Chapter 91: A Surprise from the Small Tree
Translator: WQL Editor: Geoffrey
"Bighead, do you need me to send you a bowl of fish soup at noon?" The next morning, seeing that Zhang Tie was preparing to leave the tree base and walk to the mines, Barley looked at Zhang Tie with a look full of desire, causing goosebumps to form all over Zhang Tie's body.
"No need. At noon, I will just casually eat a bit when I'm out," Zhang Tie replied as he hurriedly put the mining basket on his back.
"How about I go mining for you? All of my achievements will belong to you. I swear that the amount will not be less than one ton of ores a day..." Bagdad patted his chest, causing "Pa Pa" sounds.
"Really, there's no need! Mining is my hobby. For the time being, I still find it to be interesting!" Zhang Tie had also refused Bagdad. Seeing their pitiful looks, Zhang Tie felt that he needed to show them a bit of hope. For them to be only able to read it for an hour, this was the most painful thing to them. "If I can eat boar meat tonight, my mood might be better!"
"Brothers, did you hear that? Boar meat—we need to catch a boar today! If we get lucky today, then we can carry one back by noon..." Doug shouted out loudly.
"Fine. Hurry up, guys! If we fail to capture one with our existing traps, then we will dig another one today..."
Leaving one person to keep watch of the tree base, all the other horny students moved on and became a hundred times more active than Zhang Tie. At the sight of these guys, who were acting kind in front of him earlier, leaving him alone, Zhang Tie shook his head and inwardly heaved a deep sigh. It seems the power of the book was truly unparalleled.
As Zhang Tie and the other members of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood had never learned a high-level fighting skill or a cultivation technique like the , they had definitely taken the contents within the book as the greatest fighting skill that they had ever encountered. After every one of them read it for an hour last night, they were all attracted by this book and had difficulties parting with it. Every member of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood knew that this was a rare opportunity, one which could not be easily obtained, thus they all treasured this opportunity. Although they didn't say it out loud, within their hearts, they all felt a deep gratitude towards Zhang Tie. They felt that Zhang Tie was a righteous individual and was truly qualified to be their brother, especially since he was even willing to share secret knowledge with them.
Seeing them disappear before him with an extremely quick speed, Zhang Tie smiled. Afterwards, he suddenly had a weird premonition. It seems that the Castle of Black Iron would bring him a surprise today.
...
Half an hour later, with a burning torch in hand, Zhang Tie entered that tunnel where he used to dig in the mine. First, he set up a small trap at the mouth of the tunnel that would warn him if someone entered the tunnel. Afterwards, Zhang Tie removed his mining basket and inserted the torch into a gap between two rocks. Walking into the shadow of another tunnel where the light did not reach, he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. There appeared the arched door in his mind—lock on... enter!
——
"Handsome and Magnificent Castle Lord, welcome to the Castle of Black Iron!"
As it was "sunny and brilliant" in the Castle of Black Iron, Zhang Tie narrowed his eyes, and after a short while, he gradually began to adapt to the sunlight. All the light here radiated from the colorful fog that flowed around the surrounding space. The light was soft; it was as if the light had shone through a rainbow or the rays of the sun before shining down, giving Zhang Tie a comfortable feeling. Zhang Tie once wondered whether there were night and day in the Castle of Black Iron and whether it remained the same even after he left; however, he soon gave up this thought.
Upon stepping on the firm land in the Castle of Black Iron once again, complicated feelings burst forth in Zhang Tie. Due to the attack from the seven wild wolves that almost took his life and had almost forced him to bid farewell to the world forever, Zhang Tie felt as if he had been reborn.
Through this crisis, Zhang Tie felt again that strength was very important in this age.
After taking in a deep breath of fresh, aura-filled air, Zhang Tie leisurely opened the basic attributes panel of the Castle of Black Iron.
——Castle of Black Iron
——Length: Krosa
——Width: 1 Krosa
——Aura value: 3968
——Merit value: 2117
——Basic energy storage: 4285
——Special output: void
With the increasing number of plants within the Castle of Black Iron, the aura value had presently skyrocketed over the past two weeks. At the sight of the quickly increasing numbers, Zhang Tie became very excited.
The moment he closed the basic attributes panel, a dialogue jumped out automatically.
——The liquid yeast has completed its mutation and evolution for the first time. Please view the changes!
Soon after the dialogue disappeared, Zhang Tie recalled that he had used several points of basic energy storage on the liquid yeast before the start of the survival training, which would complete its mutation and evolution after 15 days. Therefore, Zhang Tie hurriedly opened the "Microorganisms" management panel in "Carbon-based Living Beings and Species Management" under the "Living Beings and Population Management" to check the results of the mutation and evolution.
Two messages instantly popped out——
——No new liquid yeast variant was formed through the mutation and evolution, thus the mutation and evolution has failed!
——If you wish to attempt to mutate and evolve the liquid yeast again, the system suggests you to increase the amount of basic energy storage points!
Thinking of how he had inputted 0.1 basic energy storage points into the liquid yeast last time, Zhang Tie felt embarrassed. After thinking for a while, Zhang Tie attempted for a second time to mutate and evolve the liquid yeast. This time, Zhang Tie decided that he will definitely succeed. Aside from using the maximum amount of basic energy storage possible, Zhang Tie also increased the amount of merit value points by ten-fold and doubled the amount of aura value points.
After a series of steps, two dialogues popped out again——
———On June 13rd, 889th year of the Black Iron Calendar, Handsome and Magnificent Castle Lord had inputted 600 points of aura value, 50 points of merit value, and 340 points of basic energy storage into the mutation and evolution of a bottle of liquid yeast.
——It is estimated that the mutation and evolution will take 360 hours. Handsome and Magnificent Castle Lord, please wait patiently!
Since the surprise didn't come from the mutation and evolution of the bottle of liquid yeast, then it could only come from the Manjusaka Karma Fruit Tree.
Moving towards the small tree, before he had even been able to stand before it, he had already smelt an unforgettable fragrance; the fragrance was a mix of the Leakless Fruit and a fragrance that contained both the smell of sandalwood and fruits. However, this time, the fragrance coming from the Leakless Fruit contained something special.
As expected, the tree brought Zhang Tie a huge surprise——
On the twig where the first Leakless Fruit had once grown were two Leakless Fruits. Judging from its color, one of the two fruits had already become ripe, while the other one would ripen soon. At the sight of the two hanging Leakless Fruits, Zhang Tie finally recovered his composure. Previously, whether a ripe Leakless Fruit would fall off the tree or whether it would delay the growth of the next Leakless Fruit had always been a concern of Zhang Tie's. However, at the sight of the two Leakless Fruit hanging closely, Zhang Tie felt at ease.
——This Leakless Fruit has become ripe. Usage: Pick and direct eat it. Notice: The fruit cannot be taken out of the Castle of Black Iron. After twelve hours of having been picked off the tree, its energy and vitality will gradually decline.
——31 hours left before this Leakless Fruit becomes ripe!
Zhang Tie read the above two warnings regarding the two hanging Leakless Fruits.
Looking at the two Leakless Fruits, Zhang Tie felt really happy. Beside the Leakless Fruit, Zhang Tie found the Iron Body Fruit, though it looked different than last time. He then checked its progress bar; upon finding that it was three-quarters ripe, Zhang Tie burst into laughter. At the sight of the progress bar, Zhang Tie remembered his tumbles within the deep hole dug by the Gold-Eating Boas. Never would he have that the collisions and friction from the tumbles would have such a marvelous effect. It was almost the same as him being beaten! It seemed that he didn't necessarily need to find people to beat him. As long as he received damage to his body, it would stimulate the growth of the Iron-Body Fruit. With this, this gave Zhang Tie many new ideas, causing the road before him to become much broader than before.
However, the biggest surprise was neither the Leakless Fruits nor the Iron Body Fruit; instead, it was the strange fruit that hung on the other side of the tree. Ever since his last encounter with Huck and Snade, Zhang Tie realized that this small tree could produce fruits even without his consent. With external stimulation, the tree would be able to produce fruits. Since that incident, Zhang Tie had made it a habit to circle around the small tree to check whether new fruits were hanging somewhere.
There really was a strange, hexagonal pitch-black fruit that was the size of a plum.
Stretching out his hand, Zhang Tie instantly got its information.
——The Trouble-Reappearance Fruit has already become ripe. Usage: Pick and direct eat it. Notice: The fruit cannot be taken out of the Castle of Black Iron. After twelve hours of having been picked off the tree, its energy and vitality will gradually decline.
The moment the above words disappeared, another paragraph of words appeared.
...
——This is the fruit of killing. The laws of the universe continue to circulate between life and death. Among all deaths, deaths through fights between different species are both the most common as well as the most frightening. Let's be brave and face the inevitable killings and deaths in this virtual space. Let's be brave and attempt various challenges inside this virtual space. After experience the same killings and deaths again and again, you will lose your fear towards death and killing. You will gain freedom from killing and death, moving onto the top of the chain of evolution! Keep in mind that the body is the container for the soul, and the soul and spirit experience the same sensation as the body. Everything in the virtual space, including every strand of grass or wood, is a reflection of the physical world. With the exception that you will not die inside this virtual space, everything else is the same as that in the physical world outside. The existence of everything inside this virtual space makes the universe treats your well!
Reading the above words, Zhang Tie came up with a thought, "I'm really rich now! The Trouble-Reappearance Fruit looks really powerful."
Continually rubbing his palms, he was truly excited...
Chapter 92: Trouble-Reappearance Fruit
Translator: WQL Editor: Geoffrey
At the sight of the new fruit hanging on the tree, Zhang Tie's heart pounded as he reminded himself to keep calm. After taking in a few deep breaths, Zhang Tie finally managed to control his desire to pluck off the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit and instead moved to the other side of the tree before promptly picking off the ripened Leakless Fruit and consuming it in a couple of bites. Following that, he sat under the tree with legs crossed in order to experience the effect from the second ripened Leakless Fruit.
Because of Huck and Snade and because of the damned wolves, he was delayed by roughly three weeks from enjoying the ripe Leakless Fruit.
It truly wasn't easy! Zhang Tie heaved a deep sigh inside before closing his eyes and immersing himself in the gradual, obvious effects of the second, ripe Leakless Fruit.
Before the lingering fragrance from the sweet juice of the second, ripe Leakless Fruit had even disappeared, a familiar sensation could be felt; a strand of hot air could be felt in his chest and continued to swirl upwards. Then, the strand of hot air became a hot wave that turned into a ferocious fire dragon, directly charging towards the burning point on his rear end. The ferocious fire dragon gradually became increasingly more powerful while the red flame by the burning point at his rear end immediately grew brighter; it was as if it was a pile of burning firewood that had just been doused with oil. "Boom!" The red flame turned into a dark orange color. As the energy gradually seeped into the flame, the dark orange color also gradually became brighter...
Zhang Tie had sat there for almost half an hour, during which his body shook slightly three times. Half an hour later when Zhang Tie opened his eyes, his eyes were filled with uncontrollable passion. After a short while, in Zhang Tie's mind, he could already catch a glimpse at the brilliant yellow flame over the burning point by his rear end. With a single ripe Leakless Fruit, he had consecutively broken through three cultivation barriers on the burning point—truly an astonishing speed and force! Seeing that silent small tree beside him once again, Zhang Tie's heart was filled with awe.
After stretching his limbs and his body, Zhang Tie came before that Trouble-Reappearance Fruit once again.
"I wonder what this fruit is used for?"
With this question, Zhang Tie carefully plucked the fruit, sat down with crossed legs, and took a large bite.
Compared to the Leakless Fruit, which had a sweet taste, the moment he had bitten into the flesh of the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit, it was as if he had bitten into smoke-like water which flowed from his mouth through the place which connected his oral cavity and his navel passage and directly rushed towards his brain. When the energy from the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit encountered the small swirl of foggy and golden Qi in his mind, Zhang Tie felt as if someone was fiercely striking a drum within his mind. All of a sudden, the view before his eyes turned pitch black and he entered a space where light could not reach.
This was a strange feeling. Although Zhang Tie's body was obviously sitting under the Manjusaka Karma Fruit Tree, it seemed as if his spirit was in another space, one which even light could not reach.
Soon after he entered that space, he saw a dim light which gradually became brighter and changed into a hexagon-shaped door, one whose shape resembled the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit. Zhang Tie didn't move, as that hexagon-shaped door was directly rushing towards him like a train. Surprisingly, right when it was about to collide with Zhang Tie, it enveloped him. Then, Zhang Tie found himself in a place that truly caused him to be extremely shocked...
It was the familiar path that he walked on when he returned from the mine!
The familiar uphill road!
The familiar grassland!
When the breeze came, even the way the grass swayed was the same.
Zhang Tie could even hear the "Sha Sha" sounds that came when the breeze blew over the grass while the familiar chirping of insects reverberated into his ears from the side of the road. As the afterglow from the setting sun gradually painted the Wild Wolf Valley in a golden color, every pore on Zhang Tie's body could feel that a kind of warmth filled the air...
"What's happening? How could I be here? This feeling... why is it so familiar?" Zhang Tie panicked a bit when he realized he was carrying a mining basket on his back.
However, Zhang Tie was not given too much time to think about what had happened. While Zhang Tie was panicking, several "rocks" in the patch of grass beside him were speeding towards Zhang Tie. In a couple of seconds, three wolves had drilled their way out from the grass.
With eyes fixed on Zhang Tie, even a fool would be able to sense the hatred contained in their eyes. As they grinned, "Gulu Gulu" sounds came from their throats in the exact same manner as what Zhang Tie had encountered several days ago. The only difference was that there were only three wolves this time, instead of seven. Additionally, the three wolves were exactly the ones that had been killed by him. Zhang Tie remembered that one of the three wolves had a ring of white fur right above its neck, just like one of the three wolves before him.
"F*ck, what's happening?" Zhang Tie was really frightened, and the scene was too much for him, causing his mind to be thrown into chaos. Before he was able to clear his mind, the three wolves had already pounced towards him.
Zhang Tie hurriedly put down his mining basket, but the leader of the three wolves, the fastest one, had already knocked him down onto the ground. Its sharp claws had already pierced through Zhang Tie's chest, causing him to feel so much pain that he began to growl.
Panicking, Zhang Tie remembered the dagger that hung on his waist. After fiercely punching the wolf that had pounced on his body, Zhang Tie intended to grab that dagger; however, another wolf had already arrived and had bitten his wrist. The moment its sharp canines pierced through his flesh, Zhang Tie was in so much pain that he almost passed out. The blood vessels at his wrist had also been roughly torn by the wolf, causing his fresh blood to instantly spray out.
At that moment, Zhang Tie's mind was filled with the fear of death and the excruciating pain that was present all over his body. Soon after, the third wild wolf reached him and started to bite Zhang Tie's right leg. Feeling the pain, Zhang Tie miserably screamed out, "Ah, help!"
However, his high-pitched screams didn't work at all. What was worse, the leader of the wolves that had been pushed away by him earlier had shown its canines again as it bit down on Zhang Tie's neck. As a result, Zhang Tie wrestled with the three wild wolves; however, his final struggles were all in vain.
At the last minute when he lost his consciousness, Zhang Tie no longer felt pain; instead, he felt a suffocating sensation, as his blood had filled his air pipes and lungs after his neck and throat were torn apart by the leader of the wolves.
"Is this what death feels like?" This was the last strand of his consciousness...
Boom...
Everything broke into fragmented specks of lights before vanishing!
Under the small tree, Zhang Tie recovered his senses and opened his eyes, recalling what he had just experienced just now. As his chest heaved up and down, Zhang Tie continued to gasp for air. It was only now did Zhang Tie realized how nice it was to be able to breathe for free. Feeling cold all over, he touched his back only to find that it had been covered in cold sweat. If he had a mirror to look into at this moment, he was sure that his face would definitely be pale. Checking all over his body, he wasn't able to find any wounds at all. What had happened just now was like a dream; however, the dream was extremely realistic. With the exception of not having actually lost his life and not having been injured, what had just happened to him was definitely real. "How could that happen?" Zhang Tie started to rack his brain. "It must be the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit." When he thought of the information about the fruit, Zhang Tie suddenly realized something.
Zhang Tie's temperament was actually on the persistent and stubborn side. If what had just happened to him was truly related to the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit, then Zhang Tie wouldn't let this go until he has figured it out. After recovering his composure through half an hour of rest, he clenched his teeth and sat down under the tree with legs crossed once again.
"Damn it, I swear I'll figure this out!" Zhang Tie fiercely mumbled. "If I can't figure this out, then I won't eat supper and neither will I get circumcised in the future! I'll be a virgin for the rest of my life !"
With this persistence, Zhang Tie entered his mind once again.
It was different than before; Zhang Tie had found something besides the arched door of the Castle of Black Iron. Floating above the arched door like a looming star was the hexagon-shaped Trouble-Reappearance Fruit that he had eaten earlier.
Focusing on the hexagon-shaped star, a message came to his mind.
——Handsome and Magnificent Castle Lord, because you have already used the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit once, if you wish to use it again, you must inject enough spiritual energy before you can activate the effect of the Trouble-Reappearance Scene within the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit.
Since the Trouble-Reappearance Fruit was in his mind, Zhang Tie was easily able to quickly inject spiritual energy into it. This hexagon-shaped fruit was like a sponge, as it continued to absorb his spiritual energy. After three minutes of absorption, the fruit became shiny once again.
——The Trouble-Reappearance Fruit has been activated and is now available to be used again! The method to use the fruit is the same as the one used to access the Castle of Black Iron.
"The same as accessing the Castle of Black Iron? Heh heh, that will be simple..." Zhang Tie mumbled.
Lock on——Enter...
At the beginning, it was still pitch black inside; however, soon after, sparkles appeared in the darkness before finally forming into a hexagon-shaped door which rushed towards Zhang Tie like a train, forcing Zhang Tie to enter. Afterwards, Zhang Tie reappeared on that path, facing the grass that swayed from the breeze. Everything from before had remained unchanged.
"Is this the effect of Trouble-Reappearance Fruit? Does it recreate killing scenes to allow me to become liberated through killing and death?
Zhang Tie looked towards the patch of grass, within which three "rocks" had already started to move towards him.
F*ck! Since he didn't want to suffer the pain from the three wolves again, Zhang Tie hurriedly put down his mining basket and pulled out the dagger from his waist before taking a defensive posture. With eyes widely opened, Zhang Tie stared at the three wild wolves, who had their eyes brimming with hatred fixed on him...
The wild wolves charged at Zhang Tie as he waved his dagger...
Five minutes later, sitting on the ground with wounds all over, Zhang Tie looked at the bodies of the three dead wild wolves and burst into laughter. By that time, he finally understood the real effect of this Trouble-Reappearance Fruit...
Boom...
Everything in the space smashed into specks of light and disappeared...