Veylin descended the stone steps leading to the underground laboratory.
Light fell across the enormous oak workbench in the center, its surface mottled from exposure to all manner of potions.
To the left of the workbench, a huge glass tank stood filled with seawater, with a freshly cut redleaf tree branch soaking inside.
Its bark was dark red and rough as rock. Even in water salty enough to wither ordinary plants, its branches and leaves remained spread out, showing no sign of decline.
On the right lay a section of Veylin's own creation-the stone-skinned soft vine.
Its surface was grayish white and hard as natural stone, yet the supple vine core within was still perceptible.
This time, Veylin's goal was to create a marine engineering plant that combined the redleaf tree's adaptation to the sea, deep-rooting ability, height, and toughness with the stone-skinned soft vine's rapid growth.
It would be a living embankment capable of taking root and growing on the seabed.
He began the graft.
He cut the vine, carved a groove, inserted the cutting, and applied adhesive in one fluid sequence.
He extended his palm and pressed it against the graft.
[Transcendent Grafting]
A soft emerald glow poured out, enveloping both plants.
Within the light, the graft suddenly began to convulse.
The redleaf tree's dark red bark burst apart inch by inch, while the stone-skinned soft vine's rocky shell rapidly disintegrated into grayish-white powder that sifted down.
Within mere seconds, the entire graft collapsed with a sizzling hiss, becoming a puddle of viscous liquid that gave off black smoke and ate bubbling pits into the oak workbench.
"Tch, the genetic rejection was even worse than I expected." Veylin pursed his lips and deftly neutralized the waste liquid with an alchemical solvent.
It was to be expected. Transcendent Grafting