I left Kowloon on a White Eagle. As I thought, the smugglers hadn't overlooked such a fine ride and had about two dozen of those birds. Best of all, I got contacts with the right people, so now I can return to the city with the girls via a proven route or call a "taxi."
Three days left until the end of their vacation, so I decided to finally find suitable plant seeds for TuTu. It wouldn't do for my girl to walk around with ordinary ones. Plus, unlike Elemental Seed souls, plant seeds have no souls, so I can safely bring them from a parallel world.
Settling into a cozy cafe and ordering cocoa, I started scouring the internet for seeds that'd suit her, then slapped my forehead. Why strain myself when I have a team member who can do it faster and better?
"Hello, hey Ling Ling. ...You rested? ...Great! Could you find some info for me? ...On the best plant seeds for Mid-level....Rarity doesn't matter, even if they've been seen once in history, send the info....Why? For general knowledge, and to pick a gift for TuTu....Alright, bye, get to it—I'm waiting." I hung up.
There, done. Task delegated to a capable person. What to do now that I'm free early? Maybe find cultivation vessels for the girls? Totem ones would be best, screw it if the prescribed beasts are dead—the function's intact.
As I was about to dive back into the net, I realized that kind of info isn't just lying around. The Totem topic faded from public memory long ago, and what's left is fragmented. I'd spend months investigating myself. My past-life knowledge doesn't help much either. Besides the White Tiger pendant, I only knew the Bashu Wooden Fish's location.
But I doubt any girl wants to be a "turtle" mage. Though I'd give it to TuTu for her safety, her elements don't match at all, so scrap that idea.
Then I remembered one girl from a totem family still upholding old traditions. Plus, she's the current guardian of Hangzhou's Totem Serpent...Glancing at Tang Yue's number and recalling how I'd used her name lately, I decided to text her. No call—she might be busy...yeah, definitely.
Her reply came in minutes. Stripping out the swears, insults, and where she'd seen or wanted to see me, she promised to dig through family archives and send info within two weeks. That's quick for them—their shelves must groan under millennia of records. Not some fly-by-night stuff.
Texting back, "As expected from my sugar mommy♡," I pocketed the phone and kept sipping tasty cocoa, occasionally swiping away her cursing replies. Oh, this tsundere—I made her famous nationwide, and she pouts. Ungrateful. Oh well, I'm a kind guy—no hard feelings.
By the time I finished my drink and was about to leave, info from Ling Ling started arriving. Nothing to do but order more cocoa and dive in. Oh, the heavy life of a coordinator.
Among the info were plenty of intriguing options for boosting TuTu's plant element. For example:
Tibetan Parasite—sprays tons of spores that control weaker monsters, used as minions for foraging or food. Tasty for facing monster tribes, but useless in direct even fights and a liability—it's fragile. I passed.
Steppe Needle—extremely poisonous plant. One prick paralyzes same-level beings long-term or stops weaker monsters' hearts instantly. Same issue as before: fragility. Block the needles with armor or natural monster hide, and its defense crumbles. Rejected.
Plenty more with strengths and weaknesses. One had strong defense but was too slow. Another guzzled magic power to grow. A third was useless but ultra-rare, spotted twice ever.
Four hours and seven cocoas later, I found the perfect one for TuTu—Silvergrass. A random mutation of roadside magic weed, basically a common weed.
Despite seeming harmless, this thing spreads terrifyingly fast on minimal energy. In Great Britain 150 years ago, post-mutation, it wiped out a whole city, scaring authorities into sending a High-level fire mage who brought back its sole surviving seed to the capital auction, sold for insane Mid-level item money—94 million yuan...good thing Ling Ling converts to my currency. I'd go nuts swapping.
From the mage who fused it with his plant element: the grass has enough toughness to hold Senior Pack Chieftains briefly, good elemental resistance. Special mention for its sharpness, shredding most junior Pack Chieftains' armor.
Effect diminishes with monster strength: light wounds on seniors, scratches on peaks. Seems meh, but the consumption...
Minimal! Absolute pittance! A third-step Mid-level plant mage, spending all energy, can cover a small block. Not every High-level mage has that AoE. If not a one-off mutation, every Mid- and some High-level plant mages would hunt it. Absurd!
No way I'd buy the seed at auction. It sold at Great Britain's main capital auction. They won't let me in, money or no. So, treat the bearer like Bo Chok—extract the Silver Grass seed from his Star Cloud.
I didn't rope in Ling Ling here to avoid suspicion and dug in myself. The bearer: Robert Gont, son of Count Gont, promising plant mage from the Gont family. He cultivated to High-level—impressive, justified his name. Or rather, the resources dumped into him.
Since everyone's dead sure you can't steal a fused seed, Robert threw a massive club party the day he got it. So big, it made the papers. Now head there, check his guards' numbers and strength.
If too many or too strong, find another way. Or loop in Ling Ling—I can't dig that deep online.
Teleporting to the nearest alley, I scanned the club's space for strong mages and was stunned! No guards! Or they're Mid-level and Robert's age.
On the other hand, Zhao Manyan wanders unguarded, like most clan heirs. Why attack? Nothing truly valuable, ransom useless—mages swarm you at handover.
Only I want them for talents and seeds. That energy regen talent girl hyped my paranoia. Her struck dad put High-level watchers on her permanently. Though I did attack...whatever.
Slipping into the club, knocking out the drunk guy, and dragging him to the bathroom was easy. Ten minutes later, I left that world with a special container holding the Silver Grass seed.
It'll be a great gift for TuTu. Wonder how she'll thank me? Heh-heh.