Entering the Secret Realm (23)

The C-Class Exploration Permit was obtained that morning.

After a simple lunch at Wu Xiaoqing's place, Zhou Lu headed to the Explorer Association in the afternoon to prepare for entering the Secret Realm.

Huohuo's actions were too obvious, and Wu Xiaoqing easily retrieved the stolen mushrooms from its flowerpot.

However, this time Wu Xiaoqing didn't take back all the mushrooms. She only took the poisonous ones and then proceeded to explain the effects of each type of mushroom to Zhou Lu.

"Are these all useless?" Zhou Lu couldn't help but ask after hearing about their effects.

"Some aren't entirely useless, but if I were to release them, Ouyang would definitely mock me," Wu Xiaoqing's expression turned bitter when she mentioned that name.

Ouyang Xiao, her father's first student, had lost contact after graduation and hadn't even attended Zhou Minghai's funeral.

Judging by Wu Xiaoqing's expression, Ouyang Xiao seemed to have left a deep impression on her.

"Aren't you being a bit too hasty?" Wu Xiaoqing asked as Zhou Lu was leaving. "Even though you have enough Academic Credits, shouldn't you prepare a strategy before going?"

"I've been preparing a strategy for a long time, even before the exam."

Seeing Zhou Lu's determination, Wu Xiaoqing no longer tried to stop him:

"Be careful. Even in the safe zone, C-Class Secret Realms still pose some danger."

C0032, Linxi Secret Realm.

Zhou Lu stood before the portal leading into the Secret Realm, feeling a bit nervous.

However, he quickly calmed himself down.

"Are you ready?" a tall man beside him asked in a gentle tone.

His name was Lü Rang, the safety teacher responsible for Zhou Lu's safety during this Secret Realm exploration, essentially a Safety Officer.

Safety Officers were only responsible for protecting students' lives and nothing else; they existed as a final safeguard.

Even with the protection of a Safety Officer, news of students losing their Spirit Pets or suffering severe injuries during Secret Realm explorations was common on the school forum.

Entrusting one's safety entirely to a Safety Officer was extremely irresponsible towards oneself and one's Spirit Pet.

"I'm ready."

Zhou Lu composed himself and nodded at Lü Rang.

"Then let's go," Lü Rang said, opening the Secret Realm portal.

The safe zone of the Linxi Secret Realm was demarcated around a peak named Xinbai Mountain.

As soon as they entered the Secret Realm, the humidity characteristic of a rainforest hit them, carrying the fragrance of moist earth.

"Watch out for poisonous creatures."

After saying this, Lü Rang disappeared.

Although Zhou Lu couldn't see him, he was certain Lü Rang was nearby.

However, unless Zhou Lu courted death and found himself in mortal danger, he shouldn't expect Lü Rang to appear before he left the Secret Realm.

Zhou Lu focused his mind.

As Lü Rang had warned, the most dangerous aspect of the Linxi Secret Realm was undoubtedly its poisonous creatures.

Poisonous insects, poisonous frogs, and even the fuzz from poisonous plants could all be life-threatening.

"Huohuo, Stinky Mushroom," Zhou Lu immediately instructed Huohuo.

Huohuo, who had been excited about entering the Secret Realm, showed reluctance upon hearing Zhou Lu's command.

Stinky Mushroom, a Rank 1 Spirit Beast. It was a byproduct of Wu Xiaoqing's research on the evolution of Poisonous Delicious Mushrooms, having undergone a special evolution from Poisonous Delicious Mushrooms.

(Special evolution does not necessarily result in a rank increase; it can also be a mutation of a species with the same rank.)

Incidentally, both the Enlarged Delicious Mushroom and the unnamed Rank 2 Poisonous Mushroom were evolved by Wu Xiaoqing from Poisonous Delicious Mushrooms.

Zhou Lu always wanted to complain whenever he saw the name: why was it still called "Delicious Mushroom" if it was poisonous? Were all mushroom eaters suicidal?

Stinky Mushroom is inedible.

Unlike Poisonous Delicious Mushroom, the specially evolved Stinky Mushroom had lost its toxicity. The reason it was inedible was simply because it tasted awful and smelled very bad.

However, this foul odor came with an added attribute: the juice of the Stinky Mushroom had a strong repellent effect on snakes and insects.

The moment Huohuo produced the Stinky Mushroom and tore its skin, a stench assaulted Zhou Lu.

The smell was akin to putting cockroach corpses into spoiled mung bean soup, then stirring it with bone broth, sealing it in a glass bottle filled with vegetable leaves and banana peels, and leaving it in a cool place for seven days.

The Stinky Mushroom was highly effective; Zhou Lu felt all the insects around him immediately flee.

After leaning against a tree trunk for a moment, Zhou Lu finally managed to adapt to the smell of the Stinky Mushroom.

Huohuo did not have olfactory organs, but through the contract, it seemed to have inherited some of Zhou Lu's senses, appearing uncomfortable.

After taking protective measures, Zhou Lu directed Huohuo to explore forward.

Detailed information about each safe zone could be found on the official websites of the academy and the Pioneer Army.

To ensure that students gained something from each exploration, the Pioneer Army also intentionally controlled the population of Spirit Beasts in the safe zones, culling more than they replenished.

The Jade Snail, a provider of very popular handicrafts, had seen its population drastically reduced outside the safe zones. However, the population within the safe zones was maintained at a reasonably good scale.

This led many merchants to simply cooperate with students, acquiring the shells of Jade Snails.

Of course, there were many other similar projects. Truly profitable information wouldn't find its way onto the forum.

Huohuo absolutely adored this Secret Realm.

As Zhou Lu searched for their path, it excitedly greeted all the plants around them.

"The big sisters here are so gentle and polite~!"

"Much easier to talk to than those wild grasses in the grassland Secret Realm."

"Wow! Are you giving me your fruit?"

"Yes! Huohuo is super cute (^▽^) "

Huohuo happily plucked a fruit from a tree.

This action seemed to trigger a chain reaction, and nearby flowers, plants, and trees began offering Huohuo various gifts.

In no time, Huohuo's flower pot was overflowing with local specialties.

"Hm?" Zhou Lu noticed Huohuo's unusual behavior. "Is the flower pot too heavy?"

Huohuo, who was in the middle of playing matchmaker for two trees, heard its owner's voice and immediately pulled a fruit from the flower pot: "Master, eat fruit!"

"Ah, thank you." Zhou Lu smiled and accepted the fruit Huohuo handed over.

Seeing the fruit's appearance, Zhou Lu was slightly taken aback: "Where did you get this?"

Thunder Pattern Saffron Fruit.

Zhou Lu mentally recited the fruit's name.

It was the fruit of a Rank 2 Spirit Beast, the Thunder Pattern Soursop Tree. Of course, the most crucial thing was that this fruit was a primary material for many electric-attribute Spirit Beasts to evolve to Rank 2.

These Spirit Beasts were very rare, a matter of luck and chance.

Huohuo wore a confused expression.

Zhou Lu looked back.

The path they had taken had already changed.

In C-Class Secret Realms, even trees could be Spirit Beasts.

Rank 2 Plant Spirit Beasts had already gained the ability to move, so it was common for paths to change as the trees moved.

It was estimated that the Thunder Pattern Soursop Tree that had given Huohuo the fruit had long since wandered off somewhere else.

Zhou Lu shook his head and handed the fruit back to Huohuo: "Keep it, it's valuable."

Huohuo made a question mark with its vines: Valuable?

Little Grass Grass didn't quite understand the meaning of money.

"It can buy you a lot of growth potions," Zhou Lu said with a smile.

Huohuo's "eyes lit up."

I still have a lot!

Huohuo pulled out over a dozen Thunder Pattern Saffron Fruits from its flower pot.

Seeing this, Zhou Lu was stunned:

Did you strip the entire tree bare?

There's one more update. Extra updates during the new book period are very taxing, so please follow along closely.