Above The Sky
Chapter 252 - 252 240 Extraterrestrial Giant Mushroom 23

252: Chapter 240: Extraterrestrial Giant Mushroom (2/3) 252: Chapter 240: Extraterrestrial Giant Mushroom (2/3) Below the giant fungus was a swamp crocodile dragon serving as a means of movement, which at first glance looked a bit like a land tortoise with a smaller shell, except the shell was a giant mushroom.

This cave-based swamp crocodile dragon differed from its counterparts in the Redwood Forest.

Including its tail, it was just over three meters long, with a somewhat emaciated body.

However, its scales shined with a metallic texture, reflecting the spirit energy radiance in Ian’s eyes, making it appear dark and ominous.

The crocodragon carrying the giant fungus moved extremely slowly and was not as ferocious as its land-based kin.

After noticing Ian and the others, it didn’t make any offensive or warning gestures but continued to approach the lake slowly.

Ian didn’t make a move.

He stepped aside with Yisen Gard and noticed that the creature indeed paid them no mind, simply coming to the water’s edge to drink quietly.

“It seems the crocodragon is in a low-temperature hibernation state…

Is it in symbiosis or is it a parasite?

This is somewhat reminiscent of cordyceps…

but it’s more like the Parasect from PokéX.”

Ian was curious about this strange mode of existence, but obviously, now was not the time to study it.

Avoiding the crocodragon, Ian and Yisen found a relatively dry spot to lay down the old man.

Master Gossay was well protected and hadn’t suffered any mishaps; it was just that Yisen Gard had administered an excessive amount of anesthesia during surgery, and he had not yet awoken.

Ian looked around the cave, then frowned deeply.

Unlike the outer areas bathed in the glow of spirit energy fluorescence, this place had no intermittent electric arcs to provide light.

While there was still a spirit energy field, it leaned more toward water, making the area cold, damp, and almost pitch-black.

But within the cave were many sources of cold light—biofluorescence from some organisms.

Ian had not paid serious attention at first, but upon closer inspection, he realized that the sources of light were giant fungi of various sizes, all similar in nature.

These giant fungi were a type of sublimated fungus; the largest mushroom even exceeded five meters in height, with pronounced bulges on their caps.

The glowing spots were these bulges, through which luminous mucus flowed.

The peculiar fragrance pervading the air emanated from this mucus, carrying a sweet scent that could brighten one’s mood.

“What exactly is this creature?”

With a slightly furrowed brow and leaning forward, silver brilliance sparkled in the youth’s eyes.

At that moment, a dense stream of data flowed forth.

[Obera Giant Gold Fungus (Terran Alien Species)]

[First Energy Level·Mature Body·Ordinary·Symbiotic Sub-Intelligent Creature·Secondary Low Intelligence Life from Obera Star Domain·Spirit Energy Network Offshoot]

[Physical Material… Sublimated Mycelium… Metal-Based Life]

[Strength Level: Ordinary]

[Contained Primordial Essence: 22.2491 Basic Units]

[One of the main wild sublimated lifeforms on Obera’s Third Ecological Planet, an essential unit in Obera Starfield’s ecological cycle.

Giant Gold Mushrooms can move through fusion and symbiosis with other lifeforms, but after some time, they use a special enzyme to gradually integrate themselves with the host body, becoming an immobile Giant Gold Mushroom once more]

[After the destruction of the Obera Star Domain, the ‘Spark’ reached the Terra Starfield.

It was modified by local intelligent life to adapt to the local ecology and preserved as an experimental subject of the ‘Metal-based Ecological Circle’ and ‘Spirit Energy Network’]

[Now fully wild and naturalized]

[…]

“Teacher is really much better…

It’s a pity that the regeneration potion can be used continuously; otherwise, teacher’s injuries could probably be healed by a large margin!”

At the moment, Yisen Gard had finished examining Master Gossay—Ian’s surgery was a great success; after excising and digging out all the lesions, and further sterilizing them with his blood, the parasites inside the old man were basically completely eradicated.

Master Gossay had not yet woken up, but Yisen Gard couldn’t help but want to report the good news to Ian, who was standing beside the giant fungi in a daze, “Ian…

Ian?”

Then he observed, somewhat puzzled, that the silver-haired youth, who had been very calm all the way, was staring blankly at the giant fungus in front of him, as if looking at something unimaginable.

After a good while, Ian inhaled sharply and muttered in a low voice, “What in the world?”

—Extraterrestrial life?!

Meanwhile.

Fiery Flame Land team.

“…So you’re saying, a White Folk has been following us all along, closely behind the vanguard, undetected by anyone, and just as the vanguard was about to capture that young lord from the Ellen Family, he suddenly struck, collapsing the cavern, and then killed Gomunda and the rest with a speed that you can’t begin to track, delving deep into the depths of the cavern…

and ran off?”

Hearing the scout’s report, the team captain took a deep breath, clearly wanting to burst into flames of anger.

But he also knew very well that getting angry was pointless, so he forcefully suppressed his rage and said in a deep voice, “Fine.

It seems we have underestimated those Sertar bastards.”

He walked briskly along the melting cave, an invisible fierce wind swirling around him.

The collapsed tunnel that blocked the soldiers’ path in Fiery Flame Land seemed nonexistent in front of him; accompanied by a gust of wind, dust flew up, and a human-shaped hole appeared in the center of the rubble—and the earth-element Knight following him hurried forward, activating the Origin Quality to solidify this cave passage.

The captain came to the cave full of corpses, looked around at the bloodstained underground cavern, anger pulsating in the thermal sensing organ on his forehead.

“Very well.”

He gritted his teeth, smashing out the words through clenched jaws, “I didn’t expect to underestimate that member of the White Folks—I thought he was just a Wave Singer and didn’t need much attention, but now it seems he actually possesses the Aquatic Spirit Heritage, and a very high-ranking Bloodline at that.”

Turning around, he glanced at the Spiritual Tool Church squad that was close behind.

The captain ordered grimly, “Find them.”

The female monk shook her head, “That’s not within the scope of our cooperation.”

“They have already posed a severe threat to our exploration mission,” the captain sneered.

“You might not be aware, but that man from the White Folks is the new generation Sublimator that has been heavily cultivated by Viscount Grant of Harrison Port these past few years…

He might be his disciple or even his bastard.”

“His ease in shaking off our scouts shows how intimately familiar he is with this place—the Viscount has part of the Key, and he may have unraveled some of the secrets of this ruin complex.”

“Capture that member of the White Folks and the young master of the Ellen Family, and extract these secrets.

This will certainly be much faster than us aimlessly wandering around this cave complex.”

The female monk remained silent for a moment, exchanged glances with the two Watcher Knights following her, and then nodded slightly.

“Fine.”

Turning her head and meeting the captain’s gaze, the female monk continued in her synthesized voice, “We accept your proposal.

However, we remind you that should unforeseen circumstances arise, our mission takes precedence.”

“[Heterogenous Ecosystem], [Ascension Experiment Ground], [Spark Prototype] or [Spark Core Design Map].”

Upon saying this, the female monk’s voice was filled with uncontrollable fervor, “Anything related to these three matters will take priority under our command.”

The captain took several deep breaths.

“No problem,” he calmed down and agreed, “So now?”

The female monk nodded.

Then one of the Watcher Knights behind her stepped forward and took off his helmet.

The head was completely transformed by mechanical modifications, topped with only a single gigantic crystal eye, giving it the eerie appearance of a Cyclops Giant’s skull.

“Activate footprint retracing mode.”

The Watcher Knight’s milky, semi-transparent crystal eye emitted intense light, illuminating the melting cave—immediately, a clear trail of glowing footprints could be seen originating and racing deep into the cave.

[Human youth][Human youth – carrying Human elder]

Click.

The Cyclops Giant-like Watcher Knight reattached the solid helmet onto his head.

The female monk then gestured to the captain to proceed.

“Let’s go.” Without the slightest hesitation, the captain immediately led the team to follow.

At the same time.

Above the sea.

Elder Prude, piloting the Aether Armament and returning from Harrison Port, brought some ill-omened news to Viscount Grant.

“The White Mist Bishop entered the underground ruins alone?!”

Viscount, his brows furrowed as he held the four-color card Key, stared at the now-closed Gate of the ruins as if pondering a very serious issue.

But the bad news brought by Elder Prude still left him feeling dizzy, and bewildered, “What’s going on?

This is a secret mission guarded by my family, and I was the one who gathered the Four Keys!

The Former Emperor personally entrusted this task to our family!”

“How come it seems that they all are thoroughly familiar with these underground ruins, while I’m completely in the dark, knowing nothing?!”