Chapter 465: Chapter 455: Complete

Dismissing Norris, who was still trembling with fear, cold sweat soaking his back.

Lin Jun considerately booked tonight’s themed nightmare for him: being endlessly chased by an indescribable giant creature in a dark cavern.

Switching perspectives, Lin Jun looked at the failed experiment in the cave.

[Giant Creature Level 5]

The skill given by Chis now seems quite useful; at the Dragon Roar Valley battle, that towering giant beast Puki had fully demonstrated its value.

Not only does it increase in size, but it also allows the Constitution Attribute to break through Puki’s original limits, becoming larger and tougher.

When combined with skills like [Life Essence], it becomes a moving fortress, impervious to assault in certain terrains.

Not to mention, the power of [Self-Destruction] is also directly linked to the Constitution Attribute.

The only flaw is that Power and Speed Attributes cannot grow in sync, causing the giant units to move slowly and appear slightly cumbersome.

However, this doesn’t overshadow its merits; it’s still a skill worth exploring.

Therefore, Lin Jun naturally won’t hesitate to invest resources in further research.

At this moment, the existence in the cave emitting painful groans is a D Level Lizardman prisoner fortunate enough to participate in the test.

Unfortunately, the results were disappointing to the Mushroom.

Just as the compatibility of many skills with Puki varies, [Giant Creature] also seems incompatible with Lizardmen and even more broadly with humanoid creatures.

Under the skill’s enhancement, this Lizardman indeed swelled rapidly through frenzied eating in a short time, but the process was too crude and brutal.

His skin and scales were forcibly torn apart by rapidly expanding muscle fibers, revealing the red pulsating tissues underneath.

The original skeletal structure could not support such a massive body, and if not for Lin Jun’s timely application of the [Steel Bone] skill to reinforce it, this body would’ve self-destructed during the gigantification process.

Moreover, the issue of insufficient Power and Speed Attributes also appeared in this Lizardman.

But with humanoid creatures’ slender legs and fragile knee joints, keeping balance becomes a problem after gigantification under attribute deficiency, let alone fighting.

Its actual combat power is probably not even comparable to a giant Puki.

Moreover, maintaining the giant body requires a significant amount of food, unlike Puki that only needs to replenish Magic Power conveniently.

This failure wasn’t dealt with immediately, resulting in scaring Little Norris.

Puff, puff, puff…

Mushrooms emerged eagerly from under the torn skin of the giant Lizardman, rapidly growing. The unimaginable pain caused this massive experiment to emit deafening howls, with sound waves crashing against the cave walls, causing the ceiling’s rocks to crumble down.

This painful roar did not last long.

As the fungi greedily extracted the last Life Force within it, the roar grew faint, finally becoming a long sigh with a hint of relief, ending the D Level Lizardman’s sinful life.

Lin Jun didn’t bother too much with this failed experiment.

The Sunstone has arrived!

…

At the entrance of Pujie Dungeon, two fully armed guards leaned wearily against their spears.

When they saw the figure cloaked in dark, drawing near from a distance, one guard immediately straightened, fixing a warm, if not somewhat flattering, smile on his face:

“Lord Edin! You’re entering the dungeon again so soon?”

In the Mushroom City’s public office system, everyone knew this influential figure under the Lord of Fa’er.

Recently, there were rumors that he personally went to the front lines and managed to rescue the City Lord of Red Stone City from the Demon Race army and frenzied Elemental Spirits.

That legendary squad, which won a city in exchange for a mission, is said to be recovering in neighboring Novid.

With hands folded inside his cloak, Edin merely nodded slightly at the guards, stepping steadily into the dark entrance of the dungeon.

With complete mushroom-fication, various supply points from Puki exist throughout the dungeon; even rescue services are available by paying “protection fees,” significantly enhancing safety.

Yet due to this, resources in the Upper Area were long plundered by adventurers, turning it into a training ground for novice adventurers and a “procurement zone” for Puki Masters.

Acquiring tremendous wealth through adventure now required venturing into dangerous areas below the eighth floor.

In the eyes of the guards, Lord Edin’s frequent visits are likely for researching Puki-related production matters.

Judging by recent policy directions, the upper echelons placed great importance on the emerging profession of Puki Master.

Yet only Edin knew his real purpose for this trip.

Within his arms, he held tightly a fragment of the Sunstone stored in a magic item that could block its aura.

Behind him, a knight Puki followed stealthily in invisibility.

Turning into an inconspicuous corner on the first floor, a familiar hidden room quietly shifted before him.

After being teleported directly to the tenth floor through the Fungal Chamber, more fully armed Pukis awaited outside.

Encircled silently by the escort team, Edin easily returned to the Deep Area.

Reaching the core area, he cautiously took out a magical box, handing over the Sunstone fragment that still emitted light and heat to the knight Puki behind him.

The knight Puki acted decisively, taking the fragment inside itself, then burrowed into the Fungal Mycelium Network beside it, vanishing from view.

With the task completed, Edin finally relaxed, ready to research the S-Class Demon Crystal.

In a massive, secluded room inaccessible without the Fungal Mycelium Network, the knight Puki emerged.

Upon appearance, it was engulfed in intense and warm light, emitted by the large, central piece of the Sunstone in the room.

And today, this wholly-owned Divine Artifact of Lin Jun would finally reach its complete state!

Personally controlling the knight Puki, Lin Jun wrapped the two Sunstone pieces, his tendrils trembling with excitement.

As the remaining fragments drew near, the ancient crack finally fit perfectly without any trace of absence!

In an instant, a radiance far surpassing before erupted from the completed Sunstone, the light so intense it threatened to engulf everything; even the knight Puki’s tenacious mycelial tendrils sizzled under the heat, barely able to hold on.

Fortunately, this fierce energy burst lasted only a moment.

The light quickly subsided calmly, and surprisingly, the energy emitted by the complete Sunstone grew even weaker than before it was fragmented?

Meanwhile, information on the panel changed as well:

[Divine Artifact: Sunstone (The Soul is the Ark’s cornerstone)]

The Divine Artifact was complete, but instead of a tooltip or function description, the panel displayed an unrelated phrase, even mentioning the “Ark”?

The Soul is the cornerstone… does this imply a connection between the Sunstone and the soul?

Lin Jun immediately began investigating what changes the complete Sunstone had undergone.

The most direct observation is the weakened energy emission, clearly evidenced by the reduced efficiency of Magic Power generated through [Photosynthesis] across the surrounding Fungal Mat.

As for other aspects… besides the now perfectly rounded shape, making it easier to hold, nothing else seemed different.

Is the complete Sunstone less effective than when it was fragmentary?

That can’t be, right?!

Looking at the panel’s content, could it be that basking one’s soul strengthens it?

If that’s true, it still seems… of little practical use… does one lack soul strength?

While Lin Jun’s thoughts wandered, in a corner of the cavern, a massive cocoon formed by dense mycelium, left unperturbed for over half a year, suddenly twitched slightly.

Continuing, the Puki, which had been in a dormant standby state within the cocoon, suddenly broke through the outer layer of mycelium, standing up shakily!

What’s truly shocking to Lin Jun was that all of this happened beyond his control!

The knight Puki and the newly emerged Puki stood facing each other, bringing an eerie silence to the cavern.

Just then, a strange yet oddly familiar voice echoed within the Fungal Network:

“Ma… Ma…”

Pop—!

Lin Jun reflexively had the knight Puki whip whatever it was into bits!

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