Chen Yu had always been curious about how the Moss Monsters secreted acid. While digesting one, he had studied the acid glands inside its body and discovered strange patterns within them.
These patterns couldn't even be called organic tissue, let alone have any special meaning. They were formed from some kind of gas that emitted a mysterious light.
Or perhaps it should be called...
Magic Power?
With just some simple nutrients and a complex catalytic process, the "Magic Organ"—the acid gland—could secrete a large amount of acid, giving a decomposer an aggressive capability that belied its appearance.
Back in his thatched hut in the Void Profound Heaven, he had tried carving these magic patterns into jade, but even when he infused it with Mana, the patterns didn't react at all. He didn't investigate further after that.
After all, Zeyarira was a Magic World. Any illogical occurrence could be explained away with magic here.
It was perfectly normal for a Moss Monster to have a Magic Organ.
At this point, if someone told him that Slimes and humans were the same species, he would believe it without a doubt.
After fumbling around for a while without reaching any conclusions, Chen Yu slipped out of the nest and quietly poked his head out of the swamp mud.
He heard a scalp-tingling, high-frequency BUZZ coming from the swamp trees. Every so often, Moss Monsters and swamp worms were struck by Poisonous Stings and carried back to the Poisonous Sting Bee nests as food.
It was as if the area beneath the trees was their farm. Whenever a new crop of Devils grew on the ground, the bees would come down to hunt.
And his own act of preying on a Moss Monster was no different from a wild wolf sneaking into a farmer's sheep pen to steal a lamb.
No wonder those Poisonous Sting Bees had singled him out for attack first.
Looking at the Twisted Oak Tree in front of him, its trunk covered in knots and moss, and at the foraging Poisonous Sting Bees all around, Chen Yu thought:
'Even if I'm a wolf, I have to be the alpha, the king of wolves.'
'One day, I will climb to the highest point in this forest and become the overlord of the swamp.'
'I'll pop Poisonous Sting Bees into my mouth for dessert, one by one.'
'And when I have the time, I'll even go out and see the vast Magic World beyond...'
A faint light flickered in Chen Yu's tiny, pea-like eyes. This thought, like a stone tossed into calm ooze, sent ripples of what could only be called "desire" spreading through his Gel-like body.
He imagined himself standing on a high cliff, looking out at the strange, never-before-seen sights that might exist beyond the forest—floating islands, rivers of starlight, or Mage Towers soaring into the clouds...
The more he thought, the more his chest swelled with heroic ambition, as if he could already feel the bright sunlight from on high warming his slimy body.
However, this surge of high spirits lasted less than three seconds—the Poisonous Sting Bees discovered him hiding in the shadows and gave chase, shooting Poisonous Stings at him.
Chen Yu scrambled back into the mud. That magnificent feeling of looking down upon all creation deflated with a PUFF, just like a punctured balloon.
The dream is beautiful, but reality is harsh.
Before he could become the great overlord of the swamp, he first had to figure out how to get past this small stepping stone right outside his front door.
Otherwise, it would be far too humiliating for the future overlord of the swamp to be pinned down at his own doorstep by a few Poisonous Sting Bees.
...
After returning to the Slime Nest, Chen Yu got up from the hardwood bed in his Void Profound Heaven and stretched his limbs.
He pushed open the creaking wooden window and propped it up with a bamboo stick. Outside the thatched hut, the rain had just stopped. The warm afternoon sun pierced through the bamboo tops, making the water droplets rolling off the leaves glisten like crystals. The entire Bamboo Forest looked even more vibrantly green and lush.
The sight was enough to lift anyone's spirits.
But a good mood couldn't fill his stomach.
Chen Yu rubbed his stomach, which let out a few rumbles of protest, reminding him that it was time to eat.
Even the future great Cultivator and Slime Demon King could be stumped by his next meal in his humble beginnings.
"Time to head out and find some work."
He reached out and picked up the rosewood sword leaning against his bed.
The sword's Spiritual Light was restrained, a sign that it was a fine treasure. But it was too new; it looked like it had never even struck a single Devil. It was more of an accessory for his excursions than a weapon.
But that wasn't the point. The point was that in his peripheral vision, he noticed a pattern had appeared on his palm.
It was identical to the Demon Pattern on the Slime's body.
'This is bad.'
'Don't tell me I've gone down a heretical path before even achieving immortality.'
Fortunately, when he touched it, his palm felt normal—no openings, still warm and fleshy, as if the magic pattern wasn't there at all.
"Good thing I haven't mutated. It would be a pain if I were mistaken for a Demon Cultivator."
Curiously, Chen Yu grabbed a porcelain vial. Following his instincts, he pressed his left hand against the pattern on his right palm. The "Magic Power" in his palm was drawn out, thread by thread, and drops of acid materialized from thin air, sliding down his fingertips and into the vial.
Immediately, an intense thirst washed over him, and his stomach rumbled loudly.
He seemed to be even hungrier now.
As he moved the vial away, he accidentally let a few drops of acid fall onto the stone bricks. They sizzled and released wisps of green smoke.
Bending down to look, he saw that the hard stone bricks had actually been corroded, leaving several small holes.
'How terrifying...'
He hadn't expected the acid, which he could touch freely with his palm, to be so corrosive.
No wonder he had never seen any corrosion-resistant shells inside the Moss Monsters. It turned out the acid had no effect on its original owner.
He subconsciously wondered, 'But why? Does this mean the Magic Power that forms the acid recognizes its own master?'
'It all feels so complicated.'
Chen Yu couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
But the more he thought, the more the top of his head itched.
It felt like a brain was about to sprout.
A few seconds later, he gave up.
'As expected, I'm not cut out to be a scholar. Being the overlord of the swamp suits me better.'
Chen Yu took out two or three drops of the acid to test it and found that the Slime Acid was slightly less corrosive than the Moss Monster's acid.
It was probably due to the different levels of his "Acid Secretion" ability.
Leveling up a talent wouldn't be any easier than acquiring it in the first place. Rather than worrying about how to upgrade the talent, it was better to focus on selling the Slime Acid he had on hand.
There should be Cultivators at the sect's small market who would have a use for it. If he could sell it, his next meal would be taken care of.
At this thought, Chen Yu forced himself to muster his energy and, with some effort, produced two more vials of acid.
This time, he was completely drained. He was so exhausted that his face turned a few shades paler.
Fortunately, he wasn't so exhausted that he'd collapse. As long as he could still walk, it was fine.
After stowing the celadon porcelain vials, Chen Yu picked up his rosewood sword, left the thatched hut, and set foot on the winding stone path leading to the North Peak of the Bamboo Forest.
His destination was the South Bridge Market on the North Peak.
Atop the cliffs of the Three Elements Sect's North Peak spanned a chain bridge made of cold iron. The chains were as thick as bowls, heavy and black, leading straight to the cloud-shrouded mountain region of the Three Elements Sect's Inner Sect. This bridge was a vital gateway for the Inner Sect Disciples.
As a result, many Outer Sect disciples had spontaneously gathered in the open area at the head of the bridge, near the cliff's edge. They set up simple bamboo and wood stalls or spread out coarse linen cloths to sell Talismans, cinnabar, Spirit Plants and Ores, and even materials from Devils.
Over time, this place at the head of the bridge formed into a bustling market—the South Bridge Market.
Regardless of whether they were Inner or Outer Sect disciples, whenever they descended the mountain for training or returned from completing missions, they would always stop for a while at the bustling South Bridge Market to purchase supplies or gather information.
Chen Yu also planned to take advantage of the afternoon rush to set up a small stall and sell the Slime Acid he had.
He walked step by step along the winding stone path, passed through the Bridge Gate and the bustling crowd, and finally managed to find an unoccupied spot in a corner of the South Bridge Market. He sat right down on the ground, spread out a coarse cloth, and arranged his porcelain vials on it.
He then borrowed a wooden plaque, a brush, and ink from a nearby Cultivator and scrawled a few large, crooked words:
"Corrosive Potion. Wide range of uses. Ten Shattered Spirits per vial."
Hmm...
He had no idea what Slime Acid could actually be used for, so he could only fudge it by saying it had a "wide range of uses."
As for the price, ten Shattered Spirits was just enough to buy two liang of Spirit Rice. Mixed with Refined Rice to make porridge or steamed rice, it would be enough to eat for several days.
In the Swamp Forest, he was an anomaly among the Devils—a Slime that hunted with a Flying Sword.
And in the Three Elements Sect, he was different from the other Cultivators; he cultivated by eating nourishing food.
He could go three days without meditation and it wouldn't matter, but he couldn't go a single day without eating.
Therefore, things like attaining the Dao and achieving immortality felt far too distant and illusory for him at the moment.
Filling his stomach was what mattered most.