Magic Organ

Chen Yu had been curious before about how Moss Monsters secreted acid. While dissecting one, he studied the Acid-Erosion Gland inside its body and discovered strange patterns within.

These patterns couldn't even be called organ tissue, let alone hold any special significance. They were constructed from some kind of gas that emitted a mysterious glow.

Or perhaps they should be called...

Magic power?

With just a few simple nutrients and a complex catalytic process, the "Magic Organ" Acid-Erosion Gland could secrete a massive amount of acid, giving a decomposer an aggression that didn't match its appearance.

Back in his thatched hut in Xuxuantian, he had tried carving Magic Patterns into jade, but even after infusing it with spiritual power, the patterns showed no reaction. He hadn't pursued it further after that.

After all, Zeyarila was a world of magic. Anything unreasonable could be explained away by magic here.

It was perfectly normal for a Moss Monster to have a Magic Organ.

Even if someone told him now that Slimes and humans were the same species, he would believe it without hesitation.

After fumbling around for a while without reaching any conclusions, Chen Yu slipped out of the nest and quietly poked his head up from the swamp's muck.

From the swamp trees came a hair-raising, high-frequency buzzing sound. Moss Monsters and Mud Swamp Worms were being stung by venomous needles and carried back to the Stinger Bee nest as nourishment.

It was as if the area beneath the trees was their farm. Whenever the Demonic Beasts on the ground grew a new batch, they would come down to hunt.

And his earlier act of preying on Moss Monsters was no different from a wolf sneaking into a farmer's sheep pen to steal a lamb.

No wonder those Stinger Bees had targeted him first.

He glanced at the Twisted Oak in front of him, its trunk covered in burls and moss, and at the Stinger Bees foraging all around. Chen Yu thought:

Even if he became a wolf, he would have to be the biggest wolf king.

One day, he would ascend to the highest point of this forest and become the Swamp Overlord.

Eating Stinger Bees one by one as snacks.

And when he had time, he would go out and see the vast magical world beyond...

Chen Yu's tiny bean-like eyes glimmered. This thought was like a pebble thrown into still slime, gradually rippling through his gelatinous body with circles called "desire."

He imagined himself standing on a high cliff, seeing strange sights beyond the forest that might exist—floating islands, rivers flowing with starlight, or towering mage spires reaching into the clouds...

The more he thought, the more his chest swelled with heroic spirit, as if he could already feel the bright sunlight of the heights shining on his slime body.

However, this surging pride lasted less than three seconds—the Stinger Bees spotted him hiding in the shadows and chased after him, shooting venomous needles.

Chen Yu hurriedly dove back into the mud. That lofty sense of looking down on all creation deflated like a popped balloon, with a puff.

Ideals were full, but reality was bare.

Before he could become the great Swamp Overlord, he first had to figure out how to get past the little stepping stone at his doorstep.

Otherwise, having the Swamp Overlord trapped at his own doorstep by a few Stinger Bees would be too embarrassing.

After returning to the Slime Nest, Chen Yu got up from Xuxuantian's hardwood bed and stretched his limbs.

He pushed open the creaking wooden window and propped it up with a bamboo pole. Outside the thatched hut, the rain had just cleared. The warm afternoon sun pierced through the bamboo tips, making the rolling dewdrops sparkle like crystal, and the entire bamboo grove seemed even more lush and green.

The sight lifted his spirits considerably.

But a good mood couldn't replace a meal.

Chen Yu rubbed his stomach, which let out a few protesting growls, reminding him it was time to eat.

Even a future cultivation grandmaster and Slime Devil King could be stumped by his next meal in his humble beginnings.

"Time to go find some work."

He reached out and picked up the Rosewood Sword leaning against the bed.

The wooden sword had a restrained spiritual light—a fine treasure—but it looked too new, as if it had never even cut a single monster. It felt more like an accessory for his outings.

But that wasn't the main point. The main point was that he caught sight of a pattern on his palm out of the corner of his eye.

It was exactly the same as the Magic Pattern on the Slime's body.

Oh no.

He hadn't even achieved immortality yet, and he was already cultivating some crooked path.

Fortunately, when he touched it, there was no crack in his palm. It was still warm and fleshy, as if the Magic Pattern didn't exist.

"Good thing I didn't mutate. It'd be trouble if I got mistaken for a Demonic Cultivator."

Curious, Chen Yu fetched a porcelain bottle. Following instinct, he pressed his left hand against the pattern on his right palm. The "magic power" in his palm was drawn out like silk threads, and drops of acid condensed out of thin air, sliding down his fingertips into the bottle.

Immediately, a fierce thirst hit him, and his stomach roared even louder.

He seemed even hungrier.

When he moved the bottle away, a few drops of acid accidentally fell onto the stone bricks, sizzling and emitting wisps of green smoke.

He leaned down to look. The hard stone bricks had been corroded into several small holes by the acid.

"So terrifying..."

He hadn't expected that the acid he could touch freely with his palm would be so corrosive.

No wonder the Moss Monster's body lacked a corrosion-resistant carapace—it seemed the acid had no effect on its original owner.

He subconsciously voiced the question: "But why? Could it be that the magic forming the acid recognizes its own kind?"

It all felt so complicated.

Chen Yu couldn't help but sink into thought.

Yet the more he pondered, the itchier his scalp grew.

As if a brain was about to sprout.

A few seconds later, he gave up anyway.

Sure enough, he wasn't cut out to be a scholar—the Swamp Overlord suited him better.

Chen Yu took out two or three drops of acid to test, and found that the Slime Acid's corrosiveness was slightly weaker than the Moss Monster's acid.

Probably because of the difference in "Acid Secretion" level.

Raising a talent's level wasn't easier than acquiring a new one. Instead of racking his brain over how to upgrade talents, it was better to sell the Slime Acid he had on hand first.

There should be cultivators at the sect's small market who needed it. If he could sell it, his next meal would be secured.

With that thought, Chen Yu mustered his spirits and spent some effort condensing two more bottles of acid.

Now he was completely drained, his face pale with exhaustion.

At least he wasn't so tired he'd collapse—as long as he could still walk, it was fine.

Stowing away the Celadon Ceramic Bottle, Chen Yu picked up his Rosewood Sword, left the thatched hut, and stepped onto the winding stone path leading to the Green Bamboo Forest's North Peak.

His destination was Nanqiao Market on North Peak.

On the cliff face of North Peak in the Three Origins Sect, a Cold Iron Chain Bridge stretched across. The chains were as thick as a bowl, heavy and pitch-black, reaching straight into the mist-shrouded inner sect domain of the Three Origins Sect. This bridge was the main passage for Inner Sect Disciples to travel back and forth.

Thus, on the open ground at the bridgehead cliff, many Outer Sect Disciples had gathered on their own. They set up crude bamboo and wooden stalls or spread out coarse linen mats, peddling talismans, Dan Sha, Spiritual Plants, ores, and even demonic beast materials.

Over time, a bustling market had formed at the bridgehead—Nanqiao Market.

Whether Outer or Inner Sect Disciples, whenever they descended for training or returned from completing tasks, passing this bridge, they would always stop for a while at the crowded Nanqiao Market, either to buy supplies or to gather news.

Chen Yu also planned to take advantage of the lively afternoon to set up a small stall there and sell the Slime Acid in his hands.

He trudged along the winding stone path, passed through Qiaopai Gate and the bustling crowd, and finally found an unoccupied spot in a corner of Nanqiao Market. He sat directly on the ground, spread out his coarse cloth, and placed the ceramic bottle on it.

Then he borrowed a wooden sign and brush and ink from a nearby cultivator, and scrawled a few crooked large characters:

"Corrosive medicinal liquid, wide application, ten Spirit Shards per bottle."

Hmm...

He had no idea what Slime Acid could be used for, so he could only vaguely claim it had broad uses.

As for the price of ten Spirit Shards, it was just enough to buy two liang of Spirit Rice. Mixed with regular rice to cook porridge or rice, it would last several days.

In the Swamp Forest, he was an anomaly among demonic beasts—a Slime that hunted with a flying sword.

And in the Three Origins Sect, he was different from these cultivators too—he cultivated through food.

He could go three days without meditating, but he couldn't go a single day without eating.

So, achieving immortality and becoming an immortal was still too vague and distant for him.

The most important thing was still filling his stomach.