Fusing the Devil Arum Heart

[Item - Devil Arum Heart]

[Description - The life core produced when the Corpse-Devouring Devil Arum ascends. It is hard and can only be destroyed by a level 5 creature. Once separated from the Devil Arum, it actively releases tiny spores that confuse the minds of other creatures.

Once fused using the system, it can actively seal two-thirds of the Devil Arum's health and suppress its ability to move.]

Looking at the appraisal result before him, Jiang He immediately knew this bastard was up to no good.

Just as I thought!

Seeing him look over, the Devil Arum immediately spoke.

"You have no need to worry that I'll kill you once I recover. This is my Devil Arum Heart. As long as it's in your hands, my life or death is yours to decide with a single thought! With that as a check on me, I'll use my abilities to protect you for a time, until the fruit's energy has been fully released."

The Corpse-Devouring Devil Arum sounded so sincere that Jiang He got goosebumps all over.

You bastard!

Do you really think I don't know your tricks?

You just want to use the spores to control me, then take the chance to refine me!

With the system's appraisal result, Jiang He had already guessed most of the bastard's plan.

But to let the system fuse the Devil Arum Heart without a hitch, he continued pretending he didn't know.

"Is everything you said true?"

There's hope!

Seeing the suspicious look on Jiang He's face, the Devil Arum knew the plan had a very good chance of succeeding.

Hmph! You stole my woman, took my fruit, and even dared to scheme against me, leaving me on the verge of death! How could I possibly let you get away so easily...

Though it was gnashing its teeth with hatred inside, it still spoke sincerely.

"You can take it in your hand and try it!"

This bastard had really gone all in. To devour Jiang He and reclaim the fruit's power, it had even resorted to its last option!

The Devil Arum Heart was the equivalent of its heart. Once destroyed, it would die on the spot!

This was the Corpse-Devouring Devil Arum's true weakness after its ascension!

Jiang He feigned interest and reached out to take the Devil Arum Heart.

He was thinking of stalling for time, but accidentally dropped the diamond-shaped crystal in his hand onto the ground, then accidentally stepped on it twice.

"Oh, dear, just look at my hand. It's like I've had a stroke. You're not angry, are you?"

Jiang He gently slapped the back of his uncooperative hand and looked up at the Devil Arum's flower bud with an innocent expression.

"Damn it, you might as well have possessed Liu Lu. You're so ugly it makes me sick!"

Realizing that the Devil Arum had no physical body and he couldn't see its angry expression, Jiang He felt disappointed and couldn't help muttering under his breath.

The Devil Arum naturally heard those words.

Its long tentacles curled up slightly in an instant, as if clenching into fists.

A moment later, it finally spoke again.

"Of course not. Everyone makes mistakes. Just pick it up..."

Before it could finish, Jiang He stepped on it twice more.

It flew into a rage and quickly drifted over to where the crystal had fallen, gently curling a tentacle around it.

If I didn't lack a physical body right now, I'd definitely tear this bastard to pieces!

Thinking bitterly, the Devil Arum held the Devil Arum Heart out to Jiang He again.

To deal with him now, I can only rely on this method!

Jiang He quickly reached out and took it. This time, he didn't play any more tricks.

The earlier delay meant there was less than a minute left before the Spore Fruit finished fusing.

[Congratulations, host. Fusion with the Spore Fruit is complete. The system has automatically reserved the host's right to select a skill. Please make your selection within 48 hours.]

[Fusible item detected - Devil Arum Heart. Would the host like to spend 50,000 System Points to fuse it?]

To avoid being controlled by the spores, Jiang He had already put the diamond-shaped crystal into the system space.

But...

Looking at the number of System Points required for fusion, he was stunned.

Fifty thousand?

Why don't you just rob me!

As if sensing Jiang He's negative feelings, the system promptly offered an explanation.

[Please respect the system's pricing, host! The Devil Arum Heart of a level 5 Demon Seed is too precious. All prices set by the system are absolutely fair and just.]

Seemingly having figured out the key point, Jiang He stopped arguing.

If he successfully fused the Devil Arum Heart, it would mean he could indirectly control a level 5 Demon Seed.

Although this one was on the verge of death right now, its powerful vitality meant it would recover sooner or later!

That was why the price was so high!

"Is there any way to reduce the number of System Points?"

Jiang He had already made up his mind. If he couldn't fuse it, he would leave with the Devil Arum Heart and fuse it later, once he had enough System Points!

In any case, the Corpse-Devouring Devil Arum couldn't do anything to him right now. Otherwise, it wouldn't have resorted to such a dangerous plan!

[The host may use 5,000 System Points and a level 5 extraordinary item as collateral. Once the host has enough System Points, the collateral can be redeemed.]

"That's barely acceptable!"

As it happened, he had a level 5 Devil Arum stamen that he couldn't use for the time being. It was perfect for collateral!

[Ding]

[Fusing the Devil Arum Heart. Estimated time to completion: 24 hours. Please wait patiently, host.]

Seeing that Jiang He had stopped moving after taking the crystal, the Corpse-Devouring Devil Arum assumed he was under its control and was just about to move forward and put its plan into action.

But then it suddenly realized it had lost control of the Devil Arum Heart!

"Where did you put it?"

The Corpse-Devouring Devil Arum spoke angrily, but because its physical body hadn't recovered, its voice was faint and carried no threat.

"Don't worry. Since I agreed, of course I'll let you stay by my side and absorb the energy. But first, you'll have to put those little schemes of yours aside!"

The fusion had already begun, and Jiang He was in no mood to keep up the act with this bastard. As he issued the warning, he stepped toward the edge of the flower base.

"Where are you going? Give me back the Devil Arum Heart, now!"

Seeing him about to leave, the Devil Arum immediately panicked.

It was now constrained by its physical body and couldn't pursue Jiang He at all.

"You really are stupid. You knew I had a way to hide the Energy Core, yet you still dared to hand me the Devil Arum Heart. When it comes to intelligence, you really aren't as good as the original Liu Lu!"

Jiang He let out a derisive laugh, but didn't stop walking.

"Hurry up and restore your physical body. I'll come back then!"

With those words, he leaped off the flower base, landed on the ground in a few flashes, and disappeared into the underground plaza.

"Bastard!"

At the sight, the Devil Arum gnashed its teeth!

Being toyed with repeatedly by a lowly human nearly made it explode with rage!

"Impossible! Impossible! We Demon Seeds are the smartest species!"

Muttering to itself, the Devil Arum floated above the pile of "minced meat."

It had to restore its physical body as quickly as possible and settle the score with that bastard!

Clusters of black light shone on Liu Lu's corpse. With the help of this mysterious power, the chunks of flesh that had stopped wriggling began gathering together again.

But the process was quite slow...

Naturally, the Devil Arum couldn't be blamed for this.

When it had seen Jiang He hide the Energy Core earlier, it had simply assumed he had an extraordinary item that blocked detection, so it hadn't paid it any mind.

Those things were ineffective against the tiny spores...

As long as Jiang He carried the Devil Arum Heart with him, no matter where he put it, he wouldn't escape the spores' influence!

What the Corpse-Devouring Devil Arum could never have imagined, even in its dreams, was that Jiang He had a system space and could even use the system to fuse its indestructible Devil Arum Heart...

After walking out of the cave, Jiang He took a breath of fresh air.

After the earlier delay, the sky outside was beginning to brighten.

"So she really did die?"

Looking at the mess on the ground before him and the bus parked quietly in the distance, Jiang He finally let out a long sigh.

Such an excellent support sequence had died just like that. How could he not feel regret?

This world really was as cruel as ever...

Wait!

Jiang He was just about to look away from the bus when he suddenly noticed something unusual.

The bus windows had been repaired!