Aidan's eyes flashed with determination as he stepped forward with his right leg, positioning his left leg behind to form a lunge. Placing both hands on the surface of the round stone, he took a deep breath and exerted all his strength.
The huge stone, initially slow to move, gradually began to roll forward under his push. The path blocked by the stone was an upward-sloping corridor, perfect for the round stones crafted by Malagor presumably with the intention for the successor to push and roll them up.
"Ten steps, twenty steps, thirty steps..." Aidan pushed forward, calculating silently in his mind. "Last week, I managed forty-five steps before running out of energy and having to give up. How far can I push it this time?"
Forty steps, forty-five steps...
After a moment, Aidan broke his previous record, but he was also incredibly exhausted.
Forty-six steps, forty-seven steps...
Aidan could clearly feel that at this point, he had very little physical strength left.
Forty-eight, forty-nine steps...
Summoning his remaining strength, he took two more steps forward. Finally, he couldn't go any further, his whole body drenched in sweat. Leaning against the round stone with his shoulders and legs, he gasped heavily.
"Should I give up?" Aidan couldn't help but think. It was an uphill corridor, and he would also expend a lot of energy on the way back, not to mention that the round stone would still need to roll down, and he would have to brace against it.
If he let go and ran, the stone would roll faster and faster. He didn't want to risk being crushed into a pulp.
But after some thought, Aidan felt somewhat unwilling to give up. He decided to push a few more steps.
The fiftieth step.
Suddenly, he felt the pressure from the huge stone lighten. It had rolled onto a flat step.
Pushing a few more steps and circling around the stone, he found himself in a secret chamber.
This chamber was similar in size to the crevice's secret cave. Aidan temporarily named it the Second Secret Chamber.
The chamber was empty, with walls of strange red clay emitting a dim red light. On the other side of the chamber was a crude gray stone door, likely a hasty creation by Malagor.
Resting for a while, Aidan didn't immediately push open the stone door but made a new discovery.
He found that the ground in front of the stone door looked damp.
"Could it be..." Aidan suddenly had a thought. He squatted down, extended his hands, and brushed away the soft, damp soil.
A second Ground Lotus!
Aidan chuckled and carefully opened the flower petals, revealing the Essence Conduit soaked in golden flower liquid.
"Blue Silk"!
With its body emitting a soft, ethereal blue light, this silkworm is a natural spectacle, weaving a tapestry of light and wonder in the quiet of the night.
The Blue-Glow Silkworm's body is elongated and slightly tubular, characteristic of its species, yet it distinguishes itself with a translucent skin that seems to shimmer with a gentle luminescence. This glow originates from within, casting a celestial radiance that outlines its form in the darkness. The light it emits is not constant but pulsates softly, breathing life into the night air with each gentle throb of light.
Its head, small and unassuming, houses a pair of tiny, black eyes that sparkle like dewdrops under the moonlight. The mouthparts, designed for feeding on the succulent leaves of its mulberry haven, work tirelessly, yet with an elegance that is mesmerizing to behold. The body segments, each delineated by subtle rings of a deeper blue, add a textured depth to its appearance, highlighting the intricate beauty of its form.
Upon closer inspection, one can observe fine, hair-like setae adorning its body, each catching the light to create a halo effect that further enhances its mystical allure. These setae are not just decorative but serve as a tactile sensorium, guiding the silkworm through its environment with delicate precision.
The most striking feature, however, remains the gentle blue glow that seems to encompass the creature in a bubble of light.
Aidan excitedly retrieved the "Blue Silk."
"After acquiring 'Black Boar,' I was wondering where to get 'Blue Silk,' so I could combine them to ascend to 'Steel Mane.' I didn't expect Malagor to have prepared it for me already," Aidan thought rapidly, pondering the impact this "Blue Silk" would bring.
Currently, Aidan possesses six Essence Conduits. "Wolf Fang" allows him to enslave a wolf as his combat partner, "Werewolf" enables him to transform into a werewolf, a form that can endure much more power. Following "Black Boar," which increased his strength, "Blue Silk" now enhances his defensive capabilities.
However, the use conditions for "Thief" and "Time Hourglass" are very stringent, especially since "Time Hourglass" has merged with Aidan's heart, leaving him unsure of the consequences of using it rashly.
Although he previously had five Essence Conduits, none was used for defense. With "Blue Silk," he finally fills the gap in his defenses.
Sometimes, defense also implies offense.
This isn't hard to understand. Take Aidan himself, for instance; his strength increased tenfold through "Black Boar." In theory, such power would allow him to smash soft rocks with a single punch, but Aidan has never done so.
Without a robust physique, excessive strength could instead shatter your own bones. Transforming into a werewolf allows Aidan, originally a human, to significantly improve his physical condition in a short time, but it's still not enough.
Now, with the defensive capabilities of "Blue Silk," he can fully utilize his strength advantage.
Of course, there are both positive and negative impacts.
"Blue Silk" is highly valuable, with defense capabilities among the best in first-tier Essence Conduits, but it is not easy to maintain. It requires the consumption of 10 kilograms of animal fur every ten days.
For Aidan, this issue is somewhat manageable.
"Wolf Fang" and "Werewolf" require wolf meat for nourishment. "Black Boar" needs pork, and "Blue Silk" requires animal fur.
"Do I have to return to my old profession as a hunter, like in my previous life?" Aidan smiled wryly.