Matrix Survival: I Get A Random Chest Every Day

Chapter 1030 732: Mutation

After the terminal analyzed the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill and Nourishing Yuan Pill, it once said that the entire Matrix couldn't gather even half of the ingredients, let alone substitutes, which are pitifully scarce.

Yet today, Li Zheng stumbled upon one in Block 950, how could he not be interested?

Kang'er whispered, "Although I'm not sure about the origin of this tree, my research over the past five days suggests that the Ancient Cang Hun Tree is likely a mutation of a tree known as the Demon Pattern Tree, and the Demon Pattern Tree..."

"What about the Demon Pattern Tree?"

"The Demon Pattern Tree has only appeared in the First Sin Domain," Kang'er said. "The Demon Pattern Tree itself has no practical value; conversely, if it's crafted into ornaments and worn, it can actually make people weaker."

While the Demon Pattern Tree can weaken people, the mutated Ancient Cang Hun Tree can be used as a substitute ingredient for the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, which is a miraculous medicine for improving physique.

This discrepancy between the two, could they actually originate from the same plant?

Wait!

Li Zheng asked puzzledly, "Since the Demon Pattern Tree is useless to people, why would the merchant accelerate the cultivation of the Ancient Cang Hun Tree?"

Is it simply because it's a mutation?

Or does the merchant know the purpose of the Ancient Cang Hun Tree?

"It's quite normal," Kang'er explained. "Because any plant mutation holds considerable research value; that merchant likely encountered this variant in the First Sin Domain and decided to bring it back to discover its value."

"Speaking of which, many peculiar mutations have been unearthed in the Seven Great Sin Domains, even the soil and air have mutated," Kang'er continued. "Each mutation brings astonishing benefits; that merchant was certainly lucky to discover one."

"Peculiar mutation?"

Li Zheng had not thought in this direction before; indeed, sparse plants grow in the Sin Domain, but Lao Pu hadn't given any useful clues, making him think these plants were worthless.

In retrospect, surviving in such a desolate place as the Sin Domain reveals the extraordinary nature of these plants.

"I've heard of a kind of colorful soil that slowly proliferates over time; initially discovered as a small handful, now..." Kang'er calculated, "it could probably fill this entire greenhouse."

Self-proliferating soil?

Listening to this description, Li Zheng felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu, as if he had heard of something similar before but couldn't quite recall.

"There was also a kind of blue air, very pure, discovered by an elder of the Spirit Flower Race, who accidentally inhaled it, causing his body to rejuvenate and become over three hundred years younger."

Kang'er said, "Unfortunately, there was only one breath of blue air, and after the elder inhaled it, it rapidly dissipated; even thousands of scholars in the Outer City couldn't find anything unusual about that Spirit Flower Race elder."

"There are many similar things, albeit less miraculous than these two; some haven't shown any effects, like the self-replicating soil kept at the geological research center in Block One, if you're interested, you could observe it."

Indeed, the items Kang'er mentioned piqued Li Zheng's interest: "I'll take a look if I have the chance."

He then inquired about the Ancient Cang Hun Tree: "Is there a time limit on the merchant's commission?"

"There is." Kang'er said with some distress, "Only a month. If a way to accelerate its growth isn't found within a month, the merchant will reclaim the Ancient Cang Hun Tree and possibly commission a botanical garden for further research."

Already, five days have passed, and Kang'er has yet been unable to establish a connection with the Ancient Cang Hun Tree.

He's tried every method he could think of, already considering giving up to focus on other orders.

Li Zheng looked through the transparent greenhouse wall for a while and said, "Open the door, let me take a look inside."

"Sir, that's not within regulations." Kang'er feared Li Zheng was trying to seize tree branches or similar for personal gain.

"Rest assured, I only want a closer look and won't damage this plant." Li Zheng calmed the old treeman, feeling that an immature Ancient Cang Hun Tree holds little value for him; especially when the maturity period is entirely unknown.

"Alright." Kang'er hesitated several times before ultimately relenting and opened the greenhouse door, saying, "Please see and then come out; any damage to this Ancient Cang Hun Tree will breach the botanical garden's contract, requiring substantial Crystal Coin compensation."

"Put your heart back in your stomach." Li Zheng entered the greenhouse.

"Heart? Stomach?" Kang'er muttered, "Perhaps the sir isn't aware that the body structure of the Vine Race doesn't really include the so-called heart..."

The Ancient Cang Hun Tree grew extremely bizarrely, with its branches tangled and haphazard, resembling an octopus dragged from the deep sea and dried under the sun, finally fixed in a peculiar posture.

The tree's surface was mottled in color; the bark wasn't smooth like a locust tree, but rather Pine-like, with convoluted ravines crisscrossing its surface.

The trunk wasn't thick; with arms spread, Li Zheng could embrace it and touch near his elbows.

Sparse leaves, about palm-sized with serrated edges resembling the Chinese character "山," grew atop half-green, half-yellow.

Li Zheng approached and sniffed, finding no special scent; he sensed with Spiritual Power but found no strange fluctuations.

Scanning up and down, when his Spiritual Power swept through the center of the trunk, it suddenly jumped.

"Oh? There's something!"

Li Zheng walked over and touched the tree bark at that spot with his palm, clearly feeling a date-pit-sized protuberance.

[The old treeman thinks this tree isn't mature yet, but it's actually on the brink of death; the protuberance you sensed conceals a tree seed, naturally condensed for survival and quite healthy.]

[Friendly Reminder: The ancient tree possesses great autoregeneration.]

[You should know what to do next, right?]

With such an obvious hint, could Li Zheng not understand?

He glanced at Kang'er and saw the old treeman wasn't paying attention here, but rather turning to look at the door, perhaps estimating Kota's return.

Li Zheng didn't delay further, raised his hand and clawed open the small piece of bark, pinching and swiftly stowing away the smooth seed into a capsule.

After completing this, he pretended to caress the tree trunk, stroking up and down at the bark-cleared spot.

Sure enough, as Lao Pu had said, the bark wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, while the sparse leaves on the branches turned a deeper green.

Noticing this detail, Li Zheng was briefly stunned: "Rapid recovery of bark wounds should deplete the limited remaining Life Force of the ancient tree, yet the leaves' green deepens... Could the tree leaves' original color be withered yellow?"

[Life Force countdown, in at most thirteen days, this ancient tree will completely die; it's advised that you have the old treeman throw back the hot potato, or he'll suffer major losses.]

Reading this hint, Li Zheng suddenly understood why Kang'er struggled to connect with the Ancient Cang Hun Tree but failed: it had long reached the point of dying, unable to respond to Kang'er.

"Boss."

Kota arrived at the greenhouse door, and upon seeing Li Zheng there, he revealed a look of pleasant surprise.

"Hum!"

Li Zheng exited the greenhouse, a stern face, saying, "Kota, how did you fare with the task I assigned you to handle at Block 950?"