```
The coffee table was nearly filled with various manuscripts and notes, a gap held a cup of cooled coffee, a plate of crumbled pastries, and in the corner, a small pot.
Inside the pot, the plant was pitch-black with hints of purple, its shape resembling a sunflower that had withered, been dipped in ink, dried out, and then upended and placed there, extremely inconspicuous.
Hoo!
A gust of night wind blew open the curtains, swept across the living room, and rustled the withered leaves and branches of the plant.
Was it the wind that moved them?
The night wind was gentle, but occasionally there was a stronger gust, which made the lamp beside Tang Qi sway slightly, as well as the light with it.
In the creaking noise, another sound was mixed in.
"Pfft~"
The withered plant in the pot suddenly leapt out, just like a bizarre insect, lunging at Tang Qi's face with extreme precision.
In his sleep, disturbed by the noise, a high school student would have virtually no defense at all.
Could one even notice it?
Hiss!
In that instant, a bright silver glow abruptly appeared, and a sharp dagger plunged into the dry and seemingly slimy "plant." Then, with a "bang", the tip of the dagger went through the wooden coffee table, nailing the plant onto it.
"Squeak~ Squeak squeak"
A sound like a mouse's squeak immediately came from inside the plant, shrill and piercing.
"Hmm? Just as noted in the records, the legendary dark plant that can temporarily host souls... Shadow Cage Mushroom!"
"Hum"
As Tang Qi uttered those five words, the struggling and screaming weird plant on the coffee table, the Shadow Cage Mushroom, suddenly stopped. Although it was still twisting slightly to relieve the pain, it indeed quieted down. Just a few pitch-black, slimy tentacles were shaking randomly, as if trying to convey something.
Seeing this scene, Tang Qi hardly found it strange.
Quietly turning around, he went to the kitchen and fetched a cup of clear water.
Then, he placed it in front of the nailed plant's tentacles and began to speak the kind of words one would find terrifying.
"Pleasure to meet you, Professor Cassel. You may call me Tang Qi."
During the introduction, Tang Qi didn't extend his hand, probably because it wasn't necessary, since his conversational partner was a plant.
Barely, one might say it's a plant.
At least the interface that was now visible to Tang Qi didn't deny it.
[Extraordinary Creature: Shadow Cage Mushroom.]
[State: Activated.]
[Information Fragment One: One of the oldest and rarest plants on the Saha Continent, it is known to Black Wizards and Shamans as "Essos Ghost Grass". Its true name is Shadow Cage Mushroom. After special treatment, it can allow a soul that has lost its body to temporarily reside in it, maintaining an activated state, to help the hosting soul find a new body.]
[Information Fragment Two: Although it is activated, it's also very fragile, fragile enough that an adult human could easily kill it along with the soul inside.]
These pieces of information were the reason why Tang Qi had specifically brought it back with him.
Now, Tang Qi was entertaining the visitor inside.
It's just that the method, evidently, was not to the guest's liking.
```
Tang Qi blinked, looking at the tentacles that had ceased their struggle, not bothering with trivial chatter, and simply began, as if telling a story, "There was a history professor who, in his youth, traveled extensively and studied diligently. Eventually, in his old age, he achieved a high status, income, and oh yes, fame."
"Alas, just when he should have been enjoying all that, he was stricken with incurable cancer. His dying body couldn't even satisfy his young and beautiful teaching assistant. Unable to endure seeing her voluptuous body unattended, she dallied with the charming captain of the school's security guards."
"The old professor couldn't bear all this and recalled the knowledge he possessed, the mysterious realms, the strange secret medicines. He concocted two doses of Curse Potion, arranging for the teaching assistant and her lover to drink them."
"Soon, two Spider Demons appeared in the school, unable to restrain their desire to kill. After successively killing six people and tasting enough human fear, they gathered the courage to seek out the professor and succeeded in killing him."
"Regrettably, they did not know that the professor had anticipated all this, and at that very moment, his soul transferred into the Essos Ghost Grass. The old professor planned to wait for everything to pass, and after finding a suitable body, would start a new life."
"I'm right, aren't I? Professor Rick Cassel!"
After Tang Qi finished, he asked and then fell silent.
After a moment of waiting, a slimy tentacle of the strange plant moved, slowly lifting to dip into a cup of water and began writing on a coffee table.
So you can hear but not speak? Truly fascinating.
Tang Qi was inwardly impressed as he watched the crooked characters form.
Although it was the first time writing with tentacles, Professor Cassel's control wasn't bad; the line of text was clearly visible.
"What do you want?"
Seeing the question, Tang Qi was not surprised.
After all, this was a professor nearing the end of his life, not truly like those in stereotypical novels with high intelligence but low social intelligence.
He didn't ask Tang Qi what he was going to do, but directly what Tang Qi wanted.
Clearly, the old professor also knew that in his current condition, falling into the hands of Tang Qi, who was clearly an "Extraordinary Person," he didn't have many chips to bargain with.
Tang Qi did not immediately state his demands but glanced at it, as if stabbing another knife into its wounded heart, only to hear Tang Qi continue to say, "Before I tell you my conditions, I have to inform you of a cruel reality: your recent attempt at Parasitism was very impolite, and even if I didn't resist, your efforts would be in vain."
"I don't know where you got the idea that after transferring your soul into the Essos Ghost Grass, you could rely on an Activated state to freely parasite on human bodies, but I regret to tell you that is not possible."
"The Essos Ghost Grass can indeed be used for soul transfer, but that requires extremely stringent conditions, including finding a suitable vessel. Believe me, the word suitable rejects most of the humans on Blue Star. Plus, you need someone to help you perform the ritual, such as chanting a Spell."
"If these conditions are not met, you can only maintain this status until, after ten days, you wither and die."
As soon as Tang Qi finished speaking, a "plop" was heard from the coffee table; the water cup was knocked over by a tentacle, and seven or eight slimy tentacles twisted crazily, obviously shaken.
Lines of crooked text were subconsciously inscribed.
Damn Wizard, how dare you deceive me?
I gave them half of my funds!
I will kill them!
...
For a full half-minute, it expressed its Anger, yet it still couldn't escape that dagger.
Finally, a tentacle lifted again, and in front of Tang Qi, it slowly wrote the following words.
Would you be willing to help me?
Seeing this sentence, Tang Qi's eyelids dropped slightly, his gaze deep, and a slow smile curled on his lips.
"Of course!"
Tang Qi put down his coffee, smiling as he spoke.