NABC Chapter 41: Could it be [Blessing] that increases the mutation rate?
Chapter 41: Could it be [Blessing] that increases the mutation rate?
"Using the Fortune Pot to grow [Wood Edge Flower]? What's the difference between that and growing weeds in a greenhouse?" Jiang Qiao frowned, inexplicably regretting renting the Fortune Pot to Jiang Qiu. It was truly a waste. But since she had already agreed, she spread her hands. "Fine, plant whatever you want. Give me the [Golden Spirit Cage], and I'll take you inside later!"
"Thank you." Jiang Qiu smiled politely and handed the two potted plants in her hands to her. Then she contacted Lao Liu to bring in the third-generation [Wood Edge Flower] mother plant and a bag of rare nutrient soil with a label.
"Old Liu, take these two pots to my windowsill. I'll put them in there when I get back. Be careful, the things planted in them are very important."
"Yes, miss, I've put it securely for you."
Watching Old Liu carry away two pots of [Golden Spirit Cage], Jiang Qiao picked up a bag of rare nutrient soil in a plastic-sealed container, her big eyes bobbing up and down as she muttered, "I'm going to use this to grow some rare level 1 soil-type spirit plants, you better not lie to me..."
"If I were lying to you, I wouldn't have mortgaged the Golden Spirit Cage to you. Can we go into the inner courtyard now?"
"Hmph, I bet you wouldn't dare lie to me. Come on, let me show you around." Jiang Qiao twisted the drawstring of the plastic bag twice with her fingers, carrying it like a small water bag by her thigh, and walked forward, swaying back and forth.
Soon, he stopped in front of a three-story-high thorny fence. "Ahead are high-level spiritual plants with autonomous attack capabilities. Don't stray too far from me."
With a whoosh, a wisp of cyan spiritual energy emanated from her fingertip and burrowed into the bark of the thorns. The thorns receded to both sides, creating a passage in the middle, but each thorn seemed to have eyes, gleaming with a chilling light.
As Jiang Qiu passed through, her hair stood on end, like a bacterium that had accidentally entered her immune system and would be strangled once it detected something amiss. However, Jiang Qiao exuded a gentle spiritual aura that shielded her from danger, so she couldn't help but take half a step closer to her, their shadows overlapping.
"Only those marked by the [Spirit Embryo Ancestral Tree] can enter the inner courtyard, and entering or leaving will be noticed by the caregiver. If you try to force your way in, you will be attacked by thorns. They can not only pierce through steel plates, but they can also target enemies within a range. I will be taking you with me for the next week. Don't come in alone."
"Okay." Jiang Qiu nodded.
Soon, he followed Jiang Qiao into the shadow of the huge tree canopy. Sunlight could not penetrate the layers of emerald green leaves, and it was as dark as night under the tree. The exposed roots were intertwined, and there were several arched "cavities" that shone with colorful light, containing potted spiritual plants.
I've never seen it in a greenhouse before.
But the strangest thing was those flickering points of light.
Jiang Qiuxin became curious, "Fireflies live here?"
"Tsk, that's called the 'Powder-Gathering Fairy,' a beneficial insect specifically used to cultivate hybrid spiritual plants. The color of the pollen it collects determines the color of the light emanating from its rear end. This one was brought in by someone else; it's pretty ordinary-looking, nothing special." Jiang Qiao curled her lips in boredom.
Hybridization is a technique that can only be learned after training.
It is also a required course for becoming a spiritual plant master.
After all, most spirit plants of level 2 and above are hybrids.
It is said that there are very few pure, natural, high-grade spiritual plants.
Even if they exist, they are hybrids born in the wild.
However, such situations are often a mixed bag.
Some are masterpieces of nature.
Some of the fish and shrimp were rotten and rancid.
Why not hybridize them yourself?
Jiang Qiu couldn't help but dream about her own cultivation path, wondering which level 1 spiritual plant combinations she should use when she started hybridizing plants herself. "Hey, stop looking at the bugs. The only empty Fortune Pot in Courtyard 17 is right here."
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted. He looked in the direction Jiang Qiao was pointing and saw a naturally formed hollow at the base of the ancestral tree, about waist-high in front of him, just big enough to fit a basin.
"There are only 10 blessed pots here. Many apprentices are vying for a spot to plant level 2 spiritual plants, or some level 1 rare spiritual plants, mainly for cultivation. If it weren't for a senior brother whose cultivation level is high and who is about to break through, we wouldn't have lent out a spot. As a result, you planted a [Wooden Fate Flower].
Jiang Qiao instructed Jiang Qiu to put the potted plant inside, then muttered, "I wonder what other people's expressions will be when they see this planted here. It's such a waste..."
Jiang Qiu didn't pay much attention, focusing all her attention on the potted plant. She saw that the thick tree roots extended out into the fine roots, climbing up the rubber pot into the nutrient soil and fixing it firmly, while emitting light particles.
Tap, the panel pops up.
His eyes lit up.
[Insert Level 1 Wood-type Spiritual Plant "Wood Edge Flower"]
[It is connected to the roots and rhizomes of the "Spiritual Embryo Ancestral Tree"]
[We will absorb the overflowing "blessings" from the other party over a long period of time.]
[Choose the direction of the bonus from "Blessing":]
1. Fruit production increases by 1 per day (up to the maximum).
2. Growth cycle: 10 days per day (accumulated until zero)
3. Mutation rate increases by 1% daily (cumulative to 100%)
The upper limit of one option is very high. If it is a rare spiritual plant that is very difficult to produce, each fruit is extremely precious. For example, the [Golden Spirit Cage] can produce seven fruits in a week, and the income will be greatly doubled.
However, since [Golden Spirit Cage] already has a rare nutrient soil that can "produce up to the mother plant's limit", the effect is almost the same, and [Wood Edge Flower] doesn't need to use its precious [Blessing] in this direction.
The two options are self-explanatory; efficiency is the priority.
The third option has the most unpredictable upper limit value. Among the rare nutrient soils that have been prepared so far, there is no second one with an additional mutation rate. The first one adds 5%, which is still unique.
The variation rate of the three options is increasing daily.
It will definitely mutate in just 100 days.
Even in just one week, the mutation rate can increase to 12%, which may seem low, but in reality, the mother plant can produce up to 30 fruits, and the probability of one of them mutating is not too small.
Even if it fails, the mutation rate is still increased in the mother plant and is considered a characteristic. By pouring resources into a "superior harvest" before the assessment, the entire mutation rate of the mother plant can be inherited by the next generation.
Jiang Qiu chose option three without hesitation!
With a whoosh, the tree roots planted in the pot emitted a deep yellow light, swirling out like a simmering mud soup.
With a gurgling sound, the mother plant absorbed it, and the veins of the leaves flashed with a static-like emerald green, revealing a hint of mutation.
"Hmm?" Jiang Qiao blinked, her tone surprised. "No flower buds formed, and no growth was induced. Could it be the [Blessing] that increases the mutation rate?"
"Is it that rare?"
"Hmph, it's not that difficult. Although [Blessing] has a chance to increase the mutation rate, it takes years of absorption to be effective. Without a year or two, there will be no signs of mutation. I'll lend you this Blessing Basin for a week. The mutation rate will only increase slightly, which is better than nothing."
Jiang Qiao chuckled, "Alright, let's add each other's contact information. Just call me if you need to come in and care for this [Wooden Edge Flower]. Oh, by the way, you don't need to call me every day. The spiritual energy it metabolizes will be stored in the root cave, and you can absorb it all at once when needed. The main thing is to remember to ask me to cultivate the [Golden Spirit Cage]. If you don't actively nurture it, I won't return it to you!"