Branch Parasitism

The Linxi Secret Realm is a paradise for insects.

Although small insects are not suitable for cultivation as spirit pets unless controlled by a queen insect, they are very important as part of the ecosystem.

Many spirit beasts, such as birds and frogs, require these insects as feed or even as material for evolution.

Beside the stream where the White Jade Giant Snails appeared, countless palm-sized mosquitoes were flying wantonly, buzzing and searching for blooming flowers to feed on their sweet nectar.

Suddenly, a vibrant green vine swept through the swarm of mosquitoes, hitting several unlucky ones directly.

However, the vine seemed to have only swept past; the hit mosquitoes flipped a few times in the air before quickly stabilizing themselves and flapping their wings to catch up with the main group.

Yet, after flying forward for a distance, their speed began to slow down. Green new shoots appeared on their bodies.

In an instant, the new shoots began to grow wildly. White roots pierced directly through the mosquitoes' bodies, and the plants grew rapidly, completely claiming the mosquitoes' lives.

Under the effect of inertia, these small grass plants, carrying the remains of the mosquitoes, flew forward a short distance before finally landing on the soft soil.

In the blink of an eye, the mosquitoes that were full of vitality moments ago had become an inconspicuous little grass in the forest.

Or rather, a Dream Rain Flower.

Within seconds, all the mosquitoes hit by the vine met the same fate.

Their bodies became nourishment for the plants growing on them, resting eternally in the soil.

"Well done! Huohuo!"

Zhou Lu, observing the performance of these mosquitoes from not far away, excitedly clenched his fist.

Receiving praise from his master, Huohuo proudly tapped its shell with its vine.

During the last few days in the Linxi Secret Realm, Zhou Lu had been training Huohuo in the technique of using [Lilliput] to miniaturize its own offshoots and then parasitize other creatures.

It had to be said that the effect was quite remarkable.

Now, Huohuo could not only perfectly parasitize offshoots onto mushrooms like the Enlarged Delicious Mushroom but also parasitize small insects.

When Huohuo evolved and upgraded in the future, becoming even stronger, it might be able to have its offshoots parasitize large spirit beasts.

Although it might not be able to easily drain and kill large spirit beasts like it did with insects, absorbing their energy and erupting with vines to entangle them would also be quite effective.

At the current stage, the most useful application of this technique was still in controlling the Enlarged Delicious Mushroom.

With Huohuo's offshoots parasitizing it, he no longer had to worry about the Enlarged Delicious Mushroom's backlash. As soon as its purpose was achieved, he could immediately cause the offshoots to grow wildly and dismantle the mushroom from within.

Moreover, it allowed the offshoots' vines to perfectly complement the mushroom's brute force.

He wondered if this technique, once mastered, could be solidified into a skill, just like Huohuo's way of moving.

As he spoke, Zhou Lu glanced at Huohuo's Beast Taming Card.

Under the skills section, a new skill had appeared: [Vine Step].

[Vine Step]: Innate Skill. Utilizes the continuous switching between [Mad Growth] and [Vine Step] to achieve movement.

This skill was formed when Huohuo's movement technique reached the mastery level, solidifying from a technique into a skill.

Therefore, Zhou Lu had no doubt that Huohuo's offshoot parasitism technique would also solidify into an innate skill upon mastery.

Furthermore, unlike [Vine Step], since other Plant Spirit Beasts could not learn [Lilliput], this offshoot parasitism would be a unique skill for Huohuo.

Watching Huohuo continuously whipping flying insects in the air with its vines, Zhou Lu fell into thought.

Since Huohuo's offshoots could already parasitize other creatures, could he go a step further?

Some parasitic organisms can control the host's behavior through certain methods.

For example, the parasitic barnacles that control crabs, or the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis that controls ants.

Huohuo had already begun to learn offshoot parasitism; could it be possible to enable Huohuo to control its parasitic hosts through its offshoots in some way?

He wondered if such a skill existed in this world.

Huohuo seemed to have tired of playing, wrapping its vine around Zhou Lu's ankle and then using its skill to quickly shrink itself, skillfully climbing up Zhou Lu's leg.

In a short while, like a large spider, it rapidly climbed up Zhou Lu's body and perched on its throne: the top of Zhou Lu's head.

Huohuo lazily rubbed Zhou Lu's ear with its vine, expressing its fatigue.

This little grass was truly exhausted but unwilling to return to its Beast Taming Card to rest, preferring to perch on his head instead.

Glancing at the time, the exploration time for the secret realm, purchased with academic credits, was running out.

Zhou Lu returned to the camp, packed his belongings, and prepared to leave.

In fact, if one wanted to frequent the Linxi Secret Realm, they could choose to rent a simple dwelling here.

However, Zhou Lu had no such plans for now.

After settling the accommodation fees, he raised his wrist and activated his bracelet.

Lu Rang knocked on his door.

"There are still thirty minutes until the exploration ends," Lu Rang said to Zhou Lu. "Confirming departure?"

Zhou Lu nodded.

Lu Rang gave Zhou Lu a deep look.

Zhou Lu's training by the creek was conducted entirely under Lu Rang's observation.

There was no other way. Since he chose to operate within the safety zone, trading privacy for security was something he had to accept.

Zhou Lu actually knew this.

In the safety zone, no matter what you did, the safety instructors were definitely nearby.

But he had a clear conscience and nothing to hide, so there was no need to be secretive.

Moreover, safety instructors like Lu Rang had signed confidentiality agreements, and the most stringent ones at that, personally overseen by the Seeking Dao Wood.

As Zhou Lu confirmed, the teleportation light flared up.

When Zhou Lu opened his eyes, he and Lu Rang had returned to the Explorer Association.

Huohuo was perched on Zhou Lu's head, still looking lazy.

Zhou Lu didn't linger at the Explorer Association and headed straight back to the dormitory.

He needed to start preparing for his journey to the C0021 Mountain Secret Realm.

After the initial combat assessment, the campus fell silent, and even the freshmen had begun preparing for their various exams.

Zhou Lu quickly returned to his dormitory.

When he opened the door, he was taken aback, then silently stepped back outside to take a look.

"Yo! You're back!" Xiao Xi's voice came from inside, confirming for Zhou Lu that he hadn't gone to the wrong dorm.

Although Zhou Lu often cleaned the dorm, he never managed to make it this tidy.

The books that had been piled on the floor were now neatly organized and returned to the bookshelf, with any excess packed into cardboard boxes and stacked by the window.

This made the previously cramped dorm feel much more spacious.

"This is..." Zhou Lu looked at Xiao Xi, confused.

"Hehe, since you're hardly ever home, it was a waste to just leave it like that, so I cleaned it up for you," Xiao Xi said, hands on her hips with a cheeky grin. "This way, my room space has effectively doubled!"

Zhou Lu looked at Xiao Xi speechlessly and then rummaged through his belongings for his water cup, intending to take a drink. "Where's my water cup?"

"That was too dirty, so I threw it away..."

The next second, Xiao Xi looked at the vines around her waist and said helplessly, "I just threw away a cup..."

Huohuo quickly shook Xiao Xi.

Cleaning the room, that was my job!

Stealing my work, you seed are definitely up to no good!

And you threw away the master's water cup, unforgivable!

"Aaaah! I'm sorry! I was wrong!"

Xiao Xi's screams echoed down the corridor.

"Hey! Don't stuff weird things into my body! What is this!"