Spirit Taming

Chapter 580: Fully Explored

The upbeat atmosphere seemed to only grow after they left the waving purple flag and the toxic slime salamander behind. It was truly an interesting, yet odd, experience to have. Not many people could claim that they were the first friends to a beast that was hiding and protecting its young in a massive bubbling pool deep in the wilderness that no one else traveled in to anymore.

This was all true though. The shocking occurrence had happened. Everyone knew it too. Their group had done many amazing things and witnessed even more. Now this was another story to add to their adventures.

What really stuck with them was the simple fact that this could be part of information that they could use later. To be able to befriend the master of a dungeon like this in the deep wilderness, even at the edge, they could make it a massive boon.

"The other beasts seem to have been scared away. I bet that last rumbling made them all afraid to show themselves." Grace was picking up on this. No beasts were anywhere to be seen. Even the geysers were happening less and less while the group traveled.

This massively sped up the mapping efforts that Clark was trying to do. "That just means we can check things out faster and maybe find a few more herbs before we leave. I am glad we don't have to face more beasts with ranged attacks."

The simple calmness that came with not dealing with beasts that fired off acid or boiling water was enough. If he hadn't had to deal with them ever, he would be happy. Plus, just dealing with them once had been enough for the group to learn a very valuable lesson. They were all somewhat limited by ranged attacks because they had not trained against them enough.

Regardless of these thoughts, Clark was happy to easily maneuver through the dungeon. When they found that they had all circled the dungeon fully, he was still surprised that the system had not shown him the reward for the completion of this exploration.

"Hey, you see the dense mist up there, I think there is another beast up there too. Not just the one we saw before." Since Grace was deeply connected with her frost finch, the two could sense this. However, that still raised the question, what else could be flying around in the mist?

"See! It's right there. Those little darker dots that shouldn't be there but they are. They are moving too so it's definitely a living beast." Jerold had started to follow what Grace was pointing to. The two of them were trying to point out what they could see, however, they were not sure what it was.

"Weren't you all wondering how a salamander beast got here? There can't just be a toxic slime salamander running through this dungeon by itself without any other competitions it grew older. There are other species here." Clark found it slightly amusing. He had missed it too since they were hard to spot. But there they were. The analysis from the system had told him everything too.

'Juvenile steam cloud salamander- rare

The steam cloud salamander is a beast that ahs fire and water affinity. They like to hide in large steam clouds around the ocean and volcanoes. This is because those areas have large steam clouds that the young can use to hide from predators. Specifically, they will use their small and light bodies to gather the steam around them and hide within it.

As they get older, their skin turns darker and they must leave the steam clouds to live within the boiling pools or heated water that is also within these areas. However, there is a very small subset of them that mutate and gain the wind affinity. They often lose their fire affinity and become cloud salamanders. A very rare beast.

These steam cloud salamanders love the rain due to the change in hot and cold temperatures. They also adore the leech flies as a food source when the leech flies are smaller and have not fully grown in to adult form. Otherwise, they are entirely harmless and will avoid any other dangers.

Unfortunately, they are not very useful as materials since their bodies are too soft and have not grown. Some tamers once used them as food but that was short lived since they do not hold much nutritional value at all.'

"So we have had those little things moving all around the steam here and we couldn't notice them without someone pointing them out. It took hours." Ella was completely rethinking her observation skill.

"They were hiding much more. But then the toxic slime salamander rumbled and they started coming out. I bet that they knew it was safe since the predators around them were too afraid to come out. They got curious just like we are." Maria had a slightly more positive spin on this. She felt that there was a clear reason that these beasts would hide and a clear reason that the group might spot them now.

"They are sightseeing just like us. But we are done, right?" the patience that Ralph had was fading. He preferred to make their way out of this dungeon and back in to the deep wilderness. He felt that they were not going to gain anything else here. And to be fair, he was right.

'Survival sub quest- steaming plains dungeon- completed

Requirement: challenge the steaming plains and completely explore the small area within.

Reward: one random gotcha ticket, five random small energy crystals.'

Clark saw the system had supported the reason that Ralph was feeling they should leave. But he knew that it was partially Grace's sharp eyes that had allowed them to notice the last beast living in this dungeon. She had spotted the steam cloud salamanders sooner than they might have.

'You have received five poison energy crystals.'

'You have received one potion gotcha ticket.'

This was a little surprising. He knew that there would be a random gotcha ticket, but for the potion gotcha? It was a little odd. Not that this was an issue. He was certain that there would be a very valuable item that he would get. Potions were something that the group could not just make right now.

Maria was not well versed yet.

As they started back toward the entrance and out of it, using each other to boost themselves up and out of the hole that the dungeon was, Clark watched the system work.

'The potion gotcha is spinning…

Many different things than Clark had yet to see were spinning through. He had not considered the levels of potions. How rare and hard some would be to make. This was actually something he had left as a gap in his knowledge over other things.

'Alchemists brew- ultra rare

The alchemist's brew is a complicated potion made by a master alchemist for the beasts or for the apprentice alchemist working under them. It has concentrated alchemical fire energy and concentrated unique water energies.

This mix of energy is something that many people would struggle to gather by themselves. That is why an alchemy master must create this. It holds many levels of complicated energy condensation that they have spent lifetimes learning. Many would not be able to consume this potion.

When a certain beast with potential for alchemy consumes this, they can awaken unique growth potential or they can rapidly accelerate their growth. When a potential alchemist consumes thus, there is a higher chance that their will refine their skills and be able to grow in their alchemy understanding at a faster rate for a twenty four hour period.

The drawbacks of this potions are harder on the alchemist because the alchemist will lose most sight of their own body. They may not eat, rest, or over use their own energy. The beast will be put in to a slumbering state or a growth state depending on the species of beast. This is less severe for the beast due to this.

This potion is not one that is readily available for purchase unless a master alchemist is without an apprentice and about to perish. They often do not want their legacy to be lost.'

"Maria," Clark stopped Maria as she was pulled up from the dungeon entrance. She looked at him once she got back on her feet with curiosity. This wasn't a normal call. "Have your jade worm drink this when it is all settled down. It's a special potion made by an alchemist. It should help the jade worm grow in to a more unique beast."

"Really? How did you get it?" Clark just shrugged. He hadn't thought up any good excuses. He just handed it over and then went to help the others. While this left Maria wondering just what Clark had been thinking or was up to, she trusted him. Without any worries, she took out some of the herbs she had been feeding the small jade worm to help it develop a fire affinity as well.

But the moment that she saw it touch the potion, she knew that it was gaining a lot.