Stone Crystal Treasure Fruit

Huang Family Water Field.

Looking down from high above, a hundred acres of green waves ripple, with flashes of silver occasionally darting through the currents.

They embellish the water like a beaded curtain of shimmering scales, silently spreading toward the point where the mountains and water meet.

A figure cuts through the surface like a swimming dragon, bursting forth with a grace that rivals the Azure Dragon Fish.

At this moment, as far as water affinity goes, Hong Ming is not a Treasure Fish, yet he surpasses one.

The effect of the Water Breathing trait is so significant that, after being solidified, it has triggered a leap akin to a qualitative change.

As he moves through the water, he seems to become a part of the lake, capable of ignoring all resistance brought by the currents.

No matter what movements or postures he assumes, he does so as he pleases, with no restrictions whatsoever.

The surging undercurrents beneath the lake are rendered useless, no longer able to hinder Hong Ming's path.

Hong Ming's breathing has also become increasingly long and steady, as if synchronized and resonating with the water itself.

The various difficulties that previously plagued him are crushed like paper under the influence of the trait, transforming into the agile figure that continues to explore deeper.

The deeper he goes, the more overwhelming the undercurrents become and the more his vision is obstructed, yet Hong Ming's speed does not diminish in the slightest.

After bearing the Water Breathing trait, he does not rely solely on his senses to scout the path; he also utilizes perception.

He perceives the fluctuations of the water and the shifts in the undercurrents, using this to avoid potential risks.

After diving an unknown number of fathoms, Hong Ming suddenly senses an exceptionally powerful fluctuation from the shifting currents.

The fluctuation instantly washes over his entire body, causing goosebumps to rise across his skin.

Deep in his heart, an inexplicable and extreme terror emerges, like that of a clam facing its natural predator, the Azure Dragon Fish.

The water pressure around him also increases slightly, as if issuing a warning to Hong Ming, urging him to leave at once.

All these signs indicate the danger and extraordinary nature of the source of the fluctuation.

How could Hong Ming dare to linger? Without a shred of desire to investigate, he wisely holds his breath and retreats, avoiding the brunt of the threat.

Fortunately, the terrifying creature seems to be merely passing by and pays no mind to Hong Ming, coming and going in a hurry.

As the fluctuation vanishes, the unease lingering in his heart finally recedes like the tide.

Hong Ming does not lower his guard; having tasted the terrors of the underwater world, he becomes even more cautious.

With the startling but safe episode behind him, the subsequent journey is calm and uneventful, and before long, Hong Ming reaches the bottom.

The lake floor is covered with all sorts of strange plants and grasses, as well as countless shrimp, crabs, and clams; the richness of the species is beyond description.

Hong Ming's focus is not on these; none of them are what he is looking for.

He has long since scoured ancient texts, and though he still does not know exactly what the Stone Crystal Fruit looks like, he knows it grows within stone.

With such a distinct characteristic, it should not be hard to find; he keeps his body as close to the ground as possible to widen his field of vision.

Hong Ming searches with extreme diligence, missing no trace, until he catches a glimpse of a luster within a patch of lush water grass.

"Found it!"

The moment he sees this luster, Hong Ming has a strong feeling.

This must be the Stone Crystal Fruit he has been searching for so desperately!

He approaches impatiently, and the scene coming into view gradually clarifies, further confirming his theory.

In a jagged, pitch-black crevice on the lake floor, a black-and-white fruit, as round as a pearl, seems to have grown.

The black portion is exposed, perfectly concealing its luster and aura, serving as the ultimate camouflage and becoming part of the massive rock.

The white portion is embedded deep within the stone crevice, hidden from view, occasionally emitting a faint, inconspicuous halo that quietly declares its existence.

Hong Ming notices that the area where the Stone Crystal Fruit is located is lush with vegetation, and other spirits give it a wide berth.

The thin layer of crystal frost condensed on the reef acts like tentacles or roots, firmly anchored deep inside the rock.

No matter how fierce the surrounding undercurrents surge, they cannot shake it in the slightest.

The Stone Crystal Fruit stands here alone, unmoved, slowly accumulating the passage of time and vicissitudes.

With his destiny and opportunity right before his eyes and no abnormal dangers in the vicinity, Hong Ming can no longer hold back; he cannot help but reach out his hand to gently touch the Stone Crystal Fruit.

The moment his fingertips touch the surface, a wave of coolness is transmitted, rapidly spreading through his skin to his limbs and bones.

The crushing pressure of the deep water, the impact of the undercurrents, and the difficulty of breathing all seem to vanish in an instant.

In their place is an ultimate tranquility, so calm that it feels as if the spot where Hong Ming stands has been isolated into a world of its own.

His mind, however, is not so calm; the moment his palm touches that area, the trait appears:

[Trait: Water-Fire Immortal Garment]

[Status: Can be solidified]

[Required Luck: 49 points]

[Solidification Effect: Doubles the efficiency of practicing any skin-refining or flesh-refining technique; upon reaching its limit, it will condense into the Water-Fire Immortal Garment, which can be improved infinitely.]

"Huh, this trait?"

The moment Hong Ming witnessed the effects of the entry, he was slightly stunned.

Such an entry was truly rare.

Although it could not be upgraded like Breathing and Exhalation, it could still be improved.

The key was that it had no restrictions!

After comparing the two and weighing their pros and cons, Hong Ming's mind began to race.

Having captured such a fine entry, he suddenly felt an itch he couldn't scratch, desperate to solidify it.

The amount of Luck required poured a bucket of cold water over him; it was far beyond what he could reach at the moment.

He quickly sobered up, feeling not so much disappointed as troubled.

Gathering such a vast amount of Luck would be no easy feat; he estimated it would take quite a long time.

He certainly had the time, but the question was, could the Stone Crystal Fruit afford to wait?

Hong Ming looked at the Stone Crystal Fruit; in the short time since he had plucked it, its luster seemed to have dimmed.

If this continued, the Stone Crystal Fruit might not last much longer.

This meant that Hong Ming did not have much time left; he had to consume it as soon as possible.

After staring for a long while, Hong Ming shook his head slightly and sighed, "Forget it!"

Entries were easy to come by, but precious medicinal herbs were hard to find. Since he could not have the best of both worlds, there was no need to force it; he had to choose the better option.

He made a compromise, intending to solidify such an entry if he encountered one again in the future.

With a hint of regret, he placed the Stone Crystal Fruit into the box he carried with him, though he did not rush to leave.

Instead, he looked around, searching to see if he had missed anything.

Seeing nothing unusual, he moved his body slightly, rising and floating like a piece of submerged wood.

Just as he drifted half a zhang away, he suddenly stopped.

He noticed abruptly that the entry, which had been visible before, had vanished in a flash.

Such a change immediately drew his attention; he checked repeatedly, but the entry remained absent.

As doubts sprouted, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought: Could it be that this entry does not belong to the Stone Crystal Fruit?

It was not impossible!

The suspicion grew like wild grass, taking root in his mind.

Hong Ming turned back, acting on his instincts, keeping a close watch on the panel for any changes.

As he drew closer to the spot where the Stone Crystal Fruit had grown, he saw, sure enough, the entry reappeared!

Where was the source of this reappearance?

Hong Ming's eyes flickered. If the entry did not belong to the Stone Crystal Fruit, then what did it belong to?

His gaze was like the sea, his thoughts like lightning, probing every scene before him.

Was it the various water plants?

Or the assortment of shrimp, crabs, and shells?

Or perhaps the mud and reefs covering the ground?

Wait, the reef!

As if realizing something, Hong Ming's eyes shone with brilliance, instantly locking onto the massive reef that had nurtured the Stone Crystal Fruit.

It looked ordinary!

That was the most intuitive impression he had.

But how could a reef capable of birthing a Stone Crystal Fruit be simple?

It must possess some miraculous quality he was unaware of!

Hong Ming was certain of this, and upon testing it, the result was exactly as he had thought.

The Water-Fire Immortal Garment entry truly came from the reef!