Setting Out Again
After parting ways with Ailini.
Linsey stood alone in the center of the ruins of the secret realm.
Accompanied by the cold north wind, he took out his [Flower Fishing Rod] and cast the fishing hook into the muddy swamp that could hardly be called a pond.
Snap—
The fishhook rudely struck a clump of mud.
"..."
Linsey paused for two seconds, then ran over, picked up the fishhook, and shook off the mud.
This time, he didn't cast the rod either.
Linsey aimed directly at a large puddle and personally lowered the fishing hook vertically into the water.
call--
Waaaaah—
The cold north wind relentlessly accompanied Linsey.
Linsey wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt there was something wrong with the wind, making the fishing line sway in the air.
"Otherwise, why wouldn't they take the bait?"
"Even without the unique products from the secret realm, I should be able to catch a couple of loaches!"
"..."
Waaaaah—
Linsey stood in the cold wind for another half hour.
He silently put away his Fishing Rod, turned around and set off with nothing to show for it, inwardly cursing the awakened ones who didn't know how to protect the environment.
"This is so irresponsible!"
"I remember properly putting out the fire after defeating my opponent in the secret realm..."
Linsey set off alone.
The threat to the ley lines ended, and the forest appeared to have returned to normal in just half a day.
Linsey followed the map toward Echo Valley.
I checked the map several times along the way and realized something even more interesting.
"The straight path from here to Echo Valley almost perfectly overlaps with the Forest Veins. So, Han Si Ke and Mu Le Na Hu En..."
Linsey remembered Ailini's reminder.
Han Sike and Mu Le Na Hu En are also heading in the direction of Echo Valley.
The two people chasing each other were both at the Seventh Stage, and their ability to perceive Essence far surpassed that of ordinary people.
Their journey to Echo Valley was most likely not an accident or a coincidence.
When the forest was attacked and descended into chaos, they discovered the Forest Veins hidden deep within the earth, and that's why they followed this route towards Echo Valley.
"Doesn't this mean we're going to be 100% facing them?"
Linsey frowned. "In short, let's try to resolve this peacefully without resorting to violence."
"My goal is to obtain a fruit and resolve my own Essence conflict issues; there's no need for me to participate in their battle."
Linsey reminded herself of her next course of action.
As he sorted through his odds and ends along the way, he discovered a new surprise. "Killing Ya Li Kun also yielded a lot of experience points!"
He personally killed the Sixth Stage merchant.
Including the accumulated experience points, it's already quite considerable.
Linsey's Constitution is already quite outstanding. With the idea of balancing her physical attributes, Linsey allocated 2 points to Strength and 1 point to Agility.
"Even without equipment bonuses, the Strength and Agility attributes already have a base of 39 points."
Linsey checked the Attribute Panel and then looked down.
He had already completed the [Jungle Expedition III] mission and immediately claimed his reward.
[Amazing Plant: Honeysuckle Bean Vine]
[Seeds of a rapidly growing vine. After planting, they will form a huge vine pillar capable of traversing certain terrains; once fully grown, they produce large, nutritious legumes.]
[A magical plant capable of Sky Piercer barriers; highly valuable.]
[Strange item: Watering can]
[A watering can with self-regulating functions can be set to perform tasks such as cleaning, watering, and extinguishing fires, and it will automatically complete the tasks within the specified time.]
[These are everyday items with a wide range of uses, but their value is relatively low.]
"..."
"Sky Piercer blockade?"
Linsey raised an eyebrow.
Of the two quest reward items, the Honeysuckle Bean Vine is clearly more valuable, as detailed in this description.
However, just like many of the items Linsey had, many of them weren't immediately useful after she acquired them.
He casually stuffed the two pieces of equipment into his bag, preparing to continue his journey.
"Um?"
Just then, Linsey noticed that the text on the Task Bar had changed.
After the [Jungle Expedition III] mission ends, the text disappears, but a new line of content appears in the blank space.
Jungle Adventure IV
The heart of the Garden Enclosure is being coveted. Protect it from thieves, protect the forest, and end these torments inflicted on nature!
[Quest Rewards: Garden, Professional Prospector's Pointer]
"..."
"Is there more to this story?"
Slap! Linsey slapped her forehead, feeling her plan had been immediately overturned.
The big merchant Ya Li Kun, has already been dealt with. The only ones left who are still active in the forest and qualified to covet the core of the Garden Enclosure are those two Seventh Stage awakened individuals who are currently chasing each other.
Unless Linsey abandons the mission.
Otherwise, conflicts with them are inevitable on the way to reap the rewards.
"The garden, the Professional Prospector's Pointer..."
Linsey's eyes were fixed.
Just looking at the names of these two pieces of equipment makes the urge to take action almost burst out of my chest.
"Since we're already here..."
"Moreover, the mission also stated that it was to protect the forest, not to kill the enemy."
"We've come this far with the mission, we can't just give up halfway, can we?"
Linsey tried to convince herself, and her pace quickened accordingly.
He was still four or five days away from Echo Valley.
During this period, I can find a place to set up my mobile shop.
Other magical plants are one thing, but not quite.
However, resource plants like the Sun Sunflower and the Shining Iron Stone Tree are exceptions.
Plant them now, and you'll reap the rewards along the way.
It's always good to take precautions in advance.
"Um?"
Linsey was planning her next move as she traveled.
But just as he was intermittently opening the Map Scouting, Linsey suddenly noticed a new icon appearing on the map.
At this moment, Linsey was on a downhill road leading out of the mountains.
Behind a pile of rubble on the hillside to his left and in front of him, there is a grass-like marker on the map.
Linsey's attention shifted to that.
A short line of text also appeared next to the mark.
[Frost Thorns Wood]
"..."
—The effect of the [Plant Expert's Backpack] has appeared! —This is a special plant! Linsey's eyes lit up, and she immediately rushed over.
He pushed off with his feet and took two steps across the several-meter-wide boulders, where he indeed found a bluish-gray tree growing there.
This plant looks quite extraordinary.
Its shape is slender and resembles a dead tree, yet it contains vitality and constantly emits a chilling aura, as if warning any life that dares to approach it.
As Linsey drew closer, her sharp eyes immediately spotted even more.
Next to this seemingly dead plant, there were scattered animal bones and many insect shells.
This chilling aura is clearly enough to kill ordinary life.
"But I'm not afraid of the cold."
A slight smile appeared on Linsey's lips.
He switched his magic runes and reached out to wipe the plant, and its attributes immediately became apparent.
[Special Plant: Frost Thorns Wood]
[Plants possessing a cold-toxin nature are too cold for ordinary animals to withstand; after they die, they transform into nutrients for the Frost Thorns Wood.]
[A rare wild plant, of moderate value.]
"What great luck I'm having today!"
Linsey pulled out a machete and quickly began trimming the Frost Thorns Wood.
Then, I had 7 more units of [Frost Thorns Wood] in my inventory.
Linsey stopped in time, leaving this rare wild plant a way to survive.
"That's enough."
Linsey put away her machete and continued on her way.
Place the materials on the Workbench, and the corresponding crafting formula will appear.
1 Frost Thorns Wood = 20 Frost Poison Arrow
[1 Frost Thorns Wood + 2 Cloth + 3 Vines = Frostwood Cloak]