Volume One: The Infernal Lord's World Chapter Four: Infinite Enhancement

Whew, as expected, I can only carry up to ten Corpse-Eating Vines. I wonder what the reason is—perhaps my level is too low? After synthesizing the Corpse-Eating Vines, Chen Gu searched nearby for suitable materials to synthesize more of the same kind. However, he discovered a problem: at most, he could only carry ten Corpse-Eating Vines. Any additional ones he synthesized would immediately fight with the existing ones, ultimately turning into experience points for their upgrade. This was not a good thing for Chen Gu.

He noticed that leveling up the Corpse-Eating Vines did not provide as many benefits as directly synthesizing them. Chen Gu could combine two Corpse-Eating Vines, making the number of tendrils emerging from the ground increase from three to six. Yet, when a Corpse-Eating Vine defeated and devoured another of its kind, the gained experience was insufficient for a level up, nor did it cause any noticeable change.

Normally, Chen Gu would let the Corpse-Eating Vines accumulate experience and gradually level up, since in the Lord’s World, level meant everything. But these were extraordinary times, and Chen Gu had no leisure for such slow progress. Once he confirmed that he could only carry ten Corpse-Eating Vines, he began pairing them up, merging them into stronger beings.

Under his [Unlimited Pet Synthesis] talent, those Corpse-Eating Vines went from +1 to +3, and each one now had twelve tendrils rising from the earth. Only then did Chen Gu receive the notification that they could no longer be upgraded.

[Your Corpse-Eating Vine has been strengthened to the maximum level. Please increase the Vine’s level before attempting further enhancement.]

[Pet Attributes]
Name: Corpse-Eating Vine +3
Quality: Green
Type: Active Plant
Trait: Carrion-Eating
Level: 1
Attributes: Attack 8, Defense 4, Health 300
Initial Skills: Underground Movement Lv2, Corpse-Eating Lv2, Devour Lv2 (Each Corpse-Eating Vine can devour up to five enemies of level 4 or below daily), Mist Pollen Lv2 (Each Vine can release sleep-inducing pollen fourteen times per day)
Description: Corpse-Eating Vine strengthened to its limit; further enhancement requires the Vine to reach level 3.

Looking at these attributes, Chen Gu understood that this was the limit for the synthesis of Corpse-Eating Vines.

To go further, he would need different materials and a new approach. Now was not the time for slow experimentation. He had already spent nearly an hour here, just for these ten Corpse-Eating Vines. If he lingered any longer, he would surely be discovered by the undead from the Black Fortress.

Right now, he needed to find a safe place to secure his own safety before considering how to deal with the current Lord's World. Raising his head to glance at the moon in the sky, Chen Gu assessed his direction and set off toward a particular location.

As he moved forward, ten earthy trails slithered beneath the ground behind him—his newly synthesized, +3 Corpse-Eating Vines. Until they encountered an enemy, they would remain hidden, moving underground. At a command from Chen Gu, they would rise and attack any adversary.

So far, he had not met any foes, but Chen Gu was not complacent. He had learned at school that anything could happen in the Lord’s World. Even in the simplest levels, people had fallen—let alone in the hellish difficulty he now faced. The absence of enemies did not mean he had gone unnoticed. The forces pursuing him might well be on their way.

This was his last window of safety; he had to seize the opportunity to gain as much advantage as possible.

Ahead on his chosen path was a Black Forest. The trees within were all twisted and black, their bark rotted, their leaves darkened. Piles of skeletons lay beneath the roots; corpses of various sizes hung from the branches. When the wind blew, all their heads turned in the same direction.

Upon entering the forest, Chen Gu slowed his pace significantly. Holding a wooden stick he had just picked up, he advanced step by step, pausing at each move to scan his surroundings carefully before proceeding.

He had taken a dozen cautious steps into the woods when he suddenly halted.

“Over there—go!” he commanded.

His vigilance had paid off. He had spotted a subtle movement behind a large tree in a certain direction—an ambush.

Before entering the forest, Chen Gu had already instructed his mindless Corpse-Eating Vines. No matter what happened, four of them must always remain to protect him. At his order, six Corpse-Eating Vines attacked from three directions toward the spot he indicated.

When they reached the big tree, each of the six Vines extended eleven tendrils from underground—a total of sixty-six tendrils forming a giant net, striking behind the tree. Everything within a three-meter radius was engulfed by their assault.

Behind the tree, six or seven ordinary skeletons stood. They were not battle-ready skeleton soldiers, but common undead, risen from death under the influence of necrotic energy. They had received word of an intruder and were tasked only with watching him.

But before they could act, Chen Gu’s minions had already descended. The skeletons tried to collapse to the ground, but the tendrils thundered down, smashing their fragile frames to pieces.

After executing the attack, the tendrils swiftly withdrew underground, swept the area, and upon finding no other enemies, returned to Chen Gu’s side.

Seeing the Corpse-Eating Vines return, Chen Gu knew the enemies had been eliminated. He checked the Vines carefully. The attack had been straightforward and the enemies unresponsive; the Vines had suffered no damage. Since skeletons were not edible for the Vines, they gained little benefit—each Vine involved in the attack received only three experience points.

To level up, a Corpse-Eating Vine needed one hundred experience points. At this rate, they would need to repeat such attacks at least thirty more times.

“Let’s go and take a look.”

Chen Gu was quite pleased with the outcome. The Vines’ rejection of skeleton corpses did not mean the skeletons lacked valuable items. He was still wielding a plain wooden stick—a poor weapon against skeletons.

Now that he had such a transport squad, Chen Gu certainly wanted to see what useful things might have been left behind.