Completion of the Ecosystem

Lu Zhiyu arrived at Muyu Town alone by car. Although it was not the peak tourist season, the small town was still bustling with activity. People came and went, a diverse crowd filled the streets, many were handing out flyers, and various shops were hosting events to attract attention, with plenty of performances scheduled for the evening.

After wandering around for a while, Lu Zhiyu found a hotel to stay in. The next day, he began his ascent into the mountains. He chose a less-traveled hiking trail, intending to traverse the area while selecting various plants, animals, and materials to enrich the flora, fauna, and ecosystem of Maria World.

Lu Zhiyu had previously experimented by placing white mice into one of the five continents within Maria World. By now, the plant seeds he had scattered had already begun to drift and spread across the entire world. The air and environment were even better than he had imagined, and the mice were living quite comfortably. In the oceans, in particular, unknown algae had appeared—plants that had emerged naturally.

Lu Zhiyu had also collected a large number of fish, as well as stray cats and dogs found on the streets, and introduced them into Maria World. Small-scale populations had already begun to form, though these cats and dogs had completely reverted to a wild state. The fish had also begun to breed in the sea, but because Lu Zhiyu had sealed the Zero-Dimension Channel, there was no Source Substance or the innate conditions associated with the Zerg; thus, the evolution of these species and groups remained entirely normal.

During this period, Lu Zhiyu had become somewhat obsessed with this endeavor. He frantically purchased various plant seeds and would pack up and take away any insects, small birds, or beasts he hadn't seen before to perfect the biodiversity of Maria World. As for whether they could survive, Lu Zhiyu decided to leave that to nature—survival of the fittest.

Furthermore, Lu Zhiyu did not want all species to share the Zero-Dimension Channel or to extract energy from the zero-dimension at will through his dimensional authority. At the very least, he could not allow the extraction of zero-dimensional energy to occur outside of his control. He planned to gradually open access to the Zero-Dimension Channel through his own methods in the future, rather than letting it develop recklessly like the Zerg.

Shennongjia is a World Heritage site, and the key factor in its successful nomination was its rich internal resources of flora and fauna. For Lu Zhiyu, this place was like an infinitely vast treasure trove.

The Shennongjia region features 11 types of vegetation and is one of the three major distribution centers for endemic seed plant genera in China. Scientific surveys have confirmed that the Shennongjia region contains at least 3,767 species of vascular plants, 590 temperate plant genera, 205 local endemic species, 2 endemic genera, and 1,793 species endemic to China.

This area preserves critical ecosystems for a large number of rare animal species. More than 600 species of vertebrates have been recorded in the region, including 92 species of mammals, 399 species of birds, 55 species of fish, 53 species of reptiles, and 37 species of amphibians.

The mountainous terrain provides vital habitats for several endangered species. Over 1,300 golden monkeys have been recorded here, and 67 rare wild animals, such as the leopard, white stork, white snake, great bustard, and Chinese giant salamander, are under state protection.

This place is also a paradise for various insects, with 4,365 species discovered to date.

As Lu Zhiyu walked along, relying on his mental power and robust physique, he continuously collected the resources he desired like a swarm of locusts passing through. Many snake populations, monkey troops, and even a family of Asian black bears were uprooted by him. Lu Zhiyu showed no mercy; as for whether this behavior was illegal or immoral, he didn't know, and besides, no one was watching.

Possessing a strong physique, fearing no danger, and traveling freely through the mountain forests was a truly pleasant experience. This was something Lu Zhiyu could not have imagined before. With his previous body, he likely wouldn't have been able to sustain such extensive hiking and trekking through the mountains. Moreover, without his mental power to foresee danger, the constant tension would have been exhausting, given that Shennongjia was fraught with peril and not exactly safe.

Furthermore, without his mental power constantly scanning the surroundings, Lu Zhiyu would have been unable to quickly locate the plants and animals he sought. He even managed to find several wild ginseng roots and rare medicinal herbs, all of which he carefully collected.

Along the way, Lu Zhiyu continuously dug up various plants by the roots to transplant them. Whenever he discovered traces of wild beasts, he would follow the clues to find them and bag the entire group. He had just finished digging a family of moles out of the ground and packing them off to Maria World when he discovered a bear's footprint on a nearby path. He also found fur that had fallen to the ground—it was white.

"Look, what have we found? A lone adult albino bear. We must try to capture it!"

"An albino bear could provide us with..."

Lu Zhiyu chuckled to himself as he spoke. It had to be said that many animals in Shennongjia had suffered at his hands these past few days. Carrying the Universe Scroll, Lu Zhiyu had spent his time chasing down these large predators; tigers, leopards, lynxes, and even monkeys had not been spared. A single bear posed absolutely no threat to him, and his mood was incredibly high!

Lu Zhiyu used his mental power to continuously scan the footprints on the ground, gathering information about the bear. This albino bear must have passed through here about half a day ago, and it likely lived not far from this spot. Sure enough, after tracking it for a short while, he spotted the albino bear on the slope of a small grove ahead.

The so-called albino bear was an albino variant of the Asian black bear. They were extremely rare, with fewer than ten in the entire world. They differed significantly from polar bears; their fur was not pure white but carried a slight brownish tint.

Lu Zhiyu observed it stealthily. It was an adult female bear, and it appeared to be pregnant. At a time like this, its temper would surely be volatile. If Lu Zhiyu were to get too close, he would easily provoke it. The white bear's ears were perked up, its head was large, and a small tail was tucked between its hind legs, making it look quite cute. However, when it turned its head, its fierce face and sharp fangs reminded one that it was definitely not to be trifled with.

But Lu Zhiyu was no ordinary person. He rushed out, pulled out the Universe Scroll, and charged toward the albino bear. The white bear was startled for a moment, then flew into a rage. Its entire body stood up, and it let out a roar at Lu Zhiyu that echoed throughout the forest, shaking the birds and beasts to their cores and causing leaves to rain down.

Lu Zhiyu, however, showed no hesitation. He aimed the Universe Scroll at the albino bear and sucked it inside, tossing it near the family of black bears he had captured earlier. A pregnant mother bear—that was like a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Lu Zhiyu certainly wasn't going to let that pass.