This morning's sunlight was exceptionally brilliant, filtering through the treetops and dappling the fire pit that now contained only embers.
After that grand bonfire feast, Chen Yu slept comfortably until the next day before waking.
The slime's senses gradually returned from pleasant dreams, and the first thing he noticed was feeling somewhat squeezed.
If he had to describe it, it was like having his forehead clamped between two door panels.
As the slime liquid rebounded into three-dimensional form, Chen Yu opened his eyes and saw some undigested residue still remaining in his gel stomach.
He was lying on the leaf bed in Sekashi's shelter, and only after hopping to the ground did he realize his body had expanded yet another size.
He was now about the same size as Slime Mother, and his previous beetle helmet no longer fit as snugly - that "squeezed" feeling was coming from the helmet.
Additionally, he discovered that his gel epidermis seemed to be covered with a layer of flexible membrane.
[Devour Digestion Lv.2 triggered - Poison-stinger Wasp characteristics fully recorded, acquired talent Toxin Resistance Lv.1]
——
Race: Toxin-resistant Slime
Level: Black Iron Lv.3 [EXP: 3/30]
Cultivation: Qi Training Lv.3 [Spiritual Energy: 14/30]
Life Status: Healthy [HP: 105/105]
Racial Talent: Devour Digestion Lv.2
Other Talents: Acid Secretion Lv.2, Toxin Resistance Lv.1, Resilient Carapace Lv.1
Skill List: Open Yuan Treasure Scroll Lv.4, Object Manipulation Lv.3, Little Arrow Technique Lv.1, Sound Transmission Technique Lv.1
Reputation Title: Slime Warrior (Novice Slime)
——
Huh?
So this flexible membrane was the new talent he gained from digesting the beetle.
But it didn't look very reliable.
Chen Yu removed the beetle helmet, and the "squeezed" feeling disappeared.
He shook his body, and the slime membrane swayed along with it, not hindering his movements at all.
It seemed that even the same talent manifested differently in different magical creatures.
On the beetle, it condensed into a thick chitinous carapace, while on the slime it formed a thickened version of slime gel. The defensive properties were probably inferior, but it didn't affect flexibility.
There were pros and cons.
Chen Yu felt the carapace talent actually had quite good potential.
As for the other talent called Toxin Resistance... he actually gained that from digesting the Poison-stinger Wasp.
Chen Yu had thought he would get some kind of poison stinger shooting ability.
With his Flying Sword and Little Arrow Technique, shooting poison stingers would be garbage skills for him. Instead, Toxin Resistance surprised Chen Yu more pleasantly.
This swamp forest was perpetually shrouded in poisonous mist, and most of the magical creatures dwelling here were toxic. The deeper one went into the swamp, the thicker the poisonous mist became - without toxin resistance, one simply couldn't endure it.
Without needing further thought, Chen Yu ranked this talent second on his potential list.
As for who held first place.
Of course it was Devour Digestion, the mother of Toxin Resistance.
Chen Yu looked around but didn't see Sekashi, guessing she had probably gone hunting.
He returned to the tree ground where yesterday's battle occurred, and without using acid treatment, directly absorbed a poison stinger into his gel.
"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"
The moment the poison stinger entered his body, it immediately reacted with the gel, bubbling like boiling water emitting steam, then quickly settled into calm.
Nothing happened.
But nothing happening was the biggest surprise.
Chen Yu happily bubbled with excitement.
This Toxin Resistance could actually withstand the poison stinger's erosion - he seemed to have stumbled upon a treasure.
After testing with several more poison stingers, he discovered that what could neutralize the toxins seemed to be some special slime liquid emerging from his magic organ.
After these slime liquids were consumed, although the gel still maintained resistance to toxins, it couldn't process the toxins and could only expel them.
One had to admit, mana was truly miraculous.
The magic organ could not only secrete acid but also anti-toxin liquid.
And compared to before, it seemed only the magic patterns had become more profound, with no other changes.
"Gurgle..."
A hungry gurgling sound pulled his thoughts back, reminding him that while the slime was full, his body in Xu Xuan Heaven had been hungry for half a day.
His consciousness returned to the thatched cottage, where he hurriedly got up to build a fire and cook, spending considerable time before finally filling his rumbling stomach.
The door was open, and at that moment he saw someone walking back from beyond the bamboo grove.
It wasn't the junior brother Shao Qingsong sent to collect slime acid, but Shao Qingsong himself.
He had returned from Ten Thousand Poison Cave.
However, compared to when he left, he now looked rather disheveled, with half his face so swollen he couldn't open that eye, as if he'd been punched several times, appearing utterly ridiculous.
His left arm also seemed slightly injured, with faintly visible red, swollen skin wrapped in bandages.
"Hiss—Di, zo...zo sang hao..."
Chen Yu struggled to maintain a normal expression.
"Senior brother, weren't you going to Ten Thousand Poison Cave for training? How did you end up in this state?"
Shao Qingsong wiped the drool leaking from his swollen corner of his mouth, barely managing to speak clearly.
"Tha...that's right, the poisons in Ten Thousand Poison Cave are just that toxic."
"Senior Sister Gong said, in my, my condition... without taking detox pills, it would still take three or four days to recover."
"Then why don't you take detox pills?"
Chen Yu suspected he was suffering unnecessarily.
Shao Qingsong remained silent for a long time before squeezing out a sentence.
"Chi yi... poor."
Chen Yu's heart stirred, suddenly getting an idea.
"Wait here for me, I happen to have prepared some new detoxifying spiritual liquid."
He turned and entered the thatched cottage, retrieved the celadon-glazed porcelain bottle, and condensed drop after drop of anti-toxin liquid from his magic patterns until the bottle was full.
"Is one bottle the limit?"
Chen Yu muttered to himself, then went outside and handed the porcelain bottle to Shao Qingsong.
"Si... Si-di, is it free?"
"I won't charge you spirit stones."
"Try applying it to your face."
"Hao... hao, hiss..."
The man endured the pain, carefully pouring out some liquid and applying it to his face.
"Huh? A bit itchy..."
He didn't feel much at first, but then a wave of coolness washed over him. The burning sensation on his face disappeared, and the swelling was visibly subsiding before his eyes.
Shao Qingsong's face lit up with delight as he repeatedly touched his cheeks, his speech becoming much clearer.
"Junior brother, your detoxifying spiritual liquid is truly miraculous."
"The effect is almost comparable to the Hundred Herb Pills refined by the alchemists in the Pill Hall."
"How much do you think it could sell for?"
Upon hearing this, Shao Qingsong quickly calculated in his mind.
"For life-saving items like this, if sold within the sect, probably over a hundred Broken Spirit Stones per bottle. But if sold at the edge of Ten Thousand Poison Cave Forest, it could fetch up to two spirit stones."
"Junior brother, what are you suggesting?"
"From now on, we won't sell corrosive liquid anymore, we'll switch to selling detoxifying spiritual liquid."
After the two settled the transaction details, Shao Qingsong's face was practically overflowing with smiles.
The transaction price of two spirit stones was somewhat high, but it wasn't impossible to profit - as long as they ventured deeper into Ten Thousand Poison Cave, there would always be people in need.
"Senior brother, do you have Dao certificates?"
Chen Yu's sudden question brought him back to reality.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I've been wanting to learn some talisman-making skills recently."
Since discovering the Gray Gravel Crystals, Chen Yu's mind had become quite active. Among the four arts of formations, talismans, alchemy, and artifact crafting, talisman-making emphasized the talisman master's technique more than relying excessively on materials. Perhaps he could find substitute talisman paper and ink in Zeyarila.
He would practice now, as talismans could save his life at critical moments.
Shao Qingsong chuckled cheerfully. "No need for something as troublesome as Dao certificates. If junior brother wants to learn, I'll bring you a manual in a few days."
"Though the talisman diagrams inside might not be very extensive."
"That's enough, thank you, senior brother."
"Junior brother, I still need to visit Senior Sister Gong to have her check if there are any hidden injuries remaining."
"I won't stay here long, farewell."
After watching Shao Qingsong leave, Chen Yu returned to the cottage and began studying the Lost Trail Formation Diagram he had purchased earlier.
It wasn't until noon that he finally saw Sekashi's figure emerging anxiously from the poisonous mist.