Chapter 176 - 121: The Plant Person with Great Potential
Lin Chenxi’s words revealed the urgency felt by the staff of the Government Affairs Center.
In less than two months, the territory had made rapid technological breakthroughs under the Lord’s leadership. If they didn’t work harder, they might just become obsolete.
"Don’t be anxious. We’re not in a hurry to use the Haiqiu People’s advanced technology yet. Let’s focus on adaptation first!"
"When it comes to technology, what suits us best is what’s truly best."
"Understood, my Lord. I’ll pass down the orders shortly."
Lin Chenxi took a deep breath and continued her report: "The Cloud Concealed Immortal Feather Pavilion is complete. It hasn’t attracted any avian heroes yet, though some of the territory’s birds of prey are using it to play and rest."
"Thanks to the efforts of the Slimes, the Natural Essence Manufacturing Plant’s output is now stable..."
"Natural Essence, through testing, has been shown to replenish energy and slightly increase the potential of the life forms that use it, with no side effects."
...
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After the meeting, led by the Phantom Commander, Lin Yu and Lin Chenxi arrived at a garden near the World Tree. This garden was mainly planted with sunflowers, multi-headed sunflowers (two-headed, three-headed) developed by the defensive plant hybridization lab, and the Sunflower Queen.
A small sprite clung to each sunflower. On these plants that naturally produced large amounts of Spiritual Energy, the sprites generated even more. They were a major contributor to the entire territory’s Spiritual Energy production.
Amidst this patch of sunflowers, a four-headed Big-Mouthed Flower was particularly conspicuous.
"Manqiluo? Manqiluo?"
A pair of eyes opened on the largest flower of the Big-Mouthed Flower. Seeing the group before her, she quickly uprooted herself and walked out of the garden.
"My Lord, Phantom Commander, Prime Minister Lin... why have you all come?"
"As the territory’s first plant-person and a legendary-grade hero, of course I should come and see you! It’s all Phantom’s fault. If he hadn’t just told me about you now, I would have come to see you long ago."
"I took a look at your stats, and they’re very strong. Based on your attributes, you could be considered the number one attacker in our territory right now..."
Lin Yu praised Manqiluo for a long time, so much so that she became embarrassed. Her four heads tangled together, twisting and swaying bashfully, leaving Lin Yu stunned.
Noticing Lin Yu’s gaze, Manqiluo let out a cry of surprise. Amidst a flash of green light, a bewitching, tall beauty appeared before them.
Manqiluo had long green hair and wore colorful clothes with a plant-like aesthetic. Below her enchanting eyes were a pair of unusually purple lips. Her delicate features and curvaceous figure made it hard for anyone to look away.
"My apologies, my lords. I forgot to transform just now!"
"It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s just that I’ve been a bit busy lately and haven’t really met any of you plant-people yet. And with you having four heads, it felt rather novel."
Lin Yu laughed heartily and told Manqiluo not to worry. His eyes couldn’t help but scan her up and down as he praised, "Manqiluo, your transformation is truly impressive!"
"Thank you for the praise, my Lord!"
"My Lord, is there something you came here for? You didn’t just come to see me, did you? I’d be so flattered..."
"It’s mainly because I wanted to come!" Lin Yu replied. "My main purpose really was to meet you."
"Also, I wanted to ask how you’ve leveled up so quickly. In just two months, you’ve surpassed the vast majority of the territory’s heroes. If you have some kind of secret, and you don’t mind sharing, we could promote it throughout the territory."
"But... I don’t have any secret!" Manqiluo was a bit bewildered. "I just stay in the garden, and my level rises on its own."
"That’s not right. I see you going to the Jade Sanctuary all the time, and you stay there for the whole day. You’re not always in the garden!" Lin Chenxi suddenly recalled. Recently, she’d often see this gal entering the Jade Sanctuary on her way to work from the Lord’s Mansion, and if she got off work on time in the evening, she’d happen to see her coming out.
"Oh, I placed a flowerpot in the public classroom. I turn back into my original form there every day and listen to the lectures from inside the pot..."
Everyone was speechless after hearing Manqiluo’s explanation. They never expected Manqiluo to be such a "homebody" Big-Mouthed Flower, needing to keep herself in the soil at all times.
Phantom blinked and said in disbelief, "So does that mean if we want to level up automatically, we have to learn from Manqiluo and plant ourselves in the ground?"
Lin Yu grew thoughtful. He was the only one who knew the specific details of the territory’s traits, so he was the only one who understood the reason behind it.
Because of Manqiluo’s "plant-person" trait, she benefited from the dual boons of the territory’s "Giant Plants" and "Towering Ancient Trees." The combination of the two allowed her to passively absorb Spiritual Energy and convert it into experience while in her plant form. Coupled with the effects of the "Sun and Moon Breathing Technique" and the "Star Technique," her rate of Spiritual Energy absorption was extremely fast.
Finally, she was the first among the territory’s many defensive plants to become a plant-person, and also the first plant-person to pass the Transformation Tribulation. Her talent must be excellent, so it was normal for her level to rise a bit faster.
Lin Yu reached out and pulled Phantom, who was trying to bury himself in the dirt, out of the garden. "Don’t bother trying. I know why Manqiluo levels up so fast. It’s no use for anyone but plant-people."
"Then why haven’t the other plant-people leveled up this quickly?" Phantom was still not resigned. He had very little time to grind levels these days. The only way he could gain a bit of experience was by training in the Training Camp each day. His level couldn’t even make it into the top tier of the territory, which made him very anxious.
Lin Chenxi was in the same situation, but since she wasn’t one of the territory’s main combatants, she wasn’t particularly worried.
"There are a few reasons. Do the other plant-people just wander around outside all day and rarely return to their plant forms?" Lin Yu thought for a moment and asked Manqiluo.
Manqiluo recalled carefully and answered, "That’s true! They stay in their humanoid forms most of the time."
"See, that’s the main reason. To gain experience automatically, you have to be in a plant state. The territory helps plants absorb more Spiritual Energy."
"However, the efficiency of converting Spiritual Energy into experience varies from person to person. Personal talent and proficiency with the ’Sun and Moon Breathing Technique’ and ’Star Technique’ play a huge role in this!"
"The other plant-people finally gained their freedom, so naturally, they don’t want to go back to being rooted plants. As a result, the territory doesn’t help automatically funnel Spiritual Energy into their bodies. If they want to level up, they either have to practice the ’Sun and Moon Breathing Technique’ and ’Star Technique’ when they rest, train at the Training Camp, or grind levels in the leveling fields."
Lin Yu concluded. Naturally, no one refuted his words.
Phantom was very disappointed. He had been thinking about putting a flowerpot in his office and working from inside it to enjoy the feeling of automatic leveling. Now, that plan was ruined before it even began.
Not having received the answer they wanted, the disappointed group bid farewell to Manqiluo and went their separate ways.
Lin Yu returned to the Lord’s Mansion, contemplating how to use the "Giant Plants" and "Towering Ancient Trees" traits to quickly establish a team of plant-people.
Using Manqiluo as a reference, defensive plants, under the effects of "Giant Plants" and their "plant-person" nature, indeed possessed extraordinary potential. He couldn’t let those plant-people waste it on food, drink, and fun.
A short while later, a new order was sent from the Lord’s Mansion to the military center.
[Screen them all. See which plant-people are willing to cultivate by "holing up" in the soil like Manqiluo.]
[Explain the benefits of "holing up" to them.]
[Compile a list and assign them all to Manqiluo’s leadership.]
[Have Manqiluo form a new team composed primarily of plant-people!]
...