Moonlight pollen has been obtained.
Alan, Baker, and Hogg's next hunting target is the even more dangerous viper vine.
Baker walked in front, occasionally communicating telepathically with the flowers and plants along the roadside to gather information on the viper vine's activities.
"Good luck!" Baker smiled over his shoulder. "There's an adult viper vine lurking near this woodland. Everyone, be careful and don't let that monster attack you."
Alan was about to ask him about the viper vine's specific location when his expression suddenly changed.
Two system notifications entered his mind one after another.
"Level 6 toxin detected!"
"Insufficient sample, unable to identify!"
"Unique ingredient detected!"
"Insufficient sample, unable to identify!"
Alan was slightly startled and stopped.
Level 6 toxin is no joke!
A monster at least on the level of the mutant flying dragon "Blue Devil" could possess such a high-level toxin!
Alan's poison resistance bar was stuck in the middle of level 6, and it hadn't moved for a long time.
No matter how much lower-level toxins he collected, it wouldn't improve his poison resistance.
For him, level 6 toxins were an invaluable resource.
Not to mention that the same monster could also contain special ingredients!
"Brother Baker! Brother Hogg! Wait a moment!" Alan pointed down and lowered his voice. "There's movement down the hillside where we're standing! If nothing goes wrong, it should be a viper... Hmm?!"
Alan choked back the rest of his words.
His expression changed instantly!
Strange...
What was going on?
Two new system prompts echoed in his mind.
"Level 5 toxin detected!"
"Insufficient sample, unable to identify!"
"Unique ingredient detected!"
"Insufficient sample, unable to identify!"
...
This viper vine is so elusive. It was just down the slope, how did it suddenly move to the front?!
What puzzled Allen even more was...
The toxin it detected just now was clearly Level 6. How did it suddenly become Level 5 in the blink of an eye?
So, how many viper vines are there nearby?
How many toxins does a viper vine actually have?
All these strange phenomena left him bewildered.
"Brother Allen, what exactly did you discover?"
Hogg asked curiously.
"Something's not right!" Allen said thoughtfully. "There might be more than one viper vine around here!"
Before he finished speaking, a rustling sound suddenly came from the dense forest ahead!
Baker and Hogg quickly turned to look.
A snake-like plant darted out from the bushes.
Its leaves resembled emerald green snake scales.
The swaying flower disk resembled the head of a giant python.
In the center of its face, the petals bloomed, each shaped like a scimitar.
Sometimes expanding, sometimes contracting.
It was like a natural guillotine designed for efficient decapitation!
"Ha! It's a viper vine!"
Baker rubbed his hands in anticipation and immediately activated his atavistic form!
"This guy just showed up on his own, great!"
Hogg didn't waste any time, transforming into a thunder boar.
The two of them attacked the viper vine from both sides, attacking it.
Alan stood there, his thoughts still a bit confused.
Now he was certain that the viper vine was the target of the second reconnaissance.
It possessed Level 5 toxins and unique ingredients.
The question was...
What was the other target they had previously detected?
Baker and Hogg were engaged in a fierce battle with the viper vine, and even a combined effort wouldn't be enough to gain an advantage.
Here and now, he couldn't afford to stand by and watch.
Alan had no choice but to withdraw his thoughts, casting "Shield" and "Giant Transformation" on himself, focusing on the viper vine before him.
Bang! !
Allen raised his hand and blasted out a "Shaping Thunder Wave," dispersing the acid spewed by the viper vine.
Baker's "Plant Wither" and Hogg's "Thundering Earthquake Wave" also bombarded the viper vine.
With Allen's assist, the battle shifted in favor of the three.
The viper vine seemed to sense the situation was dire, shaking its large, snake-head-like flower buds and frantically spraying a toxic mist!
The "intoxicating mist" formed by the viper vine pollen was the Level 5 toxin Allen had previously detected, possessing a powerful sedative and anesthetic effect.
If the inhaler couldn't resist the toxin, they would fall into a coma in just a few seconds, as if under general anesthesia.
Baker and Hogg had already taken the anti-toxin Allen had provided, so they inhaled the toxic mist without any hindrance.
Allen, Baker, and Hogg surrounded the viper vines. No matter which direction the monster tried to break out, it would be intercepted in time.
The longer the battle lasted, the weaker the viper vines became.
Victory was imminent.
Suddenly, Allen's "Qi Sensing" sounded a warning!
The ground beneath their feet was shaking abnormally...
A sign of impending unknown danger!
"Two brothers, watch your step!"
Alan hurriedly warned his companions.
As soon as he spoke, he realized that he was the one in greatest danger!
With a loud bang, the ground beneath his feet suddenly cracked!
Countless vines emerged, entwining Allen's feet.
Soon after, a massive plant burst forth from the ground.
A pink flower the size of a bathtub blossomed before him, emitting an intoxicating, rich fragrance.
"Hehehe..."
Accompanied by a creepy giggle, a nymph with tender green skin emerged from the enormous pistil, her lower body tightly connected to the pistil, merging into one.
Alan's scalp tingled at the sight of this bizarre scene!
He had never expected the "Flower Fairy Queen," Elona, to suddenly appear and launch a brazen sneak attack from beneath the ground!
Baker and Hogg were entangled by viper vines, unable to spare a moment.
Alan was left to face this sudden crisis alone!
Ding Ding—
"Level 6 Toxin Detected: Queen's Nectar (Anesthetic/Tranquilizer)!"
The system prompt solved the mystery that had been weighing on Alan's mind.
The Level 6 toxin previously detected had nothing to do with viper vines, but came from the Flower Fairy Queen!
Before he could even think, Elona's petals had already opened, like a greedy pink maw, swallowing him directly into the bud!
The petals then closed, like a water lily at night.
Alan was tightly wrapped within the closed petals, his breathing difficult, and his vision was pitch black.
Then, he felt a strong wave of dizziness and suffocation...
Within the bud, the enchanting green body split and deformed, transforming into four thick filaments that entangled him.
Alan's limbs were tightly entangled by the filaments, unable to move.
From deep within Elona's pistil, a large amount of nectar was flowing.
The sweet nectar was extremely sticky.
It was both a highly potent nerve-numbing poison and the unique ingredient Alan had previously detected!
Alan possessed a level 6 poison resistance, so Elona's anesthetic toxin posed no threat to him.
The real trouble was his breathing difficulties!
The water level in the bud was rising steadily, soon to submerge him.
First, she trapped her prey with petals, then secreted nectar to anesthetize it, drowning it, and finally, she slurped up its flesh and blood.
This was the Flower Fairy Queen's hunting routine.
Now, Allen had reached the second step of this process.
From head to toe, he was immersed in sticky nectar, unable to open his eyes or breathe.
If this continued, he would suffocate to death soon!
Swish!
Alan's left palm ejected the bone spur, desperately drawing nectar from the tip of his nose to buy himself more breathing space.
However, his efforts were unsustainable.
The Flower Fairy Queen's nectar flowed endlessly, like a flood.
Alan's bone spur was so thin, like using a straw to draw water from a bathtub; he could barely feel the water level drop.
If I can't drain her dry, I'll burst her!
Alan gritted his teeth and activated his Atavism!
Before being trapped, he had already activated the "Giant Transformation Technique." Now, he activated the third-level Atavism transformation, suddenly transforming into a twelve-meter-tall leopard-headed giant!
He attempted to use his burgeoning size to burst Elona's flower bud.
He never expected...
The petals of this enchantress were surprisingly flexible, as elastic as Spanna's spider silk!
Even after two transformations, he couldn't break it!
Alan was strangled by the silk threads, his limbs numb and powerless.
Besides his hands and feet, what other weapons did he have?
Suddenly, an idea struck him!
He remembered the tactic he'd used to assassinate Agrippina in the Meditation World.
Magic power descended, infusing the "Steel Rake"!
As his body grew, Allen's limbs also grew more than fourfold.
That's not all!
Alan also possessed "Soft Bone Flesh Armor"!
In soft form, every inch of muscle in his body could stretch at least twice as long!
His organs, already capable of expansion and contraction, were now stretched even further.
With the combined effects of these buffs, Allen's secret weapon expanded to nearly two meters in length, resembling a massive spear!
Empowered by the "Steel Ripper" within his flesh and blood, it possessed a hardness surpassing that of refined steel.
Alan, like a valiant knight, swung his spear upward with all his might!
Puff!
Alan's heart trembled!
The Flower Queen's petals were incredibly resilient, possessing a physical damage reduction effect similar to "Beastly Armor"!
His lower body, imbued with the "Steel Ripper," could penetrate iron like mud, yet it couldn't even pierce a single petal of Elona's! What should I do?!
Since crossing over, Allen had never found himself in such a desperate situation.
Cold sweat dripped down his spine!
The prolonged suffocation had gradually blurred his mind...
He bit his lip hard, the pain forcing him to remain calm.
The third-tier "Steel Rift Rake" couldn't penetrate Elona's petals, so what would a higher-tier armor-piercing martial art do?
Alan suddenly thought of a possibility that might help him break through his desperate situation and carve out a way out!
Bearing composure, he opened the system page and executed a long-delayed martial arts fusion process!
"Do you want to spend 4 potential points to fuse the second-tier "Bone-Piercing Explosion" and the third-tier "Steel Rift Rake" to deduce a fourth-tier unnamed martial art?"
"Yes..."
Alan replied weakly.
What followed was an agonizing wait.
The lack of oxygen to the brain caused by suffocation left Allen dizzy and confused.
Every second of waiting felt like a century.
Finally, the system notification, like a blessing, reached his mind.
Beep—
"Deduction complete! Please name this tier 4 martial skill!"
At this critical moment, there was no time for naming.
Alan didn't even glance at the specific performance of the new martial skill; knowing it was an enhanced version of the "Steel Ripper" was enough!
Without hesitation, he channeled his magic power, replacing the Steel Ripper with the new martial skill he had fused with his last-minute preparation, and thrust forward with all his might!
The effect was immediate!
With a sizzling sound, a crack over two meters long tore through the thick, fleshy petals.
Nectar gushed out through the crack like a flood!
Inside the bud, the water level dropped dramatically.
Alan could finally breathe a deep, fresh breath!
As the suffocation subsided, his mind regained clarity.
He infused his hands with the fused fourth-tier martial arts, unleashing magical power! With two booming bangs, the flower filaments wrapped around his arms were instantly shattered!
Then, the flower filaments wrapped around his legs suffered the same fate! Alan's limbs regained their vitality, and he struggled to break free from the bud.
Accompanied by a cascade of nectar, he fell to the ground.
"Phew... That was close!" Alan panted, struggling to get up. He didn't even dare to look back at Elona, and immediately activated "Phantom Step"! He teleported a hundred meters away! He fought tooth and nail to escape from Elona's captivity.
He wasn't so arrogant as to think that a newly fused 4th-tier martial art alone could turn the tide and kill the Flower Fairy Queen.
Of course, he ran as far as he could!
Thankfully, Elona didn't catch up.
The Flower Fairy Queen, seemingly frightened by his forceful tearing of her bud, quietly retreated deep into the earth, never to be seen again.
Alan breathed a sigh of relief.
He turned back to collect the scattered petals, which, combined with the nectar absorbed by the bone spurs, would be enough to make a potion.
Opening the system page, he checked out the detailed description of the new 4th-tier martial art...
As expected, it was an enhanced version of "Bone-Piercing Explosion" and "Steel-Splitting Rake"!
It consumed 10 mana points and, when used at close range, dealt double the damage of "Bone-Piercing Explosion," with the added bonus of "Armor-Piercing" and "Crushing" effects!
Furthermore, this martial art is compatible with the "Steel Rake" feature, doubling its damage against exoskeletons and constructs!
Having narrowly escaped death and with some time to spare, Alan began to consider a name for this move.
Alan's first thought was "Flower-Pulling Brute."
Having just used this move to deflower the Flower Queen, leaving her in ruins, it certainly lived up to the name.
However, upon closer inspection, it was too embarrassing...
As a gentleman of shy character, refined tastes, and integrity, Alan detested vulgarity and vulgarity!
Putting aside those extravagant thoughts, he ultimately chose a straightforward and straightforward name for this new martial art: Bone-Crushing Explosion.
Closing the system interface, Alan left the woods to assist Baker and Hogg in killing the viper vine.
All the ingredients for the tranquilizing meditation potion were finally gathered!
After the battle, Allen used his downtime to savor the nectar of viper vines and Elona.
He then received a series of delightful system notifications.
"Take special ingredient: Viper Nectar!"
"Potential +2!"
"Spirit +1!"
"Take special ingredient: Queen Nectar!"
"Potential +3!"
"Spirit +1!"
Current Attributes: Constitution 30, Agility 25, Spirit 40
Potential Reserve: 7 points
...
After returning from Flower Demon Valley, Allen immediately plunged into the busy work of refining medicine.
Gathering the herbs, the pharmaceutical process would be a breeze.
With a single spit, he could increase the yield rate to 100%, enabling mass production!
A few days later, Allen successfully refined a complete set of 1st-4 level tranquilizing and meditation potions!
With everything ready, it's time to return to New Gwent Town and implement the "Beast Transformation Project"!
…
White Tiger Hall.
Master Shiva's dojo, filled with curling incense, was solemn and majestic.
A beastman who wishes to ascend to the Gadin Celestial Clan must choose to worship one of the "Three Silver Moon Gods."
The patron saint of the bear people, "Bear Father" Bailado, the "Earth God" of reason and tolerance.
The patron saint of the pig people, "Pig Elder" Brownie, the "Kitten God," who blesses believers with good food, good sleep, and a safe home.
Finally, there's Master Shiva's idol, the patron saint of the cat people, "Tiger Mother" Fruka.
Fruka is the most complex of the Three Silver Moon Gods.
She isn't as gentle as Bailado.
Patient.
In reality, "Tiger Moms" are moody, willful, and their biggest fear is boredom.
She's also not as realistic and materialistic as Brownie.
Freka is impulsive and full of unrealistic romantic ideas.
In ancient myths, love-sick Freka is constantly swindled by gigolos... and never learns her lesson.
Despite her various flaws that are hard to resist, Tiger Moms have two most striking strengths.
First, they love freedom and indulge in pleasure.
Second, they dare to love and hate, taking revenge with pleasure!
Because of the first, Freka is revered as the "Statue of Liberty."
Because of the second, Freka is revered as the "Goddess of Vengeance."
Some believers, especially female ones, revere Freka as the "Goddess of Love."
Alan felt... this last situation was the wrong one.
"Tiger Mom" herself was a love failure. What good could come of imitating her views on love?
Putting aside his distracting thoughts, Alan walked over to the shrine and knelt obediently beside his teacher.
When Master Shiva was alone, he always relaxed and transformed back into his silver-haired lolita form.
When he saw Alan come in, he didn't transform back into a tiger man.
He knelt across from the shrine, absent-mindedly chanting.
He was fiddling with a ball of wool in his hand.
"Alan, did Maria say you wanted to take a leave?"
Master Shiva, tired of sitting, tilted his head and slumped over Alan's lap.
He used his legs as a pillow and found a comfortable position.
"Well, teacher, I haven't been home for almost half a year."
"It's almost New Year, and I want to go home to visit my family."
"If nothing goes wrong, I'll be back next spring."
"Woo..." Master Shiva rolled on his lap, yawning contentedly, his little fangs bared. "I'll write you a note for leave after I finish praying."
"Teacher, are you praying? You're not paying attention," Allen said seriously. "You need to be focused and sincere when you pray."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it! You're so annoying!"
Master Shiva yawned and rolled around on the ground.
"Prayers and such, just a couple of times will do!"
"My Lord Fruka doesn't care about these superficial formalities. Sincerity is the key to success!"
Alan gave a helpless smile and continued:
"Teacher, look at this statue. It's smoky and covered in incense ash."
"Excuse me, this is utterly disgraceful!"
"You're so nagging!" the little girl glared angrily. "You think the statue is dirty? Why don't you wipe it? Don't you, as a disciple, have any sense?"
"As you say!" Alan had been waiting for these words. He stepped forward and respectfully held out the statue of the goddess with a human body and a tiger's head. He wiped the dust off with a pristine white handkerchief.
It was spotless.
Even the ear holes were carefully cleaned.
Master Shiva was moved by his sincere devotion.
"Alan, do you want to worship with me?"
"Convert to the Silver Moon Church, and you'll be considered a member of the monastery. Not only will you be promoted to a direct disciple, but you'll also be able to reach the late fourth stage of cultivation and become a Celestial Warlock, ascending to a Gadin Ella."
Alan hesitated for a moment before returning the statue to the shrine.
"Teacher, thank you for your appreciation. I need some time to consider it."
"Hmph! You rascal, you're so ungrateful!" Master Shiva rolled his eyes. "You're only superficial. No matter how clean you clean the statue, it's useless without genuine reverence!"
Alan smiled but said nothing.
A system prompt echoed in his mind.
Ding ding—
"Eat special ingredients: Bone marrow infused with divine power!"
"Potential +3!"
"Spirit +1!"
...
After nearly half a year, Alan returned to New Gwent to reunite with his family and friends.
Ever since defeating the orc bandits, New Gwent has entered a golden period of rapid development.
Construction projects are steadily progressing.
Busy construction sites are everywhere, both inside and outside the town.
Returning from his study trip, Alan notices that the town is much more prosperous and bustling than before.
The tavern run by his mother and the surrounding shops are all bustling with activity.
Alan visited his father at the city hall. Talking about the town's development over the past six months, his father expressed pride.
The climate is favorable, the resources are abundant, and the people are simple and honest.
Convenient transportation, complete facilities, and good public security.
Fair laws, reasonable taxes, and stable prices.
New Gwent Town possesses all the advantages a new town could have.
In this chaotic world, it's a breath of fresh air.
It quickly became a paradise for the people, attracting more immigrants.
The town's registered population has now exceeded 5,000, and it continues to attract newcomers.
At this rate, New Gwent Town's population will exceed 10,000 by the end of next year at the latest!
Alan's return home, besides visiting his family, also focused on establishing the Panthers family's first martial arts school.
In order to pay protection fees to the Silver Moon Monastery, Allen, driven by a sense of righteousness, generously lent money from his own pocket to the town government to help them through the difficult times.
A town's initial establishment, including infrastructure projects, requires money everywhere.
Considering the town's financial constraints, Allen, with a kind heart, generously agreed to a repayment extension from the town government.
The principal wasn't urgent, but the interest...
He would use a piece of land specially approved by the town government to pay off the high-interest...charity debt owed to him.
This land included a large expanse of forest to the north.
The villa on the mountain was also Allen's property.
The martial arts school was located at the foot of the mountain.
Nestled between the mountains and the water, the bamboo forest was tranquil and ideal for spiritual practice.
Under the guise of opening a martial arts school, Allen planned to recruit young people from the town and implement the "Beast Transformation Project."
Based on the young people's constitutions and personalities, they would be inoculated with different types of beast transformation viruses and tranquilizers.
The martial arts inherited from the monastery would also be taught individually.
...
News of the martial arts school's opening quickly spread throughout the town.
In recent days, numerous young men and women with dreams have practically burst through Allen's door.
Allen hired his older sister, Kelly, and his younger apprentice, Ella, to serve as teachers and secretaries to the martial arts academy, responsible for registering applicants.
Allen planned to enroll 100 people in the first session.
However, in just one day, the number of applicants exceeded 300!
Allen quickly called a halt!
There were too many people, and it was impossible to manage them.
The first person to sign up was his old classmate, Robin.
An old friend, of course, deserves special attention and focused training.
Allen examined Robin's foundation and found her to be in good physical condition, with a solid foundation in martial arts.
Allen possesses four major types of beast viruses.
Silver Moon Monastery's signature viruses: cat, pig, and bear.
In addition, there's an insect virus, including Ella's bee-man virus and the spider virus provided by Spanner.
Robin ultimately chose the Tigerman bloodline.
He believed the tiger was the king of beasts, the most powerful!
Alan hadn't been able to tell his old friend that the Tigerman virus he'd been inoculated with was taken from Renee.
That silly Tiger girl wasn't exactly "powerful and powerful."
...
After the New Year.
The martial arts school was completed.
The first batch of disciples, over 300 in number, were mostly young and strong militiamen from the town.
The school officially opened on the second day of the second lunar month.
During the two months he spent at home during the Lunar New Year holiday, Alan not only prepared to build the school but also found time to guide his sister, junior sister, and teacher Sora in their training.
Through group meditation, he helped them overcome difficulties.
A junior sister, Ella, was still in the early third stage of her cultivation, not far from advancing to the late stage.
Ms. Sora had finally broken through her bottleneck and entered the early third stage. My elder sister, Kelly, has made the most progress.
It's only been two years since she awakened her warlock bloodline, and she's already reached the early second stage.
Alan's own cultivation has also achieved a breakthrough, entering the late third stage.
Current Attributes: Constitution 31, Agility 26, Spirit 42
Potential Reserve: 10 points
In addition, Alan's venom gland has evolved again.
A new ability has been added: "Bloodline Extraction."
…
Bloodline Extraction: Draw the blood of a warlock or magical creature, store it in the venom gland, and automatically extract "Bloodline Essence."
…
Bloodline Essence is equivalent to a "Bloodline Awakening Agent."
After injection, there's a chance of awakening that bloodline.
Every major warlock family has a secret recipe for preparing "Bloodline Awakening Agent."
For example, Alan's friend, Felin, comes from the Griffin family.
Griffin blood is collected as the primary ingredient, and the resulting potion, after inoculation, has the potential to awaken the Griffin bloodline.
Lady Sora's family, the Case family, has inherited the formula for the "Catman Awakening Potions" from generation to generation.
After Allen's venom glands evolved, they became like a machine capable of automatically processing various bloodline awakening potions!
The quality of the extracted bloodline essence depends on Allen's own warlock rank.
The higher the quality of the bloodline essence, the higher the chance of awakening after injection.
Allen himself won't be able to use this ability for the time being.
However, it can be used on the apprentices at the martial arts academy!
Beastmen are naturally more likely to awaken the beastman bloodline. Even with average aptitude, an injection of bloodline essence guarantees an almost 100% awakening!
In this way, Allen's martial arts academy will be like a factory assembly line, capable of mass-producing beastmans! As the martial arts school grows and talents emerge, the safety of New Gwent will also be guaranteed.
In addition to the evolution of his venom gland, Allen also awakened a new third-level magic—"Liquid Alchemy"!
Using this magic, a certain amount of liquid within a hundred meters can be temporarily altered.
The specific transformation depends on the chosen materials.
For example, fresh water can be transformed into sea water, or wine into vinegar.
The liquid must not have any magical effects before and after the transformation.
The transformation lasts for a full day, after which it returns to its original state.
Sea water turns back to fresh water, and vinegar turns back to wine.
The amount of liquid that can be altered with a single casting is proportional to his Spiritual Attribute.
With Allen's Spiritual Attribute of 42, a single casting of "Liquid Alchemy" can temporarily alter the properties of up to 420 liters of liquid.
Alan discovered that the configuration of the third-level "Liquid Alchemy" spell is somewhat similar to the first-level "Water Control." In a sense, "Liquid Alchemy" is an upgraded and enhanced version of "Water Control."
Based on this, Allen naturally began to think...
Previous experience with "Water Control" might be applicable to "Liquid Alchemy."
For example, transforming a puddle beneath an enemy's feet into a pit of oil and setting it on fire.
Many of the toxins Allen collected were in liquid form.
No matter how potent the toxin, it was usually a marvelous creation of nature and possessed no magical properties.
These liquid toxins could also serve as ingredients for "Liquid Alchemy" spells.
Alan's bone spur, secreting a drop of mutant dragon poison, or Elona's anesthetic nectar, could contaminate a pond, turning it into a poisonous pool!
Thinking of various techniques for applying "Liquid Alchemy," Allen's lips curled up, revealing a gentle and easygoing smile.
…
Ending his meditation.
Alan stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.
In the courtyard outside the window stood a tall corundum stele.
Carved on the stele were two lines of flamboyant inscription:
The Silver Moon heritage, a long and enduring legacy
Branching forth, enduring glory
The inscriptions were written by Master Shiva.
This stele was a gift from Master Shiva to Alan.
It proved Alan's eligibility to represent the Silver Moon Monastery, establish a martial arts school, recruit disciples, and teach skills.
The Silver Moon Monastery officially recognized the Panthers Martial Arts School as a subsidiary institution.
Graduates of the martial arts school were considered members of the Silver Moon lineage.
Those with outstanding academic performance were exempt from the entrance exam and admitted to the monastery for further study.
The stele erected in the courtyard of the martial arts school was like a golden signboard officially endorsed by the Silver Moon Monastery.
This marks the official establishment of Panthers Martial Arts School!