Chapter 1176: Chapter 481: Revisiting the Second Level_2 Chapter 1176: Chapter 481: Revisiting the Second Level_2 “The mining field is actually this Stone Forest, and these stones are very special,” a unique mineral with great research value. They might even be used to make armor or something, so we should take some back to the research institute. You create a scoring system for this. Oh, and the teachers will mine as well, earning points too. After all, these stones are too hard for anyone below an Awakener to mine…”

Wang Tao explained.

Comparatively, mining in the safe zone was indeed a break from hunting mutated lords elsewhere. However, they didn’t need to mine too much–one day’s worth of mining would be enough for the research institute. If the institute discovered something significant, they could always return to mine more.

“So that’s the case. Principal Wang, rest assured, I’ll quickly establish a reasonable scoring method!” Pan Jian immediately promised.

“Oh right, we need to ensure the safety of those three students, they’re vulnerable during their Awakening state. Although the likelihood of something happening is low, this is our school’s first Awakening, and we can’t afford any accidents,” Wang Tao added sternly.

“Yes!” Pan Jian nodded again, then tentatively asked, “What about you?”

It was clear from Wang Tao’s words that he wouldn’t be joining them.

“I’m going to the second layer.”

“The second layer?” Pan Jian was stunned, unaware of the conditions on the second layer.

“Yes, there’s an entrance to the second layer far from here…” Wang Tao briefly explained the situation about the second layer.

Hearing that the second layer contained many Level 5 Lords, Pan Jian broke out in cold sweat. Level 5, Lords? Could anyone currently beat them? He wasn’t aware that Wang Tao was already Level 5 and thought he was still a Fourth Order Awakened. Still, since it was Wang Tao’s decision, he dared not ask further questions.

Pan Jian went to figure out the mining, and Wang Tao discussed the next day’s plans with Ding Yuqin and the others. Tomorrow, Wang Tao and Lightning would visit the second layer, while the others would hunt mutated plants nearby.

From above, the rift they were in looked like a black Changhe, and Wang Tao and his group were essentially moving downstream from the uppermost part of this “Changhe.” However, in reality, the space inside the rift wasn’t simply elongated, and it was much larger inside than it appeared from above.

As they continued on their path, it seemed like they had cleared the area, but they had only cleared the path they traveled. There were still many unexplored areas on both sides.

So, there should still be plenty of mutated plants nearby for Ding Yuqin and the others to hunt…

In the rift, it was impossible to feel the passing of time, and after roughly six hours of rest, Wang Tao and Lightning left the Stone Forest.

It took a bit of time for Wang Tao to return to the location of the mutated tendrils. Then he continued deeper from there.

Soon after, they encountered a patch of mutated plants, but this time, there were no Lords, just some Level 5 Elite, which Wang Tao quickly cleared.

However, when he continued forward, he found that the path was blocked.

Faced with a stone wall, Wang Tao furrowed his brows.

Logically, they should’ve been able to continue moving forward, but a stone wall was in their way. Wang Tao could see through the dense black fog that the rift didn’t end here. Rather, there was a clear boundary above the stone wall, as if a stone slab had sliced the river in half. This meant he could potentially climb up the wall and get over it.

But after some thought, Wang Tao decided not to cross.

With his physical condition, he could climb over, but there were still other areas to explore in the second layer. It would be better to explore those places first and come back here only if there were no other options.

Thus, Wang Tao began exploring other areas. Ten minutes later, spotting a red flower nearby, he grimaced.

Another Level 5 mutated red flower, identical in attributes to the previous one he had defeated.

[HP: 300000/300000]
[Mana: 300000/300000]
[Level: Level 5, Lord]
[Awakening: Thorns Web]
[Thorns Web: Control thorns to capture prey]
With the experience from the first time, Wang Tao handled it even more skillfully this time.

First, he took out the ring he had obtained from defeating the previous mutated red flower.

[Red Flower Ring]
[Fifth Order (Excellent)]
[Special Ability: Capture Net (100% Energy)]
[Capture Net: Uses stored energy to launch a capture net]
Don’t be fooled by the Mutated Red Flower growing on the ground; its roots are actually on the ceiling. If you can’t kill it instantly, it will escape to the ceiling. Wang Tao couldn’t see where its roots were hidden, but guessed they were probably attached to a stone connected to the ceiling.

Although Wang Tao’s [Scorching Eye] could attack creatures on the ceiling, there was no need to complicate things for himself. Therefore, Wang Tao directly used this [Red Flower Ring] and shot out a huge capture net.

Swoosh–
The Mutated Red Flower didn’t notice Wang Tao, and didn’t react to his first attack, instantly getting caught by the capture net.

This capture net did no damage, but the first reaction of the Mutated Red Flower after being enveloped was to flee. Unfortunately, the net was sticky and stuck to the ground, preventing its escape.

As it moved, Wang Tao finally saw where its roots were hidden. Unreservedly, his eyes emitted a red glow and a high-temperature ray instantly struck its long stem connecting to the ceiling.

[-14218]
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[…]
“The damage is so low…”

Seeing these numbers, Wang Tao was speechless.

He knew the defense at the root of the Mutated Red Flower was high, having attacked its roots before.

But he thought, the stem’s defense shouldn’t be as high as the root, right? Perhaps it was the weak point of the mutated plant?

Turns out, he thought too much.

The stem’s defense indeed wasn’t as high as the root’s, but it was still higher than the body of the Mutated Red Flower, halving his damage–previously, each of his attacks on the mutated flower scored thirty thousand damage, now it was only fifteen thousand.

So Wang Tao immediately shifted his target, directing the high-temperature ray directly onto the body of the Mutated Red Flower.

[-31893]
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[…]
Now, that’s more like it!

As the high-temperature ray hit the Mutated Red Flower, its HP started dropping rapidly.

Although the high-temperature ray also burned the capture net, allowing the Mutated Red Flower to escape, Wang Tao already charged forward. He mounted the Mutated Red Flower and grabbed his Iron Thorn Steel Whip, hammering down on it ruthlessly.

[-20394]
[…]
[0/300000]
After a few strikes, the HP of the Mutated Red Flower was depleted.

With the Mutated Red Flower easily killed, Wang Tao looked at his new weapon.

“This damage is really high!”

Next time he encounters weaker mutated plants, he can just use the whip for close combat.

[Scorching Eye] is good, but the consumption of Awakening Energy is too great. Even Wang Tao couldn’t sustain continuous use; it’s better to conserve when possible.

Wang Tao cleaned up the battlefield. The spoils of war he obtained weren’t much different from the previous Mutated Red Flower.

Including various Crystal Cores, Antidote Potions, Magic Seeds, Growth Fruits, Awakening Keys, Red Flower Rings, and other items. The only thing missing was an Awakening Energy Pearl.

Of these spoils, naturally, the most precious was “Magic Seeds,” which could create an Awakener. But Wang Tao was more interested in the “Growth Fruit”…

[Growth Fruit: After consumption by a creature, there is a fifty percent chance that strength will be enhanced, and a fifty percent chance of being poisoned to death]
Wang Tao really wanted to know exactly how much “strength enhancement” was, but unfortunately, the penalty for failure was too severe–he dared not use it!

“Right, it says ‘after consumption by a creature’… since it mentions creatures, it shouldn’t be limited to humans, right? What if I gave it to zombies or these mutated plants? What effect would it have?”