: Cloud Gamer Parents, Green Source Clan Inheritance (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

After five hundred thousand novices were recruited into the field.

The congestion in the novice village space continued to worsen.

From a bird's-eye view of the Sen Luo Lin Jing region, the influx of novice players resembled plant roots extending after piercing the earth, radiating outward from the starting point in all directions.

West of the starting point.

"Xiao Luo, listen to your old man's advice: let's first raise our Body Tempering rank to Level 1 before opening the second Star Vein slot."

"You are truly stupid; saving Sacrificial Power to buy a Cultivation Combat Art might save quite a bit of Sacrificial Power later, but your early-game development speed will be much slower than others."

"Increasing Body Tempering also allows you to inherit your Soul Soul attributes and fight in your main body form; isn't that better than struggling early on to save money for a Cultivation Combat Art?"

"I can't stand you; I have no such son. I should be the one holding this qualification; you play terribly."

"Xiao Luo, your mother thinks your father is right; spending Sacrificial Power on Body Tempering ranks also brings attribute boosts; your parents are doing this for your own good..."

Watching the mixed nagging from his parents in the livestream room, Jiang Luo felt helpless in his heart.

When he first entered the game, he had forgotten to turn on the livestream.

As a result, his father had specially called him.

Asking why he hadn't entered the game yet, telling him to get into the game and immediately turn on the livestream, since watching his son pioneer was far more interesting than watching other players' streams.

Jiang Luo didn't think much of it; after reconnecting, he activated the livestream Cultivation Mode.

The result was that his parents, these two cloud gamers, developed all sorts of ideas.

Watching was one thing, but his parents were absolutely the most hated type of cloud gamer on the forums, especially fond of offering unsolicited advice on everything.

Striking a pose that said, "Even though I don't have a game qualification, I certainly know more than you."

Just moments ago, he had listed the collected Plant Essence Clumps on the Exchange, and they sold out quickly, earning him 639 points of Sacrificial Power.

He had originally planned to hoard money to buy a Cultivation Combat Art, thereafter using AFK cultivation to rapidly gain Body Tempering experience.

But his parents were unhappy with this.

They offered various admonitions, claiming that not listening would be unfilial.

As a Chosen One, he possessed a powerful rule-level ability within the livestream room: One-Click Mute Spectators.

This had once been the game feature he hated most, because back then, from his cloud gamer perspective, having comments muted stripped away much of the fun.

But now, he felt this feature was truly powerful.

The problem, however, was that the cloud gamers causing trouble in the livestream room were his own parents.

They also mastered an invincible rule ability that worked only on him: Bloodline Suppression.

Family affection choked his throat, bitterness hidden in his heart.

He could retort to netizens, but retorting to his parents would be an act of gross rebellion.

Yet, after the discomfort passed, he still decided to follow his own judgment.

Whether to choose a Cultivation Combat Art or increase Body Tempering rank in the early game had always been a highly controversial topic among the novice community on the forums.

Directly increasing Body Tempering rank meant enjoying the attribute bonuses from Body Tempering levels earlier, and upon reaching Body Tempering Level 1, one could also inherit Soul Soul attributes to fight in one's original body form thereafter.

Purchasing a Cultivation Combat Art allowed one to activate the AFK cultivation Cultivation Mode, saving a significant amount of Sacrificial Power when gaining Body Tempering experience later on.

Both approaches had their advantages.

He had originally intended to follow the model of raising Body Tempering rank first, after all, only with stronger attributes could one hunt stronger monsters.

But the Sen Luo Lin Jing region was somewhat special.

Opening the map revealed a numerical value for the average Spirit Qi content in a region located in the upper left corner.

The Sen Luo Lin Jing region was 2.3 times the size of the Emperor Tomb Village space.

This meant that the efficiency of the boost provided by cultivating Combat Arts here was also 2.3 times higher; suffering a bit in the early game was worth it, for once one possessed a Cultivation Combat Art, the subsequent improvement in Body Tempering rank would achieve a qualitative leap.

This was called accumulating thickly to break forth thinly; suffering first, sweetness later.

"Stop messing around; I am a seasoned veteran player after all; buying a Cultivation Combat Art first is definitely the right move."

As soon as he finished speaking, his father sent a danmu comment:

"Could you possibly be more seasoned than me? How old are you, and how old am I? When you were swimming with siblings you'd never met, your old man was already grinding virtual games; compared to your father, your amount of knowledge doesn't even count as a single hair; the number of virtual games your old man has played exceeds the amount of salt you've eaten in your life."

"Xiao Luo, your father is right; back in the day, your father was a famous guide-party player in 'Immortal Journey,' and the strategy posts he published even made the news."

Jiang Luo: ...

This was what one called a generation gap; this was the generation gap.

He had always felt his parents were very open-minded, supporting any decision he made from childhood to adulthood.

But after he obtained the Monster World qualification, they had changed.

Especially regarding their understanding of the game, they were simply a whole version behind the times.

At this moment, Mahua leaned his head over and smiled:

"Da Luo, you need to understand; Uncle and Auntie just really want to play Monster World; they are experiencing the game content through your perspective; when your actions don't align with their ideas, they naturally feel extremely uncomfortable."

"Understood; let's go hunting first." Jiang Luo nodded, no longer paying attention to the livestream room.

Gazing into the distance, he saw that the area was already filled with figures of novice players; finding a single monster would not be easy.

They could only continue moving forward; only by breaking away from the main group could they find monsters suitable for hunting.

Before long, they encountered four plant-type lifeforms blocking their path.

Their appearance seemed cobbled together from various types of fungi, primarily brown and white in color, dotted with bright spots.

Their size was very small; Jiang Luo estimated they were about knee-high to him, their round and plump shapes making them look endearing.

As his Analysis swept over, information about the monsters floated into his mind:

[Spore-Colored Mushroom (Monster)]:

Hunting Rank: Level 4

Target Analysis: A plant-type monster derived from the dissipated energy of the Primordial Monster "Prophecy," a hegemon-level creature of the Sen Luo Lin Jing region; possesses no combat methods but has high nutritional value.

Reading the analysis description, Jiang Luo felt this was more like a spiritual plant.

After all, monsters that could not fight were indeed rare.

At least before the Sen Luo Lin Jing region opened, even the Level 0 little crabs of the Colorful Mist Coast would pinch players with their claws.

Fearing that novices arriving from behind would steal the monster, they immediately made their move.

After the Extraction trait activated, the Spore-Colored Mushrooms touched by the green light began to dissolve at a speed visible to the naked eye.

However, the Spore-Colored Mushroom under attack did not flee; it still stood dumbly in place.

The other three Spore-Colored Mushrooms beside it also showed no reaction, appearing completely harmless.

This was one of the major differences between plant-type and flesh-and-blood-type monsters in Jiang Luo's eyes; the intelligence level of plant-type monsters was generally quite low.

But in terms of health bar thickness, plant-type monsters were clearly higher than flesh-and-blood-type monsters.

This reminded him of an obscure post he had seen on the forums.

A bored player had posted a boring analysis of monster types, receiving replies from only a handful of players.

Because this player had used real-world logic in the post to attempt to explain why plant-type monsters of the same rank had higher life intensity than flesh-and-blood-type monsters.

Stating that plants have cell walls composed of cellulose, which provides extra support and protection for plant cells, making them more resistant to physical damage.

Secondly, plants have stronger cell division capabilities, and their self-repair and regeneration abilities are also superior to those of flesh-and-blood lifeforms.

In terms of lifespan, some plants live extremely long lives, even surviving for thousands of years.

Therefore, viewing the plant-type lifeforms of the Monster World through the lens of life intensity, they are more durable than flesh-and-blood-type monsters of the same rank, which aligns with real-world logic.

Finally, he stated that this was a very detailed setting within the Monster World.

But for Jiang Luo, with the divine skill of Extraction in hand, all plant-type monsters could be easily penetrated.

In less than ten seconds, this mushroom monster was decomposed into a Plant Essence Clump.

During this time, his close friend Mahua stood right beside him; he didn't even need to step forward to block the monster's attacks.

After completing the kill, a notification sounded.

The rank of his Extraction Soul Soul also reached Level 3 at this moment.

After the Soul Soul rank increased, its lethality surged greatly, and the remaining three Spore-Colored Mushrooms were taken down even faster.

Jiang Luo stepped forward to pick up the Plant Essence Clumps and toss them into his Spatial Bag; just as he was preparing to set out again, he saw a danmu comment scroll by.

"Son, did you check the Exchange before killing it? The price of this kind of nutritious plant-type monster is generally very high on the Exchange; killing it with Extraction is such a waste."

Seeing this, Jiang Luo immediately replied in annoyance:

"Spore-Colored Mushrooms are plant-type lifeforms unique to the Sen Luo Lin Jing region; how could there be such goods for sale on the Exchange right now? There's no way to compare prices at all."

As soon as he finished speaking, another danmu comment scrolled by:

"For this type of goods, you can check the Commission Board; try searching, and you might find something."

While feeling helpless in his heart, Jiang Luo still opened the Exchange and mentally tapped the Commission Board.

Immediately, a vast amount of information was displayed.

All of it consisted of various demand information posted by other players.

He typed "Spore-Colored Mushroom" into the search bar; after the search bar redirected, three pieces of information appeared.

The leading commission information read:

[Asking: Where can one find Spore-Colored Mushrooms, the main ingredient for 'Spirit Spore Soup' in the Spiritual Food Codex? Can any brother provide some? Buying at 300 points of Sacrificial Power per mushroom; paid provision of a collectible location is also acceptable.]

"See that, unfilial son, utterly stupid!" A golden danmu comment scrolled by.

Jiang Luo: ...

He hadn't expected his father to actually be right; the value of this item was extremely high.

Reselling it to Spiritual Chef players, one mushroom could sell for a starting price of 300 points of Sacrificial Power; four mushrooms would yield a minimum profit of 1200 points of Sacrificial Power.

But now it had all been decomposed by him into plant essence clusters; he had lost out massively.

Thinking of this, Jiang Luo turned his head to look at Ma Hua, then shared the information from the commission board.

Seeing the screenshot information, Ma Hua immediately pounced fiercely, clamping both hands around his neck:

"Dog Luo, give me back my 1200 points of Sacrificial Power."

"Cough, cough... I feel worse than you do; this was a fragment of a Cultivation Combat Technique, one-tenth of the whole, and now it's just gone like that."

After a bout of horseplay, the two continued on their way.

Having learned from experience, their mindset changed.

They realized that opportunities were everywhere, but the key lay in how to seize them.

With insufficient understanding, even when an opportunity arrived right before their eyes, it was easy to miss.

Jiang Luo now had only one thought: whenever he encountered a special monster he didn't understand, he would look up information; this was also a process of learning and growth.

Six hours of gameplay passed unnoticed.

In the Sen Luo Lin Jing region, night still hung heavy, the darkness appearing exceptionally long.

Having hunted his way up to level 7, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua arrived at a small hillside, gazing into the distance.

On the vast plain, green vegetation stretched to the horizon like waves.

Blades of grass swayed in the gentle breeze, wave upon wave of rustling whispers proving deeply soothing.

The air here was filled with countless more glowing spores drifting on the wind; when the wind blew in a single direction, it looked as though colorful glowing raindrops were falling from the sky.

The plant light sources on the grassland, the drifting spore light sources in the air, and the starlight in the sky—these three light sources illuminated this plant world shrouded in night.

This was also, in Jiang Luo's eyes, the region second only to the Misty Coast in terms of environmental beauty.

In terms of color brilliance, it even surpassed the Misty Coast by a notch.

"Da Luo, look, what is that?"

Ma Hua's voice pulled Jiang Luo, who was intoxicated by the scenery, back to reality; following the direction Ma Hua pointed, he looked over.

At the western horizon, a mushroom as massive as a mountain range stood towering against the sky.

Its huge form remained clearly visible even from a great distance.

Its cap was immensely wide, like an inverted giant umbrella, its surface covered with thick glowing patterns that resembled tree rings recording the traces of time.

The purplish-brown cap shimmered faintly in the air; under the starlight, its surface seemed plated with a layer of purple radiance.

The thick stalk supported the cap like a pillar holding up the heavens, covered in layers upon layers of plant scales; at first glance, it looked as though countless stars were embedded in its trunk.

Around the mushroom, the glowing spores in the air were especially dense, hovering lightly around the mushroom like fireflies, gathering and dispersing by turns, adding a touch of dreamlike color to this colossal object.

The low vegetation on the distant plain formed a sharp contrast with this giant mushroom, as if it were the sole ruler between heaven and earth, silently overlooking everything beneath its feet.

"Hiss, if I were to use Extraction to decompose this, how many plant essence clusters would it produce?"

"Makes sense; we might get rich in one go," Ma Hua agreed, nodding.

Just as Jiang Luo finished speaking, golden danmu from his dad and mom scrolled across:

"Silly son, this is obviously a scenario monster; it's not something you novice players can challenge, let alone decompose. Even if the big mushroom stood still and let you decompose it for a year, it wouldn't lose a sliver of health... Stop looking and hurry up hunting; at your age, this is the time to work hard. Seize the first-mover advantage to get qualified, strive to defy fate through the game."

"Xiao Luo, keep it up; Mom heard that the Moon Eclipse Clan has life-extending and beauty-enhancing techniques, but the price is exorbitant. Our hope for this life rests on you (Brick-movers, go! Go! Go!.jpg)."

Grumbling inwardly, Jiang Luo shifted his gaze to the green plain ahead.

There were numerous plant-type monsters on the plain; with the main force behind them not yet arrived, they had to start hunting immediately.

Following Ma Hua down the slope, they were met head-on by three plant-type monsters of hunting level 3.

With the divine skill Extraction in hand, it didn't take long to decompose these three plant-type monsters.

While browsing the forum, Jiang Luo had seen veteran players say that in the early stage when only the Three Phantom Gods were available, even killing a small monster outside the village was difficult, requiring a group of players working together to barely succeed.

Later, when the Misty Coast and the Winter Snowfield regions opened, the difficulty decreased slightly.

During this period, the first generation of Soul Souls was fully released; the number of Soul Souls novices could choose increased, allowing teams to complement each other, significantly boosting hunting efficiency.

By the time the Dungeon World scenario opened, the intensity of the novice stage rose again.

Mainly because the intelligence of mechanical lifeforms was higher than that of ordinary flesh-and-blood monsters; even the weakest cleaning robot could block, predict, and sweep legs, forcing novice players to form teams to challenge them.

With the opening of the Sen Luo Lin Jing region this time, the monster intensity of the novice stage had risen once more.

But with the support of the version's divine skill "Extraction," hunting had instead become extremely easy.

He felt that even a team of four or five damage-dealing players wouldn't be as efficient at dealing damage as he was using Extraction.

This showed just how dominant the Extraction Soul Soul was in this scenario.

In any other game, a skill with such overpowered strength would inevitably be nerfed once, or twice if that wasn't enough.

But this was Monster World.

Since the server launched, there had been no adjustments to Soul Soul strength; clearly, they could enjoy this power indefinitely.

However, the Extraction Soul Soul also had a drawback: it only produced miraculous effects against plant-type lifeforms.

If one went to the Emperor Tomb Mountain Range, the damage dealt after releasing it against evil spirits would be zero, making it utterly useless; it belonged as a true god-level Soul Soul within the Sen Luo Lin Jing scenario.

Advancing through hunting along the way, his level quickly reached 8.

Figures of novice players began to emerge constantly around him, and the atmosphere on site gradually grew lively.

The plain was no longer tranquil; instead, it became a scene of clamor.

More and more players gathered in the plain region, the air filled with an atmosphere of tension and excitement.

Players formed groups of three or five, assembling into small teams to fight cooperatively, hunting the plant-type monsters on the plain.

Having completed another hunt, Jiang Luo looked up; not far away, a novice team was besieging a giant man-eating flower, its petals opening and closing to spit out corrosive acid, while the novice players dodged nimbly, seeking opportunities to counterattack.

On the other side, another team was entangled with a group of vine monsters...

The shouts of players, the sounds of Soul Soul traits being released, and the noises made by plant-type monsters counterattacking combined to form a stirring symphony of battle.

"Careful not to get hit by the thorn grass; we need to fight while retreating."

"Focus fire on the one I've marked; don't spread our firepower. The tank, step up and tank one round."

"Can't you aim any better? You chose the Scattered Arrows Soul Soul at the start, yet you have to be Iron Face-to-Iron Face to hit anything. Since you like melee combat so much, why not just switch to a damage-soaking build?"

Sweeping his gaze over, Jiang Luo saw how passionate the combat process of the novice players on the plain was.

Jiang Luo couldn't help but sigh; compared to them, his own hunting process was truly effortless.

Choosing the Extraction Soul Soul at the start was absolutely the correct choice.

It was like playing a game with a cheat engine enabled, enjoying effortless kills throughout.

When encountering challenges, there was also his close friend stepping up to absorb damage; he only needed to deal damage.

In Jiang Luo's view, this was simply a dream start.

But the future was predictable: a wave of players switching to the Extraction Soul Soul would soon sweep through the Sen Luo Lin Jing region.

Players weren't stupid; they might not understand at the start, but they would soon realize the power of Extraction.

Slap!

Just then, a vine shot forth from the side, striking heavily against the branch of Jiang Luo's Soul Soul form, knocking him off balance.

Looking up, he saw a crack open in the green grass ahead, from which a withered vine extended.

"Even plants ambush?"

Before Jiang Luo could counterattack, Ma Hua, standing beside him, struck first; he grabbed the vine extending from the soil and exerted force fiercely with both hands.

Immediately, the plant-type monster from underground broke through the earth; Jiang Luo decisively released his Decomposition Soul Soul upon it.

This was a plant-type lifeform resembling a pumpkin, entirely white in color.

After being illuminated by the Extraction beam, green bubbles constantly surfaced on its body; before it even hit the ground, it was decomposed into a plant essence cluster.

The battle was resolved once again in the easiest manner possible.

Jiang Luo stepped forward two paces and stored the plant essence cluster in his spatial inventory.

He was just about to continue forward with Ma Hua.

At this moment, a golden danmu scrolled across:

"Silly son, I think I just saw something glowing in that pumpkin pit; go over and take a look."

"Okay, Dad," Jiang Luo drawled to express his dissatisfaction, then came to stand before the hole left by the pumpkin-like plant-type monster, looking into the earthen pit; sure enough, he saw a faint light.

"There really is something!"

Filled with curiosity, he switched to his main body form, squatted before the mound of earth, and brushed aside the surrounding soil.

The soil was moist and soft, carrying a faint scent of vegetation.

Shoving his right hand into the pit until his entire arm was submerged, he reached toward the position emitting the faint light; as he groped, his fingertips immediately touched a hard object.

Jiang Luo's heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously quickened his movements.

This might truly be an opportunity.

As his fingers dug through the soil, the earth enveloping the hard object was brushed away bit by bit.

When Jiang Luo withdrew his arm, he held a metal plaque in his hand.

The plaque wasn't large, about the size of a palm, with some damage along the edges.

Wiping the fragmented soil off the plaque with his hand and borrowing the scenario's light source, he could vaguely see strange symbols and patterns carved upon it, resembling some ancient script; on the back of the plaque were embedded three dim spirit runes, giving it a very aged appearance.

"What are you looking at? Are you doing archaeology? Analyze it directly, you pig brain."

Golden danmu scrolled across; Jiang Luo decisively activated Analysis.

[Green Source Clan Mark]:

Item Description: A token to unlock the Green Source Clan inheritance; one can go to the Green Source Clan's inheritance point to unlock the inheritance.

Just as Jiang Luo was wondering where the Green Source Clan's inheritance point was, a Challenger notification rang in his mind:

[Challenger Notification: Hidden Quest "Green Source Clan Inheritance" triggered.]

Hidden Quest Description: Possessing the Green Source Clan Mark and traveling to the location marked on the map will unlock a hidden inheritance scene.

"Holy crap, a hidden quest!"

Seeing the notification content, Jiang Luo's eyes instantly widened.

Beside him, Ma Hua grinned and said:

"Uncle truly lives up to his reputation as a veteran player; he's indeed powerful, able to spot opportunities in the details. We nearly missed it."

"Ma Hua, stop sucking up. What I find strange is why a hidden quest would have a notification. I've seen many guide experts on the forum say that apart from quests related to Containment Territory nodes, this game has no trigger-type quests."

"I'm not clear on that either; perhaps it's a special bonus for us in this novice scene," Ma Hua said, scratching his head.

Filled with doubt, Jiang Luo summoned the map function.

He discovered a new golden marker on the map; upon mental touch, it displayed a straight-line distance of 12.4 kilometers from his current position.

"Let's go."

Stowing the metal tag into his Spatial Sack, Jiang Luo decided to go immediately and open the hidden chest.

Just as Jiang Luo and Ma Hua set out, a message surfaced in Qi Sheng's mind.

It displayed intelligence obtained from the Lord of Boons; one piece of information had been activated, evidently indicating a player had triggered a hidden quest.

This was content he had recently added.

When players met the conditions described in the Lord of Boons' intelligence, the quest would automatically activate, distributing the intelligence content in the form of a hidden quest.

However, he could not guarantee whether the hidden quest would yield rewards.

Although the Guide could filter and verify intelligence information through its analysis ability, retrieving this untouched information was too troublesome, as it was scattered across vast regions.

With the Guide's abilities not yet restored, he did not wish to expend excessive Sacrificial Power on unknown intelligence.

He would just treat it as letting players draw from a blind box.

Whether they hit the grand prize depended entirely on the players' luck.

Four hours later.

Hunting their way forward, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua finally arrived at the location marked on the map.

The cursor pointed to a massive boulder lying horizontally upon the earth.

"Finally here; it wasn't easy."

At this moment, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua looked utterly disheveled.

The scene, composed of plant-type monsters, was filled everywhere with poisonous flora and hidden traps.

Without the perception buff from their Eagle-Headed Demon teammates, they would be startled at any moment.

Either a vine would suddenly fly at them, or the ground would suddenly split open, attempting to swallow them whole... For timid players, exploring an unknown scene was absolutely a form of torture, leaving them trembling with fear the entire way.

Fortunately, after four hours of trekking, they had finally reached the location of the hidden chest.

Exhaustion was instantly replaced by anticipation.

Standing before the massive boulder, Jiang Luo retrieved the metal tag from his personal sack.

Instantly, flowing light erupted from the surface of the metal tag, and the rays it emitted shot straight toward a corner of the boulder.

Jiang Luo immediately crouched down, moving to the area illuminated by the light.

Complex patterns emerged there; bringing the metal tag closer made the light even more brilliant.

He attempted to press the metal tag against the patterns.

The moment of contact triggered a low humming sound from within the boulder, as if some ancient power had been awakened.

The palm holding the metal tag also felt a faint, continuous vibration.

At this moment, the flowing light on the metal tag's surface surged violently, transforming into a dazzling beam that shot toward the patterns on the boulder.

Crack! Crack!

The surface of the boulder cracked, with fine fissures spreading rapidly like a spiderweb.

A shimmering green light seeped from within the cracks.

Sensing the boulder was about to shatter, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua decisively retreated.

Boom!

The boulder suddenly emitted a dull roar; stones on its surface fell off densely, revealing ancient runes hidden beneath.

Every single rune upon it activated at this moment, circulating with a dim glow.

The runes connected with one another, forming a massive pattern, resembling an ancient formation.

As the light from the metal tag continued to pour in, the runes gradually brightened, shifting from dim to brilliant, as if countless stars were being ignited.

Before long, the light emitted by the metal tag weakened and finally dissipated.

Studying the mysterious pattern, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua were instantly dumbfounded.

"What's the next step?" Jiang Luo asked curiously, running his fingers over the raised spirit runes on the pattern.

At this moment, a golden comment streaked across.

"Next step? Ask the Guide for the next step. Do you really think you're here to do archaeology, getting all research-heavy? You idiot son."

Bound by familial ties and suppressed by bloodline, Jiang Luo felt extremely aggrieved.

But what his old man said was correct.

When in doubt, ask the Guide.

He immediately looked up at the Guide Water Sphere floating beside him, deciding to offer his first greeting.

"Brother Guide."

[Speak.]

"I want to know how to open the Green Source Clan's inheritance chest. Is there something special about this stone wall?"

The Guide glanced dismissively at the stone wall, then manifested two arms and shrugged helplessly:

[The Green Source Clan's inheritance metal tag is not the key; in fact, even smashing it with brute force could unlock the rune formation on the wall. The main requirement is the blood of a Green Source Clan descendant to activate the inheritance. After all, this thing wasn't left for you lot. If you continue trying to brute-force it, the space inside will collapse.]

Hearing the Guide's answer, Jiang Luo was instantly stunned:

"Isn't this a hidden quest? There must be a follow-up, right? Does it just end here?"

[You can attempt to fabricate Green Source Clan blood or an aura sphere. This clan originated in this region, and many plants retain the Green Source Clan's aura. Collecting this information will allow you to create a Green Source Clan aura sphere.]

Hearing the Guide say the hidden quest could continue, Jiang Luo instantly became excited:

"Brother Guide, after we collect everything, can you help us make it?"

[You clearly misunderstand. I only provide suggestions; I will not take any action.]

"Ah, once we've gathered the materials, how do we make it?"

[That falls outside my scope of consideration.]

Just as Jiang Luo found the continuation of the hidden quest difficult to advance, guidance from his father streaked across as a golden comment:

"Go to the Emperor Tomb Village library to find the answer, or contact the Alchemist Guild directly; they will definitely have a way."

His old man's suggestion made Jiang Luo see hope once again.

He immediately asked the Guide which plant-type monster materials were needed to create the Green Source Clan aura.

After receiving a clear answer, he summoned the forum interface, located a member of the Alchemist Guild, and sent a private chat request.

Before long, a middle-aged man appeared in the light screen projecting before him.

"Alchemist Guild. What do you need? Do you want to order gene potions?"

"No, I'm not blessed enough to endure that thing." Hearing 'gene seeds', Jiang Luo immediately recalled the descriptions given by veteran players on the forum.

Heart-rending, excruciating pain worse than death; experiencing it once meant remembering it for a lifetime.

"The latest version of gene seeds only causes minor pain, not intense. I suggest you try it; it will save you a lot of Sacrificial Power."

"No, I'm afraid of pain. Even minor pain is a no-go." Jiang Luo decisively refused, then stated his purpose.

Learning that Jiang Luo wanted to create a mixed aura sphere of plant-type energy, the middle-aged man did not agree directly but asked Jiang Luo to send the material list provided by the Guide.

After waiting for a long time, the man in the light screen nodded:

"The grades of the materials aren't high. I don't have them in stock, but if you provide them, I can craft it. The fee is 1500 points of Sacrificial Power."

Although the price was somewhat hard to accept, Jiang Luo still chose to agree.

After closing the dialogue box, he and Ma Hua immediately began hunting the plant-type monsters on the Guide's list.

As novice players explored the Senluo Forest Realm scene on the map, the types of monsters discovered there were constantly being updated.

Among them were the plant-type monsters mentioned in the Bestiary, along with the regions on the map where such monsters gathered.

"Ma Hua, let's get to work. We must open this hidden chest." With a clear objective, Jiang Luo instantly gained a goal to strive for.

"Let's go," Ma Hua nodded.

Over the next three days, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua rushed all over the Senluo Forest Realm scene.

They finally gathered all the materials needed from the plant-type monsters.

To prevent the materials from being damaged, Jiang Luo didn't even dare to use Extraction during combat, fearing he would destroy the essence of the plants.

After trading the materials to the member of the Alchemist Guild, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua set out once again, heading toward the stone wall.

Three hours later, they received a trade initiation from the Alchemist Guild member.

After spending 1500 points of Sacrificial Power, they obtained a jar containing swirling green mist inside.

Returning once more to the stone wall, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua opened the lid and, following the Guide's instructions, poured the green mist onto the spirit runes of the stone wall.

Instantly, the massive boulder vibrated again.

A fissure split open in the center, and a dazzling beam of light shot out from the crack, enveloping both his and Ma Hua's bodies.

Within the pillar of light, countless tiny points of light danced like fireflies, slowly coalescing into an illusory gateway edged with runes.

Brilliant light reflected in the eyes of Jiang Luo and Ma Hua, stirring an indescribable excitement within their hearts.

"Hahaha, we did it!" Ma Hua exclaimed, clenching his fist in excitement.

Jiang Luo did not answer, his gaze fixed tightly on the gate of light.

Inside the gate, a strange space was faintly visible, connecting to another independent realm.

"Let's go, take a look." Jiang Luo took a deep breath, gripped the metal plaque in his hand, and stepped toward the gate of light.

Ma Hua followed closely behind, their figures gradually swallowed by the radiance.

The instant they stepped through the gate of light, the giant stone emitted a low rumble; the gate slowly closed, the runic light gradually dimmed, and finally, all returned to calm.

Inside the ruins, a brand new world unfolded before their eyes.

Overhead was a starry sky, twinkling with brilliant light, as if within reach.

Beneath their feet lay a path formed of green points of light, winding forward into the distance.

On both sides of the path, thick stone pillars towered upward, their surfaces carved with ancient runes, exuding an aura of antiquity.

The air was filled with a faint, fresh fragrance, like the scent emitted by some kind of plant.

In the distance, a towering structure shrouded in hazy light was faintly visible, resembling a dwelling of gods.

"I'm afraid we're about to strike it rich; this haul probably won't stop at a hundred thousand Sacrificial Power."

"I think it might be five hundred thousand Sacrificial Power."

At that moment, a golden comment stream broke the atmosphere.

"Is there any possibility that there's still an assessment inside, requiring your Soul Soul level to reach 100 before unlocking it? (Slippery Iron Face.jpg)"

"Old man, you can't mess with our minds like this."

Following the road paved with green light to the front of the building, Jiang Luo discovered an altar covered in cracks beside the structure.

As his analysis swept over it, relevant information floated into his mind:

[Cross-Realm Teleportation Array (Damaged)]:

Analysis Description: When the terrifying Black Black Tide descended, the Green Source Clan, for the sake of their race's continuation, created one of these cross-realm teleportation arrays for their new generation of clansmen.

The crystal stones on the teleportation array had already dimmed, clearly offering no profit; Jiang Luo and Ma Hua bypassed them directly and ascended the stairs into the building.

What presented itself before their eyes was not the piled-up wealth they had expected, but only a green obelisk standing in the center.

"Don't tell me it's empty?" Jiang Luo was instantly stunned.

He immediately activated his analysis and swept it toward the black obelisk.

[Green Source Clan - Inheritance Stone Stele]:

Analysis Description: Inheritance information left by the Green Source Clan for their new generation of clansmen fleeing the Monster World; it contains historical memory recordings, hoping that when the departed new generation returns, they can reclaim their lost historical memories and find the root of their bloodline.

"Brother Guide, is this stone stele the inheritance treasure?"

[This is inheritance information left by the Green Source Clan for future generations, recording their origins so descendants can understand historical memories that may have been lost... Whether you view it or not is up to you; it does not affect your ability to open treasure chests. If you wish to see it, touch the stele with your hand, and the inheritance information will be poured into your minds.]

Hearing the Guide's introduction, Jiang Luo and Ma Hua exchanged a glance, then simultaneously reached out to touch the ancient stele standing before them.

In an instant, a vast surge of spiritual energy rushed into their minds.

The scene before Jiang Luo's eyes suddenly transformed; it was as if he had crossed countless spaces and times, entering the historical light and shadow of the Green Source Clan.

At the very center of his vision, an ancient, massive mushroom stood between heaven and earth.

The light and shadow flickered as the years flowed by.

The cap of the mushroom slowly unfolded, occasionally scattering countless spores that shimmered with green light.

The spores took root upon the ground, gradually growing into tiny living beings.

They possessed wooden bodies, with patterns identical to the mushroom's surface appearing on their skin, and their eyes appeared somewhat dull.

This made Jiang Luo realize that these beings were the earliest Green Source Clan, intelligent life forms derived from the great mushroom.

It was just like in the Spirit Artifact Valley, where countless non-primordial spirit artifact monsters were species born under the influence of primordial power.

The scene continued; from the moment of their birth, the Green Source Clan possessed the power to perceive the pulse of nature.

However, this race had not established any civilization.

They explored the world in ignorance until the arrival of a figure brought the light of wisdom.

In the recording, this figure emitted an ethereal glow, their Iron Face veiled in a halo of light, their skin fair and luminous, wearing a moon-white silk skirt that swayed gently in the wind.

Whenever night fell, this figure would scatter soft phosphorescence using the moonlight; these rays contained ancient knowledge and wisdom. The ancestors of the Green Source Clan sat around the great mushroom, listening to the deity teach and learning the mysteries of the world.

This information taught the Green Source Clan how to communicate with plants, how to draw energy from the earth, and how to heal wounds using the rhythms of nature.

Through this process, the ancestors of the Green Source Clan gradually mastered the ability to manipulate plants.

They wove houses from vines, lit up the night with flowers, and constructed fortresses from trees, establishing a powerful civilization upon this land.

The Green Source Clan soon began to explore a wider world.

This was the origin of the Green Source Clan.

In the central city of their civilization stood a magnificent statue of a goddess; this was the Divine Mother in the eyes of the Green Source Clan, the source of their faith and power.

They believed themselves to be the continuation of the Divine Mother's will.

As the scene progressed, the development of the Green Source Clan accelerated, becoming the undisputed hegemonic power in the Senluo Forest Realm region.

Until that day, when darkness quietly swept across the earth.

Countless terrifying figures appeared, tearing through the firmament; a grotesque Evil Moon manifested, dyeing the sky a deep crimson.

The entire world was burning.

The light and shadow advanced; the calamitous war that would change the future of the Monster World was about to arrive.

Some races fled the Monster World, while others continued to hold their ground in their homeland.

The Green Source Clan, unable to establish contact with the gods, also made their decision at this moment.

The recorded scene flickered continuously.

Before the statue of the Divine Mother, Green Source Clan warriors arrived from all directions, converging into a green ocean and forming orderly ranks.

Their bodies were woven from wood and flesh and blood, ancient runes appearing on their skin, shimmering with a faint green light.

A deep, resonant voice echoed across the sky; it was the sole leader of the Green Source Clan, "Cang Ye."

He stood before the statue of the Divine Mother, holding a scepter carved from the trunk of the Green Source Mother Tree, atop which was set a brilliant green gemstone.

"Worship the Firmament, Emperor Zhao God!" Cang Ye raised his scepter high, his voice thundering across this world.

All the warriors responded in unison, their collective voice rising like a Black Tide:

"Worship the Firmament, Emperor Zhao God!"

Whoosh!

All figures knelt simultaneously, bowing their heads to the sky in prostration, a shocking spectacle.

"Worship the Divine Mother, Nu E."

All figures knelt on both knees, crossing their hands over their chests, bowing before the goddess statue, lowering their heads to silently recite ancient prayers; the sound rose like a Black Tide, shaking the earth.

The prayers were filled with the Green Source Clan's reverence for life and their fanaticism for their faith in Nu E.

Cang Ye stepped down from the high platform and approached an altar woven from vines.

Upon the altar rested an emerald bowl.

"With blood as our oath, with life as our pact!" Cang Ye slashed his palm with his scepter, letting drops of blood fall into the bowl.

The gathered warriors followed suit immediately, each slashing their own palms and mixing their fresh blood into the bowls before them.

"This journey may have no return!" Cang Ye's voice was low yet firm:

"But our will stands with the Divine Mother Nu E!"

The warriors shouted in unison, their eyes holding no fear, only resolve.

Having spoken, endless killing intent revealed itself in Cang Ye's eyes.

He lifted the emerald bowl, dipped his fingers into the green blood, and smeared it upon his forehead and cheeks.

The glowing bloodstains stood out starkly against his skin.

Immediately after, he tilted his head back and drained the fresh blood from the bowl in one gulp, his Adam's apple rolling up and down, every movement filled with a sense of power.

All the Green Source Clan warriors followed suit, then rose to their feet and followed their leader Cang Ye toward the battlefield.

At this point, the recorded scene shifted; the green sea formed by the converging Green Source Clan warriors flew into the high sky, piercing toward the densest patch of blackness above.

The sky suddenly split open; a pitch-black rift swallowed everything, and terrifying figures surged forth from the darkness. Its tentacles, like a black torrent, swept across the earth, causing all things to wither in their wake.

Following their leader Cang Ye, the Green Source Clan warriors underwent transformations mid-flight; wooden textures appeared on their skin, and their arms turned into sharp thorns.

Battle erupted instantly.

In an instant, countless figures were swallowed by the darkness.

Yet the Green Source Clan did not retreat in the slightest; wave after wave they charged toward the sky, attempting to tear through the darkness shrouding the firmament of the Monster World with their insignificant selves.

Vines and tentacles intertwined, green light and black void colliding continuously.

The world between heaven and earth was filled with the power of destruction and rebirth; Green Source Clan warriors fell one after another, but no clansman retreated. In their eyes burned the fanaticism of a fight to the death.

Worship the Firmament Emperor Zhao, worship the Mother God Nu E.

Once these two rituals concluded, the Green Source Clan had wagered the future of their entire race.

To retreat would be blasphemy against their faith in the gods.

Even if severely wounded, they would resolutely choose to detonate the life energy within their bodies, attempting to perish together with the evil spirits; the green light that bloomed was the final cry of their lives.

The recorded scene left Jiang Luo and Ma Hua deeply shaken.

This was a war with no dawn of victory; the Green Source Clan's participation was like an ant trying to shake a tree, yielding only the continuous sacrifice of their clansmen.

Yet the Green Source Clan's loyalty to their faith, even across the screen, they could still feel it.

It seemed that after the God-Worshipping and War-Participation Ceremony concluded, this generation of the Green Source Clan had already prepared themselves to fight to the death without cease.

They were willing only to contribute a sliver of their own strength to tear apart the dark celestial dome.

In the final scene, black flames surged like a torrential Black Tide of demons, erupting madly from fissures in the earth and spreading with the force of a prairie fire.

Wherever they passed, vegetation that had once been lush, dense, and teeming with life instantly dissolved.

The emerald green was gone, leaving behind only a dead, ashen blackness.

The vine-woven houses, meticulously crafted by the Green Source Clan, now twisted and deformed under the ravages of darkness, only to be ruthlessly swallowed by the raging flames.

The tree fortresses, symbols of the Green Source Clan's wisdom and power, collapsed under the scorching black flames; their wooden structures gave way, massive trunks snapped and fell, kicking up rolling clouds of dust, sounding an elegy for this once-glorious civilization.

Even the statue of the Goddess of Rage, bearing the entirety of the Green Source Clan's faith and spiritual devotion, had its base licked by the black flames; the once-smooth stone surface developed crack after crack, resembling grotesque scars carved by time.

The cracks spread rapidly, climbing upward from the base until they reached the Iron Face of the Goddess of Rage statue.

"Crack."

After a tremendous roar, the head of the Goddess Mother statue snapped off first, crashing down with a thunderous boom.

Immediately afterward, the body began to disintegrate; fragments of stone rained down like hail, until finally, together with the city, all was swallowed by the Black Black Tide.

The light of the Green Source Clan's civilization was extinguished right there.

All that remained was scorched earth ravaged by the Black Black Tide.

As time flowed on, the giant mushroom still standing upon the earth witnessed the rise and fall of the Green Source Clan, yet it remained immovable as a mountain.

New greenery grew anew centered around the giant mushroom; flowers and green grass covered the hills and fields, yet nearly every trace of the Green Source Clan's existence had been erased.

Souls return to the Goddess of Rage; faith endures forever.

The Green Source Clan chose to participate in the local battles of the Cataclysm War in their own way; yet, this segment of buried history had very few who knew of it before the mighty tides of the era.

In the final image, Cang Ye, holding the Mother Tree Scepter, smiled gently at Jiang Luo and Ma Hua, who were currently viewing the recording:

"Descendants of our clan, when darkness strikes, we shall use our flesh and blood to build a Great Wall against evil; at the cost of our lives, we defend our loyalty to the Goddess Mother of Rage, choosing to firmly guard this land that nurtured us. Perhaps our civilization has already vanished in the flames of war, and our figures have been buried by the dust of time, but the spark of faith has been deeply buried within the earth."

Cang Ye's gaze was firm, carrying a power that pierced through time and space, as he continued to speak:

"Descendants, if one day you are able to see this recording, remember that faith is the cornerstone of our strength, the source of power that supports us to rise up in desperate situations. No matter where you return from in the future, or what hardships and dangers you encounter, you must tightly grasp this light of faith; do not let it be extinguished in the darkness."

"We have never forgotten the teachings of the Goddess Mother of Rage; she bestowed wisdom upon us and taught us to coexist with nature and breathe in harmony with the earth. Her light once illuminated our path forward; now, it is for you to continue this faith."

The image shattered into countless points of light and dispersed; Jiang Luo and Ma Hua opened their eyes.

Gazing at the green orb of light hovering above the stone stele, their hearts were filled with incomparable complexity.

This was merely a game, yet the sense of immersion was far too intense.

The content within the light and shadow scenes had placed them within that ancient era, making them become members of the Green Source Clan themselves.

Drinking blood, worshipping the god, fighting to the death... fearing no death, facing challenges that could not be won, offering up their lives to fulfill their loyalty to their faith.

This faith moved them deeply.

In the end, the Green Source Clan did not wait for the clansmen they had sent away; what they awaited instead were these two players.

After recording and saving this footage, Jiang Luo reached out his hand to grasp the inherited green light hovering before him.

Half an hour later, a post sparked heated discussion on the forum.

Especially the players of the Green Wood Clan, upon seeing the video content recorded in the post, were instantly stunned.

(End of Chapter)